On the Bright Side

by Anna Sortino

A hopeful novel about love, disability, and the inevitability of change by the author of Give Me a Sign.

Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down, forcing her to leave the place she considered home and return to her hearing family. Back in a mainstream school, Ellie quickly becomes the subject of hateful rumors. That’s when 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.

Exploring what it means to build community, Anna Sortino pens a story about the fear of the unknown and the beauty of the unexpected, all wrapped up in a poignant romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Disability, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Realistic Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2024

About the author

Anna Sortino is the award-winning author of Give Me a Sign, On the Bright Side, and Stops Along the Way. Her stories center disabled characters living their lives and falling in love. She lives in Chicago with her dog. Find more at AnnaSortino.com.

Reviews

[akacya ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 reads: 187/250

i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

ellie’s deaf boarding school just shut down, and now she’s forced to return to her hearing family and a mainstream school. she’s paired up with jackson, who’s meant to help her adjust to the school. jackson is going through changes of his own, though—his soccer team lost an important match after jackson tripped on air, and now he’s avoiding his teammates. he’s intrigued by the new girl, and she quickly becomes the person he wants by his side the most when his strange symptoms start to heighten.

i loved these characters so much. on one hand, we have ellie, whose confidence i deeply admired. unfortunately, her hearing family never wanted to learn ASL, so she feels isolated as soon as she gets home from boarding school. on the other hand, jackson’s parents are a bit too involved, and not in ways that are always helpful. in the story, he finds out he has MS. anna sortino mentioned in the author’s note that this is a diagnosis she’s also getting used to, and i think she showed throughout the book how personal jackson’s story is.

i loved give me a sign, so i was really excited when this book was announced! i’m not going to try to figure out which one i liked better, because they’re different books and i enjoyed them for different reasons. with that said, i would say that anyone who enjoyed give me a sign is likely to enjoy this one, and vice versa. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from anna sortino!

[sara سارة · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If this year's taught us anything, there's more important things than always going full speed."

okay this was not bad. it had a cute plot, nice writing style, and the characters—well, most of them—were cool. i especially liked how we have a mmc with MS and a fmc who is deaf. we definitely need more books with that kind of representation.

i will say, ellie's character annoyed me sometimes. for example, why did she kiss jackson just to get back at her ex? it got me so confused, and i was like: why is the guy okay with this? also, some parts of the book felt like they were dragging. specific chapters were literally all words with no plot.

overall though, it was an enjoyable read. if you're into YA romance set in high school where the main characters have their own issues (which they try to fix together), then this is for you.

"There's a lot about my life I wouldn't recognize even a year ago. So much I wouldn't have expected. I don't know what comes next. Then again, no one ever really does. But I'm ready to find out."

3.5 stars. it's got its ups and downs—the characters and pacing could be a lot better—but still very cute nontheless!!

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5⭐️

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

1 Sentence Summary: Ellie’s Deaf boarding school just shut down and now she has to start senior year in a mainstream public school; to help her adjust, the guidance counselor pairs her with Jackson, the school’s star soccer player who has problems of his own and is keeping the strange new numbness in his legs a secret; despite a rocky start, Ellie & Jackson soon become friends and even more, a safe place for the other to lean on during difficult times.

My Thoughts: The representation in this book was so wonderful! I loved the nuanced exploration of different experiences with disability—we have Ellie who has been Deaf her whole life and then Jackson who gets a sudden diagnosis later in life.

I loved the Deaf representation and all the challenges presented of growing up as the only Deaf person in a hearing family and a largely hearing world. Also, I know ASL so it was cool to read the descriptions of the signs and know what they were.

My only complaint is that it could be a bit more developed; for example, the side characters were all pretty one dimensional and the romance wasn’t super fleshed out. Some conflicts got resolved too easily as well.

This was an enjoyable read and I think it’s so important especially for young people to have positive disability representation like this, which I haven’t seen very much in YA books.

