The title says it all really, this book is The Exact Opposite of Okay but in the best, most brilliant way possible. This book is really rather brilliant and one you are sure to see popping up on my blog quite regularly as a recommendation. It is hard to believe that Laura Steven is a debut novelist when the quality of her work is SO bold and brilliant. (I’ve used brilliant a lot, but you’ll get used to it.)

This book is going to create some serious waves out there in the book community because it is so fresh and it’s going to knock down so many societal barriers and cause a lot of conversation along the way. Izzy’s story is one of betrayal, unfortunately a betrayal that so many young people face: her nude picture is leaked online. Not only does that happen but before this a website is made defaming her name and sexual activities at a recent party. This book tells a very powerful story which talks about slut-shaming, victim blaming, revenge porn, ‘the nice guy’ and so much more. I loved how the feminist messages were laced throughout the book and for readers who do not know much about feminism or maybe are unsure what it means, this book will give some really good pointers which may feel relatable to some young girls in society.

Not only is this book an important one but oh my gosh is it funny. In fact it might even be one of the funniest books I’ve EVER read. I was cackling hysterically throughout this book (which I know doesn’t seem likely if you read the above paragraph) but Izzy’s voice is so fresh and I could immediately connect to her snarky sense of humour. I loved the format of the book which is a series of blog posts that Izzy edits to show how her situation came about (inserting lots of witty comments in brackets along the way). Because this book is told using a first person narrative I could so easily find parts of myself in Izzy and I think a lot of people reading this book will find more than one way to relate to her.

Laura Steven has written some absolutely incredible characters and relationships in this book. More about Izzy in a bit, but I just ADORED her friendship with Ajita (who is EVERY bit as snarky as Izzy, if not more). Their brutal humour with each other is something I could so relate to when thinking of the relationship I have with my own best friend. I personally really loved Ajita’s character development throughout the story too and how her culture affects her decisions. My other favourite relationship in this book was Izzy and Betty, her grandma. I can’t imagine ever having a relationship that open with my own nan but I can also see why I wouldn’t because I’ve not been brought up by her. There are some extremely touching moments between them in the book and it was these two lovelies that reduced me to a mass of tears towards the end.

As a teacher, can I also give a huge THANK YOU yell to Laura Steven for showing such a supportive and positive relationship between Izzy and her drama teacher Mrs Crannon. I could relate to this in two ways: as a pupil who sought comfort from some special teachers of my own and also, luckily, as a teacher who is lucky to have pupils who confide in me the way Izzy does to Mrs Crannon. It just really warmed my heart.

Izzy O’Neill is a strong-willed, bold and a fierce young lady to say the very least and I absolutely ADORED her for it. Izzy is the voice that I think UKYA has been SCREAMING out for and I just can’t get enough. I loved how snarky, witty and sarcastic she is, how loyal and loving she is but my favourite thing about Izzy? Yes she’s a tough cookie but she has the softest, gooiest interior and I loved that as the story developed we got to see her become more and more peeled back. I think that Izzy as a character is an often much needed reminder that even those around us we think are ‘strong’ may be feeling very different on the inside. (Izzy probably wouldn’t like me saying this but she is a sweetie.) I am a sucker for flawed and vulnerable characters and even more so when they conceal themselves behind a tougher exterior so Izzy has immediately become a favourite.

There was literally nothing I didn’t like about this book. I mean, even Izzy’s dog is called Dumbledore which sets the reader up for some hilarious lines throughout the book. I wasn’t expecting the book to have a US setting when I first started reading but it didn’t make any difference to my reading experience at all. I would just warn that there is a lot of swearing in the book, which I personally loved, but I know that may not be for everyone.

The Exact Opposite of Okay is a game changer for the UKYA community. It is charging head on at society and tackling some incredibly important issues in a way that is relatable. Izzy O’Neill is a darling and I can’t wait to read more from her next (that’s right readers, there’s going to be a sequel!)

This book first came on to my radar at YALC 2017. I unfortunately wasn't lucky enough to receive an arc however this was what made me so happy when I saw it on netgalley and was accepted to review this wonderful book. It was such an amazing and kind of quick read.

