Book Review | The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven

Publisher: Electric Monkey
Publication Date: March 8th, 2018
Is it a series?: No
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Feminism
Buy Links: Kinokuniya Malaysia
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Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Thank you Pansing Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

Izzy O’Neill is an aspiring comic, an impoverished orphan, and a Slut Extraordinaire. Or at least, that’s what the malicious website flying round the school says. Izzy can try all she wants to laugh it off – after all, her sex life, her terms – but when pictures emerge of her doing the dirty with a politician’s son, her life suddenly becomes the centre of a national scandal. Izzy’s never been ashamed of herself before, and she’s not going to start now. But keeping her head up will take everything she has... 

First of all, before you pick this book to read, I want you to read with an open mind as this book are written with all openest and it shows the side of a person who has been through a rough time as she has been slut-shaming by not only from her schoolmates but to the world, I would say that it was a cyber-bullying also revenge porn and a few other issues. The Opposite of Okay shows the important message of what woman been through just because she choose the path/things that she wants to do and being carefree. I don't say I agree with some things she did but the fact that she been bully mentally is not okay at all. 

"Slut-shaming is not really about women’s sexuality. It is grounded in the belief that men have the right to assert themselves, and women do not."

The idea of this book is to address to the people of how unfair is the treatment towards girls vs boys. Just because what she did does not mean that you are allowed to slut-shaming her to the world. Just because, she chose not to have a thing with you and friendzone you and that does not allow for you to revenge her by ruining her life. 

"Shame. It’s a peculiar beast, especially when it happens in public. It leaves you powerless. It strips you of everything you thought you knew about yourself, forces you to examine the very core of your being."

While I'm talking about the 'she', you might want to know who 'she' is... Well, Izzy O'Neill is a brave, strong girl and her sarcasm is really a new level of how she handles the rough situation by making some sarcastic joke out of it though deep down in the heart, it was hard. 

And there is Izzy's best friend whom always there for her through ups and downs - Ajita - the way she supports her, stand up for her whenever people throw horrifying words on Izzy, she is definitely one of a kind. You might want a friend like her because I am.

Also, there is other Izzy's best friend who has been well, friend zone and I just hate how he acted like he is the saint in here, try to buy her hearts by buying stuff and all that and he did what he thought that is right which is not.

How Laura Steven has written The Exact Opposite of Okay was a thing which happens in the society and trying to translate it through here so, people will aware of how frightening the situation is to the victim itself. The way Laura Steven's written this book in a sort of diary in a blogging kind of things making it more interesting to read. That being said, Laura Steven's writing is incredible and for that, I'm looking forward to her next book.

"It's been used to silenced opinionated women for too long. Women who have beliefs and goals and things to say.  Women who won't stand for injustice or mistreatment. They're labeled bitches by men - and other women - who feel intimidated."

I would say this book definitely covers a lot of things such as slut-shaming, revenge porn, bullying, mental health also feminism which is good as it addressed important issues in the book somehow the only thing, I'm a bit kind of blur on the issue of feminism which it only mentions it towards the end because  despite Izzy is a strong, brave girl, I truly want Izzy to stand for herself by showing to the world that all the issues she been facing are absolutely not okay.

Overall, I do love reading The Exact Opposite of Okay as it was different from other books I have read, it shows how horrifying it is being the person that bully by the peers and by people we don't know and ways of trying to stay positive in that situation thus, I do recommend you to read The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven.