There is something timeless about Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill album. Her soul, raw and messy, is on full display. That complex tapestry of emotion and longing connects all the threads of Jagged Little Pill: A Novel, as well anything sharing that name should.

Eric Smith masterfully captures the core of his teenage characters and sets them loose in the world. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix, Nick and Bella - all wildly alive and wildly different - just want to be seen, to be heard. Their voices and desires are as clear as Alanis’s vocals

Their intertwined stories knot together when Bella is assaulted at a party and someone posts about it online. Frankie, Jo, Phoenix and Nick circle around Bella in different ways. Frankie and Jo are in there trying to help. Phoenix is supporting Frankie. And Nick is trying to figure out what he saw that night at the party — what he didn’t interrupt — and how to help his friend while keeping his overbearing mother happy.

Among these five characters, there are so many relationships. Brother and sister. Best friends. More than friends. New crushes. New friendships. Within all this, hearts break. Things splinter. And it all hits like a punch to the gut.

As a YA contemporary, I think Eric nailed it. And as an adaptation, he knocked it out of the park! (BTW, you do not have to have seen the musical to enjoy this book. Though I highly recommend listening to the OBC album as you read.) My biggest critique of the show has always been this: I felt like there was one too many story line. I just wanted to sink my teeth in with the characters a bit more and I couldn’t do that because of everything that happened on stage. In the book, one of those storylines moves to the background and Eric gives me what I’ve wanted: time to get to know the characters better. Basically, Eric fills in all those spaces and I loved it!

There are recurring moments across Eric’s books that I love, like the girls (rather than the boys) going in for the kisses first. And the most important of these is that all of his teens of color call racism what it is. They point at it, confront it, and dismantle it. Sometimes people listen. Sometimes they don’t. Just like in real life. These teens are so brave in the face of racism and I cheer every time.

I also have to mention that Eric brought an authenticity to Frankie, as they are both adoptees. I felt like I was given the gift of a glimpse into an experience I can never know. And those are some of the best moments in books.

If you’ve ever felt stranded, unmoored in a room full of people…
If you’ve ever felt like you’re screaming but no one can hear you…
If you’ve ever been in love with your best friend…
If you’ve ever been let down by the people you trust most…
If you’re ever found your strength in your lowest moments…
If you’ve ever felt seen in Alanis’s music, read this book.

I had heard amazing things about this book, so I had to request it on NetGalley and it did not disappoint. I couldn’t put this down and read it in a single sitting.

First, I love stories told in short chapters from the perspective of multiple characters. I felt like I really got to know each of them and their perspectives. I wanted to learn so much more about them all and how their lives led to this one party and how the events changed their already chaotic lives. I loved how each character had their own demons throughout the story and I couldn’t wait to see what came next for each of them.

The one star off for me though is that it left me wanting more. While the fast forward wrapped up some pieces, I still wanted to hear more about where Phoenix and his sister wound up and how everyone’s stories turned out. I seldom want books to be longer, but I think there were places where we could have seen more play out, like in Jo’s home struggles or where the storyline with Phoenix and Frankie would go next.

All in all, this was a beautiful tale of how everyone handles their battles and how the only way to go is up once you face them.

Plus, for any Alannis fans out there, the weaving in of the songs was seamless. I particularly loved the nod to the question about whether Ironic actually uses irony in its examples.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and wow, am I glad I did.

Y'know that thing that happens, where you start reading a book late at night and then you look up and realize it's way past your bedtime but you have to know what happens next? That happened to me with this book. JAGGED LITTLE PILL is the story of five teens in a Connecticut suburb whose lives change irrevocably after something happens at a party. Frankie, Nick, Jo, Bella, and Phoenix are all trying to navigate the major life changes coming their way when it happens - the party's events send ripples out that deeply impact all of them and their community.

Smith's way of capturing and communicating the intense feelings surrounding each teen's situation are hard-hitting and perfect. The various methods used throughout the book to communicate story elements as characters communicate with each other are a deft touch and feel entirely too realistic. I'm really excited for this book to come out and I'll be recommending it to my library as soon as humanly possible to make sure our patrons have access to it.

