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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I appreciate the topic of this book. I don’t believe there are a ton of medical stories out there like this one. I love that it didn’t feel forced or full of Hallmark happy endings. It tells a more real story than that which can help build empathy for the characters and the unique situations they are in. The theme of found/chosen family runs deep in this book as well.
Unfortunately this book did not hit the mark for me in terms of writing or character development. I found Ellie to be a difficult character to like. I understand she is going through a lot but it was challenging to root for her in relationships. Ellies relationship with her mother was troublesome. I wasn’t sure whose side I was supposed to be on. Maybe that was the point? However it just made me dislike them both. Some of the side characters were interesting and had a bit more personality, but the writing didn’t serve those characters well. They needed more time and more nuance in their own stories for their characters to be more effective in Ellie’s story
I appreciate the topic of this book. I don’t believe there are a ton of medical stories out there like this one. I love that it didn’t feel forced or full of Hallmark happy endings. It tells a more real story than that which can help build empathy for the characters and the unique situations they are in. The theme of found/chosen family runs deep in this book as well.
Unfortunately this book did not hit the mark for me in terms of writing or character development. I found Ellie to be a difficult character to like. I understand she is going through a lot but it was challenging to root for her in relationships. Ellies relationship with her mother was troublesome. I wasn’t sure whose side I was supposed to be on. Maybe that was the point? However it just made me dislike them both. Some of the side characters were interesting and had a bit more personality, but the writing didn’t serve those characters well. They needed more time and more nuance in their own stories for their characters to be more effective in Ellie’s story
I was interested to read this novel- the cover and title drew me in and I was looking forward to it but it turned to be just okay. I found Ellie (the main character) to be annoying and rude. I understand she’s a moody teenager but was hard to read the distain she had for some of the medical professionals as well as her own mom in this book. Her mom’s blog side plot was also a bit weird for me. The story was good but I wish there was more depth to it. 3/5
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the eARC.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the eARC.
Disability representation has been lacking in the publishing world for so long so I was so excited to dive into Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal. A story about a girl who doesn't want to be a poster child for inspiration, I can relate to Ellie in so many ways as a childhood cancer survivor. I really enjoyed Gretchen Schreiber's choice to write the rough and raw edges as Ellie comforts peer conflicts, complex and difficult medical decisions, bodily autonomy and family drama. A must read!
Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted finished copy to review.
Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted finished copy to review.
With comps of The Breakfast Club meets Five Feet Apart this debut YA coming of age novel had me very intrigued. With this vibrant cover my heart was not prepared for Ellie’s story/reality.
The audiobook opened up with a great note from the author which set the tone for what was to come. I haven’t read many stories like this one. The POV of a young character advocating for herself with medical professionals as well as having to ask to be the one to tell your own story on your own time.
There is a bit of a romance throughout but what really stood out to me was the friendships! There were so many great details/situations throughout the book that made me reflect and I think this will be a very eye opening book for many and hopefully someone will see themselves in Ellie’s character.
Thank you Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio
Releases 3/5
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/
The audiobook opened up with a great note from the author which set the tone for what was to come. I haven’t read many stories like this one. The POV of a young character advocating for herself with medical professionals as well as having to ask to be the one to tell your own story on your own time.
There is a bit of a romance throughout but what really stood out to me was the friendships! There were so many great details/situations throughout the book that made me reflect and I think this will be a very eye opening book for many and hopefully someone will see themselves in Ellie’s character.
Thank you Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio
Releases 3/5
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.Andthebookshelf/
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to the publishers for my review copy of ELLIE HAYCOCK IS TOTALLY NORMAL.
I appreciate that the author told a story based on her own personal experience with disability, surgery, and ableism, but the finished product didn’t work for me. As I continue to ponder and digest the book, many aspects of the story and even the phrasing used makes me feel like the author hasn’t really reckoned with her own internalized ableism and is still trying to play by an ableist society’s rules rather than upending the status quo.
I’ve seen quite a few negative reviews calling Ellie selfish, stubborn, and unlikeable but that’s not the problem I had with this book. I get that she’s inconsistent and lashes out at times, but considering 1.) she’s dealing with a painful illness that no one can explain, 2.) her doctors aren’t taking her seriously, 3.) she’s had years and years of medical trauma, 4.) her parents aren’t respecting her wishes or allowing her to make decisions about her own medical care, and 5.) she’s treated like a zoo animal whenever she’s in public because of her physical disabilities, I think she had every right to be angry, prickly, and “unlikeable”. Heck, if I was in her situation I would be 200% more emotional and unhinged!
As I read more reviews, I’m starting to feel genuinely worried about people’s lack of empathy. My issue with the book was not with Ellie’s anger, hurt, or trauma, but the way the author seemed to try and paper over all of that in favor of a narrative that says the only person who can “fix” you is you… (This is a direct paraphrase from pg. 284 of the ebook edition.)
I don’t want to dismiss how important it is for you to accept and love yourself. For you to prioritize your healing and make good choices. But you also need things like medical care and community support! You deserve to be respected as a three dimensional human being! You can pull yourself up by the bootstraps all you like, but if you’re facing systemic discrimination/ableism, and no one takes you seriously, you will not be able to “fix” anything.
I felt like it was the other characters who needed more of a reckoning than Ellie… The character development felt uneven and inconsistent. At times, it seemed like they were just a mouthpiece for the author’s message. And to be honest I found that message leaning too close to toxic positivity for my taste. Yes, I do think Ellie needed to be honest with her friends and stop hiding her illness. I do think she needed to embrace her identity and take a larger role in her medical journey. But I felt like the book did us all a disservice by not acknowledging and holding more space for how hard it is to be chronically ill and how hard it is to navigate an ableist world. It’s hard to let people in when you’ve been hurt over and over again! I want to honor the hope in this story, but I think we also have to acknowledge grief and suffering at the same time.
I appreciated the book shining a light on the problems with “special needs mommy bloggers” but Ellie’s conflict with her mom felt like it was wrapped up too easily. The pacing was inconsistent and just as I felt like we were finally starting to get some real development and reckoning, the book ended with a neat little bow. I felt like Ellie’s trauma and mental health were ignored in favor of making a story that was palatable to a non-disabled audience.
I know that no one wants to read or write about COVID, but its absence in this story felt like a gaping black hole that couldn’t be ignored. Ellie’s disability is specifically related to her lungs and she spend the entire book with a mysterious cough. It’s finally decided that she must be extra sensitive to respiratory illness and poor air quality… But there’s no mention of masking. One of the side characters has cancer and is depicted as wearing a medical mask… But Ellie or her friends never mask for him. The story never delves into the actual reality of cancer patients.
I know that this book was based on the author’s experience as a teen which I’m guessing was at least 12 to 14 years ago but this book was published in 2024. Readers, especially chronically ill teens, deserve a book that truly depicts the issues of our time rather than sugar coating it all.
I’m still grappling with this book and the emotions it brought out in me. There are pieces that I connected with and parts that moved me, but overall it felt rang hollow for me and I can’t recommend it.
Instead, if you’re looking for a book about disabled teens falling in love in a hospital, I would recommend SICK KIDS IN LOVE by Hannah Moskowitz. If you’re looking for a book about a disabled teen trying to hide her disabilities, I would recommend CONDITIONS OF A HEART by Bethany Mangle.
I appreciate that the author told a story based on her own personal experience with disability, surgery, and ableism, but the finished product didn’t work for me. As I continue to ponder and digest the book, many aspects of the story and even the phrasing used makes me feel like the author hasn’t really reckoned with her own internalized ableism and is still trying to play by an ableist society’s rules rather than upending the status quo.
I’ve seen quite a few negative reviews calling Ellie selfish, stubborn, and unlikeable but that’s not the problem I had with this book. I get that she’s inconsistent and lashes out at times, but considering 1.) she’s dealing with a painful illness that no one can explain, 2.) her doctors aren’t taking her seriously, 3.) she’s had years and years of medical trauma, 4.) her parents aren’t respecting her wishes or allowing her to make decisions about her own medical care, and 5.) she’s treated like a zoo animal whenever she’s in public because of her physical disabilities, I think she had every right to be angry, prickly, and “unlikeable”. Heck, if I was in her situation I would be 200% more emotional and unhinged!
As I read more reviews, I’m starting to feel genuinely worried about people’s lack of empathy. My issue with the book was not with Ellie’s anger, hurt, or trauma, but the way the author seemed to try and paper over all of that in favor of a narrative that says the only person who can “fix” you is you… (This is a direct paraphrase from pg. 284 of the ebook edition.)
I don’t want to dismiss how important it is for you to accept and love yourself. For you to prioritize your healing and make good choices. But you also need things like medical care and community support! You deserve to be respected as a three dimensional human being! You can pull yourself up by the bootstraps all you like, but if you’re facing systemic discrimination/ableism, and no one takes you seriously, you will not be able to “fix” anything.
I felt like it was the other characters who needed more of a reckoning than Ellie… The character development felt uneven and inconsistent. At times, it seemed like they were just a mouthpiece for the author’s message. And to be honest I found that message leaning too close to toxic positivity for my taste. Yes, I do think Ellie needed to be honest with her friends and stop hiding her illness. I do think she needed to embrace her identity and take a larger role in her medical journey. But I felt like the book did us all a disservice by not acknowledging and holding more space for how hard it is to be chronically ill and how hard it is to navigate an ableist world. It’s hard to let people in when you’ve been hurt over and over again! I want to honor the hope in this story, but I think we also have to acknowledge grief and suffering at the same time.
I appreciated the book shining a light on the problems with “special needs mommy bloggers” but Ellie’s conflict with her mom felt like it was wrapped up too easily. The pacing was inconsistent and just as I felt like we were finally starting to get some real development and reckoning, the book ended with a neat little bow. I felt like Ellie’s trauma and mental health were ignored in favor of making a story that was palatable to a non-disabled audience.
I know that no one wants to read or write about COVID, but its absence in this story felt like a gaping black hole that couldn’t be ignored. Ellie’s disability is specifically related to her lungs and she spend the entire book with a mysterious cough. It’s finally decided that she must be extra sensitive to respiratory illness and poor air quality… But there’s no mention of masking. One of the side characters has cancer and is depicted as wearing a medical mask… But Ellie or her friends never mask for him. The story never delves into the actual reality of cancer patients.
I know that this book was based on the author’s experience as a teen which I’m guessing was at least 12 to 14 years ago but this book was published in 2024. Readers, especially chronically ill teens, deserve a book that truly depicts the issues of our time rather than sugar coating it all.
I’m still grappling with this book and the emotions it brought out in me. There are pieces that I connected with and parts that moved me, but overall it felt rang hollow for me and I can’t recommend it.
Instead, if you’re looking for a book about disabled teens falling in love in a hospital, I would recommend SICK KIDS IN LOVE by Hannah Moskowitz. If you’re looking for a book about a disabled teen trying to hide her disabilities, I would recommend CONDITIONS OF A HEART by Bethany Mangle.
I will not lie. There are times where Ellie got on my last nerve but that shows the ability of Gretchen Schreiber’s writing. Throughout this book, it felt very vulnerable for both Ellie and her mom. You understand both of their perspectives on how they deal with Ellie’s illness. I think this would be a great book for middle schoolers and high schoolers.
This book is sad and cute and important. Very YA with some real angst, but a unique topic and perspective on childhood/chronic illness. I hated the mother and her blog- exploiting Ellie’s medical details- but this book does so much more that introduce irritation and really made me think about why a mother would do such a thing and what all parties in this book were going through. I’d definitely recommend this to YA audiences and anyone battling an illness.
What a great story. It brings to light the lives of those living with a disability and shows how it can effects much more than just their bodies, plus the lives of those around them. I loved the character arc of Ellie as she learns that it’s alright to let others help as she finds people who really care.
Good overall. Actual stars probably 3.5.
Another reviewer already mentioned some of my struggles- largely the mom’s blog without consideration for how it might make Ellie feel. But also, we know not all families are perfectly empathetic to those with an illness or disability- and it isn’t always intentional.
This book would work great for a middle school audience as well- nothing concerning in the text and would likely satisfy fans of Five Feet Apart and The Fault in Our Stars (though the romance was less expansive in this one).
Another reviewer already mentioned some of my struggles- largely the mom’s blog without consideration for how it might make Ellie feel. But also, we know not all families are perfectly empathetic to those with an illness or disability- and it isn’t always intentional.
This book would work great for a middle school audience as well- nothing concerning in the text and would likely satisfy fans of Five Feet Apart and The Fault in Our Stars (though the romance was less expansive in this one).
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes