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We Are Not Okay
13 Reasons Why meets John Green and Jennifer Niven in We Are Not Ok - a powerful novel about what happens when girls are silenced.
If only they could have spoken out.
Lucy thinks she’s better than the other girls.
Maybe if she’s pointing fingers at everyone else, no one will see the secret she’s hiding.
Ulana comes from a conservative Muslim family where reputation is everything. One rumour -
true or false – can destroy futures.
Trina likes to party. She’s kissed a lot of boys. She’s even shown her red bra to one. But she didn’t consent to that
night at Lucy’s party. So why doesn’t anyone believe
her?
Sophia loved her boyfriend. She did anything for him, even send him photos of herself. So why is she the one being pointed at in the hallways, laughed at, spat at when it was him who betrayed her trust?
If only they could have spoken out.
Lucy thinks she’s better than the other girls.
Maybe if she’s pointing fingers at everyone else, no one will see the secret she’s hiding.
Ulana comes from a conservative Muslim family where reputation is everything. One rumour -
true or false – can destroy futures.
Trina likes to party. She’s kissed a lot of boys. She’s even shown her red bra to one. But she didn’t consent to that
night at Lucy’s party. So why doesn’t anyone believe
her?
Sophia loved her boyfriend. She did anything for him, even send him photos of herself. So why is she the one being pointed at in the hallways, laughed at, spat at when it was him who betrayed her trust?
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2019
28 people are currently reading
1612 people want to read
About the author
Natália Gomes
2 books16 followersAKA N.D. Gomes
ND Gomes is originally from Scotland, but spent ten years living in America working as an educator in the public school districts.
She has an M.Ed. in Education and is working towards an MLitt. in Scottish Literature and Creative Writing.
She loves to read a variety of YA and adult fiction in all genres, and is always on the lookout for a new book recommendation. ND Gomes has an enthusiasm for books, travel, photography, yoga, vegetarian cooking, and spending time with her family, friends, and chocolate Labrador.
Her YA debut DEAR CHARLIE and second novel BLACKBIRD is published by HarperCollins imprint HQ in the UK.
ND Gomes is represented by Silvia Molteni at Peters, Fraser and Dunlop
ND Gomes is originally from Scotland, but spent ten years living in America working as an educator in the public school districts.
She has an M.Ed. in Education and is working towards an MLitt. in Scottish Literature and Creative Writing.
She loves to read a variety of YA and adult fiction in all genres, and is always on the lookout for a new book recommendation. ND Gomes has an enthusiasm for books, travel, photography, yoga, vegetarian cooking, and spending time with her family, friends, and chocolate Labrador.
Her YA debut DEAR CHARLIE and second novel BLACKBIRD is published by HarperCollins imprint HQ in the UK.
ND Gomes is represented by Silvia Molteni at Peters, Fraser and Dunlop
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
May 24, 2020
An admirable premise hugely undermined by some horrible messaging in the last third. Particularly disappointed in the notion put forward that a woman who's been raped who doesn't report it is a 'coward' and should/could feel guilt if their rapist goes on to rape another person. A hugely problematic viewpoint which goes unchallenged.
July 13, 2019
When I first heard about We Are Not Okay, I was really curious to read it! It was marketed as four female voices with unique stories to tell, and the short snapshots about each character sounded really intense and interesting. So when an opportunity to review an advanced reader copy came up, I jumped at it! Thank you to Harper Collins Publisher HQ for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We Are Not Okay is one of those books that reminds me how grateful I am not to be at school anymore. Navigating the shark-infested halls, popularity contests, and bullies can be a completely overwhelming and terrifying experience, and with the aid of social media, it’s only getting more horrific. Natália Gomes captures these fears and uncertainties with painful accuracy and this novel made my heart physically hurt at points!
We Are Not Okay managed to look at a lot of different complex topics in a short space of time including bullying/cyberbullying, teen pregnancy, mental health, and sexual assault.
In this novel, we follow four different female points of views and every single one of them is struggling with the expectations that society puts on them. There’s one rule for the boys and a completely different and complicated one for girls. Each protagonist is also struggling with their own individual problems, whether it be confidence, a break-up, keeping their social standing, bullying or managing two different cultures. I also loved how all their different stories overlapped, from their actual interactions to their biased thoughts about each other as they crossed in the hallways!
This book left me with the overwhelming sense that although life as a teen is tough, it becomes so much easier if you take the plunge and speak out about your problems. Even more so if we support each other rather than trying to knock each other down.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. There was one thing that happened towards the end linked to mental health that I wish could have been explored further (or built up more before it occurred) but other than that, this book was pretty solid. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking YA read, I would recommend We Are Not Okay!
We Are Not Okay is one of those books that reminds me how grateful I am not to be at school anymore. Navigating the shark-infested halls, popularity contests, and bullies can be a completely overwhelming and terrifying experience, and with the aid of social media, it’s only getting more horrific. Natália Gomes captures these fears and uncertainties with painful accuracy and this novel made my heart physically hurt at points!
We Are Not Okay managed to look at a lot of different complex topics in a short space of time including bullying/cyberbullying, teen pregnancy, mental health, and sexual assault.
In this novel, we follow four different female points of views and every single one of them is struggling with the expectations that society puts on them. There’s one rule for the boys and a completely different and complicated one for girls. Each protagonist is also struggling with their own individual problems, whether it be confidence, a break-up, keeping their social standing, bullying or managing two different cultures. I also loved how all their different stories overlapped, from their actual interactions to their biased thoughts about each other as they crossed in the hallways!
