The Title definitely was the reason i suggested this book and i love anything that is powerful and moves you to think and this book didn't disappoint.

Reading about other people's lives and see what they do to uplift the situation and the devastation that they went through was just moving. This will stick with me for a long time to come.

Check the triggers in this book before reading even though the subject is heavy i still will recommend the book.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I must confess I totally picked this book because of the author’s name being the same as mine. Let me tell you this was dumb because based on the title I knew how the book ended and it was weird to read about a dying Mallory Smith. I was very intrigued about the journals of someone with chronic illness knowing they were dying and how honest they would be. I would say all of this book felt brutally honest and I appreciated the glimpse into her mind, even if some parts were much more interesting to me than others. I loved that there were snippets or even full journal entries from Mallory’s loved ones, especially at the more chaotic parts of her journey. The title is not lying, this book is heavy and did leave me feeling sad, but it was also interesting as I will admit I didn’t know much about people living with CF. Overall I gave it 3.5 stars rounded up because of the brutal honesty and raw emotional state of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 5/7/24!

This book is not my typical genre recently; however, I was intrigued by the book’s cover and title. This is the type of book that I know is going to stick with me for a long time to come. This book is powerful and moving not just within its pages but also as it applies to the readers’ own lives. Equal parts uplifting and devastating, I knew how this book was going to end based on the foreword but that didn’t stop me from having an emotional reaction. I do highly recommend giving this one a read, but as the subject matter can be heavy please check any relevant trigger warnings before doing so.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was a heart wrenching read. The storyline is written in diary entries and the format really kept the story flowing. The sadness and hope jump off the page.

This book has my heart! I love the format of the diary entries, which emphasizes the emotional impact of a terminal illness. It truly makes you reflect on the themes of life and death, especially at a young age. I also love the representation of terminal illness and cystic fibrosis. This is a disease that is so tragic but I love how Mallory embraced the mantra of "live happy." I also loved how this book portrayed her struggles as well and didn't paint a one-dimensional picture of the disease. It was an inspirational story that will encourage its readers to live life to the fullest!

Earlier this year, I had reread This Star Won’t Go Out by Esther Earl. Upon finishing, I was interested in reading similar memoirs written by young people about living with a terminal illness or cancer. Lo and behold, when I saw this book I immediately wanted to read it, and I feel so honored that I got an opportunity to.

I don’t exactly want to compare these two books, as each very much contain their own journey and have left their own unique marks on the world. But for me, I got so much more out of reading Mallory’s memoir and think it deserves the legacy that Mallory had hoped for, writing from firsthand experience as a teenager living with a terminal disease. Told through diary entries, it’s clear from the start that Mallory possessed such a deep level of self awareness and emotional intelligence which allowed her to narrate the ups and downs of her journey, not merely in living with a chronic terminal illness but in being a typical teenager--and the gamut of complex emotions that coincide with that.

In fact, I think what makes Mallory’s memoir stand out is precisely because her story isn’t just defined by her illness. There are moments within her memoir that readers will find themselves relating to and may even find helpful, including but not limited to discussions around mental health, examining one’s own life journey, and ultimately trying to make sense of it all and what our purpose is. The way Mallory writes too is so deeply personable and candid, it feels like reading the thoughts of a friend. And it’s through this instant connection to her through her words that will inevitably draw readers to her memoir, allowing them to get to know her and her story that she’s left behind.

The quick cut: The diary entries of a girl who died from Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 25.

A real review:
Thank you to Random House Children's for providing the arc for an honest review.

Would you change how you live your life based on a medical diagnosis? For Mallory Smith, the answer was a yes when she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at the age of three.

Cystic Fibrosis (or CF) is a genetic medical condition that causes the body to produce thick mucus that clogs airways and damages the lungs. It's deadly, difficult to live with, and the life span for those with it is shorter. For frame of reference, the below is from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation:

"Based on 2022 Registry data, the life expectancy of people with CF who are born between 2018 and 2022 is predicted to be 56 years. Data from the 2021 Registry show that of the babies who are born in 2021, half are predicted to live to be 65 years or older."

I'm a big proponent for getting disability stories out there. We need more people speaking to their experience so that others can properly understand, empathize, and provide helpful support. This book though, is one I cannot recommend.

Why can't I recommend this book? For one simple reason: this book is clearly written to be disability porn (aka disability focused inspiration porn). For those unfamiliar with the term, inspiration porn is a term used to describe the objectification of disabled people and their experiences for the benefit of non-disabled people. Mallory plays sports, has friends, and becomes a well known advocate in the CF community. She's meant to be inspiring and a beacon of what you can do with this genetic condition. The truth is that she had many of those opportunities due to privilege, not some inspirational power of will.

Mallory's journal entries fall into two generic topics: CF conversations and life choices. The life choices she talks about the most are relationships, boyfriends, and sports she played. The CF conversations are actually really insightful when it comes what CF patient's life is like. I loved that part.

The life choices part of her entries really only served to point out how privileged Mallory was. She went to Stanford, moved multiple times to get the best care, and had multiple opportunities to do exclusive work many could never dream of. I genuinely lost count of how many times she went to Hawaii she went so often. She had the resources and support available to get her the best care. This is the exception, not the rule. I would love to hear someone's experience who is of average privilege and resources. That would tell us so much more about how the medical system needs to improve.

A book that fails to tell a true disability story and provides inspiration porn instead.

My rating: 1 out of 5

Diary of a Dying Girl is a collection of Mallory Smith's unflinching diary entries about slowly dying of a terminal illness, Cystic Fibrosis. Many of her feelings were too difficult to share while alive so she kept them in a password-protected journal. Diagnosed at age three with an illness that attacks the internal organs, she lived to the fullest on borrowed time.

The title is what initially grabbed my attention with this new release. What could the diary entries of a dying girl be about? How honest are her journals? Will it help loved ones understand? Will her thoughts mirror mine? Not as a dying girl but as a girl living with a chronic illness.

Diary of a Dying Girl is full of happy and struggling moments. She writes about love, sex, volleyball, the environment, school, friends and family. Toward the end of the book are diary entries from loved ones that give more perspective to her illness, hospitalization and last days.

Mallory Smith passed away at 25 years old, two months after receiving a double lung transplant. Her words will live on in this memoir. It is beautifully written with the innocence of a young intelligent girl with legit fears and wisdom beyond her years.

Happy Early Pub Day! Diary of a Dying Girl will be available Tuesday, May 7.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Enjoyed the format of being written in diary entries. A sad, emotional and inspiring story. Be sure to give this a try. Take you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read.
5

#NetGalleyARC I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot from it. I highly enjoy reading about people and learning about their lives, especially when the story is told in their own words. I haven't read the original adaptation but I may now. A great and must read.

Thanks to the publishers at Random House Children's and NetGalley for letting me read this book and write a review. Mallory Smith's stories will continue to be told through her diary entries. The book is written in a diary format. It also shows how Mallory grew up with Cystic Fibrosis and how she manages it.

First of all, I loved the way this was written with the diary entries - I think it really helped us to get inside of Mallory's head and develop her character. This was a very informative and empowering read that I hope others will pick up to develop more inclusivity and compassion for others. Even if readers don't face CF on their own, they can still relate to the same social pressures and desires that Mallory does as a teen. Thanks so much for this ARC!

It was honestly a difficult read about a girl who has so much potential and receives so much love. Through her diary entries, we learn so much about her as she reveals her innermost thoughts and emotions. Her story serves as a reminder of the importance of embracing tough moments with courage and resiliencem Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.