I wanted to like this, but Ellie is just such a brat through 95% of this book. She made a little redemption basically in the epilogue but not nearly enough for her to be less unlikeable to me. I think I’m just too old for YA, clearly - I’m not here for the teenage angst. Bonus points for a cute cover, though.

I think this book will be well-enjoyed by its target market. Being a middle-aged woman, I am NOT the target market for a YA novel. That said, I do find some YA books to be incredible, and the synopsis of this one sounded exactly like the type of YA book I would enjoy.

Unfortunately for me, something was lacking. It felt as if I were dropped right into the middle of Ellie Haycock's life without much of a backstory or explanation of her condition. I don't know if it truly wasn't explained well or if my mind wandered while I was reading the part that should've explained it, but I sure didn't have a memory of it and was left feeling a bit confused at several points throughout the book.

I also found certain parts of the plot to be really predictable and maybe too neatly tied up in the end. Not that I want to see the characters suffer, but I just wanted it to feel more realistic and authentic than it did (at least for me). I also thought a lot of the relationships felt somewhat shallow and surface level. I didn't feel a deep emotional connection between the characters, nor did I personally feel any kind of emotional connection to the characters.

I do think my opinion will be in the minority here. It's not a bad book by any means, and I do appreciate that it's shining a light on a condition I had never heard of before. But overall, the book just wasn't for me. I wouldn't say I disliked it, but I also can't really say that I liked it, so for me, this one is 2.5 stars (rounded up since there's no option to select half stars on this review).

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this but there was not one character I liked in this. Ellie and her mom were very hard to root for and I understand that, but it made for a rough read.

DNF @ 40%

I was looking forward to this one since I'm always on the lookout for more books about characters with disabilities and chronic illnesses, but unfortunately this one is a miss for me. While I enjoy the themes, I'm not finding the main character likeable at all. I understand where she's coming from and that she will likely change as the book progresses, but coupled with the slow pacing, I'm not interested enough to continue reading.

Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal is an emotional and beautiful coming of age YA novel. All of the characters felt three dimensional and I had to remind myself several times that they weren’t real people
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I loved how much time we spent with Ellie’s hospital friends. They were so supportive in the story and written extremely well. Since they were all seeking treatment for different things and came to the Home at different ages, their interactions provided a lot of wisdom and empathy as they interacted with each other.

The romance took a back seat to Ellie’s character growth, and I think that was the right choice for this story. This story is very much Ellie’s and I loved watching her discover that it’s ok to lean on others.

This book made me very thankful for the dependable friends in my own life, because genuine friendship through good days and really bad ones is such a blessing.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

In solidarity with the SMP Boycott I will be withholding my review for this title (which I was given prior to the boycott) until SMP acts on the following:

1. Address and denounce the Islamophobic and racist remarks from their employee.
2. Offer tangible steps for how they are going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3. Address how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian influencers, authors and readers, in addition to supporting their BIPOC influencers, authors, and readers.

This is not a reflection of the author personally, nor is it a call to boycott buying this particular book.

I loved this book for so many reasons. As someone who’s lived with a lifelong illness, and also as the mother of a teenager with a chronic illness, this book hit a lot of targets for me. Seeing the experiences written down on paper in such a caring and elegant way is one of the things I truly loved about this story. The way Ellie dealt with things and the way she thought and felt were so relatable. This was a great read.

Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal is the story of a girl with chronic medical issues. Ellie absolutely refuses to let those challenges define her and she makes this work by dividing her life into hospital friends and non-hospital friends. When Ellie is forced to see a new doctor, she must think about the possibility of another surgery. With the help of her hospital friends, can she allow herself to trust a new doctor again?

I really enjoyed Gretchen Schreiber's debut. It is clear that she is a new author to watch in YA. Ellie’s voice is so realistic and relatable. I completely understand why she separated her life into hospital and non-hospital friends. I’m very glad that she found true friends and eventually ditched the friend who didn’t understand her. Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal portrays what it is like to be chronically ill and the complex relationship between patients and healthcare providers. This is really important discourse and was done very thoughtfully. Readers who enjoy lovable ensemble casts, determined heroines, and disability rep will love Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal. I’m excited to see what Schreiber writes next!

Thank you to Gretchen Schreiber, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

This book had me a bit split. I thought it was a great representation of a main character with a disability. It felt like a window into the lives of many who grow up in and out of hospitals. It showcased a perspective that is rarely seen. However, Ellie as a character was a bit insufferable. Her communication skills were horrific. The majority of problems thought out the book were because of poor communication. There’s a point of “not letting people in” but then also blatantly ignoring texts and avoiding friends. Avoiding confrontation is not a result of her medical issues. That was really frustrating to me but it seems towards the end she figured it out.

Title: Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal
Author: Gretchen Schreiber
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“The Breakfast Club meets Five Feet Apart in this big-hearted novel from debut author Gretchen Schreiber.”

I requested this book thinking I was going to get a lot of the same feelings reading it as I did “The Fault in Our Stars”. This book definitely gives those vibes and deals with a lot of important topics, especially in the area of friendship and the idea of “found family”. While I have never been through anything Ellie has gone through, some of Ellie’s stubbornness and cynicism were a lot to take. I think I may have related to Ellie’s mother the most, since I am a mother, and have no idea how I would handle watching someone I love go through all of that.

This is 100% a YA novel, but I knew that going in so I was expecting younger conversations and dialogue.