Overall, more of a 4.5 stars, but I’ll round up to 5!

Recommend to: Anyone who wants to read a cute YA coming-of-age romance with fantastic disability representation!

(Warnings: swearing)

***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review

[gweeeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

good representation (fmc is Deaf, mmc has a chronic illness). plot felt nonexistent sometimes. VERY abrupt ending. read kind of like a debut novel but wasn’t a debut novel. a bit unrealistic… kind of surprised i don’t see anyone else questioning an 18 year old moving out and being able to pay rent despite having never had a job and no savings? that particular plotline really bothered me as a 24 year old that’s been working since 16, has savings, and can’t afford the cost of living

[Natalie ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Rep: deaf, MS
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for an e-ARC! I enjoyed the author’s first book Give Me A Sign, but this was even better in my opinion! Not only is this a YA contemporary about deaf pride, this also deals with MS and the diagnosis’ physical and emotional journey. I can’t speak for MS specifically, but seeing Jackson’s life change so fast after being diagnosed was very relatable and would be for anyone with a chronic illness.
Besides the rep, this was a super cute YA high school romance!
The only negative thing I have to say is that Ellie’s character annoyed me a bit, especially in the first half.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this one, and I’m excited to see more from this author!

[Starr ❇✌❇]

"In this contemporary YA romance, after the deaf institute she attends is shut down, Ellie must start senior year at a new school where she meets and falls for Jackson, who is going through a disability diagnosis of his own."

[lydia {67} ୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally gobbled this up in 1 night 😶🤭

[sara ࿐ྂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ꒰💜꒱ 𝟑 𝐒𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀
↠━༻◆༺━↞

ᴺᵒʷ ᵖˡᵃʸᶦⁿᵍ; [ 𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙞𝙙𝙚 ] [ 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗼 ]
1:07 ——◦———— -4:05
↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ

» 。° .• ⚪ ༄
I needed a book to listen to on my way back from visiting my parents, so I checked On the Bright Side from Libby. I forgot that this was on my Goodreads TBR so I was happy that I would get another book checked off. I didn't have any expectations when I was preparing to listen to this audiobook, so I'm not disappointed but not satisfied either.

༄ 🟦 .• ° 。«
The synopsis gave away what will happen for the first half of the story. I kid you not, at the 50% mark in my audiobook is when Jackson get his diagnosis. I hate when books give away the whole plot. At that point, why am I reading the book when the author gives me a summary before I even have a chance to start listening?

» 。° .• ⚪ ༄
The pacing at the beginning of the story was normal, but then events kept happening so quickly that I thought the story was shorter than it actually was. For example, the romance started maybe 30% of the way. Not beginning to develop like the little hints of them liking one another, but full-on pursing. It went way too fast for someone like Ellie who just got out of a five-year relationship. I would have thought she would be a little hesitant to get back into a relationship so quickly.

.。༅:*ﾟ𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ꒱

⚫ ·˚ 𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 ˊˎ
༻————↠
I thought Ellie was obnoxious and stuck-up when it came to being in a new school. It can be intimidating to go to a new school for your senior year and being away from a school you have been going to for five years. However, Ellie was acting like she was better than everyone else and didn't really want to talk to any people. She didn't like Jackson but somehow grew to like him, which I didn't understand. That progressed in the matter of two chapters and wasn't spaced out enough in my opinion.

⚫ ·˚ 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻 ˊˎ
༺————↞
The voice actor for Jackson is the reason why I'm not a fan of him. The narrator spoke matter-of-factly and spoke in a happy tone, even when Jackson's life was falling apart. If I had read the story myself, I would definitely love Jackson as a character. I think he is a good representation of how people react to having a new disability. Jackson went from being in shock, to feeling like he couldn't follow his dreams, to making new dreams. They go through different reactions, and their worlds are drastically changing.

