One Old, One New: The Jen Malone Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two books by Jen Malone.

The Arrival of Someday
Jen Malone
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

In this heartfelt and emotionally candid contemporary YA, author Jen Malone delves into the life of a teen whose world is brought to an abrupt halt when she learns she’s in dire need of an organ transplant.

Hard-charging and irrepressible eighteen-year-old Amelia Linehan could see a roller derby opponent a mile away—and that’s while crouched down, bent over skates, and zooming around a track at the speed of light. They don’t call her Rolldemort for nothing! What she couldn’t see coming, however, was the unexpected flare-up of a rare liver disorder she was born with. But now it’s the only thing she—and everyone around her—can think about.

With no guarantee of a viable organ transplant, everything Amelia’s been sure of—like her college plans, the mural she’d been commissioned to paint, or the possibility of one day falling in love—has become a huge question mark, threatening to drag her down into a sea of what-ifs she’s desperate to avoid.

Then a friend from the past shows up. With Will, it’s easy to forget about what’s lurking underneath the lightness of their time together. It’s easy to feel alive when all signs point elsewhere. On the other hand, with the odds decidedly not in her favor, Amelia knows this feeling couldn’t last forever. But what can?

I always think I know what I am getting myself into, when I opt to read a "sick kids" book, but still, I under estimate the emotional toll it will have on me. My advice for reading this book: grab a box of tissues and be ready to shed some tears, because it was painful, while also being really touching and beautiful.

Lia was such an incredible character. I first met her, while she was dominating on the roller derby track, so fierce and commanding. But, she was born with biliary atresia, and knew that, someday, she would need a new liver. Unfortunately, that someday had arrived during her derby practice.

This story followed Lia and her family as they tried to come to terms with Lia's illness and her possible impending death. Yes, very emotional stuff. Being in the head of an eighteen year old as she grappled with her own mortality was extremely difficult at times, but Malone really did a wonderful job with depicting Lia's feelings, and interspersing the heartbreaking moments with some joyful, fun, and lighthearted ones.

"Why does a disease only one person is afflicted with get to affect so many people?"

I must also comment Malone on how well she explored how Lia's illness affected her loved ones. As a parent, I was especially moved by many of the scenes involving Lia's mother and father. Their pain was palpable. There are tears currently streaming down my face, as I recall the heart-to-heart Lia and her dad shared. It was so incredibly touching, it made my heart physically ache.

"That's what I want for you, Sunshine. More 'remember-whens'" - Dad to Lia

This story also covered organ donation, and what the families and patients awaiting an organ may experience. The anxiety and disappointment Lia and her family felt had me feeling really good about the fact that I am a registered organ donor, and have a directive in place to donate my body to science in the event of my death. Although this was a fictional story, it was based upon a real person, and there are many people out there, facing a fate very much like Lia's. I hope that a story like this will inspire others to learn more about organ donation, and perhaps, consider becoming a donor themselves.

I wouldn't call this an easy read. I actually need to thank Shannon for all her emotional support, but it was nonetheless a beautiful story, which really touched my heart.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Wanderlost
Jen Malone
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

It wasn't easy being the little sister, and Aubree had been living in her sister's shadow her entire life. When Aubree was forced to take her sister's place leading a European tour, she saw it has her opportunity to prove to her sister, and the rest of the family, that she was a mature and capable person. She not only demonstrated this to her family, but she confirmed it with herself.

I had such a wonderful time on this trip with Aubree! It's not a crime to be a little scared to step outside your comfort zone, but poor Aubree was shoved with both hands. At first, she relied heavily on the kindness of strangers, but with each baby step she took, her confidence grew, and she began to take ownership of this trip. It was such a delight to see her grow over the course of this book, and I sort of was proud of everything she accomplished.

And, how lucky was Aubree to have Sam. That boy was such a sweet little cinnamon roll. For a while, I only had heart-eyes for him. He was perfect! He was thoughtful and fun and caring and his interactions with Aubree made me giddy. But, you know what? I think I loved him even more, when I found out he had a few flaws. But, yeah, he definitely earned a place on the list of fictional suitors for my daughter.

Being in Europe was fantastic. This was one lucky tour group, because they did and saw so many amazing things. All the sights were fabulous, but even more fabulous was Aubree's tour group. You know I love old people, and this was a fun and feisty group of seniors. They shared so much of their wisdom with Aubree, and they definitely contributed to her growth process.

Wanderlost was a wonderful and adorable book, which allowed me to share so much laughter, warmth, and joy with this group of travelers.

Do you have a favorite crying book?

Let us know in the comments!