A Thousand Boy Kisses (NEW BONUS CONTENT) – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

A Thousand Boy Kisses (NEW BONUS CONTENT)

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book

65%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

The ultimate 'ugly cry' book for the BookTok generation—sweet, steamy, and emotionally devastating.

A Thousand Boy Kisses (NEW BONUS CONTENT)

book

65%

WISE Score

4.5

Amazon

The ultimate 'ugly cry' book for the BookTok generation—sweet, steamy, and emotionally devastating.

4.5

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Screenwise Verdict

If your teen is into 'BookTok' or loved 'The Fault in Our Stars,' they’ve probably already heard of this one. It’s a polarizing read—some find it beautifully poetic, others think it’s sappy and over-the-top.

From a wellness perspective, it's a heavy lift. It deals with death in a very direct, lingering way. The 'New Bonus Content' edition adds an epilogue that gives a bit more closure, but it doesn't change the fact that this book is a total tear-factory. Just make sure they're old enough for the 'steamy' chapters before they dive in.

Age Fit

Best for 15 and up. It’s a bridge between Young Adult and New Adult, so it has more mature sexual content and heavier tragedy than your average middle-school romance.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The core of the story is about a pure, lifelong devotion between childhood sweethearts. However, it leans heavily into 'trauma porn' territory and includes sexual content that moves it away from a purely wholesome rating.

Imaginative

The 'thousand boy kisses' jar is a creative and sentimental framing device, but the rest of the book follows fairly standard contemporary romance and 'sick-lit' tropes.

Safe

While books are generally safe, this one contains descriptive sexual scenes and intense themes of terminal illness and death that could be distressing or inappropriate for younger readers expecting a light romance.

Enriching

It offers a heavy-duty exploration of grief, mortality, and living with intention. It's a high-empathy read that helps teens process complex emotions, even if it is a bit melodramatic.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Encourages a 'carpe diem' philosophy through the 'kiss jar' metaphor.
Provides a safe space for teens to explore and release heavy emotions like grief.
Models a level of romantic loyalty and emotional vulnerability that resonates with young readers.

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What to Watch For

It is not 'clean' romance; there are descriptive sexual scenes that might surprise parents.
The plot centers on terminal cancer, which can be a massive trigger for some kids.
It's emotionally manipulative by design—expect your teen to be genuinely upset for a few days after finishing it.

Conversation Starters

"If you had to fill a jar with 1,000 'heart-bursting' moments, what would be the first five things you'd write down?"
"Why do you think Rune reacted so explosively when he first came back from Norway?"
"Do you think Poppy was right to hide her illness from Rune at first, or was that unfair to him?"

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