A movingly realistic book about a teens battle against cancer. In this book, you grow attached to Tessa even though she can be sort of a bitch at times. She has a list of things to do before she dies, which includes having sex, doing drugs, and falling in love. She does all of the following, having sex with a stranger from the club, doing drugs with the cutie next door, and then falling in love with the same cutie next door, Adam. In the end, Tessa dies. This book is so emotional moving and realistic, that when Tessa dies, tears will be rolling. I loved the book and suggest it to anyone who wants a good read.

A sad but uplifting book about a girl who is growing up and dying at the same time. ( )

I found it hard to engage with the characters in this book, even though I thought I would find the subject of dying very poignant. The main character is not very nice and neither is her friend and I found for the first part of the book I really did not like her or feel sorry for her. However, it changed in style near the end and the last part was very moving and was better written. I don't think this is a great book, and with such a moving topic it could have been a lot better. ( )

Tessa is 16 years old and dying of cancer. With the knowledge that she has only months to live, she creates a list of things she wants to experience before she dies: having sex, trying drugs and falling in love being just three of them. This is not your usual teen lit fare. It is a very moving book that feels like a realistic account of a teenager struggling to come to terms with the fact that her life will be over almost before it's begun. Sometimes Tessa is self-pitying, angry or apathetic - but she is also real and brave and you care about her.

This is a quick book to read. It's fairly predictable and aside from Tessa, the characters are pretty sketchy. Its simplicity also makes it feels more genuine, as if it really was penned by a 16 year old. It makes you think about and appreciate your own friends, your family - your very life.

It's the kind of book that touches your heart. ( )

sad sad sad! ( )