Let me begin by saying I’ve never been more excited to receive an ARC, yet my review will remain unbiased.

Nic Stone earned ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars before I read the first line of the book. The transparency of her author’s note (I never read those, but read this one) and content warning was so endearing and a testament to who I imagine she is in her everyday life. Yes, she wants you to read her work but the reality of her acknowledging and ensuring you know this may be a mirror riddled with triggers was so-selfless.

After swooning for a few moments, and taking the time to send a few “omg, I got it…you need to preorder this…the content warning was OMG” messages I dove head first into Shelbi and Walter (can I call him that or will I get some random email that says “Andy to you”). I always love Stone’s use of text messages in her books - puts you fully in your YA mind and becomes a subtle reminder that in this day and age that is the bulk of many peoples communication style. The characters were amazing, fully developed, with tons of Life happening. They’ve been through a lot, we’re going through a lot and survived A LOT. More of a mirror than I wanted at times but absolutely what I needed to remind me that we’re all TRYING. Mental health status not factored in, the world is a place of “chaos theory” requiring that we adjust and cope with the unexpected - now add in some chemical imbalances and it’s a whole other balancing act. Nic Stone touched on so much - interracial relationships, class, hiding from your past, perception versus reality, woman’s rights, grief, death, consequences. Sometimes it was overt, other times it was so subtle- yet through it all I was forced to think and reminisce. I’ll be preordering my hardback copy and I’d absolutely love a sequel to this. There’s so much of Shelbi’s growth I still need to witness…how does she take her awareness until the terrifying “adult world”? Admittedly this desire is both bookish rooted and the realization that I learned from this book…*looks at my ice pack* I think need to purchase an extra one.

What an inspirational opening! This heart wrenching, honest letter of Nic Stone hooked up me to this book unconditionally.
First of all: the best thing about this book is characterization!

Oh Shelbi! She’s getting through a lot at young age, suffering from bipolar, trying to adjust her life in school by avoiding to get close with anyone else!

She’s burned before by opening her heart, sharing her mental condition. But honesty didn’t earn anything to her. She’s got bullied, humiliated, opening her eyes in the hospital. She’s quirky as hell. So smart, so passionate about science! She’s fast thinker, looking for unique aspect to the things out of ordinary. I loved her nerd brain!

I also fell in love with her parents. His mischievous, down to earth dad , her coolest urban romance author mom Shonda , her tough, protective, sarcastic cousin Beck ( who is her only friend), her sweetest, joyful bibi ( Grandma)! They are always supportive. They give Shelbi enough freedom to come out from her shell. They don’t treat her with kid gloves. They know she’s vulnerable but they don’t push her hard. They just let her know they will be always be there for her when she needs their help!

And Walter Andy Criddle! That boy earns ten thousand hugs. I hated her politician mother from the beginning ( she also earned ten thousand slap points) He lost his three years old sister. He is suffering from really bad breakup ( that’s more than breakup)! His parents are having fights day and night. Alcohol become best solution for numbing the pain which resulted with totaled car, DUI, six months of driving suspension, false texting to stranger.

That ominous night he had an accident, his patch crosses with the girl from his class. She finds his wallet and gives him a speech about self worth he mostly needed. She might be the same person he accidentally texted.

That’s how Shelbi and Walter ( a.k.a Andy) make a pact of friendship. They hold each other when one of them is about to fall. But what if they want more than friendship? Shelbi is afraid of burning again and Walter deals with so many things at the same time: grief, alcoholism, verbal abuse of his mother. How long they can hold each other’s hand when two of them are about to hit the rock bottom?

Overall: there are so many sensitive and triggering issues bravely and honestly discussed in this book including mental health, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, abortion, parental abuse, suicidal tendencies, self harm. I loved the author’s realistic approach, honesty to open up about her own mental health issues, informing us brain’s different functioning, help centers, what kind of action should be taken to help the people suffer from same mental illnesses.
It’s absolutely inspirational, thought provoking, educational reading for me earned my five blazing stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/ Crown Books for Young Readers for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Andy sends a text while drunk and it is received by a stranger. He decides a stranger will do and they text back and forth. When he is at school a few days later, his wallet is returned by the new girl, Shelbi. She tells him she found it at the crash site and wanted to return it. Shelbi has a few secrets. One, she has episodes of depression, and two, she is the stranger Andy has been texting. When these truths are discovered, a friendship is established … with rules. Will these two teens with their own problems help or hinder each other?

Chaos Theory is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that hits some hard topics with grace. There is a trigger warning at the beginning for those who may suffer from a psychological disorder and as someone who doesn’t deal with these issues, I can’t say much on that aspect. Both teens are running away from things, even if they don’t want to admit it to others and readers may see themselves or people they love in the characters portrayed. A very serious read that is worth the time spent.

"Chaos Theory" by Nic Stone
Loved this book! Once again Stone has knocked it out of the park! Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the advance copy of this book. Shelbi and Andy/Walter's story was powerful and a read that will garner empathy and hopefully give readers language to model in their own lives. I was initially concerned that the content would be a lot for me to handle based on the trigger warning and introductory material, but it wasn't too much for me. However, I appreciate the warning for readers who may be struggling with similar issues and who may have a lower threshold for the content than I do. Overall, a great read that will be popular in my library.

“But that’s the thing; getting rid of the mental illness stigma means getting rid of the idea that what people experience based on their brain chemistry can make them socially unacceptable. Like we all want people to think we’re so strong and invincible. But…we’re not… we’re human.”

Like .. we started there ? Nic Stone destroying me in the authors note is new. I just. I don’t even know.

That feeling. When you see a version of your own “brain stuff” reflected back in not only a character in a book but in an immensely successful authors words. Her words of her own experience. I can’t describe the feeling well enough. I can’t put it into words. I sure as hell am successful at putting it into tears as I write this.

What a truly beautifully written depiction of living with mental illness. There were so so many moments where I wanted to reach through the page pull Shelbi out and give her the biggest hug. I also wanted to thank her. Many times. For putting into words ways I have felt - that I’ve never been able to describe.

“To have your own mind tell you you’re not worth the air you breathe. Do you have any idea what it’s like to feel like you’re the queen of the universe one minute, and a waste of molecules the next?”

The beauty of the character development and the relationship built between Walty Walt and Shelbi was just pure perfection. I loved every second of it. My only complaint - Is I didn’t want to let them go. I didn’t want it to end. I guess that goes to show how if you truly wish you could rip the characters out of the book and plop them down in your life as your confidantes - well.. the author certainly did their job well.

Thank you Nic. Thank you Penguin teen for my Arc.

“I consider this my rendezvous point with the universe”

Boy, where do you even start. I'm so glad this book is out in the world. With this book Nic Stone has managed to weave a fictional story about two people who could be anyone. They could be a family member, a close friend, ourselves. I sure as heck saw a version of me in there.

I feel like this is the type of book that
people just need to read. So all I'll say is read the foreward and read the authors note.

Mental health deserves more of our attention then we give it, and I'm so grateful to have read this book. There are a lot of lessons I'm going to work hard to keep in the front of my mind in 2023.

There are so many things I like about this book! First, I love the clear message that mental health is as important as physical health. Our teens cannot hear this enough. Second, I love the main characters, Shelbi and Walter. They are both kind, caring souls trying to help each other as they cope with their own issues as best they can. And third, they share a sweet romance.

The book seems more issue-driven than character-driven or plot-driven, and I would have liked to have known the secondary characters a little bit better. For instance, three of the four parents bordered on perfect, but surely they were struggling, wondering how best to help their children. I would have liked to have a seen a little bit of that struggle. The fourth parent, Walter's mom, was truly awful; a little more explanation of how she got that way would have been interesting.

Nevertheless, Nic Stone does a great job of addressing difficult topics through two likeable characters that readers will relate to. This book is sure to be a hit.

Another great book from Nic Stone - I like the authenticity of her characters. In particular with this book, I like how realistically she painted mental illness. I loved the main character girl's set of rules and that she was unapologetic about not being okay. I was cheering for them as a couple. :-)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was my first Nic Stone novel and while I loved the writing style and the usage of “unconventional” text communication, there were just SO MANY TROPES.

The mental health destigmatization and conversation surrounding personality disorders and alcoholism was important and special on its own.

The teen pregnancy, abortion, Black republican political parent, bullying + side character suicide, cheating scandal felt like a lot for me. But I also understand that life is messy and chaotic, and with all that messiness, people still have to learn to navigate life while protecting their own mental health.

So while I didn’t love this book, the big picture message still added something to an important conversation.

I really appreciated the premise of this book, and I've loved Nic Stone's writing style in other books. While I applaud and celebrate the subject matter and worthy messages in this book, I have to admit that I didn't always feel connected to or engaged with the characters. At times it felt a little more like telling rather than showing. That being said, however, I will be sharing this with readers!

I look forward to sharing this book with students that also struggle with these mental health issues. This quick read is approachable to all students and provides them an understanding of what their peers are going through. The characters main and secondary are drawn well and are believable.

This book is a must read. Its real portrayal of grief, neurodiversity and substance abuse does not sugar coat or romanticize anything.

This is a must read. In CHAOS THEORY, Nic Stone opens the door wide to mental health, addiction, friendship, and family. The characters are so authentic and unflinchingly share their stories. Preorder it now for your library and any YA readers in your life. It will make a difference.

Such an important story! I know many of my students will connect with this book and the characters. “Walter” and Shelbi’s stories will stick with me. I also loved how quick of a read this story is.

This book, focusing on two black teens in Georgia dealing with mental issues who start a relationship, is an intimate look into the challenges of those dealing with the normal challenges of being a teen coupled with the much larger difficulties of articulating for themselves and others the problems they’re facing and the support they need along their respective journeys. It’s beautifully written and a must-read for teens.

Chaos Theory is a book all YA readers and beyond should read. It will grab you at the very first page and hold your attention until the secret epilogue following the author's note. Chaos Theory shares the journey of two teenagers doing their best to navigate the difficult life they lead. From the outside, Shelbi appears to have a perfect life: two loving parents, a huge and beautiful home, a brand new car... but she's suffering from a mental illness that she has been bullied over in the past. Her fears of repeating this outcome forced her to move to a new neighborhood to start fresh, and now she holds everyone at a distance. Andy is facing his own difficulties. His parents secretly fight at home, while pretending to be a loving family from the outside. His mom is running for office and wants everything to appear perfect. Andy deals with his anger and frustration by turning to alcohol. See what happens when these two teenagers meet. Get ready to laugh, hold your breath, and cry!

Wow. Wow. Wow. This might be my favorite Nic Stone book. It's just lovely and true and sweet and sad and silly and AWESOME!!! The discussions/representation of mental illness AND so much else are exceedingly well-handled and treated respectfully and with grace. I have always love Nic Stone and this book reinforces my feeling that her books should be in every library where teens check out books. ♥♥♥♥♥

This book was everything!

This is the first book I read by Nic Stone - outside of collabs in Blackout & Whiteout. I enjoyed every part of the story.

From Shelbi refusing to call Andy Andy to the imperfect ending.

I loved the mental health representation. How it was handled and how it happened it real time.

So much love and care was put into the story & characters. I highly recommend

Nic Stone is one of my author heroes, and does not disappoint in her newest book - Chaos Theory. This is a book I will give to loved ones, who struggles with their own "neurotransmittal atypicality" but also to others struggling to understand what mental health might really "look like". Shelbi is one of my favorite characters ever. She's a nerd, she struggles, but she KNOWS herself. I really hope that anyone who picks up this book can appreciate the joys and the sorrows of the characters in this book because it is what makes Nic Stone's writing so authentic, so meaningful, and such a joy to read.