My Life After Now

By Jessica Verdi

Fans of Glee and Rent will love this story of unflinching honesty and unfaltering compassion.

The last thing Lucy ever expected was to end up as another teen statistic.

Lucy had a plan: become a Broadway star, start a life with her leading man Ty, make her family proud. But in a matter of days, Lucy loses Ty, her starring role, and her parents drop a bomb she never saw coming.

Suddenly, it's all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.

And now her life will never be the same. What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family? Off script and without the comforts of her simple high school problems, Lucy must figure out how to live, and even embrace, her new life.

Now…every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

Readers' Group Discussion Guide and Resource List included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Apr 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781402277863

Jessica Verdi

Jessica Verdi lives in Brooklyn, NY, and received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School. She loves seltzer, Tabasco sauce, TV, vegetarian soup, flip-flops, and her dog. Visit her at www.jessicaverdi.com and follow her on Twitter @jessverdi.

Reviews for My Life After Now

[readingwithtea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Relationships are not democracies."This novel addresses the severely under-discussed topic of teen HIV infection due to unsafe practices. Lucy Moore contracts HIV on a drunken night out, and struggles with telling those closest to her. High school is tough enough with the new girl at school trying to steal your boyfriend, trying to win the part of Juliet, and figuring out what's going on with your birth mother, without having to confess to your crush that you have HIV.The characters are well written and the dynamic between the teenagers is good and strong and credible - as a YA novel, this does well. Tight knit community with fault lines? Check. Protagonist with dark past? Check. Bad behaviour creating conflict? Check. Even without the deep medical/behavioural topic, this makes a really solid teen novel. The perfect guy is of course not perfect, evil arch-queen softens a bit eventually, and nice guy doesn't come last.The HIV thing - I was actually really surprised by this. Verdi writes sensitively and delicately about this; Lucy really does screw up pretty badly, and then she suffers, and her parents suffer, and her friends suffer, and she joins a support group where the members face prejudice every day. Interestingly, she makes friends with someone who contracted HIV at birth from her mother, and has thus had a life of living with it, but at no fault. Verdi really does examine living with HIV from every angle (that one can within the remit of a YA novel).On the other hand, the novel felt polemical - "look at how a stupid drunken mistake screws up a life" and "be nice to HIV-positive people". Valid messages, no doubt, but a little exhaustively repeated here. Perhaps a YA novel, by definition of type, is less subtle than some of what I'm used to. Nevertheless, a tough story, well told, through a complex narrator with credible and sympathetic friends. Worth the read.

[alwaysyaatheart · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My Life After Now is a wonderful, heartbreaking story about a normal teenage girl who makes one bad choice that changes the rest of her life forever. Lucy is happy, has a boyfriend, Ty, who she has been with for 1-1/2 years, she is on the drama team, and is gearing herself towards a career in acting. She has some really good friends, Max and Courtney, and she lives with her two dads, who care very much about her. When her arch nemesis shows up at her school and takes not only her lead in the play, but also makes a play for her boyfriend, Lucy is not a happy camper. Then, when her birth mother shows up at her home again, that pushes Lucy over the edge emotionally and she just wants a night away from all the drama. Lucy, Max, and Courtney go into the city for a night on the town, equipped with fake ID's and everything. They wind up in a club, dancing, drinking too much, and when the hot guitar player in the band notices Lucy, she is thrilled. When she wakes up the next morning, she realizes what a mistake she has made, but it isn't until a month later, when she meets a new boy and is considering taking things further in her relationship, that her "one mistake" really catches up with her. Lucy decides to get tested for STD's, since she isn't sure if her "one-nighter" used protection. When she gets the results from her test, Lucy's world is forever changed. Lucy has HIV. One night, one mistake, fear of death, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection, guilt, disappointment, depression, and grief, all these emotions overwhelm her. Everything changes, centering around this one fact, as Lucy comes to terms with and learns how to live with her life after now. This is such a tragic story. Lucy is really a good girl and not one to get into trouble. She know about safe sex, and one night of losing her inhibitions to alcohol results in something totally out of character for Lucy. Her story is devastating. My heart broke with her as she suffered through the denial, fear of having the disease, and sinks into a deep depression feeling like she can't talk about it with anyone. When she does finally open to someone, their reaction to her and her news sends her into an even deeper depression. Finally, her dads decide it is time for intervention and she breaks down and tells them everything. My Life After Now chronicles Lucy's journey into the place of acceptance, taking one day at a time, addressing the stigma she faces associated with the disease, the fear of people knowing, the ignorance surrounding it, and the love and support from friends and family, and support groups with people in similar situations, that combined can make life worth living again.Jessica Verdi has done an outstanding job in writing My Life After Now, and has obviously done a great deal of research on the subject of HIV and AIDS. I especially liked how the author honed in on the fact that in recent years education about the disease, the way it's transmitted, the treatment options, etc., has really diminished when compared to the education and awareness that took place even a decade ago, highlighting the need for continued education on the subject, especially for those in high school. The story itself allows you to connect with Lucy and experience through her character, what it's like to find out this has happened to you. The book is extremely well written. The author has also incorporated much needed information regarding the importance of treatment, the emotional issues surrounding the disease, awareness about the disease and modes of transmission, and the need for support both physically and emotionally. The story also provides hope, showing that people with this disease can still have a life, find love, and move forward. Jessica Verdi even provides a discussion guide regarding the subject to go along with the book, as well as providing further resource information links regarding the disease and its treatment. My Life After Now is not only an excellent novel, it is a great teaching tool and I most definitely recommend it.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read this book cause I never read anything like this before. Raw and realistic, this book took me on a journey I never thought I take.1. Plot. This book is very good in the plot. The reader is introduced to a vibrant who has her whole life ahead of her. You see her happy and then BAM. One mistake changes it all.2. Characters. There are several characters who helped Lucy. They supported her and didn’t turn away from her. They all got educated in what to do and helped Lucy fight.3. HIV. I think since this book is based on it, the facts and the statistics on the disease is good. It helps the reader become much more aware and educated. It's broken down easily that any reader who is reading the book would understand.4. Anxiety. I don’t know why but this book made my stomach hurt. Not that it was bad, it was a great read. Don’t get me wrong, but reading about such a sensitive subject and watching a young girl spiral down that road gave me enough anxiety for the week.5. Awareness. One thing this book does is create awareness in the reader. I think books like this one is good for young readers to read cause it helps them understand more. Especially since you can read this story and not feel confused but come out educated.This is touching story that I think all can read. It can happen to anyone at anytime. Compelling and touching, My Life After Now depicts a life changed by a status. Tackling a subjects and bring it to light, My Life After Now is awesome!