This book left me with the overwhelming sense that although life as a teen is tough, it becomes so much easier if you take the plunge and speak out about your problems. Even more so if we support each other rather than trying to knock each other down.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. There was one thing that happened towards the end linked to mental health that I wish could have been explored further (or built up more before it occurred) but other than that, this book was pretty solid. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking YA read, I would recommend We Are Not Okay!
May 2, 2019
Warnings:sexual assault (on-page rape), revenge porn, suicide (on-page), slut-shaming, cyber-bullying, discussion of abortion, medical emergency, substance abuse (drugs), racism
Rep:One of the protagonists is Muslim
A book with a plot that focuses on bullying, We Are Not Okay is said from the point of view of four girls, who have various secrets that they are trying to hide. Lucy, with a seemingly perfect life, enforces that image with difficulty, and one of the ways she does that is by shifting the attention onto other girls in the school. She has a particular hate-on for Trina, who her ex Rhys is interested in, which means in her head she has made out that Trina stole her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Sophia's cheating boyfriend retaliates when she breaks up with him by sharing images of her online, leading to her being bullied at school. Ulana, from a conservative Muslim family, hides her boyfriend, but her classmates may well be aware of it. Trina is recovering from a sexual assault while she's being bullied for the same night, and is constant blaming herself and feels she has no recourse.
Firstly, I have to say (independently of the plot), the writing is weak and not engaging. The voices of the girl are barely distinct enough, and Trina's POV being journal entries doesn't make a difference to that either. Just 50 pages into it, I was tired of reading each of the girls' long-winded explanations about their backstories, frequently wandering into asides and returning to the topic like 2 paragraphs later. I mostly skimmed the parts without dialogue because I could already see it wasn't adding much to anything, besides my mounting frustration with the writing style. Then the plot - it is mostly cat-fighting, about Lucy destroying two of the girls' reputations through cyber bullying, when they were both victims and granted she doesn't know about one, but she doesn't seem much apologetic later on either. She herself is dealing with an unintended pregnancy, which Trina uses as a returning volley. Perhaps Ulana was only the mature one in the bunch, because she is like 'the guy is at fault FFS' while Sophia is apologizing to the guy who humiliated her online and broke her trust, and continues to be a dick all around. He, BTW, goes pretty much scot-free at the end (look, a suspension is not enough punishment, I am just saying). So what do we have here: nearly everyone is terrible, and lo, I guess that fits the title now. *eyeroll*
I don't have much to say about the ending other than it was overly simplistic considering ALL the drama that happened during the book. Lucy suddenly forgives her friends; and is about to forgive that dickwad of a guy? Perhaps only Ulana's storyline had a satisfactory ending, but then her arc was quite different from the other girls' and it was more of her gaining some sort of courage to tell her parents. Overall, this was a tiresome book to read, even if it has a good message.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from HQ Young Adult, via Netgalley.
Rep:One of the protagonists is Muslim
A book with a plot that focuses on bullying, We Are Not Okay is said from the point of view of four girls, who have various secrets that they are trying to hide. Lucy, with a seemingly perfect life, enforces that image with difficulty, and one of the ways she does that is by shifting the attention onto other girls in the school. She has a particular hate-on for Trina, who her ex Rhys is interested in, which means in her head she has made out that Trina stole her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Sophia's cheating boyfriend retaliates when she breaks up with him by sharing images of her online, leading to her being bullied at school. Ulana, from a conservative Muslim family, hides her boyfriend, but her classmates may well be aware of it. Trina is recovering from a sexual assault while she's being bullied for the same night, and is constant blaming herself and feels she has no recourse.
Firstly, I have to say (independently of the plot), the writing is weak and not engaging. The voices of the girl are barely distinct enough, and Trina's POV being journal entries doesn't make a difference to that either. Just 50 pages into it, I was tired of reading each of the girls' long-winded explanations about their backstories, frequently wandering into asides and returning to the topic like 2 paragraphs later. I mostly skimmed the parts without dialogue because I could already see it wasn't adding much to anything, besides my mounting frustration with the writing style. Then the plot - it is mostly cat-fighting, about Lucy destroying two of the girls' reputations through cyber bullying, when they were both victims and granted she doesn't know about one, but she doesn't seem much apologetic later on either. She herself is dealing with an unintended pregnancy, which Trina uses as a returning volley. Perhaps Ulana was only the mature one in the bunch, because she is like 'the guy is at fault FFS' while Sophia is apologizing to the guy who humiliated her online and broke her trust, and continues to be a dick all around. He, BTW, goes pretty much scot-free at the end (look, a suspension is not enough punishment, I am just saying). So what do we have here: nearly everyone is terrible, and lo, I guess that fits the title now. *eyeroll*
I don't have much to say about the ending other than it was overly simplistic considering ALL the drama that happened during the book. Lucy suddenly forgives her friends; and is about to forgive that dickwad of a guy? Perhaps only Ulana's storyline had a satisfactory ending, but then her arc was quite different from the other girls' and it was more of her gaining some sort of courage to tell her parents. Overall, this was a tiresome book to read, even if it has a good message.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from HQ Young Adult, via Netgalley.
June 23, 2021
Sophia did something bad.
Ulana wants something she can’t have
Trina did not say ‘yes’
Lucy is trying to cover up the mess she has made by making sure everyone else’s messes are revealed.
