love the idea, not crazy about the execution. this book tackles something so important—how shame and silence shape women’s lives in ways we don’t even realize. we grow up absorbing these unspoken rules: don’t talk about your body, your pain, your struggles. suck it up. move on. and jessica zucker is basically here saying: actually, no. let’s talk about it.

what to expect:
✔️ important conversations about shame & stigma
✔️ real women’s stories
✔️ psychological insights
✔️ empowerment & vulnerability
❌ repetitive structure
❌ slow pacing

i appreciate that. i really do. the stories in here? powerful. there are women navigating trauma, loss, body image struggles, reproductive choices—real, raw experiences that deserve to be acknowledged. and i get what zucker is trying to do: normalize these conversations so no one feels alone in them.

but here’s the thing—while the message is strong, the execution feels a little… off. the chapters follow a formula that starts to feel repetitive. woman struggles in silence, woman learns to speak up, woman feels better, everyone claps. which, yes, is a beautiful arc, but when it happens over and over, it loses some impact.

that being said, i do think it’s worth reading. if you’re someone who’s ever felt like you had to keep parts of yourself hidden because “that’s just how it is,” this book might be a wake-up call. just be prepared for a bit of repetition along the way.

thank you netgalley, the author, and the publishing team for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

These are the types of books that we need everyone reading! Normalize It was a fascinating collection of women's stories that took my attention away from everything else. Their stories are brave and raw. I related to a lot of them. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Once again, Dr. Jessica Zucker has created space for women to share their deepest vulnerabilities without fear or judgment or backlash.

Women often suffer in silence in their thirties, forties, and fifties. Dr. Zucker noticed a pattern of shame in her female clientele and had a hunch that their feelings were more widespread than they could have ever imagined. I found myself rooting for the women in these pages, particularly those who were told not to share their pain on social media and felt lost in their partnerships. It’s so easy to stay silent or think you’re alone in your feelings, but I was relieved to hear that so many women share many of my silent struggles as well. I’ve loved the work of Dr. Zucker for many years. She continues to make room for women to speak up rather than marinate in shame the way society expects them to.

This work offers a frank examination of the obstacles and stigmas confronting women, conveyed through anonymous yet impactful narratives. Despite not typically engaging with non-fiction, I felt compelled to request this advanced reader copy and am grateful I did. Its poignant and revealing nature makes it a highly recommended read for all.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc! I’m excited to look into more work from this author in the future.

Loved the idea, hated the execution. I've realized that I really don't like when therapists use their clients' stories for content (whether it's on social media or for a book). It doesn't matter if they change the names and everything—they're still using someone's story, and I'm uncomfortable with that. There was also something particularly absurd about the claim that women living in countries with gendered languages (like French) have fewer rights outside the home. I won't delve into it now, but it's so easy to debunk that one. That claim completely took me out of the book; I couldn't take anything seriously after that.
I hate not enjoying a book, so this one really stung.

an unapologetic insight into that challenges and stigmas women face, shown through anonymous, powerful stories.

i’m not a non-fiction reader but i was drawn to this for some reason, and i’m glad i applied for the arc. it’s poignant and telling and i’d encourage everyone to read it.

full review coming soon.

First of all thanks to Netgalley for a Advance review. I felt a little strange requesting and receiving this one, as a man I felt little encroachy, but I was also super interested and hoped to learn and perhaps be challenged as well.

Second I haven’t read Zucker’s first book “I had a Miscarriage” and weirdly, as much as non-fiction across different topics can be, I feel like Normalize It is a sequel. Not that this is a huge issue factually or content wise, however I feel there is a powerful journey here that could be missed out on, if Zucker’s first book hasn’t been read. To explain a little further, Normalize It is a sort of expansion of the original theme into many other elements of women’s lives – and I don’t think this book is impaired as a stand-alone it just seems like there would be a lot of emotional connection for a reader of the earlier book. It would feel like a natural journey from Zucker's biographical journey, expanding to other challenging topics.

Anyway so onto the actual book and not (pre)rambling too much.
Normalize It is written as a collection of amalgamated and anonymized case-studies collecting various challenges and issue women face – and an interwoven theme of expressing oneself and connecting with others being an important step to, as the tin says, Normalize it.

A real strength of the book is the compellingly written stories and the humaneness of it all. I confess there was maybe one story that was too heavily fictionalized and I felt like I was reading a Reddit thread, but overall people’s stories were the highlight of the book and in many respects absolutely did the job of normalizing.

One minor critique (which probably sounds harsher than warranted its more a nitpick) is that the structure for each chapter tended towards a common formula. As touching and powerful the stories were, there was a sense of ‘and everybody clapped’ (again probably a bit harsh, its just that almost all the stories revolve around the women in the example learning to connect and communicate about their issue and feel better for it. To be fair there were some interesting twists in the stories. Sometimes the people described were suffering the consequences of their own poor behaviour and Zucker doesn’t shy away from pointing that out.)

This is the sort of book that has (perhaps ironically) a lot of hidden insight, Zucker doesn’t necessarily spell out each lesson in bullet points but through hearing the stories and discussing the context there is a lot of wisdom to be found. I had a strange bugbear about this book that it felt a little ‘safe’ in some respects – in the early pages there is an excellent discussion about how part of the issue is that people seems to reject complexity and nuance, they want women to present as ABC and ABC only – however there wasn’t much more discussion of the whys and wherefores, which left me a bit hungry for more. Though in review I’m sort of realizing that’s a bit beyond the purview of the book. Zucker’s purpose here is to normalize and help people connect (which doesn’t always need a deep dive) but fingers crossed that Zucker might deconstruct society for the next book!

This book is an absolute masterpiece that fearlessly unpacks the complexities and stigmas shaping women's lives. From the weight of societal expectations surrounding marriage to the silent grief of miscarriages and the layered emotions of divorce, every narrative is presented with a raw honesty that resonates deeply. The author skillfully addresses topics like body image, abortion, and the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles, creating a space where women's voices feel truly heard and validated.

The writing is compassionate and unapologetic, weaving together personal stories and cultural critiques in a way that is both enlightening and deeply moving. Each chapter peels back the layers of shame and silence that so often surround these issues, transforming them into powerful conversations that foster understanding and empathy. It's a book that will leave you feeling seen, challenged, and inspired to continue these essential discussions. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the emotional landscape women navigate daily. This is a game-changer!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy for an honest review.

A thoughtful examination of the many stigmas that affect women in particular.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)