I enjoyed seeing Mo grow and go on a journey of dismantling her feelings of self worth and identity that was negatively impacted by factors such as religion, dealing with parental pressure expectations and learning about her medical condition. Mo doesn't feel like she can go to a medical professional about her condition which adds another layer to the story about sexual health education and how this can have a negative impact. As a consequence, we see Mo struggle to overcome with the stigma and shame she feels, how this impacts her self worth and how she views her relationships with those around her. A compassionate novel that encourages teens to prioritize the control, safety, and comfort of their own bodies.”– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This is the second book by @joya.goffney that I’ve read that solidifies how important it is to see your self in art because i enjoyed it sooo much! Goffney's sophomore novel is a triumph in not just dynamite contemporary fiction but also in critiquing purity culture and the harm it can do. Buzzfeed Overall, I did really enjoy this book. Goffney has talent and skill as a writer, she writes sensitively and boldly, exploring all areas of a subject with grace, humour, and emotion. Thus, Confessions of an Alleged Good Girl was a heartfelt, emotional and humourous journey about learning to love yourself for who you are and not who you want to be. Goffney captures humanity - Mo and co still have a long way to go at the end of the book, but the novel set about a character arc where you can imagine them past the books end, as if they were real, and tangible, people. And that is her talent as a writer. Although this book is marketed as YA, I got a lot from this book, and I feel teenagers and adults alike can relate. It has many levels to it. Monique is a sweet girl and a compelling main character. I felt empathy for her. She doesn’t want to let her parents down but at the same time, she’s struggling with their expectations, the pressure put on her by society and the double standard that many girls still face. She finds herself trapped.But what I will say is that I learnt a bit about a medical condition I had never heard of before called Vaginismus, and in my eyes that means we need to be educating younger people more on sexual health and conditions. The love triangle aspect was interesting but I have to say, the contrast between Monique’s ex-boyfriend Dom and Reggie was a really interesting one and proves that people’s perceptions of others aren’t always accurate. This is also the case for Sasha as well, who despite Monique’s initial judgement is actually pretty amazing. When I read the blurb for this book, I found it very intriguing, so I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour.

I loved the trios unlikely Friendship and how they supported each other, but I really liked Reggie's Character he stole my heart!!... Monique's too 😏 Okay, this is a hard book to review without spoiling everything, but first thing's first - I LOVED it. It took me a while to warm to her parents and as for Dom, hmm, well, I will let you make up your own mind. If I had to compare it to a favourite author from when I was growing up in terms of its honesty, it would be Judy Blume.A compassionate novel that encourages teens to prioritize the control, safety, and comfort of their own bodies.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review) The pacing was excellent and it was very easy to read, I finished it in one day. The climax of the book was so well written and emotional, my heart had so much sympathy for Mo. I think it is a testament to Goffney’s writing that I growled with frustration several times at the pure ignorance and arrogance of some of the male characters (if you know you know). I loved the focus on the strong women in Mo’s life and the chapter in the kitchen towards the end was so satisfying.

A compassionate novel that encourages teens to prioritize the control, safety, and comfort of their own bodies.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review) I felt that this book handled the topic with sensitivity and I loved how positive Monique’s journey was. It was so wonderful to see the characters around her support her. I absolutely loved Reggie and Sasha. Their friendship group is the best. But in doing so, she must face some home truths: maybe she shouldn't be fixing her body to please a boy, maybe Sasha is the friend she needed all along and maybe Reggie isn't so bad at all.A triumph in not just dynamite contemporary fiction but also in critiquing purity culture and the harm it can do.” — Buzzfeed