They are more similar than they are different but how long will it take before they see that?
So, I haven’t been reading for a while because I had to study and if I read while I’m studying I don’t get the studying done. I was in DIRE need for a book and well…this fell a bit short.
Yes, I know, I know, I can be pretty critical but I didn’t like this much. All the characters were one dimensional, which made it really hard to read and the plot was predictable and boring.
Lucy was a terrible character, I know they justify why and I know she ‘changes’ but she is awful.
Trina is okay, she adds a bit of humour and we see quite a bit of character development with her.
Sophia had it hard, I get it but we didn’t see her much and by the end she just got weird.
AND ULANA, she was mature and I liked her the most, but The MUSLIM REPRESENTATION WAS APPALLING!!! Ulana wears hijab, yes, but she does nothing else. She disobeys Islamic laws and her parent her fine with it. La Di Da, so what if she’s dating and it’s a non Muslim boy and they kiss? And NO! Don’t write a Muslim character if you can’t do it properly. *sighs*.
I feel like there are a ton of amazing things that could have been addressed but they were just touched on, there was a lot of potential.
The book tied up okay. Everything was all hunky dory at the end but I just feel like nothing was addressed properly. Everything was rushed.
Anyhoo, thanks for reading my rant. 😊💕
Ulana wants something she can’t have
Trina did not say ‘yes’
Lucy is trying to cover up the mess she has made by making sure everyone else’s messes are revealed.
They are more similar than they are different but how long will it take before they see that?
So, I haven’t been reading for a while because I had to study and if I read while I’m studying I don’t get the studying done. I was in DIRE need for a book and well…this fell a bit short.
Yes, I know, I know, I can be pretty critical but I didn’t like this much. All the characters were one dimensional, which made it really hard to read and the plot was predictable and boring.
Lucy was a terrible character, I know they justify why and I know she ‘changes’ but she is awful.
Trina is okay, she adds a bit of humour and we see quite a bit of character development with her.
Sophia had it hard, I get it but we didn’t see her much and by the end she just got weird.
AND ULANA, she was mature and I liked her the most, but The MUSLIM REPRESENTATION WAS APPALLING!!! Ulana wears hijab, yes, but she does nothing else. She disobeys Islamic laws and her parent her fine with it. La Di Da, so what if she’s dating and it’s a non Muslim boy and they kiss? And NO! Don’t write a Muslim character if you can’t do it properly. *sighs*.
I feel like there are a ton of amazing things that could have been addressed but they were just touched on, there was a lot of potential.
The book tied up okay. Everything was all hunky dory at the end but I just feel like nothing was addressed properly. Everything was rushed.
Anyhoo, thanks for reading my rant. 😊💕
June 11, 2019
This book was an enjoyable read, and had some important messages that young readers should listen to.
I thought the characters came across well. The book focuses on four girls, each with their own issues surrounding how they are treated when it comes to their reputation and boys. When each character shows their perspective, you see a unique personality for each girl and it shows how differently they react to bullying and shaming towards themselves and the other girls. The boys in this book were also written well. I thought the story was paced well, and the story easily kept my interest.
This was an interesting story and it had some important messages which everyone could use. Talk about your problems, don't carry them alone and let them build up. If you're not comfortable doing something, stand your ground, be firm. Be careful who you share private things with and don't hurt other people.
I thought the characters came across well. The book focuses on four girls, each with their own issues surrounding how they are treated when it comes to their reputation and boys. When each character shows their perspective, you see a unique personality for each girl and it shows how differently they react to bullying and shaming towards themselves and the other girls. The boys in this book were also written well. I thought the story was paced well, and the story easily kept my interest.
This was an interesting story and it had some important messages which everyone could use. Talk about your problems, don't carry them alone and let them build up. If you're not comfortable doing something, stand your ground, be firm. Be careful who you share private things with and don't hurt other people.
September 17, 2021
the scariest thing in the world: teenagers.
this reminds me of my school days, just teens being awful to each other and popular boys getting away with stuff they shouldn't be.
all the characters in this book deserved a round house kick to the head (well not all but cant be bothered to name who)
loved the ending!!
this reminds me of my school days, just teens being awful to each other and popular boys getting away with stuff they shouldn't be.
all the characters in this book deserved a round house kick to the head (well not all but cant be bothered to name who)
loved the ending!!
July 1, 2020
This was an enjoyable read, and it does have some important messages to everyone about bullying.
The one thing that i did take from it all is that i'm so glad that i am not still in school, as kids are just HORRID!
Told from the POV of 4 girls, this story interweaves itself with the 'growing up' of kids in high school, the bullying, fat shaming, victim shaming, slut shaming, religion shaming, and every other shaming that you can think of.
Throughout the book, i think that Ulana was the only 'grown up' in the whole bunch of the girls, and i'm so glad that social media wasn't around when i was that age!
The one thing that i did take from it all is that i'm so glad that i am not still in school, as kids are just HORRID!
Told from the POV of 4 girls, this story interweaves itself with the 'growing up' of kids in high school, the bullying, fat shaming, victim shaming, slut shaming, religion shaming, and every other shaming that you can think of.
Throughout the book, i think that Ulana was the only 'grown up' in the whole bunch of the girls, and i'm so glad that social media wasn't around when i was that age!
September 14, 2022
I'm not really sure how I felt about this book yet.
February 16, 2020
Big thanks to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this to review :D
I did the audiobook of this today and I thought it was okay. I thought it would be more hard-hitting than it was. I didn't feel as invested as I could be. Maybe because I got through the whole thing in one day, but I just didn't mesh with it. I'm glad I did the audiobook, because I think that Lucy would have made me DNF this book. I hated that bitch with my whole being. I understand that she changed, but it definitely didn't excuse her character to start off with.
There were so many issues brought up in this book: eating disorders, sexual assault, cheating, racism. I think they were dealt with very well, and I appreciated everyone's individual storylines, but just Lucy, OMG I couldn't. I'm really happy for Ulana and how her story turned out. I definitely didn't agree with what Sophia did, or how she acted, but that's how it goes for some people.
Overall very glad I got around to this book, it was one I've been meaning to read for a while now.
I did the audiobook of this today and I thought it was okay. I thought it would be more hard-hitting than it was. I didn't feel as invested as I could be. Maybe because I got through the whole thing in one day, but I just didn't mesh with it. I'm glad I did the audiobook, because I think that Lucy would have made me DNF this book. I hated that bitch with my whole being. I understand that she changed, but it definitely didn't excuse her character to start off with.
There were so many issues brought up in this book: eating disorders, sexual assault, cheating, racism. I think they were dealt with very well, and I appreciated everyone's individual storylines, but just Lucy, OMG I couldn't. I'm really happy for Ulana and how her story turned out. I definitely didn't agree with what Sophia did, or how she acted, but that's how it goes for some people.
Overall very glad I got around to this book, it was one I've been meaning to read for a while now.
Read
January 11, 2019Either I’m getting to old for YA, or the characters in this book were just to stereotypical “teen” for me.
I can see that there is a message in this book about being a young woman and discovering love and sexuality in both wonderful and heartbreaking ways, but I finish this book feeling unmoved and indifferent.
I can see that there is a message in this book about being a young woman and discovering love and sexuality in both wonderful and heartbreaking ways, but I finish this book feeling unmoved and indifferent.
November 29, 2022
1.25/5
no recomendaría porque creo que está vaguely written y porque muchas partes están extremadamente estereotipadas
creo que es una novela demasiado adolescente para lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer. creo que si lo hubiera descubierto con 13 años me abría encantado
creo también que me he cansado de los libros con discursos políticos y sociales en boca de niñas adolescentes
im so sorry
no recomendaría porque creo que está vaguely written y porque muchas partes están extremadamente estereotipadas
creo que es una novela demasiado adolescente para lo que estoy acostumbrada a leer. creo que si lo hubiera descubierto con 13 años me abría encantado
creo también que me he cansado de los libros con discursos políticos y sociales en boca de niñas adolescentes
im so sorry
January 21, 2020
Review to come...
April 29, 2019
Review to come
February 27, 2019
I enjoyed this, fast paced read, very relevant today. There’s a lot going on which feels a bit too much, but doesn’t take much from he enjoyment of the book. Sa at times and a good message for ya community for shaming, social media use etc
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
January 21, 2019
This book was enjoyable to read, and has some important messages that teen readers especially could benefit from.
I thought the characters came across well. The book focuses on four girls, each with their own issues surrounding how they are treated when it comes to their reputation and boys. When each character shows their perspective, you see a unique personality for each girl and it shows how differently they react to bullying and shaming towards themselves and the other girls.
The boys in this book were also written well. You had Steve, who did terrible things, Aiden who was a complete gentleman, and Rhys who is kind but unintentionally puts a target on another girl's back because of a jealous ex. None of them were the stereotypical 'arrogant jock' who doesn't try to redeem himself, which was a nice change from a lot of YA.
I thought the story was paced well, and the story easily kept my interest.. But while i enjoyed this book, i would say there are a couple of things that i questioned.
Firstly, girl's concerns and fears felt very real and understandable as a reader, so the scene involving the family-planning clinic made me sceptical as to why the staff there might come across as a little judgemental at first. Many teens are scared of going to these places, and for teen readers this might encourage any nervous or reluctant feelings to go there for advice or care.
Secondly, While i understand one of the boys in the book was supposed to be seen as trying to redeem himself, he seems to be accepted at the end which had me a little disbelieving. While the book states he can also be kind, and his actions imply he's sorry for what he did, it seemed like he was more forgiven a little quickly - though that could be because i'm the type to keep a grudge.
This was an interesting story and it has some important messages which everyone could use. Talk about your problems, don't carry them alone let them build up. If you're not comfortable doing something, stand your ground. Be careful who you share private things with. Don't be a part of a culture that hurts other people.
Overall, this is a good book that i would recommend to anyone looking for a teen fiction story that doesn't get too heavy.
I received an arc of this book via netgalley in return for an honest review.
I thought the characters came across well. The book focuses on four girls, each with their own issues surrounding how they are treated when it comes to their reputation and boys. When each character shows their perspective, you see a unique personality for each girl and it shows how differently they react to bullying and shaming towards themselves and the other girls.
The boys in this book were also written well. You had Steve, who did terrible things, Aiden who was a complete gentleman, and Rhys who is kind but unintentionally puts a target on another girl's back because of a jealous ex. None of them were the stereotypical 'arrogant jock' who doesn't try to redeem himself, which was a nice change from a lot of YA.
I thought the story was paced well, and the story easily kept my interest.. But while i enjoyed this book, i would say there are a couple of things that i questioned.
