Good News

by Alexa Yasemin Brahme

In this stylish provocative debut, a young artist struggles to find her way in New York City while navigating strained relationships, the reappearance of an ex, and her burgeoning sense of self. A mess, of course, ensues.

Maggie is on the brink. Her MFA thesis—a vast canvas of twenty women suspended between life and death—is met with polite confusion, sending her into the throes of an obsessive work spiral. She’s ignoring calls from her frantic Turkish mother and drifting apart from her marriage-material boyfriend, Rob, who, lately, spends every waking moment at the office, including some suspiciously late nights. To make matters worse, her brother John (perfect, doctor) is dating Maggie’s art-world a performance artist who constantly seems to be skyrocketing toward fame even after renouncing her name to be called simply “the Artist.”

But it’s when Maggie’s ex reappears that her forced composure starts to slip. A smooth-talking art critic with power and charm, Rakib sees Maggie in a way that completely mystifies her. Then come whispers that her painting might be nominated for a grant that could launch her career. With deadlines looming, her relationship with Rob faltering, and her sense of self in flux, Maggie begins to question not just her art but the entire life she’s been trying to build.

Set against the push and pull of immigrant family expectations, the competitive world of contemporary art, and the relentless uncertainty of one’s late twenties, Good News is a mordantly clever and emotionally resonant debut that will appeal to readers of Lily King, Sarah Thankam Mathews, and Coco Mellors.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Adult, Ebooks, Adult Fiction

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Logan Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut! Much like the painting at the center of Good News, this book lives in the gray. Caught between life and death, creation and destruction, and the full spectrum of femininity. I had a great time reading this, it is funny and quippy while also containing nuance and depth. Would recommend!

[Madeleine Clear · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book seemed to find its voice around the fifth chapter. Before that, the scenes and characters felt underdeveloped. There was a lot of detail devoted to the less interesting aspects of the story, while some of the more intriguing parts felt glossed over. Some of the writing also came across as a bit juvenile to me, like: “he was shocked and sullen, like the long stem of a wineglass had snapped somewhere inside him.”

I did enjoy the exploration of her relationship dynamic with Rakib and how she ultimately decided she would never again let him make her feel unwanted. Her choice not to take the easy route of running back to Rob, and instead center herself rather than a man, was a strong plot point. My issue was that these were seemingly major life events and huge personal revelations, yet they felt anticlimactic and disconnected. I wanted to feel something by the end of it all, but I was left without any strong emotional response to her success or her rebuilding her life. I wanted more emotional weight.

I think the author introduced some genuinely great ideas, but the book felt a bit underdeveloped overall, almost as though it wasn’t entirely sure what it wanted to say by the end. That said, it was an easy read, and the characters did feel very human. I’d read more from this author in the future because I do think there’s real potential for great work.

[Ruby H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at women as being just as capable of destruction as they are at creation - of taking up big space in each other’s lives and the madness that can come with it

[andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy!

--

good news is about maggie, a painter finishing her mfa in new york. she's turkish american. her thesis is a massive canvas of twenty women suspended between life and death and nobody gets it. her boyfriend rob wants her to be a wife and mother and doesn't bother understanding anything else about her. then rakib shows up calling her by her turkish name and suddenly she feels seen. she gets nominated for a prize. she cheats. she falls apart. she maybe puts herself back together.

this was fine. not bad. not great. just fine.

maggie is frustrating in a way that feels intentional but that doesn't make it easier to read. she's passive. she lets things happen to her. she looks for herself in other people and gets surprised when they can't hold her. rob is boring and wants her to be smaller than she is. rakib is exciting and listens to her and shares her background and makes her feel real until he doesn't. the book wants you to see that she needs to stop finding herself in men but i'm not sure she ever learns that. she just moves from one to another and calls it growth.

the strongest parts are about being an immigrant daughter. the weight of her mother's expectations. the constant comparison to her brother the doctor. the way she's supposed to be grateful for the life she has while also being expected to want more. that felt real. the art world stuff felt real too. the desperation to be seen. the way talent isn't enough without connections. the humiliation of having your work met with polite confusion.

everything else was okay. i read it. i don't think about it much. not a bad debut. just not one that left a mark.

