Ellie Haycock has always separated her life into sections: Ellie at home and Ellie at the hospital. At home, Ellie is a typical student and proud member of her high school’s speech and debate team alongside her best friend and her boyfriend. At the hospital, Ellie has an ever-growing team of doctors and a mom who won’t stop posting about the details of her life and illness online. It’s not hard for Ellie to choose which of the two she prefers.
When Ellie is forced to return to the hospital for an extended stay, she worries about her two lives colliding, and all she wants is to get back home as soon as possible.
But this stay is different. Ellie becomes close with a group of friends including Ryan, a first-timer who’s still optimistic about the doctors that Ellie stopped trusting years ago. Despite their differences, she can’t seem to keep him out of her head. Ellie’s life has never been normal, but maybe between these fast friendships and falling in love, she can find her own version of normal.
PRAISE
“Told with sparkling wit and endless charm. I fell in love with Ellie Haycock! I think you will too. Either way…she’s totally fine.”
Reese Witherspoon
“Gretchen Schreiber's writing is honest, raw, and funny. She seamlessly weaves a story of hurt and humor with beautiful prose and characters that already feel like old friends...Ellie is the coming-of-age story everyone should read."
Kristin Dwyer, author of Some Mistakes Were Made
"Soul-deep and sharply poetic, Schreiber’s debut deftly rewrites conventions with poignant detail. With resonant romance and an iconic central character, Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal is extraordinary."
Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of Always Never Yours