Preview: The F-It List by Julie Halpern

With her signature heart and humor, Julie Halpern explores a strained friendship strengthened by one girl’s battle with cancer.

Alex’s father recently died in a car accident. And on the night of his funeral, her best friend Becca slept with Alex’s boyfriend. So things aren’t great. Alex steps away from her friendship with Becca and focuses on her family.

But when Alex finally decides to forgive Becca, she finds out something that will change her world again—Becca has cancer.

So what do you do when your best friend has cancer? You help her shave her head. And then you take her bucket list and try to fulfill it on her behalf. Because if that’s all you can do to help your ailing friend—you do it.

I am a huge Julie Halpern fan; I wanted to read this book before I even knew what it was about, just because she wrote it. And I have to say, my faith was undeniably rewarded. The F-It List isn't just about cancer and personal tragedy, though clearly these elements play a large part in this story—it's about the ways we respond to these terrible things and how we learn to grow. Incredibly personal, deeply emotional, and more than just a little bit sexy, The F-It List is a spectacular contemporary read.

Rating: 4.75

Review copy from Macmillan