If you’re in the market for a coming of age story that’s a quick read and will make you feel all the feelings, add this to your list! Thank you so much to

A special thank you to SMP and Wednesday books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is like a cozy hug reminding us to own our stories and cherish real friendships. But oh boy, Ellie can be really stubborn! I wished she'd see the sunshine in her life instead of being her own challenge. The ending felt like she did a quick change, though. Still a cute read! 📖💕

Ellie spends a good majority of her life in hospitals because of a disability caused by health issues. This story is full of teenage drama between family and friends as Ellie learns about friendship and love. At times it gets heavy with lots of things to process and ponder. Be aware that there is some swearing that might be uncomfortable for some readers. I enjoyed experiencing a different point of view on life. I also found it interesting that the story was based on the author’s own experience. I think this added authenticity to the characters and their feelings. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus which was wonderful to listen to because of the different voices for each character. My favorite was Caitlin.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really thought this book sounded great. I am someone who gets very anxious about medical things so I did not really like this one because it stressed me out a lot. BUt the story would be good for younger readers

This was a good YA book that really dealt with a lot of adult things in a YA way. I really liked Ellie and learning more about her, but this book did drag a bit without a lot of variation in what was happening. I almost DNFd, but I think I'm glad I pushed through.

A very real look inside what’s it’s like to be a chronically ill kid, especially when your disability is visible and impossible to hide. You could tell that the author is telling this story from a vulnerable place, revealing things she’d actually felt: that not only had her disability and all the hospitalizations and surgeries ruined her life, it’s ruined the lives of her family and all the relationships around her as well. There’s a lot of fear and anger and hurt, pushing people away before they can reject you, letting your true feelings build up until you explode. In the end, though, what Ellie learns is what we all need to learn: we can’t control the terrible things life throws our way, and not every day is going to be good, but we can control how we react to those things and how we relate to those around us. We can choose to share what’s going on with those who love us, and allow them to help us through those hard times, just as they celebrate the good times. We can be honest and tell people when we’re upset with them, and then work to repair that relationship or choose to let it go.

Ellie just wanted to be normal, and have a normal life, but she thought she had to hide the “ugly” parts of herself to be normal. Turns out, she just needed to have some control over her own life and who knows what about her. I’m pretty sure I was mad at every character at some point while reading, including Ellie, but I’m glad that in the end, she was able to work things out with everyone that matters to her, and most of all, that her mom understood why she felt like she did about the blog and was willing to shut it down.

There were times when the writing was a little inconsistent, and it felt like Ellie’s thoughts and emotions were whipping back and forth like a ride she wouldn’t be allowed on. While it was disconcerting at first, it’s probably pretty accurate to how the author truly felt at that time, and her perspective is one that is sorely missing in YA fiction. I would definitely recommend this one.

Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber is an emotional read. You can feel Ellie’s emotions almost as if they are your own. I was rooting for her to get her extraordinary experiences. There is also a lot of great wit. This is a YA read that brims with meaning.

Young adult novels are hit-or-miss with me, and while I thought the premise of Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal was interesting, I started reading with a bit of trepidation. I need not have worried, as Gretchen Schreiber has written a beautiful story of friendship, parenting, and young love set in a family residence near a children's hospital that centers around a teenage girl with a chronic genetic illness.

The book delves into the reality of dealing with serious illness, especially when the outcome of treatment or lack of diagnosis is frustrating, and the author does so without sentimentality. The effect of Ellie's disability on those around her, as well as her own interactions and relationships, provides the reader with thought-provoking situations and insight into the impact of medical interventions on families and friendships.

I thought each of the characters was well-developed and interesting, and I was hoping for positive outcomes for all. As a fan of The Fault in Our Stars and the Breakfast Club, I found the comparisons appropriate, and would recommend this book for teens and adults alike.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press-Wednesday Books for the digital ARC of Ellie Haycock Is Totally Normal by Gretchen Schreiber. The opinions in this review are my own.

As someone who spent their high school and adult years in and out of hospitals, plus being the mom of a son with special needs who also is in and out of hospitals quite frequently, I honestly thought this book would be a shoe-in for me. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

A few of the issues that I personally had was that the situation with Ellie was not believable. Someone her age who has had over 40 surgeries, which would average over 3 a year since birth, would simply not be able to attend public school and be able to keep an illness such as hers a secret from anyone. Her attitude towards anyone who wasn't her was callous and she always assumed the worst in people without even giving them a chance to understand or support her. This in combination with her self-centered attitudes towards her mom and her hospital friends made her a not very likeable person.

Even though this novel was not for me, I do greatly appreciate more novels for young adults with disability visibility for others to learn and understand what life can be like for those of us who have to split our time between hospital life and not-hospital life. I actually identified the most with Ellie's mom, not because I blog about mine or my son's medical conditions, but because I understood her lonliness and the need for a support system. I have had friends who have decided my medical issues are too much for them and I have had friends who have stood by me every step of the way, but the only people who truly truly understand what you are going through are those who are going through it themselves and medical communities and support groups are essential for moms with kids with special needs.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I love the fact that we're starting to see more books on the market that contain main characters with a disability. Ellie is one such character. She's honest, perhaps too much so at times, and totally relatable and realistic! Her struggles with her chronic condition and educational and inspirational. Then when you throw in the usual teen dramas with friends, school, and parents, you have a must-read book! I love how Ellie doesn't sugarcoat anything. She doesn't try to convince everyone that everything is sunshine and roses ... and that's totally spot-on, especially when you live with a chronic illness. The supporting characters are also well crafted and, along with Ellie, have great development. Ellie has a great group of friends that help her, and each other, navigate the challenges of life, particularly when they involve hospital stays. I wasn't familiar with VATERs syndrome prior to this book, so I appreciated learning more about this rare disability, and the author's personal experience adds another layer of credibility to the story. This book will stick with me, and I look forward to reading more from Schreiber!

This was an average read for me. I liked the general message of this book. I did think it lacked a little depth. But overall it was good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.