Do you keep a journal? Can you imagine all your secrets being exposed to your school? That's exactly what happens to Quinn in the story. With the help from some new friends, Quinn will try to get her journal back and will also learn a lot in the process.

I just finished this book, and let me tell you….I am ugly crying internally because I am so sad that this adorable high school rom-com is over.

Thank you to HarperTeen, NetGalley, and Joya Goffney for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my review.

TW: racism, blackmail, cyberbullying

Quinn, a Black high school senior, keeps a journal of lists including names of people she wants to kiss, how many times she’s ugly cried in her life, mistakes she has made, and goals for her to complete before college. Her life is completely turned upside down when her secret-filled journal goes missing, is exposed, and is used to blackmail her. Quinn sets off on a quest to complete tasks and activities in her journal she had never ever thought she would do.

In honor of Quinn and her love for lists, here’s what I loved most about the book:

• A light read with a focus on heavy topics
• The evolution of Quinn’s character throughout the story
• The navigation of race and several necessary discussions about it
• The entertaining lists in each chapter
• The emphasis of facing fears and owning up to mistakes

What a sweet story!

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry follows Quinn (though I thoroughly enjoyed the "nickname" Queen) who becomes the target of cyberbullying when her journal goes missing. As you might imagine, Quinn's journal is full of private information and she's blackmailed into completing the list of things she wants to do - but is scared to do - before graduating high school.

The relationships in this book were my absolute favorite part! I was surprised by how much I fully bought into Quinn's relationship with both Carter and Olivia. It reminded me of how quickly we can connect with people when that connection feels genuine, tangible, and unexpected, especially at a young age. Even the relationship between Quinn's parents and her other friendships stood out to me. Plus, it was nice to see her receive so much support during a challenging time.

It's also a lot of fun to follow Quinn as she breaks out of her shell and discovers who she really wants to be. That boldness felt earned and it's easy to cheer for her along the way.

Try as I might, I could not figure out the motivation for bullying Quinn in this way. I get revealing pages from Quinn's journal as a way to humiliate her, but why would anyone care if she completed the things on that list? It seems so arbitrary. Normally, the set-up of a book isn't something I care that much about, but it plays such a big role in the overall story that it was hard to ignore. Every time it came up, I found myself wondering, "why???" This was my biggest issue with the book.

I also felt at times that the tone of this book felt quite young, particularly how Quinn herself is portrayed. Not that big of a deal, especially because the younger YA audience deserves more books, but it did seem strange given that Quinn is just weeks away from graduating high school. It did not feel that way at all. But hey, I get that everyone matures differently and responds to things in different ways so, again, not that big of a deal.

On the whole, I really enjoyed this. I can see the comparisons to Jenny Han's work, though I found this a bit more substantial than To All the Boys... Quinn is a lovable character figuring out who she is, what it means to be Black, what boundaries she needs in her friendships, and how to love herself through it all.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for my ARC.

3.5**

This story follows Quinn who has her journal stolen by a fellow student who is blackmailing her to complete lists she has made or else the lists will get exposed.
Inside the journal Quinn has a lot of secrets that are never supposed to be seen by others. She is dealing with a lot of identity issues/guilt - feeling as though she should be a certain way because she is mixed and has money.

This book dives into her insecurities as well how friendships and family should be.

I enjoyed it to be fair and was exactly as the synopsis said, there was just something missing for me.
And the romance kind of felt like it came out of nowhere, as in, it wasn't spoken upon at all and they mostly avoided it but then it just happened.

I loved everything about this story and these characters. I loved the list making and how it was incorporated into the story. I also really appreciated that the book dealt so much with race and class and represented well just how messy those issues can be. The only thing I wasn't thrilled about was how much time was spent on the resolution of the story. There was a lot to wrap up, sure, but I felt like there was just too much time after she got the journal back. I started to get kind of bored thinking "wow, it's not over yet?" I think I wouldn't have noticed this so much if there had been some more time getting to know the characters before the journal goes missing. I feel like we jump right into the action, but then after the immediate conflict is over, we just sort of get strung along.

