"How to Care for a Human Girl" by Ashley Wurzbacher is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the intricacies of relationships, identity, and human connection. The story presents a unique scenario where the act of caring for a human girl serves as a metaphor for understanding life's complexities.

The plot revolves around a character who is unexpectedly given the responsibility of caring for a human girl. This unusual situation allows Wurzbacher to explore themes such as vulnerability, empathy, and the difficulties of communication. Her writing style is both poetic and reflective, effectively conveying the emotional depth of the characters and their interactions in a way that feels authentic and moving.

Wurzbacher excels at creating characters that are relatable and multi-faceted. The evolving relationship between the caretaker and the human girl highlights the challenges and rewards of caregiving. As the caretaker gains insight into human emotions and experiences, readers are encouraged to consider their own relationships and how we care for each other.

The novel is rich with imagery and symbolism, which adds to its thematic depth. It examines what it truly means to care for someone, both in joyful moments and during struggles. The book also addresses themes of identity and self-discovery as the characters navigate their roles and societal expectations.

The pacing of the story is well-balanced, with moments of reflection interspersed with narrative tension. Wurzbacher's ability to combine emotional depth with a hint of whimsy makes the novel both engaging and thought-provoking.

"How to Care for a Human Girl" is a beautifully crafted novel that explores the complexities of caregiving and the impact of relationships on our lives. Ashley Wurzbacher has created a story that is imaginative and deeply relatable, prompting readers to reflect on their own experiences of connection and empathy. This debut novel is a significant contribution to contemporary fiction, leaving a lasting impression on both the heart and mind.

This was one of those books where not a lot happens but it had beautiful writing and really touches you. It covers two sisters who are at very different parts of life, both pregnant, and how it affects their relationship with each other and the rest of their family, while they also deal with the death of their mother. There's a real, accurate feel to the sisterhood here. I feel like a lot of negative reviews are coming from people who just want to talk about abortion rights and their political views, and there is definitely some talk about rights and wrongs and moral obligations in this, but not in a pro-life or anti-abortion way. The reactions these characters have are realistic for their characters and a character feeling coerced (or not) into abortion does not a bad story make. Overall I fully enjoyed this and would recommend it to others. I also really love the cover art and title.

Unplanned Pregnancies of Two Sisters

How to Care for a Human Girl is a compelling debut novel by Ashley Wurzbacher that follows the lives of two estranged sisters, Jada and Maddy Battle, who are both navigating unplanned pregnancies. Jada, a 31-year-old psychology PhD student, undergoes an abortion without informing her husband, Blake. Meanwhile, Maddy, a 19-year-old who works at a wildlife rehabilitation center, is paid off by the man who impregnated her. The story unfolds in two timelines, exploring their emotional and physical journeys as they deal with the complexities of their situations.

In conclusion, Ashley Wurzbacher's How to Care for a Human Girl is a noteworthy debut that tackles important contemporary issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It is a highly recommended read for those interested in women's fiction and social issues.

Multiple point of view books are always hit or miss for me but this was one was well done. It touches on many current topics that women still struggle with today. Well done and beautifully told.

I was quite excited to read this book based on the description. As I started getting into it I thought that the story would develop well and the concept was good. Unfortunately the author did not develop the characters to the extent I had hoped and the book did not have the depth that I expected. I wanted to know more about their journeys. I found that the impending divorce was a distraction and it didn't fit in the rest of the story.

I actually didn't finish this book but netgalley won't let me mark it as a dnf! So I'm giving the author a free 5 star review because it wasn't her fault I didn't finish.

I felt the suspense and energy building throughout this book and was anxious to reach the end. The ending did fall flat for me a bit in terms of the climax, it didn't seem to reflect the stakes set throughout the book. I still liked it and found both pregnancy experiences to be very interesting.

I liked this but more than I thought I would! It felt new and fresh, not just a retelling of the same story, and kept me intrigued the entire time.

I pushed through this book waiting for that emotional moment, but then it just ended. I didn’t care for this one.

really liked this. It explores two sisters, both of whom find themselves accidentally pregnant.

