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Let's Call It a Doomsday
There are so many ways the world could end. There could be a fire. A catastrophic flood. A super eruption that spews lakes of lava. Ellis Kimball has made note of all possible scenarios, and she is prepared for each one. What she doesn’t expect is meeting Hannah Marks in her therapist’s waiting room. Hannah calls their meeting fate. After all, Ellis is scared about the end of the world; Hannah knows when it’s going to happen.
Despite Ellis’s anxiety — about what others think of her, about what she’s doing wrong, about the safety of her loved ones — the two girls become fast friends. As Ellis tries to help Hannah decipher the details of her doomsday premonition, she learns there are secrets Hannah isn’t telling her. But with time ticking down, the search for answers only raises more questions. When does it happen? Who will believe them? How do you prepare for the end of the world when it feels like your life is just getting started?
Katie Henry, the author of Heretics Anonymous, delivers an engrossing and thoughtful tale about how people survive — with some faith in family, friends, and maybe a few prepper forums.
Despite Ellis’s anxiety — about what others think of her, about what she’s doing wrong, about the safety of her loved ones — the two girls become fast friends. As Ellis tries to help Hannah decipher the details of her doomsday premonition, she learns there are secrets Hannah isn’t telling her. But with time ticking down, the search for answers only raises more questions. When does it happen? Who will believe them? How do you prepare for the end of the world when it feels like your life is just getting started?
Katie Henry, the author of Heretics Anonymous, delivers an engrossing and thoughtful tale about how people survive — with some faith in family, friends, and maybe a few prepper forums.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2019
71 people are currently reading
7504 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 507 reviews
October 18, 2019
This was okay! I didn't really have any problems with it, but it also just didn't really inspire any major emotions from me, so 3 stars. I did definitely like it more than Heretics Anonymous though, so that's a plus! I'll probably keep giving Katie Henry's books a try because I feel like I could eventually really, really like something by her. Here's hoping!
Read
August 9, 2019I toyed with the idea of not writing a review for this book. Which might give you some initial insight as to why it’s unrated. Hopefully the review itself will explain why but also might explain why you might still want to read it yourself.
First of all, our main character has pretty severe anxiety. It manifests in constant doubt, internal criticism, and almost-constant fatalism; and we get to read that internal narrative as she hears it. Her anxiety also manifests itself in a worry about the world ending. Not necessarily fire and brimstone, though it’s not ruled out, but.. nuclear war. Natural disaster. The list goes on. She’s a prepper, though she doesn’t love the word, and she’s actually rather open about it; even if she’s constantly bracing for judgment or disbelief from those she tells.
"Survivalists have skill sets. Hunting and fishing and living off the land and I can’t do any of that. I’m a prepper. I have supplies, not skills."
All this to say that this book is basically an anxious person’s worst nightmare. Add in a somewhat fraught family dynamic, with Ellis’ parents and sister struggling to deal with her anxieties, constantly having to accommodate her, and not always able to be calm or kind about it.. yeah, this was hard to read for me.
Em was always the Golden Girl, from the moment she was born. What choice did I have but to be the Perpetual Disappointment? Every family needs one. So I’ve fallen on my sword. It’s actually very noble of me.
There’s also a whole (unexpected) plot, or rather emphasis, on the LDS church and community. Ellis is LDS, as is her family, and there’s a lot of narrative surrounding the lifestyle, belief, values, etc. I thought it an interesting choice for someone who believes the world is going to end but there were moments when some in-dialogue discussions were fascinating.
However the main plot is Ellis’ new friendship with Hannah, a girl she meets outside her therapist’s office, and hoo boy. If the anxiety didn’t get me going, this friendship did. Hannah’s whole existence is this book is stringing Ellis along with vagueries. She’s seen the end of the world, she says, and Ellis is there with her. But she needs Ellis’ help to decode the visions. So they have to find this man, this homeless person, who calls himself Prophet Dan. Except he’s not who Hannah makes him out to be. But overwhelmingly I just hated Hannah’s role in this story. I hated the vagueness, I hated the frustrations she inspired, the agonies she would encourage in Ellis and then step back from.. I feel for Hannah, I do, I can be sympathetic — mostly in hindsight, but it was present in certain moments, too — but oh god I hate this kind of character. I found it really difficult to see how strong they were in the end, too, this friendship enduring everything it did. I would’ve preferred it to fracture or.. maybe just quietly be let go, considering everything that came to pass. I 100% do not condone the connection.
Trying to Be Cute, Accidentally Implying Cannibalism : The Ellis Kimball Story.
I did, though, enjoy Tal. He was a sorta expected (but also not) love interest and he was everything Hannah wasn’t. He had a connection, an understanding, with Ellis and also offered her something new. I liked that quite a lot. Plus, his group of friends, and their Quiz Bowl Guess-A-Book-In-Five-Words was hilarious. Easily the highlight for me.
"I really want to make a sex joke right now. But you’re ruined it. You’ve ruined it with the apocalypse."
There was a lot of therapy positive, heavy but groundbreaking, discussion — in fact all interactions with Ellis’ therapist were another highlight for me — and I found the writing to be pretty smart. I loved the word games, the guessing games, and some bits of dialogue were outrageously funny. But this was not the book for me. If this wasn’t an ARC, I probably would’ve DNF’d. And thus here we are with this unrated review. This book was a lot of things and I think many people will enjoy the journey and feel for the main character. I just felt too much of the wrong (though accurate to Ellis’ anxieties) things.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
First of all, our main character has pretty severe anxiety. It manifests in constant doubt, internal criticism, and almost-constant fatalism; and we get to read that internal narrative as she hears it. Her anxiety also manifests itself in a worry about the world ending. Not necessarily fire and brimstone, though it’s not ruled out, but.. nuclear war. Natural disaster. The list goes on. She’s a prepper, though she doesn’t love the word, and she’s actually rather open about it; even if she’s constantly bracing for judgment or disbelief from those she tells.
"Survivalists have skill sets. Hunting and fishing and living off the land and I can’t do any of that. I’m a prepper. I have supplies, not skills."
All this to say that this book is basically an anxious person’s worst nightmare. Add in a somewhat fraught family dynamic, with Ellis’ parents and sister struggling to deal with her anxieties, constantly having to accommodate her, and not always able to be calm or kind about it.. yeah, this was hard to read for me.
Em was always the Golden Girl, from the moment she was born. What choice did I have but to be the Perpetual Disappointment? Every family needs one. So I’ve fallen on my sword. It’s actually very noble of me.
There’s also a whole (unexpected) plot, or rather emphasis, on the LDS church and community. Ellis is LDS, as is her family, and there’s a lot of narrative surrounding the lifestyle, belief, values, etc. I thought it an interesting choice for someone who believes the world is going to end but there were moments when some in-dialogue discussions were fascinating.
However the main plot is Ellis’ new friendship with Hannah, a girl she meets outside her therapist’s office, and hoo boy. If the anxiety didn’t get me going, this friendship did. Hannah’s whole existence is this book is stringing Ellis along with vagueries. She’s seen the end of the world, she says, and Ellis is there with her. But she needs Ellis’ help to decode the visions. So they have to find this man, this homeless person, who calls himself Prophet Dan. Except he’s not who Hannah makes him out to be. But overwhelmingly I just hated Hannah’s role in this story. I hated the vagueness, I hated the frustrations she inspired, the agonies she would encourage in Ellis and then step back from.. I feel for Hannah, I do, I can be sympathetic — mostly in hindsight, but it was present in certain moments, too — but oh god I hate this kind of character. I found it really difficult to see how strong they were in the end, too, this friendship enduring everything it did. I would’ve preferred it to fracture or.. maybe just quietly be let go, considering everything that came to pass. I 100% do not condone the connection.
