relentless cheer

Virginia grew up in Buffalo, hanging out at her dad’s restaurant, where there were always interesting people and beautiful people around. Some of those people were cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills, also known as The Jills. Virginia wanted to be a part of that, so she became a cheerleader in school. She learned dance. She worked hard. She grew up, she auditioned, and she made the squad.

The life of a Jill is not easy. They don’t make enough money from cheerleading to support themselves, so they all have day jobs. Virginia is a personal trainer, working at a local gym. The Jills have exacting standards as to how they look and act, but Virginia is willing to comply, since being a Jill had been her dream. But when Jeanine didn’t show up for a game one weekend, Virginia is worried.

Virginia feels a closeness to all of her fellow Jills, but she is especially close to Jeanine. She had gotten involved with drugs in high school, just like Virginia’s younger sister Laura had. Laura is sober now, but the sisters are still struggling to repair their relationship, so Virginia’s friendship with Jeanine gives her insight into what her sister went through. But more than that, Jeanine helps Virginia loosen up a little. Jeanine gives her room to let her hair down and builds up Virginia’s confidence. And when she goes missing, Virginia is devastated. And worse, no one around her seems to care.

Because Jeanine was an adult, and there was no evidence of a crime, she was free to leave if she wanted. So while Virginia is trying to rally people to help look for her, no one is willing to help. So she decides she’ll just have to track her down by herself. Virginia starts by finding Jeanine’s old boyfriend, who is a bartender at a place they go to sometimes. As the days go by, Virginia starts to learn more and more about what Jeanine was really doing, and the secrets get increasingly dangerous. And when those secrets start to lead Virginia back to her own family, she isn’t sure she wants to keep going.

But to find the answers she needs, Virginia has to keep going. Even if that means burning down everything and everyone she loves.

The Jills is a fascinating look at life as a cheerleader. It’s also a deep dive into drug culture and its effects, especially on young women, so please be careful if that’s a trigger for you. This book took a dark turn that I wasn’t expecting, but I found it fascinating, and I loved the information at the end about the history of the Jills. Virginia is a fantastic character. She’s not always right, but she is relentless in the pursuit of her friend, and her transformation is inspiring. I really enjoyed this book and all its twists. It was hard to put down until I got to the end.

Egalleys for The Jills were provided by Ballentine through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.