Unfortunately, this is not a book for me. I’m sure a lot of what is in this book happened when I was in high school way back when but I tried to stay away from those circles. Or maybe it’s having it spelled out on paper makes it more annoying. I certainly wouldn’t want any teen/young adult reading what I read in the first chapter. The sexual innuendos, the alcohol, and the language was more than I want to read at my age. I was hoping that I could read a book to help me relate to my granddaughter as she moved into this age, but there is no way I would ever let her read such a thing. I will stay in my prudish world and be happy for it. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Brynn is in her senior year focusing on applying to college when a video starts circulating that everyone believes is her. Despite repeatedly saying it's not her, most of her classmates think she's lying and start treating her badly. Even though the boy in the video was cheating on his girlfriend, no one is blaming him and they're focusing all their vitriol on Brynn. Brynn is worried this will affect her college application process so she sets out to find out who the person is in the video. As part of the search, she starts a club called Femolution focused on addressing the culture of misogyny and discrimination at her school and learns more about herself in the process. Overall, a book with a strong message of treating people equally and helping and supporting others. While Brynn was way more understanding than most would be in that situation, it was refreshing that she wasn't solely out for revenge even when others were clearly using her as a scapegoat and she reevaluated what she wanted as she learned more.

Cute for YA ... I think I have just officially grown out of YA books...so sad
Could be very empowering for young girls

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not the type of book I would typically read based on the title or cover, but it sounded so interesting that I had to read it. I’m so glad I did! It was funny, interesting, and after reading it I find that it actually does fit very well into my genre of books and I’m glad I didn’t judge this book before reading it!

Brynn Whittaker is a fixer. If you’ve been trying to text with your crush and made it awkward, she can fix it for you. She has a way of knowing just what to say to get things back on track, and get that person back on your side. It’s her side hustle, and she does well at her private school, where all her peers come from money. As a scholarship student, she is not that lucky, so she works hard to make things break her way. Until they don’t.

For Halloween, she dresses up in her favorite banana costume and goes to the big senior party with her boyfriend Otto. But he is paying more attention to the alcohol and his football friends than he is to her feelings, so she decides the time is right to break up with him. They leave the party, and it’s not until the next day that Brynn finds out that her world has turned upside down. Someone has posted a video of someone in a banana costume in a sexual moment with Duncan, the boyfriend of her ex-best friend Lenora.

And just like that, Brynn goes from the professional flirt to the class pariah. She tells everyone that she was not the banana in the video, but most people don’t believe her. They know that she and Lenora have been enemies for a long time, so they believe that she had done this to hurt her former friend. So Brynn has to figure out a way to fight back.

Her closest friends believe her and stick with her, and she finds new friends in twins Cadence and Charlie. Cadence is pregnant, so she’s a pariah at school too, and her brother is an artist who pushes the boundaries of the conservative bent to the school, so they can understand what Brynn is going through. And Cadence is the one who breaks into Duncan’s car to try to find evidence of his cheating. And while they find something, it’s not enough to figure out who he’s cheating with.

Brynn decides it’s time to pivot. She wants to get into Stanford, so it will take something special for her to get noticed, and to salvage what’s left of her senior year. So she and her friends decide to start a new club at school, Evolution of Feminism. It’s a chance for them to explore how women are treated in society, or anyone who has felt shamed for something they have done or worn or wanted. It gives her strength and helps her focus on her truth.

As Brynn focuses on her strengths and on her future, she finds that the support of her friends helps her through some dark moments. But it’s not until she learns to be honest with herself that she’s able to open herself to healing, to mending fences, to better relationships with her family, and to love.

Cancelled is a young adult novel about the challenges of today’s high school experience. The academic pressure is tough, but the social pressure is even more difficult, and this story explores all those themes with a character who is smart, strong, feisty, and willing to grow into a better person. Brynn makes mistakes along the way, but she is willing to own them and do what she can to fix them, and I thought that was so admirable.

I really enjoyed Cancelled. There are so many thoughtful twists to this story and sweet moments between Brynn and her friends. Watching this story unfold was lots of fun, seeing how Brynn took things in stride and tried to make choices that were good for her but also good for those around her was inspiring. Anyone fighting against cancel culture and shaming women into behaving in ways that old-fashioned culture norms look down on will enjoy Brynn’s journey through her senior year and ways this character makes strides toward a better future.

Egalleys for Cancelled were provided by Viking Books for Young Readers through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This is a book that really grew on me. At first, I thought it was just another YA book with a lot of teen drama about Brynn, who is raked through the coals by her peers after a video is posted of a sexual act. Everyone assumes it's her, and she is slut-shamed for it. One of the problems with the video's release is that Brynn loses business as the school's resident flirt advisor, a modern-day Cyrano for her peers. Her family needs the money because her brother Smith is in and out of rehab, and her mother enables him. There is A LOT going on in this book.