I received a eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is YA novel told from multiple viewpoints based on a musical, based on a 90's album.
What?
But it was surprisingly well done. Despite not having seen the musical, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. The characters were engaging and and the plot moved along quickly. It was a bit basic, but well.. based on a musical... based on an album... that was to be expected.. so I was pleasantly surprised how much I wound up enjoying it.
There are better books that explore the aftermath of rape, but given the multiple viewpoints and how much was included (rape, coming out, substance abuse, golden boy becoming human, new kid at school etc), Smith did an admirable job weaving it all together.

Told from five different viewpoints, Jagged Little Pill follows the lives of Frankie, Jo, Nick, Phoenix, and Bella following an incident at a party that would change their lives forever. Frankie, who was adopted into the family, doesn't see the point of pretending life is perfect and would rather stand up for what is right, even if it's hard. Nick has always felt pressured to be perfect. Perfect at school, perfect at home, the responsible one who takes care of everyone else all the time. But when does he get to relax? Jo is best friend and kind of girlfriend? to Frankie. All she wants is for her Mom to accept her for who she is, not try and shy away from it. Bella is the friend and not-quite girlfriend of Nick, she just wants to enjoy the final months of highschool. And Phoenix is the new guy, with family problems of his own. When Bella is assaulted, the five are thrown together, and any secrets they or their families had are no longer safe.

I wrote two other reviews while trying to find the words to describe this book. I absolutely devoured it. If I hadn't been working for two days, it would have been read in one day, two tops. I've been a big Alanis Morissette since I heard her for the first time, I can't even remember how old I was. How I missed a musical being developed based on her music is beyond me. (Maybe having two young kids had something to do with it?) So when Eric Smith shared that he was writing this novel, I knew I had to get my hands on it. In fact, I remember the day I got approved for the ARC. I was sitting outside with some coworkers and literally freaked out and did a little dance, I was so excited. And the book did not disappoint. I love the character development, the imperfect families, but especially the camaraderie and support that was given to Bella after the party.

I received a copy of this book from the author via Netgalley

Jagged Little Pill is told through 5 struggling teens perspectives: Frankie who is trying to be seen for who she is in her white adopted family, Nick, Frankie’s brother, who feels like he’s going to collapse from all the pressure his parents put on him, Jo, Frankie’s best friend, who’s mother is trying to force her to change who she is, Phoenix, the new kid in town, who’s sister is terminally ill, and Bella who’s life is completely changed after a drunken high school party.

This novel is based on the musical of the same title which is based off of Alanis Morissette’s music. I love the musical and Alanis’ music, but it definitely isn’t necessary to know either to enjoy this book.

This story is so important for our world today. It sheds light on real struggles that teens (and adults frankly) are working through everyday: sexuality, rape, addiction, race, love, fitting in, taking responsibility for your actions, and finding who you are. Although a lot of the subject matter is very deep/dark the tone of the book is not that at all, which I definitely appreciated and I think it makes it much easier to read and absorb.

These characters were very relatable and all had distinct voices. I could so easily picture each of them in my head and wanted to spend more time with them.

The story is told in five different perspectives and although I understand why the author did it that way, I’m not sure if it was needed. A few of the character’s chapters only showed up a couple of times and I think the story could have been told just as well with fewer perspectives.

Also, the rape feels like it should be the central plot point, and for a little while it is, but it almost felt like it got lost throughout the story and then showed up again at the end to tie it all back together.

I enjoyed this book a lot and really got into the story, but was somewhat pulled out with the ending. Everything seemed to happen very abruptly and it was just tied into too neat a bow. It almost seemed forced.

I’m giving this book 4 stars. I definitely would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and statements are my own.

I absolutely loved this book! I devoured it and can't wait to see the play! I highly recommend this book to any Alanis Morrisette fan!

Everything Eric writes is amazing, and Jagged Little Pill is no exception. I love this story and I love the music and it’s so cute and good and ANGSTY and Eric rules.

I had never listened to the soundtrack or seen the musical before reading this novel but I am well aware as a child of the 90s of the power of Alanis Morrissette. After listening to the cast recording while reading this novel, I was really impressed with how well Smith weaved the lyrics into the story so it makes sense and flows with no knowledge of the musical. The different viewpoints were showcased well and it ended in a good place. The characters grew and you can feel how well Smith knew these people. Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for the ARC of this book.

Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this one. There’s so much dialogue that seems unnecessary and not a lot of setting to pull me in. I really wanted to love this one but it’s just not for me. I think if you’re a big fan of the Broadway musical then you’ll dig this further exploration into the same story.