↠━ ⚪ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ━↞
I wasn't a big fan of this book for multiple reasons. Pacing was off when the plot was being developed, the synopsis gave away half of the story, and Ellie was a bit too much for me. I did like how this book represented the Deaf community and someone navigating through their own disability for the first time. I feel like this was a good book for me to listen to since I am wanting to be an educator one day and will encounter students like Ellie and Jackson. I just wish a few things in the book were different.

💜 ––––———–––––———–┊༄

» 。° .• 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ༄
༻————↠
Need something to listen to on my way home and saw that this was on Libby. This has been on my Goodreads TBR for a while so I thought it was a perfect fit!

[The Garden of Eden✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟this was so cute!!

I really enjoyed Give Me a Sign, so I was excited to read something else from this author!

I will say I probably prefer Give Me a Sign, because I love summer camp stories, but On the Bright Side gave me many of the same emotions the other novel did.
I like that we actually get to know Ellie and Jackson as individuals and how their family/friendship dynamics differ. It was good to read about their respective struggles independently from their relationship, but also how they try to navigate them together.

I think the message of “anyone can become disabled at any time” was used so well here, not only because Jackson had to come to terms with his diagnosis, but also because it showed how different one’s life becomes when that does happen.

This was so fun, so cute, and I love that it didn’t feel like we were being talked at, because a lot of authors still do that and it needs to stop!!

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Edelweiss and PRH for the DRC of probably my most anticipated book of the year!

I was so excited for this one. On The Bright Side follows Ellie, a deaf teen whose all-deaf boarding school she has spent the last several years at is shut down by the state, forcing her to attend her local public school, Amber High, for her senior year. Suddenly stripped of her deaf community, Ellie struggles to find her footing again. Her parents don’t know ASL and refuse to learn, and she doesn’t know any other deaf students at her new school. Ellie feels a bit lost and alone until she meets Jackson, the boy the guidance counselor asks to show her around. Jackson has been experiencing some strange symptoms that his parents are choosing to ignore: numbness in his legs, brain fog, dizziness, headaches, and more. When his legs give out at a soccer championship match, costing the team the game, he distances himself from the rest of the team, allowing him to get to know Ellie more. When his symptoms progress and he gets a life-changing diagnosis, Ellie ends up being someone he can really count on.

Ellie and Jackson really lean on each other throughout this book. Ellie knows that she can count on Jackson to be a distraction from her disaster of a home life and that he will never get annoyed with her for not being able to hear something the first few times like her parents. When Jackson gets a diagnosis, he counts on Ellie to help him navigate being a disabled teen.

One of the things I really loved about this book was how nuanced the discussions around disability were. I loved that we saw Ellie working to build a new deaf community for herself where she could freely use ASL. I loved that the story went through her struggles with her parents, like needing to explain to them why she might actually not want to wear her hearing aid or implant receiver. But the best part of this was Ellie explaining disability pride to Jackson. This part of the book actually made me cry. Explaining the nuances between accepting the cards life has dealt you and accepting your disability but also not wanting to be in pain was so important. Ellie explains to Jackson that she doesn’t want a cure for her deafness. She doesn’t want to live in a world where people are trying to eradicate all disabilities. At the same time, she explains that she doesn’t want Jackson to live in pain. She doesn’t want him to not find a cure, but she still wants him to accept himself the way he is.

Beyond that conversation, I loved that Ellie acknowledged that she doesn’t know disability as a loss like Jackson does. She acknowledges that she has always been deaf and doesn’t know what it’s like to lose any of her senses. I also love that she acknowledged that not everyone who is deaf identifies with the disabled label but that personally, she does. I loved that she clarified that disability isn’t a bad thing or offensive and I loved that she brought up that anyone can become disabled at any moment.

As someone who has a chronic illness that is not that well known among the general public, I also really connected with Jackson. I felt for him when he was afraid that people were judging him using a cane when he looked otherwise healthy, when he wished he could have something that people at least understood, when he struggled to own the fact that he had a disability, and especially when he said he felt a bit lighter when he finally got answers even though that meant bad news. I really resonated with that strange kind of relief.

