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Author: Sophie Kinsella
Series: none
Genre: YA - Contemporary
Original Release Date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 304
Source: Uppercase Box
Rating: ★★★☆☆
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
Nothing Personal, right?
Anxiety isn't only a personal disorder. It's a disorder that affects your entire family. Audrey is a fourteen year old girl who has experienced an event that has triggered an anxiety disorder. This story isn't just about Audrey and her anxiety; it's about how her anxiety affects her family, as well. When Audrey meets Linus, one of Frank's friends, she starts to realize that she isn't content being isolated anymore and she begins to make more of an effort in her own recovery. Just like with all types of recovery, this proves to be difficult. With the help of Linus, her family, and her therapist, Dr. Sarah, can Audrey finally take control of her recovery and start feeling normal again?
I had a rough time with this book. It took me 3 tries to actually finish it. I went into this book thinking it was about Audrey and a boy who helped her on her journey to recovery. I was partially right. About half of the book was about Audrey's mother yelling at her brother to stop playing a video game. Ironically, this book made me feel anxious. When I was younger, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and clinical depression, so I was looking forward to a book that I could identify with. Unfortunately, I felt almost insulted. The parts of the book that did focus on Audrey's anxiety seemed over exaggerated and, compared to my own experiences with anxiety and panic attacks, slightly unrealistic. I know that there are different levels of anxiety, but I had a really hard time suspending my disbelief with this book. Sophie Kinsella did, however, do a fantastic job making her characters feel alive. Every single one of her characters had a distinct personality. I knew exactly how they would each handle the situations that would come up.
Overall
I didn't dislike this book. I started to enjoy it once I got through the first half, though it was rough going for me. The characters were dynamic and the plot was original, but I had a hard time suspending my disbelief for most of the book. Reading is a relaxing activity for me, so I don't tending to enjoy books that put me on edge. Ironically, I can only recommend this book if you aren't easily made anxious.
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