Firstly, girl's concerns and fears felt very real and understandable as a reader, so the scene involving the family-planning clinic made me sceptical as to why the staff there might come across as a little judgemental at first. Many teens are scared of going to these places, and for teen readers this might encourage any nervous or reluctant feelings to go there for advice or care.
Secondly, While i understand one of the boys in the book was supposed to be seen as trying to redeem himself, he seems to be accepted at the end which had me a little disbelieving. While the book states he can also be kind, and his actions imply he's sorry for what he did, it seemed like he was more forgiven a little quickly - though that could be because i'm the type to keep a grudge.
This was an interesting story and it has some important messages which everyone could use. Talk about your problems, don't carry them alone let them build up. If you're not comfortable doing something, stand your ground. Be careful who you share private things with. Don't be a part of a culture that hurts other people.
Overall, this is a good book that i would recommend to anyone looking for a teen fiction story that doesn't get too heavy.
I received an arc of this book via netgalley in return for an honest review.
March 21, 2019
In this book we meet Sophie, she loves her boyfriend but feels pressed to have sex with him. She's friends with Ulana. However she fixates on being the perfect weight and sends her boyfriend a risky photo he asks her to send...
Sophie admires Lucy, popular girl and recently single after secretly her boyfriend Rhys dumped her not the other way round and starts seeing Trina like she lies to her friends. She also hates the fact her dad left for a new family and her mum can't leave the house now. Only as she wishes her ex would go back to her she makes a shocking discovery that he had no idea about as he moves on unaware what has happened since their split...
Trina, Rhys new sort of girlfriend doesn't fit the stereotype of university student as she feels stuck in her town with her mum as shes in debt. She gets called a slut at school because of rumours and how she dresses.
Ulana is a new girl, a muslim in a school alone from her fellow usual students who accepted her. Her only friend seems to be Sophie now and Aidian who sticks up for her against the bullies only as the pair descend into a relationship her religious beliefs start to break their happiness despite Aidan wanting them to act like a normal couple...
The girls lives collide as they all deal with serious teen issues as describe above and further others in the book it's a relatable book as anything mentioned could happen to a teen girl or a girl of any age. I liked that the characters all had very different personalities from being shy, outgoing, self assured or confident in belief, each girl is headstrong in the face of each issue and girl power is very much present throughout the book.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
Sophie admires Lucy, popular girl and recently single after secretly her boyfriend Rhys dumped her not the other way round and starts seeing Trina like she lies to her friends. She also hates the fact her dad left for a new family and her mum can't leave the house now. Only as she wishes her ex would go back to her she makes a shocking discovery that he had no idea about as he moves on unaware what has happened since their split...
Trina, Rhys new sort of girlfriend doesn't fit the stereotype of university student as she feels stuck in her town with her mum as shes in debt. She gets called a slut at school because of rumours and how she dresses.
Ulana is a new girl, a muslim in a school alone from her fellow usual students who accepted her. Her only friend seems to be Sophie now and Aidian who sticks up for her against the bullies only as the pair descend into a relationship her religious beliefs start to break their happiness despite Aidan wanting them to act like a normal couple...
The girls lives collide as they all deal with serious teen issues as describe above and further others in the book it's a relatable book as anything mentioned could happen to a teen girl or a girl of any age. I liked that the characters all had very different personalities from being shy, outgoing, self assured or confident in belief, each girl is headstrong in the face of each issue and girl power is very much present throughout the book.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
July 5, 2021
Bookcat’s Badreads Reviews (S1 Ep4)
⚠️Disclaimer:This review isn’t my finest but I’m not in the best state of mind ⚠️
We are not okay is about 4 girls struggling with their own problems but in the end they are all the same. Ulana is in love with a boy she knows she can’t have, Trina didn’t say yes but no one will believe her, Lucy may be flawless on the outside but nobody can see her inner struggles and Sophia swears that Steve said he wouldn’t, but now he has.
This book was unrealistic and the characters had way too many flaws. Each character was self centred and for some reason they felt like the same person. Lucy was a drama queen, Sophia was annoying, Ulana was not represented correctly and Triana was downright weird.
And on the aspect of misrepresentation, Ulana’s character is misleading. Muslim people would be shocked and annoyed and Gomes should have done a little more research if she was going to write about a Muslim girl.
I have to admit that I did read this over my sister’s shoulder so I knew most of the spoilers but there was no reason that I needed to read this book. It tries to implement the way girls struggle and I get the message but this book didn’t quite do it for me. It was quite a disappointment.
Four girls. Four voices. All unheard. We are not okay (neither am I after reading this novel).
⚠️Disclaimer:This review isn’t my finest but I’m not in the best state of mind ⚠️
We are not okay is about 4 girls struggling with their own problems but in the end they are all the same. Ulana is in love with a boy she knows she can’t have, Trina didn’t say yes but no one will believe her, Lucy may be flawless on the outside but nobody can see her inner struggles and Sophia swears that Steve said he wouldn’t, but now he has.
This book was unrealistic and the characters had way too many flaws. Each character was self centred and for some reason they felt like the same person. Lucy was a drama queen, Sophia was annoying, Ulana was not represented correctly and Triana was downright weird.
And on the aspect of misrepresentation, Ulana’s character is misleading. Muslim people would be shocked and annoyed and Gomes should have done a little more research if she was going to write about a Muslim girl.
