Phoebe Unfired

What a fantastic and important read. This book talks about mental health in a positive way, and shines a light on how others can help those around them.

This is the first book I’ve read that’s dealt with COVID, and I think it was handled well. Phoebe is a germaphobe with an immune compromised little brother. So when she gets COVID, and share it with him, she goes never to touch anything or anyone. Whew. I can’t even imagine, and reading all she does to protect herself is heartbreaking. As a mom to a child with obsessive compulsive behavior that’s germ related, this book really got to me.

Phoebe works with Walter, a 60 something who also suffers from anxiety and they form quite the friendship and serve as each other’s therapist. Then Phoebe meets JP and boy-oh-boy did he capture my heart. The more he learned of Phoebe’s fears, the more he wanted to help. He and his friends were the best and I loved watching them react to Phoebe and how Phoebe reacted in response.

This book was written so well, and did a fantastic job of addressing mental health - I’ll be singing it’s praises and recommending to everyone young and old!

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

This entire book - *chef's kiss*

Phoebe wasn't always a germaphobe. Not until she contracted covid which put her prematurely born brother toby in danger. Thus, began her journey of pathogen avoidance. She meets a sixty-year-old Walter who is suffering from anxiety. They hit it off immediately and help each other serving as therapists.

I love how mental health is portrayed here. The lengths Phoebe had to go through is truly heartbreaking. But there is something positive about this, the whole way the topic is dealt with is wonderful. The author approaches it with such care and sensitivity and spins a positive outlook on mental health.

Special shoutout to JP - top-notch character.

I cannot rave about this book enough. Phoebe is wildly afraid of germs after getting COVID and giving it to her brother who already has damaged lungs. She is so afraid of getting anyone sick that she refuses to touch anyone. She works part time in a bookstore with Walter who also has an anxiety disorder so they are able to talk and help each other with their anxiety. One day Phoebe hears a violinist,JP, near the subway.When she goes to listen they meet eyes, and this starts a friendship. As JP begins to understand Phoebe’s disorder he tries to help her cope. Eventually he introduces her to his friends, and they all seem to accommodate her which forces Phoebe out of her comfort zone. Then something happens and Phoebe is grounded and stops talking to everyone. Will she ever see JP again? The author did an excellent job of describing germophobia and how anxious it can make one and how different therapies can help.

This arc was provided by the publisher vía Netgalley in change of an honest review.

Let me first say W O W.. I mean, this is the second book/novel that i got from Netgalley, and I can say that they were both GREAT. But this one.. this one was EVEN MORE GREAT and I already think this is going to be on my favourites of the year. I think I wont forget Phoebe and the guys assap, they will be a while in my heart and mind. I finished it today and it was so amazing that I already miss them, thats why it took me more time to finish it too, bc I was afraid of letting them go :(
So, it was a pleassure and for that I really really thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opotunity of reading this amazing book. It was so great and important that I feel like Im blabbering but bear with me a little.

This story is setting on a word post pandemic, the world back to normal (god I miss that like you wouldn't imagine). And it was such a fresh air to read about it, bc of the longing of that. And what I been wondering for a while, even before reading Phoebe: unfired, was: what will be the world like after all this disaster? How Im going to feel and live after this? Will I be able to go back to normal right away or what? So, reading about it, and on the perspective of our girl, felt very accurated. I could relate with her in so many things, I mean, I dont have that kind of anxiety but I have anxiety as well, and it makes me uneasy to know how the future will be and if I'll be able to feel alright and normal again. No worrying about dust, deseases and germs and infecting my family or touching superfices.
So for that I can relate so much, I wish I could, like her, get better.

This is a very important book, everyone should read it, I think is going to help a lot, and for those who doesn't need it so bad, I think you will be enjoying it the same. I hope it'll have the reception that it deserves. Honestly, because I feel like if I hadn't read it here I probable wouldn't be able to get to know it so my job from now on will be to get EVERYONE to know and read this book.

Thats it, thank you again!

