As a big fan of Neal Shusterman, I was very excited to get a Netgalley of his newest book. A story about a pandemic that leaves the survivors happy seems like utopia, but, of course, it's never that simple. Happy people don't need to buy stuff, and money is the most important thing in this crazy world of ours. This is a fast-paced, believable tale of people fighting a war over happiness and contentment.

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman offers a fresh and thought-provoking take on a pandemic story—one that is not about Covid, but about a virus with a strangely transformative aftermath. This new virus sweeps across the globe, devastating some lives while leaving survivors fundamentally changed. Those who recover are filled with an unshakable sense of happiness, leading to profound shifts in behavior: billionaires giving away their fortunes, people abandoning materialism, and many setting off to explore the world with newfound purpose.

The story weaves together the lives of several compelling characters—Rón, Mariel, Morgan, and Dame Havilland—each navigating their own unique journey through the pandemic. Though their paths are different, their stories intersect in unexpected and meaningful ways, creating a tapestry of human resilience and change.

Shusterman masterfully explores themes of human nature, connection, and the pursuit of happiness in this deeply engaging and thought-provoking novel. All Better Now is a must-read for anyone looking for a pandemic story with an imaginative and uplifting twist.

As a long time fan of Susterman's Unwind series, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read his newest sci-fi release!

My first thought after finished was, Wow! What a concept! jI loved the idea of having something so devastating leave you "All Better Now". The four main characters will have you drawn in from the beginning as you watch their lives weave together while they work through this "pandemic" in this though provoking novel.

I was pleased with the details, depth, and descriptions this story provided. I can only imagine the discussion that the YA community could have after reading this novel. What a fun bookclub book!

Thank you, Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Childrens Publishing for the ARC.

Neal Shusterman’s All Better Now is an addictive page-turner that grabs you from the first sentence and refuses to let go. Set in a world battling the Crown Royale virus—where survivors emerge completely content and free of negative emotions—the story dives into the clash between those who embrace this "gift" and those desperate to stop it.

Through Mariel, Tiburon, Morgan, and the unforgettable Dame Glynis Havilland, Shusterman weaves a masterful tale of interconnected lives and tough moral questions. Is this new world a utopia or a dangerous step toward chaos?

Packed with diversity, sharp social commentary, and Shusterman’s trademark pacing, this book will have you questioning ambition, happiness, and what it truly means to live. If you love stories that make you think while keeping you on the edge of your seat, All Better Now is your next must-read. A wild, thought-provoking ride!

DNF @ 25% The parallels to COVID just made this difficult to get into. While the multiple POVS make the story interesting in some aspects it also makes it difficult to connect off the bat with them. May pick this back up again in the future.

“All Better Now” is a fascinating speculative novel based on a global pandemic, but one with a surprising after-effect: the 96% who survive the disease become happy and contented. No more sadness, grief, anger, or depression. When companies that prey on people’s inadequacy, loneliness, and negative self-image start tanking, global corporations unite to try and find a cure. The story focuses on three young people: Mariel, who used to live with her mom in their car; Ron, the son of the world’s third-richest man and at increased risk for dying of the disease; and Morgan, a self-serving prodigy who aces an unusual job interview. Each of these three plays a different role in the history of this new virus.
This book poses a lot of interesting ethical questions. For those who recover from the disease and now have different emotions and make different choices, are they still the same people? Does a 4% death rate outweigh the eradication of selfishness and sadness? Or are our negative emotions crucial to our humanity? Despite the fascinating ramifications of this disease and the post-virus world, I didn’t find this to be the most enjoyable read. The characters felt fairly surface-level, with the exception of Morgan. The pacing and plot felt very strange, and the writing style wasn’t my favorite. However, I did appreciate how much food for thought there is here.

I am not typically a Sci-Fi fan, but apparently when it comes to Neal Shusterman, I am! This was such an interesting concept with the pandemic and the long term effect being contentment. I think this will be a hit with both YA and adult readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

The next pandemic after COVID is one that some might actually want. After patients make it through the worst of the fever they suddenly become.. enlightened... happy... selfless. For the average person this might sound appealing. For billionaires this sudden bought of optimism and charity can ruin their fortunes. This book follows several characters, all with different stakes in this new pandemic landscape. And in true Shusterman fashion keeps you guessing until the end. I enjoyed not knowing who to root for during the majority of the book and cannot wait to read the next installment. I am sad however that that isn't actually a Buc-ee's in Indiana, the state in which I live.