[Daisy Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

kind of obsessed with the way that maggie is always leaning on things …. the small of her back on the counter her hipbones on the sink her forehead on the window … world weary … it’s kind of like why did she do that vibes but then it’s also like we’ve all been there. maybe a little predictable but not in an unenjoyable way

[timeforthecheck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Algonquin via NetGalley for the ARC.

Good News is a lot of things. Quiet but loud, bleak, hopeful, and most importantly earnest in all things.

I imagine a lot of people will see themselves or a part of themselves in this. You’ve either been through one of this characters arcs, or you’ve been a friend to one, and it’s depicted so well. The depression, the anxiety, the uncertainty of self and not being seen, the settling of a relationship (or other). For such a short book, it packs a lot in, and honestly a lot of it is bleak.

You are in Maggie’s mind, and god, do you want to shake her and wake her up. But anyone knows that really only that person can wake themselves up. That they are flying the plane into the ground. She’s definitely not likeable at times, but she’s REAL. And I’m proud of those ending decisions for her.

For someone really going through it, I’m not sure if I would recommend right away. Maybe if they are on the other side.

P.S. John sucks and the artist deserves better. IYKYK.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up at the exact right time omg

Shoutout to my friend Gabby for sending me this book😌

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Good News was brilliant, but I still feel conflicted about its structure and journey— but I think it’s also lovely that it’s the type of novel that you truly sit with and wonder about its themes and meanings, even if it means internally battling with the characters and their choices. Our protagonist Maggie’s legal name is Müjde, meaning good news in Turkish. She is a young painter finishing her MFA working towards an art grant, while living a lackluster life with her boyfriend and navigating complicated family dynamics. Maggie is at a crossroads, wondering what she truly wants vs. what others expect of her, and how to untangle that.
The cast of characters are intriguing: her older brother John aka the “successful” doctor and sibling, John’s partner, the lucrative avant-garde artist who only goes by the name “The Artist,” Maggie’s boring yet lovable boyfriend Rob, and Maggie’s frenetic yet caring mother. And then in comes Rakib after years of no contact, Maggie’s ex-boyfriend: a renowned art critic, magnetic and knowing, who can connect with Maggie’s thoughts and experiences in a way that no one else seems to.
I would describe the writing as simple yet beautiful, fluid in a way that’s consistently engaging and page-turning. It’s hard to truly know our protagonist, and I wonder if that’s intentional. For the majority of the book, Maggie is a passive observer, letting things happen to her and living her life under the influence of others’ opinions, not often having a voice of her own. But I do love the nuance and care in which Brahme took in describing the complexities of existing as a Turkish-American woman in the states: the constant stream of micro and macro aggressions, the sacrifices of personhood and dignity in the name of assimilation and peace, and the gaslighting or loud silence of loved ones.
Brahme also takes us into the world of being a poor art student in New York: the need to meet others’ approval, the subjectivity of an “objective” grade, the privilege and connections that go hand in hand with “success,” and unveiling the pain required in beautiful and meaningful art pieces.
Overall, I think I loved the earnestness of this book— we’re following a character who has been broken in many minute ways, who simply wants validation in a way that’s so achingly human. There are mistakes and revelations in her journey, and you know that her journey is nowhere close to being over by the last page (and that’s a good thing!).
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Patty Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this debut novel centered around Maggie, who is on the verge of graduating and starting her life as an artist. We follow her as she is trying to prepare her final project, which she is hoping gets her nominated for a grant.

We also follow her relationship with her partner, Rob, and her family. And to add more confusion to this mix: Enter her ex, Rakib.

