Micah: The Good Girl

Flyy Girls #2

by Ashley Woodfolk

Meet the Flyy Girls. The group of girls who seem like they can get away with anything. Veteran author Ashley Woodfolk pens a gorgeous and dynamic series of four Harlem highschoolers, each facing a crossroads of friendship, family, and love.

Micah Dupree had always liked being the "good girl." She was happy painting, going to church, and acing her school projects. After all, she had a perfect older brother to live up to. But when he unexpectedly dies, Micah's world is turned upside-down. With her anxiety growing, a serious boyfriend in the picture, and new feelings emerging, Micah begins to question what being the "good girl" really means...and if it's worth it, anyway.

With simply stated text and compelling characters, Flyy Girls is a series that's perfect for readers of any level.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Middle Grade, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Friendship

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2020

About the author

Ashley Woodfolk has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated from Rutgers University and worked in children's book publishing for over a decade. Now a full-time mom and writer, Ashley lives in a sunny Brooklyn apartment with her cute husband, her cuter dog, and the cutest kid in the world. Her books include The Beauty That Remains, When You Were Everything, and the Flyy Girls Series.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the first book in the Flyy Girls series, this one wasn't as good.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Last month I read Lux which is the first book in the Flyy Girls series and I quite enjoyed it. I was provided with an ARC of this second book so I thought I would take the opportunity to read it. However, this book did not meet my expectations. This book is also a Hi-Lo book which means that it is written so that there is high interest but low level of difficulty. While the writing may come off as "simplistic" for a YA novel that is intentional.

Micah's story in this series is interesting for a number of reasons. It explores the intersection of religion, sex, and sexual identity as well as the process of grieving and mental health issues that can stem from traumatic experiences. I really enjoyed the representation of anxiety in this book. Readers have the opportunity to see Micah learn to cope with the symptoms that come with having anxiety. She becomes more aware of her triggers and methods that she can utilize to cope. If anything, this was my favorite part of the book. While Woodfolk attempts to discuss even deeper issues such as the relationship between religion, sex positivity, and sexual identity, I think that it was a little too much for the length of this book. Don't get me wrong, all of these topics are important; however, I feel like they were skimmed over and never completely discussed because there wasn't enough dedicated time. Teens are going to enjoy seeing the conversations come up within the framework of this story; however, I think that they would also benefit from a more nuanced conversation.

There is great dialogue around the different ways in which people grieve which causes a rift in Micah's family. The relationship that she has with her parents begins to deteriorate because of expectations that they have for Micah that she can't possibly fulfill. I wanted a little more conversation and dialogue between Micah and her parents that would have shown the lack of realism behind their expectations, but also why they would even want to impose such expectations. I think it would have made the text flow to together a little better.

Overall, I thought it was a good addition to the series, but it wasn't as good as the previous book.

[Brittany J. (BNJreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to PenguinTeen for the E-ARC! I thoughts Micah’s story was better developed. I got to see more of her character depth and I overall loved seeing her process and work through all that she was dealing with. Woodfolk discuses grief in all its forms through each of the characters (Micah, her parents as well as Noelle, when it comes to her brother)!

[exorcismemily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micah: The New Girl is the second book in Ashley Woodfolk's new Flyy Girls series! This book is a little heavier than the first, and character growth was covered really well in such a short amount of time. Micah's questioning was relatable, and it's really easy to get invested in this series. I'm looking forward to spending more time with these characters in the next few books!

CW - panic attacks, grief, sibling death

[Kera’s Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for my DRC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Micah is questioning her beliefs. She isn't questioning her Christian faith, but instead some of the teachings. She and her boyfriend Ty have been spending a lot of time sneaking away to make out and she wonders if she really wants to wait for marriage to give herself to someone or if she is ready now... if they are ready now.

Along with this development in her life, she is dealing with so much under the surface that she doesn't really share with the rest of the girls. She and her family suffered a terrible loss and it has been almost a year without her big brother. Now, she is in therapy and enduring some strong panic attacks whenever she hears ambulance sirens. But she keeps so much of these struggles to herself.

This book was all about Micah learning to deal with her pain and her grief. Armed with a sketchbook belonging to her artistically talented brother, she learns more about not only her brother and some of the secrets he kept, but about herself as well.

I am so looking forward to Noelle's story next.

[Oyinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

295 of 2021

3.5 ✨

Book two in the series and I enjoyed it a lot. It dealt with some serious subject matters, and had some more depth and heaviness than book one. This one focused a lot on family, loss, grief, and trauma.

Micah is a church girl with very strict parents. She and her boyfriend T work together in church camp over the summer, and they are debating taking the next step in their relationship. Micah deals with a lot in this book, including panic attacks, the upcoming anniversary of her brother's death, finding out stuff she never knew about her brother, and dealing with her parents' expectations of her.

I love that this book was talking about grief. It also had amazing mental health representation in the form of Micah and her therapist. I didn't really like that virginity was such a huge plot point in this book, but I understand and appreciate how the author handled it.

Friendship is at the core of this series, and I love that again, friendship played a huge part in this book and I love how Micah's friend rallied around her.

Read this book! Xoxo.

[Kelsea Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Lux: The New Girl, I immediately dove into this second book. I love the way this mini-series is formatted! Not only do we eventually get to spend time with all the characters in the Flyy Girls, but each story is complete on its own. I loved learning about Micah from Lux's perspective in book one, then jumping into Micah's head this time around.

As with all of Ashley Woodfolk's books, her characterization is STELLAR. She manages to make everyone feel so real, so alive -- an especially impressive feat in the short space of these novellas! I found myself feeling emotional right alongside Micah; her grief is both tangible and devastating. Another excellent story. Can't wait to read the rest of the Flyy Girl books!

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a free advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[vanessa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second story in this series, and follows Micah, the group's "good girl". Micah is experiencing grief from the death of her brother, new serious feelings and desires in her relationship, along with the conflicted feelings about her religion and her families expectations.
I thought this was another great bite sized read, and again, even though these books are small, they pack such a punch. I loved the portrayal of Micah's grief, how it affects her a year later, and especially how she is learning to cope healthily through therapy and the support of her loved ones. Like Lux, her relationship with her parents is challenging, and again, I felt that unfairness and frustration myself throughout the story. I also thought it showed how those issues affect other parts of her life, especially her romantic relationship and that storyline. I loved this story and it's portrayals of these issues.
*Thank you to Penguin Teen for this ARC on Netgalley

[Milly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Teen for a gifted copy of this book.
Micah Dupree is a part of the Flyy Girls group. She is the friend most would call the "good girl." She was an A student, gifted in painting and also active in her church. Micah grew up wanting to be just like her older brother, but when he unexpectedly dies, Micah's entire world changes.

While Micah wants to please her parents, she starts to question her faith. She starts to question whether it is really wrong to love her boyfriend Ty and to take things to the next level. While Micah starts to try and figure out what these new feelings mean, and what path she wants to lead, we as the readers watch Micah learn how to use her voice.

I am loving these stories so much! Cannot wait to continue this series and see the stories of the Flyy Girls unfold.

[bocasbri · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good second book! i think i enjoyed the first one a little bit more. but, this one explored some good topics! i love how all these books portray their friendship.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. I read both the first and second books back to back and they standalone as much as shine together playing off the characters and situations but still each unique to the book. In this one Micah has anxiety as it relates to the death of her brother which is a small mystery within the book. Otherwise, it's about Micah's relationship with her parents, her "good girl" status, and her wanting to be closer to her boyfriend with a smattering of the Flyy Girls in the background: the group of friends that all go to the arts academy in the city.

It's rich and layered in a VERY SHORT number of pages that is all sorts of perfection.

[WhittyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Flyy Girls series and I really enjoyed this one! I am really enjoying this series so far and I think this is great for anyone to read but specifically young adults. This story follows Micah who is dealing with something that changed her life a year ago. This deals heavily with mental health such as anxiety, panic attacks and death as someone very close to Micah passed away.

This book also tackled the topic of religion and intimacy. I connected with this as I am a Christian and I experienced this when I was Micah’s age. I think the author did a great job with that storyline as it was realistic. I also enjoyed seeing more of the Flyy Girls dynamic and friendship.

This is so far my favorite but I’m looking forward to Noelle’s story. I really enjoyed the conversations around anxiety and grief.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I agree with the other reviews - this book isn't as good as the first one. I do appreciate how diverse the characters in this series are though. It is a realistic portrayal of life in an urban city/school.

