The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne

by Shannon Takaoka

Gracie feels like a minor character in her own life story—until a mysterious journal turns her fictional stories into reality.

It’s 1987, and sixteen-year-old Gracie Byrne wishes her life were totally different. Shy and awkward, she has trouble fitting in at her new school, she’s still reeling from her parents’ divorce, and her grandmother Katherine’s Alzheimer’s is getting worse. So when Gracie finds a blank journal in Katherine’s vanity drawer, she begins writing stories about herself—a more popular version of herself, that is. But then the hot guy in her art class describes a dream he had about her—the exact scene she wrote about him in her journal—and Gracie realizes that she can create any reality she wants, from acing tests to winning the attention of her previously indifferent classmates. As her ability to change what is into what she wishes it to be grows stronger, though, Gracie starts to second-guess what’s real—especially when it comes to a budding relationship with her cute neighbor, Tom. This compelling story deftly blends friendship, family, and romance . . . and bends the bounds of reality itself.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Audiobook, Magical Realism, Fiction, Historical Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2023

About the author

Shannon Takaoka's first young adult novel, EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW, was a 2021 Kansas National Education Association Reading Circle Recommended Title and a 2022 TAYSHAS Reading List Selection. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family, where she also works as a business writer and editor. Her next book, THE TOTALLY TRUE STORY OF GRACIE BYRNE, is out October 31, 2023 - Halloween!

Reviews

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fascinating to read. I loved the concept as it was not like anything I've read before. I love the deep meaning and lessons that Gracie learns throughout the story. Such a beautiful eye opening tale! Gracie was a beautiful soul of a person. I truly enjoyed this, such a worthy read! I'm surprised this isn't being talked about more.

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the idea of a magic journal. No clue what I’d write it it though. Review soon

What to expect:
~ single 1st person POV, present tense
~ magical realism
~ hs shenanigans
~ grandma with Alzheimer’s

Narration notes:
She did a really great job. Sounded age appropriate too.

[cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cried like 3 times

[Alex Z (azeebooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautifully heartfelt slice of life story!

The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne follows Gracie who’s about to start at a new high school. Her mom, brother and her have moved in with her grandmother who needs help due to her increasing Alzheimers. When she finds a journal of her grandmother’s and starts using it, she finds whatever she writes actually happens. What would you do with that kind of power?

Gracie Byrne is a lovable character trying to figure herself out. I really felt for her and her struggle trying to maintain life as a teenager while also being there for her family. Not to mention, when you add magic to that mix it makes it a lot more difficult!

I loved the throwback 80’s references and thought her high school experience was so relatable!

Good cast of characters, fantastic pacing and overall just a lovely story!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Available October 31, 2023

Thank you to BookInfluencers and Candlewick Press for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Julia Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars. All. The. Stars.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars rounded up

[Kat (BostonKatReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute lil book with a sweet message. Audiobook was easy to listen to!

[Jennifer Moffett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait for readers to meet Gracie Byrne!!

Official blurb:

Expect the unexpected in this twisty, genre-bending book. With a touch of ‘80s nostalgia and a dash of magical realism, Gracie Byrne learns to manifest the life she wants while navigating the unpredictable consequences that follow. Delightfully relatable and highly entertaining, Takaoka’s immersive coming-of-age story explores the complications of becoming who you are while discovering who you want to be.

[Erin Riha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, heartfelt, and imaginative, with the perfect dash of 1980’s color. Gracie Byrne’s adventures with a magic journal is the perfect setting for this coming of age story. As she considers the role of free will in her world, Gracie encounters increasingly bittersweet family dynamics with the support of friends who are delightfully nuanced.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1987, 16-year-old high school student, Gracie Byrne, realizes that she can alter reality via her grandma's diary. She quickly learns the amazing things it can do but is afraid to alter fate.

I don't read many young adult novels but felt drawn to this one because Gracie Byrne reminded me so much of myself. Anxious in high school with a sick grandmother. I had loved reading her story and her young love. Very read worthy and sweet with heartfelt moments. The 80's references had me smiling also.

[Chanda Scobee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story took me by surprise in the best way! It's on my order list for the YA section of the library I order for, but I saw it available on Hoopla this weekend and decided to listen to it, and I'm so happy I did. "The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne" is a clever blend of coming-of-age introspection, family mystery, and a touch of magical realism- or maybe just the magic that comes from finally finding your voice.

Gracie is one of those protagonists who feels achingly real. She’s awkward, yet observant, caught in the in-between space of grief, identity, and self-expression. She's someone a lot of teenage girls will be able to find relatable. What begins as a reluctant journaling assignment slowly unspools into something bigger: her private thoughts start appearing in the real world. All of a sudden her fantasies aren't just in her own head!

I really loved how this book explored the weird and winding path of growing up. Gracie’s voice is sharp and funny, but also tender and vulnerable in ways that sneak up on you. There’s a lot here about learning to face your own feelings instead of burying them, and about how writing- whether fiction or journaling- can be both a mirror and a release.

The relationships in the book felt layered and authentic too. I especially appreciated the family dynamic- how complicated grief can ripple through generations- and the tension between what we keep to ourselves and what we share. There are a lot of life lessons and introspective moments in this story that make it not only engaging, but incredibly complex for such a light-hearted story.

If you’re someone who’s ever found comfort in the margins of your notebook or felt overwhelmed by the pressure to be okay all the time, this book will likely resonate. It reminded me that sometimes the wildest stories we tell ourselves are the ones we need to finally hear out loud. I think it was the perfect time to read this for myself!

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one came recommended and I see why! I wasn't sure based on the description that this was one that was going to hit with me, but it sure did. Beautifully written and the ups and downs of it as well as the characters (main and supporting) make it so that you don't really want it to end.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Gracie is such a likable main character with a wonderful narrative voice, and her world and problems are both relatable and fully developed. The magical realism elements work really well here and complement the story’s coming-of-age theme perfectly. Highly recommended.

[Allie Dahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, fluffy read! A little slow, but the end was very entertaining.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so fun. I know the author who wrote one of the promo blurbs, and it was described as "if you loved The Midnight Library, you might enjoy this." Beyond enjoyed. The 80s descriptions!! The vivid imagery!! Reading this was like watching a show to me. I could picture it all SO accurately. Cute YA romance without being "too" cute. Relatable everyday real-life characters.

[Leah (Jane Speare) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I completely fell in love with this sweet story. While the idea at the core of it, what would you do if you could alter reality, may not be totally unheard of, the take and execution is truly special. Gracie is an awkward nerd, and since this is set in 1987, nerds aren't quite cool yet and so she is struggling to adapt to a number of life changes - a new school, her parents divorce, and moving in with her grandmother who has Alzheimer's. Gracie loves cool words and writing, like the true nerd introvert she is, and so when she finds an old journal in her grandmother's things, it's no surprise she wants to write her stories in it. And when the stories start affecting real life (for better or worse) she is forced to reckon with the idea that she is intentionally changing people's memories...as she witnesses firsthand the reality of her grandmother's involuntary memory loss with the disease's progression. Gracie can't help but realize the power she now has, and what that responsibility really means. I found her situation thought provoking and her insecurities relatable; when you don't fit in but have the ability to create a world where you are more accepted and even noticed, how would you proceed? Is that still 'reality' or a manufactured existence, or is there even a way to know for sure the difference between the two?

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

First 80% like 3 stars- last 20% 4 stars

[Shanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure how I stumbled upon this book on hoopla, but I’m so glad I did. I listened to the first half on audio and finished on my kobo (hoopla removed it for some reason).

The story of a girl, her family, love, and sorrow. Gracie is moved 2 hours away from the life she knows. With her mom and younger brother they move in with her aging grandmother suffering from Alzheimer’s. Gracie discovers a journal that she finds lets her…create her own reality, and she struggles with what’s real or not, when to use this “power” or just trust that life is how it’s supposed to be for each person & being able to alter it may not be as great s as it sounds.

She finds love in her new life, gets glimpses of what other realities could be, and learns to trust the universe, in a manner of speaking.

It’s hard to put this book to words and how it touched me, but it did and I think I’ll be thinking about it for a long while to come.

[Katy Colwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute YA story! Set in 1987, Gracie Byrne is 16, and she and her mom and brother have just moved in to her grandmother‘s house to help care for her, as she suffers from Alzheimer’s. Gracie finds a blank journal among her grandmother‘s things, and begins to write stories in it. Somehow the stories start happening in real life. I’m not gonna give away anything more than that.

I really started getting invested in the story when I hit the halfway mark and couldn’t read fast enough to find out what was going to happen with Gracie.

I was 17 in 1987, so I could relate to Gracie on many levels. I loved all the 80’s references, especially the ones about the music back then. This story has themes about friendship, being the awkward new girl during junior year of high school, first love, and family, with a little bit of magic realism thrown in. I highly recommend this cute heartwarming story!! And because it’s YA, it’s a super quick easy read.

[jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

yeah i did read this whole thing in one night, so what?
it was really good! i loved gracie as a character and her development and growth was really well written. i especially loved tom he was so so cute i want a tom for me. reading about her grandma's alzheimer's broke my heart, but her character with the journal and stuff was interesting. overall really good!!

4/5 ⭐️

”All this time, I thought I wanted to be noticed. But maybe being noticed isn’t the same as being seen.”

[Laura Rueckert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story about a girl who finds a magic notebook that allows her to rewrite her life. I especially love how thoughtful both the main character and the book in general are. Seeing Gracie and her mom deal with a loved one who has Alzheimer’s went straight to my heart. Plus the 1980s setting was fun.

[Katie Charleus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gracie finds out that there’s a magical journal she can write in that will make things come true in her life. She eventually struggles with writing anything bc she doesn’t know truly if that’s the purpose of her life. She can make Luke like her but does he really like her? Cutesy book

[Stacy Stremlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

audiobook. a teenage girl dealing with the effects of her grandmother's dementia. the magic notebook was really secondary - in a beautiful way - to the way Gracie deals with the many changes in her life and relationships. I wanted more at the end, but it was a lovely story

[Kim Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story! Gracie find a journal and discovers that what she writes affects her life. It takes place in the 80s in Pittsburgh so I loved all the references to places around the city (Century III mall, anyone?!) and lots of 80s references that were fun too.

[Laura Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Pamela Sepulvado Sepulvado Deroche · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be deeply inspiring and thought provoking. What if you could change everything by just writing it in a journal?

[Jennifer White · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up bc I just really enjoyed this story. It was cute and interesting and an overall good read for what type of story it was.

[Ashleigh Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a light hearted, easy, and quick read to ease me back into reading after a long period of burnout and this book did the job. It was cute and I enjoyed the main character’s awkwardness, which I definitely relate to. Good first book of the new year.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

DRC from Edelweiss and Candlewick
Gracie has moved with her mother and brother to live with their grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's. She is shy and doesn't seem to fit into her new school. Gracie is a realistic character, awkward around new people, picked on by the "popular" girl, tongue tied when a cute boy talks to her. She has alway been interested in words and the stranger the better. She loves to write and is great in her english class. When she finds an old notebook in her grandmother's room, she starts writing short stories that seem to come true. At first she thinks it is coincident, but then she realizes it is true.
Should she play with people and keep writing? Do the friends she made like her for herself or because she wrote it that way? Great story about playing with people's emotions, making friends, and putting family first.

[Celeste Munoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet, feel-good story that took me completely by surprise! Firstly, I think the hardcover is absolutely beautiful. The naked hardback is purple with stars on it, and it's just so pretty, it makes my little magpie heart happy. The story itself was very relaxing and low-stakes, which I'm sure may be a drawback for some readers, but I loved it. Reading this right when the weather started getting cold was the definition of cozy reading. Gracie is a relatable protagonist living in the 80s (no cell phones was actually kind of fun to read about!), who struggles with a few major life changes, mounting responsibilities, and trying to find her place at a new school. When she finds an old notebook that used to belong to her grandmother, she realizes she can use it to literally write the future. This book felt so real to me, I laughed a lot while reading it, and it touched on quite a few heavier topics such as free will and loneliness. I do wish some aspects of the magic notebook had been explored more, but all in all, I absolutely loved reading this cozy YA novel!