Twyla Vogel, 14, lives by her late mother's assurance that "everything happens for a reason." When she starts experiencing symptoms that won't go away and the doctors' diagnoses don't make sense, she's convinced there's a reason. Things only get worse when her best friends start acting fishy outside of school, her relationship with her father devolves into fights over her health, and she has confusing feelings for a boy l while her symptoms continue. She's plagued by nausea, convinced she must have an allergy that's wreaking havoc in her life, but the doctors won't take her concerns seriously. No matter what she does, she can't figure out why all of these things are happening, and she feels like she's broken. Twyla is at times immature in her attempts to fix the problems in her life and harsh to her younger brother, but her emotional arc feels appropriate for her age and the frightening health insecurity she faces. Overall, Stocker's young adult debut packs a hefty punch, building to a crescendo of emotions and a satisfying conclusion.

A competitive athlete battles grief over her mother's death as well as mysterious, increasingly unbearable health issuesAfter a week of stomach upsets that strike randomly, 14-year-old Twyla Vogel feels nauseated before her field hockey game. At first, she doesn't want to admit to her pain for fear of being pulled from the summer tournament, but her symptoms worsen. Soon, she begins experiencing headaches, vision issues, and lack of appetite, and the doctor diagnoses her with constipation. Twyla is convinced that he's wrong, however. Her science class at school is covering genetics, and Twyla wonders whether her mother's death several years ago might be related to her current health issues. She finds her mother's autopsy report, which provides surprising news. Meanwhile, Twyla's two best friends are avoiding her, and she doesn't know why. Tender scenes between Twyla and her curious, talkative younger brother provide much-needed relief from the tension and drama of her health concerns and friend issues. Mama Rose, her friend's mom, and Ms. Givens, her coach, neighbor, and AP Biology teacher, are supportive bonus adults in Twyla's life who add realism and hope in the face of the realities of dealing with complicated health problems, but frustrating, easily resolved communication issues between Twyla and her father hinder the pacing. Disappointingly, a couple of fatphobic comments about characters' body sizes aren't unpacked. Most main characters read white.An unevenly executed medical drama. (author's note, bibliography)(Fiction. 12-16)

Gr 7–10— Stocker's debut YA novel tells a moving story of strength following a freshman girl struggling with a mysterious illness. Twyla's new nausea, headaches, and moodiness begin five years after the death of her mother at the start of high school. Her doctors say it's a mild digestive issue, but their recommended treatment makes her feel worse and she believes she has to take matters into her own hands to find a diagnosis herself. As her symptoms worsen, she is also dealing with her father's struggles with her mother's death, her annoying but well-meaning brother, falling out with her closest friends, and a mean girl on her field hockey team. Readers will find Twyla's story to be a balanced read, driven by the plot of Twyla trying to figure out her illness alongside the character-based empathy they will feel for her. The writing is descriptive and lyrical in style. Any teen who has a chronic illness or disability will relate to Twyla's frustration with her peers as she struggles to simply go to school while feeling unwell and her peers gossip about boys and popularity. VERDICT This must-read book for teens with chronic illness has universal themes for all readers about the importance of self-advocacy, family, and friendship.— Taylor Skorski