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gabrielle_erin's review
3.0
3.5/5 stars. I think I liked this more than Heretics Anonymous, but there's just something about Katie Henry's books that irks me. I think it's the endings - they're built up to have this larger spiritual meaning and it doesn't feel like it always comes through. I do think she has a nuanced and positive discussion of religion and faith in this book and explores some harsh truths of mental health and the impact it has on family dynamics. Will probably read her next one.
tophat8855's review
4.0
Listened via Hoopla. Added it b/c the Berkeley RS had it on their list. I think the main character was pretty realistic- and it's easy to see how she made all her choices with her worldview. I thought the LDS x Berkeley crossover was done well and the author hit all the right notes for both of those themes.
taylorlechat's review
5.0
I have absolutely loved both books by Katie Henry. I love her interest in religion and making it a part of both books, showing how much it impacts different people in different variations. I love the way she writes friendships— I feel it’s the most authentic to how I was with my friends in high school. Her writing style overall is descriptive, but not too descriptive that it’s overkill. These all describe both of her books.
This book in particular, I absolutely love the way she examines anxiety. It’s not your stereotypical “”quirky”” high school anxiety, but real, life-altering and debilitating anxiety. She wrote accurate inner thoughts and other people’s genuine reactions to telling them your inner thoughts. I’ve read a lot of books and spoken to a lot of people with anxiety or about anxiety, and this is the one that is the closest to my anxiety, which made me anxious to read and comforted at the same time.
This book in particular, I absolutely love the way she examines anxiety. It’s not your stereotypical “”quirky”” high school anxiety, but real, life-altering and debilitating anxiety. She wrote accurate inner thoughts and other people’s genuine reactions to telling them your inner thoughts. I’ve read a lot of books and spoken to a lot of people with anxiety or about anxiety, and this is the one that is the closest to my anxiety, which made me anxious to read and comforted at the same time.
oddmara's review
2.0
I'm sure that for the target audience, this could be a revolutionary read. If I were a mormon girl finding this at the library, I would probably understand a few things about myself. As I am however, while I enjoyed the read from a religious person's POV, just read the same general story about a girl with anxiety, except this time she is sure the end of the world is coming, and it's not her sidekick that's suicidal but her sidekick's brother (although the sidekick isn't a lot better).
After so many YA books about anxiety (and also reading the best one /A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares/) I just didn't feel like this one brought a lot to the table. It had a definition gimmick which started off as very annoying but became kind of cute in the end, as well as a lot of annoying moments typical to this genre that didn't have any good moments to balance it out. I don't even have any clue why Elis cares about Hannah so much, since they've never actually done anything to bond, prophecy about the end of the world or not. Tal is the only good character.
After so many YA books about anxiety (and also reading the best one /A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares/) I just didn't feel like this one brought a lot to the table. It had a definition gimmick which started off as very annoying but became kind of cute in the end, as well as a lot of annoying moments typical to this genre that didn't have any good moments to balance it out. I don't even have any clue why Elis cares about Hannah so much, since they've never actually done anything to bond, prophecy about the end of the world or not. Tal is the only good character.
confundu's review
1.5
there were many points at which i should have dnf'd this and yet i persisted - mainly because i loved the cover so much
beniceorleaf's review
3.0
Hrmm.
There was a lot to like about this book. I liked Ellis as a flawed character with realistic growth. I liked her therapist and the treatment of therapy in general. I liked Tal and his friends, and I liked in the end that Ellis's "dad is perfect and mom is the villain" narrative got challenged in interesting ways.
Hannah just didn't hold water for me. The whispy effervescent-ness of her pain didn't land for me. Her centralness to the book made it frustrating to read.
Personally, I want to see Ellis actually navigate doomsday.
There was a lot to like about this book. I liked Ellis as a flawed character with realistic growth. I liked her therapist and the treatment of therapy in general. I liked Tal and his friends, and I liked in the end that Ellis's "dad is perfect and mom is the villain" narrative got challenged in interesting ways.
Hannah just didn't hold water for me. The whispy effervescent-ness of her pain didn't land for me. Her centralness to the book made it frustrating to read.
Personally, I want to see Ellis actually navigate doomsday.
books_of_am's review
3.0
Was not expecting the Mormon and LSD parts to this book but this was a decent read