I read this in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down. Maggie's choices and the things she mostly told herself were not the smartest, but it felt very realistic for the stage of life she is in.

Thank you to Algonquin Books and the author for providing a free copy of this book through NetGalley.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. Maggie was funny and relatable, reminded me a bit about being in my 20s.

Her relationship with Rob and how it all played out, you can tell as the reader that she doesn't want to see the truth as it goes on, because there are obvious clues that he plans to propose to her. She wanted an excuse to slip back into old habits and to confirm how she feels about herself.

Overall I liked the book, we all know a Rakib, we all know what it's like to shrink ourselves to be safe in the presence of a Don and to lie to ourselves as if it wasn't as bad, to fib our way through a conversation with our mother.

[Ruthie Zolla · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was really good but I just didn’t care about anyone in the book whatsoever. Like you’re an artist living with your rich boyfriend cheating on him with your toxic situationship from college, cry me a river… it ended with things tied in a bow, and yet nothing even happened. Some of the dialogue felt wildly contrived and deeply implausible. But the writing was good, and it made me crave Turkish food very intensely. 2.5 stars for courtesy.

[tristen taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a relatable character. I felt the same deep rooted pain described as if it had happened to me(and some of it has). the Artist as a concept/character was my favorite part and the final paragraph was perfect. Congrats on the debut Alexa!

[Dina Re · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read. Once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down. The character isn’t particularly likeable, but I got the impression she was intended to come across as somehow endearingly flawed?

I struggle with protagonists where the rest of the characters find her shockingly beautiful (shocking only to the protagonist). It makes an otherwise meaningful moment feel like a rom-com.

Trying to decipher what the lesson is for Maggie. Maybe it’s as murky for us as it is for women in their twenties; oscillating between girlhood and adulthood, wielding and forsaking their power in every relationship. Maybe it’s just: rip it all apart anyway.

[Bilal · Rating 5 out of 5]

​"Just finished reading 'Good News' and wow, Maggie’s struggles in the New York art world felt so raw and real! As someone who loves books about identity and family dynamics, this debut totally hooked me. The love triangle between Rob and Rakib had me shifting sides constantly.

​I’d love to connect with fellow readers who have read this! What did you all think of the ending? Let's be friends and share more book recommendations! 📚✨"

[Lisa Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent debut! I absolutely loved the inner workings of an art student on a mission. The depth of how it is to be a women with a different background in America. I found the simply yet grappling writing to be eye opening especially regarding the characters inner thoughts. The author really had me in the world, I highly recommend.

[Ginath13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maggie, a first-generation American, daughter of Turkish parents, is working on a graduate art project and hoping to win a large grant to prove to herself, her brother John, a doctor, and her parents that she can make a living as a successful artist. Maggie, surrounded by people in the art world in NYC, is struggling to find her place as a sister, a daughter, and a girlfriend. I was hoping I would enjoy this a little more than I did. It had all the elements I usually enjoy in a novel, but it was a little lackluster.
3.5 stars and a thank you to Algonquin and NetGalley for this ARC

[Alexandria]

DNF @ 21%

I was interested in the contemporary art world setting although the writing felt a little debut author, it *is* a debut so I wasn't holding that against it too much. But once I realized the main story was going to be the MC pining over her ex boyfriend, I decided to dip out while I hadn't invested too much.

[Waverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary and unforgettable novel. I was pulled in from the first page and hooked until the last. I loved Maggie through all her ups and downs, and really appreciated the nuanced exploration of the life of an artist. Truly excellent all around, will definitely read again!!

