This was an interesting and intriguing young adult book that was both well written and utterly engaging.

Thank you very much for allowing me to read this title; I am trying to read as widely as possible ahead of the Carnegie/Greenaway nominations and awards for 2018 and your help is much appreciated.
As a Carnegie/Greenaway judge, I'm not allowed to comment about my opinions on specific titles so I can't offer an individual review on any title as I stated on my profile.

I really enjoyed this by the end, although it took a little while for me to get into the story.

I thought that the main character was interesting and enjoyed the fact that, while each character had their problems, the focus was on their relationships with each other. The main character suffers from orthorexia, an unhealthy focus on healthy eating and exercise. Her mother, a ballet dancer, sees this as normal but pays the price with reduced bone density and osteoporosis.

My favourite character was Alastair, her younger brother. I liked how sensitively he was portrayed and the consistent message that he is different but not any less than the ‘neurotypical’ people around him. At one stage I worried that the author might be trying to cram in too many messages, with the thread about Michel and his half-Algerian background leading to some racism, but the focus soon returned to the characters and their relationships. The romance element was fairly standard 'holiday romance' but the strength of this book was not in the romance, but in describing the connections every character has to all the others.

The setting was also very fondly described, without overshadowing the story. I have only visited Paris once, but can see why people say it never leaves you. I enjoyed revisiting some favourite places through the eyes of the characters in this book.

What I liked: The characters, particularly Alastair, The setting (Paris!), the description of ASD and how it was only part of what made Alastair unique, just like his eye colour. The description of the sibling relationship and the deep, irrational love family provokes.
Even better if: Felt the romance was unnecessary - would have been a stronger book without it.

I absolutely adored this book. It follows Clara - a sixteen year old girl struggling to come to terms with her disordered eating - as well as her brother Alistair, who is on the Autism spectrum. Clara has Orthorexia, a common eating disorder that is often overlooked in fiction. She is sent to Paris for the summer to spend time with her dad, his girlfriend and their son (Alistair). With Alistair's help, Clara is able to come to terms with her Orthorexia and realize that she too, is on a spectrum - the eating disorder spectrum. This book meant so much to me and I can not wait to get my hands on a completed copy when it comes out!

I liked the relationship that formed between Clara and her stepbrother, Alastair. I would have liked it if the author had shown more of Alastair's autistic traits as I feel that aspect wasn't explored as much as Clara's eating disorder despite both being compared as 'on the spectrum' in each of their disorders. Also, I felt the romance was added as an after thought and could have done without. On the whole, though, I liked the character development and sibling relationship that happened throughout the story arc.

This book is very nice. The relationship Clara and her brother build despite being virtually unknown to each other, having a difference of 10 years in age and having both problems (she has a food disorder, he is on the autistic spectrum) is fantastic and realistic: it's not always easy but life is like that and the book manages to convey these emotions very well.
Clara's obsession with healthy food and exercises (orthorexia) is well explained in the book and her being the shadow of a mother who is a ballerina was certainly the incipit of everything. I do not think that as in the book just knowing a boy who works in a bakery is enough to accept having a problem but it definitely helps. I did not like it too much the fact that Alastair tried and tried again to "be normal": I do not think a person on the artistic spectrum realizes that his diversity leads him to be excluded or to be a victim of bullism, and the fact that a 6 year old child gets it seems to be exaggerated (there are geniuses in the world but in the book the kid always seems to be much older that his age). Even the love story between Clara and Michel seemed to me too strong and too fast. You see each other twice and already you think you are moving to Paris? Meh.
In spite of everything, I greatly appreciated this book which has a good vision of a reality of both eating disorders and autism and I am of the opinion that we need much more information on both topics.
Recommended? Absolutely yes.

This was a harmless stroll through Paris in the summer. Unfortunately, it is one of those 'problem' books I have so many issues with. When the problem, in this case eating disorders and autism, become the focus of the book and not the plot or the characters, then things become boring very quickly. You get textbook definitions and examples of the characters' psychological issues, but hardly any emotional depth. Attempts at moving the plot forward turn out to be rather staged drama instead of compelling storytelling. What I'd also heavily criticise is the author's idea of Europe that is full of clichés. It's not so much Paris you get in this book, but an American fantasy version of it. If there is one thing I liked, it was Clara's relationship with her younger brother and the growing bond between them. You get a little bit of romance too, which makes the book Eat, Pray, Love for teens, without the pray part. I think younger teens will like the book, but that hardly anyone will be over the moon about it.

Clara is like the typical teenagers who wants to be in, who hopes to be accepted for who she is and have an eating disorder. I pitied her and at the same time, I'm mad with her mother. However, I couldn't blame Catherine because she was trying to be a good mom to Clara.

I love Alastair. I like how smart he is, how he looks and view the world and my heart really goes to him. He is being bullied and yet, he wants to change the perception of people to him.

I'm touched and cried with Clara and Alastair. Knowing, coping and understanding each other have been difficult with them, but the love, care and support that they have established is admirable. Clara's being protective with Alastair, reminds me of myself when my siblings were still young.