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! all thoughts and opinions are my own.

i wasn't too sure heading into this book, but i actually really loved it!

it's very relevant in today's time because it talks about viruses and pandemics and really gave me insight into what our lives could be like after covid-19. the author did really well in how they described phoebe's mental illness, and it was a fantastic portrayal. i liked how they showed how anxiety was not something that could be cured easily, and how much it can really affect someone's life. it was represented well, and i liked how phoebe slowly progressed through the book with her anxiety. she had growth, as well as setbacks, and i was definitely rooting for her throughout the entire book.

jp was a fantastic character as well, and i liked how he did his best to support phoebe and understand her, unlike many others. he really showed how love and compassion could help somebody and turn around their life. walter was amazing as well, i loved how he showed that there are definitely different forms of anxiety and how different people will deal with theirs differently. the ending was perfect, and ended on a positive and hopeful note. i would definitely recommend this book!!

Phoebe Unfired is the type of story everyone needs to read. It is all the more relevant, given that we are all still in the midst of a pandemic. Reading this book is a form of escapism for me; Amalie Jahn's writing is wonderful in this. It is the type of book we all need to read and I'm sure we'll relate to this in some way or the other. Phoebe as a character is just amazing and you can't help but fall in love with her and I feel like she and I could be best friends too. This is a wonderful book and I highly recommend it

Phoebe Unfired is an important look into mental health and being germ-conscious and is more poignant than ever as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic. I didn’t have high hopes for this book as I thought it would be hinged on characters wearing masks and staying isolated, but in actuality, this story was captivating so much so that I read it in just a few hours! This novel takes place two years after the pandemic, and while life seems to be back to the pre-pandemic normal, the ramifications of contracting and passing along illnesses hinder Phoebe from living life on her terms. She sees germs everywhere and hasn’t touched another person in two years because she accidentally infected her at-risk brother with coronavirus. He struggles with lung issues and Phoebe feels immense guilt. Her only escapes are at her pottery classes, where the touch of clay is as close as she’ll get to human contact and her job with a Jewish widower who deals with his own anxieties. The two come up with a plan for Phoebe to overcome her germaphobic nature and make friends, and when she- quite literally- bumps into a stranger in the subway, she learns more about herself and her mental struggles than she imagined after years of therapy.

While there were moments that felt over-explained or a bit scientifical, that is the reality of someone living with an anxiety disorder. Those scientific explanations are due to Phoebe's relentless research in her efforts to protect her at-risk brother. Everyone should definitely read Phoebe Unfired! As we begin moving into wide-spread vaccination efforts around the world, being aware of our own and other people’s fears, anxieties, and health issues is important, and this novel brings to light those topics with an honest look at what it’s like to live with anxiety through the unknowns of a pandemic.

Phoebe Unfired has to be one of the most wholesome, heartwarming stories about friendship, family, love and overcoming trauma. It is one of those books you know is going to be an instant hit the moment you start reading, and I have no doubt it is going to be one of my favorite books of 2021 already.

Set in a post-COVID world, the story follows Phoebe as she struggles to make friends while battling her germaphobia. Our poor girl developed the phobia after infecting her younger brother with Covid-19 and nearly losing him as a result. The book revolves around her, and her best friend Walter who also suffers from general anxiety disorder, and how the two of them help each other overcome their demons and have some semblance of a normal life.

The representation of mental health in this book was absolutely spot on. I loved how the writer handled such a delicate topic with nuance and sensitivity. She makes it very easy for the reader to not only sympathize with Phoebe and other characters with mental health issues, but she also makes you empathize with them and helps you see the world from their perspective.

I loved the fact that she does not show any one-size-fits-all solution, and I loved how the romance in the story does not take the spotlight away from the main story, which is Phoebe's personal struggle with her phobia. I will admit, that when I first picked up this book, I was a bit concerned that the love interest will be a typical knight in shining armor who magically cures our protagonist's mental health issues, but that was not the case at all.

Far from it, the love interest is simply one of the sweetest fictional characters I have ever had a crush on who supports Phoebe and gives her the motivation to continue to work on overcoming her fears. He shows Phoebe, and the readers by extension, that there is no shame in needing special accommodations. He shows her that her anxiety does not make her a burden because when we love someone, we always make compromises for them without a second thought.

