Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Today I am thrilled to be part of the blog tour for an upcoming release from Simon and Schuster. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott caught my attention because it offered up a different take on young adult contemporary novels and the romances included within them. It also didn't hurt that I had already seen the trailer for the movie adaptation and was excited to read the book before seeing the movie. You can check out my thoughts about the book below, but please also stop by the other blog tour stops for interviews, other reviews, giveaways, and so much more! 

November 12 – That Artsy Reader Girl

November 13 – Vivacious Bibliophile

November 14 – A Gingerly Review

November 15 – Life of a Simple Reader

November 16 – A Glass of Wine

November 17 – Book is Glee

November 19 – Bumbles and Fairytales

November 20 – Adventures of a Book Junkie

November 21 – Jen Ryland Reviews

November 22 – Joyous Reads

November 23 – Chasing Faerytales

November 24 – Folded Pages Distillery

November 26 – Oh, Hey! Books

November 27 – Book Briefs

November 28 – Novel Knight Book Reviews

November 29 – A Dream within a Dream

November 30 – My Guilty Obsession

The movie adaptation will be released March  22, 2019 so you'll have plenty of time to read the book before you see it. It stars Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson and the first trailer has already been released!

Don't forget to enter below to win a copy for yourself! It is open to USA residents only,  however and can be found after my review.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Release Date - November 20, 2018
Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  288 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

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.

Thank s to Simon and Schuster I have a copy of  Five Feet Apart to give to one lucky winner. To enter fill out the Rafflecopter below. Giveaway is open to USA residents only!

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