A review by valiant
When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney

5.0

This is one of those books that when you turn the final page, you sigh in disappointment because it's over. When You Were Here is poignant (I feel like I write that in every review but it actually does have a lot of reflection that just punches you in the heart) and hilarious all at the same time.

All Danny wants is for his mother, diagnosed with terminal cancer, to make it to his graduation. She died two months short. This hit home for me because I've had friends and loved ones in this situation and it sucks. He goes to Tokyo and discovers that emotional and spiritual healing can be almost as therapeutic as physical healing.

Okay. Now that the sappiness and cliche is out of the way, this book was great. The writing and voice were believable, with a unique mix of tragedy and humor. I truly felt for Danny and for Holland and I could empathize with Kana who was the perfect addition as a female BFF for Danny in Tokyo (take that, naysayers who say guys and girls can never truly just be friends!)

This book just left me wanting more.

I want to know every detail of Holland and Danny's relationship, I'm dying to know if Kana ever gets out of Tokyo like she wants, I want to know if the lilacs ever bloom in the graveyard... So many things!