I really enjoyed this novel by Christine Webb as I thought it portrayed some aspects of the teenage struggle with bipolar disorder in a meaningful, authentic way. Ms. Webb does a good job of world-building and keeping the story moving through the second half of the novel. Personally, I found the reaction of Natalie's friends a bit unrealistic, but I really enjoyed the secondary characters and Natalie's relationship with her family. Also, some great twists and turns throughout the story!

The art of insanity 4⭐️
I loved how real this book was and i loved Natalie as a protagonist. This book highlights her journey growing up with bipolar disorder. This book goes in depth about mental illness and the stigma surrounding it. I did enjoy this book but it’s not the kind of book i would usually read. I don’t usually enjoy contemporary books and i never read books regarding mental health and realistic problems, but this book definitely changed my mind! If you’re looking for a book that handles mental illness and medication well this is it.

Read like a Wattpad story from 2014, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The story was predictable but not bad. It was just a n okay read, simplistic writing and the lead wasn't compelling enough to care about. The book also talked a lot about a bunch of things that didn't get wrapped up in the end.

*3.5/5

Received this as an ARC and I gotta say that I really liked this book and how it talked about the stigma surrounding mental health in general. The book overall had very loveable characters (Ella being my favourite) and I really liked how they were written as well as the plot.

However some part were very predictable or somewhat predictable and there were some moments with Ella and Nat that were a bit stereotypical but it might just be me. The plot also had some plot holes but that’s okay.

I did not like however that Nathalie continued to be friends with Cecily and Bryan when they seemed to be a bit shitty when it came to keeping her being bipolar a not-so-very-secret as well as treating her like a problem instead of listening to her when she told them to treat her like a normal person. But I get that the author were trying to make it seem like the reality of how people can react when it comes to mental illnesses in general.

With that being said I really liked the book still, like I said before I really liked the characters and the plot as well as how the boom was written and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to read about mental health.

Wow! Just wow! Along with being my 39th book of the year that I have read, The Art of Insanity is my favorite book of all time! That is no small feat… As someone who struggles with mental illnesses and Autism Spectrum Disorder, this book was a breath of fresh air and something I never thought I would come across. This book is an amazing and honest portrayal of what it really is like to struggle with mental illnesses. Not only did it address things like keeping mental illness a secret from others and peoples' perceptions of mental illness, but it also talks about useful coping skills. I found myself crying and laughing throughout the book and it was extremely difficult to put down. I read it within less than two days. The main character struggles with friendships, family and relationships in general but the ending is absolutely so beautiful. I think the main messages are both to accept yourself for who you are, and that friendships change but your true friends love you no matter what. The best we can do in life is to continue to work through the difficulties and obstacles. This book is clearly a 5 out of 5 stars rating. Thank you to NetGalley and the Peachtree (publisher) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. -Chelsea K. Reviewer

this was a quick, enjoyable read. the characters were decent, the plot was good and well paced, and the overall message was great.

i found natalie to be a decent protagonist. to be honest; she was kind of bland and didn’t stick out to me, but at least she wasn’t annoying either. i liked her character development too, and seeing her learn to stop caring about what others think. on that note, i hated her friends, brynn and cecily. they were shallow and only cared about unimportant things. overall they were just super unlikeable and seemed extremely dumb. i get this was the point of the characters, but the stereotypes were just not fun to read about.

the plot was engaging and i probably liked that part the most. i was invested in natalie’s life and it felt well rounded, i enjoyed all of the components. there wasn’t a subplot that didn’t interest me, so that was a plus.

one complaint is the writing style. it was very plain and lacked detail. it’s not terrible, but it is kind of juvenile. it’s confusing because while this writing would be great for a middle grade book, it talks about topics too heavy for that. so it’s just kind of a weird mixture.

overall, i thought this was a solid book. it portrays the message of not caring what others think and talks about stigma around mental health. it was overdramatic at times (i really don’t think everyone in the school cared about her being bipolar that much?) but it was still a good read!

thank you to netgalley and peachtree teen for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review! all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed The Art Of Insanity. At first I thought the story was just going to follow Natalie's struggle with her recent diagnosis but the book was so much more than that. As an adult reader there were some things that I had to wrack my brain to remember, like how it felt to be that age and trying to find yourself and navigate your way through school. However there were plenty of moments when I realized I'm still mentally that age sometimes and I still get excited about the same things I did at that age. There were moments when I found myself shouting at the book, especially when it came to the characters of Cecily and Brynn. They were not popular with me lol Without giving too much away I really liked when Natalie's mind was running wild as the pace of the book completely changed and I began to read the words as fast as she was thinking them. It was really well done. I loved the different stories unfolding and I felt everyone got enough time in the book to make them important and memorable. Overall this was a five star read for me and I'd look forward to read more from Christine Webb.

i really wanted to enjoy this book, but it did not work for me personally. i should have known better, but you live and learn. so thanks so much, netgalley for the chance to read this early!!

The art of insanity 4⭐️
I loved how real this book was and i loved Natalie as a protagonist. This book highlights her journey growing up with bipolar disorder. This book goes in depth about mental illness and the stigma surrounding it. I did enjoy this book but it’s not the kind of book i would usually read. I don’t usually enjoy contemporary books and i never read books regarding mental health and realistic problems, but this book definitely changed my mind! If you’re looking for a book that handles mental illness and medication well this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Natalie has two secrets, and her mom can't seem to agree with her on which is bigger: the real reason behind the car accident this summer, or her recent bipolar disorder diagnosis and medication. Determined to keep everything under wraps like her mom asked, she focuses on other stuff: her art, winning homecoming queen, and the dog she's convinced into getting because someone knows her secret. Senior year, here we come!

You know the feeling when you start reading a book and you think, "this is gonna be a good one?" That's "The Art of Insanity" for sure. After recently reading another successful Peachtree Teen book, I am convinced that they've got the good stuff.

Mental illness is portrayed in a way that feels accurate for the age group. It's hard enough figuring out who you are as a person when you're in high school, but also trying to navigate the stigma of mental illness adds an additional layer of pressure. Natalie and her friends feel real and the story plays out well. You're rooting for her the whole way, and who doesn't love a main character you can cheer for?

CW: mental illness, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, manic episode

Wow, I stayed up way after my usual sleep time to read this one.

I don't know alot about bipolar stigma, but this book really explored that in depth. I appreciated that nothing is quite black and white, but rather shades.

It would have been easy to get into victimhood but the book does not go there, rather it outlines the problems and asks the reader to choose.

Great pace and I loved it.

I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review

Synopsis: High schooler Natalie Cordova has just been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. Her mom insists she keep it secret. Putting up a front and hiding her mental illness from her classmates is going to be the hardest thing Natalie’s ever done. It’s her senior year, and she’s just been selected to present her artwork at a prestigious show. With the stress of performing on her shoulders, it doesn’t help when Natalie notices a boy who makes her heart leap. And then there’s fellow student Ella, who confronts Natalie about her summer car “accident” and pressures her into caring for the world’s ugliest dog. Now Natalie finds herself juggling all kinds of feels and responsibilities. Surely her newly prescribed medication is to blame for the funk she finds herself in. But as Natalie’s plan to self-treat unravels, so does the perfect façade she’s been painting for everyone else.

Overall, this book was an enjoyable read, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. This book is really out of my comfort zone, usually I read either Fantasy or Sci-Fi. So safe to say that this book, a YA Contemporary, isn’t what I typically read. But I’ve been wanting to dive into other genres, so I took the plunge with this book.

I didn’t like it.

Now, was this book bad? No. Was I bored reading this? No. Was the characters annoying or the prose unreadable? No and No. I found Natalie to be an interesting protagonist and enjoyed reading her story. But I couldn’t connect with this book because of one sole reason; Contemporary is simply just not my genre, which I realize after reading this book. If you like YA Contemporary, and want to read a book with Bipolar representation, I really recommend this book.

Bonus points because there was a dog

This incredible own voices novel about the struggles of growing up with a mental illness was heartbreaking in places. Having also grown up with bipolar disorder and having had it take over my teenage years, I found Natalie’s story highly relatable. I enjoyed the discussion of medication and the stigma it has as well as its benefits as this is often glossed over in YA where only therapy tends to be mentioned as a treatment.

This was a beautifully done story about mental illness, it had a great plot for a young adult novel. I wanted to know more of the characters and their world. It was a great read and I was hooked from the first page. I appreciated Ms. Webb sharing her experience in book form, it was a wonderfully done novel and I look forward to more.

"It’s quiet for a minute. The thick silence is back. “You were still my dad,” I finally say. “Maybe you were sick, but
you were still my dad. Dads aren’t supposed to just . . . leave.”