Sophie Kinsella is one of the only authors who could write about such a heart wrenching subject and manage to make me both laugh AND cry. This autobiographical novella is certainly different (much more sad) than her other light hearted books, but she still managed to write about the heavy subject matter in a way that was easy to read. Her positive attitude and great sense of humor shine in the book- I wouldn't be surprised if these qualities helped her recovery! Ultimately this book felt very real, but also hopeful. I hope the author knows how many people are rooting for her and a full recovery.

The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars is because I wish it was longer! I really enjoyed it and was left wanting a little more. I hope we are lucky enough to read more full length books from her in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

This autobiographical novella follows Eve as she and her family navigate her incurable brain cancer diagnosis. It’s honest and beautiful, and if you or someone you love has had a cancer diagnosis in the past, have some tissues nearby when you read this. I was hesitant to read this at first since cancer has touched multiple members of my family, and I prefer reading to be my “happy place” where everything always works out in the end. However, I found myself laughing, crying, and feeling hopeful as I turned the last page. This is a must read!

Sophie Kinsella is a long time favorite of mine. When I got approved for this eARC, I was really excited. 

At first, I thought out loud "this is nothing like what I'm used to reading from her" but I kept on. Wow. What a story and her author's note at the end...🫂 I thought this was an honest novella that will touch anyone who takes the time to read it. 

The MC was beautiful and engaging. The story was sad and hopeful all at the same time. I'm so glad she wrote this.

What Does it Feel Like is a heart wrenching and heart breaking story that is well written'

This was a tough book for me to read as I lost my 37 son to the same tumor after a long struggle three years ago.

I persevered and admired Sophie Kinsella for writing this book (it must have been hard to do ) and I did find myself laughing and crying along like many of the writers.

It is also a tough book for me to review but I certainly would say its well worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Random House/The Dial Press for the opportunity to read and review What Does it Feel Like.

Oh, my heart. Eve is such a beautiful character going through a very difficult situation. It must be so frustrating to lose time again and again, waking up disoriented and upset. Realizing that you keep asking the same questions over and over…but to you it’s all new.

The optimism Eve demonstrates is admirable and uplifting, and I do hope the ending for her (and the author) will be a happy one. Best wishes to Ms. Kinsella and her family.

I encourage everyone to read this and to also support brain cancer research.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for this eARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sophie Kinsella’s What Does It Feel Like? is an emotionally charged autobiographical novella that is both heart-wrenching and profoundly inspiring. Despite some fictionalization, the raw, poignant narrative offers a glimpse into Kinsella’s own battle with stage 4 glioblastoma, a brain tumor.

The story follows Eve Monroe, a beloved novelist, wife, and mother of five, who wakes up in a hospital with no memory of her diagnosis or recent events. As Eve grapples with her new reality, she faces the daunting challenges of memory loss and the impacts of her illness. Through it all, Eve’s humor, bravery, and unwavering optimism shine through.

Kinsella’s writing, though laced with humor, does not shy away from the gravity of her experience. The moments of deep sorrow are balanced by glimpses of hope and love—particularly in Eve’s cherished family moments and her poignant interactions with her husband.

What Does It Feel Like? is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It’s a book that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on the strength found in the face of adversity. Sophie Kinsella’s heartfelt storytelling and bravery in sharing her personal journey make this novella a must-read.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

I love Sophie kinsella and all her novels. She hadn't written one yet that I did not like.

Unfortunately I am unable to read this due to subject matter that hits too close to home as my brother had the same tumor and has passed a few years ago. I feel badly but it is super triggering to me and I'm sure it's a great novel. It is my own fault I just saw her name and requested it.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for this arc

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. A remarkable love story that is heartbreaking, raw, poignant, powerful and inspirational. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

Man. This book is very short, very well written, but brutal when you realize it's basically stolen from real life. Sophie and Eve both have five kids, a husband, are writers. And both have brain cancer. It ends hopefully, but man - life is short and this novel/novella illustrates that really well. Four stars.

“What Does it Feel Like?” is a beautiful novella by Sophie Kinsella. I was nervous to read this one. I actually didn’t realize it was a novella till I started reading and I finished it in literally one sitting. It is hard to really rate such a personal story as it is inspired by the author’s own experience with brain cancer. The vignettes tell short and poignant moments in Eve’s experience before and after her cancer diagnosis. Some are funny and some are sad. It is not a complete story because it is only highlights of what this experience is like. As I read, I kept thinking of friends and family who have had similar experiences with their own health. I think everyone will find connection. I especially loved the chapter on happy endings, it truly is a sad irony, even if Eve and Sophie both want to stay positive and keep going.

This was a wonderful and truly inspiring read. Knowing this is an autobiographical novella adds to the layers of awe. Thank you for writing and sharing your heartbreaking yet empowering story!

What Does it Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella might be the most raw and authentic book I've read in a long time. Although it’s fiction, it is deeply autobiographical.

