What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is a fictionalized account of the author’s own journey since being diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2022. I read this collection of short stories in one tearful sitting. It’s heart wrenching, funny at times, hopeful and completely real. As someone who is also dealing with a cancer diagnosis, I easily identified with the FMC, Eve.
“I cycle through denial, despair, shock, grief, and then sometimes ridiculous happiness. I appreciate small pleasures so much more than I did, but then along comes the brutal knowledge again.”
A personal, heartfelt thank you to the author for sharing your story. I wish you a happy ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Available 10/7/2024

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

What a heart wrenching story of bravery and starting over. Mrs. Kinsella writes about something she has first hand knowledge of; battling brain cancer. I did not know that she was going through this and for her to tell her story in this fictionalized way had to be so hard to write and to finish. My own son died at birth and his autopsy showed that he was born with glioblastoma so reading about Mrs. Kinsell's diagnosis was triggering. She tells of all of the thing she has experienced and I just don't want to give anything away. This novella is her best and I have been reading her books since her first were published. Thank you #NetGalley for this brave novella. What an honor to review it.

I've read many of Sophie Kinsella's books and this is not the typical romantic comedy, everyone lives happy after type of book. It is nonfiction but the author notes it's somewhat autobiographical. This is the story of a woman diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. This is told from her point of view and throughout the entire process. From brain surgery and all the effects of that to radiation and chemotherapy. Hard to imagine writing about this while navigating her own way through this terrible disease with her husband and children by her side.

Count your blessings.

This novella was an interesting heartfelt read. It truly encapsulates the feelings of uncertainty of the unknown. A woman at the prime of her life receives shattering news and the processing of this news is honest.

Wow. I have been a Sophie Kinsella fan for now over 20 years. If she writes it, I read it. And wow what a personal glimpse into her own health struggles. While a short novel, it will tug at your heart and for me, ended in tears for her.

What a brave beautiful soul and I am honored to have been able to read a copy. I encourage everyone to give time this quick but powerful read into Sophie, but not Sophie’s, story. God bless you Sophie, stay strong!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this very moving story.

Publication Date set for Oct. 8 2024

Eve wakes up and discovers that she has had surgery to remove a brain tumour. Then she hears the word that everyone dreads, "cancer." Her tumour was cancerous and her form of cancer, stage 4 glioblastoma, is known for being agressive. Despite having to deal with memory problems and motor difficulties, Eve still tries to keep her optimism and hope. She has a loving family with a husband and five children. She wants to see them grow up and wants to be there for them. Through these vignettes and slice of life moments, we see how Eve pushes through the difficult moments in her life and learns to appreciate what she has.

What Does It Feel Like? is Sophie Kinsella's most autobiographical novel. As she had written in her acknowledgements, she is a private person and not the sort to write about her private life. So, it is much more natural to turn her own story into a fictional narrative. Like Eve, Sophie Kinsella also has stage 4 glioblastoma and has dealt with many of the same challenges in terms of memory loss and having to relearn to walk, talk and write again. I cannot imagine how frustrating it must have been for her to have gone from a bestselling writer to struggling to write her own name.

For those who have gone through cancer or know someone who has, cancer changes the way you see life. It removes you from your everyday realities almost instantaneously. Suddenly, there are chemotherapy appointments, or radiation appointments, blood tests, and a plethora of consultations. There are days when you feel as if you are full of energy, and other days you have to fight mentally to be optimistic. Little accomplishments like going for walks without being out of breath become big accomplishments. And having support from friends and family is crucial all throughout treatment.

This book was short and sweet. It tugged at my heartstrings. Even though there are many sad moments with little silver linings of humour, I still finished this book feeling hopeful for Eve and her family. There are new developments all the time in cancer research. It is always better to be hopeful and continue to believe in happy endings.

5 stars-Because this is real…it is raw, funny, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I applaud Mrs. Kinsella’s bravery in telling her own story of brain cancer. She is a survivor and I wish her all the best (and not just because I love her novels so much) but because this story has endeared her even more to me. Cheers to the happily ever after!

This was a heartbreaking read. I hadn't seen Kinsella's announcement, nor had I read the description of this book before requesting it on NetGalley. I thought, Sophie Kinsella- another light-hearted romance? Yes please!

Reader, do not make my mistake. This is a fiction book that Kinsella claims as "autobiographical."

I was not prepared for what this book actually was: a book about the main character who was just diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma. This book was a tough read when you've googled the backstory. All my love to the fictional Eve and the real Sophie Kinsella.

If NetGalley could enact a temporary "100 stars" rating system, I would be very grateful. I would grant the 100 stars to Sophie Kinsella's latest novella, What Does It Feel Like, and then we could go back to the regular 5 stars system. Ms. Kinsella's courageous deep dive into life with a stage 4 glioblastoma brain tumor, written as fiction, but unfortunately autobiographical, as Ms. Kinsella is battling this incurable disease herself, is an absolute triumph. With Ms. Kinsella's trademark writing style and signature humor, this book reads beautifully, candidly, thoughtfully. The hardest part is knowing that this is her story, her family's story, and a story clearly written for all of us who love her so dearly. Kudos to Ms. Kinsella for her bravery in creating this beautiful novella. This book is for everyone...fans of Ms. Kinsella, those who are not familiar with her many books, and even those who are curious about her disease. I am so incredibly grateful to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me an advanced eCopy of this story and I will be wrapping Ms. Kinsella in prayer and in love as her story continues to unfold.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
GENRE: Fiction - General, Women’s

If you are expecting a typical Sophie Kinsella book with a fun loving but absentminded heroine, this book is not it. I have loved Kinsella’s books since high school after discovering the Shopaholic series and enjoyed many of her other standalone.

