Deeply emotional and impactful, When The World Tips Over is a great follow up for Jandy Nelson. I think there will be opportunity to use this in classrooms and will likely become a new classic. Get ready with some tissues!

Jandy Nelson has done it again in the wonderful, sweeping family saga full of love, betrayal, heartbreak, and healing generational trauma. I will continue to read anything Jandy Nelson writes because it is always the most beautiful story. Fans of her other books will not be disappointed.

I loved Jandy Nelson’s earlier book and was really grateful to receive the ARC for this one from net galley and the publisher. However, magical realism isn’t my thing and I didn’t realize how big a part of the book it was so I ended up not finishing it. If you like magical realism this one might be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

This novel feels like a warm hug. It is funny, sweet and emotional - everything you’d want from a cozy autumnal read. I had teary eyes and let out a cackle quite a few times!

The writing style is gorgeous and the characters’ complexity comes to life effortlessly. The story is intriguing, albeit sometimes hard to keep track of. My main and only issues really came from proportionality - there were some storylines I wanted to delve deeper into and some that I was a bit tired of after 500 pages.

To anyone who enjoyed Jandy Nelson’s “I’ll Give You The Sun”, this is one not to miss!

Thank you Penguin Teen for my #gifted ARC of When The World Tips Over!  #PenguinTeenPartner #WhenTheWorldTipsOver #penguinteen #JandyNelson

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

Jandy Nelson, you are absolutely brilliant and this book is a masterpiece. I knew as soon as I received my copy of When The World Tips Over and the letter that accompanied it, that this author put everything she had into this book and boy did it show. This book is one of a kind and while it’s a YA book, I think this book will be read and loved teens and adults.

When The World Tips Over is a multigenerational family saga. I hesitate to give much away because this is the type of book that just needs to be read. I will say that this book has the absolute best characters, including the Dizzy, Miles, and Wynton Fall. The Fall siblings live in Northern California, and one day, a rainbow-haired girl shows up and tips the Falls’ world over. Before they can figure out who she truly is, she’s gone, leaving them more broken than ever. Full of road trips, love, joy, family curses, ghost stories, and more, this book is just pure perfection. I will also say, that while I only have an ARC, the layout is absolutely stunning. If the ARC looks like this, I cannot wait to see what a finished copy looks like!

You are going to want to pre-order this one now. I promise, you will not be disappointed. Jandy Nelson is truly such a talented author who has put her entire heart into this book and spent the last 10 years writing such a beautiful novel.

Posted on Goodreads on August 13, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around August 14, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on September 24, 2024
**-will post on designated date

I’ll Give You the Sun by the same author means so much to me and has for more than 10 years. I’ve craved Jandy Nelson’s storytelling ever since and I was beyond excited when receiving this ARC.
Parts of this gave me the same overwhelming feeling of being understood as a forever over emotional girl that I’ll Give You the Sun did. Nelson’s writing resonates with me in a way very few authors writings do. I loved the perspectives of Dizzy, Miles and Wynton. I even wanted more from Dizzy, I really wanted to learn more about her. This comes to no surprise to me, but as a dog lover, Sandro might have been my favorite character.
I enjoyed a lot of Cassidy’s story even though a lot of it felt very out of left field to me.
I didn’t really like the past storyline of Bernadette, Theo and Clive, which is a shame because that piece of the story was meant to, and I guess did, pull everything together full circle, but not in a way I enjoyed.
This one was tough for me to rate, because as I mentioned, I absolutely loved and resonated with parts of it and didn’t very much enjoy other parts. I still recommend to any fan of Jandy Nelson’s other work.

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson explores emotional and existential themes with poetic prose. While the novel offers some poignant moments, its overall impact may vary depending on individual preferences for narrative depth and pacing.

Jandy Nelson is truly a master of words and emotions and characters, and that is shown so clearly in this book. It is built of stories within stories, carefully woven together to create a brilliant tapestry of love and family. It was so complex yet laid out so beautifully, with information doled out at a perfect pace to never overwhelm the reader. And the prose was amazing, with a mix of fairytale-esque stories, amazing humor, and unique characters. I loved all the characters so much. They are so vibrant and complex and flawed and full of love. I loved getting the points of view alternated between the Fall kids, getting into each of their heads and getting a full picture of the family and their relationships. Though I struggled a bit with the way the perspective switched between so many types, with first, second, and third person, and letters, newspaper clippings and more. I also struggled to keep track of the rather complicated Fall family tree. But overall this book was a true literary masterpiece and I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to both Jandy Nelson and Netgalley for the gifted ARC of “When the World Tips Over” in exchange of an honest review by me. Any quotes I use for this review may be subject to change by the time of release.

