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We Are Not Okay
by
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 everythi ...more
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 everythi ...more
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Paperback, 320 pages
Published
May 2nd 2019
by HQ Young Adult
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Feb 11, 2019
Kai
marked it as to-read
me either, honey.

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 t ...more
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 t ...more

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. ...more
We Are Not Okay is one of those books that reminds me how grateful I am not to be at school anymore. ...more

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 a ...more
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 a ...more

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 ...more
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 ...more

May 24, 2020
Aislinn
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-sinéad-sent-me-pictures-of
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.
...more

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 ...more
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 ...more

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 e ...more
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 e ...more

Jan 11, 2019
Billiebumblebee
added it
Either 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.

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

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. Onl ...more
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. Onl ...more

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 gi ...more
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 gi ...more

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 ha ...more
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 ha ...more

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 audienc ...more
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 audienc ...more

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 otherwi ...more
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 otherwi ...more

Jul 25, 2019
Em
marked it as donated
DNF 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. ...more
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. ...more

Apr 27, 2020
Max
marked it as did-not-finish
Dnf @ 25%
Really boring. I wasn't a fan of her writing either. ...more
Really boring. I wasn't a fan of her writing either. ...more

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 w ...more
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 w ...more

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 te ...more
Gomes’ chatty, readable narrative style belies, and sometimes jars with, its mature subject matter, which ranges from interracial relationships and te ...more

Wow, this book was great. I read 3/4 of it today while on a road trip. I thought this book was well written. I love how you see the side of each girl but also how their lives and stories intertwined with each other. The messages within the book are good for teenagers but think some adults could learn from this too.
Definitely recommend reading this book and can’t wait to read more books from this author
Definitely recommend reading this book and can’t wait to read more books from this author

We Are Not Okay is a timely and important book, focusing on bullying and mental health among teenage girls in an era when this is reported to be worse than ever before. It tells the story of four different girls in the same school who are all dealing with different pressures and their own problems: a lack of self-confidence, or a bad breakup or the expectations of a religious community.
Natália Gomes touches on a lot of important issues that are affecting teenage girls today, and she writes abou ...more
Natália Gomes touches on a lot of important issues that are affecting teenage girls today, and she writes abou ...more

Everyone should read this book.
It's unforgettable.
It is heart-breaking but necessary.
I loved it.
...more
It's unforgettable.
It is heart-breaking but necessary.
I loved it.
...more

Triggers: Rape, suicide, bullying, racism
We Are Not Okay is a hard-hitting YA contemporary novel that follows four young women in their final year at high school. The story reveals the unique issues that each girl faces and how their stories and secrets, ultimately, intertwine.
// Lucy is the prettiest and most popular girl at school, who is determined to find out every secret piece of gossip. But Lucy is hiding a huge secret of her own. One that, if it got out, would ruin her reputation …
// Ulan ...more
We Are Not Okay is a hard-hitting YA contemporary novel that follows four young women in their final year at high school. The story reveals the unique issues that each girl faces and how their stories and secrets, ultimately, intertwine.
// Lucy is the prettiest and most popular girl at school, who is determined to find out every secret piece of gossip. But Lucy is hiding a huge secret of her own. One that, if it got out, would ruin her reputation …
// Ulan ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Definitely a high 3 star ⭐️
I didn’t expect to cry at the end but I did 🤷🏻♀️
I also didn’t know if I was going to like this at first because it seemed soo dramatic and I wasn’t in the mood for a high school soap opera.
But then the plot picked up and I started to feel for each of the girls and it became far more serious than just your basic gossip girl storyline..
Honestly this book should be one that’s studied in schools because “We Are Not Okay” means two things.
“We Are Not Okay” because we aren ...more
I didn’t expect to cry at the end but I did 🤷🏻♀️
I also didn’t know if I was going to like this at first because it seemed soo dramatic and I wasn’t in the mood for a high school soap opera.
But then the plot picked up and I started to feel for each of the girls and it became far more serious than just your basic gossip girl storyline..
Honestly this book should be one that’s studied in schools because “We Are Not Okay” means two things.
“We Are Not Okay” because we aren ...more

I don’t know whether to give this book a three or four star rating? At one point during the book, I wanted to give it five stars.
I really enjoyed the discussions on rape culture, toxic masculinity and misogyny in general. How girls should support each other rather than ripping into each other over things that men created to keep us “below” them. It spoke about sexual assault and slut shaming, as well.
However, there were a few things I didn’t like. Steve was meant to be a display on toxic mascu ...more
I really enjoyed the discussions on rape culture, toxic masculinity and misogyny in general. How girls should support each other rather than ripping into each other over things that men created to keep us “below” them. It spoke about sexual assault and slut shaming, as well.
However, there were a few things I didn’t like. Steve was meant to be a display on toxic mascu ...more

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes it feels like YA novels are fitting more and more into the New Adult genre than Young Adult, this book however is firmly in the YA camp. Despite its adolescent target audience, there are some tough issues explored here. The book follows several teenage girls at Secondary school and their relationships with each other and the other people in their lives.
Some of the issues explored in this book incl ...more
Sometimes it feels like YA novels are fitting more and more into the New Adult genre than Young Adult, this book however is firmly in the YA camp. Despite its adolescent target audience, there are some tough issues explored here. The book follows several teenage girls at Secondary school and their relationships with each other and the other people in their lives.
Some of the issues explored in this book incl ...more
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AKA 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 enthus ...more
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 enthus ...more
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