Bad Habits

by Flynn Meaney

'Heart-warming and hilarious, this is a book you need on your shelves in these bleak times.' Irish TimesPerfect for fans of Sex Education and Derry Girls.Alex is a rebel with a purple fauxhawk and biker boots.St Mary's Catholic School is the strict boarding school where she's currently trapped.Despite trying everything she can to get expelled, she's still stuck with the nuns, the prudish attitude and the sexism. So Alex decides to take matters into her own hands. She's going to stage the school's first ever production of The Vagina Monologues . . .Trouble is, no one else at St Mary's can even bear to say the word 'vagina' out loud!A riotously funny novel about the importance of friendship and finding your voice.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Feminism, Humor, Fiction, LGBT, School

331 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2021

About the author

Flynn Meaney is an alumna of the University of Notre Dame and the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Hunter College.

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: sexual content/references, drug and alcohol use, unsafe sex

Well despite this being a really in your face feminist story I ended up enjoying the flawed and funny main character.

I think Alex will rub some Readers up the wrong way with her inflexible and narrow minded view of what a feminist looks like, but the sass and humour certainly made up for any annoyance I felt towards her. The author was a bit heavy handed with the messages in parts which bordered on a little bit preachy but I guess that means no one will come away from this book unclear about its themes. This book is for Readers looking for a quick, fun YA story with a main character who doesn't realise they haven't actually got it all figured out yet.

[Althea · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5/5 Stars - DNF at 26%

This book is...not good. I was initially interested in it as it is shelved on Goodreads as having queer rep and it sounds like a fun, Juliet Takes A Breath-esque take on feminism, but I was sadly misled. I had to DNF the book about a quarter of the way through because I just wasn't enjoying it (the book itself, that is, as I felt that the audiobook narrator did a great job!). First of all, I'm not sure why this book is shelved as LGBT+ on Goodreads, perhaps there is a queer character introduced at a later point in the book, but as far as I'm aware, none of the main characters are outwardly queer (which isn't a problem, but it was a bit misleading). Secondly, the feminism in this book very much pertains to white feminism. The main character who labels herself as 'a rebel and a feminist' comes from a rich family (she attends a private school for starters and also buys then throws away a whole box of tampons!) yet is determined for some reason to get herself expelled (the lack of acknowledgement of her privilege!!) from her Catholic school. All throughout we hear her talk about how sexist the school is, and I know that Catholic schools are often problematic at best, but there was never any real concrete evidence of this, just that the school is Catholic which is apparently inherently sexist. And there seemed to be quite a lot of disrespect for Catholicism and Christianity in general throughout the book. I am not a Christian, nor do I follow any religion, but I was really quite disgusted at how Christianity was talked about in this book, as if it is inherently bad and something that modern society needs to move on from. I have had some negative experiences with people who identify as Christians, but I also know that there are so many Christians out there who are wonderful people and would not stand for the type of sexism that our main character is trying to go against, and I was not happy with this portrayal.

Anyway, back to the plot, our main character is trying to get kicked out and so decides that she is going to put on the school's first ever performance of The Vagina Monologues. Yes, a high school production of The Vagina Monologues. As head of the school's feminist club, she starts a petition to be allowed to perform it, but surely if this petition was successful...then she wouldn't get kicked out, all that would happen is that the play would go ahead, right? Regardless, at the club fair our main character is particularly horrible to another girl at the school whom she calls her nemesis, who wants to save herself for marriage - which is her choice to do so and she doesn't force her opinion on anyone else - but our main character belittles her for her choice and calls her a dictator for organising a club for people with the same ideals, yet it is Alex herself who is ruling the feminist club with an iron fist, not allowing for anyone else's opinions.

Anyway, back to the white feminism, all that our main character seemed to care about was to do with sexual freedom, but only pertaining to the choice to have sex and, as we saw earlier, not the choice not to have sex. There is also quite a bit of cissexist language throughout the book as, for example, tampons are labelled as feminine hygiene products and periods are said to only be had by women. Also, none of the characters seem to be anything other than white and there was no discussion of intersectionality or anything further than basically being allowed to say the word vagina aloud.

This book was disappointing to say the least. I've seen reviews that say that our main character is challenged on her beliefs at the end of the book, but I have seen others that say that she just brushes that off and doesn't take it seriously, but I won't be continuing on to find out because I just found so much of this book to be insufferable and the constant Harry Potter references were exhausting. I am, however, giving it a 1.5 star rating as I enjoyed the worldbuilding and descriptions of the school, and I really think that the narrator did a fantastic job. Sadly, though, this is not a book that I would recommend, instead I'd urge you to pick up Juliet Takes A Breath for a much better discussion on intersectional feminism.

EDIT: Also the prose felt extremely cringey and also written in a way that you could tell that a Millennial had written it to be like their idealised version of themselves at that age, and not what an actual teenager sounds like.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for an audiobook ARC in return for an honest review!

[Quill&Queer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly funny, important story about feminism in a Catholic Boarding School, this story sees Alex, a modern rebel trying to put on a stage play of The Vagina Monologues - in a school that is too scared to say the word vagina.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

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This was such a great book and nothing like I expected.

I’m not a feminist 100% but do believe in equality.

This is unexpectedly set in a Catholic school of all places and you know what, it was the perfect setting. This is funny and serous all at the same time with a lifetime of learning.

The girls are great and the main character, well, what’s the difference between a rebel and someone who has strong opinions? Work that one out and you’ll fully understand these messages.

The narrator was fabulous in making each character take on a format, a body and a personality. She gave power to her voice when needed and pitched it good. Great pace on some important sentences and paragraphs.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the american, feminist, book version of the british tv series derry girls.
sometimes, the author throws in one too many punchline but this book remains very light, fun and entertaining while dealing with really important topics.

[Livy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, feminist YA that had me laughing almost every page. Perfect for those rebellious teens and those wanted to feel empowered by the message this book has to offer.

The characters were so lovely, Alex and Mary Kate just has the purest friendship despite being so drastically different and honestly just wonderful main characters. Of course, Alex being the rebellious teen she is was so wonderful and funny to read as she went on her journey to try and bring about radical change at her boarding school whilst learning some valuable life lessons along the way. The rest of the cast of characters from fellow students to nuns and priests were so brilliantly created, you really got a sense of St Mary's as a school based of the student body as well as the wonderful descriptions of the setting we got throughout the book too.

The plot itself was so well written and just brilliant. A classic trope that was so beautifuly crafted into the amazing and unique story it is full of feminism and funny gags. It truly was a delight to read and I just want to go and read it all over again because I loved it so much! I have a feeling that this book will quickly become a classic YA that every teenager will want to read, and should read because of the string message of female empowerment through friendship and action. It is just such an incredible book and I'm so glad that I got a chance to read this book.

