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kathigusi's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Physical abuse
violet_pages's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Bullying, Biphobia, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, and Alcoholism
Minor: Car accident, Transphobia, and Domestic abuse
iksme's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I love this book Morgan is such a dense idiot though, and I found it unlikely that such an active lesbian in the community would even consider outing someone and would definitely consider that they don't want to come out to a unaccepting mother.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Outing, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Alcohol
plumpaperbacks's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love when I pick up a book at random and it ends up becoming a new favorite. It’s happened to me several times over the last couple of years, and now again with Some Girls Do, which is one of my new favorite YA contemporaries.
This is such an important story, and one that ended up being more emotional than I expected. It delves into homophobia in small towns and in the beauty pageant industry, self discovery and acceptance, and what it means for one person in a queer couple to be out and the other to still be in the closet. That last part was especially a gut punch, not because I’ve had similar experiences—I haven’t—but because I could see and understand where both Morgan and Ruby were coming from. Usually, when two characters fight, I can pick a side, but not here. I felt so bad for both girls, especially Ruby, and my heart truly hurt as I read the second half of the book.
But it’s not a sad story. Emotionally intense, yes, but ultimately it’s hopeful. Morgan’s family supports her no matter what, and her older brother Dylan is one of the best brothers I’ve seen in any book. His hopeless attempts at parenting made me laugh. Ruby’s mother is homophobic and abusive, but Ruby had support in Billy, her mom’s ex-husband, and in Morgan’s family. Billy was so sweet, one of those gruff characters with a heart of gold, and honestly, I wish I had a father figure like him.
If I have one complaint, it’s that I would’ve liked to see more of some of the side characters. Allie, Lydia, Everly and Tyler were all interesting characters, but they seemed to take the back burner in the last third of the story. I feel like there’s a bit of an unresolved situation between Allie and Lydia, and I just wanted to see more of Everly and Tyler. Both were very supportive of Ruby through everything, and I lowkey feel like they got the short end of the stick.
That aside, I just really, really loved Morgan and Ruby. From the beginning, they caught my interest, and then soon after they captured my heart. I would like to adopt them both and give them hugs and ice cream and take them to Pride parades. They were such well-written, complex and flawed characters, and I love and admire them both. I also loved their relationship dynamic* and how they had a lowkey hate to love, very much opposites attract romance. I found it amusing that so much of both girls’ early chapters was an internal monologue of how attractive the other was and “oh my god, why can’t I stop thinking about her???”. Honestly, what a mood. I too am a useless gay, so I can definitely relate. 🤪
*Their first meeting was when Ruby almost hit Morgan with her car, and then not long after, she actually hit Morgan. I’m realizing now that something similar happens in one of my favorite romances, Act Your Age, Eve Brown. Is this a new trope or something?? 😂
I’ve been piecing this review together for a few hours now and my last few brain cells are tired, so I’ll leave it at this. I know I’ll be thinking about this book for some time, and I’ll certainly be buying my own copy ASAP. Highly recommended to those who can handle the content!!!
Representation
This is such an important story, and one that ended up being more emotional than I expected. It delves into homophobia in small towns and in the beauty pageant industry, self discovery and acceptance, and what it means for one person in a queer couple to be out and the other to still be in the closet. That last part was especially a gut punch, not because I’ve had similar experiences—I haven’t—but because I could see and understand where both Morgan and Ruby were coming from. Usually, when two characters fight, I can pick a side, but not here. I felt so bad for both girls, especially Ruby, and my heart truly hurt as I read the second half of the book.
But it’s not a sad story. Emotionally intense, yes, but ultimately it’s hopeful. Morgan’s family supports her no matter what, and her older brother Dylan is one of the best brothers I’ve seen in any book. His hopeless attempts at parenting made me laugh. Ruby’s mother is homophobic and abusive, but Ruby had support in Billy, her mom’s ex-husband, and in Morgan’s family. Billy was so sweet, one of those gruff characters with a heart of gold, and honestly, I wish I had a father figure like him.
