Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I have been reading a lot about autism lately, and this is a very powerful addition to the books I have read. This author bravely details her childhood and all her suffering--including suicidal thoughts--and how finally arriving at a diagnosis, and then finally choosing to learn about herself, made her life more manageable and worth living. I like how Layle was brave enough to show it all--her behaviors that caused her problems and misery both at home and school, and how no one seemed to be listening or to know what to do or how to help. I also like how she showed that just receiving a diagnosis alone did not "fix" everything--she still had a hard road ahead of her, and even now autism affects her life all day, every day. I also appreciated the more informational explanations about autism, about being disabled. Very well done and a powerful read.

I was very intrigued to read this after an enlightening conversation with my older brother. Our father, while a very good man, husband and provider- had some offbeat tendencies of which we had talked about for years. One glaring tendency was not being able to really look someone in the eye while speaking to them. My brother speculated, "I wonder if he was autistic?" My father was born in 1924, so the term wasn't "available" back then.

Paige tells her story from early childhood to present day (she's about 23) describing situations that set her apart from everyone. A ton of crying, asking a lot of questions in class when she didn't understand something, preferring to work absolutely alone rather than in groups, being excluded from parties, hearing noises that to others might be subtle or non-existent- but to Paige a relentless persecution in the background. These are just some of her challenges, but she also suffered from depression and the nagging desire to kill herself.

Paige seeks out help through various therapists and psychiatrists, spends a horrific sounding stint in the psych ward, and finally gets the diagnosis of Autism. While she still suffers from her brain being built different than most people, she embraces her diagnosis, establishes boundaries to enhance her life, and freely shares her diagnosis when conflicts arise.

I read the ebook and also listened to the audiobook (which she personally narrated). I enjoyed both versions, but was really impressed with the strength and sense of self that bled through her narration. It was as if every single word was so important to her, and she carefully delivered each sentence with that reverence- and occasional spunk. Paige was a top tier student in school, even rating Valedictorian- and approached her schoolwork with an almost manic attention. She is a young woman with a lot of focus and drive with a purpose to educate people about the Autism diagnosis. I commend Paige for her heartfelt efforts.

Thank you to the publisher Hachette Books / Hachette Audio/ Hachette Go who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

I was first introduced to the author by a client of mine who was questioning their own neurodivergence. After learning that Paige was writing a book about her experience as an AuDHDer, I knew that I needed to read this to better support my clients. As an AuDHDer myself, I found this book to speak to my own experience as a neurodivergent human and the pain and strength that comes with being able to put to words the internal experience of being autistic. I will further recommend this book to clients and friends of mine, especially female-identifying clients and friends, who are on the path to better understanding their beautiful minds and neurodivergence. I also recommend this book to others who desire to better understand and support the humans in their lives who are neurodivergent. Thank you to NetGalley and Paige for this beautifully written ARC.

My niece was recently diagnosed with Autism, my son is going through an evaluation, and I’ve been wondering about myself. This book was too good not to pick up for this phase of my life.
I am not active on social media enough to know who this author is but I loved reading her story.
There were parts where she was rambling, or the story felt confusing with backtracking but that’s also why I liked the book. She made me see things that are very similar to my niece and even some small things similar to my young son. It’s so nice to be able to get a glimpse inside of a brain similar to someone I know so well. I have had my sister put this book on her reading list and I think my niece will enjoy it in a few years when it is her age level. She currently feel very alone in her diagnosis and we are always trying to find others similar to her.

This book was extremely insightful, and I loved that the author included scientific information on top of her personal experiences. I really appreciated hearing her story and seeing her journey of self acceptance and learning what works for her. This was a great book!

As the mother of a girl who was “too social” to have autism, this book hits home. Girls present differently than boys, and it’s a spectrum for a reason. As the old saying goes “if you know someone with autism, then you know one person with autism.” Everyone with autism is an individual. Just like the neurotypical community. It’s hard to believe we all still need so much educating in 2024, but we do. We are always changing and learning. Paige Layle provides a much needed voice on this topic. I’ve heard complaints about the author’s age, but why would we make someone wait until a certain age to share their story? Her perspective is vital and I’m appreciative she took the time to write this book and help make autistic people feel more seen, and to help the rest of us understand a little bit more.

But Everyone Feels this Way by Paige Layle reads as part memoir, part educational piece and part self help. Paige was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in her early teens and shares her experience as a child living with undiagnosed autism and how her diagnosis changed her life. Paige gives us an honest look into what life has been like for her. I learned a lot about autism throughout this book and she has inspired me to continue to learn more. She is an excellent teacher and gives easy to digest comparisons to help ensure understanding. I always find it challenging to rate a memoir because I never want to judge someone's personal story but I struggled with the slow pacing and felt the language used was for a young adult audience. Overall I think this book could be a great resource to help allistic people better understand the experience of living with autism. Thank you to Hachette Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book read like a high school report. The language and the way she littered copy paste facts through out the book. It felt strange to read a memoir of someone so young who hasn’t lived much.

