Hello, reader!

It’s blog tour time once again! Today, I’m one of many brilliant bloggers on a new #TheWriteReads blog tour for a vibrant, bold, and hilarious new young adult contemporary. Travel to a Catholic boarding school where a feminist with a purple mohawk is bound and determined to get expelled by staging her school’s first ever performance of The Vagina Monologues.

You can already tell this is gonna be a ride, can’t you?

As always, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads, the publisher, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my tour participation. I’ve never had anything but a fantastic experience working with Dave and I always appreciate being able to be a part of his fabulous tours! Speaking of which, let’s get to the post, shall we?

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“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 . . .”

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As you all probably know by now, I am a sucker for a great cover. So, when Dave sent out the email about this tour and I saw that bright, yellow gloriousness, I knew I had to sign up! How could I say no to something that looked so vivid and fun?

Thankfully, the book’s cover did not deceive. Bad Habits is a raucous good time and our main character, Alex, absolutely comes to life on the page. We meet Alex as she is climbing out of a window in one of the boys’ dorms on her Catholic boarding school campus. That action lands her in the principle’s office for what she hopes is the last time. Not because she’s going to “straighten out and fly right”. No, Alex is hoping this last act of rebellion will be enough to get her expelled and sent back to California where she belongs. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen, which leads Alex to dream up her most daring expulsion attempt yet: staging St. Mary’s first ever production of The Vagina Monologues!

You guys, when I say this was a good time, I absolutely mean it! This book had me grinning like an idiot and laughing my head off multiple times. I adore the wit and humor that is woven throughout this feminist tale. It made this such a quick and engaging read that I found myself at the end and was confused as to how I arrived there so quickly. This is definitely a book you could read in a day because you have to know what Alex is going to do next!

Speaking of Alex, can I tell you how much I loved her? I don’t know if I can because she is one of those characters that’s just larger than life! I loved following her along as she fought for what she believed in, even if her surface goal was getting kicked out of school. It was interesting to watch her being a badass but I also loved getting a peek at her other side… the side that tries to comfort lost freshman and helps people when their secret weed stash is found. She’s a complex character with a biting wit and sense of humor that I meshed with so well! But a book can only go so far with a solid main character. Which is why I was glad that the side characters in this story, though they didn’t leave quite the same impression, definitely did not fall flat.

Beyond the fabulous characters, I just loved the writing and the overall tone of this book. The writing pulls you in with it’s conversational tone. You feel as though Alex is sitting next to you, recounting her rebellious days at St. Mary’s Catholic School while you’re making posters for a protest. I felt so connected to this story because of the fun and feminist current that is running throughout. This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author, but it definitely makes me curious about her other work!

Final thoughts: I had such a good time reading this book! I adore the main character and I thought the author did an incredible job at creating someone not only interesting, but also relatable. The tone and writing were great and the humor just matched mine perfectly. Are you looking for a fun and vivacious young adult contemporary that will have you chuckling as you turn the pages? Do you like a book that tackles feminist issues in an accessible and interesting way? Then I think you’ll enjoy Bad Habits!

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