I did enjoy this but think it should've been marketed differently. My expectations were for a human body centered collection of essays that explore the weird and normal ways that everyone with a human form functions, and it felt that this collection was actually much different. I liked it, but wish it had been described more accurately as a wonderful look into a set of experiences in which the author feels out of place, at times because of bodily differences. The overarching theme seemed to be more of a diaspora from heritage and situation rather than a look at how bodies are weird. Still enjoyable, but not what I was expecting from the cover, title, and promotional materials.

I received an advanced review copy for free from NetGalley

I am seriously surprised this book isn't getting way more love. It seems like maybe WEIRD BUT NORMAL just isn't reaching its target audience, which would probably consist of hip millennials who like BuzzFeed and consider Refinery29 "peak journalism." And before you come after me, I fully group myself in that category. Refinery29 is awesome, btw, and it's so easy to fall down that rabbit hole...

BUT I DIGRESS.

WEIRD BUT NORMAL is a collection of essays on womanhood and millennialhood by Mia Mercado, a woman who is half-Filipino, half-white, and yes, this is also a theme to her essays, as well. The first 3/4 of this book were an easy five for me but then it was like she was running out of the ideas towards the end, because some of the topics got a little weird. Most of the essays I loved-- like there's a really funny one about some of her usernames that she used when she was young in the early days of the internet that was so nostalgic, and I don't think I've vibed with anything an author said about the impostor syndrome you can get with depression like this since, like, Allie Brosh. I was like, Mia Mercado, you get me.

But then there would be weird essays. Like when she pretends to be a judge ruling a court case between her 2013 self getting bangs (her current self is the plaintiff, obviously). Or when she compares bringing home different types of satire to parental disappointment? And there was one where she was writing to her sister in a way that was really sweet but also felt way too personal-- not in a "yikes!" way but in the way that reading someone else's inside jokes holds literally no involvement for you, the outsider in this equation. Sometimes these little gags would work and I would laugh (like when she pretended to be her dog-- oh my God, comedy gold), but usually it just made me go, "Huh, what?"

Most of these essays, though, are high key relatable and I really, really enjoyed this book. The commentary on being biracial and or struggling with impostor syndrome or inadequacy as a woman? So good. I breezed through this in just under a day and it left me feeling pretty happy, kind of like I'd just made a new friend. You know how some memoirs just feel really personable and it's like you can hear that person talking to you in your ear, like she's your best girlfriend and you're chatting over wine? This book was like that.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book. While this title is no longer within the realm of my current reading interests I appreciate the opportunity in receiving an ARC.

Mia Mercado's collection of personal essays that make up Weird but Normal are entertaining and interesting, but lack a depth that I found frustrating at times. It is possible that she is just much younger than I am and therefore I had a difficult time connecting with her words and overall message, but I found some of the topics and her writing to feel overused and discussed. With that said, I still did find much of it entertaining and laughed a bit throughout the book. I would recommend it to a younger audience than I to read as I felt that I didn't get too many new perspectives from the writing. Still, a good book overall.

Mia Mercado's Weird But Normal is a fun collection of essays about weird body things, complete with poop-your-pants stories, which is a great addition to weird body books.

This was a really funny book written by a millennial. I was afraid that it wasn't going to be as good as the reviews that I saw about it, but it lived up to my expectations. I love how the author writes about the excesses of her life and her experiences, as the book just flowed.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This book was perfect for a weirdo like me. I laughed and enjoyed the essays immensely.

These essays were hilarious but also thought-provoking in unconventional and often relatable ways--despite the odd topics they sometimes focus on. It made me want to embrace my own weirdness as the author clearly has as how our differences connect us and often bring beauty to our lives.

This set of essays will have you cackling out loud in your reading chair (or that was my experience at least). Ms. Mercado writes beautifully on the experience of being “woman” in a world that often seeks to dismantle every part of you, while wryly reflecting the inherent insanity (and hilarity) of it all. With writings on sex, race, gender, jobs, mental health, romance and the horrible ways bodies seem to behave, this book is relatable at every level. From the horrors of being 12 to the endless existential panic of (mostly pretending at) adulthood, Mercado perfectly illustrates what it is like to navigate this world, with all its inherent “I’m sorry...what?” moments. Read this one as a happy pick-me-up, as part of your mental health journey and as a great way to commiserate that life is most normal when it is just...weird.

This book of essays was both heartfelt and hilarious. It touches on everything from race to marriage and everything in between. I laughed out loud several times and was moved overall. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.

Is the author secretly psychic and has been reading my mind? There were so many times in this essay collection that I felt deja vu, because I felt like I was the only one who thought about my body or had a certain experience. ⁣
Mia Mercado’s hilarious essay collection touches on body image, race, dating, married life, misogyny, being a teenager during the birth of the internet, and some girls’s secret affinity for all things Bath and Body Works and Target. I laughed several times while reading, particularly her essay recounting a trip to Target in a sexual innuendo, and the chapter from her dog’s point of view. I felt like I was having a conversation with a good friend, that’s how smooth the prose was. It was refreshing to read a book written from a woman who isn’t afraid to talk about the “ugly/taboo” sides of being a woman: body hair, periods, and poop. She also addresses some valuable information about race and racism and how we can all do and be better.

I really enjoyed this compilation of essay/memoirs! I laughed out loud (a rare occurrence from books), It was very relatable as a fellow midwestern gal.

Hilarious and yet heart-felt, Weird but Normal is a rollicking good time about what it means to be human - all the good, bad, weird, and the in-between. Mia Mercado has an amazing confessional writing voice that makes reading this book feel like sitting on the back porch with wine and your best friend. Covering a wide range of topics such a racism, modern dating mishaps, misogyny, and the last time you pooped your pants. Mercado is definitely an author to watch!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I really liked this book. It had me snickering and giggling like a teenager at some of the weirds mentioned. I'll definitely be recommending this and purchasing for the library. Thank you!