Trying to Be Cute, Accidentally Implying Cannibalism : The Ellis Kimball Story.
I did, though, enjoy Tal. He was a sorta expected (but also not) love interest and he was everything Hannah wasn’t. He had a connection, an understanding, with Ellis and also offered her something new. I liked that quite a lot. Plus, his group of friends, and their Quiz Bowl Guess-A-Book-In-Five-Words was hilarious. Easily the highlight for me.
"I really want to make a sex joke right now. But you’re ruined it. You’ve ruined it with the apocalypse."
There was a lot of therapy positive, heavy but groundbreaking, discussion — in fact all interactions with Ellis’ therapist were another highlight for me — and I found the writing to be pretty smart. I loved the word games, the guessing games, and some bits of dialogue were outrageously funny. But this was not the book for me. If this wasn’t an ARC, I probably would’ve DNF’d. And thus here we are with this unrated review. This book was a lot of things and I think many people will enjoy the journey and feel for the main character. I just felt too much of the wrong (though accurate to Ellis’ anxieties) things.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Read
June 2, 2020A bi-questioning religious girl with anxiety that includes intrusive thoughts? Hot damn did I connect with this book hard. I really love the way Henry writes about religion in YA and honestly after this one it's probably gonna keep me coming back to her forever. I thought this was really great.
August 20, 2019
katie henry has done it again, folks
this author knows exactly how to write teenage coming of age stories and this one is no different. it’s the perfect blend of hard hitting topics like growing up with anxiety, struggling to make your parents proud, and accepting your sexuality as a person with faith while still having the endless comedic relief of dumbass kids
this is an amazing sophomore novel and I can tell it was a difficult one to write. she pulled it off well and I truly think this could help a lot of readers in many different ways.
if you suffer from anxiety, enjoy discussions of religion & etymology, and/or coming of age stories this is absolutely the read for you
this author knows exactly how to write teenage coming of age stories and this one is no different. it’s the perfect blend of hard hitting topics like growing up with anxiety, struggling to make your parents proud, and accepting your sexuality as a person with faith while still having the endless comedic relief of dumbass kids
this is an amazing sophomore novel and I can tell it was a difficult one to write. she pulled it off well and I truly think this could help a lot of readers in many different ways.
if you suffer from anxiety, enjoy discussions of religion & etymology, and/or coming of age stories this is absolutely the read for you
September 16, 2019
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author.
Now I will fully admit that i'm relatively ignorant of the Mormon faith other than the fact that they don't drink coffee and Mitt Romney is one. I can't quite speak to the authenticity of the faith specific things BUT I cannot name a single book that I have read that has a main character that is a Mormon. I love especially that Katie wrote a religiously diverse group in Heretics Anonymous and continued that theme but with a new religious group. I especially love that there was someone who was bi-sexual and had left the faith while also having someone continuing to be a part of the faith. I also really loved that this doesn't happen in Utah. It helped me realize how I have seen Mormons as very strict and living exclusively in Utah.
The plot is where I had a bit of difficulty. I wasn't quite sure where we were actually going until about 70% of the way in but I latched onto the main character and her obsession with preparing for doomsday. She is quite different from Michael (Heretics Anonymous) yet they both hold comedic tones and personalities. While Michael is heavily sarcastic, Ellis is more deadpan, blunt and over the top. Hannah is an interesting and confusing character to me. I don't know that I liked her nor hated her BUT I did find her frustrating. She's just such a vague character with a vague purpose until the VERY end.
Lastly, I actually really enjoyed the romance Ellis has. It, once again, challenge the image I had of Mormons in my brain. It was sweet and simple and helped develop Ellis as a normal teenager.
Rep: anxiety, bisexual, Mormon, former Mormon
Now I will fully admit that i'm relatively ignorant of the Mormon faith other than the fact that they don't drink coffee and Mitt Romney is one. I can't quite speak to the authenticity of the faith specific things BUT I cannot name a single book that I have read that has a main character that is a Mormon. I love especially that Katie wrote a religiously diverse group in Heretics Anonymous and continued that theme but with a new religious group. I especially love that there was someone who was bi-sexual and had left the faith while also having someone continuing to be a part of the faith. I also really loved that this doesn't happen in Utah. It helped me realize how I have seen Mormons as very strict and living exclusively in Utah.
The plot is where I had a bit of difficulty. I wasn't quite sure where we were actually going until about 70% of the way in but I latched onto the main character and her obsession with preparing for doomsday. She is quite different from Michael (Heretics Anonymous) yet they both hold comedic tones and personalities. While Michael is heavily sarcastic, Ellis is more deadpan, blunt and over the top. Hannah is an interesting and confusing character to me. I don't know that I liked her nor hated her BUT I did find her frustrating. She's just such a vague character with a vague purpose until the VERY end.
Lastly, I actually really enjoyed the romance Ellis has. It, once again, challenge the image I had of Mormons in my brain. It was sweet and simple and helped develop Ellis as a normal teenager.
Rep: anxiety, bisexual, Mormon, former Mormon
August 19, 2020
2.75 stars
I received an ARC from HCC Frenzy in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Anxiety, intrusive thoughts, substance abuse
This is a book that I had really mixed feelings on. I adored Katie Henry's debut "Heretics Anonymous". But unfortunately, this was mostly meh to me.
This story follows two girls, Ellis and Hannah. They meet in a therapist's waiting office and get in touch from there. This also has a religious component as Ellis is Mormon. Ellis has overwhelming anxiety about the concept of the world ending, and Hannah seems to know how the world is going to end. So the story follows them and their friendship, and how the world may come to an end.
I feel like this had really great mental health representation. The way things are explained and described was super accurate in my opinion. The characters also stick up for mental illness and talk about myths associated with them. The only issue I had with this aspect was the therapist. I just felt they were not really in the story very much, when they should have been. I also have some spoiler issues surrounding that. But overall, I was impressed by the mental health representation.
The characters in this book I had really mixed feelings about. Their friendship was... interesting to say the least. This book I could not get into and I thought about DNFing it a few times. It was not that enjoyable and the characters bond was strange, but not in a good way.
There were definitely some good things about this book but some that just lacked, in my opinion. I am still interested to see what Katie Henry writes in the future.
I received an ARC from HCC Frenzy in exchange for an honest review.
TW: Anxiety, intrusive thoughts, substance abuse
This is a book that I had really mixed feelings on. I adored Katie Henry's debut "Heretics Anonymous". But unfortunately, this was mostly meh to me.
This story follows two girls, Ellis and Hannah. They meet in a therapist's waiting office and get in touch from there. This also has a religious component as Ellis is Mormon. Ellis has overwhelming anxiety about the concept of the world ending, and Hannah seems to know how the world is going to end. So the story follows them and their friendship, and how the world may come to an end.
I feel like this had really great mental health representation. The way things are explained and described was super accurate in my opinion. The characters also stick up for mental illness and talk about myths associated with them. The only issue I had with this aspect was the therapist. I just felt they were not really in the story very much, when they should have been. I also have some spoiler issues surrounding that. But overall, I was impressed by the mental health representation.
The characters in this book I had really mixed feelings about. Their friendship was... interesting to say the least. This book I could not get into and I thought about DNFing it a few times. It was not that enjoyable and the characters bond was strange, but not in a good way.
There were definitely some good things about this book but some that just lacked, in my opinion. I am still interested to see what Katie Henry writes in the future.
August 13, 2019
*Note: After looking at other reviews I thought I should add that while I'm not Mormon/LDS I did go to school with a lot of Mormon kids and had them as close friends. Maybe because my family was conservative Christian and we had a lot in common. So I'm pretty familiar with the faith and appreciate the way the author depicts it.
