I love YA books, and Rachael Lippincott's Five Feet Apart was right up my alley. I also love a good star-crossed lovers story, and this one was so poignant. Will and Stella are teenagers, who both have cystic fibrosis and who have spent a lot of their lives in and out of the hospital. When they end up at the same hospital for extended times, they become reluctant friends, and then more. As their relationship develops, Lippincott aptly shows the struggles of chronic illness, and especially living with a chronic illness as a teenager. I loved both of these characters, and the message about taking control where you can and living your life on your own terms.

There were a few scenes that bothered me in that it seemed like Will and Stella made took risks that seemed really over the top, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I think YA readers will devour it.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. How absurd this story seemed two years ago when it came out, now everyone's life is about staying x amount of feed away from each other.

What a bittersweet romance! I loved the two main leads and I think it’s such an important story, diverse, and really touching. It’ll definitely make you cry.

At students' request, I used this title for a student book club selection in fall 2019. The students enjoyed it, and we had good discussions about how it's journey from movie-to-book made it a little different from most book-to-movie adaptations.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers tells the story of Stella and Will. Stella has admitted herself into the hospital she’s been treated in most of her life. She has cystic fibrosis and now she has a fever and sore throat that has landed her in the hospital again. The staff and other CF patients know her well but she meets a new patient, Will. Eight months ago, Will found out that he has a fatal illness to go along with the CF he already has and he’s in the hospital for a drug trial. He’s tired of being trapped in hospitals and just wants to enjoy life. Will seems to not care about getting better while Stella is compulsive about her strict medical routine. The more I read, the more the story revealed about Stella’s and Will’s lives and their families. The daily CF routines are difficult and time-consuming and if there’s no improvement, the patient struggles to see any benefit. Full of loyalty and friendship, Five Feet Apart lets us see deeper into the difficulties of having cystic fibrosis and the tragedy of young people knowing nothing else but medical treatments and a short life span hovering in their futures. Heartbreaking, hopeful and inspiring all at the same time, 4 stars!

Those who know about cystic fibrosis are aware of the rule that those who have it must stay six feet apart from others who also have it. It's too easy for bacteria to pass between them which could cause infection. Five Feet Apart takes this element and weaves a touching love story out of it. It's a story where you know the romance is doomed going in but makes you enjoy the journey all the same.

The dual narration worked especially well here. The voices of the characters are distinct and easily definable. I often worry about multiple narrations sounding the same but that was not the case here. Lippincott manages to make both Stella and Will come alive through her words and weaves a story that feels true for those characters.

The romance is going to easily win readers over. Will and Stella have a banter that feels electric from the moment they meet. There is something about the connection that sparks even as they drive each other crazy. Their mutual curiosity about each other deepens into a friendship and finally into the something more that was always under the surface. There is a bit of an 'opposites attract' to their relationship that really works. Stella needs to be in control and takes her treatments very seriously. They are going to be what gives her more time. Will, however, just wants to live his life as fully as possible before that is no longer an option. The relationship works because of what they bring out in each other. The character growth that happens as a result makes the romance feel richer and far more interesting.

The sense of unease that is felt from the moment you read is part of what makes this story work. We know that the romance is not viable. It is medically unhealthy for these two characters to be together. It is a ticking clock that means it is not a question of this relationship ending but instead one of how. The reader is made uneasy because we don't know what will drive them apart. The entire book is spent waiting for that moment and dreading it just as much. I think this is handled incredibly well here. It's something built into the story that adds another layer to it that creates a different sort of urgency.

I knew almost nothing about cystic fibrosis before I read this book, and as a result, I cannot speak to how accurately it is depicted within this story. I do, however, feel confident in saying that this book paints a vivid and stark picture of what it would be like to be a teenager dealing with an illness that will significantly lower your life span. The emotion toil it takes on not just them but those around them is palpable. The feeling of not living life as fully as possible before it is too late is in every page. This book does a great job in showcasing that it is different for different people which is important. Each person's experience is going to be unique and Will and Stella signify that.