Jandy Nelson has, for the second time in my life, blown me away. Her sentences have so much life and passion sewn into their edges. Each character in “When the World Tips Over” made my heart flutter with compassion and love. I felt deep connections to Dizzy and Cassidy, as I too, grew up a little “weird.” Jandy Nelson has written a masterpiece of both generational trauma and joy. People often forget that trauma can concur through generations, and sometimes, this specific kind of trauma has linkages to abundances of laughter, love, and shared memories. Nelson draws in both trauma and happiness together in one singular paragraph:

“If people bear the trauma of their ancestors, doesn’t it follow they also bear their rhapsodies? If there is generational pain passed down, mustn’t there also be generational joy? If there are family curses that drop through time, mustn’t there also be family blessings that do the same?”

Jandy Nelson also covers the effects of generational and non-generational pain. Both can cause serious consequences, especially when a young individual is left to deal with the effects by themselves. Grief plays a lot into “When the World Tips Over,” as well. Many characters feel like grief and love coincide. In one of Bernadette’s Letters, readers get to witness how deeply loss cuts into someone:

“What does that do to the forming psyche if your first experience of all-consuming boundaryless love is one of such profound loss? If you feel such a love again, do you trust it? Do you sabotage it? Are you ever again emotionally and psychologically capable of letting go of anything? Anyone?”

Mental health, trauma, friendship, and love are themes major themes in this one. All the characters make it such a heartwarming, and in some instances, sad, experience. The main takeaway in “When the World Tips Over” is that blood does not define family; family is who you choose to be around, and that’s where real, heart-hammering magic is found.

so good. writing was fantastic and the storyline was easy to follow, easy to comprehend. love the characters & seeing them grow throughout the book.. definitely had me in my feels.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really enjoyed many of Jandy Nelson's past works and this one was no different! Creative writing, unique premise, and characters that it's easy to love. This was a bit too long too me and some of the character's stories were hard to keep straight at times but overall it's worth a read after the long wait we had between this and her previous works! I also have to shout out the colorful cover -- how fun!

I would have loved this book except for several things. First and foremost, it was way too long. As in, it should have/could have been edited back to 350 pages without losing anything important to the story. I don't know any 13/14/15 or 16 year old who would sit through 500+ pages of not much going on.

All the main characters were nicely drawn, but every single one felt two dimensional. All likeable but never fully developed into someone you felt a connection to. Okay, except maybe the dog, Sando. He should have a book dedicated to only him.

The story meanders. A lot. And repeats itself. A lot. We are told the same things over and over again about the ancestors of the Fall family. First by one character, then by another, then by reading a dairy/ journal. What was fascinating at first, quickly became tedious.

The tale begins with twelve-year-old Dizzy, who has been unfriended by her best friend (and doesn't know why), has two brothers she loves but who hate each other, sees ghosts (who don't see or talk to her) and to whom smells are colors (synesthesia). What a way to start a story! Sadly, it bogs down almost immediately. We are pulled this way and then that way, into other people stories, leaving you confused (why are we reading about this unlikeable person?!) and wondering where the author is going with all the side trips. Until around the last quarter of the tale. Finally, all the threads are pulled together into a pretty tapestry, but oddly, I still didn't feel any deep connection to any of the characters or their fates. A few of which are left dangling with no real conclusion.

What could have been a great book, was, for me, just an okay book. That was way too long.

I took my time getting into this one and I'm glad I did because it ended up being an amazing read! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish it didn't have to end. I think my YA patrons at the library will definitely enjoy this one too!

With road trips, rivalries, family curses, love stories within love stories within love stories, and sorrows and joys passed from generation to generation, this is the intricate, luminous tale of a family’s complicated past and present. And only in telling their stories can they hope to rewrite their futures.


WOW. I loved this and it was definitely worth the 10 year wait for a new Jandy Nelson book.

This book was nothing like I expected it to be and that rarely happens to me, I find myself quite quickly working out who's who and what's what, but this one had me stumped and I had no idea what direction this book was taking but I definitely enjoyed the journey.

I rated this 4 stars and will definitely be telling everyone to buy it come September!

I thought I would read a quick, light YA novel as a pallet cleanser after this semester's heavy literary theory class (ancient graduate student here). But what I got was a long, complicated book with a lot of characters and storylines. When I was a teen, YA was barely a thing. Basically, we had Judy Blume and VC Andrews. I wasn't smart enough to understand a book like When The World Tips Over. The youth are smarter now, and I think this will be a beloved book for the right audience.

This is partially a sibling story starring the trio of Wynton, Miles, and Dizzy Fall, who live in California wine country with their chef mom; their dad has been missing for many years. Individually, they meet Cassidy, who has a story of her own and an unexpected connection to the Fall family and their magical history. Oh, and a telepathic dog with many thoughts and opinions.

