Lakay. Lekòl. Legliz.
Home. School. Church.
That’s the holy trinity of seventeen-year-old Joëlle “Jojo” Pierre’s life—and she’s spent her whole existence trying to be good at all three.
A straight-A student and dutiful daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jojo knows how to keep her head down, speak when spoken to, and carry the weight of everyone’s expectations without complaint. But beneath the honor roll certificates and Sunday dresses, something is unraveling. She’s falling for someone she’s not supposed to. Her best friend is keeping secrets. And the guilt—the guilt is starting to crack her open.
As Jojo struggles to balance the commandments of her culture with the questions rising in her soul, she begins to wonder: Is perfection really worth the price of silence? What does it mean to be good when your truth doesn’t fit in the pews or college applications?
God, Grades, and Guilt is a fiercely honest coming-of-age novel about identity, generational pressure, and the quiet rebellion of choosing your own path. Set in the tender, tension-filled world of immigrant girlhood, this is the story of every daughter who’s ever been told to be grateful, obedient, and excellent—no matter the cost.
For fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kristin Hannah, this novel is a love letter to the girls who carry too much, cry in secret, and still find the courage to want more.