Katie Henry knocked it out of the park with her sophomore novel, further establishing her as an important and entertaining voice in the YA community on the complexities of faith and religion. Let's Call it a Doomsday is a quirky and insightful YA story about friendship, family, religion, mental health, and finding yourself. What I love about her books is that they explore problems within religion AND the potential value of faith and religious communities, validating those who choose faith, those who reject it, and those who aren't sure. It's a difficult balance to strike and much like in Heretics Anonymous, she does it really well here.
Ellis Kimball is a Mormon teenager going to therapy for severe anxiety and her obsession with prepping for the possibility of apocalyptic events and the end of the world. She is also very nerdy and loves studying things like the etymology of words and random trivia, all of which shows up throughout the book, often in humorous way. When she meets a girl having visions of the end of the world she decides to help her interpret what they mean. All the while managing school, complicated family relationships, church, crushes, and recognition of her possible bisexuality. We get an exploration of living with mental illness, how it affects family and friendships (with Ellis and with a side character), and how fine the line can be between people seen as prophets and visionaries and those seen as mentally ill. Ellis has a great therapist and we get sessions on the page. She deals with intrusive thoughts and catastrophizing (again, on the page) and I think this could be such an important book for people who don't understand that is what they are going through.
There is also a pretty candid exploration of Mormonism as it is experienced by Ellis and some of her friends, both positive and negative. Again, the nuance with which everything in this book is handled is impressive. This also extends to family dynamics. Ellis loves her parents and younger sister but her anxiety and some of her moms issues make things difficult. You feel the frustration and anger Ellis feels about her family sometimes, but also the love and compassion. This feels very true to teenage life. In some ways, this is also a coming of age story as Ellis pushes boundaries, makes new friends, experiences her first kiss, and discovers who she is and who she wants to be. I loved everything about this and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I did receive an advance review copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
Katie Henry knocked it out of the park with her sophomore novel, further establishing her as an important and entertaining voice in the YA community on the complexities of faith and religion. Let's Call it a Doomsday is a quirky and insightful YA story about friendship, family, religion, mental health, and finding yourself. What I love about her books is that they explore problems within religion AND the potential value of faith and religious communities, validating those who choose faith, those who reject it, and those who aren't sure. It's a difficult balance to strike and much like in Heretics Anonymous, she does it really well here.
Ellis Kimball is a Mormon teenager going to therapy for severe anxiety and her obsession with prepping for the possibility of apocalyptic events and the end of the world. She is also very nerdy and loves studying things like the etymology of words and random trivia, all of which shows up throughout the book, often in humorous way. When she meets a girl having visions of the end of the world she decides to help her interpret what they mean. All the while managing school, complicated family relationships, church, crushes, and recognition of her possible bisexuality. We get an exploration of living with mental illness, how it affects family and friendships (with Ellis and with a side character), and how fine the line can be between people seen as prophets and visionaries and those seen as mentally ill. Ellis has a great therapist and we get sessions on the page. She deals with intrusive thoughts and catastrophizing (again, on the page) and I think this could be such an important book for people who don't understand that is what they are going through.
There is also a pretty candid exploration of Mormonism as it is experienced by Ellis and some of her friends, both positive and negative. Again, the nuance with which everything in this book is handled is impressive. This also extends to family dynamics. Ellis loves her parents and younger sister but her anxiety and some of her moms issues make things difficult. You feel the frustration and anger Ellis feels about her family sometimes, but also the love and compassion. This feels very true to teenage life. In some ways, this is also a coming of age story as Ellis pushes boundaries, makes new friends, experiences her first kiss, and discovers who she is and who she wants to be. I loved everything about this and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I did receive an advance review copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
did-not-finish
June 21, 2020DNF 25% | 30/04/2020
Sadly, I have to put this one down. I loved Heretics Anonymous so much that I thought I would love this one too, even if the synopsis made it sound like something I wouldn’t be interested in. I was in for Katie Henry’s funny writing style, but this book doesn’t really have that quality. It discusses religion in a great way and from the perspective of a Mormon girl, which is super interesting, but it’s not enough to make me want to continue.
This is a very good book for the right person, it’s just not for me. It’s way too quirky and I don’t like to read about characters like Hannah. Though I need to specify this has INCREDIBLE generalized anxiety rep and it’s full of diverse characters. Too bad the doomsday and prophecies subject matter is not for me!
Sadly, I have to put this one down. I loved Heretics Anonymous so much that I thought I would love this one too, even if the synopsis made it sound like something I wouldn’t be interested in. I was in for Katie Henry’s funny writing style, but this book doesn’t really have that quality. It discusses religion in a great way and from the perspective of a Mormon girl, which is super interesting, but it’s not enough to make me want to continue.
This is a very good book for the right person, it’s just not for me. It’s way too quirky and I don’t like to read about characters like Hannah. Though I need to specify this has INCREDIBLE generalized anxiety rep and it’s full of diverse characters. Too bad the doomsday and prophecies subject matter is not for me!
February 28, 2020
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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Ellis Kimball is a prepper, convinced the world will end any day now. Her therapist and family members are trying to get her to work on her anxiety from this belief, but nothing seems to be working. Then she meets a girl named Hannah, who has visions and confirms the end of the world is coming, and soon.
I don't know what it is about this book, but something just didn't work for me. I'm not sure if it the story/plot itself, but I just didn't click with something. I definitely was not a big fan of Ellis' family, they were very judgmental and quite frankly mean to Ellis about her anxieties, constantly making her feel as though she was a burden to them. I was also not a big fan of Hannah at all... she was a terrible friend to Ellis, constantly triggering new anxieties in her, to benefit herself and her narrative. I wish that the friendship never existed honestly. I did enjoy Tal, and think that he was good for Ellis and really helped her work through a lot of her anxieties. I did enjoy the positive therapy plot line though, I thought the book did an excellent job portraying the help therapy can provide to people in need of it. I just wish there had been MORE scenes with Ellis and her therapist, as this did have such a big focus on mental health.
Overall, it was okay... but not the greatest.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Ellis Kimball is a prepper, convinced the world will end any day now. Her therapist and family members are trying to get her to work on her anxiety from this belief, but nothing seems to be working. Then she meets a girl named Hannah, who has visions and confirms the end of the world is coming, and soon.
I don't know what it is about this book, but something just didn't work for me. I'm not sure if it the story/plot itself, but I just didn't click with something. I definitely was not a big fan of Ellis' family, they were very judgmental and quite frankly mean to Ellis about her anxieties, constantly making her feel as though she was a burden to them. I was also not a big fan of Hannah at all... she was a terrible friend to Ellis, constantly triggering new anxieties in her, to benefit herself and her narrative. I wish that the friendship never existed honestly. I did enjoy Tal, and think that he was good for Ellis and really helped her work through a lot of her anxieties. I did enjoy the positive therapy plot line though, I thought the book did an excellent job portraying the help therapy can provide to people in need of it. I just wish there had been MORE scenes with Ellis and her therapist, as this did have such a big focus on mental health.
Overall, it was okay... but not the greatest.
March 20, 2021
*Overdrive app *
Would highly recommend the audiobook, narrator is excellent 👌
Would highly recommend the audiobook, narrator is excellent 👌
May 14, 2019
People can be complicated and it's great when stories understand that. Ellis Kimball is definitely not a one-note character. But a book is about figuring out how that character moves through the world and expresses herself, and that is where it comes up a little short. Ellis is struggling with anxiety, religion, sexuality, family, and the actual end of the world. That is a lot for just one character in just one book!
