The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith is an emotional YA novel about sexual assault that can be hard to read because Eden’s pain makes her an unlikeable character at times, but I couldn’t help hanging in there with her. I mean, she was only fourteen she she was raped by her brother’s best friend. In her own room. In her own bed.
She has a right to be unlikeable. Enraged.
Instead of telling anyone, she internalizes the trauma and begins a multi-year downward spiral of acting out, drinking, taking drugs, losing friends, and sleeping around. She’s no longer the “good girl” she used to be.
This book shows how a young girl can stay silent about rape for years, why it can be so hard to tell someone, and what it’s like to try to survive in silence.
Find your next great read for National Reading Month by exploring my reviews of these YA books if you enjoyed reading The Way I Used to Be as much as I did.
The Cutting Edge of Friendship by Khristina Chess
“My first time was supposed to be different. It wasn’t supposed to happen in darkness, dirt, and violence. It wasn’t supposed to be a two-man job.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Cutting Edge of Friendship
Sadie and Elana have always shared everything—but now, they’re keeping secrets that could destroy them.
On the night of the fireworks, something terrible happened to Sadie—something she can’t even put into words. Instead, she turns to cutting, the only way she knows to cope.
Elana has secrets too. She’s been texting Hunter, making plans to meet in secret, and never questioning why he insists on hiding their relationship.
As their lives spiral deeper into danger, Sadie must find the strength to fight back—not just for herself, but for Elana—before a predator can strike again.
Absolutely gripping! The Cutting Edge of Friendship pulled me in from the first page, and I couldn’t look away until the girls were safe. Sadie’s resilience is fierce and unforgettable, and the novel’s raw, unfiltered emotion hits hard. This story doesn’t shy away from the truth—it reveals, with painful honesty, how self-harm can become a desperate response to trauma.
In this list of excellent coming of age YA books, what I love most about The Cutting Edge of Friendship is the character evolution as both Sadie and Elana lose their innocence about the world and face the harsh realities of adulthood. In particular, I love Sadie’s fierce and resilient character as this painful story escalates toward its thrilling climax. This is the kind of novel that really shows how someone self harms to cope with pain in the aftermath of sexual assault.
If you enjoyed The Way I Used to Be, you won’t want to miss this one.
Some Boys by Patty Blount
“Brave. The word hangs in the air for a moment and then falls away, almost like it even knows it has no business being used to describe me.” ― Patty Blount, quote from Some Boys
In this book, Grace was raped by the “golden boy” student and star athlete at their school named Zac, but when she speaks out about it, no one believes her. Instead she is bullied and ostracized for daring to accuse the prince of such a heinous crime.
Zac’s best friend is Ian. Although he has a major crush on Grace, he no longer feels he can follow-through on that because the whole school is slut-shaming her.
Grace sets on a plan to prove to everyone that Zac isn’t the perfect son everyone believes him to be, and she’s the kind of fighter to make that happen. Instead of a depressed and withdrawn rape survivor, this character is a middle-finger-in-your-face girl who goes after her rapist despite nearly everyone being against her.
If you are looking for books similar to The Way I Used to Be and its angry, tough main character, this story will resonate with you.
Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake
“This. This is why I never said anything. Because no one ever believes the girl.” ― Ashley Herring Blake, quote from Girl Made of Stars
Mara and her twin brother Owen are as close as any twins can be. So when Owen says he is innocent and never raped his girlfriend, Mara is faced with a difficult decision. She’s friends with the victim. Who is telling the truth? Her brother, who she knows as well as she knows herself, or the girl?
In addition to Mara’s confusion about her twin brother’s role as an accused rapist, she’s also dealing with her own sexual identity and relationship with her best friend, a girl named Charlie. Her parents pressure her to support her brother, but why would the victim lie? And in wrestling with these conflicts, Mara can no longer ignore a secret trauma from her own past and what happened to her.
Fans of Amber Smith’s The Way I Used to Be will love this powerful YA book about rape, consent, teen relationships, and sexual identity.
All the Rage by Courtney Summers
"What a stupid thing it is, to care about a girl." ― Courtney Summers, quote from All the Rage
This book tells the story of a girl who was raped at a party by a boy she thought was beautiful. And then, she loses her best friend for telling about it. And everyone in the school begins bullying her about it. And she ends up at another party in the same situation, only this time her ex-best friend turns up missing.
The plot alternates between bewildering and breathtaking. Who was the rapist? What happened to Penny? Will there be justice? Is the girl going to be okay?
I felt sorry for Romy because of what happened to her and what continued to happen as she suffered bullying by the other girls. At times, she is a difficult protagonist to embrace because she's a person in deep pain. She's not always nice. She doesn't make good decisions. She hurts kind people who care about her.
Although this is a fast read, the ending wasn't what I expected or hoped. I felt things remained unresolved. Still, if you liked The Way I Used to Be and you're looking for an emotional roller coaster about rape, victim blaming, and bullying, All the Rage is definitely worth checking out.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
“When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.” ― Laurie Halse Anderson, quote from Speak
Just before beginning high school, Melinda Sordino is raped at a party, and as a result of this experience, she can’t speak. Everyone hates her at school. Her parents aren’t very supportive. She feels alone, depressed, powerless, and unsafe everywhere except in art class.
When her friend starts a relationship with her rapist, Melinda speaks.
This is an important YA book about rape that shows how victims feel silenced by their assailant and the culture around them and how speaking out can liberate. If you liked The Way I Used to Be, be sure to add this one to your TBR pile!
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Three life lessons:
1. No one will see you.
2. No one will say anything.
3. No one will save you. ― Elizabeth Scott, quote from Living Dead Girl
Fifteen-year-old Alice is the kidnapping victim of a pedophile named Ray who took her at age ten. This haunting, horrifying, graphic, disturbing, and tragic book is about so much more than child rape, although that certainly happens. This novel shows how a person—a child—can lose their self-worth and believe their captor’s lies.
How someone can lose their own humanity.
This thin novel was a fast read, but Alice and her story have stayed with me long after I finished. It’s her voice. In her unflinching viewpoint, Alice shows us what happens to children who are taken and never found. She challenges us to look more closely at the people around us. To notice.
Monsters prey on the mute. So pay attention. Speak.
For books similar to The Way I Used to Be, this one is worth a look.
The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
"I am vengeance."― Mindy McGinnis, quote from The Female of the Species
I loved this book. Alex Craft is a unique female YA protagonist, and I had a hard time pinning her down. Sometimes I wanted to label her as a psychopath / sociopath based on her actions and reactions to things, but I don't think that's right.
She is a criminal. It's easy to forget that about her because she makes friends, takes care of kittens, shows compassion to other kids, and falls in love. But she also kills people. So there's that.
This is my third Mindy McGinnis novel, and I'm hooked on her. She writes compelling stories and tough, unflinching characters, and she’s one of the top authors in my list of the Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited. Alex Craft in The Female of the Species is definitely a five-star read! It is an unflinching, painful, searing, riveting, brutal YA book about rape and sexual assault that will shock you to the core. Fans of The Way I Used to Be will definitely like this one.
Other YA Books You’ll Enjoy If You Liked The Way I Used to Be
If you are looking other YA books you’ll enjoy if you liked The Way I Used to Be, check out the Books Similar to The Way I Used to Be, Young Adult Books about Rape & Sexual Abuse (331 books), and Rape Book Lists on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which lists other reviews of YA contemporary books about tough topics for teens.
What about you? Do you have any recommendations to add to my list? If you enjoyed The Way I Used to Be, are there other similar books you loved?
Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.