"Forever is such a very long time to think about when you've only lived fourteen years."


This book is everything I love about YA. It's a masterpiece in pacing, voice, the balance of heavy subjects and a young narrator, the focus on friendship, the portrayal of chronic illness/disability, the inclusion of religion, the natural incorporation of different identities and mixed media format (in this case, scenes told via scripts). This is a pitch-perfect YA novel and I cannot emphasize that enough!!

TW: Divorce; Toxic parent; Bullying; Ableism; Chronic pain; Poverty

I did not expect this book to be as heavy as it was, so I want to emphasize that the trigger warnings are all very much present and could be potentially triggering. Divorce/toxic marriage is not just a theme, but a main conflict throughout the entire novel.

Dolores has interstitial cystitis (IC), which is also known as painful bladder syndrome. After she has a (very) embarrassing moment at the end of the previous school year, she spends her summer before high school trying to reconcile with Shae, her best friend who is suddenly ghosting her, and coping with her invisible disability suddenly being not so invisible to her classmates.

Dolores meets an autistic girl named Terpsichore who wants to stop homeschooling and start high school at the public school, which her mom refuses to do unless Terpsichore can prove she has a friend. Dolores decides to befriend Terpsichore to help her start public school, and she uses her to get back in Shae's orbit so Dolores can patch up their friendship.

Even though Dolores is 14, her voice does not read overly babyish or young. Based off the author's note, a lot of Dolores' story was taken from Van Wagenen's own experiences at age 14, which solidifies the authenticity I felt while reading. The author mentions that she also has IC and autism.

I loved Dolores' family—even the imperfect members—and could so easily picture that block with the alley, the print shop, and the ice cream shop, their too hot house with the crappy bathroom above the print shop and the cathedral down the street. I sound like a broken record even to myself at this point, but I LOVE books with friendships focused on more than romance, and especially YA novels with friendship breakups. Chronically Dolores has no romance whatsoever and is purely coming-of-age.

What really makes this book special, though, is the portrayal of childhood chronic illness. I was very very lucky to not develop most of my mental health issues until high school, and none of my chronic illnesses until college. I didn't have to worry about being in middle school and figuring out my health on top of the nightmare that is that age.

I didn't notice it until the end (which is the highest compliment you give a writer trying to write a message into their book, BTW. It's very hard to do) that a large part of Dolores' arc is accepting her disability and how her relationships with everyone—including herself—change as a result. And not just Dolores, but her family as well. The way each member, including her aunt, approached her diagnosis was interesting to analyze.

Dolores' unabashed and immediate acceptance of Terpsichore's disability was refreshing. I admit, I was expecting Dolores to feel a bit disconnected from the character based off the blurb. Again, Van Wagenen's own experiences probably lent itself to the grace to which that inclusion was executed.

I have no notes. This book is an exceptional YA novel, and exactly what I want to write. I'm so glad I mistakenly added it to a post about disability rep and felt like I needed to read it as penance for looping in with the IBD books.

Rep: Mexican main character with interstitial cystitis; Autistic side character; Gay side character; German queer side character

Thank you Penguin Teen for the arc of this book (like over a year ago, oops). All opinions are my own.

I think representation is so important in YA (all books, really!), and Chronically Dolores deftly navigates neurodiversity and chronic illness while focusing on themes of friendship and belonging.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I liked the book, Dolores's maturation and gradual ability to see life and events straight on, without her previous dramatic and rose-colored slant, was believable and relatable. She was contending with a chronic disease, living in poverty, and loneliness. The book included enough humor and one-liners to soften the harder themes.

Terpsichore is on the autism spectrum, and her overbearing and overprotective mother insists on homeschooling and forbids Terpsichore to make friends or do anything that other young teens do. Though it would seem that Dolores and Terpsichore have nothing in common, they form an unlikely alliance, each vowing to help the other get what she wants.

Both the main characters are two girls going through different challenges that bring them together. They decide to help each other by faking a friendship that flourishes as they learn more about each other.

The story follows chronic illnesses while telling a light-hearted friendship story. I enjoyed my first time reading from this author, Maya Van Wagenen.

Thank you, NetGalley for this book for an honest review!! I wanted to read it because of the cover. Thank you.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for the chance to review this book.

Its not often that you find a really good book that depicts chronic illness/disability. Especially one that does it in such a realistic way. Maya Van Wagenen did that and I loved it.
Dolores, to me was so relatable, even though she was only 14. , I adored her and also felt a little bit of motherly love for her. (that's what happens when a 40 something year old reads a book)

The friendship between her and Terpischore was both touching and heartwarming as they both were going through more than any other kid their age.

THe best part was how real the story was. Maya Van Wagenen really nailed what its like living with disabilities like that (autism and IC) . Great read!

interesting vibes in a story that i didn't think anyone would write or could pull off, but Van Wagenen manaaged to do that

I'm a big fan of the Young Adult genre, but I've never read something that I connected with so much in the aspect of growing up with an invisible disability. This book was so moving and relatable, I just wish I had something like this when I was younger!

Group therapy ends up connecting Dolores and Terpischore on their journeys to self-independence.

I love this story of friendship. Maya Van Wagenen creates an untenable situation for both young adults and has them bond over how to survive it. As with any journey such as this you know that there is pain, disillusionment, and thankfully laughter. Truths are uncovered which aren’t pretty as these two young people look to find a solid foundation to move forward on.

Dolores is struggling with what most kids who suffer an embarrassing incident do and I felt her pain. I’m incontinent and just recently had an accident in front of people even though I was wearing all of the appropriate garments. It doesn’t matter how old you are, people look at you differently. When it’s your friends who change and move on, it can be even harder to find your place in a world where you are different.

Terpischore, on the other hand, is fighting her battle at home where her Mom only sees her one-dimensionally. The struggle to grow and move forward when your loved ones fear for you can be hard. I’ve seen how this can have a detrimental impact on a young one.

Chronically Dolores is written with sensitivity, humor, and the realism needed to tell their stories correctly. I freaking love this book and I would love a sequel of the ladies in their college years. This one is a must read.

I loved how we were able to read from a MC that has a chronic illness and see how they overcome the stigma that comes from said disease. I loved it.

This book took me on an emotional journey I wasn’t expecting. I connected so deeply with both Dolores and Terpsichore and their individual stories as well as their developing friendship.

Dolores is so young to be battling so many deep issues at one time. The pain of her chronic illness is one thing, but the embarrassment that it brought to her life, the betrayal of a close friend, the issues within her family, and the up and down journey that is puberty, all weighing on her at once could have crushed her.

For Terpsichore, the isolation and overprotectiveness of her mother overshadow her own identity. Terps is secure in who she is, and she accepts and understands her own challenges, but she is held so firmly back by her mother that she is not allowed to live outside of the protective bubble.

Together these girls help each other to understand their strengths and overcome their challenges. Even when everything seems to fall apart, they help each other put it all back together.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story and feel changed for having read it.

Disclaimer: I received a DRC through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Chronically Dolores" by Maya Van Wagenen is a heartfelt and insightful memoir that explores chronic illness with candor and humor. Its honest reflections and engaging writing offer both inspiration and a deep connection with readers facing similar struggles.

Dolores has a bladder condition called interstitial cystitis, which caused her to wet herself at school. She is ostracized and made fun of leading up to her freshman year of high school. Then she meets Terpsichore, a girl with autism who Dolores is convinced can help her win her best friend back.

I listened to this on audio, and I think the narrator did a great job with these characters. It did take me quite a while to get through this one, it felt like it dragged quite a bit. I thought the confessionals with the priest and Dolores was a fun way to introduce things into the story. Terpsichore was my favourite part of this story. She was so sweet, and a great friend to Dolores who taught her some important lessons. I hated Shae, and didn't fully understand Dolores' fascination with her, or her need with being friends with her again.

Overall, it was an okay read, but it didn't blow me out of the water in anyway.