The wiring, of course is phenomenal. It's funny and feisty and just so full of love for female empowerment. You could tell that the author really tired her desire to improve female sexual education and awareness of women's sexual health as well as just female empowerment in the text because it shone through not only in Alex's personality but just the book as a whole. I cannot wait tp see what the author does next.

I was kindly gifted a copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, just amazing! A story about feminism in a Catholic school, I don’t think I’ve read this before at all. I loved the personal growth the main character goes through, the fact it’s her friends who teach her and make her change . It’s so much fun, full of humour , but still reminds the reader of important messages too.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[KiKi The #BookNerd KBbookreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Synopsis: Alex is rebellious, a feminist, and a student at a strict Catholic school – St Mary’s. Constantly in trouble for her rebellious behaviour, Alex has been on the brink of expulsion – just to have her dad save her place. Now she has a new plan, tired of the sexism pervading the school and with expulsion as her goal, Alex is determined to perform The Vagina Monologues. But in a school where no-one will even use the ‘V’ word Alex has set herself an impossible challenge.

CW/TW: Drug use/Alcohol use/ sex, sexual harassment references/ unsafe sex/ others may be present.

So a big thankyou to Dave @TheWriteReads for giving me a spot on this fun and brilliant ultimate blogtour!

Bad Habits, by Flynn Meaney is a fun, quirky and chaotic story of feminism, rebellion and identity. Alex is a force of a character, she is determined, headstrong, vocal and chaotic. But, she is also self-centered and, despite her feminist views, narrow minded with a strong belief in her own idea of feminism and women’s liberation. However, because of this Alex comes across as a very real character, flawed, but still a character you can root for.

The plot is easy to follow, the prose flows well and is quirky and comical! This is definitely an engaging and fun feminist story that manages to tackle serious issues in an upbeat way without making them seem insubstantial – it is very cleverly done and reflects reality quite well. I loved the little pop culture and classic literature references littered throughout the book. The humour and comedy may seem quite overwhelming at first, but as the book goes on the comedy becomes more balanced and works to really highlight certain scenes or points that are key to the story and message.

The plot focuses around Alex trying to get the school to agree to her production of The Vagina Monologues, hoping it will get her expelled – her rebellion is entertaining to watch but is also handle in a clever way, she wants to get expelled, yes, and her home life is not all that great, but part of her does this also to battle sexism and liberate language surrounding women’s bodies. What starts as an attempt to anger the school becomes something much more important, an open discourse about sexism and freedom.

The book takes a feminist focus, and Alex is a very specific type of feminist who believes freedom comes from sexual liberation and outward portrayals of personality – and while this is great we also explore why her feminism may be harmful to other women. For example, we get a nice contrast between Alex and her overt personality and plethora of sexual innuendos compared with Katie Casey, vocal in a different way she supports keeping yourself until marriage, owning your body by choosing not to have sex until then. I really liked the clash between these two characters and the ultimate plot beneath it showing that being a feminist means freedom with choices about your own body but also the choices other women make about theirs even if it does not coincide with your own. This important message for and behind feminism is explored in a delightfully funny way.

I also loved the book had the school vibe behind it, the rumours and school ‘curses/stories’, the strict Catholic setting, the sports team and the clubs – all of it worked very well with the plot and theme of the book. School is a time and place of growth it is where everyone begins to find their own identities through clubs, friends and the school system itself – so having that alongside the idea of feminism and freedom of identity really supported how the characters tackled their ideologies and allowed their opinions to grow and change over the course of the book. The addition of school stories and traditions also made the setting come to life and added humour to the story.

I also liked the male characters in the book, primarily Pat (The main one at least). It was interesting to see how the male characters would fit into the feminist narrative and I liked how it was done without demonizing ever male character present. They are flawed and have privilege in the book, and some are problematic, but some of them learn and are supportive of Alex’s feminist ways. Alex is quick to blame misogyny for her failures and sometimes that is standing in her way, but other times she uses it as an excuse and gets called out on it by male characters but also female ones, causing her to address and correct her feminism. I think this was handle quite well and I thought it was clever how the concept of feminism was addressed. Alex does make mistakes with her beliefs but at her core she does care about freedom and identity and goes out of her way to help the other girls, and it was nice to watch her slowly improve over the course of the book in this regard.

This book has a nostalgic feel for me, I loved all those trouble making school students sent to boarding school for misbehaviour, and this book sort of resonated with the nostalgia of those reads. While this is clearly for a much older audience, the fun, comforting feel still exists, but with something extra!

Overall, this book has the fun of a teen/YA read, that comical and realistic school setting and great complex flawed characters. It is a comical book that also deals with serious issues but does so in a light way without debasing them, and addresses the concept of feminism. The strict Catholic backdrop gives a stark view to wider reality, its extremes reflecting the subtler forms of sexism in wider society. This book was a great, fun read overall!

https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpr...

I received an eARC via netgalley for the blogtour and in exchange for an honest review!

[Leggoromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Davvero una storia super ironica, che mi ha fatto ridere da morire.
Ho amato la protagonista con la sua ironia.
Ho amato il modo in cui vengono trattate le tematiche del romanzo.
Lo consiglio soprattutto ad un pubblico giovane, ma non solo😌😌😏

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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I loved stories that make me laugh, and “Bad Habits” had me rolling with its light-hearted humor.

Firstly, I loved how complex the author wrote the characters. Although the plot is light-hearted, you see various changes that some of the characters go through. Alex is fantastic as the main character. She is crass, witty, and awkward, but SO entertaining! I loved how she takes charge and does things impulsively, even if it would lead her into trouble.

Similarly, I loved Mary Kate too! It was beautiful to see the character change and become brave (but a part of me still missed her old charm). Moreover, none of the characters are black and white, and you don’t know how they would react to certain situations. For instance, Katie Casey, who plays a negative role, surprised me in the scenes where she shares a moment with Alex. I loved these moments!

Secondly, I loved the author’s style of writing. I don’t think I have laughed out so much as I did while reading this book. Many moments had me laughing in tears, like Mary Kate’s date with Theology John or their meetings at the Feminist club. Moreover, nearly all of Alex’s dialogues had a touch of humor. The author also wrote the romance between Alex and Pat in a fun manner. One of my favorite scenes is when he shows her the tunnels.

However, probably the only minor criticism I have is how the story ended. I felt the plot concluded abruptly, as I wanted details over what happened with the play. Apart from that, “Bad Habits” is a hilarious, contemporary Young Adult novel that I recommend to anyone who is in the mood to laugh out loud.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this via Netgalley, thank you to the publishers for this copy! I have already ordered a paperback for my collection!

My only regret with this book is that I didn't pick it up sooner!!

One of my favourite films that just screams comfort to me is WILD CHILD and this books had all the vibes of that film. Perfect for fans of Moxie! This will be in my March Wrap Up Video!

[thelibraryofalexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Bad Habits' by Flynn Meaney was the first book by this author that I have read. It promised feminist power, fun and rebellion and it certainly delivered.

