Tilly in Technicolor is a really special book, even with some flaws. I loved the characters and the writing so much. Tilly and Oliver are both neurodiverse (Tilly has ADHD and Oliver has autism), and the way the author lets us inside their heads is amazing. These are the types of characters that readers have been longing for in books - especially young adult fiction. Their brains are unique and wonderful, and while each character's neurodiversity is central to plot points, their diagnoses are not caricatures or pitied or presented as character flaws for them to overcome. Tilly in Technicolor opened my eyes to viewpoints about autism and ADHD that I had never thought of before, while also being a really entertaining, enjoyable book to read.

The writing in this book is great - super readable, and the audiobook narration is well done.

My qualms with the book center around the fact that it's being marketed as YA, when these characters do not feel believable as teens (at least to me, a 41 year old). It's obviously fiction, but these characters all seem like idealized, extremely mature versions of 18 and 19-year-olds. Tilly and Oliver have so much insight and wisdom already, and they talk through miscommunications without huge drama or repercussions. I also found it hard to believe that an 18-year-old high school graduate with almost no writing experience or a college degree would be able to get a great writing job, even writing for an online publication. Just a lot of the plot points and the way to characters interacted with each other had this rainbow colored, too good to believe feeling. I also struggled with the idea of her mother completely changing her attitude about Tilly's future just because she read some of her blog.

I've loved this author's adult books, and I'm optimistic that if she continues to write YA books, the feel will become more nuanced and age appropriate. Tilly in Technicolor would be good for older teens / new adults, but I'd hesitate to recommend it to younger teens.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for giving me the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of TILLY IN TECHNICOLOR in exchange for an honest review.
TILLY IN TECHNICOLOR marks Mazey Eddings’s debut into the young adult genre. At its heart, this story is about two neurodiverse teens as they navigate a world shaped by neurotypical minds.
Tilly’s parents were hesitant to seek answers for Tilly’s impulsivity, disorganization, and challenges in a traditional education setting. After being diagnosed with ADHD, Tilly found solace in finally understanding the working of her brain. Nevertheless, her relief soon transformed into a sense of shame due to her parents’ heartrending reaction. Their continued encouragement to become more like her sister, Mona, an Ivy League MBA graduate, only exacerbates Tilly’s inner conflict. In effort to guide Tilly towards a prospective career path and higher education, her parents orchestrated a summer internship opportunity in Europe with Mona’s nail polish startup. Bursting the enthusiasm and brilliance, Tilly is eager to embrace the opportunity to escape her parents’ criticism and explore the world beyond her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. However, the realization that her parents’ motives are tired to molding her into their idea of success fuels tensions between Tilly and Mona.
Amidst this backdrop, enters Oliver- an aspiring design intern joining the trip. Oliver’s focus, intellect, and commitment to his design career are evident; although, he struggles with interpreting social cues due to being on the autism spectrum. Oliver is fascinated by color, which he uses to attempt to connect with others, though opinions of his demeanor range from rigid to unwavering. Tilly, however, secretly envies Oliver’s unwavering dedication to his passion and his confidence in his career goals.
The story unveils the stark contrast in family dynamics when it comes to embracing neurodiversity. While Tilly’s parents struggle to comprehend her needs, Oliver’s family wholeheartedly embraces his autism diagnosis, fostering an environment of mutual learning and understanding. This becomes apparent through Oliver’s interactions with his sister and his friends, as well as his reflections on significant events and conversations in this novel.
Despite their apparent differences, Tilly and Oliver gradually learn to provide support for one another throughout their journey. The author's portrayal of neurodiverse representation is remarkably authentic, beautifully rendered, and profoundly impactful. The audiobook narrators skillfully brought Tilly and Oliver to life, infusing their characters with depth and authenticity. Eddings’s distinct humor was brilliantly showcased in the audio, seamlessly aligning with the essence of Tilly and Oliver. This audiobook truly stands out as one of the highlights of my 2023 listening experience!

This is not my first Mazey Eddings book. Just as in her other books she does an amazing job of featuring diverse characters. In this book, Eddings does a great job of showing both the challenges and celebrations of living with neurodivergent traits. I appreciated both the family relationships, as well as the one between the two main characters. Tilly was easy to root for.
The audiobook version of this had two great narrators that were easy to listen to and did a good job of embodying the characters.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

More Like 3 and ½ Stars ✨

A huge thank you to St Martins Press and RB Media for my advanced copies of Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings.

I enjoyed this one.
It took a while for the characters to grow on me.
I found it to be very easy to listen to while multitasking.
I appreciated that there were dual POV's and a male and female narrator for this book.
I enjoyed the female narrator more than the male one.

Overall- Recommend. I prefer this authors adult novels and I may just stick with reading those in the future.

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings

Tilly is going on a post-graduation adventure to Europe where she gets to intern for her sister’s new company. This trip is supposed to inspire her to start a career of her own but she has no interest in following in her sister’s footsteps. Instead she falls in love with travelling and finds she has an immediate but odd connection with Oliver, the other intern.

