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A review by jodieworton
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, I think this was the debut book of the author and it was a pleasure to read. Looking forward to their new book that is out this year.
🔆Excuse me while I ugly cry by Joya Goffney🔆
Excuse me while I ugly cry is a young adult romance novel and centres on the main character Quinn. Quinn likes to keep lists, of everything, you name it, she has a list for it. These lists are kept in her private journal that ends up going missing. She realises a class mate, Carter, has picked up her journal in error and she has his instead.
They try to swap back but in the exchange he realises he has actually lost the journal. Quinn is then blackmailed by an anonymous texter, she has to face items on a certain list, and if she doesn’t other lists that she has written will be released to her school. She has to work with Carter to find out who the black mailers are and to get it back.
What happens is Quinn starts to find her true self, being with Carter and being honest about certain aspects of her life she starts to stand up for herself. Quinn is a Black girl living in a white world, all her closest friends are white and all assume it is ok to say the n word around her, with her ‘friends’ often saying well its ok, she isn’t really black anyway. Her bravery extends to her calling out her friends on their racist behaviour.
I related to this story a lot especially around the racial parts, I’ve often had said to me oh I don’t really like black people but you are ok, or your white friend acts blacker than you do, or you don’t speak as how I thought you would. These are micro aggressions that would happen when I was younger and would let slide, now knowing that they weren’t ok at all. Quinn goes through this, and becomes strong enough to confront those people she thought were her friends.
It’s a great read.
🔆Excuse me while I ugly cry by Joya Goffney🔆
Excuse me while I ugly cry is a young adult romance novel and centres on the main character Quinn. Quinn likes to keep lists, of everything, you name it, she has a list for it. These lists are kept in her private journal that ends up going missing. She realises a class mate, Carter, has picked up her journal in error and she has his instead.
They try to swap back but in the exchange he realises he has actually lost the journal. Quinn is then blackmailed by an anonymous texter, she has to face items on a certain list, and if she doesn’t other lists that she has written will be released to her school. She has to work with Carter to find out who the black mailers are and to get it back.
What happens is Quinn starts to find her true self, being with Carter and being honest about certain aspects of her life she starts to stand up for herself. Quinn is a Black girl living in a white world, all her closest friends are white and all assume it is ok to say the n word around her, with her ‘friends’ often saying well its ok, she isn’t really black anyway. Her bravery extends to her calling out her friends on their racist behaviour.
I related to this story a lot especially around the racial parts, I’ve often had said to me oh I don’t really like black people but you are ok, or your white friend acts blacker than you do, or you don’t speak as how I thought you would. These are micro aggressions that would happen when I was younger and would let slide, now knowing that they weren’t ok at all. Quinn goes through this, and becomes strong enough to confront those people she thought were her friends.
It’s a great read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying and Gaslighting