On Brynn's quest to discover who posted the video, she has a lot of realizations about herself and the misogyny that is rampant in school and society. These realizations are the best part of the book. Brynn's best friends support her the entire. She makes a new friend, Cadence, who has also been shunned because she's a pregnant teen. There's a lot to love in this book when it comes to the diverse representation of teenagers and strong, funny, clever females. Brynn starts a Femolution at her school, and shows everyone that canceling women for doing the same thing men do shows a double standard.

Of course, there's a romance plot going on simultaneously, and instead of distracting from the plot, it's actually pretty adorable and adds to it. Charlie is supportive of Brynn from the beginning, and a great role model of a feminist himself.

Overall, the book is based on a pretty relevant and clever premise, with engaging character that you come to really care about. I recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

At Greenlough Academy, Brynn is everyone's go-to person for help with texting their crushes; after all, she's a dating expert and self-proclaimed flirting coach. But when a viral video surfaces after a Halloween party, she's instantly on the outs. All her classmates believe she is the one in the video doing a dirty deed since she was the only one in a banana costume at the party. What makes things even worse is that the guy in the video is her ex-best friend's current boyfriend, Duncan Rowe. Her only hope now is that Duncan will clear the air and tell everyone it wasn't her so things can go back to normal. But when she returns to school and her peers throw all the banana references her way, she realizes it won't be that simple and becomes determined to reveal the real person wearing the banana costume. As the story unfolds, Brynn and her friends work to uncover the truth while also creating a feminist club at their school to start a "femolution" to change how their classmates think and encourage acceptance.

I felt like this book really fell flat. I sensed that the author was trying to push an agenda, and while it was nice to see the main characters feel empowered to drive change at their school, it just felt over the top and like they were trying to take on every possible hot-topic issue. It would have been better if their club just focused on one or two issues instead. Each chapter began with blurbs of what Brynn's classmates were saying about her, and throughout the book, you could see how their opinions changed as the truth came out. At times, I found myself frustrated with Brynn. I realize all of these horrible things were happening to her, but I would have liked to have seen her rise above it better instead of trying to get even. I also never really felt like she had been "canceled." Sure, people at her school were judging her, but she still had her core group of friends and seemed to be doing okay. I was happy to see she was able to mend broken friendships and step outside of her comfort zone. I also enjoyed the little bit of romance that was included. Overall, I gave this 3 stars on Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was pleasantly surprised with Cancelled and how quickly it grabbed me and did not let me go until the very end! I read this book in a sitting, let me tell you more about it:

It all starts with Brynn, a senior in high school who helps her classmates connect with people they are interested in (a sort of matchmaker but for communicating). Brynn finds herself at the center of a scandal that jeopardizes her future college prospects and financial income.

Now, I live for the drama, and the gossip was nonstop with this deliciously-paced novel. I really enjoyed the depth that this book brought to dealing with bullying, harassment, misogynistic classmates, and cancel culture. I think the author navigated lots of heavy topics with ease and what made it incredible was seeing the intricate friendships that provided the best support system to Brynn throughout all the chaos and drama.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to anyone looking to read it! Nothing like some YA drama, with a little bit of mystery, lots of humor, growth, and heart.

High achieving, serial dater Brynn is having a great senior year. Until there’s a video that everyone assumes is Brynn with her former best friend’s boyfriend. Many of her classmates immediately turn against her after seeing the video on social media. Brynn must figure out how to repair her reputation and hopefully still get admitted to her dream school.

I really enjoyed Brynn and her friends taking on the double standards, sexist stereotypes, and misogyny at the school. This friend group is loving, supportive, and uplifting. They take a bad situation, learn from it, and help others.

Side note, I loved the diversity within this group. Each character was fully fleshed out and had their own concerns. Readers will learn something from each of them.

The romance between Brynn and Charlie was a secondary storyline, but it was so cute! The mutual pining had me cheering for them to figure things out!

Cancelled is a fast-paced, fun YA coming-of-age story in the age of social media with a great message.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for a copy of this book.

Cancelled by Farrah Penn is a funny and adventurous novel.
The relatable characters and entertaining story will have you sucked into the world of these diverse array of characters who captured my heart.
I really enjoyed Brynn, she was so confident and such a complex character. I loved the friendships that these characters had with other.
And Penn’s writing is just amazing. She pulled me into the story and held me there till the end.
A riveting coming of age story with and empowering and thought-provoking message.