This book is a bumpy ride, but ultimately a good one. Thanks, NetGalley, for the arc of this book. It comes out September 24th.

This book was not for me. I did not understand or connect with the characters. I gave it a try but I was not about to finish this book.

When the World Tips Over is a breathtaking, enchanting novel that beautifully weaves together themes of love, loss, and resilience. Set against the sun-drenched, tempestuous backdrop of Northern California’s wine country, this story is a poignant exploration of the complexities of family and the enduring power of hope.
The author masterfully crafts the tale of the Fall siblings, each uniquely compelling in their own way. Twelve-year-old Dizzy, with her hopeless optimism and ability to see spirits, brings a touch of magical realism that is both whimsical and deeply moving. Miles, the seventeen-year-old brainiac and athlete, is beautifully flawed, struggling with his identity and longing for a love that always feels out of reach. And Wynton, the nineteen-year-old virtuoso violinist, is a force of nature, his passion for music and his self-destructive tendencies create a captivating tension that drives the narrative forward.
The arrival of a mysterious girl adds an intriguing layer to the story. She serves as a catalyst for change, challenging each of the Falls to confront their deepest fears and desires. As the siblings grapple with their father’s disappearance and their fractured family dynamics, the book navigates the delicate balance between sorrow and joy.
What truly sets When the World Tips Over apart is the author's lyrical prose and her ability to create characters that feel achingly real. The novel is filled with vivid imagery and evocative descriptions that transport the reader into the heart of the Fall family’s world. The adventures, flashbacks, and endless threads of love stories add depth and richness to the narrative, making it a fascinating exploration of generational legacies and the ways in which we are shaped by our past.
This might be a young adult book, but it will speak to readers of all ages. The author’s storytelling is both intricate and luminous, capturing the reader’s imagination and heart from the very first page. When the World Tips Over is a novel that will leave you thinking about its characters and their journeys long after you’ve turned the final page.
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for another book by this author, and this one was so worth the wait. She has once again proven herself to be a masterful storyteller, delivering a story that is as deeply moving as it is beautifully written. This book perfectly captures the magic of family and the enduring power of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Jandy made me fall in love with the words and English language for the first time I read I'll give you the sun. It happened again with this book. I am older now.
The moment I opened this book, I felt the sunshine on my face, I was surrounded with the colors, the music, the joy. My heart grew fuller every time I turned pages of this book. After I finished the story, I know, I have another family now. The Fall family. This story was absolutelly beautiful. I loved the different perspectives. At first, it was a bit confusing, but after some chapters, I got to know the characters, and follow the story easily. To be honest, I can't pick a favourite! I love that there are stories of people of all ages, LGBTQ+ representation- but in a way that feels very natural and not forced, characters with special tallents and interest, different time stamps.
Even though it's marketed as YA book, I think every person 13+ up to 100+ would enjoy reading it. I certainly did! It's also one of those books, that makes you so immersed, you get lost in it. You are in their cute town, you live in the story. This is probably the reason why I was crying during the last chapter. Happy tears.
I am already planing to revisit my favourite chapters, re-read bookmakerked pages. I am fully in awe of this book. I am so grateful to live in the world where I can read Jandy Nelson books. They make my world grow bigger.
I can't wait to get a physical copy the moment this book lands on the book store shelf in my country.
Thank you to Net Gallery and Penguin Teen for eARC.

This was such a lovely book. This was a modern day Cain and Abel story of a family mainly in the present but with the story of their past included. I loved the mix of point of views and even journal entries in the form of letters. I loved how the story reveals all of the complicated relationships between the characters unfold. Over all a really well written novel I can’t wait to tell others to read!

How to review a Jandy Nelson book? It's hard to conjure a string of words that could give justice to writing that so powerfully fills your heart, as if pumped with helium, rising to meet your rib cage. Pressing, pressing, pressing. Begging to burst forth and find all the love there is to found in this world. Her stories make a home in you, digging down deep to root amidst the thoughts and feelings you so carefully keep locked away. Her characters are like nesting dolls, never ending in how deep you can peer into a person's soul. A poetically charged experience will be found between each page as she takes you by the hand and shows you what it means to see and be seen and that amidst all the pain and hurt this world can hurl at you, there will always, always, always be joy.

When the World Tips Over is a generational Cain and Abel story about how the poison drips down; but it's also a queer coming-of-age story and shedding the person you thought you "had" to be; but it's also about a mother and daughter, two absolute forces of nature, who painfully grow apart; but it's also about a woman, a man and his brother all struggling to carry the weight of their past; but it's also about how radically important a bisexual chef, a talking dog, a rainbow haired angel, a boy named Lizard or any single person can be in your life; but it's also about how the love never goes away and that the poison doesn't always drip down and you are brilliant, beautiful and worthy not despite of, but because of your messes and flaws.