Reviews with content warning for Lesbophobia - Some Girls Do

This was okay. It was written weird, though. At times it felt like it was written by two different people - in the same way that you could tell multiple co-wrote the Cursed Child. At times, the narrative read like it was written by an adult, and then it would switch over to one written by a teenager.

The characters were good. It was important to see each other their perspective about themselves and how the rest of the world perceived them. I did find Morgan to be a little high and mighty about her queerness. However, that unrelenting acceptance of herself - which then gets pushed onto the queer people around her - fits with the teenager mindset. It was nice to see a Pride Club that wasn't hiding but rather was active in the school community. It allowed for the statement to be made that athletes, especially those wanting to play in college with the chance of going pro, hide their queerness. I did appreciate with Ruby's character that she neither hid her poverty nor was picked on for it, and that the author didn't shy away from the psychological abuse her mother inflicted upon her. It was obvious to see how debilitating constantly made to feel guilty for simply existing can be for someone. It was a nice contrast between the girls that they communicated differently and had different needs, which reflected the way in which they were raised.

For a queer YA book, this was good. The dialogue was fine, the stunted communication between the girls felt in-character and justified. However, the ending felt a little rushed. It was nice to see some sapphic representation. The YA market is saturated with mlm, this was refreshing.

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moodreaderlesbian's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I started reading this book right after finishing Not My Problem and at first I felt like they were similar and didn't really vibe with that so I kinda put it down for a week or so and then picked it up again and doing this was probably one of the best ideas I've ever had because separating the two really helped me enjoy both.
Since I wasn't out and proud in high school as I lived in a very conservative town I related a lot to how Ruby is trying to stay away from the whole "am I queer?" thing because it's safer not to even acknowledge the situation. However I also related to Morgan because online and at home I was an lgbtq+ rights activist, even before I knew I was queer. So with that in mind, I feel like I understand both sides here. But because of this I often chose sides and ultimately didn't really side with either Ruby or Morgan.

Okay, I ended up siding with Ruby because I feel like especially with her past in her old school and her ambitions to bring meaningful change to queer youth Morgan definitely didn't treat Ruby fairly when she told her she didn't want to go public and come out and show PDA and all that. That was a shitty move I'm not sure I could forgive in real life. It was a bit of a Happiest Season situation and I didn't really support that plotline either but what can you do? Also, I get that she is a teen and teens make stupid mistakes but when you pride yourself on being this queer rights warrior treating closeted people like shit doesn't cast a good light on you. Also I think telling the pride club folks about the Ruby thing wasn't fair either. A secret is a secret. Either keep it or don't agree to the whole thing.

It was an easy read (for me but check trigger warnings please) and I definitely recommend it. Also Billy is the best character in the whole book. Stan Billy y'all!

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toofondofbooks_'s review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-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

4.0

I thought that this book was a precious snapshot of first love, coming out, and changing your little corner of the world. Ruby and Morgan were adorable and frustrating together, but also they were complete people on their own. I loved the cast of side characters who were there to support the girls, particularly Morgan's friends from her LGBT Pride Club and Morgan's former stepfather, Billy. This is just a very sweet slice of queer girl life, and I loved it.

I deducted a star just because I didn't think there was anything particularly special about the writing. I didn't think it was bad, but it also isn't the thing that I'm going to think about when I think about the book in the future. The character work, however, I think was really good.

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hippiequeen's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I think the characters of this novel are a little flat; it wasn’t immediate as the reader to fall in love with them as the protagonists seem to do as soon as they lay eyes on each other. I wish they had more moments and conversations courting each other rather than fighting over coming out or their approach to romance. Not a bad novel, but not the best YA lesbian romcom I’ve read either.

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