Book Review: September Girls by Bennett Madison

Sam’s family is broken. His mother went to live in Women’s Land, leaving him with his father. His older brother is off at college, so Sam is the one who receives the brunt of the split. With his mother gone, his father quits his jobs, takes up new activities and decides to take his sons to the beach for the summer.

On their first night there, Sam and his brother Jeff watch a girl emerge from the sea and crawl on to the land. Written off as an alcohol fueled dream, Sam can’t forget how odd it was, and it’s the light of day here he meets the Girls.


Tall, blond, and beautiful, the girls hang out at the beach and work at all of the shops along the beach. Kristle is the first girl they meet at a restaurant. She seems to be attracted to Sam, much to his older brother’s dismay. Sam isn’t sure about this attraction, but it seems the girls all take notice of him. Sam takes notice of DeeDee.

As Sam and DeeDee start to get close, she quickly grows distant. It has something to do with Kristle, and the other Girls. Somehow all sisters, all connected by their mythology, and a curse that keeps them on that beach.


September Girls is one of those haunting stick-with-you stories that will keep you thinking for days. While the story is a slow build, readers will be turning the pages to find out more about the Girls and their secrets. Just like Sam, readers are unsure of what the girls are, of course there are some pretty big clues early on.

September Girls reads like a hot day at the beach, complete with heat induced confusion, romance and mystery. Fans of fairy tales retold, like Francesca Lia Block and Margo Lanagon will enjoy this new spin on an old tale.

I"ll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading Jessica Darling's It List. So happy that there's another Jessica Darling book!)


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