Another thing that I really loved about this book was the family dynamics. In many young adult books, we barely see the family being actually present in our protagonist's life. But in Phoebe's life, her family plays a big, active role, which was both realistic and sweet to see because we were able to see how Phoebe's anxiety disorder affects them all as a unit.

I loved how supportive her parents were, and at the same time, I noticed their subtle but obvious willingness to put Phoebe's life on hold if it meant keeping their other child safe. It is unfair, yes, but parents are not perfect and it was nice to see the author acknowledging that.

The bond between Phoebe and her brother was also just too sweet, and it broke my heart to see how her disorder would cause rifts between them occasionally.

And of course, the relationship between Phoebe and Walter is yet another highlight of this book. It seems unlikely that a 64-year-old man and a teenager can become best friends, but Amalie Jahn shows us anything is possible when two people show compassion and understanding towards each other.

This goes for all the supportive characters too; they were well-developed and played an active role in the plot and in helping Phoebe's overall character growth too.

My only issue with this book perhaps is that it is never clear what Phoebe's ethnicity is. The reason why I am even bringing it up is because the writer clearly states that the love interest is a person of color, Walter is Jewish...but when it comes to Phoebe, we can only guess that she is Asian based on the kind of food her mother is cooking. I felt like this was a huge missed opportunity to clearly show some Asian representation. Especially because the writer specifically showed us that they normally eat Asian food for dinner, so it really did not make sense to me why she did not make Phoebe's race clearer.

All in all, this book is a MUST READ you guys, especially if you want a lovely, hopeful story about healing and recovery. The ending was very realistic, and it will leave you with warm fuzzy feelings and the hope that things can get better, if you keep on trying to overcome your demons.

I really enjoyed Phoebe Unfired. As someone with pretty severe anxiety that has been extremely careful during the pandemic, the anxiety rep in this book felt so real and authentic. Phoebe's character is fantastically written and relatable; I was really rooting for her throughout the story. Also, it was so cool to see her experience with group therapy! I'm amazed that they were able to be so open.

However, I'm not a big fan of how all of Phoebe's progress was basically because of a guy. Romantic relationships do not fix all your problems. That being said, JP was really sweet and I appreciated how he did everything he could to help Phoebe. Almost his entire friend group was incredibly supportive and understanding, which was so nice.

Walter, though? He's the cutest and we all need a friend like him. He was the one person who never gave up on Phoebe. The way he encouraged her, allowing both of them to combat their anxiety together, was really meaningful. Could we get a sequel focused on him... ? Please?

Phoebe Unfired was a quick read with amazing anxiety and mental illness rep. I'd definitely recommend picking up a copy once it's released on June 15th of this year!

A big thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Phoebe Unfired is a wholesome book about a young girl who has a special kind of anxiety, germaphobia. After infecting her brother, whose lungs have not fully developed, Phoebe turns to herself and her Purell. She won't touch anyone and is highly afraid of germs. She has a part-time job at a book store. Her boss, sixty year old Walter also has anxiety and they help each other through life.

This book talks about mental health in a very positive way. It shows that not all people are the same, and that anxiety is not the same for everyone. It really gives insight in how Phoebe feels, and what she does to feel better.
The friendship in this book is great too. Phoebe and Walter have a wonderful relationship, they know each other in and out, and they know exactly how to help each other.

All in all, I really liked this book. I already recommended it with my sister who is also dealing with anxiety.
4,5 out of 5 stars.

Hi! This book was Read Now on NetGalley, so I knew I needed to read it. The book was free for an honest review, but this doesn’t affect my opinions outlined in this review.