If I have one complaint, it’s that I would’ve liked to see more of some of the side characters. Allie, Lydia, Everly and Tyler were all interesting characters, but they seemed to take the back burner in the last third of the story. I feel like there’s a bit of an unresolved situation between Allie and Lydia, and I just wanted to see more of Everly and Tyler. Both were very supportive of Ruby through everything, and I lowkey feel like they got the short end of the stick.
That aside, I just really, really loved Morgan and Ruby. From the beginning, they caught my interest, and then soon after they captured my heart. I would like to adopt them both and give them hugs and ice cream and take them to Pride parades. They were such well-written, complex and flawed characters, and I love and admire them both. I also loved their relationship dynamic* and how they had a lowkey hate to love, very much opposites attract romance. I found it amusing that so much of both girls’ early chapters was an internal monologue of how attractive the other was and “oh my god, why can’t I stop thinking about her???”. Honestly, what a mood. I too am a useless gay, so I can definitely relate. 🤪
*Their first meeting was when Ruby almost hit Morgan with her car, and then not long after, she actually hit Morgan. I’m realizing now that something similar happens in one of my favorite romances, Act Your Age, Eve Brown. Is this a new trope or something?? 😂
I’ve been piecing this review together for a few hours now and my last few brain cells are tired, so I’ll leave it at this. I know I’ll be thinking about this book for some time, and I’ll certainly be buying my own copy ASAP. Highly recommended to those who can handle the content!!!
Representation
- bi/pansexual questioning protagonist
- lesbian protagonist
- sapphic romance (f/f)
- Latine pansexual side character
- Black side character
- queer side characters (includes gay and trans rep)
- side characters of color (includes East Asian rep)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Homophobia
Ruby’s mother is emotionally abusive and manipulative, and occasionally physically abusive. There’s one scene where she slaps Ruby across the face, and another where she throws a pageant trophy at Ruby. Alcohol is tagged because there are a couple of scenes where Ruby gets drunk, so let me add here a warning for underage drinking.lapis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Minor: Biphobia
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for an arc of this book!
Ruby is a beauty pageant star, but she really just wants to work on cars. Morgan is determined to help other queer kids after a struggle with her old school over her sexuality. When Morgan transfers to Ruby's school, their paths collide and they will have to decide what they want and what is most important in their lives--being together, or being loud.
I was instantly hooked by this fast moving rom-com! I loved that Ruby and Morgan were foils of each other, and how they instantly attracted like magnets. I was really interested in the struggle that Ruby had with her mother and whether or not she wanted to be out, and the struggles that Morgan was facing with her old school, her new track team, and trying to make a difference in the face of bigotry.
I did think some of the side characters could have been fleshed out a little more, as they all seemed pretty periphery and one-dimensional, but the main characters were awesome and I loved the writing and the plot! This is my favorite of Dugan's books so far!
Pub Date: May 18, 2021
Ruby is a beauty pageant star, but she really just wants to work on cars. Morgan is determined to help other queer kids after a struggle with her old school over her sexuality. When Morgan transfers to Ruby's school, their paths collide and they will have to decide what they want and what is most important in their lives--being together, or being loud.
I was instantly hooked by this fast moving rom-com! I loved that Ruby and Morgan were foils of each other, and how they instantly attracted like magnets. I was really interested in the struggle that Ruby had with her mother and whether or not she wanted to be out, and the struggles that Morgan was facing with her old school, her new track team, and trying to make a difference in the face of bigotry.
I did think some of the side characters could have been fleshed out a little more, as they all seemed pretty periphery and one-dimensional, but the main characters were awesome and I loved the writing and the plot! This is my favorite of Dugan's books so far!
Pub Date: May 18, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcoholism and Physical abuse
Minor: Car accident and Transphobia
Outting
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