I think I’ve read all of Mazey Eddings books now and I really enjoy her writing style. Her books are funny, heartfelt and always have a deeper message of mental health or neurodivergent characters. The ADHD and Autism reps in this book felt very well done and detailed. I don’t know as much about Autism, but raising someone with ADHD I can say so much of how she described Tilly was spot on. However, I would love to see a book where although the character has ADHD, it’s not the main issue in the book but rather a positive aspect of them as a person.

I listened to the audio of this one and can’t say I recommend it. The voice for Oliver was so distracting - especially his voice for Tilly, it was not good.

So mixed feelings on this one! Still recommend it, especially because there are laugh out loud moments and Tilly and Oliver were really loveable. Thank you to @recordedbooks and @stmartinspress for my copies!

#bookreview #audiobookreview #booksbooksbooks #audiobookreviewer #audiobookstagram #bookrecommendations #yabooks #readya #bookthoughts #canadianbookstagrammer #canadianbookstagram

Mazey has done a great job with her debut YA novel! Tilly’s growth through the whole book is great. The representation that’s shown is so nice to read. I love Oliver’s growth too!

Two neurodivergent teens come together in this delightful YA romcom, which had me smiling throughout. The audiobook narration was fantastic so if you like listening to your books, I definitely recommend picking this one up. I loved Mazey Eddings adult books but thrilled to see she can knock the socks off in the YA department too.

This is the best YA book I have read in years. It encompassed why I love reading: it truly is an exercise in empathy. As someone without ADHD or autism, this helped me understand the perspective of neurodivergent people even better. Getting to see two young people feel seen and understood by someone else for the first time ever was so beautiful. I will be telling all my friends to read this book!

Mazey Eddings can do no wrong!!!

Another perfect book with two beautifully non perfect humans.

While I found the plot of being her sisters intern while they wander around Europe a bit unbelievable, I didn't mind at all.

Ollie was such a lil sweet angel who needs to be protected at all costs.

I loved this book so so so much and I just cannot wait to see what Mazey is up to next.

4.5⭐️
Have you ever wanted to go wander through Europe with your sister and a cute guy with a camera? Well, welcome to Tilly’s world! This book is seriously my dream life, having an excuse to travel across Europe visiting sites just to take pictures of some nail polish. I also appreciated Oliver and Tilly’s journeys of traveling as a neurodiverse person, and how that may be more difficult in some aspects, but just as rewarding. I thought they were really cute together and loved their bickering before they eventually fell in love.
My only problem was the rushed ending, but I can put that aside for how much I loved the rest of the book.
I also loved the narrators, who both really got to demonstrate their talent with some many different accents throughout the book.

I usually try to get to 30% before I decide if I'm going to DNF, but I can only make it to 7%. I don't like the main characters, I feel like the writing is trying to be funny, but it's over doing it, and I don't like how adhd and antisocial disorders are being portrayed.

I also don't like the narration, but I don't know if its because of the writing or the narrators themselves. I know that I don't like the attempts at a british accent.

I'm sure everyone involved is a lovely person, this book is just not for me.

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazy Eddings
4.5/5 Stars
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•••Spoiler free review below•••

Mazey just writes the most feel good books! I thoroughly enjoyed her NA books and was excited to pick up this YA romance. It was exactly what I wanted: sweet, charming, and filled with important representation that Mazey excels at writing.

Tilly and Oliver have a not-so-meet-cute on their flight to Europe and then find out they will be coworkers for the entire summer. Both going through their own issues, they struggle to find ways to make the other comfortable and determine the best way they can individually fit into a world not designed for them.

Read this book if you like:
- post high school YA
- neurodivergent representation
- sweet romance
- travel

Tilly in Technicolor was released August 15th and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!
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Special thanks to RB Media for sharing a free copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Have you ever read a book that you wish you had when you were younger? That's Tilly in Technicolor for me, I only wish I had something like this to read when I was in high school.

There were passages throughout this book that I found myself rushing to get a pen to write down...for myself, for my adolescent clients, for the parents of adolescents with neurodiverse personalities. I will refer to this book for the words that Eddings captured over and over and over again.

Eddings has a gift. She can write about mental health and neurodiversity in a way that isn't a caricature of these representations but that really feels like she understands.

I appreciated this book so much and I hope it gets the praise it deserves. Plus, there are some truly hilarious moments!
Ketchup and wooden clogs anyone??!

I've been seeing this book all over social media, and I was so happy to snag an ALC right before publication. Happy to say that it did NOT disappoint!

To begin, both narrators were lovely. Listening at 2x speed, I had no issues with either. My personal tastes lean more towards Tilly's narrator and her enthusiasm, but Oliver's narrator's accent had a slight Trevor Noah quality and was more even keeled, which just added a nice juxtaposition to Tilly's energy.

Tilly's ADHD and Oliver's autism are both elements that the two teens acknowledge about themselves and work to incorporate into their daily lives. Each knows where some variations in their communication styles exist, but without divulging their individual neurodiversity, it can be hard for other people to pick up on just how hard they work to follow "normal" paths of thinking and interaction.

The story is witty and clever. The expletives, the well-placed pop culture references, the modern language that may not be understandable by older generations....it all works together seamlessly to give the book a real relevance and resonation with its audience.