Told in multi POV, the book looks at motherhood and everything that means. It covers heavy topics such as abortion, adoption, women's and reproductive rights.

The book is a little hard going at times, and slow to get into, but with some perseverance it gets better.

Relatively well written but not one fir me. I’m sure it will have many readers who love it though! Thank your to NetGalley and the publisher

Special thanks to Atria books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I had such good expectations for this book, buy sadly this is one where the premise or "promise" of the book is better than the actual book.

While the attempt at discussions of sisterhood and womanhood were made in large discussions, I found the writing to be a little bit of a struggle for me.

2 stars

This book was not at all what I expected it to be. The story felt a bit shallow at times when I was hoping for more depth. The characters frustrated me a times as well. It's a good book, but won't be one of my favorites.

Ashley Wurzbacher's novel How to Care for a Human Girl has such an interesting and thought-provoking title. With abortion being such a hot topic in today's political climate, it begs the question, "What care are we giving to girls whose choice we are debating?" This novel examines said choice through the eyes of estranged sisters, both grappling with life-altering decisions of their own.

When Jada, the eldest of the siblings, finds herself pregnant in a marriage that is just not working for her, she chooses abortion, never looking back. Not only that, her decision propels her to leave her husband, diving into a PhD. research project while involving herself with another man. Meanwhile, her aimless sister Maddy is wavering in her own choice. When she visits what she thinks is a clinic, she finds herself wrapped up in a religion-driven coup to persuade pregnant women not to choose abortion. Throughout this book, Maddy struggles with her choice, while trying to find footing in an unsteady world.

While some parts of this novel are written brilliantly - such as Maddy's visit to the clinic and her interactions with the staff there - others are woefully overwrought and tedious. As I read, I would often find myself fully absorbed in the story, only to be distracted and off-put moments later. This made for a frustrating reading experience because I could never get fully invested in this story due to its hesitance to get to the point.

This was a prime example of a premise being more interesting than the actual novel. Although I typically would enjoy a novel centering around discussions of sisterhood, pregnancy, and larger conversations of womanhood, I found the execution of this work to be a little lackluster. I probably had too many expectations behind it, but I can also attest that when dealing with these topics I find strong writing to be imperative to tell these stories - and unfortunately this did not deliver for me. I liked the attempt.

2.5/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

I found this book to be rather unlikable and a struggle. Both Jada and Maddie are insufferable protagonists. The male characters are equally unlikable. The book starts with a grown woman hiding in a closet from her husband over a surprise pregnancy and goes downhill from there. I had hoped this would be a refreshing pro-choice novel shedding light on why women make choices about unwanted pregnancies, but this book didn’t even say the word abortion. It felt juvenile, wordy, and was not well-written.

I’m not sure if I just wasn’t the correct audience for this book, but I wasn’t really impressed. There are two sisters who both get pregnant but handle it in different ways. This causes the two of them to reconnect even though their relationship has been tumultuous. Honestly it felt like it took forever to get to a point and I just wasn’t interested in the characters or what happened to them.

Sister love!

Maddy was an unexpected addition to her family. A late in life pregnancy for her mom and not all together welcome by her big sister Jada. When their mother is diagnosed with cancer and later dies, each is set off in their own tailspin.

To Maddy’s eye, Jada has it all. Degrees, a husband, a nice home, money. Everything Maddy thinks she wants.

But Jada is hiding from her husband in literal closets and still drawn to her past.

Maddy is searching for belonging in men, religion, wherever she thinks she might find it and makes not so great decisions along the way.

What they really need is each other, as they eventually discover.

Lots of real life messiness, grief, and love.

A book about the choices two sisters have concerning abortion. In my opinion the story lacked emotion and depth. Some parts were too clinical. Not a fan.

In the blurb it says this book is a ”sharply funny debut”, but I did not find it very humorous at all.

Two sisters find themselves pregnant at the same time. Each deals with their unexpected pregnancy in their own way. Both sisters are also mourning the death of their mother and have issues with their father. Politics was thrown in too. It just wasn't for me. I skimmed at times when the story got too wordy.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-ARC of this novel.