However, at this moment I am struggling to point out what I enjoyed from this book. Towards the end of this book, I was skim reading as I just could not fully immerse myself within this story. I think my main issue was the protagonist, Alex.

Though there were a few times where I laughed out loud, most of my reading experience was punctuated by my inability to like any of the characters. The character of Alex is what I would define as a white feminist, a young woman who thinks she is 'woke' but her feminism is actually more performative than she thinks. She is an incredibly privileged and wealthy young woman who basically acts like a brat for most, if not all of the book, and never fully takes accountability for her words and actions. At the end, her best friend Mary Kate and her kind-of boyfriend Pat, pull her up on her own fakeness, but Alex doesn't really take on the words, takes responsibility or tries to learn. She doesn't really change.

The entire story centres on Alex wanting to be expelled from St Mary's (a Catholic boarding school, which is valid) so in order to do that, she wants to put on a show of The Vagina Monologues. She is the leader of St Mary's Feminist Club - which is more of her just telling the group of girls what she wants to do, with no compromise or discussion (this doesn't happen until literally the last page) - and admits that she is using the girls of the club as her 'feminist army' to do her bidding. Alex is introduced to the reader as a rebel, as someone who is almost constantly in trouble because she 'rebels against the patriarchy' of the school but her acts of rebellion are juvenile and bratty. Her feminism has no real purpose, and only rebels against the patriarchy because she can't get away with everything she wants. There was no motivation. As someone who went to an all-girls Catholic school, there are plenty to rebel against (sexual health or lack thereof, conversations of consent, toxic masculinity/femininity etc. - which again, is briefly brought up on the last page) but Alex does it because she can.

Alex is also incredibly judgmental about other women's choices for someone who considers themselves the only 'feminist' on campus. Mary Kate does tell Alex this but again, Alex doesn't really do anything to broaden her understanding of feminism or feminist issues for a range of different women. She had a very limited understanding about how women should showcase their feminism that is just proved to me how little Alex actually knew about what the movement now stands for.

The way that Alex and Mary Kate spoke as well reminded me how adults think teenagers speak. There is always some sort of punchline that is in reference to popular culture, a meme or a celebrity. It felt in-authentic. As someone who is around teenagers/young adults, this is not how they communicate with each other.

However, I do think alot of people would enjoy this as it is a quick and light read.

[(Ellie) ReadtoRamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser, author, and publisher for allowing me to participate in this tour and for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney is a hilarious and fun YA contemporary novel about Alex Heck, a young, feisty feminist who is at St Mary’s boarding school and trying to change everything about the place and the people. This book is set at a private Catholic school in Minnesota and it was a really great setting in my opinion as I suppose it might be one of the most conservative places you can find. I am not a religious person at all so to see how Alex kept flipping off the patriarchy, the school, the nuns and the priest made me cackle.

Alex is the main character from this book and the only POV we get, and along the way, we learn a lot about her and the people around her, as she stumbles over obstacles, thinks about why she is trying to set up The Vagina Monologues, and experiences various relationships while getting into a lot of trouble. I loved Alex from the first line. Teenage me was quite like her, minus the purple lady-fauxhawk so I really identified with her, only she was a lot funnier than I was (and still am, aha!). I found Alex to be sassy, determined, strong-willed, with a strong sense of right and the need to understand sexuality, gender, identity and not be ashamed about these things. I love her and I loved to see her grow.

I’m not sure I’ve read a book centred on feminism before, but after reading Bad Habits, I’ll definitely pick up more books with this theme in the future. I think this book was really interesting because it showed Alex’s feminism, but also the feminism portrayed by the people in her Feminist Club, and the opinions of people all around her.

Overall, this was a fantastic, funny, sensitive, important, poignant and great book that I enjoyed from start to finish and laughed out loud about numerous times. A lot of moments in this book had me mentally cheering the characters on and I was just hoping that Alex would get her play the way she wanted, that Mary Kate would get her walk around the lake and her boyfriend even though I thought her wish was a little ridiculous, and I wanted Alex to crush through the patriarchy and smash down those prejudices and restrictive ideals.

The writing style was so fluid, it read so easily and fast. I was immersed in this book and had a great time reading it. The author’s prose was a joy to read and I salute her for making me laugh so much. The book was written in such a funny, witty, snarky and clever way that I couldn’t help but be fully engaged in it and root for the characters! I will definitely be reading more books by this author!

I gave this book 4.5 stars. I struggle with YA contemporary usually, but this was a great book and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Just missing a little spark and maybe a little slow at times, but I highly recommend this book to YA contemporary fans who love witty prose, complex and interesting characters with strong ideals and important topics and discussions.

You can find the full review on my blog here: https://readtoramble.com/book-review-...

[Jennifer Ayre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really the intended audience for this book, and I think I definitely felt it in some places.
Alex is a rebel, and is trying her best to get expelled from her Catholic boarding school. So she decides to do the most shocking thing she can: put on a production of The Vagina Monologues.
I liked the premise of this, and I think this is a book that 16-18 year olds would really engage with. I liked the portrayal of the patriarchy and dichotomy that is ingrained especially in Catholic schools, and I really liked how Alex took it upon herself to fight this.
There were two particularly stand out scenes for me: one is when a girl knocks on Alex's door in the middle of the night to say she's just had sex and is now worried as they didn't use a condom. I really liked that Alex showed absolutely no judgement but just took her Planned Parenthood the next day. There was no hint of shaming, or mocking or shock, it was just factual and I think this is particularly important. The other scene I liked was when Katie told Alex that she had had a bad experience at a party, and although the boy hadn't forced her, she had decided that only she got to choose what to do with her body- hence joining the celibacy group. I liked how this showed Alex's realisation that feminism isn't just biker boots, burning bra's and meaningless sex (although all these things do feature) but it is about choice, and that we can have different choices and still be feminist.
Yes, the plot is a bit juvenile, and Alex is an incredibly annoying character (to me) but as I said, I'm not the intended audience, and I probably would have really related to Alex when I was 16.
*gifted copy in exchange for an honest review*

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book source ~ Tour

Alex Heck from San Francisco was sent to a Catholic boarding school in Minnesota by her dad when she was deemed out of control and needing discipline. Ever since, Alex has been trying her damnedest to get expelled. To no avail. But this time she has the perfect plan. She is going to stage a production of The Vagina Monologues. She’s positive that will finally get her kicked out and maybe give a few of her nemeses (nuns and priests) a heart attack or stroke while she’s at it. Now, if she can just get her bestie, Mary Kate, on board with her idea she’ll be good to go. Yeah, about that…

Ok, I’m just going to come out and say it: I fucking love this book. Alex is bold as brass and not afraid to say or do anything. Pretty impressive for a 16-yr-old. I wish I was that sassy when I was a teen. Mary Kate is quite the contrast to Alex, opposite in so many ways, and yet their friendship is heartwarmingly real. This story has practically everything I love included in it: snappy dialogue, great characters, humor, action, a fast-flowing plot, and judicious swearing. There’s a bit of romance, a lot of sass, and plenty of character growth. If the Iceman ghost had been real then my paranormal quotient would have been filled. Ah, well. And holy fuck, is Father Hughes a saint or what? Alex just can’t seem to rattle the man. Ok, so he does run a co-ed Catholic school with a large student body of horny teenagers, so I bet he’s seen it all. Still, color me awestruck. This book entertained the shit out of me and that’s the highest praise I can give. Read it. Now.

