DNF at about 40%

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Teen for this arc. All opinions are my own. The writing for this book was fine. However, I don't think I'm ready to read about another pandemic post COVID and the ways people respond to it. If you feel you are ready for that kind of story, this is an interesting premise of a virus that will either kill you, or leave you happier. Lots of ethical questions explored.

This is a rough one for me. I like the concept much better than the execution. The storyline is interesting, but the book is way too long, and I wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters, which was super frustrating because it made me not care about it in general.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ya know sci-fi-y pseudo-apocalyptic future books aren’t normally my thing, especially ones that revolve around pandemics and viruses, but this one just hits different. While it’s all too real in this day and age after COVID-19, the particular pandemic in All Better Now makes this book a really fascinating philosophical exploration of the deep underlying meaning to life as a human. Are we even capable of lives of mindfulness and contentment? Would we choose that path if we could? Is something lost when we no longer function out of self interest?

So combine these philosophical musings with some well created characters, a plot that was interesting enough to keep me going but not so fast I felt whiplash, and some fascinating plot twists there at the end, I loved it. My only negative is that I was really trying not to read series for a bit and didn’t realize til the book ended this is only book one… drat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

The world is thrown into chaos once again. A new viral epidemic is rampaging across the world but this one is quite a bit different. This virus erases negative feelings! No more stress, depression, or greed; just happy feeling and empathy. As the virus spreads the world is split in two; those who caught it and want it spread to everyone and those racing to find a vaccine to prevent the downfall of the world. Two teens are thrown into this chaos as they fight to survive this new world. Somehow they are the answer to all the world’s problems.

This was a good book! It’s very well written and the story is masterfully done. Overall it’s very enjoyable. This book is also not for me. I knew going into the book I was reading about a covid-esque situation. I didn’t realize how much this book was going to talk about actual covid. It’s just too close to reality for me. I know crown royale is not a real thing but everything else in the book is. I guess I was expecting something different than what was delivered. Again, the book is good, I just don’t think I’m the target audience. In the end I give it 3.5/5 stars for the good ride I had while reading it!

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely gave a different but interesting feel when it comes to pandemics. I couldn't put this book down. I love how Neal writes dystopian set in worlds very similar to our own

After hearing so much about Schusterman’s Scythe series, I was elated to get my hands on the ARC of All Better Now. I wanted to like it, and the premise is interesting, but I had to plod through the book to finish. There are too many storylines and characters to get fully invested in the story. Also, there were so many unbelievably morally corrupt characters, I could not relate to any of them. I do think the writing and the overarching storyline are good, but the book is entirely too long. I will definitely read another Schusterman book, because his other books get lots of acclaim. And, honestly, I will probably read the sequel to this book simply because I need closure.

All Better Now is about the Crown Royale virus that changes people. People do not have sorrow, fear, or anger any more. For some this is a blessing and for others this is a curse. The two sides are at odds with each other and start a war.

I received an eARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book. The premise was intriguing and the book definitely followed through on it (which may seem like duh but lately all the books I've read with an intriguing premise have failed on the execution part). This book didn't shy away from the dark sides of both camps of belief (the embraced and the unembraced). I like that it described the early stages and later stages of the disease propagation in a way that felt authentic, even if it was uncomfortable. I also enjoyed the random bits at the beginnings of some of the different parts that showed snippets from other parts of the world and other peoples individual experiences with the disease. It was also fun to later see those characters who got a little solo spotlight be referenced in the larger context of the story of Rόn and Mariel. I cannot wait for the next book in this duology.

To be honest I couldn't get into.this. I was struggling with it and had trouble staying invested. I did finish it though and I felt like it was maybe a bit much emotion wise.for.me

I love Neal Shusterman. The concept of this story is brilliant and, as with most of Shusterman's books, makes you rethink your reality and step outside of your comfort zone. Imagine a virus which has a side effect that causes happiness. Sounds wonderful, but Shusterman shows us the pitfalls of being blissfully happy all the time. My personal issue with the book stemmed from the lack of character development. I am very much a character driven reader and I just didn't feel connected with the characters or cared what happened to them.

