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charireads's review
3.0
Harper Southwood is an intelligent and insecure teen grappling with major issues. I really wanted to like her character, but the writer tried to tackle too many issues in the same book. It ended up being unfocused and overwhelming. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy.
karajay's review
3.0
I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
2.5 stars.
I loved this story, it just felt like the tone was wrong.
I couldn't connect with Harper's character mostly due to her way of speaking. Harper can sense illnesses in others due to how her body reacts when around them. I am intrigued by this idea and actually kind of liked how it played out.
The rest of this story is full of really upsetting storylines that I'm going to avoid in an effort not to spoil it for you. However, I don't know if they were handled well. It went from one paragraph being full of dark events (I really do mean dark) to the next being too lighthearted.
I felt like everything ended up all tied up with a pretty bow to quickly and the book ended pretty abruptly.
This is a quick read though and probably worth the time you would put in.
CW: suicide, rape, incest
2.5 stars.
I loved this story, it just felt like the tone was wrong.
I couldn't connect with Harper's character mostly due to her way of speaking. Harper can sense illnesses in others due to how her body reacts when around them. I am intrigued by this idea and actually kind of liked how it played out.
The rest of this story is full of really upsetting storylines that I'm going to avoid in an effort not to spoil it for you. However, I don't know if they were handled well. It went from one paragraph being full of dark events (I really do mean dark) to the next being too lighthearted.
I felt like everything ended up all tied up with a pretty bow to quickly and the book ended pretty abruptly.
This is a quick read though and probably worth the time you would put in.
CW: suicide, rape, incest
briarsreviews's review
5.0
Down in the Belly of the Whale by Kelley Kay Bowles is a witty and ingenious Young Adult novel that addresses a multitude of tough subject matter in an eye-opening manner.
I don't know how Kelley does it, but she always manages to impress me. This time around, Kelley has a Young Adult novel that addresses so many tough subjects in one go! Topics such as self harm, child abuse, Multiple Sclerosis, loss of innocence, suicide and not so supportive parents are just some of the many that are tackled in this book. Each "issue" is brought into the story seamlessly and has plot lines throughout the narrative to deal with the issues. Most Young Adult books stay away from the tough yet so very real topics like these, so I have to applaud Kelley for taking the big leap in her story!
My teenage self would have loved a book like this, and I could have learned a lot in the process. On top of the subject matter, the book is written in the voice of a teenager (and it feels oh so real!). Just some of the quotes, such as "I'm going to wear a stunning pair of very expensive jeans that hug my curves like a two-year old with separation anxiety" make this book hilarious! This sitcom-like book creates a fantastic balance between realism and dark topics alongside the silly and goofy one-liners to make the book less depressing.
I did like the character development in this story - both Cora and Harper grow throughout. The change in their attitudes and view points was very obvious as the book went on! I think Kelley did a great job making these characters feel real and like teenagers. Bravo!!
The fantastical side of Harper being able to "sense" when someone is sick, and she's able to sense mental illness is a big step forward. Mental illness is not always seen as someone being "sick", rather it's just an issue to be dealt with. Having a book directed towards teenagers have this point of view makes me very happy and very proud of Kelley's writing.
Now for the tough part - the negatives. Were there negatives in this book for me? Yes. I felt the ending was rushed, which made some of the pieces being tied together feel less real. Is it necessarily a bad thing? No. It was just something that stuck out to me. Kelley ties up some of the loose ends nicely, but I would have loved a few more pages dedicated to these storylines. Other than that, this book felt flawless.
Would I recommend this book? Heck yes! This book was a fantastic Young Adult novel that I actually got into! I didn't want to put it down, and I didn't. I easily binged this book in one sitting, but it could easily be read in bits and pieces. If you like Young Adult novels, books that tackle dark subject matter (in a light-hearted way) or a splash of comedy, then you will love this book! I'd even recommend this to many adult readers, because of it's amazing way of tackling the rough subjects.
There is a bit of an asterisk on the recommendation side - this book could be a major trigger for some people. Keep that in mind if you plan to pick up this book! The darker sides of this novel may not be suitable for all ages and maturity levels!
Five out of five stars!
I received a free copy of this book from the author Kelley Kaye Bowles in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know how Kelley does it, but she always manages to impress me. This time around, Kelley has a Young Adult novel that addresses so many tough subjects in one go! Topics such as self harm, child abuse, Multiple Sclerosis, loss of innocence, suicide and not so supportive parents are just some of the many that are tackled in this book. Each "issue" is brought into the story seamlessly and has plot lines throughout the narrative to deal with the issues. Most Young Adult books stay away from the tough yet so very real topics like these, so I have to applaud Kelley for taking the big leap in her story!