Thank You NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is a very progressive young adult novel. The characters are a diverse group dealing with cancel culture. I found the novel to be creative and thought provoking. It is interesting and unique. Highly recommend, especially for the young adult progressives.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Thank you Penguin Teen for the #gifted ARC of Cancelled!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

If you are a fan of Jenny Han or Emma Lord, you are going to LOVE Cancelled by Farrah Penn! I could not get enough of Brynn and this YA romance. I loved the focus on gender equality, cyberbullying, and friendship.

I found Brynn to be such a strong and likable character, and I love how she was portrayed. She is witty and overall a great role model. There is a mystery element to this book and I really enjoyed the added element.

📱YA Romance
📱Flirt Coach
📱Easy A and Mean Girls Vibes
📱Slow Burn
📱Cinnamon Roll Love Interest
📱Friendship

Posted on Goodreads on March 16, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 16, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 19, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Brynn is a scholarship student at a prep school near Los Angeles. She has become an expert at flirting over text messages and people pay her to help them get dates. This is a fun, fast read with some snarky humor and a good message. The book will become dated very quickly because of cultural references. There's sex, drinking, and addiction in this book making it a solidly high school title.

A great YA story about a diverse group of girls tired of the sexism and double standards at their high school who form a "femiloution" club to help correct the power imbalance and fight for more equity and respect. Perfect for fans of Veronica Mars or Margot Mertz and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for a complimentary digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Disability rep: vaginismus

Brynn Whittaker has her life as in control as possible when someone releases a video that makes it look like she's with her ex-best friend's boyfriend and the entire school suddenly decides she's the worst person in the world. Rumors and awfully hurtful comments start flying and no one cares to listen to Brynn when she tells them it's not her.
Brynn and her friends decide to show their classmates that they're after the wrong person, but as they work to prove it, they find that it's not even about who the person in the video is, it's about the boyfriend getting off scot-free because all the blame lands on the woman. It's always the women at fault and that have to change themselves, so they start a feminist movement that will help them see themselves and those around them better.
Of course, there is also some family drama and some sweet romance to balance it out, but I loved the angle about changing the way people think and how it's always on women to take the burden.
It's some very mature themes treated respectfully and age appropriately with some drama and romance sprinkled in to keep things interesting.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the thought-provoking read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#Canceled has Easy A vibes, but one a 2024 level. It is a very realistic look at Social media and Cancel culture, no matter what you do you need to think of who's watching/taping. I like Brynn's personality as well as her friends, they would have been my ideal group in high school

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the advanced copy!

This is the book I wish I had when I was a teenager. This book covered real issues with such delicacy and keeping it appropriate for a YA audience. We follow Brynn as she is accused of a video scandal involving her ex best friends boyfriend. Although it’s not Brynn in the video, she becomes shamed and cancelled by her classmates. Following this, Brynn with her group of friends and new friends start a revolution to try and show her classmates how girls are treated with this double standard. While we also follow the friends try to unravel the mystery of what happened that night and who leaked the video.
I truly applaud this book for the topics it covered and how sex positive it is. It is refreshing and important to see a YA book like this. This audience needs books like this.
If you like Easy A and Moxie, this is the perfect book for you. I really enjoyed this one.
Thank you again to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group!

While I appreciated the author's witty writing style and the way she tackled important issues like slut-shaming and double standards, I couldn't fully connect with the story. The characters felt a bit forced at times, and the heavy-handed political agenda detracted from the overall narrative. Despite this, Brynn's journey to clear her name and stand up against injustice was empowering, and I admired her resilience in the face of adversity. Overall, "Canceled" is a thought-provoking read that may resonate more with a younger audience. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and while it wasn't quite my cup of tea, I can see its potential appeal to others.

For high school senior Brynn, she's the queen of flirty texts. She's so good, other students pay her to text for them. That is until a viral video of what appears to be her doing something she shouldn't is seen by everyone. Then, of course, she gets cancelled.

The writing is quirky and laugh out loud funny. However, the subject matter and situations the characters find themselves in, while most likely true that teens these days fall into these incidents, I really don't want to read and enjoy this type of content. Society is quick to vilify anyone that may say or do one little thing that offends anyone. Social media has caused so many pressures, no one can hide from anything.

This wasn't my cup of tea, but I see potential for other offerings from this author, so I'll give her another try in future.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGally for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The fast paced entertaining plot made me an instant fan. Centered around cancel culture and double standards in society, it also included topics of friendship, therapy, romance, and everyday life. This was one of the most entertaining coming of age stories I’ve ever read. Brynn is such a badass and her friends are just as amazing.