General rating: ★★★☆
Diversity rating: ★★ (POC, disability)

What I really liked about this book was the diversity and representation in it. Clara is orthorexia, which is basically anorexia but then with a focus on healthy eating. I really enjoyed this, because I hadn’t heard about it before and I learned a lot about it. Clara’s mother has a large influence on how she became to be. Clara doesn’t know her little brother, who now lives with her dad in Paris. Her little brother has autism spectrum disorder.

Her reasons for running to Paris after a debacle on social media, was a bit strange to me. I didn’t really understand why it was such a big deal. Clara and her friend act a bit spoiled, and I didn’t really like them, but during the book, Clara changes a lot and there is a lot of character development.

The love interest in this book is absolutely the perfect, cute, boy-next-door type of guy. He tries to help Clara get better. He works at a bakery and has a hard time understanding why Clara has such a difficult time eating, though he tries very hard to be supportive. This book is about food and how Clara learns to love food. Though the romance was cute, it was not really necessary for the story, and because I’m not usually a big fan of romance in books, I again felt not really that engaged in their relationship.

The joy of this book came from Alastair, the little brother. He is very cute and has a hard time functioning in the world. Clara helps him to fit better in his class. He is very straight-forward, like children with ASD usually are. He is a sweet boy, and I really enjoyed watching Clara and him build a real brother-sister relationship.

I am giving this book 3.5 stars because it was a cute and romantic read, with lots of diversity. The story was fun and interesting, with great character development. Though, I did not enjoy it as much as I would have liked, for no obvious reason. I would recommend this book if you like contemporary books that are short, sweet and diverse.

Clara has an eating disorder, but her relationship with food and family is a complex one. It is only when she goes to spend the summer in France with her father that she starts to address some of her issues. Some rather obvious things, but her relationship with her half-brother was wonderful to watch.

On The Spectrum touched on subjects I am not familiar with in a heartwarming and entertaining way.

Summer holiday in Paris sounds like fun, but maybe not so much when it consists of babysitting your estranged half-brother who is on the autism spectrum. To add to that, Clara also suffers from orthorexia, an eating disorder where patients are obsessed with healthy eating. This novel was much deeper than the usual YA summer romance. To begin with, it actually takes a good third of the novel before Clara makes it to France - time spent exploring her unhealthy relationship with her mother, food, and the consequences of social media. Generally, I was a big fan of the slow development in all plot points - her brother opening up to her, her romance with biracial Michel, various characters developing and changing - none of it was rushed and it all felt natural. In general, the realization of one's own bad behavior and the willingness to change was really amazing to read about. To add to that, the friendships and family relationships (especially between Clara and her brother Alastair) were more important than the romance. And the realistic ending, where live continues on with highs and lows and questions instead of every problem being magically fixed, was the icing on the cake.

It was a great story, very well paced, with deep character explorations and development, a lot of diversity and important issues. The message in the end was about fitting in but loosing identity vs standing out and being bullied. However, because the book did use a few YA tropes and I also did not quite buy the language of Alastair (autism or not, he was often way too sophisticated in his speech and thinking to pass for a 6-year-old), I rate this novel 4,5/5 stars.

Such a beautifully written book. This is a great summer read that delves into issues of eating disorders and bonding with a new family. It is inspiring, fun, and just a great book overall.

I really wanted to love this book. I was so excited because one of the characters was...on the spectrum, and I work with kids with autism so I was looking forward to reading this! the story itself was acceptable, but I really wasn't in to any of the characters. There was a lot of stereotypical "autistic" behavior, which I expected, and I appreciated the growth of the sibling relationship, but unfortunately this book didn't quite hit the mark for me.

thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

On the Spectrum is a book about family, our own personal struggles, and the importance of support. Among my tops for this book were Clara’s family, her half-brother Alastair, and the descriptions of food.

Straight from the gates, you are struck with Clara’s orthorexia and the causes of it. Making clear the connection between mother and daughter, Gold illustrates how we can inherit the problems of our parents. A mixture of culture and profession, Clara’s mother merely passes on the tendencies and obsessions she has to her own daughter. This results in Clara’s diagnosis which catapults them both into a cycle of recovery as they take a closer look at their relationship to food.

Enter onto the stage, Clara’s family in Paris. They are a bundle of wonderful characters beginning with her half-brother Alastair, who is on the Autistic spectrum. Alastair may be my favorite character because he is tender, innocent, and wise. The whole book I wanted to wrap him in my arms. Clara’s step-mother, Mags, is also an interesting character because she is concerned with her weight, a Norse mythology professor, and complex. Their relationship is one of the most rewarding ones to witness, behind Alastair and the relationship Clara has with her mother.

Clara’s journey is one of denial, admittance, and steps towards recovery. There is no quick answer and I enjoyed that her ‘love interest’ was not the cure for her relationship to food. Both she and Alastair deal with their ‘disorders on the spectrum’ (a synopsis from one of their conversations about her eating disorder and his Autism) throughout the book in a supportive way. Clara tries to teach Alastair about the balance between fitting in and standing out, while Alastair, in his own way, gives Clara the support and facts. This is an important theme throughout the book, to celebrate your difference and acknowledge that it’s okay to want to fit in as well.

