I saw a book review comparing HOW LUCKY as if "Fredrik Backman wrote Girl on the Train," which intrigued me immediately. As someone who loves Fredrik Backman (author of Anxious People, A Man Called Ove, etc), I might've gone into this book with TOO high of expectations. Don't get me wrong - it was an intriguing, hilarious read -- but just didn't amaze me like Fredrik does.

Recently, I was coming out of a reading slump and this was THE PERFECT BOOK to get me out of it. It's fast-paced and witty. The main character, Daniel, is a fantastic character that not only is entertaining but also teaches the reader about what it is like to be disabled. While the pacing might've been a bit too quick at the end, it kept me on the edge of my seat -- needing to know how it all was resolved. Definitely would recommend (but just can't put it up there with Fredrik!)

So the first thing I thought when I started reading this book was the movie Rear Window -- was this going to be a take on it -- then I see Will has already answered that question and said no -- but I still say yes!!

The main character Daniel is in a wheelchair from a disease he was born with -- which Will goes into a lot of detail on in the book -- and he sees a girl getting into a car from his window (hence Rear Window) and he can't tell if she wanted to get in or was kidnapped -- days later finds out that same girl is missing.

This book is a very fun ride -- so unique and I couldn't stop reading it -- and let me tell you -- the ending is everything!!!

How Lucky was a serious delight to read. I loved that the main character of How Lucky is someone with SMA and goes through life as differently abled. Throughout this book, we are met with this dry, somewhat sarcastic humor from our protagonist and lots of commentary on how able bodied people interact with those who use mobility devices, have learning disabilities, or look different from "normal" able bodied kids in a way that perhaps unintentionally educates while poking fun at how inept many of us are. Often times asking us to really think about the ways we go about interacting with disabled members of our community and reminding us that we need to not treat differently abled folks like weak, incapable beings. It was interesting and wonderful how those moments came through and were integrated into the story. We get to see the day to day of our friend, hear his thoughts, and see how the world reacts to him first hand but in the middle of all that, there's a mystery. A crime. Something really tense going on. I loved how the book started out with giving us just the right amount of hook into the true crime Daniel witnessed. Enough to get you and also have you feeling frustrated with everyone else sort of dismissing Daniel, especially the police officer. Great writing on creating a push and pull. The funny bits and sociopolitical commentary littered throughout the storytelling was well-done as well. I also personally found the uncertainty about the email correspondence and the truth behind those words we read to be really fascinating and a great way to move the story forward. Plus, the slow reveal of the guy's warped mindset and opinions was just perfect. You feel your heart racing in those little moments when Daniel was alone or something just read as off in those emails because you just weren't sure what to believe and you had already become quite invested in the people you were meeting through How Lucky. After all, the characters felt so lively and so wonderful. From Travis to Marjani, I felt so happy to see them with Daniel. Honestly, that's another big plus one for this book. The characters were well-written, lovable, and felt so human. They and Daniel made this book feel much more connected to the reader. There's a lot of love, kindness, struggle, understanding, frustration, sadness, and joy all wrapped up in the story we get to watch unfold in How Lucky. I don't think I can put my finger on it concisely right now, but I know that this is a book I would recommend. I feel very lucky to have gotten an ARC of this book and grateful to have read this lovely novel.

A fast and fun light mystery read. My favorite part was reading about the main character, Daniel, and seeing him live his adult life with Type 2 SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). He’s witty, sarcastic, smart, and charming. “This is for everyone who was born with this terrible disease decades ago. We are everywhere, and we are strong, and we are not just objects of your pity.” Kudos to Will Leitch on creating such a memorable character and for bringing awareness to those fighting the fight against SMA every day.

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for this ARC.

Twenty-six-year-old Daniel thinks he's witnessed an abduction. He knows monsters exist because he's lived with singular muscular atrophy (it's like ALS but in kids), and it's slowly killing him. As Daniel investigates the kidnapping—with the help of his BFF—his physical disability challenges the idea of what makes a hero. A riveting thriller with heart.

I was given a free arc by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was one of the best books I have read in a long time. The narrator Daniel is wise beyond his years and has something to teach all of us about appreciating the life we have.

