After twenty years in the Witness Protection program--first it was she and her parents when she was six but they've since been murdered-Melody Grace McCartney barely knows herself. It's to the point where she gets new identities almost just because she's bored and feels like it. Of course the marshalls don't know that, though, they believe her when she calls and says she's been threatened.

It's because of such a call that they're relocating her again. Covert SUVs, remote hotel rooms, it's all a part of the gig.

The kidnapping isn't.

Jonathon, the son of the man she's been running from her whole life has tracked her down. Only it might not be what she thinks. Instead of her worst nightmare, it might just be the answer to all her prayers.

I'm posting both covers of this novel (I don't actually know what the first one's for-if it's for an international version or arc or what) because the top cover is the one I saw several months before the book came out when I only had the vagues idea what the book was about. As it's so different from the second cover, that was on the book I read, I'm including it because it might have been a fair part of why I feel how I do about the book.

I didn't read much (at all) of the summary of this book when I actually got it so I knew the gist of the woman who'd been in Witness Protection her whole life and got kidnapped but I think that might have been it. In some ways I'm glad because I think my abbreviated summary reading was more interesting than the actual summary. This book is presented as general fiction/lit....or maybe even a mystery sometimes but....well it was almost fluffy at times.

I'm sure you think I'm crazy because of the WITSEC stuff and the mob and everything, but it was. I don't know if it's because it's written by a man-I'm serious-but I'm kind of curious about whether or not this would almost have been marketed as a slight romance if it had been written by a woman. Not a romance section romance but one of the general fiction section of the bookstore books that features a good bit of romance.

There's not sex or anything explicit-that I remember-but this book really reminds me of a mix of a little bit of the Sopranos or something Mob-y and Playing with Fire by Gena Showalter (the whole premise of two characters on the run, one a sort of agent and one the normal girl).

I guess this is back again to why I'm posting the two covers, The Girl She Used to Be was quite a bit lighter than I expected it to be, possibly given the subject matter but definitely given the cover I'd had in my mind for so long so I really don't know if someone going in expecting it ot be a bit of a lighter read would enjoy it more than I did? (I'm still not sure the cover that it has fits....it looks more like Melody's on some sort of quest for personal discovery with the long, open road in front of her and that's not what I got from this book--maybe that she was looking for it in general but not that this book was about her really finding it).

I'd still recommend the book, I just wouldn't put it at the tippy top of your to read list...but it would be fun for summer and if the author writes more, I'll check it out. ( )

From Goodreads:

"When Melody Grace McCartney was six years old, she and her parents witnessed an act of violence so brutal that it changed their lives forever. The federal government lured them into the Witness Protection Program with the promise of safety, and they went gratefully. But the program took Melody's name, her home, her innocence, and, ultimately, her family."

My Thoughts:

The Girl She Used To Be swept me up from the beginning of the novel and didn't let go until the end. This is a fast paced moving novel that focuses on what a lack of identity can do to an individual. Melody has been multiple names and faces throughout her lifetime but never the person that she wants to be which is Melody. She is caught up in the net that is the witness protection program and struggling to find herself amongst all of the lies. Melody was an interesting main character for me. I didn't always like her or her actions at times but I couldn't stop myself from caring about what happened to her...even when she didn't care herself. The main problem I had with this book was the believability issues. As a reader, I really had to stop myself from nitpicking and just enjoy the ride. Because it is a good ride and like I said before, I found myself caught up within the pages of this book. But it isn't realistic whatsoever which did cause a few problems for me especially at the beginning of the book. All in all, I liked this book and would definitely pick up more by this author in the future. ( )

Melody Grace McCartney has been in the Witness Protection Program since the age of six, along with her parents who have since been murdered by the mob they testified against. Moved by the federal government dozens of times to small towns across America, Melody wishes for only one thing: to have a normal life and her own name. So when one night she meets Jonathon Bovaro, the son of the man who was responsible for killing her parents, she is especially vulnerable to his charms…and his promise to protect her.

David Cristofano’s debut novel is a fast-paced, compelling look at identity, and our ability to trust and love after tragedy. The Girl She Used To Be is a well-constructed novel with a complex protagonist. Melody’s journey from child victim to rebellious adolescent to independent young adult is painful. The core of the story revolves around the question of how we form our identities, and how early experiences impact our development.

I have to admit that I was not sure how I would like this novel. At times, the story felt a bit contrived – but ultimately I found myself unable to stop turning the pages. I wanted to know how Melody’s life would turn out; I wished for something better for her; I ached for those things missing in her life – a family, a person who loved her for her, a normal life. Melody is not always likable – at times she is whiny and petulant – but as the story unfolds, her behavior becomes understandable.

Cristofano has crafted an unusual novel – one of imagination and depth – which kept me interested from start to finish. Readers who like their literary fiction with a touch of mystery will greatly enjoy The Girl She Used To Be. I will look forward to reading more from this talented new author.

Recommended. ( )

Melody hasn't been Melody since she was six, when her parents and her saw mob boss Bovaro murder a guy in a restuarant. They are put in the witness protection program after testifying for the goverment. The book is about Melody really trying to find out who she is after years of being whoever and whatever the government said she was.

The story was really bizarre. It wasn't anything at all what I expected it to be. The author really did give a good description of what Melody was feeling. I got why she was so frustrated and angry with the way her life turned out, but the way the story unfolds, I found myself saying 'what'. I couldn't understand why she was doing the things she was doing. Parts were ridiculous and unbelievable. This could have been a really great book, but in my opinion, the author went out of the lines with it, and the story lost it's credibility.

The Girl She Used to Be isn't a must read, I can't say 'go and buy it'. It was just to farfetched to be considered a good read ( )

What an unusual love story this turned out to be! I really wish I could find more books like this. Without revealing anything, the ending is really a nice twist on how love can change your life. I highly recommend this one. ( )