2024
WISE Score
Amazon
A heavy-hitting YA tearjerker about a girl playing matchmaker for her sister while hiding her own terminal diagnosis.
4.3
4.3View →Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)
If your teen is into 'sick-lit'—those books designed to make you sob into your pillow—this is a solid 2024 entry. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and the 'bad boy with a heart of gold' thing is a bit cliché, but the emotional payoff is real.
It’s a safe bet for a middle or high schooler looking for a meaningful read. It’s not 'brain rot' by any means; it’s a character study on how we handle the things we can't control. Just maybe keep a box of tissues nearby.
This is firmly for the 13-18 crowd. Younger kids might find the themes of death and romantic longing a bit too heavy or boring, while older YA fans will appreciate the emotional stakes.
It handles heavy emotional weight with sincerity. While the 'secret illness' plot point is a bit of a classic YA trope, the focus on sisterly protection and finding connection in dark times is emotionally grounded.
It stays firmly within the bounds of contemporary 'sick-lit' fiction. It doesn't break new ground in terms of narrative structure or world-building, but it executes its genre tropes effectively.
As a YA novel, it's safe for its target demographic. The biggest 'risk' here is the emotional intensity of the terminal illness plot line, which might be a lot for sensitive readers, but there are no reports of graphic content or toxicity.
It offers a deep dive into empathy, grief, and the complexity of family loyalty. It's the kind of book that forces a teen reader to think about what they would do in an impossible situation.
The thing about books like this—and we’ve seen it from The Fault in Our Stars to Five Feet Apart—is that the tragedy is the feature, not the bug. Teens, especially in the 13-16 range, are often drawn to stories that allow them to practice big, devastating emotions from the safety of their bedrooms. Jasmine Little’s 2024 release doesn't try to be high art or reinvent the genre; it leans directly into the catharsis of a terminal diagnosis.
If your kid is currently in a phase of reading books that require a Costco-sized pack of Kleenex, they’re going to find this. It’s part of a long-standing YA tradition where the stakes are literally life and death, which makes the typical high school drama of who-likes-whom feel much more urgent.
The most polarizing part of the book for a lot of readers is Margo’s choice to keep her illness a secret. It’s a classic "noble lie" trope, but it can be genuinely frustrating to read. As she tries to set up her sister with Daniel, the school’s resident "bad boy," you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.
For a parent, this is the most interesting part of the book to talk about. It’s not just about the tragedy; it’s about the ethics of withholding the truth from people you love "for their own good." If your teen is frustrated by Margo’s choices, that’s actually a great sign—it means they’re engaging with the character’s flaws rather than just the sad circumstances. If you're wondering how to navigate these heavier themes, check out our guide on Why Your Teen Is Sobbing Over Let’s Pretend I’m Okay.
If your kid lived through the John Green era or spent last summer reading A Walk to Remember, they’ll know exactly where this is going. The "bad boy with a heart of gold" is a well-worn path, and Daniel fits the mold perfectly—abandoned, unwanted, and waiting for someone to see past the exterior.
What sets this apart from some of the mid-tier YA romances is the sisterhood angle. The romance with Daniel is the hook, but the relationship between Margo and her sister is the emotional spine. It’s less about a girl dying and more about a girl trying to ensure her family is "okay" before she goes.
On Amazon, the book is sitting at a 4.3, which is solid for YA fiction. It’s not a literary masterpiece, but it’s a highly effective emotional experience. It’s the kind of book that moves fast, hits hard, and then gets passed around a friend group like a secret.
It’s a safe pick for a kid who wants to feel something real. Just be prepared for them to emerge from their room with puffy eyes and a very specific type of "book hangover." It’s a heavy lift, but for the right reader, it’s a memorable one.
Get a personalized guide on any topic
