This book is a love story, first and foremost. But not just the young love that blossoms between Jackson and Ellie—the love of community, of pride, and of self in a world that excludes or judges you for things outside of your control. As a HoH, chronically ill reader, both sides of this story spoke to me immensely and Anna Sortino does a beautiful job of giving voice to the experiences of people in these communities without either minimizing or generalizing them.
I would love to see more authors follow her lead and tell love stories between disabled leads without the inspiration porn BS.

Wow, this was definitely an interesting book! On the Bright Side is written by Anna Sortino and it was cool to read a book that featured a deaf FMC. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I ended up enjoying it.
Ellie and Jackson were both intriguing characters. I liked how you got to know them throughout the book, you saw their struggles and their perseverance. It was sweet to read about them connecting with each other and learning to help each other.
Ellie had to grow on me, she had strong feelings. Her relationship with her family was strained because they didn’t know how to interact with her since she was deaf. It was interesting to read about her family dynamics. Ellie had to learn to see others and let others in.
I really liked Jackson, he was just trying his best. Jackson was figuring out how to navigate life but things were more complicated then he thought it would be. I felt for Jackson as he tried to figure out what was going on with his body. I liked how he tried to look out for others.
On the Bright Side was an enjoyable read. The character grew on me and I wanted to see how Ellie and Jackson would overcome their obstacles. I liked how it has characters with disabilities and showed the different sides of disabilities. This was more of a coming of age book but it did have some romance. On the Bright Side is a closed door YA novel.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

This was such a heartwarming read. Dealing with their own physical issues holding them back, Jackson and Ellie find a way to navigate the cruel world together.

Another great book by Anna. I love the disabled representation and I can't wait to see what else she writes.

I loved the author’s previous book, Give Me a Sign, and had high hopes for this one. On the Bright Side was a hopeful and cute coming of age YA novel. I really appreciated the deaf and MS rep and I thought the author captured the teenage highs and lows very well. These characters make mistakes and stumble, but they also find themselves and grow.

The romantic subplot between Ellie and Jackson fell a bit flat for me, but what really intrigued me were the relationships they had with each of their families and friends (for better and for worse). I loved Ellie’s found family friend group and how supportive and understanding they were. The book is overall very hopeful, but there are some somber moments as well. I thought the ending was very fitting and I liked that it didn’t try to wrap everything up in a tidy bow.

I mainly listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration by Jesse Inocalla and Elizabeth Robbins. Both gave emotional performances and Elizabeth Robbins was especially fantastic as Ellie.

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: ableism, collapsing/loss of mobility, hospitalization and medical tests, multiple sclerosis, grief, strained/estranged relationship with parents/family

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

This author did a great job of putting the reader in the shoes of the Ellie and Jackson. With this author’s writing, I was able to get some idea of what it is like to be death with Ellie and have MS with Jackson. I thought that Jackson’s part was particularly great to see representation for because the book followed the process of him realizing something is wrong, getting the diagnosis, and then learning to live with his disability and still truly live.

Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

**CW: Multiple instances of ableism.

I’m so thankful I discovered Anna Sortino. Her debut novel Give Me a Sign was an adorable Deaf summer camp romance, filled with silly camper hijinks, sweet counselor camaraderie, and plenty of flirting via sign language. The book served as a solid introduction to Deaf culture, with a likeable heroine at the helm. Sortino’s second novel On the Bright Side goes one step further, exploring two different disabilities in two different teens.

Ellie is Deaf. She’s been at an all-Deaf boarding school since she was 12, only to be thrown into a mainstream high school for her senior year. She doesn’t feel welcome there, much less in her actual home with her hearing parents. Enter Jackson, a charming soccer player who makes a real effort to befriend her. Though communication can be awkward and at times, downright difficult, they have a comfortable rapport in which their personalities shine. But all this time, Jackson is experiencing changes in his body that he doesn’t understand.

Honestly, it was frustrating seeing the people in Jackson’s life basically telling him that he should just “walk it off.” His school friends I sort of get, but his parents? Ugh, I wanted to shake them. Eventually, Jackson is diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis), an autoimmune disease that causes a lot of pain and fatigue. Since there’s still research going into MS, Jackson’s future is suddenly looking cloudy. I could feel his festering fear, and his growing concern for Ellie as they become more romantic.

What I liked the most about this book and its characters is how real everything is. Like, with Jackson, his grief is… eerily quiet. Inside, he’s spiraling, but there’s also this sad acceptance. It’s hard to explain, but I found it surprisingly relatable. And with Ellie, she’s harboring a lot of anger and resentment being torn away from her Deaf community, and it feels very justified. Sortino definitely knows how to write teen emotion, and how to make it sound genuine rather than whiney and empty.