Despite my criticisms, I liked all the issues this book brought up. I just wanted them all to mesh together into a whole more thoughtfully. Ellis is Mormon and not actively trying to rebel from the rules within her culture even though she lives in super-progressive Berkeley. Ellis's anxiety disorder is made plain throughout the book, giving you her inner commentary as she worries and doubts herself. Ellis has the kind of obsession that can build to troubling peaks when fed by religious belief and heightened anxiety. I just found myself with more and more questions as the book went on. Ellis's anxiety is getting pretty severe but she is new to therapy and not on meds, the book doesn't really let her develop coping mechanisms, and the ties back to Mormon/Christian beliefs about the end of the world often feel like a stretch. We never quite get into Ellis's own little world, her big leaps never quite make sense. And as someone who grew up Mormon there were times when the book was exactly right on and other times when it felt a bit too much like reciting off a fact sheet than a real thing someone lives.
Despite my criticisms, I liked all the issues this book brought up. I just wanted them all to mesh together into a whole more thoughtfully. Ellis is Mormon and not actively trying to rebel from the rules within her culture even though she lives in super-progressive Berkeley. Ellis's anxiety disorder is made plain throughout the book, giving you her inner commentary as she worries and doubts herself. Ellis has the kind of obsession that can build to troubling peaks when fed by religious belief and heightened anxiety. I just found myself with more and more questions as the book went on. Ellis's anxiety is getting pretty severe but she is new to therapy and not on meds, the book doesn't really let her develop coping mechanisms, and the ties back to Mormon/Christian beliefs about the end of the world often feel like a stretch. We never quite get into Ellis's own little world, her big leaps never quite make sense. And as someone who grew up Mormon there were times when the book was exactly right on and other times when it felt a bit too much like reciting off a fact sheet than a real thing someone lives.
September 26, 2019
I’m still trying to gather my thoughts on this even though I finished it two days ago. I’m kind of confused about my feelings towards this so I might update this later on if I have any revelations.
September 25, 2019
Wow this book was a fascinating look at mental health and religion and just wow.
August 7, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .
Let's Call it a Doomsday tackled a few pretty tough topics, and overall handled it quite well. Ellis has an anxiety disorder, which she is in therapy for. She's of the Mormon faith, trying to figure out what her actual beliefs are. She has a rocky relationship with her parents, especially her mom, though they definitely love her tons. She is also a doomsday prepper, complete with supplies stocked away, emergency kits, the whole shebang.
Enter Hannah. Hannah claims to know when the world will end, and she knows this because she's dreamt it. Including Ellis's role in it. And that, in a nutshell, is how Ellis meets Hannah and her friends. What unfolds next is the fun part, the part I won't deprive you of, but it helps to have some context for when I talk about the stuff I liked!
•Complicated family dynamics. Oh, Ellis's mom. She's kind of the bane of my existence, because frankly, my own family has acted like her a time or twenty. To be fair, not at her level, and not always, but it's still very relatable. Ellis's Mom wants to know what she talked about in therapy. If Ellis talked about her. And to be quite frank, Mom sees Ellis's anxiety as a big ol' inconvenience. Like you know what Ellis's Mom? It's a true burden for Ellis. Not you. You're the mom, the caretaker. Get over yourself. Ellis's Dad tries, but not hard enough if you ask me. There is growth throughout the book though, and I can live with it. The bottom line is, it opens the door for a lot of discussion about families of people dealing with mental illness and I am here for it.
•Complicated friendship dynamics. At times, I really didn't know if Hannah and Ellis's relationship was healthy? And I think we're supposed to feel that way! Hannah's other friends even bring it up. But Ellis really is good hearted, and I think Hannah needed someone like her. And through Hannah, Ellis finds a whole group of people who are in her corner, which I loved. Also, they're super fun people.
•Awesomely diverse (and swoony, and realistic) relationships. Oh, I don't even want to tell you about this because I wasn't 100% sure who the love interest would be for awhile! So I won't. But there are a lot of characters with differing identities, and it was awesome. And also when the romance did happen, I was a very big fan.
•Religious discussion. Mormonism seems to be a tough road for a lot of young people. In most of the stories I have read about being Mormon (both fiction and non-fiction), there's a fairly strict code of conduct. And often, a person's beliefs aren't going to fit all the categories of this (or any other, really) religion. And I think so often, this aspect of young adulthood is overlooked in books, when there are probably a lot of people questioning their beliefs and values at this time of life. So kudos to the author for taking on some of these challenging questions!
•A few semi-ridiculous things that end up being really heartwarming. Okay some of the story is a wee bit bananas, but in such a fun and loving way that it didn't bother me one bit. But that's all I'll say on that. 🤐
•And a few sobering truths about mental health. Some of what happens in regard to this happen closer to the end, so I'll keep it vague. I will say that I knew from early on where this particular thread was going, but also that I appreciated that the author went there. She shows a wide spectrum of mental illness, and that is rare.
The only complaint I really have is that I would have liked to have felt a little more connected to Ellis. Like, I understood her to an extent, but I never felt totally connected to her.
Bottom Line: Katie Henry is absolutely an auto-read author for me going foward. This is the second of her novels that deals with the tough stuff while still being heartwarming and entertaining. Talk about a win.
Let's Call it a Doomsday tackled a few pretty tough topics, and overall handled it quite well. Ellis has an anxiety disorder, which she is in therapy for. She's of the Mormon faith, trying to figure out what her actual beliefs are. She has a rocky relationship with her parents, especially her mom, though they definitely love her tons. She is also a doomsday prepper, complete with supplies stocked away, emergency kits, the whole shebang.
Enter Hannah. Hannah claims to know when the world will end, and she knows this because she's dreamt it. Including Ellis's role in it. And that, in a nutshell, is how Ellis meets Hannah and her friends. What unfolds next is the fun part, the part I won't deprive you of, but it helps to have some context for when I talk about the stuff I liked!
•Complicated family dynamics. Oh, Ellis's mom. She's kind of the bane of my existence, because frankly, my own family has acted like her a time or twenty. To be fair, not at her level, and not always, but it's still very relatable. Ellis's Mom wants to know what she talked about in therapy. If Ellis talked about her. And to be quite frank, Mom sees Ellis's anxiety as a big ol' inconvenience. Like you know what Ellis's Mom? It's a true burden for Ellis. Not you. You're the mom, the caretaker. Get over yourself. Ellis's Dad tries, but not hard enough if you ask me. There is growth throughout the book though, and I can live with it. The bottom line is, it opens the door for a lot of discussion about families of people dealing with mental illness and I am here for it.
•Complicated friendship dynamics. At times, I really didn't know if Hannah and Ellis's relationship was healthy? And I think we're supposed to feel that way! Hannah's other friends even bring it up. But Ellis really is good hearted, and I think Hannah needed someone like her. And through Hannah, Ellis finds a whole group of people who are in her corner, which I loved. Also, they're super fun people.
•Awesomely diverse (and swoony, and realistic) relationships. Oh, I don't even want to tell you about this because I wasn't 100% sure who the love interest would be for awhile! So I won't. But there are a lot of characters with differing identities, and it was awesome. And also when the romance did happen, I was a very big fan.
•Religious discussion. Mormonism seems to be a tough road for a lot of young people. In most of the stories I have read about being Mormon (both fiction and non-fiction), there's a fairly strict code of conduct. And often, a person's beliefs aren't going to fit all the categories of this (or any other, really) religion. And I think so often, this aspect of young adulthood is overlooked in books, when there are probably a lot of people questioning their beliefs and values at this time of life. So kudos to the author for taking on some of these challenging questions!