My teenage self would have loved a book like this, and I could have learned a lot in the process. On top of the subject matter, the book is written in the voice of a teenager (and it feels oh so real!). Just some of the quotes, such as "I'm going to wear a stunning pair of very expensive jeans that hug my curves like a two-year old with separation anxiety" make this book hilarious! This sitcom-like book creates a fantastic balance between realism and dark topics alongside the silly and goofy one-liners to make the book less depressing.
I did like the character development in this story - both Cora and Harper grow throughout. The change in their attitudes and view points was very obvious as the book went on! I think Kelley did a great job making these characters feel real and like teenagers. Bravo!!
The fantastical side of Harper being able to "sense" when someone is sick, and she's able to sense mental illness is a big step forward. Mental illness is not always seen as someone being "sick", rather it's just an issue to be dealt with. Having a book directed towards teenagers have this point of view makes me very happy and very proud of Kelley's writing.
Now for the tough part - the negatives. Were there negatives in this book for me? Yes. I felt the ending was rushed, which made some of the pieces being tied together feel less real. Is it necessarily a bad thing? No. It was just something that stuck out to me. Kelley ties up some of the loose ends nicely, but I would have loved a few more pages dedicated to these storylines. Other than that, this book felt flawless.
Would I recommend this book? Heck yes! This book was a fantastic Young Adult novel that I actually got into! I didn't want to put it down, and I didn't. I easily binged this book in one sitting, but it could easily be read in bits and pieces. If you like Young Adult novels, books that tackle dark subject matter (in a light-hearted way) or a splash of comedy, then you will love this book! I'd even recommend this to many adult readers, because of it's amazing way of tackling the rough subjects.
There is a bit of an asterisk on the recommendation side - this book could be a major trigger for some people. Keep that in mind if you plan to pick up this book! The darker sides of this novel may not be suitable for all ages and maturity levels!
Five out of five stars!
I received a free copy of this book from the author Kelley Kaye Bowles in exchange for an honest review.
allieoxenfree's review
4.0
I got a copy from NetGalley and Aionios Books, I am very grateful but please know that all opinions are my own.
“Harper Southwood is a teenage girl who can sense when people will get sick—but so what? She can’t predict her best friend’s depression or her mother’s impending health crisis. Being helpful is all Harper ever wanted, but she feels helpless in the face of real adversity. Now, she’s got a chance to summon her courage and use her wits to fight for justice. Laugh and cry along with this irrepressible, high-spirited teen in her journey of self-discovery, as she learns that compassion and internal strength are her real gifts, her true superpower.”
Down in the Belly of the Whale was such a good read, it was touching without really trying. I initially had a problem with Harper being a little self absorbed, but I realized that she wasn’t… I was just in her mind, and that’s what makes it relatable.
I love the characters, especially Harper’s family, but I hoped Cora (Harper’s BFF) was there more. The writing was engaging to make me not stop reading. I feel like some of the issues in the book were not discussed so much, which I hoped it was. I mean seriously I wouldn’t mind more pages. They’re viewed from an outsider’s view so I understand if we don’t get to know more.
Harper Southwood is a great character with great development in the end.
4 out of 5 stars.
“Harper Southwood is a teenage girl who can sense when people will get sick—but so what? She can’t predict her best friend’s depression or her mother’s impending health crisis. Being helpful is all Harper ever wanted, but she feels helpless in the face of real adversity. Now, she’s got a chance to summon her courage and use her wits to fight for justice. Laugh and cry along with this irrepressible, high-spirited teen in her journey of self-discovery, as she learns that compassion and internal strength are her real gifts, her true superpower.”
Down in the Belly of the Whale was such a good read, it was touching without really trying. I initially had a problem with Harper being a little self absorbed, but I realized that she wasn’t… I was just in her mind, and that’s what makes it relatable.
I love the characters, especially Harper’s family, but I hoped Cora (Harper’s BFF) was there more. The writing was engaging to make me not stop reading. I feel like some of the issues in the book were not discussed so much, which I hoped it was. I mean seriously I wouldn’t mind more pages. They’re viewed from an outsider’s view so I understand if we don’t get to know more.
Harper Southwood is a great character with great development in the end.
4 out of 5 stars.
ashtonsmith27's review
2.0
⬂↘⬊ Initial Thoughts ⬋↙⬃
First of all, thank you so much to the author for sending me an ebook version of this book. I love getting emails from authors, so if you've written a book and would like for me to review it, click here to check out my guidelines and contact information.