Summary: Quinn is a high school student who created lists for everything. She keeps her personal lists in a private journal she carries around. After working on a class assignment, she realizes she she lost her journal. Panic sets in when an anonymous IG account posts a list and tags her classmates. The anonymous account threatens to release her entire journal unless she face seven of her fears she listed. Unsure of who to trust, Quinn eventually teams up with classmates she misjudged to get her journal back.

I enjoyed this YA novel, especially the lists Quinn created. Please note I read via audiobook. I do believe readers young and older can understand some of the issues Quinn was going through at home and at school. The author touches on race, class, and privilege in a true but comfortable way. I wished there was a YA novel set in present day when I was in high school. For young adult readers, this may help them understand what they do not have to accept from so called friends, speak up and speak your truth, not to judge other without getting to know them, and face their fears. Great read for teenagers and up.

Excellent Book,.our main Character Quinn loves lists, one day she loses her journal with all her secrets and lists that's when the fun ensues. This book covers bullying, love family dynamics and racism and the lessons that
she learns. on the way.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the voice galley of this forthcoming young adult romance #Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry” in exchange for an honest review.

This is an excellent, realistic debut from @JoyaGoffney. I certainly hope we have more stories from her in the future. The romance & high school drama in the book are spot-on and the book has appeal for adult readers as well. There are educational moments regarding cultural diversity which is very important. Books such as these help people to understand how they can be more thoughtful in their speech and their gestures. So in that regard, I would compare & highly recommend this book for those who enjoyed Angie Thomas’s debut, “The Hate U Give” or “Such A Fun Age,” A debut from Kiley Reid.

The storyline revolves around Quinn, a high school senior who keeps a journal of lists. Many, many private lists, such as “lies people believe about me” or “boys I’d like to kiss.” The journal is misplaced and falls into the hands of someone who sees fit to blackmailing Quinn with a smear campaign...publishing portions of her journal if she doesn’t meet the deadlines set forth by the cyber bully. Quinn sets out to recover her journal and accomplishes quite a bit along the journey.

You can pre-order this book now at an affordable price. It is a highly recommended 2021 publication.

I really enjoyed this book, Starting with the name and the cover, I was quickly drawn in. The writing flowed, was easy to read, and captivating. The story overall was cute and brought the reader through a whole range of emotions. I will certainly recommend this book to my students. I think they will easily be able to relate to the themes and characters in Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry.

This book was just too cute! I was drawn into it by the cover, title, and description alone and gifted an audio ARC by NetGalley and Harper Audio in exchange for an honest review.

In Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry, a debut by Joya Goffney, we are introduced to compulsive list maker, Quinn Jackson who enthusiastically lives for her next list. Her lists run the gamut. From lists of guys she’s crushing on and would love to make out with, to lies she wishes she had the courage to tell the truth about. Quinn cannot live without her list journal. It holds her biggest truths and her ugliest lies. Until one day her journal comes up missing and not only is her world exposed to the person who finds it but even worse she’s being blackmailed to tell her truths or have all her lies revealed to the world. In a quest to find the journal she’s helped by a cast of characters she never imagines would be team Quinn.

The thoughtful conversations about race, class, and bullying I especially liked. I also liked the plot and how it brought the characters closer together overall. It is a YA romantic comedy but it packs a huge punch highlighting larger contemporary issues that cannot often go overlooked.

I have journaled my entire life so I thought the main character to be very relatable. While I haven’t compiled many lists, I’m now considering do so.

Quinn + Carter = I Stan! Besides, who doesn’t love a happily ever after?!

4.5 solid hearts!
Publication Date: May 4, 2021

This book was so much fun!! Fans of To All The Boy I Loved Before would love this. For me, the first half was a lot stronger and I feel like it could have been a bit shorter, but it was so much fun and I loved all the characters!

This seems like a cute story that I would enjoy, but after 25% in, I can no longer listen to the synthetic voice. It is not the same experience as listening to an audiobook with an engaging narrator I cannot stay with it, much as I'd like to. I'll wait til the book is out. Therefore, my rating is not accurate, because I think that if I listened to the entire book, I'd be giving it at least a 4, possibly a 5.

I would like to thank Harper Audio and Netgalley for the audiobook arc of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry in exchange for an honest review. First, I am a journal lover so I understood first hand the pain Quinn felt when she lost her precious journal. Although the main focus of the book was about Quinn being blackmailed I was more intrigued by the topics of racisms. Quinn and her family all struggled with identity with their blackness. I enjoyed seeing Quinn grow and build friendships with Carter and Oliva.

I truly enjoyed this book and loved Joya Goffney writing as well. I can't wait to read more works from her in the future.

I keep putting off this review, because I'm not sure I can do it justice.

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney be a Rom Com. It may be Young Adult. Nevertheless, behind that cute cover and seemingly simple story, is a big punch. Quinn writes her fears and her hidden truths in a journal. It is stolen and that anonymous person blackmails Quinn do to things she never wanted to do. Plus, there's the guy she loves and the one she starts to love.
Throughout this sweet story, Quinn and the author share issues that need the spotlight. That’s the much needed punch. Here’s a few:
✔️ Racism in the schools that white kids don't get or care about.
✔️ The use of the N word in songs and jokes.
✔️ White people’s defensive and argumentative response to being told what they do is hurtful.
✔️ How racism seeps within/ among the Black community.

So yes, this is a good YA RomCom. But is it also so much MORE.
Thank you @Harperteen for this book.
I adore it. 🤍

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry will be published May 2021.

#excusemewhileiuglycry

This book gave me all the feels, it was predictable knowing that she was going to end up with Carter BUT how we got to that point gave me goosebumps and butterflies in my stomach. Carter has to be one of my favorite male characters in a YA romance that isn't fantasy. He stepped up when he needed to and I found myself crying and swooning over him multiple times.

I enjoyed Quinn's character development. I liked seeing her tackle her list and grow.

Olivia was my overall favorite. She is such a strong person and doesn't let other people get into her head. I think she was a great influence on Quinn.

I made lists for everything in school, so this kind of hit home in a way. I'm not sure how I would have handled one of them getting out.

I received an ARC of the audiobook through NetGalley and am leaving an honest voluntary review.

2.5/5 Stars

I think I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the book itself. I was loving it from the beginning, but the characters quickly became annoying and the plot fell flat. When it suddenly became a struggle to get through a chapter I knew it was time to either make myself sit down and finish it or DNF all together. Ultimately I did finish the book.

I think my main issue with it was that there was no motivation for the people to steal the journal in the first place. Sure, there was a little teenage drama, but not enough for it to spiral like it did. The main characters were all a little too cookie cutter and didn't show any development until the last few pages. If there was more of a character driven plot I think this book really could have been something. Instead it got a bit too carried away with doing all this random stuff to finish the list and less about why she wanted to accomplish all this in the first place.

Overall not a bad book, but I wish there was more substance to keep the reader invested and wanting more.

I want to thank Joya Goffney and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry in exchange for an honest review. This is one of the greatest debut novels I have ever had the honor of reviewing. Every once in a while you stumble across a gem and this book is a diamond. It is simply magnificent. Even though Quinn is in high school, I saw so much of myself in her. Her meticulous lists to try to gain control of every single aspect of her life was so relatable. One of my favorite tropes is bucket list style plots and this put a fun new twist on the idea by trying to complete tasks before her private lists are exposed.

While I cannot speak on the aspects of her struggling with her identity and blackness, especially in relation to her family, is immensely thought provoking and I loved watching Quinn grow through these moments of self doubt.

This was an audiobook version of the book and I thought everything was perfect. Overall, I simply loved this book. I cannot wait to purchase a copy of this book and recommend it to everyone I know.

It has been by far the most boring and book/audiobook I have ever read/listened. I just pushed myself to keep on listening until the end so that I was fair. Though I found the element of keeping lists interesting at the beginning it was too much having so many lists as the book progressed. I truly believe they also should just stick to one meaningful list and not overwhelm the reader. I was really disappointed with the plot.

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry is an enjoyable YA book about Quinn, a girl who writes everything down in a journal full of lists. When Quinn loses her journal, her life flips upside down when she starts getting blackmailed into completing her list of fears. The book covers race, class, romance, friendship, high school drama, cyberbullying and finding oneself. I really enjoyed this novel and loved Quinn and her lists. She was easy to root for and watch grow throughout the book. I would highly recommend and look forward to future books by Joya Goffney!

Thank you to the author, Harper Audio and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy to review!