Contemporary YA discussion

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.


1. What did you like best about the book?
2. What did you like the least about the book?
3. Did any characters stand out to you?
4. Would you recommend this book?
5. Were there any lessons learned?
6. If you could ask the author one question what would it be?

Read... discuss and have fun!

I just finished...I recommend it for sure. It's hard to put into words how I feel about this book, without giving anything away. I would have given it more stars, but something happened that upset me.

I knew there was a twist coming and I knew what part of the twist was...the other part I didn't see coming. I understand why the author wrote it that way, but I would have preferred something slightly different. I wanted to see someone like Maddy with a disability overcome it.

What I liked best about this compelling story is the way the author describes Maddy’s world. It's so simple and Maddy is so grateful for every little detail. Maddy grows so much throughout the book. She was very courageous, especially for someone who was completely sheltered. So, one lesson is to appreciate the little things of everyday life....not just the big things.

I would love to ask the author how she came up with this story...what lead her to it.