Oliver's color descriptions based on the Pantone color codes were actually really adorable as I tried to visualize the hues he saw. Tilly & Mona's sisterly friction was alllllll too relatable.

The story is light-hearted and fun, but also really drives home poignant ideas about acceptance, independence, and love.

Overall: 4.5 stars

I'll tell my students about: alcohol, language, sex,

**Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I love that neurodiversity is being shown accurately in more stories. I really enjoyed the plot and characters but felt the ending was rushed. It was a sweet story that gave insight into neurodiversity.

Wow!! I did not expect to love this one as much as I did but it is SO good!!! The neurodiverse rep alone was phenomenal and could give this book 5 stars on its own but the story is also just so much fun! I loved getting to follow Tilly, Ollie, Mona, & Amina on their adventure around Europe. I loved getting to see both Tilly & Ollie learn to love themselves more while falling in love with each other. It was just so so so good and I honestly loved everything about it! Very highly recommend!!

If books could give hugs, this book would’ve given the biggest, best hug anyone could ever receive. ⁣
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It squeezed my heart in the best way throughout the entire story.⁣ It was so sweet and swoonworthy between two young lovers. My heart just kept sighing in the best way.
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There were so many beautiful, heartfelt discussions. I couldn’t stop highlighting.⁣
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I smiled. I laughed out loud. I had tears in my eyes. I felt so many beautiful things and envisioned so many beautiful colors and places.⁣ I could burst with how much I loved this.
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Ollie and Tilly’s relationship started off on the wrong foot, anything that could go wrong, did for these two. Tilly is this incredible hurricane of feelings and Ollie is a stoic statue in a storm. She’s always full speed and he comes off as so calm and quiet; but they’re absolutely brilliant together.⁣
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He makes her feel safe and seen and calms her mind. She makes him feel safe and seen and gets lost in his descriptions of colors. ⁣
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This was just so well done, thoughtful and just wonderful. Sharing the different challenges neurodivergents face and all of the wonderful things about them. ⁣
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Cubby and Amina were delightful. Micah and Marcus were hilarious. Mona grew on me, and eventually I liked her too. Darcy and Harry were also so supportive.⁣
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This deserves all the stars and rainbows and technicolors. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️😍🫠
Gosh and the audio!! THE AUDIO! These narrators brought this to life beautifully and even though I didn’t think I could love it any more I did. Absolutely wonderful. Just sighing with happiness.

I have never felt more seen in the first thirty seconds of a book than I did in this one! Tilly has ADHD, and no one truly understands her. I related to Tilly so much throughout this book, other than dying from the second hand embarrassment that was the entire plane flight scene at the beginning...
The audiobook is a great, both nature's are amazing. I love the cast of characters. Honestly, I wish we had more time with them.
Absolutely read this book if you struggle with your own ADHD or autism, or if you love someone who does.
Thank you to netgalley and mazey eddings for this advanced listening copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC. It was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Tilly gets sent on a trip to Europe to intern for her sister’s new startup. Her task, while she’s there, is to decide what she wants to do with her life and apply to college. She has always felt like a disappointment to her family due to her struggles with ADHD, exacerbated by the fact that she doesn’t want to go to college. What lies ahead for Tilly is a wonderful heart-warming, coming-of-age story exploring what it means to be neurodiverse in a world full of neurotypical people.

I must admit, I picked up this book not realizing it was YA, but knowing I like Mazy Eddings writing style. Did I fear I was not the target audience for this book? Yes. Was I absolutely wrong? Also yes. Mazey, I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Her writing never ceases to make me laugh out loud, and this one hit a bit close to home. I am also neurodiverse, and have struggled to find my place in the world. This book will likely give young people struggling with their own neurodiverse insecurities a bright spot of hope. It will get better, and you will find your people.

The novel also tackles some hard discussions young adults must have, including but not limited to conversations with family. Mazey handled these with such care, and they felt deeply personal. I appreciated the time she took to write this storyline.

Tilly has a great sense of humor throughout the book, and some fantastic one-liners. The nail polish descriptions were fantastic.

Favorite quote from the book (forgive me if I misquote, I listened to the audio): “Why do we talk about it in hushed whispers, instead of joyous celebrations of what different brains can offer the world?”

Overall, I had a good time with this one, and was left with some much needed warm fuzzies.

I think I have to give up and admit that Mazey Eddings and I don’t click. I’ve tried several of her books and didn’t like them but I thought a YA novel would be different. Unfortunately, no. It’s not the whole ADHD thing; I can read about people with ADHD and connect with them but at what point do we stop and ask the question: when does it stop being ADHD and it just become a label we slap on self-absorbed behavior? Tilly, for an 18 year old, should be more aware – no, there is not an infinite supply of ketchup on an airplane, and no, the guy next to you doesn’t want to constantly be disturbed by you because you didn’t think to pack something to distract you on what you knew was going to be the longest flight of your life. There are flashes of brilliance for Tilly but they are few and far between. I eventually had to give up on this because she expected people to cater to her and that’s just not something I can deal with.