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

a solid debut with an equally solid slice of life telling. the beginning of the book felt stronger than the latter half, but it works considering that maggie's struggles were centered on the fact she was overly introspective and therefore isolated. of course, this isn't to say she carried the weight of being an immigrant daughter as well as the expectations/critiques of the art world, but majority of the conflict and situations she found herself in occurred because she didn't give others space to truly exist in her world. we follow her life up until this big moment she's been waiting for and it doesn't feel explosive instead it's quiet, leaving an open ending for her future and how she'll approach it.

my one grievance, though, is that i wish we had more insight on her childhood or past in general. we get little snippets of it; however, the more of it we could have, the less distant maggie would've felt to the reader. again, this could've been intentional! i just usually struggle with shorter novels since they leave me with wanting more. 3.5*

[Ava F · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC copy 2/7/26

Brahme attempts to cover some interesting themes here, but the writing is too green to really be effective. While the story aims to center women’s suffering, self-destruction, and creative acts, the majority of the novel focuses on the wishy-washy behavior of the protagonist’s male lovers. Nearly all (with the exception of the Artist) of the female characters are mere afterthoughts. Brahme also struggles with telling rather than showing- there are many sequences where I felt talked down to as a reader, as if I needed character motivation explained to me rather than putting it together myself. Again, some really interesting themes at work here, but none that felt covered in a thorough or unique way.

[Nsikan Akpan · Rating 3 out of 5]

“She stared up at the ceiling in complete disbelief of all that God had willed.”

[Tawk Of New Yawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good News by Alexa Yasemin Brahme is a novel full of compelling ingredients that never quite come together. The publisher's description positions the book as a story about immigrant family expectations, artistic ambition, and the uncertainty of one's late twenties. While all of those elements are technically present, they rarely feel central to the novel's emotional core.

In particular, I found the emphasis on immigrant family dynamics somewhat overstated. Maggie's parents are Turkish immigrants, but I never felt that this was truly a novel about the immigrant experience. They do not seem to reject their culture, nor do they appear conflicted about their lives in America. At one point, Maggie's parents express a preference that she marry an American, but living in America, that hardly feels unusual. If anything, it could simply reflect a belief that it would make her life easier. The immigrant-family framing felt less like a driving force in the novel and more like something included to check a box.

The more interesting story is Maggie herself. She is messy, imperfect, troubled, and deeply self-destructive. None of that bothered me. I enjoy flawed protagonists. My issue was that Maggie's behavior was difficult to understand, not because she was flawed, but because the novel didn't quite connect the dots. I understood what she was doing, but I rarely understood why she was doing it. At times, her unraveling felt less like a carefully observed portrait of a woman in crisis and more like a series of destructive choices that lacked a clear emotional logic.

Ironically, the strongest part of Good News is its art world. Brahme writes about installations, paintings, and the process of creating art in a way that made me wish the artists in the book were real people and that their work existed beyond the page. The standout character for me was Maggie's sister-in-law, known only as "The Artist," a wealthy and self-absorbed performance artist whose scenes consistently brought energy and humor to the novel. The book opens with one of her installations, in which she pulls fruit from her vagina as commentary on pregnancy and motherhood, a play on the familiar phrase that a baby is "the size of a ___." Moments like these are strange, memorable, and far more vivid than much of the central plot.

What surprised me most was how little tension emerged from the setup. Maggie is an artist hoping for a career-changing grant. The Artist is a successful and celebrated figure in the contemporary art world. The novel seems poised to explore rivalry, jealousy, ambition, or artistic insecurity. Yet those conflicts never fully materialize. Again and again, Good News introduces fascinating possibilities only to leave them largely unexplored.

Readers who enjoy messy women who are messy for the sake of being messy, character-driven novels, and slice-of-life fiction may find much to appreciate here. For me, it was a solid three-star read. I admired it more than I loved it. The art was often captivating, the side characters were memorable, and the ideas were intriguing. I just wish the novel had done more to connect the dots at its center.