I think the only thing that made me not give book this a perfect rating was the writing style. I wanted to read about these characters without being told exactly what everyone was thinking. I want to be shown emotions rather than reading an exact definition of each of them. That’s my only critique! I really enjoyed Ellie and Jackson’s relationship, I loved watching Ellie from her own deaf community in a new place, and I loved watching Jackson slowly find a community of his own.

These kids felt so teenager but so grown up at the same time, and I think that says something about being a disabled teenager. Sometimes being disabled means you need to grow up a little faster, but it doesn’t mean you need to totally cut out being a kid, making friends, falling in love, and having fun.

[Solei · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this one! I was a big fan of Give Me a Sign by the same author, so I had high expectations for this book and it did not disappoint. I think she has officially become an auto buy author for me and I can’t wait to read what she writes next. I could not put this book down once I started and I read most of it in one day. It was such a quick and easy read that really sucked you in and left you needing to know what happened to the characters next.

There were so many amazing things about this book that I would love to talk about. This book talked heavily about disability from two very different viewpoints. It had one character who has been deaf her whole life and who has embraced it and loves to celebrate her own deafness. She has formed a beautiful relationship with her deafness, which has fed into her personality and relationships with others. She has also found a community that supports her needs and really makes her happy. Then on the other side of the story, we have a character who is experiencing disability for the first time. He is suffering from unexpected symptoms and uncertainty until he finally gets an MS diagnosis. He has to grapple with what this diagnosis means for himself and his future. He also has to come to terms with the fact that this disability will not go away and is something that he will have to live with for the rest of his life. This dichotomy between the two characters really shows the range of disability experiences and exposes readers to a whole new range of ideas. However, between both characters they still have similarities and their own frustrations and challenges that really bring them together and teach them to lean on each other.

One theme that showed up a lot in this story was how others respond to one’s disability and the effects that can have. Both main characters had a variety of reactions to their disabilities, both positive and negative, and it was very impactful to see the different things that some people may experience and how those interactions can really impact them. It is very important to think about your words and actions and the impact it can have on others.

The romance was also very cute and I loved the themes of friendship, connection, finding your voice, strength, and change throughout the story.

I really think that there is something for everyone in this book and I would absolutely recommend it. Whether you have a disability, you want to learn more, or you just want to read a cute YA romance, I would definitely pick this book up.

I can not wait for the release date so more people can get their hands on this book.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I’ll pick up a book and it just clicks. I don’t want to put it down, I’m so invested in the characters and their lives that I just need to know what happens next. That’s definitely what happened for me with this book.

This is told in a dual POV between Ellie, a Deaf teenager born to a hearing family, who had been attending a Deaf school until it shut down, and Jackson, a soccer star who is beyond overworked and going through some really complicated things with his body (which we will get into a little bit later). They meet when Ellie is transferred to Jackson’s high school and even though things get off it a rough start, their friendship is really special.

Now, I wasn’t too sure how I felt about Ellie at first, because she is just this ball of attitude but it makes sense. She’s spent years going to Brandview and that was ripped out from under her. She went from being fully submersed in Deaf culture, able to communicate easily with her friends using ASL, to being back home with her frankly ableist parents and stuck being the only Deaf kid at her school. I’d have attitude too. Her parents really made everything worse… like a lot worse, they’re awful.

Jackson is a completely different story, because I loved him from the moment he came onto the page. His parents are a little overbearing and for a lot of the book he’s overworked between soccer, workouts with his dad, random events, and school. He’s also struggling a little with his body. There are some things happening to him physically and we go on this journey with him as he gets diagnosed with MS.

There are so many things that happen throughout the book but the one thing that’s clear from page 1 is that both Ellie and Jackson have big hearts. They’re both incredibly supportive of each other and I just adored their dynamic.

I’m also going to say that this book really made it click in my head that I am drawn to books where at least one character has a complicated relationship with their parents. I love that for me.