My only minor quibble about this story is that I wanted so much more from the side characters. Poe, in particular, was so interesting that I wanted to get to know more about him. It's a minor thing, and one that is not even a real issue. It's just me wanting more of some characters that managed to leave a an impression.

I predict this will be a hit with anyone who enjoyed John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. Lippincott's novel offers up a bittersweet ending that manages to make you ache but also leaves you with hope. Those looking for a tear inducing read that also has a plenty of swoon and laughs should pick this one up.

While this story didn't feel "authentic" I think many readers will appreciate it. The characters are well written and teens will adore the romantic story line.

Perfect for fans of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon. Five Feet Apart is a love story of two teens with cystic fibrosis. While they know their lives are shortened and fragile, they take the risk and fall in love. Unable to be physically close to one another due to their fragile health, they bond as much as they can. They both realize how precious life is and take risks which could be harmful to their health because both realize that they are not truly living life as teens should.

This was a tough and emotional read. I knew only a little about CF (cystic fibrosis) and learned a lot more through reading this book.

You can read more about CF here, but basically it is a genetic disease that, among other things, causes thick, sticky mucus to build up inside the lungs, creating an ideal environment for bacterial infections.

And that’s the explanation behind the title. Germs spread through airborne droplets can travel six feet through the air. So CF patients are often advised to always stay at least six feet away from one another.

Will and Stella meet in the hospital. They both know the rules. Stella is on the list for a lung transplant. Will is participating in a clinical trial for a new drug that he hopes will eradicate an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that’s in his lungs.

Claire is a type-A personality and always follows the rules. (She’s also working on an app to help patients manage their treatment and medications.) Will is more of a cynic. They fall in love. And Claire declares that all that CF has stolen from her, she’s stealing something back. One foot. As she and Will inch both literally and emotionally closer, what will the consequences be?

As you can probably guess, there is a lot of sadness in this story. Reading about the lives of young patients struggling with a life-threatening chronic illness was both sobering and inspiring.

***Actual rating: 4/5 Carpe Diem Stars***

I’ve got to say that Five Feet Apart is definitely a book worthy of pondering on over and over again even after re-reading it several times. Honestly, I didn’t resonate with the protagonists very much when I first read the book because of all the resemblances with John Green’s irreplaceable The Fault in Our Stars and Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You. Fortunately, the overall concept of the story started to grow on me the more I recalled the details of the characters’ experiences and those lessons of life they learnt from the hard way.

When life brought Stella, a CFer (a.k.a. someone who had cystic fibrosis and whose lungs couldn’t function normally), and Will, another CFer with a more unpredictable/rare disease called B. cepacia (short for Burkholderia cepacia), which might easily infect the other CFers with a simple touch. Thus, Stella and Will’s Golden Rule of all time: Stay Six Feet Apart From Each Other. Well, that was before their little encounter in the hospital Stella stayed when her lungs failed her…once again.
The biggest difference between Stella and Will was that the former always stuck to her “Master To-Do List” whereas the latter believed in living in the moment and never regretted anything he’d done. As cliché as this might sound, I personally loved how their stories intertwined and the way the author plotted out everything they went through together. I loved how Will not only persuaded Stella to step out of her comfort zone but also motivated her to take the dare in her seemingly short life filled with uncertainty.

My favorite scene was definitely the last part where Stella and Will finally went exploring the beautiful-yet-always-far-away lights in the distance—yep, even though they were supposed to be confined in the hospital—once they realized they literally had nothing to lose. Not that I was encouraging you to live out loud like no tomorrow; it just hit me that perhaps “carpe diem” served as the right mindset all this time when we had doubts in life and everything made much more sense with this thought in mind.

Aside from the incredibly heartwarming storyline, I also appreciated the character development throughout the book. Both Stella and Will had their own distinctive personality but somehow, they managed to better each other with what they experienced together. As a huge romance fan, I was pretty satisfied with the subtle romantic element in this book. To put it differently, I was glad the author didn’t sugarcoat the slightly forbidden chemistry between Stella and Will or put too much emphasis on the immense power of LOVE. Granted, love might cure a lot of things but when it comes to congenital diseases, you truly never knew.