[Jayasree B · Rating 4 out of 5]

One will either go "bah!", or get hooked on to it from the get go. Bad Habits is a book about Alex, and her life at St. Mary's, a Catholic boarding school. The major portion of the book is all about teenagers and them finding their footing, making their space… basically, becoming their future selves. It makes for an interesting read. Not some philosophical coming of age, jargon filled book this. Bad Habits is a more hilarious version of it. With its protagonist literally having a "lightbulb" moment in the midst of a crisis to realise what she actually wants!

I absolutely loved reading Bad Habits.

[Thrillsontheshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

Many thanks to Penguin for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Not gonna lie, I saw that this was pushed as a feminist novel, and I was very turned off. I have been burned before, okay? BURNED! Do you hear me?! Also, I don’t hate all men, nor do I think all men are bad, and I am very turned off by books that imply that. So you maybe see my struggles? WORRY NOT, FELLOW READERS. This is not that book, and I absolutely loved the feminism and how it unfolds.

Bad Habits is feminist at its truest: not only struggles for body positivity, but with a hard-won lesson about what feminism really means. It’s funny and sarcastic, with a cast of characters that are sure to entertain!

I’m actually super surprised by just how much I freaking loved this! I went in with definite reservations, but by the time I finished the first chapter, I knew it was going to be a good match. I couldn’t get enough of this book, and I was sad to see it end because it was just so freaking good. I will for sure be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

My Thoughts:

- The narrative voice of this book is laugh-out-loud funny and kept catching me off-guard at such unexpected times. If you enjoy sarcastic, irreverent characters, Alex is a surefire winner. While Alex is very obviously a teenager, I think her voice is one that’s easily relatable. Maybe you aren’t as edgy or vocal or confident as her (I for sure am absolutely none of those things). However, a lot of what she struggles with, underneath all the jokes and humor, are things a lot of people struggle with: a distant father she’s sure doesn’t understand her, a narcissistic mother who’s completely out of touch with her daughter, a place she doesn’t feel like she actually belongs in, not knowing where she actually wants to belong. Then, on top of that, add that to all the struggles that come with being a woman and having to deal with people who get weirded out by tampons—even just the mention of them, let alone the act of buying them. While this book is undoubtedly hilarious, it plays a trick on the reader. It convinces them that they’re reading a light, flippant novel when, in fact, it delivers some pretty hard-hitting life advice. Like it’s perfectly okay to say “vagina” to a nun if everyone in the room has one. Wait, maybe not that one (although I’m certainly okay with it). How about like the fact that even in a Catholic school, having conversations about women’s bodies, especially in regards to their health and safety, is crucial. The humor in the voice does a really good job of highlighting the deeper, heavier topics without having them bog down the narrative.

- A Catholic school may seem like an odd setting for this sort of book, but it was absolutely perfect, and I loved every bit of it. Let’s be honest, Alex and her struggle wouldn’t be nearly as edgy in any other setting, of course. Her plight wouldn’t seem so ridiculous or doomed to fail, nor would it seem nearly as important—two things that paired together so brilliantly. When people tend to think of Catholic schools, they tend to think of conservative anti-sex, anti-feminist institutions, but if there’s anything to take away from this book, it’s really about compromise and not falling for snap judgments. St. Mary’s would definitely be deemed more conservative and certainly not the place to hold The Vagina Monologues. However, as the book gets going, the reader may just find that everything at St. Mary’s isn’t quite as it seems. I loved the depth of the setting and the challenge to the stereotype about religious schools. It challenges the reader to stop and question their own biases and assumptions, just as Alex is forced to.

- This is feminism in the truest form of the word, and Alex has to find that out the hard way. You would think that feminism at a Catholic school is a good thing, right? Tampons for everyone, no shame attached. Run through the school and shout vagina if you so desire. Teach women that sex isn’t always bad and being a woman isn’t simply a necessary evil. But wait! There’s more! Alex gets so caught up in her own brand and flavor of feminism that she forgets that feminism itself is about choice and that someone else may not make the same choices she would. It’s easy to be so caught up in your own beliefs and ideals that you forget that giving someone a choice means that you may disagree with their choice, but ultimately, it’s theirs to make. Men and women. Because yes, even the boys get rolled up a bit in the feminism in this book, and I love it! Ultimately, the feminism takes some surprising forms that I wasn’t at all expecting, but you’ll just have to discover that for yourselves.

- The characters in this are so easy to love, and they each brought something interesting to the table! This book is a little of everything. It’s about friendship bonds, self-discovery, coming of age, a teensy bit of romance, and a whole lot of growing up and growing into one’s self. So there’s Alex, obviously, who’s sure she has everything figured out because she’s super progressive and feminist and loud and boisterous and unafraid to stand up to the “patriarchy” and the things keeping people down. Which may be a teensy bit at odd to the people around her, like her roommate and best friend, Mary Kate, who at first comes across as very reserved and quiet and the antithesis of Alex. But who is also very much determined to get a boyfriend. Then there’s Pat, the testosterone-laden jock type that Alex would typically roll her eyes at and hate … but he’s also kind of pretty cool. And into drama. Who would’ve guessed? I absolutely loved getting to know Pat and his ability to keep up with Alex and compromise (a skill Alex herself doesn’t willingly possess). I suspect even the staff at the school will surprise you when you get to know them!

[sfogliarsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro frizzante, una vera e propria commedia divertente che nel divertimento stesso, mette in scena delle situazione attuali e dei pregiudizi troppo convinti e legati alla morale. Un inno alla libertà femminile e a tutte quelle parole che si tendono a non dire, senza alcun senso. Un’avventura, con tantissimi colpi di scena, in cui i protagonisti si ritroveranno ad affrontare temi delicati, infatti moltissime persone non si sentono a proprio agio a pronunciare la parola vagina, o nel comprare assorbenti o parlare di sesso. Tutto ciò è un mito da sfatare, una società sviluppata ed evoluta, non può avere questi pregiudizi. Una storia scorrevole, con tanta ironia, scritta per lettori giovani che si sentono rinchiusi in una sorta di gabbia e mirano quindi ad evadere in un modo particolare.

[Kate Henderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

**Listened to the audio book**

What was this?! I don't think the author even knows!
Firstly, the narrator of this audio book was incredibly annoying, and therefore made me dislike the central character from the get-go. I appreciate the character isn't really supposed to be likeable, but you should feel some empathy towards her.
I felt the plot was just all over the place. What was the message? What was the point? Was it about friendship? Performance? Religion? Rules? I just didn't get it! It followed too many different plot lines, and none of them were well executed.

The pacing was slow - which is usual for a YA.
I really really disliked this book! Dull, poorly written and all over the place!

[cafeyre]

Synopsis

After the divorce of her parents, Alex was sent to a Catholic boarding school. Alex is an individualist, feminist and rules breaker. She works for a long time to be finally kicked out of the school and come back to California. She was very close to it when she didn’t come back to her dormitory before the curfew. However, her father has a connection in the school, he talked with the principal, who was his good friend back in the days, that she will finish her studies in this school no matter what. Since her plan didn’t work out, it’s time for a new one. Something shocking, big, and important.

Her school is full of priests and nuns, so they put pressure on keeping the kids uninformed about their sexuality, which means for them “keeping them safe”. It’s a subject taboo so many young girls are clueless if it comes to their sexuality, and also, they are scared to talk about it. Alex is the only person on the campus that is always helping them with their issues. Girls are coming to her for a piece of advice when they get into trouble or have no one to talk to about this kind of staff. She’s kind of a big sister for all of them. This gave her an idea to present Vagina Monologues with her Feminist Club at her school. However, since it’s a catholic school it is not appropriate for the girls in this school, especially younger grades like 13 years old. The word vagina is already not appropriate to say for the principal so imagine how hard it will be to get this project accepted. However, Alex doesn’t accept the word “no”. She will do everything to change something in this school and stop the inequality between girls and boys in the school.

BOOK REVIEW

I had such a good time reading this book. Hilarious characters, unpredictable situations, and thousand jokes. Alex is a teenage girl with her own rules. She’s introducing her feminist part very strongly already at the beginning of the book. She has her own point of view on the world, school, and people around her. She speaks about important things like inequality in the catholic school and that girls should have their right to learn about their sexuality and speak about it freely. It’s hard when even the word “vagina” is taboo.

As much as I agree with most of the things she says, I also disagree with her attitude to most of the girls in the school. She acts like she’s better than them and that their choices and behavior are wrong. However, that’s the whole point of feminism, that we all should stay together without any judgment. I’m so happy that she finally noticed it at the end of the book, and that someone had the courage to say it straight to her face.

I love what this book represents and all the subjects it talks about. I grew up in schools that menstruation, sexuality, and more were subjects we didn’t speak about loudly because someone could hear us and that would be a real shame. This is also a reason why all men are clueless about it all. I remember talking with my boyfriend about it and explaining all processes he never heard about. I think we need more books like this that will encourage young girls to speak openly about it without feeling uncomfortable.

The most surprising character in this book is Mary Kate, which by the end of the book shows what was sitting in her the whole time. It was so powerful, and she finally has shown her character. What also was surprising in this book is the friendship between Kasey and Alex. The scene with both of them starting a fire is everything. It’s full of positivity and happiness.

This book is full of comedy and sarcasm wrote in a good style. It’s kind of took me back to my teenage years. I would like to thank The Write Reads, Penguin, and Flynn Meaney for providing me with this ARC copy. I don’t remember when I laughed so much while reading a book.

[Dean Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad Habits is the riotous, fun, and humour filled feminist read of 2021.

First of all I want to mention that the main theme of Bad Habits is feminism and it goes a long way to highlight the everyday sexism that exist in society. Throughout the book we are remained that not all sexism is glaringly obvious. Some are little comments or micro aggressions that although don't seem to be offensive they do reinforce sexist ideas that lay below the surface and are just as detrimental as the more obvious and intended attacks. Now for me as a male and at times very ignorant (although I do try to inform myself, learn and change my ways) to everyday sexism Bad Habits served as a good reminder of my part and what I can do to help the situation.

Now another really clear directive of Bad Habits is that the ultimate goal of feminism can differ from person to person. Our main protagonist, Alex, for instance is an example that sexual freedom is high on the list for many however for others the idea of saving ourselves for that special someone is just as much an important goal. What I'm saying is that Bad Habits does a fantastic job of highlighting the fact that feminism comes in many flavours and people fight for what matters to them most. One thing I did note is that at times Alex puts her own goals ahead of others and this goes to show that in her pursuit of feminism she actually undermines other's efforts or down plays the importance of their idea of feminism.

With all that being said Bad Habits was a really enjoyable read. The humour was right on point for a young adult novel and the characters are nice and diverse. One thing I really enjoyed about the read is that the two main characters, Alex and Mary-Kate, are such different characters but they work so well together. Alex is our resident bad girl with her purple fauxhawk and motorcycle boots that treats school like the Thunder dome rather than a place of learning, kinda like I did myself, and then we have Mary-Kate a typical goody two shoes that avoids trouble making like the plague. This ultimately gives us the ideal conditions for some humorous happenings to flourish. A big high five to Meaney for that.

Bad Habits is set in the ex all boys school of St. Mary's which is totally fitting to the theme of the book and a great choice by Flynn Meaney. Meaney does a great job of building a beautiful setting which really helps bring the story alive. The school is filled with the usual aspects that would be found at any real world school. Secret passage way/corridor that no one knows about, the odd ghost story and the sections of the school that you really don't want to walk down for fear of bumping into the resident bully.

Oh one more thing I liked was the nice sprinkling of references to movies, books and songs through the book. I know some people don't like references to other works but there are a lot that do and where references are used they make sense. They don't feel like they have been plonked in randomly to help jazz things up. I do want to mention that it seemed to be a strange choice to include Harry Potter references given recent happenings over the last several years into a book that promotes equality among the sexes. Depending how you feel on the matter will depend on what you make of the use of HP references but I thought it worth a mention nonetheless.

On the other side of the scales one thing I didn't like is that Alex didn't really see any comeuppance for the way she treats those around her in her blind pursuit of her goals. Those on the receiving end just seemed to be fine with it and shrug it off which I didn't feel would be true to the age range of the characters. Teenagers after all can be an unpredictable bunch at times when it comes to friendships. This is only a small issue I have with Bad Habits and it does not hold back the story which continues to flow nicely regardless.

Overall Bad Habits was a good eye opener for me on the topic of feminism and with it being a light read with easy to read prose I would happily recommend Bad Habits to those wanting a fun, quick and humour filled read while wanting to know more on the subject of sexism.

P.S. Okay now I am no expert on the subject of feminism and gender inequality so by all means if anything I have said in this review is incorrect or offensive please highlight that to me. After all the main reason I want to read Bad Habits is to educate myself in a fictional setting that I enjoy best.

[Amy Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I signed up for the blog tour for this book because the blurb and PR release made me snort the cup of tea I was I drinking at the time. And, further full disclosure: that has not been the only laugher based accident that has occurred during the course of reading Flynn Meaney’s hilarious YA contemporary novel Bad Habits.