One of the things I had mixed feelings about was Michel, her love interest. You can tell from miles away, even in New York, that there was going to be one. On the one hand, I love Michel’s genuine appreciation for food and the pleasure of eating. On the other hand, I felt like Michel pushes Clara. I do not only mean to try to eat food, but from the very get go he says things along the lines of, “I’ll help you” before he even really knows what’s wrong. However, my personality, is just not one of those for summer flings. I am hard wired to not be able to handle them personally, so this aspect is one of the lesser ones in my opinion. Despite this, it’s not the main focus of the novel, so it didn’t detract in a major way from my enjoyment.

Speaking of food though, the food described here is fascinating because it oscillates from food as the enemy, to food as pleasure. The descriptions, even for Clara alone, were interesting to read as her relationship to the actual food changes throughout the book. Additionally, getting to ‘see’ parts of Paris and use my elementary French was an added treat.

On the whole, what makes this book so precious is not only Clara’s own personal struggle, but her transformation of her relationships with her family. It is, even though it doesn’t seem that way from the synopsis, a family ‘drama’ novel. They learn together all sorts of lessons from Mags, to Clara’s mother and the ending is a satisfyingly open one. This is a book where we must accept our own weaknesses, take a closer look at our family support, and realize that recovery is a journey. This book celebrates that love of all forms serves as a beacon of hope and that while we can try to recover on our own, it is okay to ask and accept help.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-galley for review!

On the Spectrum is a tough book for me to review. I really did enjoy it. It's hard to dislike a book set in Paris, but it didn't meet all my expectations.

The first 20% of this was definitely a let-down. It was very slow, and random things that didn't really contribute much to the story later on happened. The "twitter-war" she experienced was really just added for dramatic effect and didn't do much to progress the narrative. I found myself wishing Clara would just get to Paris already.

Once she actually arrived, the book definitely started to pick up. I must admit, Gold's writing style is addictive and once I opened the book, I didn't want to stop reading. Throughout the book, Clara is exploring France with her half-brother Alastair, whom I absolutely adored.

Alastair is on the autism spectrum, hence the title. I can't speak about the representation of autism in this book, but from the reviews I've seen, the book has good rep. Watching Clara's relationship with him develop was beautiful and probably my favorite aspect of the story, so yippee for sibling love. She really starts to care for Alastair the longer she's in Paris and he learns to trust her more and more.

Unfortunately, I didn't understand Clara's parents. They wanted her to get better, to overcome her orthorexia, an extreme obsession with healthy eating and exercise, but really didn't do anything to help the situation besides sending her to Paris. It seemed unrealistic for both of her parents to be so hands-off about this. Her father is a former doctor and still doesn't make much of an effort to help Clara.

Speaking of Clara's eating disorder, I have mixed feelings about it. From what I can see, the rep was good - Clara didn't get better overnight, each meal was another hurdle to jump, and she had good as well as bad days, and love did not "fix" her. However, she didn't really address that she had orthorexia until the end of the book, which I do understand in a way, considering the fact that her denial is part of the story. But she never actually went to a doctor to get properly diagnosed, instead going off the advice of a social worker she spoke to for five minutes.

I really wanted to love Clara, but she couldn't win me over. She was a very judgmental person and constantly commented on people'e weight negatively. I do understand the reason for this, because of her orthorexia, but she frustrated me in other ways as well, especially before she left for Paris. I will say that her personality improved as the book progressed.

Now onto the romance. I must say, I was a sucker for it! Was it strictly "necessary"? No, not really, but I still enjoyed it quite. Especially because Michel, her love interest, is actual biracial. His mom was French but his father was Nigerian. The book actually discusses Clara and Michel's interracial relationship, and the racism that still plagued France. It was a small point, but very important to me, and I'm really glad that Gold included it.

Michel was incredibly dreamy and seeing the scenes where him, Clara, and Alastair all baked together made my heart warm. However, Michel wasn't without his flaws. He thought that he could cure Clara all by himself and grew frustrated when she didn't get better. But, he does learn and get better about it.

Overall, I enjoyed On the Spectrum. It's not a new favorite, but it was a sweet, quick contemporary that I would recommend to anyone that loves France, bakers, or brother-sister love!

There is really no better setting to me than Paris, especially in a YA contemporary. I fell in love with the MC, Clara, and loved watching her grow as a character despite her many difficulties including an eating disorder. Having a secondary character like Alastair, Clara's little brother, was refreshing. Little kids often get overlooked in YA but I find they bring an aspect of innocence and understanding that you just can't find anywhere else. This book was very cute and a great coming-of-age story.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It covered so many pertinent issues for teenagers - self image, difference, need to fit in, families breakups and step families, eating disorders and autism. I did not expect to see how well the 16 year old and 6 year old related and how trust was developed. The impact of autism on the individual and the family were well drawn and very realistic. The atmosphere of Paris was beautifully evoked.

A lovely read - thank you.

Very vivid writing that pulls the reader into the events that unfold. The imagery can be difficult at times but it is ultimately a worthy read.