But the tl;dr is basically: read the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the gifted eARC of this book.

[Malia Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and loving Sortino's debut, “Give Me A Sign” I understood that her character development, focus on disability experience stories (specifically Deaf representation), and sweet romantic relationships would make her a strong and fresh new voice in YA.

Ellie and Jackson are normal high schoolers, but with a ✨disabled twist✨ . Ellie's Deaf school has shut down, her family doesn't repsect her Deafness, and she can't find her place in the new school. Jackson is a student athlete whose health has taken a mysterious turn for the worse. As the both of them navigate their Senior year together paired up, they learn to support each other. Jackson learns ASL for Ellie and Ellie supports Jackson as he finds out he has a life-changing diagnosis. Their relationship starts off as friends but then grows into something more. Both Ellie and Jackson are put through the wringer and grow each step of the way. There are also great discussions of deaf children born to hearing families unwilling to raise a child in their Deaf identity. As an ASL Interpreter, I also found Ellie’s interpreters interesting case studies lol. One scene specifically gave me chills in thinking how amazing it would be if more parents were educated in a similar way! Another scene I loved was Ellie and Jackson's discussion of disability pride.

My Dad’s dad shared Jackson’s diagnosis, but unfortunately passed away before I could meet him. Watching Jackson’s journey from pre-diagnosis to post-diagnosis life was difficult but necessary. I learned a lot about the illness, its symptoms, and its challenges. And gained a lot of compassion for those who live with the illness and those who care for them.

Thanks to Netflix and Penguin Young Readers for an Advanced Reader’s Copy. All opinions are my own.

[meaghan morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not prepared to enjoy this book as much as I did.
Accessibility in the workplace is something I am passionate about. I went into this book blind and was ecstatic to find this was about disabilities and accessibility awareness wrapped all into a YA romance.

‘I’m too exhausted to educate you today’ is an entire mood and one that so many people exist within after spending their day navigating a world that isn’t created to accommodate their needs and interacting with people that don’t care to learn about how to better interact with them to create a workplace, school where inclusion is the standard.

I really enjoy how the author made this a subtle theme throughout the book, gave a nod to how quickly being different ostracizes someone from the rest of their classmates or coworkers because it requires more effort to understand their needs, and also discussed ‘anybody can become disabled at any time’. This was such a well written, well timed book.

My heart broke for the FMC in a hearing family that never attempted to accommodate her needs.
My soul ached for the MMC fighting for his parent’s approval while denying what is happening to his body.
I would recommend this to anybody who works in DEI, disability advocacy, knows anybody with a disability and wants to have a deeper self awareness as they interact with the general public that disabilities are not just visible.

Thank you to #Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this gem as an ARC.

[Wouter van Noort · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this one! It’s so damn cute and amazingly written. Both characters feel authentic and pure, with very relatable, real-world struggles going on in their lives. The building of their relationship is not without its bumps and bruises, but it makes for a solid bond, which is amazing to see. After reading Give Me a Sign, I got so excited when On the Bright Side was announced. Hopefully, there will be a third book carrying Anna Sortino’s name very soon because you’ve got to look out for this girl! Now I truly want to learn ASL.

[hannah! · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute but the time jumps were not it <3

[Rachel Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another relatable book by Anna Sortino! I loved the first book she released so I had to read this one too! It was another amazing read. I cannot praise the representation well enough. I so wish I could go back and give the teenage me a copy of this book. This was the book I didn’t know I needed to read back then. I also thoroughly enjoyed the diversity of other people’s experiences throughout this book too. I can’t wait to read her newest book when it gets released.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been really, really wanting to read On the Bright Side for a few months now and I was honestly doing a happy dance when Penguin Random House International sent me an early e-copy, so thank you very much, Rafa!

