Today, I want to tell you about a book you guys have been hearing a lot about in the last few months. This is Julie Murphy's Side Effects May Vary. It's getting a lot of attention for being a bucket list book, a book about cancer (which has forced comparisons to that other book about cancer). I read SEMV a few weeks ago, and OHMYGOSH, it's so good. Julie has taken this book beyond being A Book About Cancer and truly explored how the relationships that mean the most to us can be either healing or toxic and what to do when it's the second type. I was so surprised that I was able to relate so much to the story considering I've never been sick the way Alice is, and I am awed by Julie's talent and the rawness of Alice and Harvey's story. This is one of those books that's going to have people talking for months and years. I don't want to give away too much right now because I'm actually posting a full review as part of the SEMV blog tour in a few weeks, but I wanted to spotlight it now and get you guys excited!
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genre: young adult contemporary, realistic fiction
Status: standalone
Summary:
What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?
When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.
Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?
Available from:
About the Author:
Julie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she's not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Her debut contemporary young adult novel, Side Effects May Vary, is out from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins on March 18, 2014. Julie’s follow-up novel, currently titled Dumplin’, is due out in 2015.
Giveaway:
I happen to be in possession of an extra ARC of Side Effects May Vary as well as a little swag so I'm going to pass that on to two lucky winners! First place winner will receive the arc (signed) and second place will win a signed SEMV poster and bookmark. This giveaway is open to the US & Canada for the arc only. Second place is available to the US. Ends 12 AM March 4. Good luck!
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I would choose Hermione, because she is amazing at magic so we could do anything.
ReplyDeleteAuthor John Green. It would be in one word Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI would pick author Nora Roberts because she could help fulfill any romantic fantasy!!
ReplyDeleteDef someone with minions!
ReplyDeleteWell this is really hard, um, I'd probably pick Cammie from Gallagher Girls because she is just BA and I feel like we could do a lot... Anyway, I really have been looking forward to reading this book. It looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteI would pick Addie from Pivot Point, because it'd be fun to see if I'd complete the item or not
ReplyDeleteI would pick Stephen King because I think he would come up with some very interesting things that I wouldn't think of myself!
ReplyDeleteJennifer Armentrout because then my days would be filled with so much imagination and fun!!! I would never get bored hearing her plots and stories and picking her brain about how she comes up with these amazing characters!
ReplyDeleteI'd pick A.S. King. I've been to a few of her events, and she has eclectic, great taste. Plus she's a fantastic author.
ReplyDeleteKasie West! I haven't met her yet but she sounds awesome! And her books are more than amazing <3
ReplyDeleteHermione. She has a magic wand!
ReplyDeleteI'd pick Marissa Meyer cause I don't want anything too dangerous, but I definitely want to have lots of fun, and she seems like a fun-loving person. Plus she's awesome! :D
ReplyDeleteI would want Tahereh Mafi to help me! She seems like such an amazing person and it would be fun to befriend her. She could even give me tips on fashion because damn does she have amazing taste in clothes. She can pull off anything.
ReplyDeleteI can think of about 8 billion people I wouldn't mind helping me out ... but let's go with Neil Gaiman. Man's brilliantly talented and I have a feeling that he'd make anything work out.
ReplyDeleteProbably Percy Jackson or Rick Riordan because Percy has connections to the Greek gods and Rick Riordan is an amazing writer and he has amazing ideas. Thanks for the giveaway - I have been so excited about this book for a while and the wait is killing me! :) I love books like this!
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