Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry

By: Joya Goffney

Narrated by: Jordan Cobb

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by debut author Joya Goffney is an own voices story of an overly enthusiastic list maker who is blackmailed into completing a to-do list of all her worst fears. It's a heartfelt, tortured, contemporary YA high school romance. Fans of Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Kristina Forest's I Wanna Be Where You Are will love the juicy secrets and leap-off-the-page sexual tension.

Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she's ugly cried, to "Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud" and all the boys she'd like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing . . .

Then an anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn't know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn's been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

©2021 Joya Goffney (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

10/10

This was a great read from start to finish. Joya is an absolute talent. Her writing is emotional, thoughtful, genuine and provoking.

Hitting Home

I liked that the book mixed social issues: teenage sexual curiosity, marriage discord, race, gender and socio-economic differences, color-blindness, and addressing and resolving personal struggles with the help of others.

I have grandchildren who are old enough to appreciate the book and hopefully learn something from its many lessons. I will share this book with their parents and recommend they allow these teenage children to experience this very enjoyable book.

Cute read

Cute read. I didn’t read the summary before diving in so I had no idea I was about to read story about teenagers. But it was well written and as a 30yr old woman, it kept me giggling and entertained

great story of finding yourself and true friends

Quinn journals about everything, and one day, her journal goes missing, and someone threatens to release all her secrets unless she completes her "to do before I graduate" list. With the help of Carter and Olivia, two of the other very few Black kids at their elite private school, she begrudgingly sets out to do it.

This is a book about Quinn discovering who she is and growing up a lot, becoming comfortable in her own skin, letting go of her childhood, and really maturing. I'd read the author's other book last year and really enjoyed it, too, so this wasn't a risky read for me. She writes so well and the characters are relatable to anyone who has ever felt like they didn't quite fit in, no matter their skin color. Quinn is called an Oreo, and she says she's fine with it, but she really isn't. She hates the comfortable racism in her peer group, but isn't sure how to call it out, and she and Carter bond over that.

Quinn also has a grandmother dealing with Alzheimer's, and when she talks about that, and a scene with her late in the book reminded me of moments with my dad right after his surgery in 1998, and the last times I saw my grandfather in 2007 and my grandmother in 2012.

I thought it was realistic in the way teens talk and interact and their insecurities and anxieties and yet strength and courage. I really enjoyed it. Joya is great at writing these strong Black girls who don't realize how strong they are just yet.

Please read

I love everything about this book. It was amazing 10/10. I love the plot the characters the message behind the story

Good Read

I wasn’t sure what to expect when listening to this book. I was pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of lessons to be learned within the story. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

Smart

It may be a book about teenagers, but it’s a smart book about teenagers. Didn’t know there was an author that could pull that off. Bravo!

Great Story, Wrong Narrator

What a great storyline! I loved that making lists was her coping mechanism - a very mature at that. I didn’t love the narrator’s voice. It didn’t seem to fit the teenager whose thoughts we were reading. Not a deal breaker but I’d love to hear another voice for “Queen.”

My inner child is ugly crying

A novel I never thought I’d need, such a great read. The author does a great job of creating a plot

How adorable!

Okay, so I usually don’t read YA books and let the young people have their things. When I saw this book on my Recommended list though, something told me to check it out and, I must say, I’m so happy that I did!

This was such a great story! The mystery of the whodunit in this wasn’t what I thought it was (I just KNEW it was gonna be Matt!), but the journey in between was simply divine. Looking forward to reading all of Joya’s other books very soon!