•A few semi-ridiculous things that end up being really heartwarming. Okay some of the story is a wee bit bananas, but in such a fun and loving way that it didn't bother me one bit. But that's all I'll say on that. 🤐
•And a few sobering truths about mental health. Some of what happens in regard to this happen closer to the end, so I'll keep it vague. I will say that I knew from early on where this particular thread was going, but also that I appreciated that the author went there. She shows a wide spectrum of mental illness, and that is rare.
The only complaint I really have is that I would have liked to have felt a little more connected to Ellis. Like, I understood her to an extent, but I never felt totally connected to her.
Bottom Line: Katie Henry is absolutely an auto-read author for me going foward. This is the second of her novels that deals with the tough stuff while still being heartwarming and entertaining. Talk about a win.
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September 18, 2019First of all, this book has some of the best anxiety rep I’ve ever read. Only two pages in, I was absolutely certain that this was going to be a realistic and respectful portrayal. I thought Katie Henry did a great job of capturing the intrusive thoughts that come with anxiety; I always feel like people think I’m weird when I tell them about the little voice in my head that never shuts up so, I swear, I felt so SEEN by this book.
Ellis was a wonderful protagonist. Honestly, my heart ached for her so much. She was just such a real character, flawed and floundering a bit, and I wanted to shout through the pages that she wasn’t alone. I also love that she felt safest in the library (RELATE!)
Henry also did a great job of portraying how anxiety disorders can affect a whole family, not just the person suffering. I struggled with Ellis’ mum as a character because her reaction to her daughter’s anxiety was genuinely painful to read. I know exactly what it’s like to hear the kind of things she said to Ellis and it really fucking hurts. But I acknowledge that it can be difficult for a parent to understand and that they can struggle themselves with figuring out how best to help their children. The point I’m trying to make is that it was all VERY realistic.
In terms of the writing itself, I found the dialogue super realistic; the banter between the friends never felt forced. I also thought there was a nice, easy flow to the writing.
I have taken this book into my heart so completely. Seriously, anytime I wasn’t reading this one, I was thinking about it and it has stayed with me long after turning the last page. There were so many lines that spoke to me and the ending managed to be hopeful without falling into the trap of that miracle cure we so often see in these types of novels. I hope that anyone else who battles anxiety on a daily basis can find something to relate to in these pages.
This review originally appeared on The Paperback Piano.
Ellis was a wonderful protagonist. Honestly, my heart ached for her so much. She was just such a real character, flawed and floundering a bit, and I wanted to shout through the pages that she wasn’t alone. I also love that she felt safest in the library (RELATE!)
Henry also did a great job of portraying how anxiety disorders can affect a whole family, not just the person suffering. I struggled with Ellis’ mum as a character because her reaction to her daughter’s anxiety was genuinely painful to read. I know exactly what it’s like to hear the kind of things she said to Ellis and it really fucking hurts. But I acknowledge that it can be difficult for a parent to understand and that they can struggle themselves with figuring out how best to help their children. The point I’m trying to make is that it was all VERY realistic.
In terms of the writing itself, I found the dialogue super realistic; the banter between the friends never felt forced. I also thought there was a nice, easy flow to the writing.
I have taken this book into my heart so completely. Seriously, anytime I wasn’t reading this one, I was thinking about it and it has stayed with me long after turning the last page. There were so many lines that spoke to me and the ending managed to be hopeful without falling into the trap of that miracle cure we so often see in these types of novels. I hope that anyone else who battles anxiety on a daily basis can find something to relate to in these pages.
This review originally appeared on The Paperback Piano.
January 7, 2025
"There’s not much of a bright side to the apocalypse, but maybe this is one: when the world as we know it ends, no one will care whether two people love each other."
One of these days I'll be able to review books about religious trauma without procrastinating it for literally weeks until I forget plot details. I still haven't reviewed Autoboyography and I've read it TWICE. So we are doing our best! And I will likely cry the entire time I write this because it hits home in an uncomfy yet beautiful way!
To anyone who is a current member of the LDS church, this book portrays the faith in a healthy, realistic way. There are some critiques, of course, but Ellis's faith is strong throughout and you shouldn't feel too uncomfy reading it. :)
*This review will include some Mormonism 101, so get some popcorn and prepare to learn while also hearing stories about my childhood. Also, I'm not going to edit this review much, so it might feel rambly. Deal with it.
TW: anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic attack (on-page), gaslighting, homelessness (theme), drug use, natural disasters and the apocalypse (theme)
I knew this book was about a girl questioning her sexuality and having severe anxiety about the end of the world, and that Mormonism was somehow part of it. But literally the main character is an active/practicing member of the LDS faith? Why is this not included anywhere online when people discuss this book? Why is it not in the blurb? I would have picked it up way sooner had I known, plus there is very little representation of the faith in traditional publishing and it is My Duty™️ as an ex-Mormon (aka exmo) to critique all of it.
Part of why I spontaneously read this book is because I'm writing my own YA novel, and one of my main characters is Mormon and living in Utah. Her character arc will follow my own personal faith deconstruction, and I wanted to see how others write about the faith. Autoboyography is a great portrayal as well, but Doomsday hits notes that Autoboyograhy doesn't, and I think it's partly because Christina Lauren are never-mos (never Mormons). And I'm willing to bet money that Katie Henry was.
There are some experiences you can only articulate if you've lived them. And you can trust me when I say this, because I was raised very orthodox and even served a mission. (Worst six months of my entire life lol sob.)
Doomsday is an odd little book. There's the mysterious Hannah who claims she's a prophet and can see the end of times, whom Ellis meets in a therapist's waiting room. Turns out they've always gone to school together. Ellis joins their quirky friend group and re-meets Tal, a boy she knew from church but who has distanced himself from the organization. The two of them help Ellis feel safe enough to question her faith, embrace her sexuality, and confront her anxieties.
"I really want to make a sex joke right now. But you’ve ruined it. You’ve ruined it with the apocalypse."
Some of the critiques I'm seeing match my own (more on that at the bottom), but I also want to address two other comments:
1) Ellis's parents are judgy and make her anxiety worse and never really listen to her. Yeah IDK what to tell you other than that's how Mormon parents are! I cannot count the number of times I was told my mental illness was because I was either not faithful enough or not choosing to be happy. Her parents felt very realistic. Sorry Mom, if you're reading this.
2) Hannah is a bad friend. Yup, that's kinda the point. Did you finish the book because they literally have a whole conversation about it! Katie Henry does a great job discussing toxic friendships and the intersection between those dynamics and religious constructs.
And something that I am really happy about is how Ellis is a chill Mormon and not a Molly Mormon. I am 95% sure I was more chill when I was growing up (God, I hope so), but Molly Mormons are the stereotypical, obnoxious, missionary-mode-always-on girls. Ellis was not quoting scripture or openly criticizing when people around her did things she wouldn't, like smoke weed or swear. If someone finds her annoying... trust me, she could be SO MUCH WORSE.
"Wickedness never was happiness, that’s in the scriptures themselves. I believe Tal, though, when he says he’s happy. Maybe the passage is backward. Can real happiness, the kind that doesn’t hurt a soul, ever be wickedness? I don’t know. I don’t think so."
It's wild how closely Ellis's faith crisis mirrored my own and the one I hope to fictionally portray. I guess women tend to have the same experiences when they're stuck in the same patriarchy!
I really appreciate that this book focused less on how the church views queer people and their rights as a marginalization within the system, and it's more of an accepted fact that queer people exist and are Mormon, even with those limitations. I'm guessing the Berkeley setting is to thank for that omission. I grew up in a slightly right-leaning part of California and currently live in Utah, and that dichotomy is more present IRL than it seems to be in Ellis's life.