Bad Habits follows Alex, a junior year student at St Marys Catholic Boarding School. St Marys is a place of tradition. They love peace and quiet, wholesome extra-curricular activities, and hockey. Alex is the opposite of this. With her brightly coloured hair and biker boots, she’s never more than a day away from a new uniform violation and the opening page of the novel sees her hanging off the side of the male-only dorm long after curfew.

Safe to say Alex and St Marys aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. And Alex would love nothing more than to kiss the place goodbye once and for all. But despite her very best efforts (and boy, has this girl tried!), she just can’t seem to expelled. But when a tampon-buying trip results in an (unsuccessful) attempt at ritual humiliation, Alex sees an opportunity. If TAMPONS cause the girls of St Marys to blush and the boys to jeer, what would happen if VAGINAS were placed front and centre of the St Marys Feminist Club’s first ever stage production. One battered copy of The Vagina Monologues later and Alex has a plan…

As you can hopefully tell from that description, Bad Habits is a fresh and fun take on contemporary YA. The contrast between the free-spirited and sparky heroine Alex and the constraining tradition of the environment in which she finds herself provides endless sources for humour throughout the book. What I really liked though was how this humour does not come at the expense of anyone else’s beliefs. Alex is determined, forthright, sassy and fiercely feminist – but her feminism isn’t the only kind depicted here and, as she learns along the way, there are other ways and other methods that are equally useful in furthering the cause and smashing the patriarchy.

In fact, Alex has as much to learn about St Marys as St Marys has to learn about Alex and, whilst this is very firmly Alex’s story, I really enjoyed seeing her development as she begins to interact with other students (and even some of the staff) and learn more about their own beliefs and perspectives. In particular, I really liked Alex’s roommate Mary Kate. Quiet and studious, Mary Kate seems to be everything Alex is not (and reminded me a lot of myself at that age – I wish I was an Alex but I was definitely more of a Mary Kate!) but she has her own deeply rooted determination and it was wonderful seeing the way in which her character comes to compliment Alex’s over the course of the novel.

The writing is fast and fluid, with plenty of action and humour to keep the pages flying – I tore through the book in less than a day and I was laughing out loud regularly throughout. The humour of Bad Habits might not be for everyone – Alex is loud, occasionally crude, and certainly extremely opinionated – but I really enjoyed it and it was refreshing to read about a young women prepared not only to speak her mind but also to reflect on and change her opinions when she feels she’s been correctly challenged – and to stand by them and back them up with evidence when she knows she is right.

I’m so glad that being part of The Write Reads gang has re-introduced me to contemporary YA. Although Bad Habits is somewhat out of my usual comfort zone of YA mystery/thrillers (and has a high school/college setting that I am usually very wary of), I really enjoyed this fun and fast-paced novel, which has plenty of humour alongside some extremely important messaging about equality, sexuality, and the importance of being true to yourself.

NB: This review first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher and to Netgalley UK for providing an ecopy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Alexia · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I RECEIVED AN ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

This book was equal amounts wholesome and equal amounts insightful – there were a few good parts of the story that made me think a lot about feminism as a movement and the tendency to gate-keep. I really enjoyed the setting, characters, and the subversion of certain character types and tropes. The main character, Alex, is a very feisty, bold, opinionated teen that is set on getting expelled from St. Mary’s boarding school. She believes that the school is the antithesis of who she is as a woman and feminist, and she is not afraid to say it to anyone, including her best friend, Mary Kate. It immediately reminded me of the film ‘Wild Child’, but this story is quirkier and more well-rounded. There are more events happening, and a lot more chaos. The fact that St. Mary’s is a co-ed school means that a lot more can happen. Their obsession with hockey is also quite amusing.

The plot was overall enjoyable, with a lovely ending. The pace was a bit slow at times, and there were occasions where I could not relate to Alex’s voice, but I love how it had several twists and turns, as well as anticipation. I really liked how immersive the story was and it felt like I was alongside Alex and Mary Kate in their whacky adventures.

(As a side note, I do not miss high school at all lol.)

I am going to be honest… I related much more to Mary Kate at times. She was very much me in my teens – a romantic, shy, a little naïve. Alex was very OUT THERE, so the complete opposite. She knew so much and did not really hold back, which I both admired, and sometimes really did not. There were moments when I could not really understand why Alex did or said the things she did, or cases where things were done specifically to show that she is “different” and “edgy”; and I just could not condone her actions during those times. It becomes noticeably clear the more you read that Alex can be self-centred and snobby, but thankfully this behaviour is tackled and challenged.

And Mary Kate’s shining moments are a remarkable sight! She has some lovely, and hilarious moments that you do not want to miss out on.

The rest of the characters were wholesome, and really helped ground Alex at times. They added more colour to the story and made the setting more inviting. I enjoyed getting to see the softer sides of Alex too, and how her friends helped her accept them. Her dad’s relationship with her school also added an interesting layer of tradition and history that I enjoyed.

The setting was… chaotic, but in a very entertaining way. Modern teens in a Catholic boarding school? With all those hormones and curiosity and a need to rebel? I was hooked. I’m not even sure how I would have survived that, but I’m glad to see that there was camaraderie in breaking the rules and keeping each other out of serious trouble. Alex really stepped up there, which I loved about her.

It is a fun, feminist tale about rebellion, identity, community and the power of presence. It invites you to reflect on where you hold yourself and others back and break those barriers apart. Like we see with Alex, it is an uncomfortable journey, but it is the best thing you can do for yourself and others. Once you stop restricting yourself, the possibilities are endless, and often times incredibly fun.

If you're looking for a wholesome, fun, and quirky read, then this book is for you!

[Melissa Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was given an arc of Bad Habits in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Penguin Random House UK and Flynn Meaney*

This review was posted on Young Creative Press if you like this review check out my other reviews at youngcreativepress.com

Synopsis:

Bad Habits follows Alex Heck, a rebellious feminist who is desperate to get kicked out of the Catholic boarding school she attends. After being caught sneaking out of a boys room, which is strictly forbidden, Alex is angry that she is the only one punished. However, when she realises her dad has been called in her mood quickly turns around as she thinks she is finally being expelled.

This is not the case. With the help of the feminist club, of which she is the leader, she decides she is going to put on a performance of The Vagina Monologues. Hoping this will actually get her expelled Alex stops at nothing to see this plan through.

Review:

I listened to the audiobook version of Bad Habits and I actually really enjoyed it. Tanya Reynolds did a fantastic job with the narration and the pacing was spot on. I flew through this book in just two days.

Bad Habits was funny for the majority, but at times it felt a little too forced and cringey. However, this is a teen book that constantly says vagina, so what more could you expect. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If anything it actually fit the story well as most of the characters were awkward teens who couldn’t even say the word and acted like it was cursing.

I enjoyed the fast pace and how quickly I was able to get through this. I have been in a huge reading slump lately and I’ve found that audiobooks actually help, this one especially.

Even though I enjoyed the book I did not enjoy all aspects of it. This would have been a 4/5 for me if it wasn’t for the main character.