Since it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, I was having some high expectations, ngl. I loved parts of this book. It was sweet, it was gentle, it was lovely. It had a lot of rage as well, of negative emotions caused by not being understood and perceived the way you are and the way you want to be. I learned a lot from it about Deaf culture and about Multiple Sclerosis and will definitely be educating myself more on these topics.

It was absolutely heartbreaking watching Ellie struggle to communicate with her parents because of the lack of effort and understanding on their side, but I was so glad and happy that she found her people and built a community where she felt safe and seen and understood. This book absolutely delivered showing how important the sense of community is, especially when you have a disability.

A message that we can all take from this book is that the world is inaccessible and people don't have enough empathy nor patience for disabled people. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but it is a fact that every one of us could make a bit more effort to learn how to make things easier for people with disabilities in our surroundings.

Jackson's part of the story was more uncertan in the sense that he had absolutely no idea what was happening with his body, so we go through all that confusion and fear with him. I swear I was scared for a moment there that his parents would refuse any real medical treatment, given the fact that we have a concerning number of people not believing in medicine nowadays. But luckily it wasn't the case. His story is focused on coming to terms with his diagnosis and the emotional and mental toll it takes on a person while in the process of accepting it.

And while the book touched on some really important topics and was very educational, the writing could've been better in my opinion.  Something about the pacing of the book felt a bit off, especially in the second part, and it was really bothering me.

One of maybe the biggest problems I had with this book was the telling and not showing. It felt as if the events and some crutial moments, especially toward the end, were retold and not actually happened before our eyes, and a lot of things were just time skipped. Even some chapters were a page and a half long and consisted of recapped things that happened during a certain period.

The last couple of chapters especially felt rushed and I wish Ellie and Jackson had some really needed conversations on page. They were quite messy but I'm glad they figured it out by the end. Their chemistry was not there though and I was really sad about that, given the fact that they did have a strong bond and friendship.

Overall, I did like the story, I just think it could've been crafted a bit more skillfully and a little less rushed. I do plan on giving a chance to Anna Sortino's other book, Give Me A Sign, so I hope that one makes a better impression.

[Gary Anderson]

On the Bright Side is Anna Sortino’s brilliant 2024 young-adult, dual-narrative novel that opens with Elle’s junior year ending as her fully immersive Deaf boarding school closes due to budget cuts. Her self-absorbed boyfriend Cody, also Deaf, thinks it’s a good time to break up with Elle since they will no longer be able to easily see each other. This all means Elle will be living at home with her hearing parents and sister who seem to have little empathy for Elle’s disability. (Elle is 100% okay with the term disability.) Elle will now be attending Amber High, the public high school, with sign language interpreters accompanying her to classes. Understandably, Elle is not exactly enthusiastic about her senior year.

Jackson’s junior year also ends badly when his athleticism falters, causing Amber High to lose the state soccer championship. This alienates Jackson from the team and his social group. Jackson, the only child of a wealthy couple devoted to health food and strenuous exercise, dedicates himself to other activities at school, including giving tours to new Amber High students, including Elle. Although not initially attracted to one another, Elle and Jackson find each other intriguing because their isolation from peers gives them some common ground.

On the Bright Side is much more than a YA rom-com with Deaf representation. Anna Sortino pierces disability stereotypes and gives readers two complex, likeable characters and a connection that defies formulaic expectations of romance. As Sortino illuminates the differences between disabilities present from birth and those that arise later, she provides readers with insights into Deaf culture through Anna’s relationships with other Deaf friends and her interpreters. Many young readers are interested in American Sign Language, and they will be engaged with how Sortino presents ASL in this narrative, as well as Elle’s fraught relationship with her family members who refuse to learn sign language, and Jackson’s earnest intention to master it.

After just two novels–Give Me a Sign (2023) and On the Bright Side–Anna Sortino has emerged as an important new voice in young adult fiction. Give On the Bright Side to fans of other powerful realistic fiction authors, and these readers will definitely recommend it to others!

This review is also posted on my What's Not Wrong? blog in slightly different form.

[Madelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Finished this book in a day! I could not put it down. I absolutely loved Ellie and Jackson so much! Their interactions and easy banter felt so organic, and I love how easily they slipped into each other’s orbits.

Ellie having to go to a completely different high school for her senior year is brutal, and the lack of support and understanding she not only got from the school but from her family made my heart so soft for her. Having so much constant conversation about blatant ableism or wanting her to wear her implants at all times and dismiss that she cannot hear what they are saying at some points and being dismissed was so frustrating. I loved that she was able to make such close friends with Shay and the other girls that welcomed her with open arms into their little found family. I love that Shay was such a great friend to help Ellie spread her wings and use her independence in such a healthy way, especially creating some distance and boundaries with her family.

Jackson’s process to finding out what has been happening to him and receiving his diagnosis had me so stressed. I have a few people in my life that struggle with chronic illness/pain and have still not received clear diagnoses. When Jackson finally gets a clear diagnosis, he explains that it’s a relief to finally know what’s been going on with his body and why so much has been out of his control. I also love how he took charge of his health and chose which treatments he would be doing, instead of allowing his parents to pick and choose for him when they would’ve gone against what Jackson originally wanted to do.

I think Sortino was able to be so vulnerable in her writing these two sweet characters, their struggles, and their love story. Watching them struggle both internally and externally with their issues and disabilities created such a safe and organic space to read and be a part of. This is my second book I’ve read by this author, and I cannot wait to read more!!!

CW: ableism, chronic illness, medical content, bullying, vomit, injury/injury detail

[Savannah (forest_reader)]

DNFing this for a variety of reasons:

- the MC is so incredibly cranky and selfish 24/7. I get that she has some HARD things going on relating to her Deafness and going to a new school, but I was not happy reading her POV. I needed her to do something nice and look outside herself for me to cheer her on.

- all the adults in this book are either idiots or ableists, INCLUDING HER PARENTS. Made me so stressed every time an adult came into the scene because I knew an argument or injustice was coming. Drove me crazy. I know this happens in real life, but it just made me either roll my eyes or want to tear the book apart. Also the love interest’s parents are also clueless and “supplement granola parents”…… like how many horrible adults can we get in one book? Not a pleasant reading experience.

- overall, this book has me questioning if I like YA at all. It has to be done well, and I can’t handle teens complaining every single page while being so self centered. Give me Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, where Demon goes through every horrible thing imaginable as a kid and teen, yet I still want to root for him because I know he’s kind and noble. Idk. I think this book will strike a chord with Deaf people, and they’ll hopefully be able to relate to the MC more.

[Grace King-Cantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that needs to be put in the hands of every Young Adult ASAP!
Representation: Deaf Awareness, Multiple Sclerosis
Thank you Penguin Teen for an early digital copy of this story!
Rating: 4.5

As a family member of someone with MS, this book represented the illness beautifully. The author fully encaptures the trials and unexpected hardships of someone with the symptoms. As someone working in the school system who loves advocating for equal education, the awareness the characters bring about hard and loss of hearing is eye-opening for every reader.
Now let's talk about the light-hearted part: the romance! I loved watching the relationship unfold between Jackson and Ellie. They were so sweet together and had such a unique but fresh romance. However, the mid-story conflict Ellie created for everyone had me (as well as Jackson) super frustrated. I was almost at a 5 stars but the conflict took me out of it for a second so I have gone to a 4.5! I have rounded up on Goodreads and other platforms because this author deserves it for gorgeous storytelling.

[aforestofbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good! I loved Ellie and Jackson. Usually I’m picky with romance in contemporary YA, but Anna Sortino knows how to do it well. Ellie’s found family and new home made me very emotional, and the intervention was 💯 Jackson’s diagnosis and all his confused feelings about the present and future was very real. I loved the chronic illness rep and the unpredictability of life when you’re dealing with symptoms that pop up without warning sometimes. I think I loved this book even more than Give Me A Sign. Excited to see what Anna Sortino writes next!

[Cassandra Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like how the author shows the differences of two different disabilities. She has a way of captivating me with her stories. I enjoy how she italicizes whenever ASL is used in the story. It helps me visualize the conversation in my head. I liked how the two main characters didn't always understand what was going on with the other but then opened up and let each other in. This book is a fantastic read.

[Regan Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written! That starlight chili sure sounds yummy 😋

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SPOILER ALERT ‼️

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!! Ellie is Deaf and her family is hearing. Ellie went to Deaf boarding school called Brandview, which got shut down and now she has to go to a mainstream school. She met Jackson who is hearing at her new school. Ellie and Jackson had a rough time communicating in the beginning but then Jackson learned ASL. Ellie and Jackson had many ups and downs but they were always together. Jackson does get diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and he has to learn how to live with that and how to mentally be prepare.


The narrators Jesse Inocalla and Elizabeth Robbins did absolutely amazing! I absolutely loved them and they really brought this book to life.


FAVORITE QUOTES:
“Despite what people may think, disability isn’t a bad thing; it’s not an offensive word or something that needs to be skirted around. It’s straight to the point..”


“Curses are a tricky thing. Like, I don’t want a cure for my deafness. I don’t want to live in a world where the desire is to eliminate all disabilities. But at the same time, I don’t want people to have to live with pain or symptoms that could be improved.”

“I think where pride comes in is that, through it all, you accept yourself as you are,…”

“My resolution for next year is to take life as it comes at me, no matter what that entails. To go beyond my comfort zone.”

[Brooke ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 stars

Popsugar reading challenge: A book by a blind or visually impaired author

This book was tew cute omg!! I'm not a big fan of YA romance novels anymore simply because i feel like i've out grown them LOL howeverrrrr younger me eats them upppp! This was such a heartwarming story, and I feel like this book did disability representation SO well. I learned a lot about the deaf community, and just being more aware of just how hard having an 'invisible' disability is.

Ellie and Jackson were tew cute plsssss! Ellie helping Jackson navigate his feelings toward his new life and disability was really >>>>>>. The way this story flows and everything was just like a nice soft blanket. Liam though? Yeah he needed a good punch in the face and is a part of why my rating is where its at. The book does kind of end...abruptly in a sense, I feel like we dont really find out what happens with the characters since there is no Epilogue which was kinda 🍅 . However, i do think this book was the perfect length. Just wish there was a bit more info about what happens or what Jackson ends up deciding in the end.

Overall, super cute story– veryyyy nice palette cleanser and a great book to read if you just want a heartwarming easy to read book.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly moving, #ownvoices, dual POV, YA romance about Ellie, a born deaf teen girl forced to go to regular school when her deaf school closes and Jackson, the hearing boy she slowly befriends and falls for who is experiencing symptoms that eventually lead to a new MS diagnosis.

With great autoimmune disease and chronic pain rep and a heartbreakingly toxic family situation in which Ellie's parents don't make an effort to accommodate or understand their disability, this is without a doubt my new favorite from author Anna Sortino!

Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of authors like Alison Gervais and Ann Clare LeZotte. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. This is a great book to read for Disability Pride Month in July or any time of the year!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have strong feelings about the romance in this book, but I kind of liked that the book was more about each character's journey and less about the two of them together. Some parts of the book were personally very hard for me to read because understandably with Jackson's MS diagnosis, there were a lot of throwing up chapters and also as someone who has a severe phobia of that and anxiety about being sick/uncomfortable in public spaces, it was hard to get through but I'm GLAD it was in the book. Along with the Deaf representation, I really liked the disability rep and how it can look different for different people and fatigue can really fuck you up. I do think the ending was really rushed HOWEVER I was pleasantly surprised that the parents were still kind of sucky at the end because usually they will just be like OH WE'RE SORRY AND WE LOVE YOU and that would have been so unrealistic given how awful they were the entire time.