This is a fairly quick read as it is fast-paced and a lot happens in a short amount of time, which is not surprising since it is adapted from a musical. With an ensemble cast of characters, each dealing with their own issues, most teens will find something relatable in this book, as well as build empathy for others.

The story focuses on five teens: Frankie, a Black child adopted into a white family who is also bisexual, though not out to her family and feels like prop to prove how "woke" her parents, desperate to feel seen and heard for who she is; Nick, Frankie's oh-so-perfect brother, her parents' biological child and mom's golden boy, who feels enormous pressure from everyone to be perfect to help hold his fragile family together and not let anyone down; Jo, Frankie's best friend and now girlfriend, who is out and proud despite her mother's refusal to accept that she is gay; Phoenix, the new kid in town looking for where he fits in and finding himself instantly attracted to Frankie, while also dealing with his sister's life-threatening illness; and Bella, Nick's love interest who likes him back, but they have yet to act on their feelings and become a couple. Five teens, and one party that will change all their lives forever.

I found this book to be very engaging and I liked the fast pace. There is a lot going on in a short time, as each person has their own personal and family issues to deal with, though the story seems to focus more on Frankie and all her issues and her family's issues. She is not a completely sympathetic or flawless character; sometimes she can be incredibly selfish, needy, or insensitive, which makes her a little more real. This book does take on some serious issues, including sexual assault and addiction, but it is not overly heavy, dark, or depressing and has an ending that is empowering and hopeful.

Highly recommended for all teens who like realistic fiction.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


This is a book I was particularly excited about being able to read. To be honest, I didn't know there was a musical until I saw this book and that's probably for the best so that I can't have TOO much bias.

Growing up in the 90s, listening to Alanis Morissette was like that era's soundtrack. The nods to lyrics and Easter eggs are nice little treasures for fans of her music. Best of all, they fit and don't feel shoehorned in as a gimmick.

There were a few tropes I wasn't a fan of, primarily having our Black female protagonist be "the unfaithful bisexual" character to an assumed white partner. This is really two tropes in one, and both leave me feeling icky.

Black characters have been painted as villains and inciting incident characters, or dangerous and preying on "the helpless white woman", for so long that I cringed when I saw where this story thread was going.

Add to that, she’s bisexual and cheats on her female partner and best friend with a male character. This is such a tired trope that the bisexual community still deals with to this day, and in 2022 we should be able to do better.

I'm not saying you can't have cheating bisexual characters or morally gray Black protagonists, but there needs to be more there than a caricature of both lived experiences.

Parts of the pacing felt off, likely from it being adapted from a musical, though I'll say it made for a very quick read.

There were some characters that never really got fleshed out or were rushed but again, this is adapted from a musical so I can give it a little grace.

I do like that things didn't end in a wrapped up package. There is bad in peoples' lives, whether they're interconnected or not, and sometimes that pain lingers and there isn't a clean resolve. I was surprised in a good way.

All that being said, I enjoyed reading it and never walked away hating a character (aside from the person who committed assault, obviously). The book did a good job at letting you see things from everyone's view point even if it was messed up, and trusted the reader to make their own opinion.

I would have loved to see more time dedicated to certain plot threads, especially Jo's that felt like it was literally brushed aside (which actually is ironic considering the theme of her and Frankie's storyline).

All in all I would recommend it, while taking care to prepare a reader for what's happening in the book (which was handled delicately and never felt exploitative).

Nostalgia for Alanis Morissette's album has me wanting to give this a 5 star rating, but the tropes and odd pacing as well as strange focus choices drags it down to a 4.

Thank you Net Galley and Abrams Books for this early copy in exchange for my review.

To start, do not have high hopes for this book because this book will not meet them. Instead go into this book wanting to learn a new story. What I liked about this book were the themes and the overall message of the book. I just often found myself losing patience with the story because at times I felt like plot points were sometimes redundant. On the flip side, this book is an amazing extension of the broadway show—completely separate from the Jagged Little Pill Album.

There is truly an audience for this story but for those wanting the story, I employ you to just go see the play on broadway. It's less of a commitment than trying to get through this eight hour plus book.

I have been a huge fan of Alanis Morissette since I was young, as well as a follower of Diablo Cody’s films, so even though I haven’t been able to catch the Jagged Little Pill musical, I couldn’t wait to read this book & I am so appreciative that ABRAMS Kids approved my NetGalley request.

