Evie is living on borrowed time. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer several months ago and told that by now she'd be dead. Evie is grateful for every extra day she gets, but she knows that soon this disease will kill her. Until, miraculously, she may have a second chance to live. All Evie had wanted was her life back, but now that she has it, she feels like there's no place for her in it; at least, not for the girl she is now. Her friends and her parents still see her as Cancer Girl, and her boyfriend's constant, doting attention is suddenly nothing short of suffocating. Then Evie meets Marcus. She knows that he's trouble, but she can't help falling for him. Being near him makes her feel truly, fully alive. It's better than a drug. His kiss makes her feel invincible, but she may be at the beginning of the biggest free fall of her life. This book tackles aspect of the cancer journey experience that are often overlooked. Evie's reprieve from a terminal diagnosis is fraught by survivor's guilt, particularly as she believes that she inadvertently hastened the death of fellow cancer patient, Stella. Evie feels that she is in a sort of No Man's Land: she avoids her other hospital friend once she is discharged, but finds her former friends' and boyfriend trivial and boring. She ends up addicted to painkillers and her behaviour begins to spiral out of control, bringing her into repeated conflict with her family and friends. Marcus seems like an alternative to all the qualities and frivolous preoccupations that Evie can no longer bear in her friends. The ending of the book is ambivalent, readers can choose what to believe happens to Evie. Themes of depression, suicide, and drug addiction feature, which may be distressing for some readers. Novel.

Young Adult; Teenager; Adult