Up until the very end, I really didn't enjoy the book very much.
I will have to admit however, that this has more to do with me and what I expected from the book, then the book itself. I am a bid of a mood reader and I think I was expecting more suspense, mystery and drama. What I got was mostly character introspection, which was actually really well executed. The main character was likeable and you couldn't help but root for him. The cast of supporting characters, was also quite endearing, and we all should be so lucky as to have such deeply caring friends/caretakers.
The mystery plot was there, but I think it mostly served as an excuse to write a book in the first place. The star here is clearly Daniel who deals ever so gracefully with the rough hand nature had dealt him. It isn't often that we get to read a book from the perspective of a disabled person, who is wheelchair bound and cannot move
more than his head, toes and a couple of fingers. It was an important book, that will make for great discussions in a classroom or a book club setting. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good character study and introspective.
Just don't pick it up for the thrill of suspense and mystery, or you might be disappointed.

Voyeur. Here we have a young man confined by a degenerative disease , to his house, a chair and a life her has found a way to enjoy. His joy , is the one factor I found fascinating, a human bot for an airline,listening all day to complaints and issues travelers face. He spends his days watching. He comes to know the day to day until he sees an abduction. A woman he sees almost if not every day is taken and no one takes him or the abduction seriously. You have high hopes for this debut. I still do not know the fate of Ai-Chin the supposed kidnap victim. I will admit the author fully realized his main character. He had pluck, never dwelled too long on his disease and led a well rounded life. All in all a good. Read

I was excited to receive a digital advanced copy of How Lucky from NetGalley. I quickly became invested in the life of the main character, Daniel, and was anxious to see where the story/mystery would lead. Being able to see through the eyes of an intelligent, funny, and quirky man who also happens to have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) made this book a memorable experience.
If you are a fan of Frederick Backman novels, you'll appreciate the perfectly quirky tone of this book.

How Lucky was a fantastic read. It was absolutely engaging and thoroughly entertaining. I learned a lot about SMA and the author did a wonderful job crafting the protagonist. I truly appreciated the writing style, the eclectic cast of characters, and the overall plot. I would say that the underlying thriller aspect left me wanting; however the bulk of the piece was absolutely fantastic. Loved the voice of the protagonist and the evolution of suspense throughout the piece.

"It’s not enough that I have to deal with this every day. Now I have to make you feel better about it."

Daniel is a young man in his mind-twenties who lives by himself in the small college town of Athens, Georgia, and he works as a customer service rep for a small regional airlines. He has a positive outlook on life, a best friend (This is one of Travis’s greatest gifts: the ability to make all unpleasantness and worry disappear simply by not paying attention. He’s like a goldfish with a head injury.), and BTW he has Type 2 SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). This means he has to use a wheelchair to get around because he can't walk, he can no longer talk though he could when he was younger and the disorder is progressively getting worse.

One morning he's on his front porch and he thinks he sees a young woman being abducted from across the street and he tries to communicate this to several different people as a search starts for this missing woman.

I loved Daniel. I wish I could be half as positive and upbeat as him. I liked the different supporting characters too.

I did feel there was a bit of awkwardness about the reporting of the abduction to the legal authorities and the way the follow-up was handled by the police. Just because Daniel is disabled I don't believe his reporting would have been handled in the manner it was handled (just my opinion).

But I do highly recommend this book just based on the portrayal of Daniel's character.

I received this book from Harper Collins through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

This protagonist is relatable and human. Which I adored!
This is a captivating mystery told through the lens of a young man with spinal muscular atrophy!
This is unique and unforgettable suspense novel that I absolutely couldn’t put down.
I loved how the author shined light on SMA!

How Lucky is a wonderful combination of humor, hearts strings being pulled, and suspense. Daniel is a man in his mid twenties living with SAM- a progressive terminal disease that has rendered him to being cared for by others, requiring a wheelchair, and unable to verbally speak. Despite all his disease has taken from him, it’s also made him a keen observer which results in him possibly being the last person the see a young graduate student that has gone missing.

I loved the characters in this book. They are well developed and heart warming. Daniel in particular is the hero you didn’t know you needed. There’s a lot of subtle commentary on the world and some issues that could use more attention.
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Overall an enjoyable story. Thank you to #Netgalley #HarperCollins and author Will Leitch for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Daniel spends most of his time at home working remotely as a customer service agent for a small, regional airline. He has a rare disease, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) that has caused his body to deteriorate to the point where his movement is limited to the point where he can’t speak and uses a wheelchair.
One day he notices a car drive by, and a young woman (who passes his house at the same time every day), gets into the car. As it comes to light that she’s become a missing person, Daniel starts to engage online and finds himself in danger.

