Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

I recently had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Megan Bostic's debut novel NEVER EIGHTEEN. I met Megan the first year I entered the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards and I've followed her career since. NEVER EIGHTEEN was published by New York giant Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Megan invited me to be one of fifty friends and family to participate in a unique grassroots campaign to promote her book.

NEVER EIGHTEEN is a poignant story of a young man who will never see his eighteenth birthday. Austin Parker decides not to undergo another round of chemotherapy. He courageously accepts his impending death and vows to make a difference in the lives of those around him before the end comes. Austin has a bucket list, and one special person he knows he can depend on to help him in his last mission.

I was reminded of Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther, a classic published in 1949 and read in schools by generations of young readers. That book touched me in a powerful way when I was young. NEVER EIGHTEEN could very well become a comparable book of this millennium. The prose is fresh, real, and at times raw. Megan has an amazing knack of writing with the voice of a seventeen year old male.

The thoughts, emotions, and actions of Austin Parker are intense and believable. I was immediately drawn into his life, the lives of those close to him, and his mission of spreading hope. The author shows both insight into the culture of her young adult audience, and a wisdom far beyond her own years. The emotionally difficult subject is handled with thoughtful honesty and life affirming hope. I would recommend NEVER EIGHTEEN to any older teen or young adult.

As I said, I received NEVER EIGHTEEN as part of a special grass roots promotion. The author is calling this promotion Project: Pass It On. It is a very fitting idea for the story. We were asked to pass the book on in some unique way and ask the recipient to do the same. I've thought a lot about how I would pass my copy of NEVER EIGHTEEN on, and to whom. So here's the promotion part ;-)

As an author myself I decided to "Pass It On" to a fellow writer and ask them to do the same. As a unique twist I'll ask each writer who reads NEVER EIGHTEEN to sign it, write a brief email to Megan which she can post on her blog about the experience and who they passed it to, and after 17 writer/readers the book will be returned to Megan as a keepsake.

If you would like to take part in this chain of writers send me an email. I will compile a list of 17 writers who will participate and track the books progress until its return to the author.