This book diverts from her usual and takes a somber tone. It’s a semi-autobiographical as Kinsella herself experiences what our main character, Eve, does - a writer who learns she has an incurable brain tumor and struggles to relearn basic tasks, such as walking.

It’s an emotional read and I applaud Kinsella’s vulnerability in this book as she depicts the moments where she tells her children the diagnosis. It’s fairly short, written in vignettes and snippets from Eve’s life as she walks through this illness. We learn that life can change instantly and we must embrace the beautiful moments while we still have them.

Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for this copy of the eARC. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to see it published on shelves and readers everywhere. This book will make you cherish the life you have in front of you.

This semi-autobiographical novel is a series of small anecdotes telling Eve's story of being diagnosed with glioblastoma, recovering from intense surgery, and completing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Eve struggles with memory, learning to walk again, and sharing her diagnosis with friends and family.

This story is raw and personal with pure emotion shining through.

In this fictionalized personal story, author Sophie Kinsella shares her real-life devastating cancer diagnosis and how her family is coping. Facing it with her trademark humor, she details the story of 'Eve's' brain tumor and how she not only lost her short term memories but how she had to learn to walk and talk again.

With her patient husband, family, and five children by her side, Eve takes joy where she can. In quiet family times, remembering the good times, and that she is still here. to do so.

The book is hopeful despite the grim outlook and readers will want to reach out to the author to express their best wishes and concern.

This is emotional, raw, and at times funny. I love the concept of writing a fictional autobiography. This was a way for the author to share her story with the world in a way she felt comfortable. While this is a short and quick read, it will definitely keep you thinking for a long time. For anyone who loves Sophie Kinsella or for that matter anyone who hasn't read any of her other books, this is one to not miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“What Does it Feel Like? Is a beautifully written novella by Sophie Kinsella. She uses this lightly fictionalized account of her battle with glioblastoma, to share her journey. It was moving, hopeful and utterly honest and raw. I couldn’t put it down.

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella is the heartwrenching semi-autobiographical account of one woman's staggering diagnosis of grade four gioblastoma.

Eve is a successful novelist who is in the prime of her life with a dream career, a loving and supportive husband, and five wonderful children. Suddenly, her world is rocked by a cancer diagnosis. Her experiences of surgery, recovery, and treatment are heartbreaking, but her spirit of optimism cannot be dimmed no matter how dark the day.

I have long been a fan of Ms Kinsella's writing, and while this is a difficult read knowing that Eve's story mirrors her own battle, it is uplifting, too, in that her sparkle continues to shine through. Prayers for your own happy ending Sophie.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC.

This is an emotional and raw autobiographical story about Sophie Kinsella’s life after she gets her brain cancer diagnosis. Written as a collection of her inner thoughts, I deeply admire Kinsella's positive outlook throughout her journey and her bravery for writing a book like this. At only 144 pages, I finished this one in just a sitting and can only hope she will continue writing stories.

Thank you Random House for the ARC!

This book....

Is honest. In a raw, but beautiful way. Although this is a work of fiction, the author has stated that it is also autobiographical about her own journey with cancer, and she brings us along on her graceful, hopeful struggle after surgery as she heals and deals with this jarring, unforeseeable diagnosis.

Is full of laughter. I've read other books about the journey of cancer, and they are not necessarily uplifting. I so appreciated Sophie Kinsella using her wit and positive outlook as she shares the reality of her frustration and fear of the unknown.

Thank you for a book full of hope, love, and laughter about a topic that is often talked of in sadness, tears, and dread. May we all live "normal plus" everyday.

What Does It Feel Like?’ by Sophie Kinsella

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Trigger Warnings: Cancer, Memory Loss, Hospitalization

This short novel is very different from Sophie Kinsella’s usual books (Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Burnout). It is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, and it captivated me from start to finish.

Eve, a successful novelist, wakes up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. Her husband explains she had surgery to remove a large malignant tumor from her brain. As she struggles to regain her ability to walk, talk, and write, Eve is also faced with how to explain her diagnosis to her children. Through her journey, she remembers what truly matters: holding hands on long walks, family game nights, and always buying that dress when she sees it.

Told through short anecdotes, Eve’s story is filled with warmth and humor despite its heavy subject matter.

💖📚

Publication Date: October 8th, 2024

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I wasn't sure what to anticipate from this book, but it delivered, and it's truly courageous to write about something so personal. Sophie Kinsella's story is captured in a fictional manner, rendering it raw and profoundly authentic.

Thank You Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 After surviving a cancerous tumor as a young adult, my mom went on to have a finding on a scan that they thought was a recurrence when I went away to college. During my flights home to met with doctors from Hopkins my freshman year of college, we learned that she had a large brain aneurysm that had not yet ruptured and was a ticking time bomb. Before her death a few months ago, the appointments and brain surgeries she went through was the scariest time in my life. Kudos to Sophie Kinsella for writing such a raw and scary book that allows a glimpse into what the experience of life altering brain surgery looks like. Before and after such a massive diagnosis is definitive and Kinsella demonstrates this perfectly with her characters. Eve’s vivacious and bigger than life personality may be saved by the skilled hands of surgeons but her short term memory is gone and she will never be the same. Reading this book so soon after my mom died was a beautifully cathartic experience and I really felt like I could empathize and connect with a health experience that she went through and forever shaped her life experiences..


Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!