As much as I wanted to love this book, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Though it didn't take a long time to read, I felt like I had to trudge through to the end. The idea and basis for the story had potential, but I didn't think the execution was where it could have been. It could be that this book is meant for a younger YA audience than what I'm used to, but this one was not for me.
⬂↘⬊ Focus on Friendship ⬋↙⬃
One thing I did like about this book was the friendship between the main character and her best friend. Throughout the book, Harper and Cora’s dynamic and trust in one another kept me interested in the story as a whole. They confided in one another, and they have a certain level of intimacy that all friends should strive for. However, I found their relationship to be a little unrealistic at points throughout the novel, especially when Cora revealed her big secret to Harper. I thought that moment felt unnatural, and I wish the author incorporated more realism into each scene.
⬂↘⬊ Writing Style ⬋↙⬃
I think the shortcoming for me in this book was the writing style. I felt as I got farther into the story that the writing would grow on me, but the opposite occurred. For me, the book seemed condescending at times, but I think it is because it is meant for younger readers. There were parts in the reading where things were overexplained a little. I’d be reading along through a chapter, and all of a sudden, the author would use a ten dollar word. When one of the characters would explain it, it felt forced and unnatural.
I got this same kind of feeling throughout the story when the author would go into extreme detail about something that wasn’t essential to the story. A great example of this is during the dissection scenes. I could tell the author did her research, which is always good. But I feel that in scenes like that, an author needs to let the information flow naturally instead of throwing it all down into the writing. Sometimes there were so many of these bits of information that I felt like I was reading a Wikipedia page.
⬂↘⬊ Romance?⬋↙⬃
My absolute favorite thing about the novel, however, is the relationship between Harper and Cade. They had a cute and quirky relationship that I feel could’ve been utilized more throughout the novel. When Harper feels like no one else can help her, she turns to Cade to help her with the challenges she faces. Though I thought they were cute, I felt like their relationship was kind of an afterthought and crammed into the end of the book. The author definitely could’ve used their dynamic throughout the story if Harper decided to turn to Cade sooner. By doing so, it would’ve made the whole plot line more realistic and make more sense.
⬂↘⬊ Overall ⬋↙⬃
As a whole, I would not recommend this book to older YA readers. Though the story discusses mature topics, the voice of the book is not meant for middle and upper teens. If you are a younger teen, you might give it a read and see what you think for yourself. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
An old soul,
Ashton
First of all, thank you so much to the author for sending me an ebook version of this book. I love getting emails from authors, so if you've written a book and would like for me to review it, click here to check out my guidelines and contact information.
As much as I wanted to love this book, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Though it didn't take a long time to read, I felt like I had to trudge through to the end. The idea and basis for the story had potential, but I didn't think the execution was where it could have been. It could be that this book is meant for a younger YA audience than what I'm used to, but this one was not for me.
⬂↘⬊ Focus on Friendship ⬋↙⬃
One thing I did like about this book was the friendship between the main character and her best friend. Throughout the book, Harper and Cora’s dynamic and trust in one another kept me interested in the story as a whole. They confided in one another, and they have a certain level of intimacy that all friends should strive for. However, I found their relationship to be a little unrealistic at points throughout the novel, especially when Cora revealed her big secret to Harper. I thought that moment felt unnatural, and I wish the author incorporated more realism into each scene.
⬂↘⬊ Writing Style ⬋↙⬃
I think the shortcoming for me in this book was the writing style. I felt as I got farther into the story that the writing would grow on me, but the opposite occurred. For me, the book seemed condescending at times, but I think it is because it is meant for younger readers. There were parts in the reading where things were overexplained a little. I’d be reading along through a chapter, and all of a sudden, the author would use a ten dollar word. When one of the characters would explain it, it felt forced and unnatural.
I got this same kind of feeling throughout the story when the author would go into extreme detail about something that wasn’t essential to the story. A great example of this is during the dissection scenes. I could tell the author did her research, which is always good. But I feel that in scenes like that, an author needs to let the information flow naturally instead of throwing it all down into the writing. Sometimes there were so many of these bits of information that I felt like I was reading a Wikipedia page.
⬂↘⬊ Romance?⬋↙⬃
My absolute favorite thing about the novel, however, is the relationship between Harper and Cade. They had a cute and quirky relationship that I feel could’ve been utilized more throughout the novel. When Harper feels like no one else can help her, she turns to Cade to help her with the challenges she faces. Though I thought they were cute, I felt like their relationship was kind of an afterthought and crammed into the end of the book. The author definitely could’ve used their dynamic throughout the story if Harper decided to turn to Cade sooner. By doing so, it would’ve made the whole plot line more realistic and make more sense.
