Nila is a young woman in Berlin with an American author. This book is about the search for identity, family, and a journey to finding oneself. It's well-written and fast-moving. Really enjoyed this book.

WOW! A dizzying story of a young Afghan woman searching for herself and her identity. Nila likes to hide who she is and where she came from - claiming Germany as her heritage even though a country that her family fled too. Like many first gen - she is eager to move away from the beliefs of her parents and neighbors and spends most of her nights in nightclubs filled with drugs, men and plenty of dancing. Follow Nila as she makes the rookie mistakes of a young woman. You will want to root for her, befriend her and be her! Each sentence is razor sharp! I just cannot wait to see what Avia Aber writes next. #randomhouse #goodgirl #ariaaber

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

Captivating and moody. Nila is nineteen and caught up in Berlin’s party scene and with a sort of washed up American writer. She has been lying about her family’s origins to everyone she knows. After years of pretending to be someone else, she might just be ready to become herself.

The writing is sharp and assured, and the story is simple yet enthralling. The author effectively pulls you into Nila’s world and the result is a slightly disorienting read about identity and desire.

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy..

Wow! Good Girl was a great great read. I highly enjoyed it. I definitely recommend this book to fellow readers who enjoy reading about refugees..

GOOD GIRL is an immersive, electric debut. A coming-of-age novel that tackles young love/questions of intimacy and shame in one's identity, and also the rise of Islamophobia in Europe. Berlin party scenes, art and artmaking, grief, survival. This novel has it all. And there's a confidence in the prose, so rich and strong. Aria Aber is the real deal.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-galley!

In Aria Aber's Good Girl, we are transported to Germany. Nila, the daughter of Afghan refugees, is coming of age in Berlin's nightlife.

Nila struggles with internalized racism and Islamophobia. She eschews tradition by seeking her independence but, in the process, rejects her identity to conform with her European peers out of a sense of self-preservation and shame. These factors lead her to struggle with her mental health, self-worth, substance abuse, familial ties, and a toxic relationship with an older American.

Over time, we see Nila grow, pursue her passion for photography, and come to terms with her self-hating Afghan and Muslim ways. When she can make peace with her identity and find solidarity and pride, she can truly be free to move forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Hogarth for the ARC. If this is Aria Aber's debut novel, I must say watch out for her in the future. This novel was well-written and captivating. I highly recommend it. Fans of the film High Art and authors like Kaveh Akbar, Tommy Orange, and Akwaeke Emezi will enjoy this visceral tale.