I have to admit that I did read this over my sister’s shoulder so I knew most of the spoilers but there was no reason that I needed to read this book. It tries to implement the way girls struggle and I get the message but this book didn’t quite do it for me. It was quite a disappointment.
Four girls. Four voices. All unheard. We are not okay (neither am I after reading this novel).
April 16, 2019
This was so close to being a 4 star book for me and it was, for the most part, however the last 1/3 of the book really brought it down for me.
I really like the premise of the story. Following four schoolgirls as they struggle with emotional, harrowing and distressing issues and how they deal with those issues with their friends, families and each other.
Unfortunately, while the novel does do a good job of discussing some of these topics, it sometimes leaves other issues sidelined or simply not giving the topic enough room to breathe within the story. This is apparent with the end to one of the girls' stories, which really deserved a much more in-depth look at it as I felt it was way too rushed and came almost out of nowhere.
I don't want to say we should have only followed one girl because as I say, the premise of following all 4 dealing with different issues is an interesting one. I just believe some of the stories could have been expanded so that the ending felt more complete.
I certainly can't fault the author of this book for raising awareness and it was nice to see this tie in to an Anti Bullying Campaign.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
I really like the premise of the story. Following four schoolgirls as they struggle with emotional, harrowing and distressing issues and how they deal with those issues with their friends, families and each other.
Unfortunately, while the novel does do a good job of discussing some of these topics, it sometimes leaves other issues sidelined or simply not giving the topic enough room to breathe within the story. This is apparent with the end to one of the girls' stories, which really deserved a much more in-depth look at it as I felt it was way too rushed and came almost out of nowhere.
I don't want to say we should have only followed one girl because as I say, the premise of following all 4 dealing with different issues is an interesting one. I just believe some of the stories could have been expanded so that the ending felt more complete.
I certainly can't fault the author of this book for raising awareness and it was nice to see this tie in to an Anti Bullying Campaign.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
August 30, 2024
Little spoilers.
This book had potential to be so good but tried to do to much with poor execution. I think perhaps, if I had read this in high school I may have enjoyed it a lot more, but reading it now as an adult, it felt as if the author took 4 big issues and tragedies for teenage girls and didn’t give them the depth and consideration they deserved.
cmon - we had rape, teen pregnancy, bullying, suicide racism, abortion discussion, drug use, all in 300 pages, with no depth and little emotion behind all of it. In my opinion these are huge things that require sensitivity and a voice yet it was all kinda glossed over in exchange for focus being on teenage high school hierarchy. AND ALSO the biggest problem in this book for all four girls was one boy…. Yet he gets forgiven at the end so simply and all of a sudden the girls are besties!!!! And don’t forget if you get raped but don’t report it that’s cowardly and you’re betraying all the other girls who do the brave thing and do report it. Yikes.
Unrealistic and frustrating to the betrayal of real life experiences.
On a positive - was easy to read and i could see the vision the author was trying to portray but it just didn’t quite get there.
This book had potential to be so good but tried to do to much with poor execution. I think perhaps, if I had read this in high school I may have enjoyed it a lot more, but reading it now as an adult, it felt as if the author took 4 big issues and tragedies for teenage girls and didn’t give them the depth and consideration they deserved.
cmon - we had rape, teen pregnancy, bullying, suicide racism, abortion discussion, drug use, all in 300 pages, with no depth and little emotion behind all of it. In my opinion these are huge things that require sensitivity and a voice yet it was all kinda glossed over in exchange for focus being on teenage high school hierarchy. AND ALSO the biggest problem in this book for all four girls was one boy…. Yet he gets forgiven at the end so simply and all of a sudden the girls are besties!!!! And don’t forget if you get raped but don’t report it that’s cowardly and you’re betraying all the other girls who do the brave thing and do report it. Yikes.
Unrealistic and frustrating to the betrayal of real life experiences.
On a positive - was easy to read and i could see the vision the author was trying to portray but it just didn’t quite get there.
October 29, 2019
This story by Natalia Gomes is of the moment, and it certainly delivers a clear message to teen readers.
We focus on four teenage girls. Each has a secret that they want nobody to know about, and they’ll do anything to ensure it stays secret.
Of the four girls I felt a lot of sympathy for Trina. She has a lot of people talking about her, and ends up in a situation over which she has no control. As a result she makes some difficult decisions which have pretty extreme consequences.
There was a lot happening here. It seemed as if most topical scenarios were explored here, and not all were given quite as much detail/exploration as they might have been. I felt one such incident (concerning Sophie) seemed to come out of nowhere and I had to reread a section wondering if I’d missed something.
Ultimately this was a book that made me very very relieved to not be a teenager of the social media generation, and determined to try to encourage people of this age to be as open as possible about their experiences. Everyone plays their part in this bullying culture, and the sooner we take responsibility for it the better.
We focus on four teenage girls. Each has a secret that they want nobody to know about, and they’ll do anything to ensure it stays secret.
Of the four girls I felt a lot of sympathy for Trina. She has a lot of people talking about her, and ends up in a situation over which she has no control. As a result she makes some difficult decisions which have pretty extreme consequences.
There was a lot happening here. It seemed as if most topical scenarios were explored here, and not all were given quite as much detail/exploration as they might have been. I felt one such incident (concerning Sophie) seemed to come out of nowhere and I had to reread a section wondering if I’d missed something.
Ultimately this was a book that made me very very relieved to not be a teenager of the social media generation, and determined to try to encourage people of this age to be as open as possible about their experiences. Everyone plays their part in this bullying culture, and the sooner we take responsibility for it the better.
March 21, 2019
Firstly, a big thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for giving me a proof copy of this. I'm under no obligation to review it, and all opinions are my own.
This is the sort of book I would have devoured in my teens, but I think I'm just a little too old for it.
There are some important messages in it - one of my favourites being that the world becomes a worse place when women focus on tearing each other down - but ultimately, the execution didn't do it for me.
As I said, I'm not the target audience, and probably would recommend it as a cautionary - and relatable - tale to someone in their early teens. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't for me.
This is the sort of book I would have devoured in my teens, but I think I'm just a little too old for it.
There are some important messages in it - one of my favourites being that the world becomes a worse place when women focus on tearing each other down - but ultimately, the execution didn't do it for me.
As I said, I'm not the target audience, and probably would recommend it as a cautionary - and relatable - tale to someone in their early teens. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't for me.
July 11, 2019
Gosh! This was such a roller-coaster of emotions.
The author very skillfully tackled some important and worth talking issues in this novel.
It's about four girls in the same school experiencing different teenage issues. It's told in four POV's and every single one is prime in its own way.
I'm so glad this book exists. It's a very fast paced read and you'll find yourself relating to the characters at some point if you're a teenager in today's internet and social media impacted world or even otherwise.
The author very skillfully tackled some important and worth talking issues in this novel.
It's about four girls in the same school experiencing different teenage issues. It's told in four POV's and every single one is prime in its own way.
I'm so glad this book exists. It's a very fast paced read and you'll find yourself relating to the characters at some point if you're a teenager in today's internet and social media impacted world or even otherwise.
September 20, 2022
Probably the worst book I've read in a while and here's why:
1. The characters were one-dimensional, stereotyped and all kinda felt like the same person. Maybe it would have been better to focus on only two protagonists cause clearly there wasn't enough room for proper character-development.
2. I am not Muslim but I reckon a lot of people would be offended by the representation of Ulana. She had no character traits other then her religion and her relationship. It's like she existed only in relation to her parents or her boyfriend.
3. Shaming rape-victims for not coming forward and calling them "cowards" is absolutely awful. It's not the victims responsibility to make sure that the offender won't hurt anyone else - it's the offenders responsibility to stop raping people. The author made it look like it's so easy to just go to police and they will absolutely believe and support you. Not all of them will and it's fair enough if survivors don't want to deal with that.
4. Everyone had an eating disorder and it was not even talked about?! Many characters showed clear symptoms of disordered eating but it was just presented as "teenage girl problems". Yes, many teenagers struggle with disordered eating behaviours but that doesn't mean that it's any less problematic or harmful. Having an eating disorder is not just a quirk you can add to you charakter to give it more edge without going in depths.
5. Sophias suicide came super sudden. There was not built-up, no foreshadowing, nothing. If you wanna portray a depressed and suicidal person, you need to give the reader insight into her thoughts and emotions. I don't feel like that really happened, Sophia just randomly decided to kill herself.
Calling this book "13 reasons why meets John Green" is an insult.
1. The characters were one-dimensional, stereotyped and all kinda felt like the same person. Maybe it would have been better to focus on only two protagonists cause clearly there wasn't enough room for proper character-development.
2. I am not Muslim but I reckon a lot of people would be offended by the representation of Ulana. She had no character traits other then her religion and her relationship. It's like she existed only in relation to her parents or her boyfriend.
3. Shaming rape-victims for not coming forward and calling them "cowards" is absolutely awful. It's not the victims responsibility to make sure that the offender won't hurt anyone else - it's the offenders responsibility to stop raping people. The author made it look like it's so easy to just go to police and they will absolutely believe and support you. Not all of them will and it's fair enough if survivors don't want to deal with that.
4. Everyone had an eating disorder and it was not even talked about?! Many characters showed clear symptoms of disordered eating but it was just presented as "teenage girl problems". Yes, many teenagers struggle with disordered eating behaviours but that doesn't mean that it's any less problematic or harmful. Having an eating disorder is not just a quirk you can add to you charakter to give it more edge without going in depths.
5. Sophias suicide came super sudden. There was not built-up, no foreshadowing, nothing. If you wanna portray a depressed and suicidal person, you need to give the reader insight into her thoughts and emotions. I don't feel like that really happened, Sophia just randomly decided to kill herself.
Calling this book "13 reasons why meets John Green" is an insult.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
donated
July 26, 2019DNF at 9%
I'm not in the mood for a teenage drama-fest right now. Checking some reviews it looks like this book covers a wide variety of important topics but also has a lot of triggers for suicide, bullying and sexual assault so take care if you pick this one up.
I'm not in the mood for a teenage drama-fest right now. Checking some reviews it looks like this book covers a wide variety of important topics but also has a lot of triggers for suicide, bullying and sexual assault so take care if you pick this one up.
October 3, 2022
2.5/5
Mainly because I didn't 100% focus all the time because I listened to an audiobook format. The narrator also had this interesting accent lowkey sounded Scottish which made it kinda hard to focus on it as well (no discrimination intended)
Mainly because I didn't 100% focus all the time because I listened to an audiobook format. The narrator also had this interesting accent lowkey sounded Scottish which made it kinda hard to focus on it as well (no discrimination intended)
May 26, 2023
This book had me remembering high school and thinking of some of the girls that were bullied. It also had me thinking about what my own daughter doesn't tell me.