Ellis coming to terms with her sexuality is not accompanied by fears of going to hell, damnation, etc. I didn't realize how refreshing that was until I finished the book and reflected on how little that "fate" played into her deconstruction.
Also, love that this book touched on how some of Ellis's anxiety about the end of the world stems from church doctrine about the Second Coming. (Sparknotes: According to Mormonism, in the lead up to when Christ comes again there will be wars [and rumors of wars, lol sorry to whoever I just triggered with that], tons of natural disasters, the worst climate change and humanity has to offer, and a bunch of people will die à la Noah's ark and the flood, only without the incest and animals on the boat. However, those who are righteous will survive the trauma! Then, when Christ comes, there's peace for a millennium as a consolation for watching entire cities get swallowed up and having to live with that! End Sparknotes.) I cannot tell you how many panic attacks I had as a kid every time that topic came up at church. Watching the Testament movie literally ruined my entire day and was so triggering. I want to give little me a hug.
I don't know when or how my anxiety about the end of times dissipated, but I had completely forgotten about it until I met Ellis. There's also a subsect of Mormons who are hardcore Doomsday preppers, even to the point of moving to a part of Missouri that Christ will be supposedly be sparing from the Second Coming deconstruction because it's where Eden was. Yes, that Eden. Yes, in rural Missouri. (Yes, all of this is true and millions of people believe it.) And I love that this book is a nod to that community of people that you wouldn't catch unless you were in the thick of it yourself. Easter eggs for the traumatized!
"I could live my life for the church, or I could live my life for myself.” He shrugs. “I chose myself.”
Forget giving little me a hug, I want to hug these characters so bad. Especially Tal. He was my favorite and I want to adopt him as my own child. I know that makes zero sense but it's how I feel okay!!
Part of what makes this book feel so authentic is how many little nods to the culture or the daily rituals are included. I've only been out of the church for a handful of years and I had already forgotten small details. However, nothing felt triggering or preachy.
So, other than inspiration for my own writing, what did adult Sydney get out of this reading experience? I healed a little bit of myself that I didn't realize hadn't finished scabbing over yet. And coming back to write this review weeks later has me feeling emotional because these themes are STILL relevant for my adult life. Literally, the themes about trusting yourself and balancing intuition with chronic anxiety are topics I brought up in therapy DAYS ago. The copay is still processing in my bank account. Life is so weird and cyclical!
However, this wasn't a perfect read for me. The third act conflict/plot beats felt a little out there and not tonally consistent. If I had to guess, the original outline had a different third act, but maybe the same ending. Not sure why it was changed, but I'm curious what else Henry had in mind when drafting this. I also wish Ellis and her therapist had more scenes and a better connection. Her therapist was underutilized in this story for sure.
One day I'm going to make a post about all my religious trauma and the books I cling to like they're scriptures for the wayward, but maybe I'll wait until my own religious trauma book is out. Stick around on my bookstagram to see that post eventually!
Rep: bisexual/questioning Mormon main character with generalized anxiety disorder; half-Brazilian bisexual ex-Mormon side character; Jewish sapphic side character; Indian side character; Samoan Mormon side character
September 2, 2019
While I didn't really like Heretics Anonymous, I figured I would give this one a shot but I feel the exact same way about this one. This book yet again had great potential but throws it away.
Let's Call It A Doomsday is about two girls who meet in their therapist's waiting room. Ellis is overcome by anxiety about how the world is going to end and Hannah says that she knows when it is going to happen. Together they form an interesting friendship.
I just... don't get this book at all. While I thought the anxiety and intrusive thoughts were REALLY well done, this book was just so disappointing and it never went anywhere. Also Ellis has the worst therapist ever, seriously she was useless and everyone just let Ellis go off wilding out?? The entire book is just her being wild about the end of the world stuff as her and Hannah have a weird friendship (along with a weird romance with Hannah's friend). There is also tons and tons all about how Ellis is Mormon and that's a major part of her life, along with some added sexuality questioning from her because why not?
Also pet peeve but I'm not a fan of super religious characters and I didn't care about any of the long scenes in church and talking about LDS. Also yet again there is a group of quirky friends but they weren't as important in here as only Hannah and Tal were. While I'm glad it wasn't a manic pixie dream girl romance with Hannah (which to be fair would have at least made this book make sense), it was still manic pixie friendship until it fizzles out into nothing randomly.
Ellis also has a complicated relationship with her family, and mother specifically that... also went nowhere. There is no character development, there is no Ellis actually changing or bonding with her family or even her ~love interest~; some dramatic event happens and then Ellis is like "lol the world did end in a way!!" when it really didn't because you know, mental illness. I felt bad for Ellis but I was also so tired of her because I wanted her to end up somewhere not still thinking she's right and being wild about a doomsday. Ellis was also annoying and super quirky in ways that I will never like.
There is basically no conclusion and it just feels like there was no point to this entire book besides making me want to fight a teenager. These books just aren't for me and that's okay.
Let's Call It A Doomsday is about two girls who meet in their therapist's waiting room. Ellis is overcome by anxiety about how the world is going to end and Hannah says that she knows when it is going to happen. Together they form an interesting friendship.
I just... don't get this book at all. While I thought the anxiety and intrusive thoughts were REALLY well done, this book was just so disappointing and it never went anywhere. Also Ellis has the worst therapist ever, seriously she was useless and everyone just let Ellis go off wilding out?? The entire book is just her being wild about the end of the world stuff as her and Hannah have a weird friendship (along with a weird romance with Hannah's friend). There is also tons and tons all about how Ellis is Mormon and that's a major part of her life, along with some added sexuality questioning from her because why not?
Also pet peeve but I'm not a fan of super religious characters and I didn't care about any of the long scenes in church and talking about LDS. Also yet again there is a group of quirky friends but they weren't as important in here as only Hannah and Tal were. While I'm glad it wasn't a manic pixie dream girl romance with Hannah (which to be fair would have at least made this book make sense), it was still manic pixie friendship until it fizzles out into nothing randomly.
Ellis also has a complicated relationship with her family, and mother specifically that... also went nowhere. There is no character development, there is no Ellis actually changing or bonding with her family or even her ~love interest~; some dramatic event happens and then Ellis is like "lol the world did end in a way!!" when it really didn't because you know, mental illness. I felt bad for Ellis but I was also so tired of her because I wanted her to end up somewhere not still thinking she's right and being wild about a doomsday. Ellis was also annoying and super quirky in ways that I will never like.
There is basically no conclusion and it just feels like there was no point to this entire book besides making me want to fight a teenager. These books just aren't for me and that's okay.
August 12, 2019
Reread, finished copy, August 2019 via audiobook:
I liked this even more the second time around! The representation alone deserves ALL of the stars! This was a great audiobook as well! It might be something of a 4.5 star read!
Original ARC review, April 2019:
I was very lucky to receive a physical ARC from Katie Henry herself.
This book features GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), mormon/LDS rep, and exploring your sexuality. I love that about Katie Henry's books... how diverse they are while still being respectful to religion. (which I don't care about respecting religion, but she does it wonderfully!)
This book featured an interesting family dynamic. The main character's mother is struggling to understand her daughter's anxiety and doesn't always say the right things, but as a parent, I could really tell that her struggles came from a place of desperation and not wanting her daughter to suffer in any way. She loves her so much and just wants to help but doesn't know how. I really liked how real that felt and how much I connected with that - just wanting to protect your baby.
I didn't particularly care for the character of Hannah and how quickly Ellis follows her. She was super shady and manipulative, and I couldn't understand Ellis's fascination with her.