This book is the perfect blend of self deprecating sarcastic wit and deeply touching empathy. The narrative had me alternately laughing, on the edge of my seat, and crying with these fully fledged characters. The beautiful friendships in this novel and Daniel’s innate goodness are what we all need.

“You don’t owe anyone anything. They help you because they love you. Why else does anyone help anyone? Letting someone help you is the nicest thing you can do for anyone.”
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I went into this one not sure what to expect and I absolutely loved it! It was such a smart and witty read that I just couldn’t put down!

Daniel was such an endearing protagonist that you can’t help but fall in love with. He was just so charming and his outlook on life was so refreshing!

While the book itself fits more into the fiction genre as is explores Daniels life with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, I throughly enjoyed the suspense and mystery aspect as well!

If you’re looking for a nice and creative change of what you typically read, I highly recommend checking this one out!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded to 5 for goodreads!

Congratulations to journalist and sportswriter Will Leitch on the publication of his debut novel How Lucky! This book is unlike anything I've ever read. From the marketing blurb: How Lucky "tells the story of Daniel, a young man with a debilitating disease who believes he witnessed the kidnapping of a college student."

Since this was a May BOTM title, there may be lots of reviews and discussion online. I'd avoid spoilers to get the full experience of this unique novel that incorporates several themes/styles:

Mystery - Did Daniel see what he thinks he saw?

Autonomy and self-advocacy - The plot emphasizes Daniel's independence and abilities rather than his limitations and disabilities.

Epistolary - Daniel communicates with others via email, text, tweets, and instant messaging.

Sportswriting - Several descriptions of epic tailgating for collegiate football games are included.

The author splices information about spinal muscular atrophy (SMA); Georgia football fandom; and key characters’ backstory with the mystery/thriller thread. This was sometimes frustrating but motivated me to read through the 'information' sections to discover what happens next.

I really want to read "own voices" reviews of How Lucky and would appreciate referrals to them. I also want to discuss some plot points with others who've read this. Thank you to Harper Publishing for the review copies; all opinions are my own.

This is a Suspense Mystery that is told from the point of view of a young man with Type 2 SMA named Daniel. This book feels like you are in the mind of Daniel, and you really get to feel what it is like to be him. I really love that this book show that so well. The mystery was really good, and the build up was really good. I really glad I read this book. I really did not know what I was jumping into when I picked this book up, but it was a ride like no other. Daniel's character was really developed, and his character was so great. I also loved the woman that helps him named Marjani. Her character was everything, and I loved her so much. This book is way more then a fast pace action pack Mystery because it opens the eyes of the readers to what it is really like to have disabilities which is so great. I do not know about SMA myself, so I cannot say if it is correct in this book. I picked this as my Book of the Month book of May, and right after I picked it I got approve for it on Netgalley. I have to say one thing that I did not understand was why chapter 25 was not there. In my netgalley kindle edition and in the Book of the Month copy chapter 25 was just 25. and nothing else on the page. Maybe, I am missing something. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harper) or author (Will Leitch) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on May 11-2021.

https://www.mybotm.com/zr12wnytgc8?show_box=true

This was phenomenal, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to get when I started this book. On one side you have the story of Daniel, how he received his diagnosis and how he ended up where he is today. I loved the perspective he shared about the world and how he views others; how he highlights why people shouldn’t feel bad for him, and how he sort of feels bad for them. Then we have the thrilling crime he witnessed and the subsequent repercussion it has on his life. I really didn’t expect to have that much of an adrenaline inducing ending- but it was fantastic!

Wow! Daniel is a powerhouse character. The reader spends the whole story with this witty,optimistic,joyful character. How lucky we are! Daniel is an unlikely hero in this strange but entertains mystery/ thriller. I tore through this book because I just wanted to hangout with Daniel some more. The thriller element is kind of creepy but it will keep you on edge un til the end. This was the first read I really enjoyed in a while

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was quick and entertaining. Daniel’s inner dialogue was the star of the show. He sometimes endearingly got way off subject. I was a bit confused on how he and his caregivers could have such detailed silent conversations, but I suppose this was all from his point of view. The conversations might have been totally different from another POV! A bit of suspense/mystery, a lot of true love.