⬂↘⬊ Overall ⬋↙⬃
As a whole, I would not recommend this book to older YA readers. Though the story discusses mature topics, the voice of the book is not meant for middle and upper teens. If you are a younger teen, you might give it a read and see what you think for yourself. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.
An old soul,
Ashton
fablesandwren's review
2.0
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book. All the words below are my own opinions and thoughts
This was a very interesting read. There are a lot of issues thrown into this little book. I am going to keep my review short
Harper and Cora both are dealing with separate things and have a lot of growth through the book. Sexual Assault and Illness are the big contenders. I do feel as if this book had a lot of things thrown into it, so not all the pieces could be discussed and digested at length. This story had a lot of promise to dig deep into one of the biggest problems we are facing today, and I feel it only touched the surface.
It is still an enjoyable and something I believe a lot of people will enjoy. The narrator of the story writes the way people talk. For example, when someone stretches a word out like "waaaaay" or they mispronounce something, the author writes it the way it sounded. I really enjoyed though, even though it does make it seem like a younger read than the topics it talks about.
Over all, I think this is a book young kids should read in order to be able to see the signs people are giving off around them. There are more people than you think that are dealing with a lot of the issues in this book, including someone close to you I bet.
Sometimes people don't know how to ask for help; sometimes they just need someone to see and care.
This was a very interesting read. There are a lot of issues thrown into this little book. I am going to keep my review short
Harper and Cora both are dealing with separate things and have a lot of growth through the book. Sexual Assault and Illness are the big contenders. I do feel as if this book had a lot of things thrown into it, so not all the pieces could be discussed and digested at length. This story had a lot of promise to dig deep into one of the biggest problems we are facing today, and I feel it only touched the surface.
It is still an enjoyable and something I believe a lot of people will enjoy. The narrator of the story writes the way people talk. For example, when someone stretches a word out like "waaaaay" or they mispronounce something, the author writes it the way it sounded. I really enjoyed though, even though it does make it seem like a younger read than the topics it talks about.
Over all, I think this is a book young kids should read in order to be able to see the signs people are giving off around them. There are more people than you think that are dealing with a lot of the issues in this book, including someone close to you I bet.
Sometimes people don't know how to ask for help; sometimes they just need someone to see and care.
juliacelina's review
3.0
I want to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Down in the Belly of the Whale is an engaging story about one girl's strange abilities and the struggles she faces while feeling like an outsider. I really enjoyed this novel and even read it in just one sitting.
Harper is a teenager and (like a lot of other girls her age) feels completely out of place. Apart from the fact that she does not feel too comfortable in her own body, she has the strange ability of sensing whenever someone around her is about to get sick. However, when two of the people she loves the most suddenly are threatened, Harper did not see it coming, and is thus even more afraid of the possible consequences...
I really really liked this little story. The characters are relatable and especially Harper seems to be a quite though teen. I found myself laughing out loud at times due to her way of wording things while at the same time she is brave and more than ready to help the people she loves. But also the other characters, e.g. her friend Cora and especially her Uncle Peter (aka. Uncle Pasta) are really lovable.
The writing style is engaging and makes you want to stick to the story and read it from cover to cover (and as the novel is quite short this is also absolutely doable). The only thing I could criticize is that the beginning felt a bit rushed - I would have preferred the novel to be a bit longer to give the reader the chance of getting a bit more into it before the main events start off. However, this didn't bother me too much.
All in all, a solid 3.5 star rating.
Down in the Belly of the Whale is an engaging story about one girl's strange abilities and the struggles she faces while feeling like an outsider. I really enjoyed this novel and even read it in just one sitting.
Harper is a teenager and (like a lot of other girls her age) feels completely out of place. Apart from the fact that she does not feel too comfortable in her own body, she has the strange ability of sensing whenever someone around her is about to get sick. However, when two of the people she loves the most suddenly are threatened, Harper did not see it coming, and is thus even more afraid of the possible consequences...
I really really liked this little story. The characters are relatable and especially Harper seems to be a quite though teen. I found myself laughing out loud at times due to her way of wording things while at the same time she is brave and more than ready to help the people she loves. But also the other characters, e.g. her friend Cora and especially her Uncle Peter (aka. Uncle Pasta) are really lovable.
The writing style is engaging and makes you want to stick to the story and read it from cover to cover (and as the novel is quite short this is also absolutely doable). The only thing I could criticize is that the beginning felt a bit rushed - I would have preferred the novel to be a bit longer to give the reader the chance of getting a bit more into it before the main events start off. However, this didn't bother me too much.
All in all, a solid 3.5 star rating.
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