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

She questions her art and the path of her life

Maggie's existence is not going as well as she'd like. She is working on her MFA in painting and has undertaken an ambitious project as her thesis, but her professor is not very enthusiastic about it and suggests it needs work, making Maggie question her talent and vision. Her immigrant family (especially her mother) are pressuring her to succeed (comparing her to her successful brother the doctor), and would like to see her married. Her boyfriend is definitely the type of whom they would approve, but he is becoming more distant by the day and Maggie suspects he might be unfaithful. Her biggest rival in the art world is both dating her brother and making a big splash with her work, her ex-boyfriend has reappeared in her life, and her painting might be up for a prestigious grant (if she can get it completed in time). Maggie isn't sure of who she is or of her art, and must struggle with the expectations of those around her and the pressures of the highly competitive art world as she tries to regain her sense of self.
Good News is a debut novel featuring an appealing if muddled protagonist who is doing her best to navigate relationships, family expectations and ambition. While the secondary characters aren't quite as well defined as hers is, Maggie comes across as an authentic entity, full of the uncertainty common to those still finding their way in their 20"s and in her case dealing with the dueling pressures of her immigrant family and a fiercely competitive profession. It is a work of introspection rather than one possessing a compelling plot, and at times the story's progress feels uneven, but I enjoyed the humor and heart woven into the pages. It is a tale that will appeal to readers of Lily King, Sally Rooney and Emma Cline as well as those who in general enjoy literary fiction with an introspective bent. My thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.

[♡︎.ᐟજ⁀➴ Erie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good News 🎨🖤
by Alexa Yasemin Brahme
3.75 thoughtful stars

Thank you to Algonquin Books for the gifted copy 💛📖

Good News is one of those literary novels that feels quiet on the surface, but underneath it is all friction. Identity, art, family expectations, ambition, insecurity, old love, bad choices, and the very specific chaos of being in your late twenties and wondering if you have accidentally built the wrong life. Relatable, unfortunately. 😅

Maggie, or Müjde, is not always easy to like, and honestly, I think that’s the point. She is passive, self-absorbed at times, insecure, hungry for validation, and deeply unsure of who she is outside of other people’s expectations. But there is something painfully human about that. She is messy in a way that made me want to shake her and also quietly root for her. 🎭

Here’s what worked for me:

🎨 The art world setting feels sharp, strange, and emotionally loaded
🌙 The writing is simple but beautiful, with a smooth, reflective quality
🧿 The Turkish-American identity pieces are some of the strongest parts of the book
💔 The family dynamics feel complicated in a very real way
🖼️ The exploration of artistic insecurity hit hard, especially the need to be seen and understood

Where it wobbled for me:

🫠 Maggie can be frustrating, sometimes to the point of exhaustion
🐢 The emotional momentum is subtle, so if you need a big plot, this may feel too quiet
💭 Some relationships felt more interesting in concept than fully satisfying on the page

Still, there is a lot here to sit with. Good News is not a flashy book. It is introspective, uncomfortable, and very much about a woman standing at the edge of herself, unsure whether she wants to disappear, perform, or finally become real.

A thoughtful debut about art, identity, immigrant daughterhood, and the painful little ways we try to prove we matter. ✨

[Meg Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Good News and found it to be a thoughtful, character-driven debut that explores art, identity, ambition, and womanhood in a very honest way. Maggie is such a messy, flawed, and believable protagonist, and while she doesn’t always make the best choices, that made her feel all the more real to me.

What stood out most was the way Alexa Yasemin Brahme writes about the art world and the pressure of trying to prove yourself creatively while also balancing family expectations and relationships. The exploration of womanhood, validation, and cultural identity as a Turkish-American woman added a lot of depth to the story, and there were so many moments that felt emotionally sharp and insightful.

I will say this is definitely more of a reflective, introspective novel than a plot-heavy one. At times I wished there had been a little more momentum driving the story forward, but I was still invested in Maggie’s journey and the complicated dynamics between the characters. The writing itself is smooth, engaging, and full of nuance.

Overall, this is a strong debut with a lot to say about art, self-worth, and the complicated process of figuring out who you are and what kind of life you want. Perfect for readers who enjoy literary, character-focused fiction with emotionally complex characters.