This is a book you absolutely cannot read a lone. The plot and premise were structured in such a way that after every chapter you step away to thinks many possibilities to ponder. It wasn't that anything was left unanswered or underdeveloped either. The story's world was so captivating, all-consuming in the most deeply opportunistic way. This is such a unique story written in the most unique way. It will have you reexamining your life and relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading All Better Now by Neal Shusterman. I found that it consistently kept me interested and also engaged me into thinking about what it means to be happy and what my ethical obligations are towards my fellow human beings. I will definitely be buying this book for my school library and will also consider it for a future book club reading. I hope there will be a sequel as well! Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC.

I never thought I’d give a Neal Shusterman book less than 5 stars, but here I am. I have a few strict tropes that make me want to throw a book, and somehow this one had it all.


We have a “I’m not like other girls” character, the rich guy who wishes he wasn’t (and their extremely fast romance? What?). Miscommunication, quick random relationships, FMC who weren’t too bright. I felt like most of the scenarios were sped up SO fast, and were a bit too perfect (the airport first test example) . There didn’t feel like a lot of depth on any of the characters like I’m used to with his books. This also wrote way too close to the pandemic for me, which made it feel less dystopian and more “normal”, which is also something I’m not used to. I appreciate the chance to read this early, but I’m definitely bummed that it wasn’t a hit for me.

I really enjoyed the what-ifs of this one. I liked Mariel and Rón a lot, but I think I was most intrigued by Rón's father, Blas Escobedo. I hope to see more of him in the next book. Dame Havilland and her Butler were pretty entertaining too. There were more POVs than I prefer though, especially the ones that only lasted a few pages.

Shusterman really built on this intriguing premise, and there was a lot to ponder. I think it would be a good one for book clubs--lots of discussion material.
I was hoping it was stand-alone, but it seems not. I feel like it could have been, but maybe the author's got loads more surprises planned for the next one. It was a real page-turner in the last third or so.

4.25⭐️
Wow, this was way deeper than I expected as o did not read any reviews ahead of time. The author did a great job at offering difficult material in a very creative way.


I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster children publishing to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

This is a YA title but it is a great read for all ages. It is poignant, thought provoking and entertaining. It also thoughtful in how it’s presented with its multiple POV format.

On a personal note I have been reading so many women writers of late that o enjoyed the male authorship as k think it
Brings a different impact than a woman would . Not better or worse, just different.

What would you do if you caught a virus that completely made you feel unburdened? Who you do anything in your power to stop the spread or try to infect as many as possible?

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

If you could be eternally unburdened would you do it no matter the cost? A classic Neal Shusterman tale that weaves together character stories to an ending fitting dystopia. This book will hit a little close to home for some and will give readers lots to ponder about what is the greater good and who decides what is best.

Thank you Simon Teen for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I want to say first that my star rating is based solely on my enjoyment reading the book, not necessarily on how important or thought provoking the book is.

This book is missing something, but I can’t exactly put my finger on what it is.

Neal Shusterman’s All Better Now takes on a pandemic with a new angle. Instead of just making people sick, this virus also takes away “bad” emotions: fear, hate, anger. Some people want to catch the new virus and have their troubles wiped away and some are terrified of catching it, saying that the virus changes who you fundamentally are.

The book delves into a variety of topics, mental health and suicidal ideation, classism, and right vs wrong as some of the major ones. Each of the characters had their own motivations and drivers, their desires pushing up against those of the other characters, each fighting to gain the upper hand, to change the world to their own benefit.

I enjoyed the rapid changes in the points-of-view, and especially that the novel never really seemed to endorse one character or one ideology over another. The characters’ thoughts and opinions were constantly evolving as the narrative changed, and I found that incredibly refreshing. So many novels focus heavily on the “right” side or characters hitting the pivotal moment that changes their entire perspective. For the most part, Shusterman’s characters gradually changed; their opinions developed as they learned how to navigate their world as the pandemic progressed.

The plot, strangely enough, reminded me a lot of We Happy Few (which is half the reason I wanted to pick it up). It’s an interesting take on a pandemic is a world that is still saturated with conversations about Covid. In some ways, creating a new pandemic to cater to the needs of the novel actually acted as a detriment. Because Covid is still a hot topic, it makes sense to re-imagine the ways in which it could have further affected society. Using a virus also has the added benefit of taking away (for the most part) a person’s ability to resist the change that Crown Royale promised. Someone could do everything in their power to try to keep from catching Crown Royale, but there was never anything that could be 100% foolproof. On the other hand, I’m sure there’s people like myself who want to stop hearing about a pandemic. It’s been so permeating into our lives that it’s a slog to read another novel with a virus as its core concept.

The other big reason this book was very difficult to get through? The characters are all deeply unlikable. Sure, they’re constantly changing and evolving, they’re flawed and idealistic, but they’re also all fairly unrelatable (or maybe that’s just a me problem?) and honestly, just really annoying. They’re all cranked up to be the extremes of their motivations, and I just felt like I was reading the life story of a handful of internet trolls.
I think this book definitely has a place on the shelf, and I don’t think it isn’t important. Shusterman touches on a lot of important cultural thoughts and feelings. The book is very much relevant to today’s atmosphere and cultural situation. I appreciate that it’s written for a younger audience than myself, an audience that very much needs the exposure of the themes Shusterman’s toying with.

And at the heart of it, maybe because I’m not the target audience, the enjoyment of this book simply escaped me.

4.5 stars

In a post-Covid world, a new virus is on the rise—one that leaves recoverees with a sense of contentment and peace.

This was such a cool concept wonderfully told with detail and care. The multiple POVs that all strung together the narrative and expanded the reader’s view of how the virus affected so many aspects of society gave such nice depth even though you spend just a few pages with some characters. While the beginning was slow, once I reached the halfway point it was absolutely unputdownable!

Capitalism, the greater good, disinformation, and so much more gets tackled within this story and the rising tension of it all gave me such good chills. I’m very excited to see where Shusterman takes the rest of the series!

Neal Shusterman has a talent for asking difficult questions in his books, but not making super obvious statements one way or the other about what is the "correct" answer to those questions. In this case, the world is in the middle of another pandemic. One out of every 25 people who catches the Crown Royale virus will die, but those who survive are forever changed. They're happier. They're kinder. They aren't hung up on possessions and power. Should this virus be intentionally spread to make the world a better place even if it means killing so many people? What about spreading a counter-virus that will make people unable to catch Crown Royale, but makes them want everything, desperately. This is just the first book of a series, so there is no resolution, but it's certainly an interesting topic, and it definitely makes the reader think.

I don’t think Neal Shusterman knows how to disappoint.

This book follows 3 teenagers in the beginning stages of a new pandemic, taking place somewhat soon after COVID but this disease has an interesting side effect…if you survive, you become completely content. This contentment causes those in power to worry and scheme because if the world as a whole is content….how do you drive jealousy and greed to feed the global economy. But then this goes deeper, bringing up questions of ethics and morals, bodily autonomy and consent, and parallels can even be drawn between those who are for or against the disease and political parties in the US.

I found myself going in circles trying to figure out what would I do in a world where this virus is spreading. Do I risk death for contentment? Should you be given the choice? Can a disease be a good thing? And once you get deeper into the novel…is a vaccine ethical?

The three teenagers we meet Mariel, Rón and Morgan grapple with these questions and others throughout the novel. I thought the pairing of Mariel and Rón being essentially the yin and yang of the disease and, for lack of a better word, station in life was an excellent choice and vehicle to make the reader give full attention to either side of the debate.

The ties to COVID at first made me think I would not enjoy this book but, I found Shusterman’s unique twist on another virus to be refreshing. I especially enjoyed the parallels to modern society and highlighting the exploitation that a capitalistic society relies on to survive. I believe this book is setup to lead to another and…I need it…please.

This book was very interesting! What would you do if there was a pandemic of happiness and kindness? No one thought of the unforeseen consequences, but Mariel and Rón are trying to navigate it together. This was cleverly written and I was so thoroughly sucked in that I read for an entire day! I ignored everything and every responsibility and just read until I was done. I’m sure this is the beginning of a new series and I’m here for it!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Neal Shusterman is one of my all time favorite novelists. His is incredible in world building and creating character driven stories. All Better Now is no exception. He creates this world that hits a little to close to home after what happened in 2020. He was able to sculpt a universe that mirrors our own and add to it but emulate what could've been far more worse. A disease that changes almost every part of who someone is. All Better Now showcases the dichotomy between the best and worst of the worlds population. It can be hard to read at times because there are points that hit to close to home from the covid-19 pandemic. But if you are a fan of Neal's other books this is a definite read.