I stumbled upon 'Now is Good' during a weekend library crawl, and its premise hooked me instantly. The novel follows Tessa, a teenage girl diagnosed with terminal leukemia, who decides to compile a bucket list of experiences she wants to have before she dies. The story navigates her relationships—especially with her overprotective family and her neighbor Adam, who becomes her unexpected ally in ticking off items like 'fall in love' and 'break the rules.' What struck me was how it balances raw emotional moments with dark humor, making grief feel achingly real yet oddly uplifting.
I couldn’t help but compare it to films like 'The Fault in Our Stars,' but 'Now is Good' stands out for its British setting and Tessa’s sharper, more rebellious voice. The way she grapples with mundane frustrations (like her dad’s helicopter parenting) alongside existential dread makes her feel like someone you’d know. The book doesn’t sugarcoat illness, but it also refuses to be a sob story—it’s about stolen joys, like sneaking out to a party or tasting champagne for the first time. By the end, I was a mess, but in that cathartic way where you’re grateful for the ugly-cry.