blind/vi

Stops Along the Way

by Anna Sortino

coming May 19, 2026

(3.5 / 5)

I want to thank Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I liked this book for the most part – it was quick to read and pulled me out of an impending reading slump. I’m always up for a fun road trip, which was a big part of the story. There was a lot of disability representation since Iris, the narrator, had hearing loss and her sister, Amelia had vision loss. I liked that both of their disabilities were normalized while still showing some of the challenges they experienced. There’s also a pretty big gaming theme, which I thought was fun. The romance that developed was cute at first, but then things just felt confusing and changed quickly. I ended up losing interest in that part of the story by the end, especially since the pace changed and there was a jump in time. In the end, I think I would have liked to see a bit more character development with a less rushed ending, but the book did keep my interest pretty well along the way.

Never Seen the Stars

by Kate Korsh

(4 / 5)

Many thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I went into this book knowing it was going to pull at the heartstrings. How could it not when our main character, Hattie, has just lost her friend in a drowning accident and she’s struggling with the fact that she will eventually go blind, just like her dad. The first chapter starts with a funeral and feels very somber, though the mood does pick up as the book continues. The main characters took some warming up to… Hattie was pretty angsty and Mason struck me as a bit obnoxious, but then it also felt realistic for teenagers and gave room for the characters to grow. I was happy to see how much Hattie improved communicating with others and facing her grief. The book focused heavily on different kinds relationships between both peers and adults/teens, and I thought it was done in a positive way. I liked the representation of vision impairment and how people might react to going blind. When I found out that the author has retinitis pigmentosa herself, it made that part of the story feel even more authentic.

November 6, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

Give Me a Sign

By Anna Sortino

Released today!

(5 / 5)

I was initially drawn to this book because the main character, Lilah, struggles with being deaf but still having some hearing, which makes her feel like she doesn’t fully belong in either world. It felt similar to my own teen, who is legally blind but still has sight, which is often misunderstood.

This book primarily takes place at a summer camp for deaf and blind children, where Lilah is a Junior Counselor. It was great to see so much representation of both blind and deaf people who were independent and in an environment where they could thrive. It also gave a lot of perspective about misconceptions of these people and the struggles they face in a world that is not accommodating, especially in scenes that take place outside the camp environment.

In the beginning of the book, Lilah wonders if she is “deaf enough” – she wears hearing aids and can lip read, but there’s still a lot she misses out on in conversations. She returns to the summer camp she attended when she was younger, and is able to become immersed in deaf culture, though it’s a struggle when she doesn’t know much ASL, which is how some of the other counselors communicate. With the patience of another counselor, Isaac, who is willing to help her learn, she is able to become more confident and comfortable with who she is.

There’s a romance element throughout this book, which I enjoyed a lot and I think adds to the charm of the story. I really liked the characters and the growth they achieve over the course of the story, even many of the more minor characters.

This book was written well and flowed beautifully. I was drawn in immediately and had a hard time putting it down. I basically read the whole book over the course of a day, I was that immersed in the story.

Overall, I thought this was a great read with a lot of great lessons that anyone, disability or not, can really benefit from what it has to offer. I will never know what it’s like to be like these characters, but I think it gives me a better appreciation for their experiences and ways we can make the world more inclusive.

I received a free advance copy of this book through NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and my own personal opinions.

July 11, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0