This was a funny, creative exploration of chronic illness through a grounded paranormal lens. I particularly loved the group dynamics, and the way the chaotic group chat showcased them. Ultimately, this book is about finding the people who understand your experience in your body and will support you as you navigate it—I anticipate it resonating deeply with chronically-ill readers.

Thanks to NetGalley & Quirk Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Priya who is very slowly recovering from a bad bout of Lyme disease and had to leave medical school and her life behind to deal with a new life-altering disability. Priya has been (online) best friends with Brigid for years and one night, Brigid suddenly stops responding to messages. Priya decides to drive to her home only to find out...Brigid's a werewolf.

I really enjoyed the discord/text/journal sections, they were hilarious. I haven't seen Discord even mentioned in a book until now so that was nice to see. The group chats were believable and realistic, with plenty of memes peppered in but not too many.

Now, disclaimer, this book is controversial considering the author is disabled/white and wrote about a disabled/Indian American character. It's totally fair to be frustrated, but hear me out first!

This book was primarily about disability and chronic illnesses, as the title states. There was very little about Priya's culture/race in the book, which I can see is frustrating, but again, this story was more about living with a disability than it was about any other aspect of life. I am white/disabled, but felt that the book was a rare gem in seeing multiple disabled characters represented accurately, but not in an "oh, pity me" way.

I completely understand the frustration and comments about how the author could have changed Priya to be white, but honestly, she puts more of an emphasis on disability for the sake of the story and its messages. It really didn't matter what race Priya was in the end because it was about her overcoming her chronic illness as well as creating a support group with other friends who can emphasize with Priya's frustrations toward her disability. I thought the message was a much-needed one, especially since there are so few disabled protagonists in YA in the first place.

Again, I understand the frustrations toward the author and they are valid, I just hope similarly disabled readers still check out this book anyway because it really paints us as human beings with feelings and dealing with typical "have you tried being happy to cure your legs" kind of comments on a daily basis. I have never read these honest disability moments in a YA fiction book, it's always been in non-fiction.

A great and hilarious read! Woof. ;)

At its heart this book is all about friendship and how hard you will fight for it no matter how strange that friend may turn out to be. I loved the characters and the story that even though it has a supernatural element, felt ever so real.

Priya is the sole narrator for the story, and you feel for her right away. She has been dealt a harsh hand, suffering from the chronic effects from Lyme’s disease and having to give up college and possibly her choice of career because of it. Also, returning home to live with your parents after a couple of years is no easy picnic either. But even on her bad days, Priya is amazing in her bravery and facing her issues. She is also such a supportive friend and that is where this story will really get you.

Brigid is also a wonderful character. She is smart and funny and is trying really hard to not let her problems get in her way. She wants to be independent, but is finding it so difficult with everything else in her life. She is also a good friend to have when you are feeling down as she will always be there to cheer you up.

Spencer comes into the story about half way, but I just loved him. He is an instant friend to both Priya and Brigid and really accepts the truth of what is going on so willingly but is still slightly freaked out about it.

I don’t want to say too much about the story as much of it you just have to read to understand. I can’t speak to how well chronic illness was portrayed in this story, but it felt honest and real to me. I thought the author handled the ups and downs of living with chronic illness quite well. I also liked the supernatural element. I was a little nervous that we were going to have werewolf Twilight on our hands, but it really wasn’t. I loved the whole werewolf story line and how Priya helps Brigid with it.

The writing was well done with nice pacing and hardly any horror with the werewolf scenes. I only have one small minor complaint, in that the online chats with the support group didn’t work for me, but that could just be me showing my age. It might have been the formatting too. The chats didn’t seem to serve the story much either, except to bring in more perspectives on chronic illness.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It really is a wonderful story about friendship, chronic illness and werewolves. I highly recommend that you give this one a try, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

This was such a wonderful read! As someone who has had a chronic illness all my life, it was such a breath of fresh air to read a work of fiction that touched on the life of a young adult with chronic illness so well. My favorite parts of the book were the support group scenes, the heavy and challenging topics discussed were handled so well and were so near and dear to what I have experienced in my life. So very well done. The main characters were also so relatable and obviously, the werewolf storylines made the book more intriguing and captivating. Fantastic read! 100% would highly recommend especially to any young adult who suffers from a chronic illness or knows someone who does.