My biggest issue with this book was that Alex thought her idea of feminism was the only valid one. She would kick up a huge fuss when any of the other girls would talk about ‘saving themselves for marriage’. She had no right to make a comment on this or tell the girls they are wrong. It has no impact on her life whatsoever. So what if they want to save themselves for marriage, it’s their choice. Isn’t feminism about the right of having a choice?

If I’m being completely honest, Alex overall was my main issue with this book. She at times was a privileged, entitled brat and it did not fit the narrative very well. She uses the other girls in the feminist club for her bidding and never asks what they want. The worse part of this being making them put on a play that they clearly were not comfortable with.

She was often a bad friend to Mary Kate, embarrassing her with tampons at the beginning and continuing to do so when Mary Kate said she was uncomfortable. Making fun of her for being boy-crazy even though that’s what most teenaged girls are like. Honestly, she was self-absorbed, selfish and overly entitled. I really did not like her character.

I was so glad when her friends finally called her out at the end of the book, but honestly, they should have done this sooner.

The secondary characters were definitely more interesting for me, Mary Kate and Katie Casey in particular. Both had more development than the main character, Mary Kate especially. I would love to see a version of this book from her perspective.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but sadly the main character ruined it for me. I know that she realises her mistakes at the end, but come on. It happened in the very last chapter when it should have happened somewhere around the middle.

The storyline was fun and witty and I often found myself wanting to laugh at parts of this book. It reminded me a lot of Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu, but it definitely has not taken over as my top YA feminist book.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads, Penguin, and Netgalley for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As you all probably know by now, I am a sucker for a great cover. So, when Dave sent out the email about this tour and I saw that bright, yellow gloriousness, I knew I had to sign up! How could I say no to something that looked so vivid and fun?

Thankfully, the book’s cover did not deceive. Bad Habits is a raucous good time and our main character, Alex, absolutely comes to life on the page. We meet Alex as she is climbing out of a window in one of the boys’ dorms on her Catholic boarding school campus. That action lands her in the principle’s office for what she hopes is the last time. Not because she’s going to “straighten out and fly right”. No, Alex is hoping this last act of rebellion will be enough to get her expelled and sent back to California where she belongs. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen, which leads Alex to dream up her most daring expulsion attempt yet: staging St. Mary’s first ever production of The Vagina Monologues!

You guys, when I say this was a good time, I absolutely mean it! This book had me grinning like an idiot and laughing my head off multiple times. I adore the wit and humor that is woven throughout this feminist tale. It made this such a quick and engaging read that I found myself at the end and was confused as to how I arrived there so quickly. This is definitely a book you could read in a day because you have to know what Alex is going to do next!

Speaking of Alex, can I tell you how much I loved her? I don’t know if I can because she is one of those characters that’s just larger than life! I loved following her along as she fought for what she believed in, even if her surface goal was getting kicked out of school. It was interesting to watch her being a badass but I also loved getting a peek at her other side… the side that tries to comfort lost freshman and helps people when their secret weed stash is found. She’s a complex character with a biting wit and sense of humor that I meshed with so well! But a book can only go so far with a solid main character. Which is why I was glad that the side characters in this story, though they didn’t leave quite the same impression, definitely did not fall flat.

Beyond the fabulous characters, I just loved the writing and the overall tone of this book. The writing pulls you in with it’s conversational tone. You feel as though Alex is sitting next to you, recounting her rebellious days at St. Mary’s Catholic School while you’re making posters for a protest. I felt so connected to this story because of the fun and feminist current that is running throughout. This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author, but it definitely makes me curious about her other work!

Final thoughts: I had such a good time reading this book! I adore the main character and I thought the author did an incredible job at creating someone not only interesting, but also relatable. The tone and writing were great and the humor just matched mine perfectly. Are you looking for a fun and vivacious young adult contemporary that will have you chuckling as you turn the pages? Do you like a book that tackles feminist issues in an accessible and interesting way? Then I think you’ll enjoy Bad Habits!

[Kate A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.5/5

I think I could tell as soon as I looked at the cover that this was going to be a very entertaining book and it didn’t take that many pages to prove me right. I do enjoy this kind of book, easy to read, absorbing and amusing, whilst also having a great message but one that didn’t feel forced.

Alex is an interesting character, at times unpredictable and sassy at others vulnerable and loyal, she definitely stands out and is certainly more vocally progressive than most of her classmates. I enjoyed that she was trying so hard to elicit change but that she was so focused on herself, her goals and what she believed to be right that at points she kind of became the type of people she was rallying against. Mary Kate was a fabulous opposite to Alex, more by the book, clever but also a dreamer, I liked how they bounced off each other and that they supported each other even though their goals were very different. I have to say though my love for Mary Kate definitely increased when she put Alex in her place, I won’t go too much into the why but it was deserved and showed that even when friends are critical of each other it has the potential for growth individually and in the relationship, which is what I loved about these two characters that they brought that growth out in each other.

I really loved the setting for this book and I didn’t think I would, a Catholic boarding school would maybe not have been my first pick of location after hearing that it was a YA feminist book, but it actually works really well, I very much enjoyed Alex’s exchanges with and about the nuns and the priests, it often made me laugh. The book uses a lot of the arguments that people do generally make about religion but deals with them in a light and comical tone but then also gives points from the other side of that, so instead of it feeling divisive it actually promotes acceptance. I thought it was great that there was the recognition that you can be of very opposing values but still respect each other and even end up friends, that there is always a compromise.

Bad Habits was such a fun reading experience, even when there were lessons to be learnt for Alex there still managed to be some humour injected into them, this is a fast-paced and funny book with some wonderful characters and a lovely empowering message.

Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere

[bookslovereaders Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this book is a definite must add to your TBRs. I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney and found that the main character Alex has become a new firm favourite of mine! It has humour with laugh out loud moments as well as topics that some might find disturbing/hard to read but I will get onto them.

So let’s talk Content Warning/Trigger Warning before I continue on…. it does have strong sexual references, mention of unprotected sex, drug use and alcohol use and some references to sexual harassment. HOWEVER I found that Meaney explored these in a superb way and didn’t feel at any time that it was in your face and each of these were an important part of the storyline.

Right now that I have told you about some of the themes in the book let’s talk about Alex and her adventures at St. Mary’s Catholic School.

Alex, well she is basically a bit of a rebel. She is a senior at St. Mary’s Catholic school, she is always in trouble for something or other and she just wants to return to her old life and get away from the school where she feels that the school takes too much focus on sports and doesn’t do enough in regards to promoting feminism and promoting sexual health.

Alex has a plan for all of this though, she is determined to get herself expelled from school and to do this she is using her feminist group to put on a show. The show however is not any show it is the Vagina Monologues- problem is she needs to get permission from the Dean and Alex isn’t in his good graces at the moment.