Starting off, I did feel like it was the first YA novel I’ve read in a while in which the characters did feel juvenile to me at 31, but, despite that, there are characters & events with which I did relate. Namely, Phoenix’s character was the most like myself. He is responsible beyond his age & wiser than his years. He takes care of his mother & sister in a way that I once had to at a young age. Nick & Bella are also two of the more mature (& older) characters to whose experiences I can relate. Nick is the most complex of the MCs, his internal & external conflicts & his responsibilities, both put on him & voluntary, make me sympathize with the complexities of being a teenager about to head to college & figuring out a moral compass of one's own. Frankie’s relationship with her own morality is gray at a time when young people are still developing their ideals of right & wrong. Personally, that was one of the most poignant aspects of this book; I wouldn’t want to relive those decisions!

I hadn’t previously had the privilege to read an Eric Smith novel, but in Jagged Little Pill, he, Morissette, Cody, & Ballard put themselves in the shoes of teenagers very well, both male & female, straight, gay, & bi, white, latinx, & black. I think the ability to show these representations, motivations, & struggles indicates an insight into the modern life of a young adult beyond the average author. Despite having gone through much of the same strife at the ages of these characters, I was still deeply moved, especially when these characters take more action than I was used to seeing during my time growing up, & it made me proud of fictional characters in a way I don’t remember having felt before.

Jagged Little Pill was definitely a 5 star read for me.

TW: underage drinking, off-page underage sex, off-page date rape, pediatric chronic illness, drug overdose, drug addiction.

i have my own issues w the actual book of the musical and they really shined through in this novel
at the beginning the author chose to add some things in that were not in the musical so i thought hmm maybe he’s going to rectify the pacing issues from the musical
WRONG
they were actually made worse somehow
for a book with multiple povs they really chose the worst ones and also somehow managed to underdevelop the characters w pov chapters
the book focuses on bella’s storyline but gives her 0 personality or time to breathe as herself
pacing??? romeo and juliet level bad
it’s a book that is quintessentially ya - a smoothie of every single topical issue all addressed with the same surface level nuance
also the whole thing with nick and bella???? weird gross boo tomato tomato throwing tomatoes

Well! I don’t know how many times I listened Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill album and how many times I got thrown out from karaoke bar for singing “You Ought to know” extra dramatically and ear bleeding-ly! It’s still one of my all time top ten favorite albums!

When I heard the idea they were making a Broadway musical based on this fabulous album, I couldn’t act quicker to buy tickets! I loved it so much! I’ve seen it twice and I plan to see it again in near future when I have business trip to Big Apple!

So you may imagine how happy I’m to read a book based on musical with more detailed character analysis, thought provoking approach to many sensitive issues with pure honesty.

As a difference from the play, we read more detailed Phoenix, Nick and Bella’s character developments with more realistic approach and background stories. Especially Bella’s story hurt me a lot. It was so real, heart wrenching and powerful!

Overall: Eric Smith did a marvelous job by turning this Broadway play into the book which is based on one of the incredible albums at rock history!

Special thanks to NetGalley and ABRAHAMS Kids for giving me this win chance by sending this digital reviewer copy in exchange my honest thoughts.

I loved this one. I am so glad to have heard about the musical cause I was able to listen to the soundtrack while taking it all in. The story is one that made me feel a hundred things. I remember the original CD as a kid and I love hearing a story along with it. Worth the read!

Jagged Little Pill is a novelization of the musical of the same named and is based on the ground-breaking 90s album by Alanis Morissette. The novel follows 5 teens and their intersecting lives. When events of a party change their lives forever, they begin to understand that you live, you learn. Told from different perspectives, it's a book that sees the characters as they change themselves, each other, their families, and their community in the process.

Thank you for this ARC! While YA is not my favorite genre, this would be a great book for teenagers! The stories are relevant and timely. They teach younger people about empathy, friendship and family relationships. The idea of basing a book on a musical/album is very interesting. I may consider using parts of this book in my high school advisory class.

Thank you to #netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

The only reason I finished this was because it was an advanced copy and I felt obligated to so that I could review it. I love Alanis' music and I have heard great things about the Broadway musical, so I was looking forward to this read. I was very disappointed. It felt like one after-school special/PSA after another. The main storyline wasn't even one of the main characters, but the main characters made it their story (ick). It felt like it was trying too hard to include every single YA trope and lesson. 2 stars, because it's still not the worst thing I've read so far this year.