Loved this book. I love Rachel Blooms humor and stories. As a fan of crazy ex girlfriend  this was a must read!

I absolutely love Rachel Bloom so I was so excited to see she was writing a book. She has such a candid, no BS way of making you feel normal, accepted, ok to be who you are. Plus she’s hilarious!!

I have been a fan of Rachel Bloom ever since I started watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend a few years ago. (One of my friends said that Rachel reminds her of me on the show and I took that as a compliment.) I even saw her perform live in 2019 and she was even more hilarious! I also got the amazing honor of being able to interview her for Chick Lit Central this past year. (I know it was done through her publicist, but she still shared it in her Instagram stories.) Needless to say, I couldn't wait to pick up her memoir and added it to my five-book pile as soon as I received it.

Normal People was incredibly funny right off the bat. I was laughing out loud a lot and getting strange looks from my husband and kids as a result. It was impossible not to laugh though. The chapter about poop was especially hilarious. There were a lot of relatable moments throughout the book, especially in regards to dealing with bullies. She also has a lot of Broadway references, including a whole chapter that is written as a musical and can be listened to at her website for the full effect. I even liked the Harry Potter chapter and I'm not into Harry Potter at all.

A few other notes:
I love that Welcome to the Dollhouse was her favorite movie. I watched it countless times in college and a bit beyond.

I was glad to see that she acknowledged that the title was based on "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid, as I had that going through my head when I first saw it.

Two funny coincidences: I had been talking to my kids about my favorite episode of Saved By the Bell and then was reading the book and she mentioned singing "I'm So Excited." I also was talking with my kids that same evening about the movie Scrooged and she mentioned Ebenezer Scrooge at a different point in the book. We're just so in tune with each other!

This book is definitely only for adults (my younger son kept trying to peek over my shoulder and I had to guard the pages). It rivals Dear Girls (which I'm somewhat currently reading) in the mature language department.

I really enjoyed Normal People and could definitely see myself being friends with Rachel if we ever were to meet in person.

RATING: 3 STARS
2020; Grand Central Publishing

I will start this review with...I am not the audience that this collection of personal essays were written for. Honestly, I requested this book solely based on the nostalgic 90s teen cover art, and title. Reading the blurb on the inside jacket, I saw that Bloom was an actress for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (it has singing and comedy). I hadn't, and still haven't, watched the show so I didn't know the sense of humour I was going to get. The essays reminded me a little bit of the show Girls, and personal essays by Jenny Slate, Lena Dunham and women born in the late 80s/early 90s. I rated this book a three, because it was well written, and I assume for fans of Bloom and the show will really enjoy this book. I didn't find it that interesting, surprise surprise as I didn't get the background of the show. I also didn't find myself that curious to see the show. I read all the star power blurbs on the back of the book, so I am sure this one is just me.

***I received a complimentary copy of this hardcover book and ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

This book was crazy and funny all wrapped into a quick read. Rachel Bloom is so talented and I enjoy her work. I also listened to the audio along with reading and it made it even better.

Rachel Bloom's new collection of personal essays hit pretty close to home and brought me out of a major reading slump. I've long been a fan of CRAZY EX GIRLFRIEND, the musical comedy in which she stars and writes. BUT, Rachel and I also went to NYU at the same time and traveled in the same social circles. So while this book didn't reference the show quite as much as I had hoped, reading about how she navigated our alma mater and its drama school, well - drama - brought me back to those old times. 

In addition, Rachel writes a lot about growing up as the geeky theatre kid: something to which I certainly relate, as well. I feel like we lived very similar childhoods and I caught myself laughing out loud and shaking my head a LOT. 

This was a quick read, and also very entertaining, especially the parts to which I could so closely relate. Near the end, however, the writing began to get a bit repetitive, and, throughout, quite a bit of it felt forced for humor. Still, all of the inside theater and NYU jokes made it enjoyable. Plus, how can you not LOVE that cover, which is reminiscent of The BSC and Judy Blume nostalgia? 

I recommend this one as a lighthearted, quick read that creatively tackles some difficult subjects such as mental health, bullying, awkward sex stories, and threatened miscarriage. You'll especially love it if you were a theatre kid.

I LOVE RACHEL BLOOM! I waited for the audio version to come out and I have to say how much I love this book. It's funny, person, touching and I just want more!

A sweet, but slight collection of essays and other odds and ends from Rachel Bloom. Though it has some funny bits, it's best suited for diehard fans.

A fun look from Rachel Bloom about her journey to success. It was filled with Bloom's brand of humor and stories.

I've loved Rachel Bloom since the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend days and this memoir does not disappoint. It's the perfect balance of humor, heart and vulnerability.

To put it succinctly: It's 2020, nearly 2021, a grown woman encouraging body shaming of a teenager - bully or not - makes THEM the bully and is just truly unnecessary and not even remotely funny. 

While I have always adored Rachel Bloom and literally squealed when I was approved for this book, I put it down and never looked back after seeing the childish and harmful way she "jokes" about damaging young girl's self-esteem. I'm sure I'll be the minority in a sea of pick-me women who thrive off this kind of humor but I just can't get behind it.

I had heard great things about this author and really had high hopes for it, but I found it lacking. I could not connect and did not feel for the character's experiences as I thought I would. Of course, it could just have been that I was not in the right place to truly appreciate this novel, and it very well could be enjoyable to the majority of readers, especially her fan base, which I hear is quite large. I did love the throwback nostalgic cover however!

I do appreciate the access to this title and may choose to re-read it in the future. I will be sure to share any changes of opinion I may have then.

Rachel Blooms book was like chatting with an old friend. Her essays were relatable and honest and the book was such a quick and lovely read.

Oh My Goodness. This book was everything I was hoping for and more. Rachel Bloom is funny and super relatable. This book is wonderful.

I love celebrity memoirs because I enjoy hearing all of the behind-the-scenes stories of their shows and films, as well as a glimpse into their private lives. Unfortunately, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom didn't teach me much more about her. It was written like an episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and while I do like that series, it didn't translate as well to paper. There were some parts that were great to read, but overall this memoir was filled with too many metaphors. I do think that this may translate better in an audiobook (especially if Rachel narrates!), but the book just wasn't for me. I'm not giving up on Rachel Bloom though!

This book is absolutely perfect for fans of Jenny Lawson, Amy Schumer, and Sarah Silverman. I don't want to just list female comedians/authors because I think that boxes them in - but I do believe that in a world of books written for men, this one DID feel like it was written for women (in the best way). I'm vaguely familiar with the show Crazy Ex Girlfriend, so I knew going in what Rachel Bloom is known for, but it did make me want to go back and watch it again with new eyes.

I'm not someone who has ever experienced struggle with mental illness - I'm lucky in that aspect, but I truly appreciate reading books that destigmatize the topic and help others feel seen through their writing. I have a feeling that this book, in the right hands, very well could help save a life. The most profound moment for me was when she sat down with a psychiatrist and said "I need help." - if that was the only chapter of the book that I read, it would have been worth it.

Will I rave about this book to everyone and anyone? Probably not, but that doesn't take away from that fact that someone poured their heart out into this book and I think it really shows.

I am in awe of Rachel Bloom - she's only 33, and has already delivered an amazing TV show (one of my favorites!) While I don't think I enjoyed this as much as other celebrity memoirs by women in TV, I did enjoy the peek into Bloom's life and creative process (along with learning about her struggles with mental illness).

Just what you would expect from Rachel Bloom: funny insights, quirky prose, and musical numbers to boot. Perfect for fans of her show, or those who grew up on Judy Blume (no relation).

***eArc provided by NetGalley & Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review***

There's no easy way to explain the kinship I feel with Rachel Bloom. Ever since I saw the pilot for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on The CW, I knew she was going to be my one to watch. I was initially hesitant about the show, as it seemed a lot of people were, based on the title. However, even with something as simple (but vitally important) as the title of the show, Rachel Bloom illustrated, certainly not for the last time, exactly what kind of humor and emotionality she was capable of as a writer. 

Bloom's memoir is outstanding - any fan of the show will see that her brain just works like THAT. Regardless of if it's being produced for TV, or simply to exist on paper. (Side note: I very much want to get a copy of this audiobook if Rachel reads it. It's my ideal type of experience with this sort of thing, given how deeply you can just HEAR her voice from reading it.)

I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are is an exploration of Rachel Bloom, for certain, but it's also an exploration of what it means to feel like you don't belong. Regardless if that's because you're a theater(re) kid, have a mental illness, or have very specific romantic issues. (Reviewer's note: these things may not be true for everyone, but it's a venn diagram and your circle overlap may vary.)

Through the whole experience of reading Bloom's book I just need to take several deep breaths and sigh dramatically because I, as I'm sure many others will agree, feel so specifically seen on many levels. Maybe not EVERY level, but there's enough there for me to openly weep when I feel so inclined. I am so deeply enchanted by Rachel Bloom and ability to be hilarious in her relatable specificity.

I never saw Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and absolutely loved this book, so I can only imagine how much fans of the show will enjoy it! Bloom is hilarious, vulnerable, and real, just like telling stories with your best friend. Perfect fun read for these dark times.