It had me crying at the end.
It had me crying at the end.
August 11, 2024
I've got mixed feelings about this book - it has a very powerful message and made me remember the utter agony of being a teenage girl & trying to fit in. But I think the writing could have been sharper and some of the editing needs refined - a few sentences didn't make sense. I also thought it weird that the book is clearly set in the UK, probably Scotland, but there were no real references to the location, or slang words etc which made it all feel a little unbelievable
May 19, 2019
We Are Not Okay deals with tough subject, ones that are important and making noise all around us at the moment. Consent, slut-shaming, bullying - just for a start.
Lucy, Ulana, Sophie and Trina all go to the same school. They all know each other, and while some are friends (Like Ulana and Sophie) others hate or ignore each other. Over the course of the book their individual stories bring them together. Each girl tells her story in individual chapters, Trina's in narrated in the form of a diary while the rest are first person. I likes the format as this gives the opportunity to get to know the girls, though the voices at times blended a bit.
The concept behind We Are Not Okay is excellent. I think this is a book that works brilliant in a discussion group, such as book-clubs or a classroom because there is so much to unpack.
Lucy, Ulana, Sophie and Trina all go to the same school. They all know each other, and while some are friends (Like Ulana and Sophie) others hate or ignore each other. Over the course of the book their individual stories bring them together. Each girl tells her story in individual chapters, Trina's in narrated in the form of a diary while the rest are first person. I likes the format as this gives the opportunity to get to know the girls, though the voices at times blended a bit.
The concept behind We Are Not Okay is excellent. I think this is a book that works brilliant in a discussion group, such as book-clubs or a classroom because there is so much to unpack.
October 7, 2019
Four teenage girls: all of them different, all of them struggling with their own shame and secrets. Lucy loves to gossip, Ulana is from a conservative Muslim family, Trina likes to party and Sophia has a seemingly perfect boyfriend. But in this book by the author of the dark social problem novel Dear Charlie, no one is exactly as they first appear.
Gomes’ chatty, readable narrative style belies, and sometimes jars with, its mature subject matter, which ranges from interracial relationships and teen pregnancy to slut-shaming and sexual assault. The chapters cycle through each girl’s perspective; each is given a voice, and I assume that the intent is for the reader to identify with different aspects of the narratives, building a cumulative impact similar to The Everyday Sexism Project.
Source: María José Guzmán
However, while younger readers might relate more to this, I didn't find the girls' voices especially engaging or distinct, despite their diverse backgrounds. In fact, due to the chapter-by-chapter switch-ups, I had to refer to the back cover to remind myself of which character was which on several occasions. Some of the devices used to distinguish characters, such as the contrasting diary-style entries and listicles in Trina's chapters, didn't seem to serve any broader purpose and instead felt gimmicky and inconsistent.
Given the gravity of the subjects, just one of the protagonists’ stories could have easily provided enough substance for the whole book; with four different perspectives squeezed into 300-odd pages, that's only around 75 pages per story. While I would have devoured this as an angst-ridden adolescent and it's sure to appeal to the expansive market of The Hate U Give and Thirteen Reasons Why fans, this fast-paced, more-is-more approach is high on drama but doesn't allow for the necessary depth required to explore the numerous heavy issues raised.
Some of the descriptions of the personal repercussions from sexual assault feel lifelike and are sure to resonate with others who have been through similar traumas. However, several important issues are sadly oversimplified; it is foreshadowed early on that a character might develop an eating disorder, which is occasionally hinted at, but this gets left by the wayside for more dramatic reveals.
For more of my thoughts on this, please check out my blog post on Inky Squiggles. Note: I received a free proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Gomes’ chatty, readable narrative style belies, and sometimes jars with, its mature subject matter, which ranges from interracial relationships and teen pregnancy to slut-shaming and sexual assault. The chapters cycle through each girl’s perspective; each is given a voice, and I assume that the intent is for the reader to identify with different aspects of the narratives, building a cumulative impact similar to The Everyday Sexism Project.
Source: María José Guzmán
However, while younger readers might relate more to this, I didn't find the girls' voices especially engaging or distinct, despite their diverse backgrounds. In fact, due to the chapter-by-chapter switch-ups, I had to refer to the back cover to remind myself of which character was which on several occasions. Some of the devices used to distinguish characters, such as the contrasting diary-style entries and listicles in Trina's chapters, didn't seem to serve any broader purpose and instead felt gimmicky and inconsistent.
Given the gravity of the subjects, just one of the protagonists’ stories could have easily provided enough substance for the whole book; with four different perspectives squeezed into 300-odd pages, that's only around 75 pages per story. While I would have devoured this as an angst-ridden adolescent and it's sure to appeal to the expansive market of The Hate U Give and Thirteen Reasons Why fans, this fast-paced, more-is-more approach is high on drama but doesn't allow for the necessary depth required to explore the numerous heavy issues raised.
Some of the descriptions of the personal repercussions from sexual assault feel lifelike and are sure to resonate with others who have been through similar traumas. However, several important issues are sadly oversimplified; it is foreshadowed early on that a character might develop an eating disorder, which is occasionally hinted at, but this gets left by the wayside for more dramatic reveals.
For more of my thoughts on this, please check out my blog post on Inky Squiggles. Note: I received a free proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2024
- “I feel everything, I feel nothing.”
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