A Rose for Melinda by Lurlene McDaniel

This book. I don't even know. To begin with, this book is about two friends, Melinda and Jesse, who have known each other for years. Jesse ends up moving away but they stay in contact and are still the best of friends. Then, Melinda is struck by leukemia and this is even more devastating because she was accepted into a prestigious dance program but can't dance anymore. This whole book is essentially about her friendship with Jesse, how it may turn into something more, and how she deals with her leukemia.

Somethings that really stand out to me about this book is that is is super short. You can easily read it in one short sitting. It also is told entirely through doctor's notes, e-mails, and journal entries. Despite that, I didn't think that the book was lacking in character interactions at all. Finally, it just struck a chord in me. It was very much like a real illness battle. There was a constant worry about Melinda's health and you were never sure how it would play out.

This was probably the most invested I was in a stand alone book in a long time. Everything about it was so real. There never any guarantee that Melinda would be okay or that any of the opportunities presented to her would come true. It is definitely the most real and honest book I've read. The end had me sobbing hysterically for fifteen minutes straight. An amazing, life changing book. 5 out of 5 stars.