Sweet coming of age tale of friendship and self acceptance that follows both Dolores, who has interstitial cystitis, and her new friend Terpsichore, who is Autistic, as they struggle to find a sense of self during the tough period between middle school and high school. I really enjoyed the disability and neurodivergent rep in this one, though the priest confessional scenes were a bit odd. Definitely a younger YA novel than I usually read and the themes reflected it but quite well done for the age range.

Dolores Mendoza is not thriving. She was recently diagnosed with a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. The painful disease isn't life-threatening, but it is threatening to ruin her life.

Just when things seem hopeless, Dolores meets someone poised to change her fate. Terpsichore Berkenbosch-Jones is glamorous, autistic, and homeschooled against her will by her overprotective mother. After a rocky start, the girls form a tentative partnership. Beautiful, talented Terpsichore will help Dolores win back her ex-best friend, Shae. And Dolores will convince Terpsichore's mom that her daughter has the social skills to survive public school. It seems like a foolproof plan, but Dolores isn't always a reliable narrator, and her choices may put her in danger of committing an unforgivable betrayal.

I really enjoyed this story.

This was a great #ownvoices YA debut about family, friendship and learning to live with a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis (IC). Dolores is from a Mexican American family struggling to make ends meet and while everyone else in her family is dealing with their own problems, she turns to a Catholic priest in a confessional booth for advice.

Advice on how to get back her former best friend, advice on how to deal with her chronic pain and the embarrassment her IC causes at school plus how she can be a better friend to her new autistic homeschooled acquaintance, Terpischore.

I liked the writing in this book - but the story itself feels a bit thin. The main character is interesting though and overall, despite some plot issues, I would recommend because there is a lot of heart in this story.

Loved this. It felt like a super important book in terms of teen experience and representing chronic illness. The struggles she went through really resonated. I wish the publisher would have invested in a better cover though. It does not do the book justice!

This fantastic and funny YA coming-of-age novel brings awareness to a chronic illness (interstitial cystitis) and how it can affect young teens and tweens who are already struggling with so much change. This was a charming story about friendship and family, reminiscent of classic Judy Blume books. Perfect for young readers and adults alike!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dolores Mendoza’s family is struggling financially, and her parents’ marriage is falling apart. A year ago, she was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis after a bladder accident made her a pariah. Dolores meets Terpsichore Berkenbosch-Jones, who is autistic. Terpsichore wants to fake a friendship to prove to her possessive mom that she’s capable of attending public school and can stop home schooling. The answer to their problems seems clear: Dolores will win back her former best friend, Shae. Gorgeous and autistic Terpsichore will win her independence. What could go wrong? Dolores’ chronic illness frequently causes trouble for herself. Her creative first-person narration includes transcripts from her confessional conversations with a priest. Her reviews of local bathroom are hilarious. . Dolores is in an ongoing standoff with her illness and comes to no pat resolutions about her body.

The author has written an insightful, funny and coming of age story. The fake friendship was great. It gave me smiles and hope for a true friendship between the two girls. It also made me think of how easily people can judge others that are different and don’t realize their loss.
It’s a book that I will be getting to give to a teenager I know. The author writes about the themes of growing apart from old friends, confronting painful ideas of embarrassment and rejection, learning to find accommodations and self-advocate, and understanding that people aren’t always what they seem, the author’s debut is a standout with both wide appeal and important representation.

Dolores has a medical condition that is often painful, and even worse, often embarrassing. She is isolated, because of her condition and also because of her family’s economic situation. A random meeting with another girl on the outside of society teaches Dolores a lot about how to be a friend, how being different can be a very good thing, and how to find your place in your family. This was a really interesting read and I hope to purchase for my middle school library.

4.5, rounded up. This book, while frustrating at times, feels incredibly authentic--and not just because of Maya Van Wagenen's lived experiences with interstitial cystitis and autism. She also captures the vulnerability and, let's face it, lack of frontal lobe that teenagers go through. I also think Dolores' relationships with her family, Terpsichore, and unexpected acquaintances (like Luce, Johann, the priest, and Spider and Tear-drop) feel very sweet and unexpectedly deep. The side characters feel fleshed out and like they serve a purpose for the story and for Dolores' development.