Before wrapping up my review, I’d like to share something about the open ending, meaning there wasn’t a direct, certain conclusion to the story. There were lots of possibilities and what-ifs that I couldn’t seem to stop dreaming about because Stella and Will changed so much by the end of the story. To be honest, the ending torn me apart since I wasn’t sure what to expect or what’d turn out for them. Hence, the only reason I didn’t give this book a 5/5 star was because I’d rather get an obvious outcome than being left cliff-hung.

All in all, Five Feet Apart was surely a book not to miss! Will and Stella’s story would make you cry and laugh and left an unforgettable impression on you once you were finished. Besides, the movie trailer looked soooo good that I couldn’t wait until next March!! Last but not least, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Five Feet Apart and hope you’ll enjoy the book and the movie as much as I do.

***Massive thanks to the wonderful publisher for including me in the Five Feet Apart blog tour.***

Rating: 2/2.5This was very reminiscent of A Fault in Our Stars, and Me Earl and the Dying Girl. Besides the change in disease not much else was different. It comes down to your basic YA contemporary. There's a boy with a chip on his shoulder, a girl who has "control issues" and just needs a boy to change her, a best friend to add some comic relief, and an insta love storyline to tie it all together. This wasn't a bad book by any means just your typical YA--which I have grown tired of. I really only read this because the trailer for the movie caught my attention. I can't speak to the accuracy of CF in this book so I won't touch on that. I think this might translate better in movie format (which comes out soon). I just think the romance felt too rushed and it felt a little to tidy and Disney PG to get any sort of strong reaction from me. Still will watch the movie to compare.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did not expect to enjoy Five Feet Apart as much as I did. First of all, I'm a fan of happy endings, and no story about two terminal people falling in love has ever ended well; secondly, I knew next to nothing about cystic fibrosis and thought I would have to Google a lot more than I actually did.

In the end, however, the book really touched me. The romance was swoon-worthy and the medical aspect was not so technical that I had no idea what was going on. The characters were slightly unrealistic and seemed too mature for their age, but none of that took away from the plot. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will be looking forward to the movie next year.

What a story! Stella and Will's friendship is one that will stay with me long after this read. The two have cystic fibrosis, and the research done by the author shows not only in the details, but also in the way that the characters interact: They must be at least six feet apart at all times to avoid cross-infection of common bacterias in cystic fibrosis patients, which could kill, or, if the infection isn't treatable, make them ineligible for a lung transplant. The story begins with Stella's admission to St. Grace's, the hospital she has known her entire life. Thankfully, her best friend, Poe, is also inpatient. Though they've known each other since they were little, the two have never been closer than six feet because they both have cystic fibrosis. Their friendship is shared from a distance, but it's closer than ever. It seems like a typical stay, until Will shows up and changes Stella's life forever. This is a story about forbidden love, but it's also about learning to grow, grieve, and live beyond. Despite a few reservations (events in the book, small plot holes), I would recommend this book!

I think this book (and movie) will be a hit with teens. It is very sweet and would appeal to readers who liked The Fault in Our Stars or Everything Everything. I did feel some parts of this book were a bit slow, but overall it’s a hit.

Imagine falling head over heels in love with someone that you can never come more than 6 feet in contact with because getting too close could threaten your already fragile life. This is exactly what happens to Stella Grant in Rachael Lippincott’s debut novel Five Feet Apart.

Stella has cystic fibrosis and has been in and out of Saint Grace’s Hospital for more than a decade. Stella is on the waiting list for a new set of lungs, but in the meantime, she tries to live as normal a life as possible - marking things off of her ever-growing to-do list, educating the world about CF through her YouTube channel, planning her school’s senior trip to Cabo, and building an app to remind patients when to take their medication. That is, except for times like these when her lungs land her back in Saint Grace’s for weeks or months at a time.

While residing at Saint Grave’s for a round of antibiotics that are supposed to help her finally shake a lingering sore throat and fever, Stella meets Will Newman, a new patient on the CF wing. At first Stella is disgusted and infuriated by Will, who takes a laissez-faire approach to his treatments and is pretty cavalier about his life in general. Stella, who has a typical Type A personality, can’t imagine anyone with CF blatantly refusing to take their medications or participate in treatments.