This book follows Izzy O'Neill who is a teenage orphan. Like most teenagers, she is figuring out her sexuality and unfortunately that's where this story goes awry. Her most intimate photos are leaked to a website and this causes an internal and external struggle for Izzy. This book was immensely funny and some of my favourite quotes from this book are so relatable. For example, 'I honestly do not know why guys think unsolicited dick pics are a turn on. Like have they ever seen a penis? Do they really look at their own genitals and think 'Yeah that looks good.' No. Exactly.' This had me cracking up because it's so relatable and such a shame that this thing happens to girls everyday. I'm honestly so glad I read this book because in today's society, it is needed. Plus the cover is 100% gorgeous.

The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven is an eye-opening look into people's capacity to destroy one another. It explores themes of revenge porn, friendship-zones, entitled boys, trust, victim blaming, slut shaming and so much more. I captures it so well, but it's not a heavy read, Izzy's narration is funny and this book had me laughing whilst I was angry on her behalf. I'm pretty sure most women reading this (and a lot of men) will relate to some aspects from their teenage years. 

I got to meet Laura at YALC 2017 and snap the pic below. She was SO sweet! I'm so glad I loved her book.











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Gosh I loved loved LOVED The Exact Opposite of Okay so much, five stars! I stayed up until 4am to finish it and I was reeling when I finished it. I really think this book is going to sing to a lot of people. In this day and age it's so easy for the things that happened to Izzie to happen to someone. We all have the capacity to do 'scandalous' things, but when we see someone else out in the open who's done something 'scandalous' we all get on our high horse and judge. It's ridiculous and damaging. How can we shame someone for something that's natural and that many people have also done?

This book also explores this ridiculous notion of the 'friend-zone'. Gah I hate that trope so much - butt hurt boys who can't take no for an answer. Who only want to be a part of our lives if they're in our pants. 

Real talk - I think when I was a teen, I was sometimes flirty with guys I wasn't interested in because I knew if they were solidly in the 'friend-zone' they'd drop me. That's sad. That's awful. But it was the way if I wanted to keep my friends. 









I love the structure of The Exact Opposite of Okay! It's told in a diary entry/blog post format, which was super interesting. It really puts you into the mind of Izzie. It made me a bit twitchy to think of how honest she is on her online blog - there's no way I'd have had the courage to do that. I'm always careful of what I say and I guess this book explores the reason for it, in a way.

It was fast paced and driven, making you desperate to find out what was happening and why. 







Usually I do a bit of a review of each character, but I really don't want to spoil any of this book. So I'm going to do a bit of an overview of the characters. 

They are well written, raw and relatable (most of them) and they develop as the book goes on. I'd like to think I was a bit like Izzie when I was younger, tenacious and funny - trying my hand at writing, but I could just be looking back with wishful thinking.

The friendships are real and difficult. They're not this farcical girly best friendship that we often seen in YA, it's difficult and they have to work to overcome it.

One of the best YA contemporaries I have ever read. Izzy is such a strong and complicated character, whose narrative voice really helps the reader connect and care for the story. Usually I do not care for a 'blog' format, however Laura Steven really makes it work with the expert combination of telling the story as well as Izzy's personal after thoughts. 
I shall be pushing this book into the hands of so many teens!

I generally really enjoyed this, and it addressed some important issues too, but the one thing is that I wish there was more towards the end, with more of the feminism stuff

I really liked the layout, how it was written as blog entries mostly, it was really fun to read, especially with the narrator adding extra notes in every now and then from the present, looking back on everything that had happened

Izzy was such a great character, but I wish there was more of her standing up to the world about the feminist things, like slut shaming, and 'nice guys' , rather than it just being a few pages towards the end.

The exact opposite of okay is hands down one of my favourite
 Books now , i was gripped from the first page , its relevant, funny with shocking moments that will make you say omg i couldnt put the book down as i become more invested into the characters

Mostly i enjoyed this book but there were a couple of things that really annoyed me. If not for the constant referencing to the dead parents this would have been a 4.5/5 book. It wanted to be a powerfully emotional story but it felt everything came back to the parents. The friends could have been written better as well.

Izzy O'Neill's life gets turned upside down when explicit photos of her appear online, and there's only so far that her natural optimism and wit can keep her going. However, the lads involved are left unscathed as Izzy is shamed for only doing what's natural at her age. The unfairness of it all, and the manner in which Izzy is treated is disgusting and really riles you up as you read it! I wouldn't call myself a feminist, but this book really does highlight a massive issue in the world regarding teens, gender equality and sex.

I absolutely adored The Exact Opposite of Okay and couldn't put it down! Izzy as a narrator was so entertaining whilst showing her vulnerability when her humour couldn't mask it. She was in essence a very typical teenage girl who you could relate to. A concept I really enjoyed as someone in my early twenties was the differences between all the guys in the book and how being a "nice guy" is very different to being a "good guy". This is an idea that's very accurate! 

I would definitely recommend that all young girls/women read The Exact Opposite of Okay, especially fans of authors such as Holly Bourne and Sara Barnard. Laura Steven is an exciting new voice in YA and I can't wait to see what's to come next!

Wow. This book gave me a serious case of the feels. I have never felt such a broad spectrum of emotions in such a short space of time; anger, sadness, happy, shocked, outraged and full out furious (to name but a few) and this book packs a powerful punch ethically, socially and emotionally. 

Izzy is relatable on so many grounds, and she represents so many girls who have been trash talked, slut-shamed and the victim of revenge porn. A question that has bothered me for a long time is: 'why is it ok for guys to be sexually free but not girls?'. The answer to that is that there is no difference, there should be no difference, and yet in the eyes of the world there is. 
Every person has a different sexuality, I have friends that are very casual about it, others that only have sex when in relationships, I have known people who will wait until they are married. Again though, it is down to choice, something that I feel needs repeating in todays society. 

I feel this book should be read in high schools/secondary schools everywhere, because everything in this book is so bloody true! Here in the UK revenge porn is illegal and until I read this I didn't realise it wasn't illegal everywhere, So I am now thoroughly disgusted with the world. 

On a lighter note, I really really loved the humour. Izzy was hilarious and I was in stitches during a good portion of this book (you know, when I wasn't raging at how crap the world is to innocent people). I loved the ending, I liked the promise of hope it gave for the future. I won't spoil on here who actually started all the online slut-shaming, because it is a major spoiler, but you'll be pretty angry when you realise who's responsible.

I really can't wait to read what the author brings out next, her writing is fantastic!

Laura Steven’s first novel is here…The Exact Opposite of Okay

Izzy is just your typical teenage girl, she’s not completely sure where she wants to be in life but one thing she does know is screenwriting should be part of her life. A few drunken mistakes becomes a ‘scandal’ involving a senators son which grows and grows, leaving Izzy to fend for herself at school with bullies all around her and her two best friends acting strangely. How will Izzy cope?

The book is said to be a ‘groundbreaking young adult novel for anyone who's ever called themselves a feminist' and I was so excited by that! In some ways, I understand why it was said but I don’t think it quite meets the mark. Yes, the book does explore points of gender inequality but how is it moving things forward? Talking about the subject I suppose but the change?

But let’s go back a bit, the beginning of the book was boring and slow. We didn’t really move anywhere, it was clearly a set up for the latter half of the book but that what it felt like and became really predictable. The latter half was better, but that predictability just stuck and wouldn’t let go. 

So let’s talk topics, the book is excellent at highlighting the way males are treated compared to their feel female counterparts, with males getting the labels of ‘legends’ and females are shamed and made to feel they have done the wrong thing. I found the exploring of the so-called friend zone to be true to life and to be honest I think this was best-written part of the book, it shows the dilemma some women face now.

Two parts really show the authors lack of knowledge of some industries. Working alongside a local paper in my work lead me to be really irritated by the whole ‘local paper picks it up and now it’s a national scandal’, not a chance! As if journalists would stand outside a school of all places. The other thing that bugged me was the way a school was portrayed to handle the situation, it would never happen like that it’s not allowed. 

I try to have a firm option on a book, but with this one I’ve got such mixed feelings. There are some excellent topics and the way they come across is great if a little naive, but the execution? Not what I wanted or needed.

A wonderfully witty story of teenage love and friendship that tackles slut shaming and the 'Nice Guy' phenomenon head on. I was sad, I was furious, and I was laughing through it all. Izzy has a very deadpan, sarcastic, self-deprecating humour. She handles the heartbreak and trauma of her situation with humour which leads to a wild read. She is such a fun, interesting character, and is backed up by two brilliant secondary characters in Ajita and Danny. This story is oh so relevant for current times and has the potential to be really powerful for some young readers. 

It left me believing even more strongly then ever in this quote: "The way the world treats teenage girls - as sluts, as objects, as bitches - is not okay. It's the exact opposite of okay."

Recommended for all teenagers and feminists.

This was wonderful. Completely turning gender constructs on their heads and really looking at out dated modes of thought that need to be thrown out. Why is it legendary for a boy to have a sexual experience but for a girl it makes her a slut? Told through a series of whip smart blog posts from the MC’s pov, this is sharp, witty and pulls no punches. Exactly the sort of literature we need for YA readers and teens. Dump Asher’s disturbing ‘13 Reasons Why’ in the bin and pick up this gem instead. It does far more to deconstruct the double standard between sexes and the mindset behind rape culture.

I'm also incredibly lucky to be a part of the street team for this particular novel so expect to see it splashed across all of my social media. That aside this is simply a phenomenal book. 

I cry at books all the time and films (Toy Story 3 I'm looking at you here) but it is very rare that I find myself laughing at a book. Sometimes I'll giggle a little, but no. The Exact Opposite of Okay had me cackling every other page. The humour Laura injected into the novel was incredible, it felt like it was aimed at me. As a character Izzy is so sarcastic and witty...which I like to think I am (but know I'm far from it). The pop culture references I loved, mainly because the vast majority of them were Harry Potter related. I mean a sausage dog called Dumbledore? Yes please. 

Humour aside I was really impressed with how real each character felt. Izzy is a flawed human being, she's had an awful life but as a result uses humour as a defence mechanism. I've certainly met people who do that and across different forms of media its a recurring thing. She made mistakes, which everyone does and she acted like a teenager. God forbid some of us actually do (did I'm my case...21 is scary) that. Ajita is glorious. That is all. And I appreciate the diversity in this novel. There's POC characters, LGBTQ+ characters. But my favourite part. There isn't a song and dance about the race or the sexuality of the characters. They simply are and as a result I couldn't imagine them any other way. I sometimes find when its shouted about its a little like a ticking a metaphorical box. Also read the novel, I think everyone has had a Danny in their life at some point...

What impressed me the most was how Laura unapologetically went after the phrase slut shaming. The entire crux of the novel centres on one eighteen-year olds 'sexploits' (glorious word) being broadcast across the internet. Photos of her in compromising positions have been put onto a website labelling her a whore and then an intimate photo she sent was added to the mix. Izzy, aforementioned victim, then has to cope with backlash. Walking through the corridor and hearing disgusting slurs thrown her way, reporters hounding her at every chance. The worst part? She is the only person in the situation to be receiving this treatment. There were two other guys that were involved. One who had also shared an intimate picture but that was brushed under the carpet and forgotten. The final few pages of the novel really hits home what slut shaming essentially is. In essence, if you decide to take charge of your sexuality be it in the clothes you wear, your actions, anything. You're a slut. But my god is you refuse you get branded a tease, frigid. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. 

This YA novel takes to task the double standard with regards to sexuality and exposes it for how ludicrous it truly is, whilst being absolutely hilarious. 

Out on the 8th March. Read it. If you're a guy,  a girl, or NB I think you'll get something out of it. This is the sort of book I want to hand out of a pamphlet.

The Exact Opposite of Okay has an incredibly relatable and believable teen narrator, and broaches a nasty yet important theme. The book itself is quirky and funny, while managing to stay topical; it left me furious at society and its ridiculous expectations for women, so that's a big tick as far as I'm concerned. Izzy is an admirable protagonist in her attitude towards the situation, and her commentary is absolutely hilarious. I was properly laughing out loud every few pages, and had to refrain from continuing to do so as I read into the early hours of the morning - I started reading late, but I literally couldn't put the book down until I'd finished reading! It was utterly addictive; I could have kept reading about Izzy and her friends for hours. I was, however, really satisfied with the ending, and I think it sets a fab example for young girls in terms of self love and fighting against the brutality of the patriarchy (and mean high school students).

There are not enough stars in the world for this wonderful book.

Before reading, I was pretty excited for this book. I'd caught my first glimpse at YALC, failed in my endeavours begging for a copy, then managed to get it on NetGalley.

As I was reading, I felt all sorts of emotions. I subjected Steph to a lot of them because she'd already read it. This is a book to make you angry, but it is also gloriously written.

After reading, I sat and stared at a blank wall for a while, trying to get my thoughts into order. Still working on that.

Full review to come.

Unfortunately this book was not my style, after reading the tag line 'ground breaking young adult novel for anyone who's ever called themselves a feminist' I was expecting a book similar to Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu but was sorely disappointed. I was tempted at about half way through this book to give up on it and leave it unfinished, but I decided to plough on as I hate leaving books unfinished. I'm glad to say the story did start to pick up slightly in the second half. There were some character progression in the final few pages which contributed well to the story, it was just a shame it had taken so long to appear.

This review is difficult to write as the message from this book is so important, and I appreciate the taboo subjects that are discussed. This book focuses on the differentiation between the sexes, how guys are treated differently to girls. How a guys nightly conquests are a girls desperate downfall. That a girl with any interest in sex is a automatically a slut or a whore. I fully support the message in this book that slut shaming and degrading someone in regards to their personal life is NEVER okay, it is exactly the opposite of okay.

However I could not give this book more than 2 stars because of many reasons, this book is written in the form of blog posts, although this is an interesting concept it makes the book difficult to read and events become easily jumbled up in the various timescales. The MC isn't relatable at all, I could not for the life of me connect with Izzy, I could hardly even muster up much empathy for her situation. Izzy came across as a very arrogant young woman, she was crude and sarcastic on almost every page. But as soon as things went downhill she seemed to develop 2 personalities, she'd be outspoken and rude on one page then shy and demure on the next. It was difficult to relate to a character who was constantly changing.

How many times have you heard 'I use humour as a coping mechanism' ? I've heard it far too many times in YA novels already, I know plenty of young people with tragic childhoods who have never used offensive jokes as a coping mechanism. Offensive jokes aren't funny, they are always insulting to someone. This book is filled with sarcasm and over dramatic metaphors, as well as continuous swearing, which I don't appreciate in a good book.

As I said, I was expecting a novel dedicated to girl power, women standing side by side and fighting injustice together. So maybe this book was doomed to fail from the start as my expectations were too high. However if you enjoy a novel that discusses taboo topics, a dramatic character and an overuse of swearing, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Sometimes teens need to vent. Izzy is one. When everything goes wrong (or more than wrong if that’s possible) who do you turn to? 

Publicly humiliated and subject to torment at school, the Exact Opposite of Okay follows the tale of when teenage romance, sexting and friendship goes wrong. Facing the hardship of being infamous, Izzy tells us through her diary all that goes on and she tries to resolve her problems. 

Laura Steven tells a story that all teens need to here about love, honesty and society. True friends shine through and fake ones are revealed. The power of social media is expressed powerfully to show the need for care in our actions. 

A very enjoyable and funny but thought provoking read about the world we live in. Hard to initially get in to but hard to put down by the end. Thanks for the ARC @ne

A timely read, that will provoke discussion if nothing else. I felt torn because it raises important questions, but I found it hard to feel much empathy with the character and there were too many strands to really help us focus on   the key message of the story.

I just loved this. It was LOL-funny, whip smart and engaged with some seriously important social issues in such a powerful way. I loved our MC, Izzy, so so much. I also really enjoyed the intersectional feminism in this book, I loved the analysis of how being poor affected Izzy and her grandma, I adored how sex positive this book was. BASICALLY, this book was the best. If you read and loved MOXIE, you'll love this. (I've said 'love' FAR too many times in this, but I don't even care--this book was that good, and I...loved it!)

I loved it. I really did. I wasn't sure what to think from the start because Izzy hides her feelings behind jokes and I felt it would get tiring quite early, but as soon as the scandal starts, I could see the cracks in her armour. This new balance between humour and drama made her more human, more likeable and more relatable, which allowed me to laugh and cry with her. A lot.

I love the fact that she's poor. Let's face it, while most YA protagonists are supposed to be "middle-class", they usually have money. Izzy on the other hand, lives in a shoebox with her grandmother, had to pawn her camera to pay the bills and has absolutely zero chance to go to college because of how expensive it is (and believe me, I know. It took me a social grant and five years of flipping burgers to barely pay for mine, and I consider myself lucky). This is something that needs to be acknowledged. The world keeps telling high schoolers that to get to college, they need good grades. That's true, but does anyone mention the fat load of money they'll need as well? Like it or not, degrees come at a price, and a very expensive one at that. The other concerning thing that Izzy's situation puts into light is Betty, a senior well past the time she should have retired, forced to keep working because no one would hire Izzy for some reason and they need the money. Betty is obviously in pain and she has worked for so many years, yet she still can't retire. That's just wrong and this too needs to be addressed, so I'm glad it is, at least in this book.

From the moment Carson walked in, I was looking out for a love triangle. Carson, popular basket ball player interested in Izzy vs Danny, best friend since forever discovering his feelings. Lucky for me, Izzy shows no interest in Danny and a possible romantic relationship between them is never really in the realm of possible, which leaves us with cute and adorable Carson. But then, Vaughan shows up. I had trouble picturing Izzy sleeping with him (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb!) since she seems to despise him and his father at first, but then there's the party where he shows a different side of him, so okay. I would have liked to know a bit more about him since he's involved in the scandal, but okay. Anyway, no possible love triangle here either since it was just a one-night stand. So no love triangle at all and Carson remains the undisputed love interest. Great!

Slut shaming, and the so-called "friend zone", take a huge kick in the nuts, here. It's high time. There's a perfect quote about the friend zone in the book, actually: "And because he's spent enough money and inserted enough friendship tokens, the offer of sex and/or marriage should just fall out anytime now?". That's right. This nonsense that says that Nice Guys deserve a woman because they're nice to her is BS. A woman is not some loyalty prize you can get when you get enough niceness stamps on your card. I can't believe we have to say this but a woman is a PERSON whose choices are her own and if her choice is not to have sex with you, despite being showered in presents and attentions, it's hers to decide and you don't get to demand squat. And if you really think a woman should love/have sex with you because you got her a present and/or said nice things to her, you're not nice at all. You're a manipulative dirtbag pretending to be nice in order to get a reward for it. Huge difference. This "friend zone" nonsense is just a way to blame a woman for not being attracted to someone. And the vending machine is such an appropriate image: the man inserted his niceness coins for a relationship then got mad because said relationship was denied to him. So he blames the woman like he'd blame the vending machine. And he calls himself "nice".

I was SHOCKED by who turned out to be behind the website. I hope until the end it was a mistake, that another character had done it since a few clues pointed, at least in my opinion, to a different character, but no. I can't say too much about it here because of spoilers, but I was horrified that they even considered doing such a thing, and even worse, thought it was a good idea. The teachers also disgust me. That creep, oh my god! And the Christian teacher? Judging Izzy like that? Gosh, didn't Jesus or someone say "don't judge or you too will be judged"? Maybe she should read that part about Jesus telling his friends to repect Mary Magdalene again, she seems to have missed it. Practice the religion that you preach, lady.

I LOVED Ajita so much. She's so great. She's adorable and she'll fight you if you come for her bestie. I want a best friend like her. Everyone should have one. I also loved Meg, I wish she'd been featured a bit more but I'm sure I'll see more of her in the sequel. Which I'm very excited about, but you know what I'd love? An Ajita spin-off. Betty is perfect. Same for Ms Crannon. Also I have to say that the last page of the book had me crying and laughing in relief. Again, can't say why because spoilers, but gosh!

I just loved it. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I was shocked, I went through it all and I can't wait for more. I wish every school library would buy it, for the girls to know that being sexually active is nothing to be ashamed of, and for the boys to know that this friend zone nonsense is ridiculous, toxic even. 5 well deserved stars.

Thank you so much to Laura Steven, Egmont Publishing and NetGalley for making sure I got an ARC of this book. I can't wait to see it on bestsellers lists.