The story centers on Eve, a successful novelist who wakes up in a hospital with no memory of what’s happened. Her husband reveals that a large tumor was removed from her brain, leaving Eve to grapple with the diagnosis and the memory loss that follows.

The short chapters explore profound, almost unanswerable questions, making it a poignant read for anyone facing similar struggles.

Kinsella’s trademark humor and heart are present, but this book goes much deeper, offering a powerful reflection on life’s fragility. I genuinely hope writing this was cathartic for her, and I highly recommend it.

The Shopaholic series got me hooked on Sophie Kinsella, and her books are always a no-questions-asked purchase. I wasn't too sure what I was getting into when I started What Does It Feel Like?, aside from the fact that the book promised to give a glimpse into the author's life in a fictionalized autobiography. What followed was a devastatingly brave, beautifully written account of her experience with a cancerous brain tumor that took so much from her. Sophie writes the book from the perspective of Eve, a successful novelist, who wakes up one day in a hospital bed without her memory. The story is told through snippets of life as she relearns the basics of who she is, how to walk/talk/eat, and how to navigate such a scary diagnosis with the family that loves her. Prepare to have your heart broken and then warmed in this really special novel.

Eve Monroe is a successful author, beloved wife, and loving mother of 5 children; she had no doubt that life has treated her well until one day she wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there. Her devoted husband is left to explain that she had a procedure to remove a large, malignant brain tumor. Told in a series of short vignettes, the reader walks alongside Eve as she relearns how to walk, grapples with memory loss, wrestles with the gravity of her diagnosis, and learns how to live with the grief it brings.

I think many readers my age can remember reading Confessions of a Shopaholic and falling in love with Sophie Kinsella's writing. I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I first opened it, but from the very first chapter Sophie's writing quickly pulled me in once more! Simply put, this is a beautifully written, poignant, and powerful autobiographical fiction. This short novel will both break your heart and warm it right back up with Sophie's impeccable balance of grief and humor. It's a true celebration of life, specifically the life of an author we all love so much! Thank you, Sophie, for your bravery in sharing your story with us all. Your optimism in the face of your diagnosis is inspiring and a reminder to live life "normal plus" every day.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Dial Press, and especially to Sophie Kinsella for the honor of reading this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest, thoughtful review. 🤍

I've never read a book that broke my heart quite like What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella. This is an autobiographical novel about Eve, an author and mother of five who is diagnosed with glioblastoma. Shortly after walking the red carpet for the movie adaptation of one of her bestsellers, Eve finds herself in the hospital with little memory of what brought her there. Her patient and adoring husband answers her questions daily, explaining that she had a tumor removed from her brain. Although the surgery was successful, the prognosis is alarming. Together they have honest, devastating discussions with their children... and they somehow manage to infuse these conversations with so much humor and hope that you can picture yourself at their table, in front of their Scrabble board, smiling through your tears.

I'm beyond grateful to NetGalley and to Sophie Kinsella, who has been one of my favorite authors for decades, for sharing her story with such bravery and grace.

I was excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley to review "What Does It Feel Like?" by Sophie Kinsella but I was unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster it took me on. This is a short story sort of in the memoir theme of the author's experience with a cancerous brain tumor. The author does a great job at taking a first person narrative at describing her highest high ( writing her bestseller "Shopaholic" and having it turned into a major motion picture) to her lowest low of getting the dreadful cancer diagnosis. This book makes you feel all the feels and empathize with her.

I’ve grown up reading Sophie Kinsella’s books. Her characters are always funny and I always finish her books with a smile on my face. This book is more autobiographical in nature and more like smaller stories telling a fictionalized account of brain cancer. It’s well written and I was on the verge of tears the entire time I was reading it. It has a lovely optimistic ending. I have her and her family in my thoughts and prayers.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

What Does it Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is a short story of hope about a woman being diagnosed with and going through treatment of Glioblastoma. While fiction, there are many similarities to the realities the author has faced and is current facing. It’s a glimpse into the life of a brain cancer patient and covers a multitude of emotions from sadness, to humor, to hope.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced digital copy! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gripping, emotional, heart-wrenching, and thankfully hopeful. Inspired by a difficult time in the author's life, this novella shares the feelings and fear associated with the life of a cancer patient. Told in a humorous fashion, readers will despair and rejoice in the Hemingway-esque vignettes that comprise the ups and downs of what it means to live an uncertain life.

I love Sophia Kinsella, so hearing about her diagnosis I was devastated for her and her family. The fact that she was able to create a fiction book that is so raw, and personal I think is a beautiful thing. It gives a glimpse into the world of someone dealing with knowing each day could be their last and having to relearn that daily. This book is poignant, honest, and beautiful. I especially enjoyed the part where Eve sits down to write a bucket list. This book is different from any of Sophia’s other books, but I loved that it was. It had to be to deliver the message in such a wonderful way.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group, Dial Press, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.