I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This feels like an authentic story not only in terms of the author's lived experience, but also within the parent-child dynamic and, well, the cognitive dissonance that comes with being a teenager. While I don't have a chronic condition--I'm glad I learned more about VACTERLs, as I'd never heard of it before--I can empathize with the desire to compartmentalize one's life and keep friends at arm's length. Although Ellie is stubborn and, at times, annoying, it feels realistic based on everything else happening in her life. Also, as a parent I definitely teared up reading about Ellie's relationship with her mother--the target audience likely won't feel like this, but I appreciated it.