Info

Title: Phoebe Unfired

Author: Amalie Jahn

Expected Publication: June 15th, 2021 by Bermlord

Edition read: Digital E-ARC

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57005532-phoebe-unfired?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=0GajoYMSu2&rank=1

Rating: 5 stars (*****)



Characters

The characters in the book were so much fun to read about, so I knew I needed to give them a star in my review. Phoebe was the kind of character who didn’t have many friends until she met JP in the subway, and then he introduced her to other friends. Seeing Phoebe grow as she learned more about herself and how she interacted with her friends was lovely. This was also a group of friends that helped each other, and they were all there when someone needed something. The novel is also filled with lovely supporting characters like Toby, Phoebe’s brother, who Phoebe just wants to protect. Walter, Phoebe’s boss at Dust Jackets, was also a fantastic character. Even though this novel was under 300 pages, you still go on a journey with these characters, and they all learn about themselves and each other as the story progresses.

Plot

This story has a straightforward plot where you follow Phoebe around and learn about her life. Despite how simple the plot was, it was also a beautiful one, and I wanted to make sure to give a star in my rating. The plot is something that can make or break a story for me. I might love the characters, but I’m not going to call a book 5 stars or a favorite if I don’t love the story and the characters' journeys. Anxiety also has a lot to do with the plot, because Phoebe has anxiety, and she doesn’t like germs, because she wants to protect her brother, who has health issues because of being born prematurely. This was the first book I had read with this element, and I loved seeing how Phoebe lived her life as the story progressed. Friendship also played a big role in the plot, and it was lovely seeing Phoebe interact with both her friends from JP and Walter. Phoebe Unfired was a sweet story about growth and finding who you are, which I just adored.

Setting

Phoebe went to a pottery class in New York City, and she worked in New York City. New York City is one of my favorite settings in books, and I fell in love with how Amalie Jahn presented New York City in this book. I don’t see many books that use the subway, or transit systems as part of the setting, so this was such an interesting book to read because of how much the subway played a role in the setting. New York City as a setting was why I added this as a star in my review.

Writing

The writing in this novel was excellent. Amalie Jahan has a simple yet beautiful style that takes on a journey with these characters. Anyone who enjoys the YA style of writing, whether you’re a teenager or an adult, will enjoy this story because of the writing I believe. From the start, I knew that I would add a star in my review for the writing.

Enjoyment



Enjoyment is a star that I loved adding to books because I believe it should be a factor in your reviews. I loved this book, and I had a delightful time reading it.

I could not help be drawn into the life that Phoebe lead. Her story is so real, i felt like things that had happened to her i could relate too. I laughed, cried, laughed some more. I loved it!

This book hit home for me especially in the middle of a pandemic. I related to Phoebe’s anxieties as I too am living with and close to someone who has a compromised immune system. It was refreshing to see her challenge her anxieties through her relationship with Walter. I wished this story were longer and dived deeper into Pheobe’s struggle.

I really enjoyed Phoebe Unfired a lot more than I expected!

To begin, it's set in a post-COVID-19 world. And yes, while that concept was a tad strange (as COVID is still very much a thing, even nearly 4 months post the publication of the book) I still think it worked very well. Phoebe was an especially relatable character for me (we both have severe anxiety and a passion for reading), and I thought it was an interesting choice to make her a germaphobic due to passing COVID onto her younger brother. While that is obviously tragic, I feel like it added a lot of depth to her character.

The romance was also very cute as well. All in all, I give this one a full 5 stars!

This is more of a Teen novel and would help some deal with their own issued, overall a very nice read.

This book had an extremely honest portryal of what a phobia may look like and its challenges. Breaking stigma, detailing honest thoughts, feelings and conversations, readers will absolutely love Phoebe and be yet another supportive person supporting her coping and journey. With COVID-19, this book hit home. I applaud the careful honest presentation.

Phoebe, a 16 year old girl has become a prisoner of her own fear. After a traumatic incident involving her premature brother Toby, she has developed an extreme germophobia. Obsessed with cleanliness and avoidance, Phoebe isolates herself from the world, leading a life of meticulous routine.
This is a exploration of anxiety, isolation and power of friendship. Through Phoebe's perspective we delve into the complexities of living with a debilitating fear, offering a sensitive portrayal of mental health struggles faced by many people.
It is a testament to the transformative power of friendship and importance of reaching out for help when faced with overwhelming challenges.