At its core, Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a book about friendship and what it means to recognize and come to terms with bodies that do not always do what they should. O'Neal's debut novel moves seamlessly between contemporary everyday questions of acceptance and more extraordinary concerns like "Is 'The Bellows Beast' really the name we're sticking with?" The novel is told through Priya, a nineteen year old college student currently on medical leave following an extensive hospitalization cased by Lyme disease. Struggling to understand and cope with her new body, now permanently altered by a chance encounter with a tick, Priya meets Bridget. Bridget is dealing with a chronic condition of her own, one that began in puberty and flairs about once a month (hint: it isn't her period). But soon Bridget's condition starts to worsen, becoming unpredictable and occurring more often (the whole thing about werewolves only turning at the full moon? we can thank Hollywood for that). With the help of the members of their online chronic illness support group and a not not attractive animal control officer named Spencer, Priya and Bridget investigate both myth and science, looking for anything that might help. Both poignant and funny, Lycanthropy is a refreshingly original book that reckons with very real contemporary experiences of chronic illness and disability, while using myth to complement and explore those experiences in a new and innovative way.

No, no, no. To preface my review I must admit: I had no idea what lycanthropy was when I started reading this book. But as an NJ-native who got diagnosed with a chronic illness in college, I had to read this book.

The obvious: TURNING INTO A WEREWOLF IS NOT A CHRONIC ILLNESS. This book is offensive to anyone suffering from the actual ailments mentioned in this book, and a slew of others. I can't believe the gall of this author to compare the two- very insensitive and tone deaf. Absolutely not okay and I am dumbfounded how this got past anyone.

Other reasons you should not buy or read this book:
1. It's not very good. Teens in 2021 are not still on tumblr- this was written for a different generation, and the use of tumblr and discord together feels jilted and chronologically unlikely for 2010 teens or 2020 teens. The discord conversations were hard to follow and teens don't talk like that.

2. The MC, Priya, is South Asian. The author is white. Let's support titles that are own voices instead.

I initially believed Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses would be about a young adult’s perspective on getting diagnosed/adapting to life with a chronic illness, along with the formation of a supportive group of friends with varying chronic illnesses. This was somewhat true. I thought this book would be a learning opportunity for readers but I did not find this.

What I did learn after starting this book was that it was written by a white author who had decided to write from the POV of a chronically ill person of colour and claimed the book was OwnVoices due to her chronic illness. There are MANY reviews up with concerns over cultural appropriation, racism, among other issues that I will not personally get into because many readers of colour have already stated their concerns. It seems as if the author or more likely the publisher tried to check all the boxes on diversity for the sake of adding diversity.

I will say this book centres heavily on chronic illnesses so reading about the very few facts that were included (featuring 2 chronic illnesses that I personally live with) that are not represented accurately or in any way medically correct was disturbing. It’s evident that lycanthropy (a mythological transformation of a person becoming a werewolf) was more researched than any of the chronic illnesses "represented" in this story.

I don’t know of an audience that would benefit from reading this book. It’s more harmful than helpful and therefore I would not recommend this book.

I will say that the one thing I did like about this book were the generally similar thoughts, concerns and circumstances that many people with chronic illnesses often experience. Writing about symptoms like brain fog, weight loss/gain, low energy levels, having to leave work/school, dealing with the fact that a chronic illness is a lifelong struggle that can suddenly change the rest of your life, isolation from friends, having to move home, and ultimately feeling like the old version of yourself that you were familiar with doesn’t exist anymore. These points the author did capture well.

