I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. While I do acknowledge that Down in the Belly of the Whale addresses important, often taboo topics such as suicide and sexual abuse, it did not feel authentic, the dialogue between the characters seemed forced and the characters themselves were one-dimensional.

The plot started out really intriguing, with our main character Harper being able to tell when someone around her is getting sick - something she feels is useless because she cannot prevent the illness, only warn the individuals, but is special nonetheless. From that strong starting point, the story deterioriated into Harper drooling over a basketball player in her biology class, who she's dissecting a cat with. Yes, there is cat dissection in this book.

Her character was so contradictory. We learn that Harper is very intelligent, someone who uses an 'elevated vocabulary' only to then ask what an MRI is five pages later. If Harper is supposed to be mature and way too clever for her age, why does she keep asking other people to explain words to her?

Looping back to the taboo topics once more, I do want to make clear that I admire the attempt to tackle so many difficult topics in one book. The problem was just that it often felt like, for example the cutting, was important for one sentence and then just ignored for the remainder of the chapter. Harper does not know how to help her friend who is cutting herself (which is understandable) but then doesn't really take any action to help her, either. She doesn't tell anyone, she doesn't try to get to the bottom of it. As someone who has experience with self-harm, it felt incredibly wrong to read about Harper not doing anything, only to then get a lecture from her mother on proper conduct around someone who attempts to take her own life. The entire book read like a didactic message: don't hurt yourself. don't keep silent. don't be a bad friend. All very true sentiments, but I do think this could have been relayed in a more appropriate manner.

That being said, I do like that the book tackled mental and physical illness, sexual abuse and self-harm, topics that do need more exposure in literature.
Additionally, I think it's important to place a trigger warning in the book.

I was given an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The description of the book was interesting, but I wasn't able to connect to the writing or main character. The writing didn't feel authentically YA.and the dialogue felt forced. I did like how Harper was a sweet girl who wanted the best for her friends and family, and her "gift" was a cool idea too, but the writing wasn't strong enough to hold my interest. I also struggled with Cora's action. As a former cutter myself, I was glad to see that a book covered the topic, but it only took Harper to attempts to ask Cora why she hurts herself, and her response felt like an after school special. Cutters often don't know why we do the things we do, and if we are able to articulate it, we don't share it right away. I did like the showdown between Cora's dad and Harpers mom, which led to the reveal of MS. Tackling the sexual abuse issue was a good idea, but I didn't think it was executed well. Again, this book has great representation for mental and physical illnesses, but I would not recommend this book due to it's writing.

Right after I started a new job at a new university, one of the students in my department committed suicide.

It was a shock to everyone. He was well liked and popular. He was a talented student, with many friends. What on earth could have made him do this? Emotions ran from sadness to grief to anger to helplessness, and in the end there were no easy answers that could possible satisfy the many people he left behind.

Kelley Kaye Bowles has created an incredible portrait of a young woman in a similar position. Harper Southwood surely views her best friend Cora as having it easier that she does. She sees Cora as beautiful and friendly, the one all the boys are crushing on. Harper, with her frizzy hair and awkwardness and clumsiness, is convinced she's a troll. But when Cora attempts suicide, it turns Harper's life upside down. Harper beats herself up, and has the same thoughts many do when a tragedy strikes a friend. How could I have missed the signs? How could I have not noticed her pain? Was I so wrapped up in my own issues?

The great thing about Harper is that she really does have legitimate issues. Her mom has been sick. Her dad has been stressed out about work. This isn't the stereotype where the girl only cares about what boys are liking her. (Although that is present here, but in a humorous way that also helps the plot.)

Bowles' writing is lively and fun, yet still grounded and full of depth. The characters pop off of the page, all vividly realized. No one in this book is perfect, but they are all trying their best. They're real and three dimensional. They hide things from each other not to be mean, but because they don't want their loved ones to worry.

This is a wonderful book that cleverly explored some powerful and painful emotions. Highly recommended.

Victor Catano
Technical Director at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College

Harper Southwood believes that she has the ability to sense when someone is already sick. Not a great super power, but she goes with it. As she struggles to figure out why her knee twitches around her bff, Cora, and her body doesn't do anything when around her ailing mother, Harper goes on a wonderful adventure into finding herself.

Cute, fun, and happy. Even though there are various tough topics in this book (mentioning them might be a spoiler), I still found this book so happy and fun. It taught some life lessons along the way, and Harper is a great protagonist!

It was lacking and I didn't enjoy the story that much. Not much character development. I was kind of bored while reading this.

Read my 4-star review of Down in the Belly of the Whale by Kelley Kay Bowles

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2204611684

Down in the Belly of the Whale is an engaging story about one girl's strange abilities and the struggles she faces while feeling like an outsider. I really enjoyed this novel and even read it in just one sitting.

Harper is a teenager and (like a lot of other girls her age) feels completely out of place. Apart from the fact that she does not feel too comfortable in her own body, she has the strange ability of sensing whenever someone around her is about to get sick. However, when two of the people she loves the most suddenly are threatened, Harper did not see it coming, and is thus even more afraid of the possible consequences...

I really really liked this little story. The characters are relatable and especially Harper seems to be a quite though teen. I found myself laughing out loud at times due to her way of wording things while at the same time she is brave and more than ready to help the people she loves. But also the other characters, e.g. her friend Cora and especially her Uncle Peter (aka. Uncle Pasta) are really lovable.

The writing style is engaging and makes you want to stick to the story and read it from cover to cover (and as the novel is quite short this is also absolutely doable). The only thing I could criticize is that the beginning felt a bit rushed - I would have preferred the novel to be a bit longer to give the reader the change of getting a bit more into it before the main events start off. However, this didn't bother me too much.

All in all, a 3.5 star rating and a book I will definitely recommend to friends and my students.

While I felt the ending was a trifle rushed/glossed over, this was an engaging YA story. The themes of abuse, illness/loss, and first romances blended nicely with humor and the main character’s quirks.

I received this ARC copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. So thank you netgalley and publishers.
This is a story is about : Harper Southwood she is a teenage girl who can sense when people will get sick. She can’t predict her best friend’s depression or her mother’s impending health crisis. Being helpful is all Harper ever wanted, but she feels helpless in the face of this adversity. Now, she’s got a chance to summon her courage and use her brain to fight for justice. Harper must learn that compassion and internal strength are her real gifts, her true superpower. The back cover is as follows : My name is Harper, and I'm almost sixteen. Along with the typical teenagery turmoil, I have this bizarre ability to know when you're gonna get sick. But so what? My supernatural sense won't help you avoid that nasty flu bug—because if I feel it, you've already got it. It doesn't help me heal my best and only friend, Cora—she’s filled with so much fear and anguish. It doesn't help my mom, because there's something big and bad already inside her, and I haven't felt a thing. This isn't a gift; it's a curse.

This book was a lot different then I thought it would be. I loved that it dealt with mental health issues and depression, it is all to common these days so it's nice to be able to relate to the book. I haven't found many books that talk about these issues so I thought it was a great touch to help bring awareness to the seriousness of mental health patients and depression. It seemed a little slow at times and the writing was a bit choppy at moments but other then that it was a nice, quick read. I give it a 3.5 star rating..