All Better Now takes the idea of a pandemic like the COVID-19 pandemic we experienced in 2020 and adds an intriguing twist. Like COVID-19, people can get very sick and die. But, this Crown Royale virus has a unique end result for survivors. They have a strange euphoric peace and relentless desire to help their fellow man.

The story bounces between four distinct points of view:

Mariel is a teen who loses her mother to the virus and ultimately discovers she has natural immunity.
Ron is a young adult who is considered high-risk and purposefully contracts the virus. He is also the son of a billionaire who wants to end it.
Dame Glynis Havilland is a powerful figure who contracts the virus and fears for what will happen next. (In her case, she survives and realizes the errors of her previous ways.)
Morgan is a cunning and brilliant young woman who Glynis hires to safeguard her empire and she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Each of the characters has their own agenda. Ron, a 'super spreader', is compelled to take on a mission of infecting as many people as possible with Crown Royale with the thought humankind will be better for it. Muriel feels a connection to Ron, but questions his actions. Dame Glynis switches from Team Eradication to Team Crown Royale. And, Morgan will push the envelope with no concern for how her actions affect others.

Overall, it is an interesting premise. A virus that wipes away depression and leaves you with feelings of love for others. However, readers soon see that the altruism of Crown Royale survivors isn't all it positive.

I had not read a book by Shusterman, but am intrigued to see what other thought-provoking concepts he comes up with. I'm also thinking this could be a good title for our teen book club to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Neal Shusterman for the electronic advance reader copy to read. All opinions are my own.

Shusterman seems to always come up with the most thought-provoking, unique premises for his novels. I could easily see this one as the topic of a book club debate.

It sounds miraculous, but the Crown Royale virus leaves its survivors with a sense of peace and euphoria after recovery. No more stress, depression, negative thoughts - even the 4% of the population who succumb to the virus are truly happy before they pass. But there are unexpected consequences to these unprecedented levels of joy. The wealthiest citizens are giving away/donating their money, materialistic things are no longer important, people are quitting their jobs and sailing around the world, etc. The world economy is in jeopardy.

This story is told from four POVs: Mariel, an immune teen who suffers from depression, Ron, a billionaire's son who's recovered, billionaire Dame Glynis Havilland, and Morgan, a ruthless, young business prodigy Glynis hires to guard her fortune when Glynis succumbs to the virus. Each has their own reasons, selfish or not, for wanting to eradicate or spread Crown Royale, and their paths converge over the course of the novel.

All Better Now may be categorized as Young Adult, but this is easily a crossover novel. Recommended for fans of debate-worthy, intriguing premises, rich characterization, and stories that stick with you days after reading the last page.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What if COVID-19 mutated into yet another novel virus...a virus that left people with a more durable "high" than any antidepressant? Would survivors want to spread it, even if most patients felt ill when they had it and about one in twenty-five patients died? Would people want to catch it and feel left out if they were immune? Would there be people who wanted to block it...with a counter-virus that made people feel depressed?

I'm not thrilled with the portrayal of female characters in this book. Three are fully developed as characters: a homeless high school girl, a super-privileged nineteen-year-old girl, and the old woman whose place the nineteen-year-old girl takes for most of the story. The nineteen-year-old, Morgan, is presented as the sort of young person who has absorbed so much envy and resentment that they fail to form any bonds with friends and aren't even close to their parents. Probably nobody in real life is quite as bad a case of this syndrome as Morgan, but the author may not have realized that a lot of women who read e-books online can relate to her. We're told that the younger girl, Mariel, has been the caretaker for her minimally competent mother while her mother was alive, but Mariel's mother dies early in this book and Mariel spends the book floating around in the wake of the boyfriend who bonds with her in a camp for homeless patients. (He's homeless only by choice; his father is one of the richest men in this fictional world, and he's avoiding his father.) Ninety-year-old Dame Glynis has apparently made a career of being spiteful, which is why Morgan wants to take her place, but then Glynis survives the "Crown Royale" virus, becomes happy, and wants to do some good in this world. As a comic character Glynis delights me in every scene, but the message young girls seem likely to get from Morgan and Mariel is that achievers are mean and nice girls have no homes, ambitions, or even family ties and just follow their boyfriends through life.

But, other than that, this is the best of the "COVID book" crop I've read yet. Shusterman is a talented, even collectible, author. The difficult theme of a conflict between opposing good things (Ron and his father are portrayed as good guys with good intentions, but they disagree through nearly all of this book) is presented credibly. The dialogue is believable. The descriptions are just enough to communicate how interesting the landscapes are. Despite the serious themes, most of the actual scenes are funny. This is the sort of snarky book that can make teenagers think, and like it.

I liked this novel so much, as I’ve liked several of Shusterman’s previous works. Captivating premise and readable, good pacing. I think my students will love this one and the recent past pandemic makes it especially relatable.

This was my first Neal Shusterman book. After hearing my students rave about Scythe, I knew I needed to read his most recent book. I wasn't sure I would enjoy a pandemic book, but I really did enjoy it. It was an interesting premise- a disease that makes you happy/content. I enjoyed that this book made you think about what you would do in real situations, and had you thinking about the government, propaganda, and moral dilemmas. I did think that the book was drawn out a bit more than it needed to be, so in what would be a fast paced novel, there were several slow sections. Overall I enjoyed this novel!

Imagine a pandemic that doesn’t leave you coughing, bedridden, or binge-watching TV in isolation—but instead blesses you with pure, unshakeable joy. That’s the setup in Neal Shusterman’s latest dystopian brain-bender, where the world is gripped by a bizarre new condition: a fever that wipes away anxiety, insecurity, greed, and pretty much every negative emotion in the human catalog.

Sounds like a dream, right? Wrong—at least if you’re a power-hungry CEO, a sensationalist news anchor, or anyone whose entire existence depends on misery-driven capitalism. Suddenly, society’s "happiness problem" becomes the threat to the system, and the powers-that-be roll out a vaccine—not to prevent illness, but to undo peace. Because if no one's angry, broke, or dissatisfied, who's going to buy another pair of overpriced shoes or vote for a rage-fueled campaign?

Enter two teens—strangers turned allies—thrown into the chaotic heart of a movement where truths are twisted, agendas are everywhere, and even your inner calm isn’t safe. It’s a wild, high-concept ride with all the thought-provoking goodies you expect from Shusterman: societal satire, moral dilemmas, and a reality just twisted enough to feel eerily close to home.

Now, let’s talk real talk: the concept? Chef’s kiss. Thought-provoking, deeply imaginative, and ripe for book club debates (teen or adult—this one’s multigenerational). But... the characters? Not quite as memorable as the premise. They feel more like passengers in the plot than emotional anchors, which makes it a little tricky to feel the stakes, especially once the high wears off and the world-building takes the front seat.

Still, this book is a conversation starter wrapped in a dystopian shell and injected with just enough chaos to keep you guessing. For fans of Scythe and Unwind, this one will fit nicely on your shelf of mind-melters. Just don’t expect to fall in love with the characters—this one’s more brains than heart.

A sinisterly clever pandemic plot where happiness is the enemy? Count me in. The characters may not have thrilled me, but the ideas definitely did. Highly recommend for fans of speculative fiction and people who like their dystopias with a dash of "what if this actually happened?"

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for the early peek—this one’s a thinker.

Neal Shusterman always takes very horrifyingly intriguing ideas and somehow manages to create an engaging well-written story. Although I didn't like this as much as his other works (Unwind, Dry, and Scythe), this still has his touch of horrific circumstances packaged to teach YA audiences a fantastic lesson they won't forget. Worth the read!

This book had such a unique premise. A virus that makes you content. That alone is worthy of praise, and it was well executed too. It was a good mix of philosophy and action. I do wish the story could have been wrapped up in one book. Yes spoiler its #1 in a duology.

You'll question what is right and wrong the entire time. Follow three characters on their path to survive a new outbreak from a virus that cures all your depression, anxiety and the like. Things aren't always what they seem though and the journey you go on is one that is fast, twisty, and unexpected.

This might be the second book I've read that deals with COVID. So ALL BETTER NOW is in a post-COVID world but with a twist, a new virus starts to take over. And strangely enough, if you survive it then you're as happy as can be and feeling fulfilled in life. As the virus progresses through the world, everyone is split in two: those who survived Crown Royale and those who would rather die than get it. I will admit this is such an interesting take on viruses and really makes you think. I went into this honestly not realizing it had COVID in it, and almost DNFed until we were introduced to Crown Royale.