Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt

Send Me a Sign is an emotional YA realistic fiction book about life with cancer. Mia is a superstitious person, and she looks for signs everywhere. A sign that she never thought she would have to look for is if she survives leukemia. Her friends would never understand, and Mia does not want to be pitied. So she keeps her diagnosis a secret and attempts to still be a normal teen, AP classes and all. All signs with treatment show a high chance of survival, but her social and family life has a high likelihood of crumbling. She used to have everything- friends, cheerleading, a boyfriend, and a supportive family.

But as her condition worsens and becomes harder to hide, she slowly loses everything that has ever made her happy. Mia starts to wonder if a life like this is worth living at all, and begins to give up. Just when it feels like she has nothing left to hold on to, she realizes that what she wanted was right in front of her the whole time.

This is a shockingly realistic, emotional view of what having cancer is like. Mia's pain and mental agony screamed out at me. I wish I was in the book to comfort her, or at least be her friend. Despite the strength she showed on the outside, she was this little girl scared and alone. She made some pretty awful decisions that come back to haunt her, and teach a valuable lesson in friendship.

While some readers will think that Mia is inexcusably self-absorbed, I will say that once again, we see that nobody is perfect. Mia clearly showcases humanity's imperfections. Out of all the books I have read, Send Me A Sign has some of the rawest emotions. Regardless of cancer, everybody will be hit hard with this book and question their own values and friendships.

I highly recommend Send Me A Sign, and I would gladly read this book again!

Title: Send Me a Sign
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Pages: 384 Pages
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
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