'I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are' by Rachel Bloom offers a candid and humorous look into the author's life, touching on topics like bullying, mental health, and her journey to success. Bloom's witty storytelling and relatable anecdotes make this memoir an engaging and insightful read for young adults navigating their own paths.

4.5 stars
If Rachel Bloom is 'not' normal, then my goodness, I sooooo want to hang out with her because who else is, really? Loved the refreshing vibe of these essays, wherein Rachel herself shone so bright and kept that BFF-edge to her when telling you about her life, all she went through, pulling on your heartstrings all while never actually doing it in that 'woe is me' tone a lot of people tend to adopt. No, this is fresh, candid, in your face, sometimes crass, almost always over the top...but this is also honest, a woman showing you who she is in all her flaws and foibles and idiosyncrasies, not asking you to like her or anything, but just putting herself out there. That's brave, that takes courage, and that also makes for an entirely engaging and engrossing read! While I do know Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and haven't yet had a chance to become a fan, I knew who Rachel Bloom 'was' but I'm so glad I read this and really got to know 'her', the person behind it all

As a HUGE Crazy Ex Girlfriend fan (I've watched the series about 3-4 times) I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020.

Rachel Bloom's first book is a mixture of memoirs and essays, with the overarching theme of being a "weirdo", looking in on the "normal" people.

At times, Rachel is almost TOO honest (a particular chapter comes to mind...) but would you expect anything less from Rachel? I devoured this book in a number of hours and no doubt will re-read. I may even get the audiobook too.

For me, it wasn't quite a 5* star read as I wanted more content about the Crazy Ex Girlfriend days. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that may be her next book :o)

I really enjoyed this book. It’s sometimes silly - featuring Harry Potter fanfic and a chapter written from the perspective of Bloom’s dog - but still has a lot to say about the television industry and mental health. Plus it made me laugh out loud.

Okay, I won't lie to you. I don't really know who Rachel Bloom is. I downloaded this book because the cover looked similar to the 90s Sweet Valley High series book covers so I assumed it would be a pastiche about the 80s/90s. It was interesting to find out that it was in fact a memoir. I could have DNF'd it at this point but I decided to stick it out and see if I enjoyed it. I did.

Rachel Bloom is funny in that self-deprecating geeky way that shows just how socially awkward she once was. I work in a school and the kids that tend to be my favourites (I know we shouldn't have favourites but we do) are those that bang to the beat of their own drum. Rachel Bloom appears to be that kind of person. Unapologetically herself.
In I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are you travel with her through her awkward teen years. You cringe along with all the shockingly awful things she had to deal with and you marvel with just how cruel school kids can be. Bloom handled it so much better than I ever could.

I'm glad I read I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are. I know my reasons for doing so where a bit strange but it is one of those serendipitous moments where things turn out alright.

I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom is available now.

For more information regarding Rachel Bloom please visit her website www.racheldoesstuff.com.

For more information regarding Hodder & Stoughton (@HodderBooks) please visit www.hodder.co.uk.

A funny memoir that deals with some dark subjects well and always with humour and hope. I loved Crazy ex-girlfriend so I was excited to read this and I really enjoyed it. I love how Rachel shows how she both went for things whole hearted whilst also continuing to doubt herself, like so many of us. But she never let it stop her in the end. Honest and funny.

3.5 stars
Despite having not seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, or really knowing who Rachel Bloom is, the blurb and front cover had me excited to give this a read.
And it was an easy read, even if some of it was quite bitty.
I'm used to memoirs, particularly of comedians/actors having non-traditional layouts when it comes to certain sections or there being listicles and footnotes, etc. But I couldn't warm to Rachel as much as I hoped it would because of this bittiness.
It reminded me in some ways of Mindy Kaling's books of essays but by comparing the two, I didn't laugh out loud once whilst reading this, even if some of the stories/essays really did hit home with me.
I enjoyed how honest it was, particularly when it came it to some of the trickier subject matter and all things mental health related but it just didn't land with me like I thought it might.
Maybe if you are a huge fan of Rachel Bloom's or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend you might get a lot more out of it than I did.
But even then, there weren't huge amounts dedicated to the show, like you might expect, either.
It was still a quick and easy read though, even if I did find myself putting it down for a week or so at a time in between reads.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Bloom is a fascinating and versatile force to be reckoned with so I was eager to read this, but I found I never truly connected with it. Slightly bitty, it struggled to truly find its feet. However I think that opening the door further on mental health is crucial, and Bloom tackles difficult subject matter with deft humour.

As a big fan of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, I had this on my to-read list for ages. Thankfully, it managed to exceed expectations -- and it was everything that I was hoping, and wanting, it to be.

really loved this!! i watched and loved crazy ex girlfriend so i was so curious to find out more about rachel bloom and it didn't disappoint. her voice is so present throughout this, it made me laugh on the bus, as well as discussing heavier topics in a very accessible but important way

i would recommend to everyone, inc those who haven't got around to watching crazy ex girlfriend yet, but you really really need to

What is a normal person? According to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom, it isn’t her. All her life, she’s felt abnormal and out of place, and in exploring exactly why that is, she’s come to find how many people feel like outsiders in their own way.

Through bullying, insecurity, mental health, pleasure, shame, fame and beyond, each personal essay offers something different. Beyond the expected format, you’ll also find her own guides to Disney, diary entries, and – a real stand out – Harry Potter fanfiction on the spiralling of the arts, where Harry thinks he can waltz right into Hamilton (because, ffs, of course he does), with an added acknowledgement of the complicated nature of fandom.