Would be good book for therapist to recommend to a young person getting diagnosed. One time a therapist recommended a book for me that was pretty baseline but so eye opening for me at the time. I think this book could do that for a tween getting diagnosed for the first time that they are in the spectrum.

It also felt weird reading a whole book of someone complaining about their experience that has grown up with so much advantage and privilege. The nice school, after school programs, multiple therapists, and opportunity to be enrolled in a mental hospital… and even the super supportive mom who did things like add her asd to her school file immediately.

Has a whole section about ableism but says ableist things on social media.

Quote from one of her videos : “non vocal autistics have no thoughts no brain. “

She says multiple times in the book how highly intelligent she is. More than anyone she knows. I found this exciting because she has been called out on social media for saying she knows better how to raise an autistic child more than any parent.

This was a fun social experiment. I didnt love the book. I don’t think I much like the author either.

I've followed Paige on TikTok for a couple of years, ever since I first began questioning if I was autistic. I was excited to learn more about her life and the events leading up to her autism diagnosis. I like Paige's writing style a lot; she's definitely very intelligent and articulate. I really appreciated reading about the experience of someone whose struggles were overlooked because they did well in school and didn't make trouble.

*Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.*

Like many others, I came across Paige on TikTok at the beginning of the pandemic. I always enjoyed their videos as they are informative, personal and engaging. Their passion for the subjects they cover surrounding autism is contagious, making it hard to look away.

Paige brings us on a journey that spans from childhood to adulthood and depicts the impact of autism on their life. We get to see how alienating and distressing it can be to struggle in plain sight. As an allistic person, I gained a lot of insight from reading But Everyone Feels This Way. I can only imagine how beneficial it would be for individuals who experience similar challenges, whether they have been diagnosed or not.

I also appreciated the book's format, which helped me better understand Paige's thought process.

Final thoughts: Neurodivergent or not, don't hesitate to pick it up. It is extremely touching and inspiring.

This is a highly detailed portrait of what it looks like to grow up without an autism diagnosis. Girls often mask their symptoms, so it didn’t use to be diagnosed in girls as frequently as it is now. As some reviewers have noted, everyone’s experience with autism is different, and that’s precisely why it can be so challenging to get a diagnosis. Paige does a great job laying this out, as well as explaining that people on the spectrum tend to have other issues that can sometimes make it harder to get that diagnosis. It’s very validating to get a late in life diagnosis, which I’m pursuing now that both my kids are on the spectrum and autism runs in my family. A very important book indeed!

I enjoyed this book and the perspectives that Paige has from the effects of ASD labels, the change in one's view of oneself, how society is made for allistic individuals, and the adult perspective of an ASD diagnosis. Throughout my education learning about those with disabilities, I primarily learned about children, specifically boys, experiencing the characteristics of ASD, so it is refreshing to hear a different perspective. Thank you, Paige, for sharing your experiences.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This book comes out on March 26th, 2024!

Like, I think most people, I came across Paige via her TikTok. I loved her clear passion for educating and how well she balanced what she shares vs (what seemed to me) her self-assurance in not needing to please everyone watching. When the opportunity came to read her memoir, I jumped at the chance! (And huge thank yous to NetGalley and Hachette for said opportunity.)
The book opens with the day Paige received her diagnosis and then takes us back to the very beginning - the first fifteen years of her life, where she was going through the world day by day with no understanding of why she felt the way she did. As a late-diagnosed autistic, so much of what she was feeling resonated with me when I look back and reflect on my own childhood. I think this book will resonate equally with others who are late-diagnosed. As I was reading, I was high-lighting bits that made me say "same hat!" in relation to things that I found I connected to. In just over 200 pages, I had nearly forty highlights.
When she is first diagnosed, she has this idea that having the diagnosis will be a solution, but we're all brought along her journey as she discovers that it is just another part of the journey as she uncovers the true version of herself that's been hidden away. I think her story has a lot of very important things to say about the difficulties with unmasking and how that will have a huge ripple affect on interpersonal relationships. I find myself wondering if this might not be a very good resource for allistic people who want to better understand the autistic people in their lives, because of how much unmasking can change the way people interact.
I also really enjoyed the discussions on language, on people-first vs identity-first, and even more so on the usefulness of categorizing by functionality or support-needs and how neither works as a generalization.

I applaud Paige Layle for sharing their experience with the world and writing this memoir. I have been a (TikTok) follower of Layle for some time now and this book helped me understand some of the perspectives they have and communicates on their online platform— primarily their content regarding parents who have children with ASD and their content regarding the structure of current education systems.

I encourage future readers of this book to frequently remember and remind themselves while reading that this is Layle’s personal experience with getting an ASD diagnosis and what life looks like for THEM. I think this book would benefit from a formal disclaimer, as I worry people who are starting to learn about ASD will take this book and run with it as the "Autism Experience" when that is not the case for all people with ASD.

