Review: Good Girls by Laura Ruby, and.....

Bah. Four hours of traipsing about West Philly in a pair of wannabe Converses has rendered my feet useless. Good thing my yearbook meeting tonight was cancelled and I can just stay in and *ahem* write my short story due tomorrow in bed! Oh, and wander the YA blog world, of course. I love it here. :)

Good Girls by Laura Ruby

Tags: YA, sex, rumors, humiliation

GOOD GIRLS is a gem of a good read. Super-smart Audrey does something completely out of character for her before school starts: she hooks up with Luke, the well-liked, athletic playboy. Party after party, they hook up, yet hardly ever speak in school. Audrey feels more for Luke than she’s felt for any other boy, but as she watches Luke talk to other girls, she can’t help but draw back from a possible romance between the two of them.

Then someone takes a picture of Audrey hooking up with Luke, and the picture is passed around to everyone. Even Audrey’s teachers and parents see it. Audrey goes from having a fairly decent reputation to being labeled as a slut. The consequences of the photo are far-reaching: Luke isn’t talking to her and her parents don’t know how to act around her.

However, some of what happens in the picture’s aftermath surprises Audrey. She befriends several girls she had always considered as slutty before, and she learns that she does have the ability to be strong while people snicker behind her back.

GOOD GIRLS is snidely hilarious and a surprisingly feel-good read. It’s raw and explicit; I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone not in high school yet. However, Audrey is a great, strong protagonist with a wonderful voice. Not everyone has been in Audrey’s particular situation, but I’m sure that everyone knows how it feels to be hurt, and then to rise above it. This book has earned a permanent place on my bookshelf and in my heart.

Similar Authors

Laura Wiess (Such a Pretty Girl)

Sara Zarr (Story of a Girl)

Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty)

Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak)

Rating: 5/5

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So you remember how in my post about my contest I said there was a way you can earn 3 extra entries? (See the original post here if you're a little fuzzy on the details.) It's simple. All you have to do is comment on this post with a book that you rated or would rate 5/5, 100%, or otherwise the best rating that you can possibly give. That's all, and you'll automatically gain 3 more entries in my February book release contest giveaway! (Okay, I'll admit. It's also a way I can get more good-book recommendations, hehe. I'm nothing if not utilitarian.)