Ellie and Jackson are fantastic characters individually, and I enjoyed reading both POVs. Reading from the mind of someone who’s been disabled her entire life and from the mind of someone who’s hit with a disability later in life. Ellie and Jackson as a couple? Oh, they’re just lovely. I was smiling so hard every time they made up an excuse to spend time together (which was A LOT). Through the romantic hurdles, the life hurdles, they were consistently compassionate and mature. And you don’t always get that in YA, heh.

Highly recommend for the representation, the friendships/found families, and of course, the romance. Instant fav for me.

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC of this book. all opinions are my own.

I wish I could put into words how much I enjoyed this. What a great book. Highly recommend.

Anna Sortino is such a bright, fresh voice in YA.

On the Bright Side is an incredibly poignant and sweet tale, in line with Sortino's debut novel, Give Me a Sign. Her perspective on disability -- and the way she explores her own experiences through her writing -- makes this such a heartfelt and nuanced story. Ellie and Jackson were wonderful characters, and the overarching message feels so healing, as someone with onsetting chronic illnesses of my own.

I am so grateful for Sortino's work each and every time I read it.

Another amazing book from Anna Sortino! I’m a fan of her debut GIVE ME A SIGN, so it was a must to read the upcoming ON THE BRIGHT SIDE out on July 2nd. I might be biased, being deaf myself but it is SO nice to read more books with deaf characters! I could so relate to the main character, Ellie who had to go to a new school and be mainstreamed. Ellie meets Jackson, who we also meet as the book is told in alternating POVs. While I understood and felt the pain that Ellie faced in her challenges as a deaf person, I did learned something new (Jackson’s diagnosis). The friendship between them is powerful as they maneuver through their journeys of being disabled. I will devour anything Anna Sortino writes — it’s a must read! Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for Young Readers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

On the Bright Side is a poignant story told from the points of view of the two main characters. Ellie, the female main character, has been deaf since birth. She is a senior and has been at an all deaf boarding school for most of her life. Suddenly, with the closure of her school, she has to move home to a family who has not learned ASL or done anything to accommodate her disability. She is thrust into mainstream school and meets the male main character, Jackson. Jackson is facing weird physical symptoms and eventually gets a life changing diagnosis. Together they explore what it means to be different and find in each other support and acceptance.

I really enjoyed this book. It is definitely written for older grades and includes some strong language. It is well written. The author uses her own experience to give the reader a realistic look into what it means to be deaf or have a disability.

I was given a free advance reader copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.

On the Bright side
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.75)

I. Loved. This. Thank you so much Penguin & Anna for the eARC. I am so glad I was granted the opportunity to read this before release. The deaf rep & MS rep>>
As a deaf/hard of hearing person myself, I never knew how much I needed to read about female main characters in my situations until I read Anna’s books. give me a sign made me cry and in shock that I was reading words that I related to. On the bright side had me understanding a whole other POV of struggles that some deaf people encounter (family wise mainly in this one)

I absolutely truly enjoyed this book so much. (Minus the shitty parents at first, that had me furious at multiple points of the book because I just could feel how the FMC was feeling)
Reading about people who struggle with disabilities (one I’m familiar with and one I am not) is something I want and like to see more in books. I admire authors who are able to really put a good POV of what a character may be dealing with whatever disability they may have. In this case both Deaf & MS (multiple sclerosis) were involved in this and were perfectly written. Reading about a main character falling into the unexpected of all the sudden becoming disabled while the other main character has been disabled her whole life gave us two different POVs when it comes to that. I really was captivated with how Anna had written this and really thought it was well done and put into words perfectly.

Also, reading how others in their lives react to their disabilities was so eye opening to me. Not realizing how some people may have so much of negative side of reactions versus the positive. I had so much anger in reading how their parents reacted to their situations ; especially when the FMC has had it her whole life.

Besides the whole two disability representation in this book, I really loved the two main characters relationships unravel and grow. It was just so sweet and lovely and had my heart warm and had me smiling so wide at times. I really love how both characters truly supported and were patient with one another. It just was such a soft and welcoming love that I feel that everyone should be able to experience even when they don’t think they deserve it (you do).

Once again, Anna did it perfectly. She is now an automatic buying author of mine and I will be definitely purchasing physical copies of her books when I am able to. I love her work. Love the deaf representation and I look forward to reading more of that in her work because it hits home for me and I needed to read these books to realize I’m not alone. Thank you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Sortino, and the publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It has representations of Ms and being Deaf. I loved how both characters were finding their way in the world. It’s definitely not a happy read but I don’t think it’s supposed to be. These two people are struggling with different disabilities that make life more challenging. Those aspects of the story I completely get having autoimmune diseases. I’m glad that I got to read this story.

I highly recommend it!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino

What to expect: Deaf rep, Multiple Sclerosis rep, Bullying, Ableism.