I am sure writing this book was both challenging but also therapeutic and healing for Layle. I’m looking forward to seeing how Layle will continue to grow as a person/author/advocate/content creator.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book!

After learning more about Paige through her TikTok and some of the harmful things she has said and supported, I have deceived to not move forward with reading this book.

A beautiful book that I easily related to. Autism can feel so lonely and has been portrayed as an entirely different disorder than it truly is. I loved that in "But Everyone Feels This Way" there is the clear evidence that autism is a spectrum and effects every single person differently. It is a very individualistic disorder and it's important to realize it doesn't show up the same way in every person.

A fantastic read for everyone looking for information on autism, how people present, symptoms, etc.

This book is phenomenal when it comes to providing education through the real life experiences of an autistic individual. As an autism therapist who primarily works with autistic women with later in life diagnosis, I will absolutely be recommending this book to anyone who needs to relate to others experiences. I am neurotypical, or allistic, as Paige refers to in the book, and her story really made me think about the experiences that autistic individuals have each day. I am happy Paige was able to share her story and I think it will make a difference in so many lives of people feeling misunderstood by others and even themselves.

To be honest, I got a bit lost/bored at the beginning and the end of the book which was disappointing. BUT everything in between was so beautifully done. I’m glad Paige could get her story out there and I’m glad I got to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The second I finished this book I took a deep breath and sobbed because this is exactly what I needed, and what so many people, I suspect, need to. Please, if you can get your hands on this book, read it! Maybe for yourself, for someone you know, but more importantly for the neurodivergent folks you will meet. I myself have been diagnosed with ADHD, depression, and anxiety, but have really struggled with my feeling of self. These labels explain parts of me and my behaviors/reactions, but I have always felt guilty and ashamed of the way my brain thinks, and wondered why everything feels so much harder than those around me at times. Reading Paige's words felt like breathing again, like someone else could finally articulate exactly how I felt as a child, and how I even feel now. She describes her experiences so beautifully that I genuinely felt like I was there alongside her, probably partly because I relate to her so strongly. I loved all the ‘Field Notes’ part of the book that gave more insights into what she was thinking at the time, my ADHD self really likes footnotes and other little notes throughout books, so this scratched my little brain itch. Paige intertwines her personal experiences as an autistic woman with facts about autism and helpful advice, and I was so happy she included this! I honestly believe this book would be great for younger teenagers to read to fully understand what autism is, and also how autistic individuals think and experience the world. Obviously, every neurodivergent person thinks differently, but this would be a good beginning to a deeper conversation. I especially love how Paige discussed her school experiences with an IEP, and how helpful these accommodations were for her. I had an IEP plan after I received my diagnosis but my school didn’t have any guidance counselors nor accommodations to give to me, so it felt quite pointless. I remember when I went to college I thought I could try using my IEP again and get serious with getting help this time, but I felt shame, like I was wrong or dumb, but more importantly I was ‘normal’ enough so I didn't feel I deserved the extra help. Paige made me realize how wrong I was, how much better it could have been if I was a bit more brave. She gave me dozens of ‘A-ha’ moments throughout, some that made me laugh, beam, and cry. Some of my harder school experiences included my own heightened emotions, my panic attacks, how I would completely skip classes and hide to avoid hard things. How I would bend and fold to peer pressure and say things I didn’t believe in to fit in, I’m sure everyone does that but I treated it like a lifeline. Like I had to be what everyone else was, or else. To this day I have never felt like I truly fit in with my peers, like it feels significantly harder for me than everyone else. I brought this up with my doctor once, I told her that I read online that a lot of ADHD and autism traits overlap, and maybe I’m not just ADHD, perhaps it’s more? She told me there could be a good chance I was autistic, but I have never talked to a psychologist further. Whether I do or don’t, I don’t know, although I have my suspicions. I too have been told my whole life that everyone feels like I do, but that never really felt true to me. Thank you Paige, for making me realize my experiences are valid, and no, not everyone feels like this, and that’s okay.

I gave this 5 stars for being an enjoyable and honest piece, for shedding some light on autism, for being vulnerable and helpful. I hope Paige puts out more books in the future, I would especially like to hear about her dealing with the trauma her parents put her through, especially her mother, and how she has dealt with it.

Thank you Paige, Hachette Books, and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration!

This has been the best book I’ve ever read detailing the female perspective with Autism. Ms Layle is well spoken, concise and yet thorough, and most of all, her authentic voice rings through clear as a bell. Ms Layle beautifully conveys the bewildering and lonely reality for most females with ASD - that they’re somehow kept in the dark about social cues and why their brains work differently.
As an older female who suspects that she also has ASD based on an adult child’s diagnosis of the same, it’s slightly eerie having some of my own life experiences relayed to me.
Bravo to a much needed new voice in the spectrum!