I didn't connect with this quite as much as I hoped going in, and it lacked some of the humor that Katie Henry's debut novel delivered so wonderfully, but all-in-all, I love Katie's real characters, her wit, her extensive knowledge of religion and how she integrates that into her novels, and her amazing representation and exploration of sexuality.
An auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to buy the finished copy upon its release!
I liked this even more the second time around! The representation alone deserves ALL of the stars! This was a great audiobook as well! It might be something of a 4.5 star read!
Original ARC review, April 2019:
I was very lucky to receive a physical ARC from Katie Henry herself.
This book features GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), mormon/LDS rep, and exploring your sexuality. I love that about Katie Henry's books... how diverse they are while still being respectful to religion. (which I don't care about respecting religion, but she does it wonderfully!)
This book featured an interesting family dynamic. The main character's mother is struggling to understand her daughter's anxiety and doesn't always say the right things, but as a parent, I could really tell that her struggles came from a place of desperation and not wanting her daughter to suffer in any way. She loves her so much and just wants to help but doesn't know how. I really liked how real that felt and how much I connected with that - just wanting to protect your baby.
I didn't particularly care for the character of Hannah and how quickly Ellis follows her. She was super shady and manipulative, and I couldn't understand Ellis's fascination with her.
I didn't connect with this quite as much as I hoped going in, and it lacked some of the humor that Katie Henry's debut novel delivered so wonderfully, but all-in-all, I love Katie's real characters, her wit, her extensive knowledge of religion and how she integrates that into her novels, and her amazing representation and exploration of sexuality.
An auto-buy author for me, and I can't wait to buy the finished copy upon its release!
January 24, 2019
I absolutely loved this! Exactly what I was hoping for from the brains that brought me one of my truest loves, Heretics Anonymous.
August 27, 2019
I loved the character growth and how it dealt with mental illness, queerness and religion and the intersection of those.
The main character is Mormon, has anxiety and realizes she might be queer.
The main character is Mormon, has anxiety and realizes she might be queer.
February 25, 2020
~ 3.5 stars ~
Let's Call It a Doomsday is a young adult contemporary following teenager Ellis Kimball, who believes the world is going to end, and in just a few months time. Ellis has spent many years of her life suffering from anxiety, making her fixate and panic about things outside of her control, one of those things being Doomsday. When she meets Hannah Marks at her therapists' waiting room, Hannah informs Ellis that she knows the world is ending, and they must find a man called Profit Dan who knows when and how the world will end.
I really wanted to love this book, and I am sad to say that I didn't. I found the premise super odd and interesting, and I guess the plot did play out in a way that always held my attention, but the execution was nothing special. Characters and dialogue felt very two dimensional and unrealistic, especially Ellis's mother who was especially over the top and ridiculous. I did like that the characters did still make bad choices, which made the depiction of mental illness honest and realistic. The friendship between Ellis and Hannah was also nice to watch develop, but overall it was just a little flat and 'meh'. I still feel a so disappointed, but anyway, it still might work for others so I recommend giving it a go if it sounds interesting to you.
Let's Call It a Doomsday is a young adult contemporary following teenager Ellis Kimball, who believes the world is going to end, and in just a few months time. Ellis has spent many years of her life suffering from anxiety, making her fixate and panic about things outside of her control, one of those things being Doomsday. When she meets Hannah Marks at her therapists' waiting room, Hannah informs Ellis that she knows the world is ending, and they must find a man called Profit Dan who knows when and how the world will end.
I really wanted to love this book, and I am sad to say that I didn't. I found the premise super odd and interesting, and I guess the plot did play out in a way that always held my attention, but the execution was nothing special. Characters and dialogue felt very two dimensional and unrealistic, especially Ellis's mother who was especially over the top and ridiculous. I did like that the characters did still make bad choices, which made the depiction of mental illness honest and realistic. The friendship between Ellis and Hannah was also nice to watch develop, but overall it was just a little flat and 'meh'. I still feel a so disappointed, but anyway, it still might work for others so I recommend giving it a go if it sounds interesting to you.
June 17, 2019
*I probably could have written twice as much, but didn't want my review to be too long.*
There is something about Katie Henry's writing that is so funny, but yet she covers serious topics and I always learn something from her.
Ellis lives with her parents and sister in Berkeley, California. They are a Mormon family and their faith is very important to them. Ellis adores her younger sister and has a great relationship with her father. But her mother is super critical to the point of being mean. Ellis has anxiety. Her biggest fear is doomsday, the end of the world. She's a prepper and takes things way further than the average person would. No one really understands it, but her mom makes her feel worse all the time. Her mom doesn't think anxiety is a mental illness.
Ellis is going to therapy and meets a girl, Hannah, in the waiting room. Hannah tells Ellis that "it's you". Like she met her before. It turns out that Hannah goes to school with Ellis. Once they finally talk, Hannah tells Ellis that she's seen her in her dreams. That she dreams about things that are going to happen. Ellis tells her about how she is terrified that the world could end tomorrow. Hannah says her dream is about the end of the world and it's coming soon. In December. There will be snow, San Francisco will disappear, and the sky will be red. Ellis decides that the key to figuring everything out is Hannah's dreams. But Hannah wants to find Prophet Dan to help.
Hannah also introduces Ellis to a group of three boys. Tal stands out and she remembers him from church when they were younger. But Tal is bisexual. His mom and her new family (or the church) don't agree with that, so Tal lives with his dad. Ellis and Tal spend a lot of time together, slowly starting to fall for each other. Tal warns Ellis that Hannah isn't all she says she is, but Ellis is full in. Having someone who believes her pushes her for prepping even more. If possible, she becomes more obsessed with it.
I loved how Katie dealt with anxiety, sexual identity, and religious topics. My only small issue is that I felt things wrapped up too easily at the end. Even though I did like the ending. It just felt a bit too easy.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for my copy for review. Quote taken from an arc and may change before final publication.
Warnings for anxiety and mental issues, questions on faith, drugs, minors drinking, homeless problems, an a mentally abusive parent.
There is something about Katie Henry's writing that is so funny, but yet she covers serious topics and I always learn something from her.
Ellis lives with her parents and sister in Berkeley, California. They are a Mormon family and their faith is very important to them. Ellis adores her younger sister and has a great relationship with her father. But her mother is super critical to the point of being mean. Ellis has anxiety. Her biggest fear is doomsday, the end of the world. She's a prepper and takes things way further than the average person would. No one really understands it, but her mom makes her feel worse all the time. Her mom doesn't think anxiety is a mental illness.
I wonder what her friends would think, if they saw her like this. My mom is such a smiler at church, at dinner parties, at parent-teacher conferences. She's almost aggressive in her cheerfulness. I'm the only one she gets this angry at. I'm the only person she can get this angry at.
Ellis is going to therapy and meets a girl, Hannah, in the waiting room. Hannah tells Ellis that "it's you". Like she met her before. It turns out that Hannah goes to school with Ellis. Once they finally talk, Hannah tells Ellis that she's seen her in her dreams. That she dreams about things that are going to happen. Ellis tells her about how she is terrified that the world could end tomorrow. Hannah says her dream is about the end of the world and it's coming soon. In December. There will be snow, San Francisco will disappear, and the sky will be red. Ellis decides that the key to figuring everything out is Hannah's dreams. But Hannah wants to find Prophet Dan to help.
Hannah also introduces Ellis to a group of three boys. Tal stands out and she remembers him from church when they were younger. But Tal is bisexual. His mom and her new family (or the church) don't agree with that, so Tal lives with his dad. Ellis and Tal spend a lot of time together, slowly starting to fall for each other. Tal warns Ellis that Hannah isn't all she says she is, but Ellis is full in. Having someone who believes her pushes her for prepping even more. If possible, she becomes more obsessed with it.
