Novella Review: What Does it Feel Like? By Sophie Kinsella
What Does it Feel Like?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Published: October 8, 2024
Hardback: 133 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: December 20-22, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
From #1 bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, an unforgettable story—by turns heartbreaking and life-affirming—of a renowned novelist facing a devastating diagnosis and learning to live and love anew.
“What Does It Feel Like? is fiction, but it is my most autobiographical work to date. Eve’s story is my story.”—Sophie Kinsella
Eve is a successful novelist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. Her husband, never far from her side, explains that she has had an operation to remove the large, malignant tumor growing in her brain.
As Eve learns to walk, talk, and write again—and as she wrestles with her diagnosis, and how and when to explain it to her beloved children—she begins to recall what’s most important to her: long walks with her husband’s hand clasped firmly around her own, family game nights, and always buying that dress when she sees it.
Recounted in brief anecdotes, each one is an attempt to answer the type of impossible questions recognizable to anyone navigating the labyrinth of grief. This short, extraordinary novel is a celebration of life, shot through with warmth and humor—it will both break your heart and put it back together again.
“Why did I write such a personal book? I have always processed my life through writing. Hiding behind my fictional characters, I have always turned my own life into a narrative. It is my version of therapy, maybe. Writing is my happy place, and writing this book, although tough going at times, was immensely satisfying and therapeutic for me.”—Sophie Kinsella
Jessica’s Review:
What Does it Feel Like? was a bittersweet read. It is fiction, but the closest we get to an autobiography of Sophie Kinsella. She passed away December 10, 2025, just two days shy of her birthday. Kinsella fought the battle of Glioblastoma for three years, longer than most patients who fight the disease. Glioblastoma is a very aggressive brain tumor and there is no cure.
I was actually not aware that she had been sick until after she passed away. I then found out she had written What Does It Feel Like? and very quickly ordered a copy off Amazon, which temporarily sold out of the book. Looks like a lot of readers wanted to read this novella.
It is a short novella under 150 pages; readers are given Eve’s story of battling cancer and working on recovering after having surgery: Having to learn to do the most basic things that anyone else takes for granted. It is a very moving and quick read. I read it in a 24-hour period over the course of two days.
Each chapter is an anecdote giving more of Eve’s experiences. This novella is a celebration of life with warmth and humor given along with the heartbreak knowing Kinsella’s ending. This is a moving novella and I did tear up towards the end. Even though this is Eve’s story, this is also Kinsella’s story. Kinsella will always carry a piece of my heart as her novel Can You Keep a Secret? is the book that helped me to fall in love with reading again, and I have yet to stop reading.
I wish I could tell her thank you for writing her novels, so many readers have come to love her over the many years she wrote. What Does it Feel Like? was the last book that I read in 2025 and it also was in my ‘Top 10’ of the year.
Blog Blitz: A Review of A Little Christmas Magic by Suzanne Rogerson
Today I am taking part in the Blog Blitz for A Little Christmas Magic by Suzanne Rogerson! Part of the Winter Warmers Series, A Little Christmas Magic is a heart-warming collection of stories with a focus on family, friendship, love and goodwill.
Book Description:
From a much-loved family pet that goes missing to a neighbour in need.
Chance meetings and the kindness of strangers.
Overcoming trauma to help others and being prepared to make sacrifices.
A father rushing to get home to his kids in time for Christmas.
Dive into a short and sweet story to get you in the festive spirit.
Eight Stories included:
Poppy’s Christmas Wish
Last Minute Dash
Driving Home for Christmas
The Honeymoon Period
A Christmas Toast
The Last Train Home
The Wrong Post
Taking Care of Belle
A Little Christmas Magic
Series: #2 in the Winter Warmer Series
Author: Suzanne Rogerson
Narrator: Colette Davies-Kerwin
Published: November 17, 2025
Audiobook: 2 hours 26 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: December 9-10, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Jessica’s Review:
A Little Christmas Magic is the second in the Winter Warmer series and it knows how to get a listener ready for Christmas! Comprised of eight short stories ranging from a few minutes to just over half an hour, you can get this novel finished a quickly as you want or you could spread the cheer out over eight listens (one listen per short story!) Each story brings out a meaning of Christmas and a listener will definitely choose a favorite for their individual preference! My favorite was one of the shorter stories: Last Minute Dash. It just spoke to me more than the others. It shows the kindness of a stranger while also sharing in the joy of Christmas and memories of childhood. Not a bad story in the novel, this was an enjoyable listen that can help get anyone in the Christmas spirit.
The narrator Colette Davies-Kerwin did a great job with her narration in these stories to help spread Christmas cheer!
Many thanks to the author and Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources for a copy that I could listen to for the Audible blog blitz.
Buy Your Copy Here!
About the Author:
Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her husband, two children, a crazy cocker spaniel and a rather aloof cat. Her writing journey began at the age of twelve when she completed her first novel. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave Suzanne the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream.
Now an author of four fantasy novels, including the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy and a standalone fantasy, Visions of Zarua, Suzanne has recently turned her hand to short stories with four collections published to date.
She loves gardening and has a Hebe (shrub) fetish. She enjoys cooking with ingredients from the garden and regularly feeds unsuspecting guests vegetable-based cakes. Suzanne collects books, is interested in history and enjoys wandering around castles and old ruins whilst being immersed in the past. She likes to combine her love of nature and photography on family walks, but most of all she loves to escape with a great film, binge watch TV shows, or soak in a hot bubble bath with an ice cream and a book.
Contact Suzanne:
Website
Newsletter
Audible US author page
Audible UK author page
Amazon
Twitter @rogersonsm
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram @suzannemrogerson
Audiobook Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Narrators:
Marin Ireland
Michael Urie
Published: May 3, 2022
Audiobook: 11 hours 16 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: October 8-14, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors–until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.
Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.
Jessica’s Review:
I adore this book! This was a book club read and had been on my TBR for a while. It will also become a Netflix film in the future starring Sally Field and Lewis Pullman (yes, Bill Pullman’s son.) As I read and also listened to the book, I pictured Sally Field as Tova knowing that she will be playing her.
This is a very strong debut novel. We have 70-year-old Tova who works nights at the local aquarium and we have Marcellus who is a giant Pacific Octopus that lives in the aquarium, and his time is running short for his lifespan. They form a connection, friendship, and bond.
Thirty years ago, Tova’s 18-year-old son disappeared. Marcellus figures out what happens and it becomes a race against time for Tova to also understand. In the middle of this Tova sustains an injury and is unable to work. This introduces Cameron who takes over her job while she is out. We learn about all three characters and the connections that form between all three.
The central theme in the novel is loneliness as all three of our characters are dealing with this emotion in varying degrees. You can’t help but become attached to these characters and root for them. The friendship between Tova and Marcellus is so special. How everything comes together warms the heart and it might just cause a tear or two to drop when you finish this novel.
I had heard that the audiobook was wonderful and it is perfection for me! Marin Ireland is wonderful as usual, but Michael Urie steals the show with this audiobook as Marcellus! He just brings this character to life.
I look forward to the movie when it comes out on Netflix next year (hopefully sooner than later!). I can see the film version of Remarkably Bright Creatures being the Free Willy for a new generation.
Remarkably Bright Creatures will be one of my top reads of 2025 and I cannot wait to see what Van Pelt writes next!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK