13-year-old Star is not going to die. She's got cystic fibrosis and the average life expectancy for kids with CF is about 19, but Star just won't accept that. She's not going to die. She's going to be a famous actress in NYC with a string of boyfriends and a huge group of friends. Never mind the fact that she's never had a boyfriend... or a best friend. All that changes when Courtney Cambridge comes to Hope House to share a room with her. But Courtney hates sick kids, so Star plays off her CF. Will Courtney still be her friend when she finds out just how sick Star really is?

Okay, if I had read this book when I was 12, I would have loved it. Reading it now, it has dated pop-culture references (Arsenio and Paula Abdul, among others) and the writing just doesn't match the caliber of YA available today. I picked it because because I have fond memories of seeing the play John Lennon & Me, which was inspired by this book. ( )