Scan barcode
haileyannereads's review
5.0
THIS BOOK. I loved it. It is a very timely story about a teenager who wants to be vaccinated, but her parents refuse. I loved that it didn't hold back in showing the dangers of being unvaccinated. It also fights back against common (and false) arguments that anti-vaxxers use.
debi_g's review
This was really fun. The author leavened a serious and difficult situation with humor and romance. Without those components, the topic may have been too dry, intense, and severe for many YA readers.
alexture's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
this might have been a good book if the parents had been less of a caric ture or if the kid had a personality.
eebluee's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
squirrel593's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
emilylanthierrr's review
3.0
got this book on clearance because the cover attracted me. it was a nice and quick easy read and it was a cute story relevant to the topics of vaccines today. the ending wasn’t my favourite, left a lot of questions, but i didn’t have high expectations for this book
sgwill's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wildflowerz76's review
4.0
Juniper is your average 16 year old girl. If the average girl was home-schooled, living a 100% organic life, free of plastics, sugar, cell phones, and tv. Oh, and, of course, no vaccines. But when Juniper gets the measles and ends up passing it along, with some terrible consequences, she decides that something has to change. She's going to sue her parents.
I've, luckily, only really read about anti-vaxers. If I know any in real life, they aren't vocal. I found the parents in this book to be ridiculous and completely selfish. They say they just care about their kids, but they really only care about their own stubborn beliefs. The irony is thick because they try and teach their kids to think for themselves. I can even maybe understand that they think they're doing the right thing for their kids, but it would seem like body autonomy would also be something they would teach their kids. But at the first sign of disagreement, they shit down and start acting like toddlers. This book was good, but extremely frustrating.
I've, luckily, only really read about anti-vaxers. If I know any in real life, they aren't vocal. I found the parents in this book to be ridiculous and completely selfish. They say they just care about their kids, but they really only care about their own stubborn beliefs. The irony is thick because they try and teach their kids to think for themselves. I can even maybe understand that they think they're doing the right thing for their kids, but it would seem like body autonomy would also be something they would teach their kids. But at the first sign of disagreement, they shit down and start acting like toddlers. This book was good, but extremely frustrating.
siirix's review
3.0
I didn't really like it at first, but towards the end it got way better in my opinion. The book had an unique storyline and i like it. It did give me a new view of things. Juniper and Nico werent my favorite couple tho, they were cute tho.
carpe_librarian's review
5.0
I was going to wait and write this review Monday morning, but I literally could not wait to share this book with people. A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt is one of my new favorite books. It is so poignant during this uncertain time in our lives.
This book does not come out until February of 2021 and I cannot wait- like publishers, get this out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It is that good- lighthearted, romantic, and important to understanding each other during a time like COVID-19.
Juniper James has always known she was different and just wanted to be normal. The problem was that she was born to some "hippies" who went to the 'wannabe Woodstock'. Her parents have very important moral convictions- no sugar, all organic, reuse, recycle, life and experience is the best educator. So as a sixteen year old you would expect some teenage rebellion from Juniper, but it is focused on the fact that her parents are anti-vaxxers. She and her siblings are not vaccinated. After Juniper and her siblings get sick with the Measles and Juniper ends up in the hospital, she realizes how dire her situation is.
There are a lot of key factors in this- similar to My Sisters Keeper- she is going to have to go through the legal system to get rights that should automatically be hers in the first place. She struggles with family issues as her parents do not listen to her very reasonable arguments because they do not align with their views. This story is very timely- focusing on how vaccines protect her, but more importantly protect others who are more at risk. I loved Juniper, Nico (her love interest who always supports her needs), and her family. The ending is open enough that Marisa could even follow up with a sequel, if she wanted or there was enough demand for it. There will definitely be demand for this book!.
A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt is available February 2021. I know it will be in my library as son as I can get a physical copy. http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/a-shot-at-normal-by-marisa-reichardt-a-timely-novel
This book does not come out until February of 2021 and I cannot wait- like publishers, get this out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It is that good- lighthearted, romantic, and important to understanding each other during a time like COVID-19.
Juniper James has always known she was different and just wanted to be normal. The problem was that she was born to some "hippies" who went to the 'wannabe Woodstock'. Her parents have very important moral convictions- no sugar, all organic, reuse, recycle, life and experience is the best educator. So as a sixteen year old you would expect some teenage rebellion from Juniper, but it is focused on the fact that her parents are anti-vaxxers. She and her siblings are not vaccinated. After Juniper and her siblings get sick with the Measles and Juniper ends up in the hospital, she realizes how dire her situation is.
There are a lot of key factors in this- similar to My Sisters Keeper- she is going to have to go through the legal system to get rights that should automatically be hers in the first place. She struggles with family issues as her parents do not listen to her very reasonable arguments because they do not align with their views. This story is very timely- focusing on how vaccines protect her, but more importantly protect others who are more at risk. I loved Juniper, Nico (her love interest who always supports her needs), and her family. The ending is open enough that Marisa could even follow up with a sequel, if she wanted or there was enough demand for it. There will definitely be demand for this book!.
A Shot at Normal by Marisa Reichardt is available February 2021. I know it will be in my library as son as I can get a physical copy. http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/a-shot-at-normal-by-marisa-reichardt-a-timely-novel