I loved how Katie dealt with anxiety, sexual identity, and religious topics. My only small issue is that I felt things wrapped up too easily at the end. Even though I did like the ending. It just felt a bit too easy.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for my copy for review. Quote taken from an arc and may change before final publication.
Warnings for anxiety and mental issues, questions on faith, drugs, minors drinking, homeless problems, an a mentally abusive parent.
January 24, 2020
What a delightful, funny, fun read! Let’s Call It a Doomsday was not at all what I expected, especially from the title. Ellis is a 16-year-old girl with severe anxiety about the apocalypse, and so she preps. But the novel is more nuanced than that, and explores anxiety, mental health, religion, parenting, and friendships. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there were laugh out loud sections that were spot on, and there were some cringe-worthy parts that were just a little off. Overall, I would definitely recommend. The audiobook was easy to listen to and understand.
May 6, 2019
I think a ton of readers will relate to Ellis in one way or another - the process questioning of what you've always known and the struggle to find answers about yourself and your deepest beliefs.
The main character is Ellis, who has Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I've never seen internal dialogue shown so well in a story, and it made Ellis' humor and doubt that much more profound.
Please ignore the ridiculous cover and sink into this lovely, deep contemporary!
The main character is Ellis, who has Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I've never seen internal dialogue shown so well in a story, and it made Ellis' humor and doubt that much more profound.
Please ignore the ridiculous cover and sink into this lovely, deep contemporary!
February 3, 2021
Let's Call it a Doomsday made me feel seen. Like the combination of anxiety and religion. I understood where Elise was coming from. Katie Henry being one of the only author's writing teen fiction with religion in a positive/balanced way is why I'll keep reading her. I'm so surprised she was able to create a character that truly speaks to me.
March 25, 2020
This is about a teen girl named Ellis who has extreme anxiety and intrusive thoughts about the world ending. She meets a girl named Hannah in the waiting room at her therapist's office who tells her that she knows the world is going to end, and when... and that Ellis is going to be with her when it happens. It follows their friendship through out the story. Probably not the best book to pick up during the coronavirus outbreak, but here we are. lol.
I literally have no clue what to rate this. Maybe 4 or 3? It could go either way for me. It was definitely an interesting concept. It kept my attention most of the time and I was constantly wondering how the author was going to wrap it up. It touches on interesting topics like religion, prophecies, cult ideology, therapy, belief, mental illness, etc.... and because of this, there is a part of me that wishes this book went in a little bit of a different direction at the end. But that's not to say it wasn't good or interesting, it was. I really like the IDEAS behind Katie Henry's books. I think she comes up with really great concepts and covers really interesting topics. I feel like she is an author I could really get into someday... it just hasn't happened yet. Everything I felt for this book was similar to Heretics Anonymous.
I'm going to give myself some time before I pick a rating.
I literally have no clue what to rate this. Maybe 4 or 3? It could go either way for me. It was definitely an interesting concept. It kept my attention most of the time and I was constantly wondering how the author was going to wrap it up. It touches on interesting topics like religion, prophecies, cult ideology, therapy, belief, mental illness, etc.... and because of this, there is a part of me that wishes this book went in a little bit of a different direction at the end. But that's not to say it wasn't good or interesting, it was. I really like the IDEAS behind Katie Henry's books. I think she comes up with really great concepts and covers really interesting topics. I feel like she is an author I could really get into someday... it just hasn't happened yet. Everything I felt for this book was similar to Heretics Anonymous.
I'm going to give myself some time before I pick a rating.
October 25, 2019
I didn't expect to love this so much...
Let's Call It A Doomsday centers on Ellis, a high schooler who's always thinking of how the world is going to end (mood) and obsessively prepping for it, to the dismay of her family. Then she meets a girl named Hannah at her therapist's office, who claims to know when and how the world will end, and says she'll be right beside Ellis when it does. This book is a must-read for anyone who deals with anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and up there with Eliza And Her Monsters as some of the best mental health rep I've ever seen. Not to mention that Ellis is also a queer Mormon, and the way that's handled is excellent in my opinion. Everything in this book feels real and raw, from the anxiety to the intrusive thoughts to the religion aspect, and though I'm not LDS (I'm Catholic), the struggles that Ellis has with her faith and her working through them felt so very *real*. It felt reminiscent of Saving Red, especially with the 'winter in California in nature' setting and the discussions on homelessness, mental illness, and how those can intertwine.
I highly recommend this!
Let's Call It A Doomsday centers on Ellis, a high schooler who's always thinking of how the world is going to end (mood) and obsessively prepping for it, to the dismay of her family. Then she meets a girl named Hannah at her therapist's office, who claims to know when and how the world will end, and says she'll be right beside Ellis when it does. This book is a must-read for anyone who deals with anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and up there with Eliza And Her Monsters as some of the best mental health rep I've ever seen. Not to mention that Ellis is also a queer Mormon, and the way that's handled is excellent in my opinion. Everything in this book feels real and raw, from the anxiety to the intrusive thoughts to the religion aspect, and though I'm not LDS (I'm Catholic), the struggles that Ellis has with her faith and her working through them felt so very *real*. It felt reminiscent of Saving Red, especially with the 'winter in California in nature' setting and the discussions on homelessness, mental illness, and how those can intertwine.
I highly recommend this!
February 1, 2019
I adore this book. Perfectly drawn characters facing real life battles of faith, family, mental health, and sexuality with both humor and gravitas. I have more passages highlighted in this book than any other book I've ever read. Both youth and adults will be completely immersed on this path to discovering identity.
"I’ve only been given one body. I’ve only been given one brain, miswired and odd and mine. But my voice—not just what spills over my vocal cords and into the world, but the things I say to myself—that’s something I get to claim for myself. I’ll always hear it, but that doesn’t mean I’m doomed to hear what I’ve heard before. There are so many words in this world. I can learn new ones."
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the Advanced Reader copy.
"I’ve only been given one body. I’ve only been given one brain, miswired and odd and mine. But my voice—not just what spills over my vocal cords and into the world, but the things I say to myself—that’s something I get to claim for myself. I’ll always hear it, but that doesn’t mean I’m doomed to hear what I’ve heard before. There are so many words in this world. I can learn new ones."
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the Advanced Reader copy.
September 14, 2020
solid 3.5 stars
pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book.
I definitely like this more than I liked heretics anonymous. I really liked the main character and the love interest, I did like the side characters too because they were key to Ellis’ growth in the end.
I was worried the discussions of religion would be too overwhelming but the author did it really well and it was refreshing to read. I loved loved the anxiety rep in this and by the end of the book you could really see the character growth of Ellis and her accepting that things don’t have to be the way they are and things do and will get better. I really liked the message of it and it was sweet in the end.
pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book.
I definitely like this more than I liked heretics anonymous. I really liked the main character and the love interest, I did like the side characters too because they were key to Ellis’ growth in the end.
I was worried the discussions of religion would be too overwhelming but the author did it really well and it was refreshing to read. I loved loved the anxiety rep in this and by the end of the book you could really see the character growth of Ellis and her accepting that things don’t have to be the way they are and things do and will get better. I really liked the message of it and it was sweet in the end.
January 1, 2020
Katie Henry really goes above and beyond with her novels and I am LIVING for it!!! "Let's Call It a Doomsday" offers such an excellent and nuanced perspective on anxiety, what constitutes reality, and faith. If you can get your hands on this book, I highly recommend giving it a read. Personally, Katie Henry has already cemented herself as one of my auto-buy authors with only two books. I love her writing! 👍
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