Sortino's sophomore novel stuns with disability rep and YA tropes

     From the bestselling author of Give Me A Sign comes another novel with a deaf protagonist and all the YA feels. Brimming with teens desiring for their place in the world, On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino (which came out on July 2nd) is a must-read!
     Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. But being mainstreamed into public school isn't exactly easy. So her guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, a student who’s supposed to help her adjust. Can the boy who tries to say the right things, and gets it all wrong, be the lifeline Ellie needs?
     Jackson has been avoiding his teammates ever since some numbness in his legs cost them an important soccer match. With his senior year off to a lonely start, he’s intrigued when he’s asked to help the new girl, initially thinking it will be a commendable move on his part. Little does he know Ellie will soon be the person he wants most by his side when the strange symptoms he’s experiencing amount to a life-changing diagnosis.
     Anna Sortino has officially become an auto-buy author for me!! I loved her debut novel GIVE ME A SIGN and this book was just as amazing! I really appreciated the disability rep in this book and felt like I learned so much about some of the different experiences people have when both living and getting diagnosed with a disability or life-altering illness.
     On top of the heaviness that this book deals with, it also has its moments of levity and has most of the same nuances that other YA books have: fitting in at a new school, getting over an ex, dealing with a new crush, family drama, and fears about college/the future. However, through it all there is the message that although your life may seem to be over and the world may be against you, there is always hope and if you surround yourself with the right people, then your life can be bountiful and fulfilling even with the curveballs life throws at you.
     Overall, this YA book was heartwarming and enlightening into the world of disability and disorders and I highly recommend it!

*I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.

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