A review by emjm
Six Months to Live by Lurlene McDaniel

4.0

LURLENE, YOU CRAZY SICK-KID-OBSESSED WOMAN. Like a moth to a flame, like the recovering addict in a crack den, so too was I, between the ages of 11-14, to the collection of sick-kids-dying books written at the hands of Miss Lurlene in the school library. I wish I knew how many times I read Dawn Rochelle's story, or that one about the high school senior that dies in a car wreck, which leads to her best friend and boyfriend trauma-bonding in her absence. Good times. I'm sure these books were totally healthy reading material for a child already predisposed to overthinking.

I can trace many of my current mental issues and reservations about life to this woman. How dare she. The temptation to buy the whole collection, reread, and dig up what I loved about these is strong, and likely cheaper than therapy. Maybe I will. It's been at least 15 years since I read this, but anything that can affect me so surely deserves at least 4 stars.

Also, I was obsessed with Dawn's brother in this series. He was, in my 13-year-old self's eye, the dream guy. I can still remember being shaken to my core when he did a bone marrow transplant for her. Iconic.

UPDATE: Apparently being obsessed with sick kid books is a bonafide personality trait for some of us, as shown here . Love that!