The Loose Ends List - Hardcover

Firestone, Carrie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316382825 ISBN 13: 9780316382823

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016

Synopsis

A refreshing, funny, and moving debut novel about first loves, last wishes, and letting go.
Seventeen-year-old Maddie O'Neill Levine lives a charmed life, and is primed to spend the perfect pre-college summer with her best friends and young-at-heart socialite grandmother (also Maddie's closest confidante), tying up high school loose ends. Maddie's plans change the instant Gram announces that she is terminally ill and has booked the family on a secret "death with dignity" cruise ship so that she can leave the world in her own unconventional way - and give the O'Neill clan an unforgettable summer of dreams-come-true in the process.
Soon, Maddie is on the trip of a lifetime with her over-the-top family. As they travel the globe, Maddie bonds with other passengers and falls for Enzo, who is processing his own grief. But despite the laughter, headiness of first love, and excitement of glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram. She struggles to find the strength to say good-bye in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, loss, and the power of forgiveness.

About this title

About the Author:

Carrie Firestone is a former New York City high school teacher who now lives and writes in Connecticut.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 9 Up—Maddie O'Neill Levine and her grandmother, Astrid North O'Neill, are best friends. That is, until her Gram announces to her family that she has terminal cancer and has arranged for one last trip, a secret "death with dignity" cruise on the Wishwell. Maddie had planned to hang with her friends by the lake all summer, but instead her family drops everything for one last trip with their dying Gram. They embark on a voyage of discovery that serves as a catalyst to discuss death, dying, and grief, where the cousins, especially Maddie, are forced to grow up. The trip starts with Maddie's immediate O'Neill family, but by the end "the Wishwellian" ship becomes a family brought together by death. The characters on the ship are relatable, endearing, and lovable. Filled with equal amounts of laugh- and tear-inducing moments, this debut novel will be impossible to put down. Fans of Jenny Downham's Before I Die or Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You will enjoy this unique story about dying on one's own terms. Mentions of drinking, drugs, and sex make this title appropriate for older readers. VERDICT With its fresh, original plot and thought-provoking themes, this title will have a high teen appeal.—Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country School, NY

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0316382825
• ISBN 13: 9780316382823
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352