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A review by imtashamonet
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry was a surprising read for me. Not surprising in the sense that it didn't live up to the trop of a teen's journal going missing and being released to the public, but in the sense that I did not expect it to hit me in my feels the way that it did. The story centers on Quinn, a senior in high school going to a prestigious mostly white private school and surrounded by mostly white friends. Quinn has accomplished parents and though she has it all there is more to her than meets the eye and so much of her is not written within the journal she seems tied to and lost without. While I was afraid this trope may have been just like all the others, the topics addressed in this book were so timely, fresh, and had me, a woman in her mid-thirties, crying about a book written for teens (well, it wasn't about the book itself, but the things it reminded me of that I still need to heal from).
The pacing of the book kept me invested in the story and did not suffer from middle lag like a lot of books do. Also, the book is technically YA Romance and while I cared about the romance, it was outshined for me by the big social topics in this book. I was worried this book would suffer from a trope that I've seen in plenty books and movies, but it was fresh without being disappointing by straying too far from what you would expect. It hit all the points you would expect, by adding in some unique elements that added so much to the trope.
I also appreciated that the characters were allowed to be teens and have teen feelings/reactions without feeling like it was being overdone to make sure the reader knew they were teens. They felt like real people and that's very important to me when I read. In addition to this, the book delves into some really tough topics about what it means to be black and I am glad that the conversations were had and it wasn't a topic that was glossed over.
There are so many wonderful things I can say about this book, and I am glad that it was my first read of 2024.
The pacing of the book kept me invested in the story and did not suffer from middle lag like a lot of books do. Also, the book is technically YA Romance and while I cared about the romance, it was outshined for me by the big social topics in this book. I was worried this book would suffer from a trope that I've seen in plenty books and movies, but it was fresh without being disappointing by straying too far from what you would expect. It hit all the points you would expect, by adding in some unique elements that added so much to the trope.
I also appreciated that the characters were allowed to be teens and have teen feelings/reactions without feeling like it was being overdone to make sure the reader knew they were teens. They felt like real people and that's very important to me when I read. In addition to this, the book delves into some really tough topics about what it means to be black and I am glad that the conversations were had and it wasn't a topic that was glossed over.
There are so many wonderful things I can say about this book, and I am glad that it was my first read of 2024.