The Arrival of Someday

Eighteen-year-old Amelia (Lia) is fierce and full of bravado. She rules the rink at roller derby, rallies for causes, and has won a contest to paint a mural in nearby Harvard Square. But after she vomits blood in the middle of a derby bout, she learns that the rare disease she was born with, biliary atresia, is no longer under control, and she needs a liver transplant. Her best friend, Sibby, has started a campaign to find donors, and Lia’s distraught parents also try to better her chances of receiving a new organ. But it’s Will, her brother’s childhood friend, who offers Lia the most immediate help, distracting her from her worries until she’s forced to take a hard look at herself and what the future may hold. Malone (The Art of the Swap) frankly traces the changes in Lia’s physical and psychological states in this meticulously researched, grimly realistic portrait of a teen living with terminal illness. With its cast of convincing, empathic characters and touches of humor and hope, this heart-wrenching novel underscores the need for more organ donors. Ages 13–up. [em](July) [/em]