Happy Monday my lovely readers. I’m trying really hard to get back into blogging these days and so I’m starting with a very delayed (sorry Dave) review for the Ultimate Blog Tour for Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney. I couldn’t wait to read this as I absolutely love feminist books. So before I go onto my review, here is a bit more about the book.
Bad Habits by Flynn Meaney Published by Penguin on February 11, 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Feminism, Young Adult
Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones
Goodreads
Hilarious, bold, sparky and surprising, this is the funniest feminist book you'll read all year.
Alex is a rebel from the tip of her purple fauxhawk to the toes of her biker boots. She's tried everything she can think of to get expelled from her strict Catholic boarding school. Nothing has worked so far - but now, Alex has a new plan.
Tired of the sexism she sees in every corner of St Mary's, Alex decides to stage the school's first ever production of The Vagina Monologues. Which is going to be a challenge, as no one else at St Mary's can even bear to say the word 'vagina' out loud . . .CAWPILE - 7.00
My Review
I’ll start off by saying that if you love Holly Bourne’s The Spinster Club series, then this is the perfect read for you. I think that’s what drew me in the beginning. As you know Holly Bourne really introduced to me the world of feminist novels and Bad Habits is just what you need. It has the perfect amount of laugh out loud moments, kickass feminism and taking down the patriarchy of a catholic boarding school.
Alex is a teenager that wants to speak very honestly about who she is. She’s not afraid of opposing own thoughts and freedom of speech of others. In a catholic school she’s surrounded by rules, routines and regulations that is only acceptable. There is inequality in the way the school operates. She’s had enough, she wants to spread her feminist part across the whole school but putting on The Vagina Monologues play. In the beginning it was a protest for her to be permanently excluded from her school but what Alex later realises is that this play is more than just her, it’s about starting a movement, starting a feminist revolution for the whole school to hear about.
Alex is a rebel student, if the mohawk doesn’t speak volumes then certainly her blatant lack of rule keeping, piercings and certain tase in music. Alex has no problem being herself, and I admired that but I felt it was very much about her and basically everyone else’s opinion is not acceptable to hers. Her roommate Mary Kate, is the total opposite of her. Mary Kate abolishes all of Alex’s ideas, hates them in fact but they are still there for each other. I think this book was about Alex’s growth and understanding her own identity through her own friendships and listening more to others around her. She might definitely surprise herself and learn a thing or two.
What I loved about this book was the premise and how I related to it on a personal level in terms of job. Working in a CoE school myself we have to aware of certain references, ideals and beliefs but we are getting better I think and think Bad Habits expresses that and I really appreciated that. We need books like that to open up those conversations, those subjects about our own sexuality and not being afraid to say the word vagina, when it’s part of a girls anatomy.
Bad Habits is perfect for the fans of Holly Bourne, Laura Steven and more. I found it such an easy feminist read with certainly some unpredictable situations that just honestly make you laugh out loud whilst also grasping the seriousness of the topics the Meany discusses. I would certainly recommend this book.
Thank you to Penguin Platform and The Write Reads for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