[Kathleen Lisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that gains real resonance in the second half of the book, once the pivotal act has occurred and we start to see the real story and motivations behind the characters. The author works with some universal topics. How can someone so close to us keep important things from us? Are people living outer lives together while secrets and things left unsaid in their inner lives keep them far apart?

The beauty is in how Brahme shows us the texture of the characters, in gently held details and her true love of New York and its people. Maggie's journey to reveal on canvas all the women with an outsized influence on her life and the Artist's journey from being changed by a tarot reading to interpreting it in her art. Engulfing everything important in flames and standing as a survivor and witness to it all.

There is a sweetness to reading a young woman's novel as an older woman. Loving characters as they make their mistakes. Wanting to write in the margins: He isn't your ex, he never stayed over, he's only ever been using you. How can he want to marry you and yet not ever bother to tell you he is working toward a move overseas? But some lessons can only be lived through. Thanks for this wonderful journey!

[Alicia Garcia-Webster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. It was ok. The writing was fine. The plot was linear. The characters were human. So the framework was there. The execution was straightforward. But it left a bitter taste in my mouth, so I would never be inclined to read this book again. It was the female lead that sunk this boat for me. She was insufferable. Just thoroughly unlikable in every way, shape, and form. I was hoping to figure out why she had friends, why she had love interests, why her relatives had not cut themselves off from her years ago. She was so needy, and yet so repellent. Replete with solipsism, while at the same time, wallowing in a cesspool of low self-esteem. One would normally feel sorry for women like this, but I just couldn't work up any sympathy for her. Maggie systematically and ruthlessly treated everyone in her orbit like absolute dirt, but at the same time expected them to cater to her every whim and desire. I just couldn't get past it. Every character in this book had depth, and breadth, and weight, except for Maggie. Maggie was a one-dimensional stereotype of every spoiled girl who had ever refused to be told "no". **I received an ARC from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

[Firetruckmama · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.

“Good News” is by Alexa Yasemin Brahme. I have to admit, I wanted this book to work for me. It didn’t. I didn’t like the main character at all - she seemed to be over the top needy that it annoyed me. Interesting themes, but interesting themes when one doesn’t care about the main character doesn’t hold a book together. Also, a bit too much “telling not showing” for my taste. Additionally, I know that the main character was flawed - and I appreciated that - but when she treats others like they need to cater to her world yet also treats them like they don’t matter when they don’t cater to her whim, that’s another point against her. Some may find this book interesting - the themes are interesting, so my advice is read some other reviews and decide for yourself it you should/want to pick this one up.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a powerful, evocative novel that really highlights the push and pull of family expectations versus being true to yourself. One of the early scenes of the novel focuses on something that many consider to be the height of womanhood - pregnancy and becoming a mother, and all that entails. But it’s so much more. It sets up the rest of the novel in a brilliant way. The contract between the FMC and her brother’s girlfriend, and how differently they’re perceived by both her brother and their family. Even their art styles are contrasted - one focusing on provocative, even painful performance art, the other trying to get her vision onto canvas. Even the way others reacted to the performance piece vs Maggie’s reaction is quite telling. The story itself has smooth pacing, and I was addicted to Maggie’s story, and seeing whether she’d find her way while trying to balance expectations, those others have of her, and those she has of herself.

[Natalie Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Honest Portrait of Ambition and Identity

This novel captures the messy, often uncomfortable reality of being in your late twenties and trying to figure out who you are. Maggie’s struggles with her art, relationships, family expectations, and sense of self felt authentic and emotionally grounded. I especially appreciated how the story explored the tension between personal ambition and cultural identity without offering easy answers.

The contemporary art world was portrayed with both humor and sharp insight, and the supporting characters added depth to Maggie’s journey, even when they frustrated me. While some sections felt a little introspective for too long, the emotional payoff was worth it.