The book is definitely about feminism and Alex’s growth and her identity. She is at times quite selfish and trying to get her opinions across and not always listening to others. However you do see her grow throughout the book and along the way it allows her to see others opinions and how her actions impact others. Her friendship with Mary Kate is also tested when she tries to force her views on her and you can see how being the way she is doesn’t help her trying to get her point across.

The secondary characters on the book I felt added extra depth to the book. To Mary Kate, Alex’s best friend and roommate, to Pat (the love interest) and Katie Casey, someone who is also trying to promote feminism but in a more subtle way than Alex. The interactions between all these characters are some of the funniest moments in the book. I especially love the relationship between Alex and Pat, from when they first met (it was hilarious) to how they were at the end of the book.

As I said one of the strong topics in the book is about Sex. Alex is of the opinion that to be sexual isn’t a crime and that the females going to St. Mary’s should be in charge of their sexual health and be able to talk freely about it and know about their bodies. I found that this is so important today, we need to talk about our bodies even saying the word Vagina. Our bodies are not things to be hidden and no topic I feel should be taboo and I like that Flynn Meaney talks about it. I felt that at times Alex tries too hard and the way that Katie Casey’s way is more subtle but no less important. She talks about respecting your body and I am again 100% in agreement with this.

Let’s get back to Alex – her whole idea of putting on the Vagina Monologues is there for shock factor. I mean she goes to a very strict Catholic School and wants to be expelled but towards the end of it she can see how important it is for not only the females to be educated but also the males. They need to learn to respect females as well.

The book was so easy to read. Flynn Meaney had the right amount of humour and seriousness throughout the book that made it easy for me to read and I finished it within a day. The humour had me laughing out loud and actually thinking about sexism and the freedom to talk about our bodies. I think it’s really important that young readers read this and not only females but males as well. We need to normalise talking about our bodies so that we don’t make it taboo.

[Amy Rehbein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

It’s been a while since I’d read an empowering, feminist tale, so when I heard about Bad Habits I knew I had to get my hands on it. I was instantly drawn into it by the gorgeous cover and the incredible sounding synopsis. It’s no secret to say that I was looking forward to meeting Alex and seeing what her story was like.

Alex is a rebel by no means and has been trying everything she can to be expelled from her strict Catholic boarding school, St Mary’s. As a self-confessed feminist, she is tired of seeing the everyday sexism within her school, so decides to put on the school’s first-ever showing of The Vagina Monologues. However, this is a challenge for Alex as 1) no one at St Mary’s can even say the word vagina out loud and 2) the strict priests and nuns at the school will try and stop her at every turn.

This was a funny, witty, empowering read that had me laughing at some parts. From the very first chapter you are thrust into Alex’s world of rebellion and anarchy, and this sets the tone for the rest of the story. As someone who worked in a catholic school for a while, albeit not as strict as St Mary’s I could relate to the overall setting and plot somewhat and did understand how Alex felt to a certain extent. The female empowerment that is seen throughout the book is one that will introduce an audience of younger readers to feminist writings, and will hopefully open their eyes to the issues that women and girls still do face.

The plot brings with it a sense of comedic value, mixed with the seriousness of the issues tackled. We see the mishaps of Alex, as she tries to navigate herself around this sexist agenda that is being seen around the school, as well as the seriousness of her trying to bring about change to St Mary’s. The inclusion of her trying to stage a production of The Vagina Monologues, known for its views on the feminine experience including themes on sex, body image, love, masturbation etc, was in my opinion genius! I found it insightful and eyeopening to see the reaction of her fellow students and staff members, and it did bring across how there’s still more that needs me to done in opening people’s eyes to these topics. The only downside to the plot was that I wanted to see them perform the play, and from the synopsis of the book, I did think this was going to happen. However, this aside I did enjoy the overall story and plot and found it be refreshing and chucklesome.

Alex was a fierce character, who you know was going to fight for what she believes in, and I admired that about her. Mind you, I did find her to be a little bit stubborn with her beliefs and she didn’t take other people’s views into account. This did, however, take her on a journey of self-realisation and help her realise that views on the subject of feminism can differ and that that’s okay. We do see her grow as a character throughout the story, and come to the end she’s a much more respectful, tolerable person.

Bad Habits was a fun feminist read that will leave you feeling both empowered and ready to change the world no matter what.

[Danni (_forbookssake) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 star, but rounding up*

I was so excited when Dave @ The Write Reads first mentioned this tour, and immediately signed up for it. I am so glad that I did, because Bad Habits is a fantastic book. Can we also take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous the book cover is? THOSE COLOURS! Very punk inspired, which is very fitting for Alex’s character.

From the very first page, Alex’s rebellious behaviour had me giggling, and I could tell that this was going to be a book that I would enjoy, and my first impressions were absolutely right. At times, it seemed more like trouble was finding Alex, rather than Alex finding trouble, and those unexpected moments were the funniest of them all.

There are some brilliant characters in this story! Of course, Alex was my personal favourite, I loved her no care attitude, although I did feel that she could have listened to the thoughts and feelings of her friends a little more, because she was often quite selfish. She had very strong feelings, and was very passionate about what she believed in, and I felt that I could relate to that. She was really prepared to push the boundaries to stand up for what she believed in. She also dripped sarcasm by the bucket load, and who doesn’t love a bit of sarcasm?
Despite being much more reserved, and sticking to the rules much more than Alex does, Mary Kate is also a great character. I think that their differences are actually what makes them such a great pair, almost like Mary Kate is the calm to Alex’s storm. I loved her character development throughout the story, especially towards the end where she finally stood up for herself.
There were also a lot of fun side characters along the way too, and I’m really hoping that we get some more books featuring these characters, because they were a lot of fun.

As well as being rebellious, and funny, Bad Habits tackles quite a few important issues. The one that really stood out for me was actually the sexual health and sex-positivity aspect, because even in non-catholic schools, I feel that this needs to be spoken about a LOT more, and I am all for starting the conversation! There are a lot of things that people still get embarrassed about, which really shouldn’t be embarrassing, purely because we don’t talk about it enough. Periods for example, are nothing to be embarrassed about, but I know lots of people who, like Mary Kate, are embarrassed to be seen buying hygiene products. We need to end this, and get people talking about these things more openly, and this book does a fantastic job of addressing that.

I only have one negative thing to say about this book, and that is that for a book that is supposed to be about empowerment, education, and talking about important issues, there were way too many Harry Potter references. I understand that Harry Potter is still loved by a lot of people, but given JKR’s horrific views and how damaging her words have been to so many people, I feel like we should be at a point where we aren’t giving her a platform or a voice anymore, which by extension does include not repeatedly mentioning her work in new books.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it was so much fun to read. It was certainly a breath of fresh air from my usual style of reading. I actually sped through this in less than 24 hours, which is highly unusual for me, but I just didn’t want to put it down. Hopefully this book will also start a few much needed conversations too! I will definitely be checking out the authors other books.

I give Bad Habits a 4.5 star rating!

A huge thank you to The Write Reads and Penguin for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.