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change. Ellie is mainstreamed her senior year of high school because her Deaf shut down. The school’s guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson to show her around and help her adjust. Jackson finds solace in his time with Ellie since he has been avoiding his soccer team, and friends, since numbness in his legs cost the team an important match. Little does he know he will soon be processing a diagnosis and disability of his own and having Ellie by his side might be the best thing for him.

I loved this book and how the author approached the characters and their disabilities. One of my favorite parts was watching as Jackson dealt with his worsening symptoms and ultimate diagnosis. Ultimately I liked the ending and how optimistic it was. I would absolutely recommend this book. This would be best for anyone looking for a book with disability representation and specifically #OwnVoices. This was a read for #DisabilityReadathon2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On the Bright Side was a quick read that I enjoyed. Through Ellie, it dives into Deaf culture and the frustrations a Deaf person faces in an ableist world. Ellie is independent and maybe a little stubborn, but her frustrations with unsupportive parents and classmates were understandable. She has to make some tough choices along the way but shows a lot of strength through it. Jackson was a very likeable character, and I loved how he made the effort to connect with Ellie when other classmates just wanted to gossip and assume. Jackson is faced with his own unexpected and scary diagnosis, and it was interesting to share his journey that portrayed his fears and frustrations while still providing optimism about the future. I think an important takeaway from this story is understanding how not all disabilities are obvious, and anyone can become disabled at any time, so it goes a long way to show compassion to others.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the advance review copy of On the Bright Side! All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I could not put down this book. I was so enamored with Ellie's determination to be her authentic self no matter who was made uncomfortable by her calling out the constant ableism she faced from her peers, her interpreter, and her family. I was ready to smash through the wall when her interpreter chose to misrepresent Ellie's words just because it made her uncomfortable and then proceeded to pull out those white lady tears when she was called out.

This book is certainly not for teens whose parents do not allow them to read books with rebellious children. I did find myself hoping several times that Ellie would say the obvious thing to her parents rather than walking away or falling into their argument traps because what really needed to be said was "It's my body. I will decide when and where I use the hearing aids and cochlear you forced upon me. You exclude me from every conversation and refuse to learn ASL. You are the problem, not me." But I fully recognize that most people, especially children struggle to express the most important parts of how they're feeling particularly to those who refuse to listen.

good thing I didn’t have plans tonight because I would’ve canceled them to keep reading this book… seriously I read it all in one sitting which I NEVER do

such a beautiful story about change and growing up, and how nothing ever plays out quite the way we expect it to

(also loved the subtle tie in to Give Me A Sign!)

thank you Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC! so excited for this one’s release- July 2!

On the Bright Side is a touching and heartfelt story about finding friendship and love in unexpected places.
Ellie, a Deaf student forced to leave her beloved boarding school, faces the daunting task of navigating a new mainstream public school. Enter Jackson, tasked with helping her adjust to her new environment. What starts as a reluctant partnership blossoms into a beautiful friendship as they navigate the challenges of high school together.
The author beautifully captures the struggles and triumphs of both Ellie and Jackson as they grapple with their own personal challenges. From Ellie's adjustment to a hearing world to Jackson's health concerns, the characters are portrayed with depth and authenticity, making their journey feel incredibly relatable.
The budding romance between Ellie and Jackson adds an extra layer of depth to the story, as they find solace and support in each other during difficult times. Their bond is heartwarming and genuine, reminding readers of the power of connection and understanding.
On the Bright Side is a moving tale that explores themes of friendship, resilience, and the beauty of embracing the unexpected. The author's storytelling is both poignant and uplifting, leaving readers with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation for the bonds we form along life's journey.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Dive into "On the Bright Side" by Anna Sortino and get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions and laughter! From the moment I cracked open this book, I was hooked. Anna Sortino has a knack for crafting stories that not only entertain but also enlighten.

One of the standout features of Sortino's writing is her incredible representation of disability. Through her characters, she offers readers a fresh perspective on life with disabilities, prompting important conversations about accessibility and inclusion. As someone with a hard of hearing partner, I found myself reflecting on my own relationship and surroundings, thanks to Sortino's insightful storytelling.

But don't let the weighty themes fool you - "On the Bright Side" is also a delightful YA rom-com that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. The characters are vibrant, the dialogue crackles with wit, and the romantic tension is palpable. I couldn't help but giggle and kick my feet in excitement as I followed the ups and downs of the protagonists' journey.

In summary, "On the Bright Side" is a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating blend of heart, humor, and meaningful representation. Whether you're seeking insightful commentary on disability or simply craving a feel-good romantic comedy, this book has it all. Pick up a copy and prepare to be thoroughly entertained and enlightened.

Another beautiful and inclusive work by Sortino. I'm always blown away by her ability to take a topic I think I understand, and push me to think about it differently, or dig a bit deeper. I loved the representation of two different disabilities, but also seeing how different people respond to their circumstances. And that there's no right or wrong way to experience a diagnosis or disability - it was just a really beautiful representation of humanity.

I'll read anything that Anna writes, and I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.