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taylorsevalia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Minor: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse
theslowreadernumber5's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Biphobia, Car accident, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia
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
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
fast-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
This was really cringy at times but I thoroughly enjoyed the sapphic enemies to lovers, morgan was kinda very annoying but i love ruby
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Biphobia, Bullying, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Lesbophobia
shaipanda's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Ok so I really can’t decide how I felt abt this - to be fair I finished it late last night and crashed so I didnt have a chance to write my review right after like I normally do. I finally got around to reading this cause my friend couldn’t remember what the ending was like and it was driving her crazy lol. I definitely get why she couldn’t remember anything from this book cause it’s been less than 24 hrs and I already am starting to forget a lot of what happens. For me this was surprisingly dark which isn’t a bad thing but not my personal taste esp when I’m not expecting it, and another drawback was I especially didn’t like Morgan that much and just overall didn’t really enjoy it particularly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Child abuse
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.library_of_ya's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-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
4.0
Yes, yes, yes. I loved the characters, the angst and the plot. This was such a good read and I loved the short chapters! Also, Aaron is officially the best side character ever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
martereadsbooks's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Alcohol and Child abuse
colleensreadingadventures's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I feel like my love for YA Contemporary is waning and it makes me incredibly sad. I have found some amazing books in the past. It’s either YA Contemporary changing or it’s me that’s changing. But then I look back at some recent books that fall into that category that I’ve really enjoyed, and I wonder if it’s more that the genre is changing. Help me out people, am I alone in feeling this way? Am I the only one who thinks YA Contemporary has gotten a bit boring and repetitive?
Some Girls Do is one of the ones I feel ehh about. It started out promising…I was feeling like I finally got a winner on my hands! I had a big smile on my face. But then..nope…I found myself being let down again after the first couple of chapters.
Morgan a rising High School track star finds herself in a new school when her Catholic Private School made it obvious being queer is just not OK. She is not the type to hide in the closet so she’s moving on to a new team and school.
Ruby, who’s personality is a bit rough around the edges, is being forced to be a Serial Beauty Pageant Contestant by her mother while her true passion is working on cars. She has to keep her bi-sexuality buried because her Mom has made it clear her girl crushes are NOT OK.
When Morgan and Ruby first run into each other, literally pedestrian meets car, there is instant attraction but because Ruby can’t let anyone know her sexuality she is rude and brusque throwing Morgan attitude. And Morgan thinks the girl that gave her immediate sparks is a beast. So Morgan and Ruby are not off to a great start. But they are being consistently thrown together and their feelings start to show. The problem is Ruby can’t be “out and proud” like Morgan, Ruby doesn’t have the support system that she does. And Morgan is not understanding of Ruby’s dilemma and wants to let the world know they are becoming an item. These circumstances tear them apart and even though they really care for each other there may not be a way to fix their relationship with their difference in lifestyle choices.
Honestly the insta love rubbed me the wrong way. Ruby really knew nothing about Morgan and she was already mooning over her pretty much the first day!? Unrealistic! And it wasn’t mushy love because they constantly go at it, which was also annoyed the hell out of me. And honestly I got bored with how Morgan wanted to push her being out in everyone’s faces. I applauded Morgan’s strength and courage but she wanted everyone to live just like her. She had zero sympathy for Ruby, knowing how hard it is coming out, seeing the way Ruby lived without a supportive family like she was lucky enough to have.
Basically I really like the idea of the story behind Some Girls Do, but it needs a bit more development and better chemistry with the love interests.
Thank You Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read and review Some Girls Do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Child abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug use and Sexual content