But there were just too many issues made along the way in publishing this book that the positive points do not outweigh the negative ones. I hope the author and publisher can learn from this experience.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am saddened to say that I cannot recommend this book to my students. I would have loved to share this book with them as portrayals of chronic illness in YA fiction are few and far between, and the premise was intriguing and promising. However it was entirely inappropriate for the author to write from the point of view of a Tamil character when she doesn't share this background. This story could have been told without appropriating the unique experiences and struggles of disabled/chronically ill people of color. Chronically ill Tamil authors exist and space should be made for them to tell their own stories. Moreover, the character's race and ethnic background played little to no role in the story, and the parts when it was brought up were stereotypical at best and offensive at worst. Overall, this was disappointing. The author could have written this very needed story without appropriating.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a funny, fast-paced exploration of the impact of chronic illness on a person’s relationships, daily life, and sense of self. The main character, Priya, struggles with the way her Lyme disease changes the life she had always envisioned for herself: she has to leave college and move back in with her parents, and she chafes against the new limitations her condition creates. Priya finds refuge in an online community, and particularly with Brigid, whose relationship to chronic illness turns out to be more wild than she ever could have imagined.

I enjoyed the multimedia feel of the book, which includes message board conversations, text threads, and excerpts from Brigid’s journal in addition to the standard narration. The Discord chats live right at the edge of my pop culture knowledge, but I recognized my high schoolers in the language and jokes and imagine that YA readers would appreciate seeing their online lives captured so accurately. I also really loved the way the characters in the novel lift one each other up; there’s a lot of good modeling for how to talk about illness, disability, queer identity, and suicide. O’Neal’s attention to relationships throughout the book captures not only the challenges of living with a chronic illness, but also the potential for connection.

Some readers have pointed out the inherent issues with a white author writing from the perspective of an Indian American, and I highly recommend seeking those reviews out before you choose to pick up Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses.

LYCANTHROPY AND OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES is a gem of a story, rolling with enough fantasy to make people who normally shy from contemporary stories stick around, while fulfilling the reality check that others (i.e. me) sometimes need. The representation is bountiful and wonderful, ranging from the various chronic illnesses, the backgrounds of the characters and the gender identities and sexual orientations of the characters (my demigirl heart cried when spook introduced themselves as she/they).

This was a great, quick read! The characters are fun and I enjoyed seeing how they changed throughout the story.

I must preface my thoughts by saying I requested this book as I believed it was by an own voices author. I have since (after reading the book in full, become aware it is not. This book could have been so much more, especially as I felt some parts were poorly researched.

I wish I'd liked this better because it's truly unique - dealing with chronic illness along with a werewolf story! There was a lot of good in the story despite my ambivalent feelings so let's start there.

I can't speak to the authenticity of the depictions of the various chronic illnesses the characters have, but even if the details are not 100% correct, I still gained an appreciation for the trials of a person living with chronic, sporadic pain. I think the range of issues experienced by the members of Priya's support group help the reader see a lot of subtleties such as getting and using a wheelchair, being told "You're doing so well!", and having your health issues discounted if you're a woman, among others. There's also a strong message when Brigid questions whether she belongs in the group or not (before we know what her issue is) and is given a good definition of what constitutes chronic pain or qualifies her for membership. Not only is it inclusive, it also opens her eyes a little bit about her own definition of who she is.

Brigid's a little too over the top for me in her quirkiness but I enjoyed the friendship for the most part. I enjoyed the dynamics even more when Seth became part of their group. And Brigid mellowed as the story went on, especially in her werewolf form. Priya's family provided a stable backdrop with their concerns, over protectiveness, and support in helping Priya live with her issues.

The biggest problem I had in reading were the group chat discussions. Before I issue my judgment on those, I will preface by saying I was reading this book in an ARC and the formatting was awful in those sections which definitely slowed down the story without adding enough content most of the time so I know that was a big part of the problem. But eventually I figured out how to read those more smoothly and I still found them to be a stumbling block to the story for me.