Written pre-COVID, and pre-parenthood, the world has shifted greatly since and, acknowledged in her afterword, the idea of normalcy takes on a greater meaning. I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are is less a look back to a normal world, but a wish for the future to come. Books tipped to sit alongside those by Mindy Kaling, Ali Wong and Amy Poehler are often stretching, but here it feels true.

Blisteringly funny as a base line and offering insightful gut punches at its most striking, the ability to write with genuine humour and insight without feeling forced is a rare combination. There’s a lot to take from this book, including some unattractive snort laughs.

I really enjoyed the format of this memoir. Rather than write a straightforward history of her life, Rachel Bloom has interspersed it with the erotic poetry she wrote when she was 12, tips for dealing with bullies at school and a guide to what to put in your bag for awards ceremonies. Very funny and unique!

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an Ebook copy!

One of the very first chapters in ‘I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are’, the essay collection from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend creator Rachel Bloom, is all about Bloom shitting in the toilet for the first time. It was at that chapter I knew I was in for a wild ride.

While this book is very much a biography of Bloom’s life — from school days to theatre class to the creation and reception of the show — calling this book a collection of essays does it a disservice. There are poems, drawings, diary excerpts, amusement park maps (yes, amusement park maps), philosophical interviews-with-the-self and even musical numbers. I’ve heard the audiobook is incredible, and I actually almost wish I’d listened to this, just because there are so many great performance pieces.

The reading experience is very much like watching an episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – musical, over the top, laugh-out-loud funny. I lost count of how many times I laughed. If you’re not a fan of crudity this might not be the book for you, though I personally found it immensely refreshing. (If you’re the type of man doesn’t like women talking in boardroom meetings or being open about sex, this also probably won’t be the book for you – I recommend Wolf of Wall Street, or a personality upgrade).

As much as it’s very much the type of book that gives you a laugh every other sentence, I also love how open Bloom is in her discussion of serious matters; whether it be bullies, past relationships or her experience with OCD, Bloom writes with a frank openness and relentless optimism. As much as I loved the humour of this book, these moments to me felt the most transparent.

I’d argue this an especially great read for anyone who feels out of place, but as Bloom does an excellent job in emphasising, don’t we all sometimes?

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, so as soon as I saw this book, I knew it was a must-read, and I wasn't disappointed. What a read!
I just love Rachel! I don't think I have ever laughed so much while reading a book! Just hilarious!
Of course it touches on some serious subjects which are not to be laughed it; mental illness, a miscarriage scare, bullying and the feeling of not being good enough, but it's all written so genuinely heartfelt. There is no sugarcoating anything. These are things that NEED to be talked about. No one is truly alone in anything.
For anyone that loved Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, has a sense of humour, or just needs a little cheering up, than this book is definitely for you.
Fabulously written by a woman that I may have a little girl crush on, this whole read is fun, thought-provoking, quirky, personal, honest, and completely genuine.
This book motivates me to laugh a little more, speak out more and embrace my weirdness!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I loved Crazy Ex Girlfriend so really wanted to read this book. Rachel makes you feel like her best friend when you read this book It's heart flinchingly honest and funny. A great read

I think, like most people who read this book, I am a huge fan of Rachel Bloom and her show My Crazy Ex Girlfriend, and I was excited to read this.
It's very funny and insightful (sometimes too insightful, Bloom really holds nothing back) but for me it was just a little bit too all over the place. Some chapters/ essays are written straightforward then one will be a poem, a list, with lots of footnotes and photos of diary entries. I dont think this style is bad and I'm sure it suits the authors writing process, but I would have preferred less showmanship and more content. But worth a read and I definitely recommend to fans of Bloom.

Rachel Bloom immediately makes you feel like a close friend sharing her deepest darkest, weird secrets in this collection of essays. Swinging from one extreme to the next I found my self recalling the awkwardness of growing up and trying to find my feet as I connected with her personal stories. Rachel is very honest throughout the book and touches mental health, bullying and relationships.

Its the kind of book that makes you feel a little less alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've never seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, despite having it recommended to me more times than I can count, but I do love a celebrity biography and this one did not disappoint. I'm also much more interesting in trying Crazy Ex-Girlfriend after reading this.

Prior to this book, I knew very little about Rachel Bloom other than her involvement with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and it's so interesting to see a much deeper and more personal insight into her life. This selection of personal essays, anecdotes and childhood poetry is so refreshingly honest and humorous. By far one of my favourite celebrity books released in 2020.

If I hadn't have requested this book on NetGalley then I'm not 100% sure that I would've picked it up on my own, but I'm so glad that I did, and I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to read this book.

I loved Crazy Ex Girlfriend and so had high hopes for Bloom’s book - and I was not disappointed. Laugh out loud funny and so honest, it’s definitely worth a read.

I Want to be Where The Normal People Are is an autobiographical essay collection by the super funny and ridiculously talented Rachel Bloom. Many moons ago, my terrible then boyfriend was like ‘hey watch this video by this chick @racheldoesstuff’ and I thought damn she’s kinda weird, I love her and ten years later, I’m reading her memoir and it just solidified that for me. Rachel Bloom is kinda weird and I LOVE HER.

This collection of stories focuses on relationships and identity. On growing up, finding yourself, accepting yourself. On bullying and mental health. On sex and love and pleasure. On what it means to be normal. Oh and poop 👀 a lot of poop.

Bloom’s sense of humour, her warmth, her silliness, her shamelessness and vulgarity, her love for the dramatic, and her vibrant, brilliant personality all shine through the pages of this book. As such this is the perfect read for fans of Bloom and/or Crazy Ex Girlfriend. Also for fans of like... enjoying yourself? Or laughing out loud? Highly recommend!

Maaaassive thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and the author for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. I Wanna Be Where The Normal People Are is out now! 💃