Raw and real, the struggle and holding pattern people experience when going through health issues. I appreciated kinsella’s honesty and upbeat perspective through your fictional but mostly autobiographical character. Very brave book! I hope the story remains upbeat and she gets her happy ending!

As an occupational therapist, I could gain some
Patient perspective on our roles in people’s recovery and healing. Thank you for sharing

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Sophie kinsella for the ARC copy for my honest review. 4.25 stars, and a worthwhile read!

This novella was absolutely heartbreaking but also full of hope. I was feeling ALL the feelings while reading this and cried several times. You could feel the rawness of this story and I think that the author’s choice of writing style was perfect for this type of story. It really put things into perspective for me and left me with a renewed dedication to live life to the fullest.
I would recommend this quick but important read to anyone.

A heartbreaking and hopeful story that takes place in two parts. The first part is brief: an author at the height of her career. Her personal and professional lives are thriving. In part two, she wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there. Many years have past and her memory is not only foggy, but she has clearly suffered something traumatic. This short read is a beautiful examination of love, family, and hope.

I requested this book blindly because Sophie Kinsella has created fun work that I’ve enjoyed over the decades. This one was different- a fictionalized story of Kinsella’s glioblastoma battle. It’s raw, sad, and a gut punch that really hits home. Thank you for sharing such a personal story with us, Ms. Kinsella. Like you said, I hope we ALL have that happy ending. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite authors, and this novella holds a deeply personal and emotional story. It’s a fictionalized account of her own journey after being diagnosed with brain cancer—a brave and heartbreaking reflection on her experiences.

The story follows Eve, a successful novelist (a stand-in for Sophie herself), as she undergoes surgery to remove a malignant brain tumor and navigates the emotional and physical challenges that come with it.

Though it’s a quick read, it’s packed with emotion. I felt so much for Eve throughout her journey—it’s raw, poignant, and beautifully told.

I deeply admire Sophie Kinsella for sharing such a vulnerable story, and I send my heartfelt wishes to her and her family. Knowing that her condition is now stable brings so much relief, and I’m grateful she felt strong enough to share this part of her life with her readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This broke me in the best ways. I couldn't put it down. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. I would literally choose to read Sophia Kinsellas grocery list.

What a lovely novella about life and how it goes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is one of the most remarkable books I've ever read. It's a work of fiction, but based on the author's actual heartbreaking, heartwarming, and brave story! Imagine waking up one day in a hospital bed and having no memory of how you got there! Eve is a novelist who has written many bestsellers and her latest book was made into a movie! She's at the top of her career, has a wonderful husband who loves her and supports her, and together they have 5 children. Life is good for Eve until she wakes up in the hospital and can't remember what happened to put her there! Her husband is there when she wakes up and explains that she's had brain surgery to remove a large tumor. Eve won't remember this for long as the surgery has impacted her short term memory.

Eve has to learn how to do everything again including walk, talk, write, identify objects, and try to remember things. Through her recovery from surgery, chemo, and radiation Eve realizes what's most important to her and doesn't want to waste time on anything else. They got the entire malignant tumor, but Eve has no idea how long she has. In most cases the type of tumor she had grows back. Sophie Kinsella does an incredible job of making you laugh, cry, and be amazed at her story told through fictitious characters. You will find all of your problems much less after reading this book. If you don't get perspective from reading What Does It Feel Like there's no hope for you!

I pray that Sophie and her family have many more years together and I know each day will be cherished. You never know how much time you have left so make the most of each one. Tell your family you love them incessantly, take that trip, buy that outfit, eat that dessert, and don't waste one day! Thanks for the inspiration, Sophie! You are truly remarkable and I will never forget this book or you! I loved the book and rate What Does It Feel Like 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/The Dial Press for an advanced copy of What Does It Feel Like in exchange for a fair review. #WhatDoesItFeelLike

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I'm not quite in the right mindset to read this at the moment so I was not able to finish.

What does it feel like?
By Sophie Kinsella

👗 👗 👗 👗 👗/ 5

This novella was lovely. I have long been of a fan of Sophie’s book and this one is no different. It is about an author, Eve, who has a brain tumor. The story explains what it feels like to go through the experience of being diagnosed with a rare cancer. It was witty, heart wrenching and funny. I plan to take the normal plus approach to my life going forward! May we all have a happy ending 💕

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press books for the digital advanced readers copy!! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Add it to your TBR!!

Wow. This wow beautiful and really puts things in perspective. Always with that touch of humor even in difficult times. Read this!

Wow! This book started off as typical Sophie Kinsella but then BAM! suddenly it was a whole different book. Kinsella did such a great job portraying the confusion and memory loss from the main character's point of view. So brave of Kinsella for sharing her story and making her experience so relatable.

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhousee for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Touching and Heartfelt Exploration of Grief and Love

Sophie Kinsella’s What Does It Feel Like? is a departure from her usual lighthearted rom-coms, delving into a more poignant and emotional territory. The novel follows a woman named Holly, who is grappling with the sudden loss of her beloved husband.

Kinsella masterfully captures the complexities of grief, from the initial shock and disbelief to the lingering sadness and acceptance. The characters are relatable and well-developed, each with their own unique struggles and coping mechanisms. The story is both heartbreaking and hopeful, offering a realistic portrayal of the grieving process.

While the novel may not be as laugh-out-loud funny as Kinsella’s previous works, it is a beautifully written and thought-provoking exploration of love, loss, and the power of human connection. It’s a must-read for anyone who has experienced grief or is looking to understand the emotions of those who have.

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #randomhouse #whatdoesitfeellike #sophiekinsella

ARC Review:

Mark Twain is attributed with what is arguably the best advice for writers; “Write what you know.” Taking this sage advice to heart, bestselling author, Sophie Kinsella, channeled her experience being diagnosed and undergoing treatment for stage four brain cancer in her latest book, What Does It Feel Like?

While this book is based on her real life and documents actual events that took place, it is ultimately a work of fiction. In the acknowledgement Kinsella describes how changing names and tweaking scenarios was the only way she was able to document her story.

Using short vignettes, Kinsella drives home the uncertainty each and every day brings. The main character struggles not only with short term memory loss, but the inevitable this terminal diagnosis will eventually claim her life.

Needless to say, this is a deeply moving story!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group- The Dial Press, and Sophie Kinsella for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This is a short book that is very eye opening and worth every second of your time. The writing style is very interesting and it is really a heartfelt story. I enjoyed every second. Five stars.

What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella is beautifully, heartbreaking. Eve is a fiction writer, with a beautiful family and a successful career. She seems very blessed until one day, she wakes up in a hospital and doesn’t know how she got there. Her husband has just given her the news that the surgeons removed a very large, malignant tumor. Eve cannot comprehend this but must learn to accept it. While she learns to walk again and gain memories, she leans into her husband and her family. She draws strength from them, to live each day. Her daily walks with her husband and game night with her children, she continues to come to terms with her diagnosis and her prognosis. This is a short story but it packs a huge punch. Kinsella, tells the story beautifully and honestly. It is funny in spots and deeply heartwarming in others. I just adored this book. Sophie Kinsella has been one of my favorite authors and I have read many of her books, but this one is the icing on the cake. I want to thank Netgalley, Sophie Kinsella & Random House Publishing Group for my copy for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure reading and reviewing this book.

Oh this read was nothing short of pure magic. Sophie Kinsella is such an incredibly brave and strong woman in order to be able to write this - to be able to write her truth in such a heartfelt and earth shattering way. I simply cannot imagine what this beautiful woman went through and this book is a testament to the journey - she brings forth the devastation, the extreme pain, the hope, the sadness, the grief... it was all so heartfelt and real.

Sophie Kinsella will forever be one of my favorite authors - she first helped me to discover my love for reading as an adult with the Shopaholic series, and she still touches me today and makes me just want to read even more.

This is absolutely a must read for anyone.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, and the Dial Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

What Does It Feel Like? is not your average fun-loving and humorous book by Sophie Kinsella. While a work of fiction, it is loosely based on the author's real life. It is a quick read, but overall fell a little flat for me.

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella is definitely a bit of a departure—Kinsella doing serious? I was intrigued. And yeah, she brings her usual wit and warmth to this one, but with a much more emotional, introspective vibe. It's a lot more feelings than fizz, if you know what I mean.

So, we’ve got Eve, a successful novelist who wakes up post-surgery with a massive blank spot in her memory and a major life shift ahead of her. As she tries to relearn everything—walking, talking, writing, even figuring out her relationship with her family—she’s reflecting on what really matters in life. It’s sweet, touching, and definitely packs some gut punches. And Kinsella’s humor is still there, but it’s gentler, like she’s telling jokes while holding your hand through a tough time.

Honestly, it’s good, but there are moments that drag a little. It feels almost too heavy at times, like Kinsella dipped too far into the sentimental pool. I missed her usual spark and pacing; it’s like I wanted the usual Kinsella but got Kinsella trying to do therapy. Four stars, though, because it still hits some solid emotional beats and really makes you think about what you’d hold onto if you had to start from scratch.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced copy! This one’s different, but if you’re up for something a little more soul-searching, give it a try.

This was such a beautiful, heartfelt, raw, powerful and inspirational story!!!😭😭🩷 thank you to the author for being so brave and sharing her story with us. My tears are flowing as a write this review, and I just know it’s a book that will stay with me forever! 🩷
I was so touched in the way she never lost hope and the way she never let fear get in her way no matter how hard it was to stay positive. I also enjoyed that it made me laugh and smile as well! Thank you to the publisher for this amazing ARC!🩷