Another issue was the delay in Priya figuring out the trigger that caused Brigid's lycanthropy to activate in the first place. I'm no premed student but after talking to her grandmother it seemed pretty clear to me that there was definitely a hormonal connection.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

this book surprised me. truthfully (and maybe idiotically) i assumed the lycanthropy was more metaphorical -- it is, after all, a well-known metaphor FOR many illnesses. here, it is both literal and metaphorical, used in conjunction with a host of other illnesses, exploring the paranormal alongside them. like i said, this really surprised me, but i actually loved it. this book is very touching, i think, a great look at a host of characters who come together to support each other through their own bodily and emotional experiences. it was lovely and sweet and charming and, overall, i really think that's what this book is: it's just <i>charming.</i>

i mentioned to a few friends as i was reading this how <i>funny</i> i thought it was. there's a deftness to the touch here that i loved. the main characters form a friendship through tumblr, basically, and then keep supporting each other. there's a decent bit of the book that takes place through chats, texts and group chats and i love that. it felt natural within the prose, with a clear understanding of how friendships evolve and how they're built from small interactions and become something vital. honestly, this book is about friendship, which is clear from the premise, and from the very beginning. it cares deeply about the relationship between all the characters, but particularly between priya and brigid, who are both brilliant imo. i loved to see them interact and i love how supportive they were. there's a scene towards the end where, after an argument, priya refuses to leave for hours because she has to make sure brigid is okay but afterwards they still don't talk as they had, they're still fighting. i loved that. it felt organic.

it is, perhaps, ridiculous to say that a lot of things felt natural in a book that includes lycanthropy but it did. there was something natural and thoughtful to all the depictions of illness and how it affects every aspect of your life: how you'll think you're better and then the same thing happens. the particular frustration. the idea that this is some kind of moral failing on your part. priya and brigid struggle with this, in particular, and it's done with such gentleness and care and respect. i really appreciated it.

this does make it sound kind of heavy but i never thought it was, particularly. the parts of the book that deal with brigid's illness, with the lycanthropy, and how it seems to overtaking her are so fun to read and there are some great set pieces which are really engaging. i'm really glad i read this! it was fun and i LOVED these girls and how much they loved each other. god bless 'em.

i received an advance copy from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for a review!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. I was really looking forward to the chronic illness representation, but it has come to my attention that this is not an OwnVoices story as I believed it to be. While the author may have chronic illnesses, she is not Tamil. I feel the synopsis is misleading, and I would not have requested the title had I known. I am not comfortable reviewing or recommending a book on my blog that appropriates a POC story.

This is a story about dealing with chronic illnesses, like Lymes disease and lycanthropy.

I really liked this, but didn't love it the way I had hoped. While there was a supernatural element, it primarily read like a contemporary and the utilization of web speak felt a bit heavy handed.. but it was still a lovely story. I think readers hoping to just dip their feet into the fantasy genre while remaining primarily grounded in real life will likely enjoy this.

4/5 stars

This book was a lot of fun. A lot of it is told in a sort of modern epistolary form, through tumblr, discord, and texting. It shows the way online communities can provide relief for people who are cut off from the people closest to them for some reason or another, and I loved the central focus on friendships and familial relationships rather than romantic ones. The werewolf element was also incorporated really well into the story, where the story was at turns a detective story, a paranormal story, and contemporary fiction.

I LOVED this comedic book that had a horror element to it!! Priya's voice is strong, and I found myself completely enthralled with the mystery of Bridget. I will definitely buy this for my classroom library and book talk it to my students.

This was a unique take on a YA chronic illness focus story with a very modern focus. The group of teens meets on a discord server to support each other through their trials during their respective illnesses and one of them happens to be a werewolf. This was also a timely story as it seeks to get into the mind of teens returning from college and feeling the need to leave the nest, but not sure how to do that. Enveloping this story in relatability and humor, the author did a fantastic job of exploring a new concept. This would make a great Netlix original adaptation :)