However, as Stella and Will get to know each other better, they find themselves attracted to one another despite their differences ... there’s just one kind of huge problem. CF patients aren’t normally allowed to hang out in close proximity with each other due to an increased risk of spreading infection, but even more so in the case of Will. See Will has B. cepacia, an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria that will take years off of his already short life span. B. cepacia is incurable and those who have it will likely never receive a new set of lungs.

Not only does Will have to deal with his fate every single day of his life, he now also has the problem of being a teenager falling in love over a distant of six feet - six feet being the amount of space that must be kept between Will and other CF patients at all times. Can Will and Stella find a way to bridge a gap that feels as large, dark, and deep as an ocean?

The first thing you notice about Five Feet Apart is how well it’s written. This is a YA novel with some depth. It’s easy to quickly become immersed in Lippincott’s descriptions of hospital life and cystic fibrosis treatment. Lippincott turns hospitals - institutions that many view as cold, haunting places - into something more warm and welcoming. Because Stella and many of her fellow CF patients have spent large parts of their lives in and out of Saint Grace’s, the hospital staff there is like their second family. It is heartwarming to read about the relationships and level of concern and care between the patients and hospital staff. Lippincott also brings to life the disease that is cystic fibrosis, introducing readers to the many treatments and obstacles that CF patients face.

Even better are the characters of Stella and Will. Lippincott’s portrayal of her two central characters is vibrant and vivid, and readers will really feel like they know these two by the end of the novel. It is also not hard to “ship” their budding relationship - they are absolutely adorable together and are a joy to read about.

In all, Five Feet Apart is a swoon-worthy teen romance that can appeal to young and old alike. It is sure to be enjoyed by all who love well-crafted passages and memorable characters. Plus, the cover is gorgeous - how can you not pick up this novel?! There’s even a cherry on top here - Five Feet Apart is set to be released on the big screen in March 2019! Be sure to read it before you see it because this novel is sure to get a lot of buzz in the coming months.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book. I sat down thinking I'd get a taste of it this evening and . . . I needed the full serving at once. This will be a tough book for anyone to put down - you get caught up in the two characters' (Stella and Will) lives as they both take different approaches to fighting their cystic fibrosis. While at first they seem miles apart in their mindsets, the author does a great job of showing their gradual transformations to a new way of thinking about their disease and what it really means to live. Fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars will not want to miss this novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-arc copy of this novel. I really appreciate it. Five Feet Apart is a sweet, yet sad love story about how we sometimes just need to live moment to moment. I enjoyed the main characters and teens will enjoy the heartfelt romance.

This book is great for John Green fans and Everything Everything fans. It was everything that I thought it was going to be. It's full of emotion and great characters. It's sure to be popular among teens.... especially with the movie coming out. I'm curious to see how the two will compare. I will definitely be buying this one for my library.

Lippincott, Rachael. Five Feet Apart. Simon Schuster BYR, 2018.

Stella is in the hospital hoping for a lung transplant that will extend her lifespan, which has been shortened by her cystic fibrosis. She is creating an app for people with chronic conditions, to help them manage their medications and other treatments. Will, on the other hand, is fed up with treatments, hospitals, and the way his mom brings him from location to location to try every new experimental treatment in the hope that someone will cure him. As they both have CF, they are never supposed to be closer than six feet apart. Stella's organization clashes with Will's rule-breaking until they discover they are perfect for each other.

If you enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars or other books about teens with life-threatening illnesses, this is the perfect book for you. Stella's and Will's personality clashes are hilariously entertaining as the reader gets to watch each of them frustrate and be frustrated by the other one. The storyline is a pretty typical one for this type of story: boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love but can't be together, boy and girl make unwise choices because LOVE, etc. etc.

This book wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, but I can definitely see it being popular with teens in the library, especially as the movie is slated to come out at the same time as the book. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: some language
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Everything, Everything; The Fault in Our Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.