I was really excited by the premise of this book as someone with a chronic illness but I had to dnf as I just had a bad taste in my mouth in regards to what I've heard from desi readers and disabled readers (including some disabled desi readers).

Very unique take on the werewolf mythology and comparing it to other chronic illnesses. There's a lot of misunderstanding with this novel, so just take it at face value - it's a book to entertain and enjoy.

DNF - Dont think i made it past 5% in this one. It just didnt click for me, i found Brigid to be insufferable and her avoidance irritated me. It was very clear how her story line of chronic illness was going to play out.

Priya had a bright future as a pre-med student at Stanford until a diagnosis of Lyme disease derailed her health and her ambitions. As she struggles with the symptoms and their consequences she finds solace in a Discord group that brings together a diverse group of friends from all over the world sharing their experiences of chronic illness, disability, neurodivergence and mental illness. One is Brigid, Priya’s OG online friend whose own condition is unusual to say the least. When Brigid goes silent Priya is desperate to help her friend but what she finds in Brigid’s basement will have her questioning everything she knows about the supernatural and the nature of illness and wellness.

I have to admit, it took me a couple of attempts to get into this one. At first it seemed a little young and Gen-Z-y for my weary Millennialism. But with the second try I was well-rewarded with sticking with it. It is an utterly heart-warming deeply sensitive exploration of chronic illness, whether this is Lyme Disease, depression or…werewolf-ism i.e., lycanthropy. This found online family of bright, funny, loving individuals and I adored spending time in the warmth of their relationships.

The one glaring issue that has received a lot of coverage is the sensitivity of a white disabled writer choosing a south Asian MC. I can’t speak to how well O’Leary does this, but I can understand the discomfort. I can only hope it was done with good intentions but it’s a choice that is oddly tone-deaf for the current moment. If you can get past it, this is a cute, fun, moving book, but it’s a shame that insensitivity will (justifiably) put off readers who might otherwise find plenty to enjoy.

Priya should be enjoying college life as a pre-med at Stanford, but a tick bite has derailed her plans.  Now, on medical leave for Lyme disease, Priya is stuck at home with her parents and brother in New Jersey.  Her body is making everyday life difficult and she is falling behind her classmates.  Priya finds comfort with her online friend Brigid and their online Chronic Illness Support Group.  When Brigid disappears from their online chat for a few days, Priya learns that she is only an hour away and decides to find her.  Priya finds Brigid's house, but inside is a scene of destruction and a large wolf-like animal.  Eventually Priya discovers that Brigid is the wolf and her chronic illness is much more complicated than anyone knew. 

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a horror-comedy with a lot of heart.  The writing is an absolutely wonderful portrayal of the tolls of chronic illness, both emotionally and physically.  The characters were all well developed and I could feel the emotional impact of their illnesses as well as their triumphs.  The support group chats were some of my favorite parts.  All of the characters, even those we only meet through the chat gave a different view on life with chronic illness and how they coped. I really enjoyed this take on lycanthropy and Brigid's relationship with the illness. Friendship and support between Priya and Brigid was another theme in the book, I loved how they developed a friendship online and it only grew stronger with their illnesses as well as how they supported one another even when things got crazy. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

DNF 10%

Even if it wasn't promoting a very harmful stereotype, the writing was bad and the mc was flat.
Let's edit & read better stories!

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses" by Kristen O'Neal is a heartwarming and humorous novel that explores the challenges of living with chronic illness. The story follows the life of main character Priya, who has been living with a chronic illness for several years. Despite her illness, Priya is determined to live her life to the fullest and pursues her passion for writing.

O'Neal's writing is witty and relatable, and she does an excellent job of capturing the struggles and triumphs of living with chronic illness. The characters are well-developed and engaging, and readers will find themselves rooting for Priya and her friends as they navigate the ups and downs of life.

One of the novel's strengths is its portrayal of the importance of friendship and support when living with chronic illness. Priya's relationships with her friends are a crucial part of the story, and O'Neal shows how having a strong support system can make all the difference. The novel is also a reminder that those living with chronic illness are still capable of achieving their dreams and pursuing their passions.

Overall, "Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses" is a heartwarming and enjoyable read. O'Neal's writing is excellent, and the story is both relatable and uplifting. This book is a must-read for anyone living with chronic illness, as well as anyone looking for a touching and humorous story about the power of friendship and determination.

As a person with a chronic illness, I had such anticipation for Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses. I really enjoyed so much about this book. It was quirky and fun, but also dealt with the sadness of living with a hand your were dealt that makes life just that much harder.

They say misery loves company, and that tends to be true. Nothing builds community the way a shared challenge or trauma does. I loved that the story focused on a community built through Tumblr., which I honest to god didn’t even know people used anymore, and Discord which I heavily connect to its roots in the gaming community. It just felt so non-mainstream, and I loved that.

I also really enjoyed that even though so much of this story felt so real and I really connected to it, there was this heavy plotline that literally dealt with a chronic illness of lycanthropy. I’ve never thought of werewolvism being a chronic illness, but it really is, right? So it was a really interesting take on the werewolf plot device.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is like Teen Wolf meets any sad sick kid story, and it really incorporates the best of both genres.

But we have to address the elephant (or the lycanthrope) in the room: Why do white people feel the need to write stories from the perspective of people of color? I was looking forward to reading this book for so long, and after I was a couple of chapters in, I realized the author is a white lady. The main character of the book is an Indian girl (Priya), and the story heavily incorporates Priya’s relationship with her Indian family. There is absolutely nothing about this story that needs the protagonist to be a BIPOC. The story could be rewritten with all the same plot points with an MC of any ethnicity, yet the WHITE AUTHOR chose to heavily include a culture that isn’t hers and profit off from someone else’s identity. It’s weird and inappropriate. Don’t get me wrong - I would’ve loved to have read a book like this with an Indian main character that was written by an author that shares that identity, but having a white person write the book makes it feel dirty, and makes me feel guilty for reading it. I was so excited about the book’s plot and felt heavily connected to the chronic illness aspect of the story. Again, it’s weird and dirty. Just… why?

Another thing I feel compelled to mention is the cover. There was a lot of backlash because the cover features an Indian teen and a werewolf, both wearing the same sunglasses. It led a lot of people to believe that Priya (the Indian character) was being perceived as a hairy werewolf, but that actually isn’t the case. The werewolf character is a white girl. I definitely see how that can be perceived without reading the book, and it’s certainly problematic, but I do believe that confusion is totally unintentional.

So I really enjoyed the book for what it was, but having more insight really skewed my thoughts and made it harder for me to really appreciate the entire thing. Again, it’s a weird flex to be white and profit off the identity of a different race. Let’s just try to move past that as a society, ‘kay?

Glad for the chronic illness representation, sad about the cover art and shoehorning in cultural/racial background of protagonist in a half-assed way that was both stereotypical and ineffective.

This book was kind of all over the place. I enjoyed the parallels drawn between chronic illness and lycanthropy, and thought it was a fun take, but the book fell a bit flat for me. The humour didn’t quite land, and it was a bit hard to get through. It just didn’t grab my attention, unfortunately.

First of all a big thank you to netgalley, the author and the publishers for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

I absolutely loved this book. I thought that the main characters, Priya and Brigid, where absolutely wonderful and I loved their dynamic. I also loved watching the relationship grow between Priya and Spencer. I was rooting for them throughout.

To those people who have rated and bitched about this book without even reading, please read the damn book or remove your reviews. To rate a book due to a misguided opinion about something the book doesn't even do, you are assuming the worst. This is not only not fair and harmful on the author but also on future readers who would really appreciate the disability rep. The fact that this book is rating almost 4 stars even with all of the negative reviews from people who haven't read the book, just shows how good this book is.

Such a good book.
I really enjoyed reading it!
As a psychologist I really enjoyed the story and it was so much fun!

I picked this up when I was still trying to give YA a chance and rekindle the love I had for it as a teenager but it has not gone well. As with the other YA books I tried, this one did not spark joy, and I wasn't interested. I would read a bit, put it down, and then not come back to it for ages. I'm glad this is a book that exists and if I had read it ten years ago, I probably would have loved it, but I have accepted that YA isn't my thing anymore.

This is definitely not what I was expecting, in a pleasant way. It draws attention to something overlooked (non-lethal ailments that still change a person's quality of life) without being condescending or boring.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. I'll hopefully try again in the future.
Didn't capture my attention and engagement. I'll hopefully try again in the future.

There was a lot I liked about this book. From the strong representations of friendship both online and offline to the accurate (in my experience) depiction of those with chronic illnesses, I thought it was a fun read and easy to get through and I would definitely recommend it as more light-hearted way to increase a reader's understanding of what it's like to live with chronic illness (along with dealing with members of the population who do not). But it would be with one major caveat:

I think that there is a strong element of tokenism when it comes to Priya's family and culture. I frankly did not see a need for the main character not to be white. Her family seemed to react to her illness and treat her in the same way my (white) family would and there were no plot lines that required a non-white protagonist. As this is also not the author's lived experience, it felt like a token nod to up readership/increase chances of being published rather than authentic. The entire time I was reading I was wondering if things were accurate because everything matched my own experience and idea of an "American Family". It made me wonder if there really were no differences (which, yay!?) or if it just wasn't an accurate depiction. It made me want to research the actual Desi/Tamil experience, not to learn more (which I look forward to and appreciate when I am trying and expecting to reach beyond my limited worldview), but to determine whether or not O'Neal's depiction was accurate. I did not feel that I could trust the author's portrayal of the characters and that is not what I look for in my "for pleasure" reading.

This is not a make or break for me. Like I mentioned, there is a lot (A LOT) about this book that I really enjoyed and would highly recommend. But it is a serious issue and something that Kristen O'Neal and the publisher need to take a long, hard look at and consider much, MUCH more carefully in the future.

I really wanted to like this book. I love werewolves, and the analogy between them and chronic illness could really work. But the culture of the main character was glaringly not correct and even the bond between the two characters was not believable. It just fell flat.

While I'm always here for chronic illness and disability representation in YA books, I am NOT here for racism.

This book was so fun to read. As someone with a chronic illness myself, I really saw myself from within the pages of this book. Absolutely loved the group chat scenes, but they could grow a bit tiresome after pages upon pages.

I only had to read the first couple of lines before I knew this was a book for me. This book made me feel seen.

Despite exploring chronic illness, this book had me laughing repeatedly whilst somehow still portraying the reality of ill health and the emotions that come with it. The exploration of the online support groups and how they provide friendship and a connection to the world when you can barely get out of bed was expertly done.

It perfectly explores how it is to realise you have a body that just doesn’t work how you want it too, whilst still being humous and laugh out loud funny. Whilst it can be dark, but joy and friendships are still possible.

Please read this book.