Claire LaZebnik

“It’s like people have a place in their brain f0r normal, and they have a place in their brain for something obviously wrong, but they can’t deal with something a just a little bit different. And that makes them uncomfortable.”

[b:Things I Should Have Known|30971706|Things I Should Have Known|Claire LaZebnik|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475306545s/30971706.jpg|49254616] is a story that showcases sibling relationships and the struggles of being different. We follow Chloe and show more David, classmates who are not friends, as they begin to connect through their autistic siblings.

Things I Liked:
The highlight of the book for me was the sibling relationships. I loved getting to see siblings who are each other’s champions, while also realistically being annoyed at them. Chloe and Ivy’s relationship and Ethan and David’s are both unique and universal. Chloe and David face challenges their classmates and friends don’t because of their autistic siblings. While they may get frustrated with each other, as all siblings do, they love, encourage, and support their siblings.

I really loved Chloe and David’s personality. She was very sarcastic and witty. David was too, just in a less tactful way. Both characters were really easy to connect with through their humor. They also had really heartfelt moments that showed they weren’t one-note jokesters.

I really loved the inclusion of autism in the story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with autistic characters before, so it was nice to see them represented. The story did a really great job of showing how autistic people process thoughts, and react to everyday conversation and stimuli differently.

Things I Didn’t Like:
All of the parents in this story were pretty awful. Sure, there were a few good moments, but largely the parents were judgmental, absent, or apathetic.

I could have done without the romance that developed between Chloe and David. They had nice banter, and I understand how their friendship developed, but the romance was a little weak for me.

This was a great story that really highlighted family, growth, and understanding. It was super easy to read, and was engaging throughout the entire story. This is a very human story that feels easily accessible and relatable.

I received a copy of the book from HMH Teen via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

I never expected to like this book as much as I have - it is advertised as "beach fiction" which normally I will dismiss without a second thought. But this was much more than just a frivolous novel - the character of "Olivia" is one of the best I've read in a while and even though I knew how it would turn out by the second chapter, the ride was delicious. Apparently this is the author's first novel - I hope she doesn't stop here.

Better-than-average three-young-women-finding-love chicklit. The difference is that the characters actually manage to grow up a little over the course of the book.

LaZebnik has a breezy style and chooses the background and a main plot point from topics she understands. (Read the "About the Author" section if you're interested.) The point is that the knitting components of the book are natural rather than feeling grafted on (sorry; a little knitting pun there), and the sections dealing with show more autistic children are spot-on.

One of the women, Sari, was driven to work with autistic children because her brother is afflicted. As the story progresses, she has to re-evaluate everything she thought she understood about her motivations.

Lucy's medical research work fits well with her mildly OCD personality, but circumstances push her off a path she thought was carefully defined.

And Kathleen, the carefree, impulsive, and easily-bored member of the trio has to figure out the difference between burning bridges and building them.

It's still a breezy read, but it won't leave you with a sugar-hangover. show less

I think this might be one of my favorite LaZebnik's Austen-y takes in a YA novel. Ellie Withers grew up with a single mother struggling to make ends meet, but all that changes when her mom meets a struggling musician when Ellie is twelve. Five years later, Ellie has a cute, toddling half brother and an awesome stepfather who had made it big, necessitating a move to Los Angeles. Personal assistants, private school...all make Ellie's life seem extremely easy. This summer before senior year is show more to be spent with a tutor, working on both the SAT and college applications. Fans of Emma and/or Clueless will see some of the modern day parallels, as Ellie's forceful nature drives her best friend to apply to the same college as she does and how romantic misunderstandings occur. show less