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A review by abooknomad
Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl by Joya Goffney
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
3.5
Diving into the particularities of sex education and the emotional toll of living in a deeply religious household where parents have strict expectations for their kids and purity is expected, Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl is an important coming off age novel for teens who are going through or have lived similar circumstances.
Our protagonist Monique is not only being forced to fit the mold by her pastor dad and her hard-around-the-edges mom but she's also being pressured into having sex by her boyfriend. For Monique, all these expectations cumulate into a condition she initially doesn't understand: vaginismus.
Joya Goffney absolutely deserves all the props for discussing something that is often wrapped in shame and feelings of inadequacy and fear for women. Even more so for doing it in a YA novel. Light-hearted and funny moments are also effortlessly interwoven into the story making for a well-balanced book.
However, after reading the author's debut Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry last year, I must say I'm slightly disappointed... Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl felt childish and naive in a way Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry didn't and lacked some of its nuance. The interpersonal relationships, especially those of Monique and her family, felt underdeveloped and were quickly brushed away in the end.
In my opinion, this was not as well written as the author's first novel, but I'm also aware that a) I'm not the target age; b) I didn't grow up in a strict religious household.
What is undeniable is that Joya Goffney proved once again that she is an expert in tackling sensitive topics in YA all the while preserving that rom-com feel, and I'm still very much excited to see what she has in store next.
Our protagonist Monique is not only being forced to fit the mold by her pastor dad and her hard-around-the-edges mom but she's also being pressured into having sex by her boyfriend. For Monique, all these expectations cumulate into a condition she initially doesn't understand: vaginismus.
Joya Goffney absolutely deserves all the props for discussing something that is often wrapped in shame and feelings of inadequacy and fear for women. Even more so for doing it in a YA novel. Light-hearted and funny moments are also effortlessly interwoven into the story making for a well-balanced book.
However, after reading the author's debut Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry last year, I must say I'm slightly disappointed... Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl felt childish and naive in a way Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry didn't and lacked some of its nuance. The interpersonal relationships, especially those of Monique and her family, felt underdeveloped and were quickly brushed away in the end.
In my opinion, this was not as well written as the author's first novel, but I'm also aware that a) I'm not the target age; b) I didn't grow up in a strict religious household.
What is undeniable is that Joya Goffney proved once again that she is an expert in tackling sensitive topics in YA all the while preserving that rom-com feel, and I'm still very much excited to see what she has in store next.