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Good Girls Laura Ruby Books

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Good Girls Laura Ruby Books

This had the potential to be a complete crapfest but I bought it anyway and I really, really had a good time with it. The dialogue was spot on, the relationship (or rather the description of since it was mostly flashbacks) was paced very well. I loved the relationship with the parents. The reaction of everyone in school was portrayed pretty realistically, even the teachers.

It had genuine laugh out loud moments which are actually hard for me to find in YA. The sexual content was fairly graphic but portrayed similarly to Forever by Judy Blume, which gets a mention, and I thought they worked absolutely perfectly here. Overall, I really loved this book.

Audrey was really sympathetic and likable. The author kept Luke enough of a mystery until the end that you were never sure what was going on with him. It was a really thoughtful look at how society views boys and girls in different ways for exactly the same behavior.

I read an interview where the author said this was out of her norm and if so, she should dabble in this type of YA fiction more often.


Tags : Amazon.com: Good Girls (9780060882235): Laura Ruby: Books,Laura Ruby,Good Girls,HarperTeen,0060882239,School & Education - General,Social Themes - Dating & Sex,Social Themes - General (see also headings under Family),Conduct of life;Fiction.,Interpersonal relations;Fiction.,Sex;Fiction.,Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12),Conduct of life,Fiction,Interpersonal relations,JUVENILE,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Fiction Girls & Women,Juvenile Fiction Social Issues Adolescence,Juvenile Fiction Social Issues General,Juvenile Grades 10-12 Ages 15+,Sex,Social Issues - General,TEEN'S FICTION - GENERAL,United States,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,YOUNG ADULT FICTION School & Education General,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Social Themes Dating & Sex,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Social Themes General (see also headings under Family)

Good Girls Laura Ruby Books Reviews

See more of my reviews sooner on The YA Kitten!

This book has been languishing in my box of unread books for months, mostly because I wasn't sure it would be good. A premise such as this one has a lot of room to go right and even more room to go wrong. Every time I read it, the jacket copy from my cover sounds like a quote straight from Audrey's mouth and it makes my heart hurt, it's that awesome. Happily, almost everything went right with this novel. Yay for good, feminist-minded books!

Audrey is a likable girl who reminds me somewhat of myself when it comes to how much of a perfectionist she is concerning her grades. Everything about her, from the mistakes she makes to her voice, feel so real that it's hard not to be affected at some point. She and her friends are always a blast to read about, especially once Pam and Cindy join the party. Audrey's relationship with Luke seems to be built more on all the makeouts they had and their sexual chemistry than their personalities, but I'm willing to overlook it because it works somehow.

There's something sad about Good Girls, though this book first went into print in 2006 in hardcover and the problems discussed in it still run rampant with little to no improvement in six long years. Double standards still rule, girls' lives are still ruined by photographs that never should have been taken, and some girls aren't even able to go on with life after the kind of scandal Audrey lived through. All that appears to have changed is that this sort of thing and its distant cousin sexting are a bigger deal.

Other novels can be too anvilicious or over-the-top while trying to cover the same subjects, but Good Girls does it with subtlety and the raw power of realism. The visit to the doctor and all his questions about her sexual activity feel so lifelike that it actually hurts; the blaming and/or jeering reactions of the students, parents, and even faculty members are unfortunately identical to what might happen in real life. As if all girls has so little control that if she's smart, she's suddenly going to see her grades plummet just because she had sex a few times! Ugh, people.

The only reason this isn't a five-star novel is an issue with the portrayal of a girl named Cherry, who the best friend's boyfriend cheated on her with. Despite the denouncement of slut-shaming, Cherry is shamed over and over again and usually described by how close her boobs are to popping out of her clothes. The perceptions of other characters shamed change, but nothing changes when it comes to Cherry. We never know if she ever realized she was the other woman in Ash and Jimmy's relationship, but considering Cherry and Jimmy are still together, she doesn't seem to mind. That makes her a pretty terrible person, but it doesn't make her a slut.

Laura Ruby has a few other novels published, but she needs more. More! One in particular called Bad Apple seems like a very good idea and I'll try to get my hands on it as soon as possible. Until then, I will beat people with this book until they read it. That's perfectly normal, right?
This book is a must read WITH the teenagers in your life. It will challenge you to have the "REAL" conversations our teens need to face the temptations, fears, and frustrations in their lives.
In GOOD GIRLS, Laura Ruby does an amazing job of capturing the swirl of sensations and emotions that accompany her character's experience. It's true this book doesn't flinch from depicting a girl's sexual awakening. But is doesn't exploit. It doesn't moralize or sensationalize. This restraint--in addition to the novel's strong characters and lyrical writing--is its great strength.
In Good Girls the main character has her picture taken and then put on the internet and also sent to her parents.
This is my second time reading this book and though I like fancier language this books draws me in. I find it uplifting and easy to relate to. Women are objectified and judged all over the world. I like how the female characters in this novel ban together at the end, despite their differences and protect one another. When women judge their fellow women they help enforce stereotypes that are harmful to all women be sexy but don't have sex unless the man is deserving and loves you, but if he decides to leave you it's all your fault and you're social stain. Audrey likes/loves Luke and she ends up Apologizing for acting strange around him. But how as a woman should you act with men? There are so many conflicting instructions.
Audrey comes alive as a smart, funny, courageous person. After "the photograph," it is easy to imagine her reacting in all sorts of self-destructive ways. But almost without support, she mostly keeps it together and moves on with her life.

The book is very explicit. It is explicit about first intercourse being painful for Audrey. It is explicit about Audrey having to show Luke how to wash her blood out of the sheets instead of cuddling after they have intercourse. It is explicit about Audrey loosing the support and respect of nearly everyone, including her parents, after the photo incident. It is explicit about Audrey's first pelvic exam being painful and terribly embarrassing. Yes, it is a very explicit book.

Teens who have reached the point of being interested in the opposite sex should read this book. Especially "good" teens, even teens who are sure they will wait until they are married to have sex. Audrey didn't intend to do that, but she was a very good girl until her hormones overwhelmed her and she gave casual oral sex a a party.

In today's world, most teens will have at least oral sex by the time they finish high school. Many will give or receive oral sex in middle school. It is foolish to think they won't. This book could give teens a realistic understanding of the dangers of casual sex without lecturing them or passing judgment on them.
This had the potential to be a complete crapfest but I bought it anyway and I really, really had a good time with it. The dialogue was spot on, the relationship (or rather the description of since it was mostly flashbacks) was paced very well. I loved the relationship with the parents. The reaction of everyone in school was portrayed pretty realistically, even the teachers.

It had genuine laugh out loud moments which are actually hard for me to find in YA. The sexual content was fairly graphic but portrayed similarly to Forever by Judy Blume, which gets a mention, and I thought they worked absolutely perfectly here. Overall, I really loved this book.

Audrey was really sympathetic and likable. The author kept Luke enough of a mystery until the end that you were never sure what was going on with him. It was a really thoughtful look at how society views boys and girls in different ways for exactly the same behavior.

I read an interview where the author said this was out of her norm and if so, she should dabble in this type of YA fiction more often.