Micah is the "good girl," because she comes from a religious family and frequents Church. Woodfolk does a good job of giving each girl layers and dimensions and Micah is no different. She faces the issues of sticking to what her parents want for her, what religion has taught her, and what she wants to do as a teenage girl with a boyfriend.

I think this is a good YA series but it is a little too YA for me.

[leigh's lost the plot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soooo good. I picked it up and didn’t put it down. I think Micah might be my favorite flyy girl, but I still have two more books to go, so we’ll see. It was really fascinating learning about Micah’s brother Milo and watching her unravel the mystery of his life. I could visualize his artwork and loved the added element of him hiding messages in his sketches. It was also interesting seeing how much his death affected her, from her anxiety to her constantly comparing herself to him even to her questioning her faith and life completely. Her parents were so Black like the phrases they said and the way they treated her anxiety was so accurate. Also loved the memorial for her brother.

[Grace W · Rating 4 out of 5]

(c/p from my review on TheStoryGraph) I really enjoyed this installment, probably because I understand Micah as a person. This book hit on a lot of great themes and handled them really well. I do think that the length is a bit of a disadvantage in these stories. Like I appreciate that they are novellas but sometimes the shortness of them means things tie up too quickly and plot threads dangle. Just a few dozen pages more and this book would have been perfect.

TW for this book include: Death (including death of a sibling), Slut shaming, Religious trauma, Car accident, Bike accident, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Homophobia

[Ms. Nigeria Nigeria Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried during this one

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful little book about grief and its many manifestations.

[Domo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the Lux series after finishing Lux: The New Girl. The structure of this mini series is brilliant. All of the Flyy Girls' cast members are given a great amount of screen time, and their individual stories may stand on their own. I loved getting to know each and every one of them.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Lux's book, but I looooved Micah's book. Woodfolk exquisitely touched on religion, sexuality, and mental health in 144 pages. One of the hardest parts about reading this was seeing the lack of support that Micah received from her family and friends at times. It was hard to watch people diminish her feelings and sense of agency. I saw a lot of myself in Micah's background and story, so I loved seeing the way she took ownership of her body and her choices. I also liked seeing the way she stood up for herself when her friends were crossing boundaries and taking out their problems on her. Micah has to deal with a lot because of the unexpected loss of her brother and her grief is not something that can be neatly put in a box and hidden away from plain view. It was great to see the way she felt more comfortable telling others about what she was going through and her use of art as a way of relief. Overall, this was a great story that felt important and written so well. I can't wait to read about the other Flyy girls.

*Thank you to Penguin Teen for the free ARC. All opinions are my own*

[Florence Migga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one more than Lux, because I could relate to a lot of what Micah was going through as far as growing up very involved in a faith community, loving it, but also having some questions. Oh, and also — well, let’s just say a lot of it! I wish we’d had more resolution in some areas, but that will take more time and would demand more than this little volume sets out to do.

Onto Mean Noelle!

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If she was good, if she followed the rules and made smart decisions and did as she was told, things would turn out good. But when Milo died, Micah’s whole world seemed out of control. Because he had always done everything right."(p. 54).

Book Two of the Flyy Girls and this one chronicles Micah, the sensitive artist who spends her time with the church and her boyfriend Ty as she struggles through the death of her perfect brother and to remain herself around her friends the Flyy Girls in a city that never sleeps and constantly triggers her panic and anxiety--

“....because she lived in New York City, Micah knew the next ambulance (and the next
attack) could be right around the corner, literally. She still felt a little on edge all the time. It made her paranoid. It made her want a different brain and body. But she knew that wasn’t possible, so she was trying to cope with what she had.(p. 4).

The only person Micah trusts with her anxiety is Noelle and she is terrified of anyone else finding out; including her boyfriend Ty who she loves and is thinking of going all the way with--despite her good girl mentality and church abstinence promise--

“In that moment, she felt a tug on her heart and in her body. She might want to do more with Ty Valentine than kiss him. And soon.(p. 11).

“How did one date and not kiss? How did one kiss and not do more than that? Ty
promised he’d keep their relationship a secret after she told him she wasn’t exactly allowed to date, but she couldn’t stop thinking about what it might mean to love someone and how she might want to show it. (p. 13).

Dealing with her newfound attitude on religion and experimentation with sex and the pressure of living up to and in the shadow of a perfect older brother weigh on Micah...she wonders if being perfect and following all the rules is really for her and if she isn’t just feeling the guilt and resentment of the shoes her brother Milo left --

“Dr. Patel: Okay. But why do you think you’re holding yourself to this standard of
perfection? Micah: Because I’m still here. And Milo . . . isn’t.” (p. 69).

While dealing with her own grief and comparisons she realizes her parents have been putting unfair and high expectations on her too-

“It didn’t matter what she did, she realized. She’d never be Milo. And though they didn’t
say it out loud, she knew her parents were silently and constantly comparing her to him, despite not really knowing him at all. Milo’s art was effortless. Milo would never make out with someone while on the clock at a summer job. Milo didn’t have anxiety.”(pp. 86-87).

This was a dope book that really looked into the lives and problems of a believable girl and the pressures of being a “good girl”. This series keeps getting better and better-so glad that I started purchasing the series for my school and I actually can’t wait to hear Noelle and Tobyn’s stories!!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skipping forward a few months from the last book, the Flyy Girls are enjoying their summer vacation, though some more than others. Micah is struggling with the uptick in her panic attacks as they approach the one year anniversary of her older brother's passing, and she's trying to find a balance between her faith and always striving to be the perfect daughter, and her secret relationship with Ty, who she thinks she's ready to take the next step with. And on top of all this, Micah is trying to find the perfect art piece to create for their summer project, and she's running out of time to find inspiration. I really loved the way Woodfolk portrayed Micha's mental health, and how she treated her anxiety and panic attacks as something she had to work to live with instead of something that could be just easily fixed by some medication and a few months of therapy. I also really loved how her friends and boyfriend responded to her panic attacks. They're there to love and support and hold her through the tough times, and she knows she can lean on them when she needs to, even if she struggles to do so sometimes. There's a lot of dealing with grief in this one, and it's tough, but it feels like something that could be really comforting to teens who are going through something similar. Just knowing you're not alone, and you don't have to be perfect all the time can be helpful.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this wonderful book! After hearing Ashley Woodfolk speak about the series at SLJ Teen Live, I knew I was going to love this series! I read the first book, Lux: The New Girl, and loved it, and I really love Micah: The Good Girl as well. Micah is a very different kind of person from Lux, and I think it is amazing that Woodfolk is able to give such different characters such equally strong voices. Micah suffers from anxiety and panic attacks following the death of her brother, and throughout the book she is coming to terms with his death and learning things about her brother that she didn't know before. Learning about her brother and coming to terms with his death allows her to find herself and work through some of her conflicting desires. Her struggles are portrayed very honestly and I love the straightforward storytelling style throughout the series. This is a great book for reluctant readers, but also great for anyone who loves a tight story about real life. Highly recommend, and looking forward to the other two books in the series!!

[Libby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second Flyy Girls book I read, and I feel like what frustrated me with the first one is becoming more of an issue. The characters seem to be "types", meant to fulfill certain roles, as the subtitles themselves suggest. Micah is the "good girl", the church girl, who is beginning to struggle with her faith. While the focus of the book is Micah's grief and her panic attacks after losing her brother, she also has questions about following the faith she grew up in. These are hinted at, but the only one that's addressed is her decision that it would be o.k. to have sex with her boyfriend because she loves him, although she also decides to wait a bit. Her decision is presented without the deep angst I know many Christian teens feel and without even mentioning the deeper questions under this issue. Her decision is presented as if it's the foregone conclusion. I'm still waiting for the mainstream (not Christian) book that doesn't assume that the end of the struggle will always be going against what they've been taught. I know kids of many faiths who struggle and choose to continue to let faith shape their lives. Why is it so hard to find those in YA books?

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite series for reluctant teen readers. Flyy Girls is the next generation's Bluford High: high-interest, low-difficulty books about a diverse group of high school girls dealing with fitting in, mental health, family, and identity. I saw Ashley Woodfolk speak at this year's SLJTeen event, and her vision of a relatable, accessible series is absolutely realized in Flyy Girls.

This is a story about conversations. Micah lost her brother a year ago, and now she experiences panic attacks. She has some fantastic conversations with her therapist about coping strategies, with her boyfriend about sexuality and consent, and her best friends about all of it. Her relationship with her parents is strained, but they too talk about hard truths.

Micah's story, the second in the series, definitely feels heavier than Lux's and is even better than book one. I can't wait to put this series in my teens' hands!

[Yuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series. Very sweet, but doesn't shy away from some serious subjects, and all in a rather short amount of time/space. Thought this one was paced a little better than Lux's story, though I think this one is also a little bit longer so that helped. I <3 Micah and Ty. They're relationship is adorable. Excellent example of communicating with your partner!! Ty is almost wish fulfillment perfect in how respectful and sweet he is--especially with regard to them considering going further with their intimacy, but that may also just be my inner bar for teenage boy behavior being practically on the ground and maybe I should expect better/more of them.

Micah's grief/trauma is so heartfelt. Loved the interplay between her and Dr. Patel (yay, positive portrayal of therapy! Also, boo hiss Micah's dad bc omg you need to get a clue), which was also a bit of a foil for the way Micah and Noelle talk--mostly around--Micah's grief over her brother's death.

[aviva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Micah: The Good Girl: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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After reading Lux: The New Girl, I immediately requested this second book, literally ! I read them Both in the same day! I love this mini-series and getting to meet each girl from the group and learn their story.
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Ashley Woodfolk's such well developed characters ! These stories are short but packs a punch! Micah’s story is just as great and brings all the feels like Lux. My heart broke for her aa she tries to navigate through her grief. I can’t wait for the other girls story !
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Synopsis : out of her girl group call “ The Flyy Girls” Micah was labeled as the good girl and it a title she has lived up to Until her brothers untimely passing. Her world is turned upside down, and she begins to question everything she thought she knew.
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This story is definitely different from the first one , but they they do center sound family, friendship and community !

[bjneary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and LOVED this 2nd book in a series, Flyy Girls, by Ashley Woodfolk as part of the #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge. I will also be reading the 3rd and 4th books in this series too! Micah is a good girl who goes to church all the time with her parents but she is also secretly seeing Ty at summer camp where they both have jobs. But the big part of this book is the anniversary of her brother's death which weighs heavy on Micah. She does not always want the attention, interest, or pity about her brother. When she sneaks into her brother's room and finds his sketchbook there is alot she did not know about her brother and she tries to find out. Teens will love this book, middle school will relate as well as it deals with friendship, family, romance, school and death. Despite the drama, there is redemption and the positive meanings throughout this series, I highly recommend it!

[Jenna Freedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a little background, read my review of the first Flyy Girls book Lux: The New Girl. The second entry is about Micah, who I guess is called "good" because she goes to church? She and her boyfriend Ty are also "good" for now. Micah, who is mourning the death of her brother, thinks she's ready to connect more deeply with Ty, maybe even on the anniversary of Milo's getting killed on his bicycle.

Micah learns some of her brother's secrets and finally figures out how to commemorate his passing. With the other Flyy Girls to lean on, she begins to understand herself a little better, too.

Also a short book--great for readers with busted powers of concentration,

[Teonna Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the one year anniversary of her brother's death approaching, Micah is forced to confront changes and the new reality she lives in. Micah has always been thought of as the good girl, however, she has found herself questioning and unsure of her current decisions. Since her brother's passing, Micah has panic attacks triggered by ambulance sirens. Micah attends therapy to address her panic attacks along and the trauma from loosing her brother. Yet, she does not feel comfortable sharing this with her parents, her entire friend group (The Flyy Girls), and her boyfriend Ty. Additionally, Micah has begun to question her faith, decision to stay to stay abstinent, and has uncovered secrets she never knew about her brother. As the summer comes to an end, Micah is tasked with figuring out making the best decisions for herself.

[Stacia | stacialovestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

In true Flyy Girls fashion, Woodfolk has delivered another amazing, relatable story.
This book takes a look at Micah, the painter of the group. She’s dealing with her own struggles whole trying to be a good friend to her Girls too.
Micah’s story really hit home for me because I could see much of myself. I suffer from panic attacks too. I take medicine to help, but they’ve never gone away completely. I was raised in a very religious household, and I’ve asked myself the same questions about sex and GOD that Micah did. I cried a bit when Micah talks with her therapist... the catharsis and release...was tangible.

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Big thanks to PenguinTeen for granting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!