The Arrival of Someday

by Jen Malone

In this emotionally candid contemporary YA, author Jen Malone delves into the world of a teen whose life is brought to an abrupt halt when she learns she’s in dire need of an organ transplant.

Hard-charging and irrepressible, eighteen-year-old Amelia Linehan could see a roller derby opponent a mile away—and that’s while crouched down, bent over skates, and zooming around a track at the speed of light.

What she couldn’t see coming, however, was the flare-up of the rare liver disorder she was born with. But now it’s the only thing she—and everyone around her—can think about.  

With no guarantee of a viable organ transplant, everything Amelia’s been sure of—like college plans or the possibility of one day falling in love—has become a huge question mark, threatening to drag her down into a sea of what-ifs she’s desperate to avoid.

Then a friend from the past shows up. With Will, it’s easy to forget about what’s lurking between the lightness of their time together. She feels alive when all signs point elsewhere.

But with the odds decidedly not in her favor, Amelia knows this feeling can’t last forever. After all, what can?

• ISBN10: 0062795384
• ISBN13: 9780062795380
• Publish Date: 5 September 2019 (first published 23 July 2019)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 10 November 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperTeen
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars



I always think I know what I am getting myself into, when I opt to read a "sick kids" book, but still, I under estimate the emotional toll it will have on me. My advice for reading this book: grab a box of tissues and be ready to shed some tears, because it was painful, while also being really touching and beautiful.

Lia was such an incredible character. I first met her, while she was dominating on the roller derby track, so fierce and commanding. But, she was born with biliary atresia, and knew that, someday, she would need a new liver. Unfortunately, that someday had arrived during her derby practice.

This story followed Lia and her family as they tried to come to terms with Lia's illness and her possible impending death. Yes, very emotional stuff. Being in the head of an eighteen year old as she grappled with her own mortality was extremely difficult at times, but Malone really did a wonderful job with depicting Lia's feelings, and interspersing the heartbreaking moments with some joyful, fun, and lighthearted ones.

"Why does a disease only one person is afflicted with get to affect so many people?"

I must also comment Malone on how well she explored how Lia's illness affected her loved ones. As a parent, I was especially moved by many of the scenes involving Lia's mother and father. Their pain was palpable. There are tears currently streaming down my face, as I recall the heart-to-heart Lia and her dad shared. It was so incredibly touching, it made my heart physically ache.

"That's what I want for you, Sunshine. More 'remember-whens'" - Dad to Lia

This story also covered organ donation, and what the families and patients awaiting an organ may experience. The anxiety and disappointment Lia and her family felt had me feeling really good about the fact that I am a registered organ donor, and have a directive in place to donate my body to science in the event of my death. Although this was a fictional story, it was based upon a real person, and there are many people out there, facing a fate very much like Lia's. I hope that a story like this will inspire others to learn more about organ donation, and perhaps, consider becoming a donor themselves.

I wouldn't call this an easy read. I actually need to thank Shannon for all her emotional support, but it was nonetheless a beautiful story, which really touched my heart.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .

My heart! Oh, this book gave me the feels. But not all the feels were of a depressing sort, not even close! For a book about a very ill young woman, it manages to be incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. Lia faces an incredibly difficult battle, one that upends her life. She needs a liver. And they're not exactly selling them at Target. 

The story focuses not just on Lia's health though. Obviously, it's a big part of it, and we'll get to that. But her journey is about so much more. It's how her plans have to shift now that her body isn't cooperating. It's how her relationships have to grow and change and evolve. It's readjusting her outlook on life in general, with or without a transplant. It's a lot, basically. 

And luckily, Lia has some great people in her corner. Her best friend is one of my favorite characters, she's so charming and funny, and even though she and Lia have a few tiffs, you can clearly tell that her heart is always in the right place. Lia's family is equally incredible. I found her relationship with her brother (kind of distant, but you know they both absolutely care for and love each other) refreshingly honest. And her parents, wow. They're like, you know, good parents who'd move heaven and earth for their kid. And as Lia faces the unknown, she begins to realize how deep their love- and hers for them- goes.  There's not really romance here either, just a really good friendship with some extra feelings of "maybe". Which I feel was a really good choice for the story. Regardless, her more-than-a-friend-? is a fabulous guy, and he cares for Lia no matter in what capacity. Plus, he cares about the whole family, which earns him points in my book. 

One of the big takeaways from the book is how complex organ donation is. There's a bit of a plot point about making sure kids at school signed up and such, and while the method may have been a wee bit hokey, the message is good enough that I can overlook it. Point is, organ donation is a literal crapshoot. Luck of the draw. Did your blood type match that guy who just got hit by a car? It's your lucky day! And that, at it's crux, is the hardest to accept- if Lia wants an organ, it's going to be someone else's worst day.

And not enough people are organ donors. Hence why Lia remains ill for so long. Obviously, not every cause of death lends itself to organ donation. But if the unthinkable happened, I'd like to know that someone like Lia could benefit, even from the worst possible situation. 

Bottom Line: An incredibly touching and heartfelt book, Jen Malone has written another book I won't soon forget!