[mtlkch-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good story, but predictable.

[susan.macura · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author tries to tackle a very sensitive issue in her novel – HIV/AIDS. The main character lives in Westchester County, New York, and is the daughter of two gay male parents as if this explains how and why she feels comfortable going into New York City for a night of drinking and dancing at a club. She is also comfortable and drunk enough to go home with the lead singer of the band playing in said club, leaving her friends who simply go home and wait for her there. It is very obvious that no good can come from this encounter, and none does. While the premise for her acquiring the HIV virus is a bit unrealistic, Lucy’s reactions and subsequent actions are more credible, as is the basic information about the disease. This is an interesting look at a terrible disease and what it can do to a person who acquires it told through the viewpoint of a teen who must now live with it. It balances hope for a normal life with the reality that said life would not be a normal life expectancy and that death will not be a pleasant experience. In an age where dramatic improvements have been made in HIV/AIDS research, there still is not cure, people are still acquiring this disease, especially teens, and many are still dying too early from it.

[pnh002 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As soon as I heard what this book was about I knew that I HAD to read it. Any book that can serve two purposes by being entertaining and giving a lesson at the same time is a winner with me. Before I even read the book I had no doubt in my mind that this would be a 4-5 star read for me. And that's exactly what it was. Lucy is a 16 year old girl who loves theater, her two best friends, and her boyfriend Ty. But then a week of misfortune brings her to letting all her inhibitions go and getting reckless. Her entire world comes crashing down when she finds out she's contracted HIV. What I like most about this book is the fact that it serves as a real eye opener for its readers. There are so many factors that could have been the cause of Lucy catching the disease that it makes you think a little harder about all the contributing factors and what could be the cause. Not only in Lucy's case but in real life as well. I also enjoyed the lesson in this because it is so well written out, I think teens would rejoice in reading this novel versus sitting through 90 minutes or so to a Coach throwing stats at them from a book. This book was extremely well written and I applaud Verdi on tackling such a tough issue. Not only was I learning things (there were facts in there I didn't even know!) but I was fully entertained. I loved all the characters and the incorporation of theater. I like how although this was such a huge topic it wasn't super harsh and serious but still made you think. As for the characters, they all were amazing. The only thing I didn't like was Lucy's poor choices involving them. For example, when she finally chose to confide in someone she chose the person she barely had gotten to know and not her friends of 12 years. To think that she didn't immediately trust them baffled me. Especially when they were characters like Max and Courtney. Max was hilarious. But, I must admit, Evan was pretty amazing himself. Even with his little hiccup he had when he first found out. And finally, there was Lisa. I really hated her. I remember thinking the entire story that it was her fault. I wanted to be so bad. And only because I couldn't stand the way she treated Lucy or her dads. Yes I said dads. Another really unique thing about this story. Verdi did not go along with the norm at all. This book is a fast paced read that will hook you as soon as you crack the spine. I admire Verdi for branching out and tackling this disease when no one else would. This engaging read is fast paced and will leave you with a new found knowledge about a difficult subject.

[mvthebookbabe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.I was really nervous about starting My Life After Now, because I really haven't heard anything about it. But I'm glad to tell you that despite my nervousness, this turned out to be a rocking book! I've never really thought that deeply about STD's, so this came as a shock! By far, this is one of the best "issue" novels I have ever read. It made me laugh, but it also had a lot of serious moments.When Lucy first finds out, she immediately starts to withdraw within herself. She drops connections with friends, doesn't really want to do anything, and sulks. A lot. This is an extremely realistic reaction! I'm sure that in her place, I would do the same thing. It's a teenage thing to do! But as a character, Lucy still managed to win a place in my heart.Lucy just made this book for me. She was realistic-- and I liked how she would explain past moments of her life like plays. It gives us better insight into her character, and it's really fun to read. My only issue with her was that when she withdrew, she didn't tell her parents why. You can tell from the very beginning that they're very open about almost everything, but she shuts them out anyway.And it was kind of sad to see her do that. Because her parents (Dad and Papa) totally made me crack up, and well....good family relationships just make a book for me, and here she was shutting them out. Also, I have to admit that I don't understand Lisa. She makes no sense to me. She just shows up out of nowhere and expects them to take care of her! Urrggh.Anywho, we don't need to talk about that. We should talk about Roxie and Evan! They were really good secondary characters. I enjoyed their interactions with Lucy, and I love that she had at least a couple friends that knew to help her out.All in all, My Life After Now is a startling book with a new message that we haven't really heard before in YA. It rocked, in it's own, melancholy way!

[thebumblegirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was very clear to me from the start that Jessica Verdi did her research for MY LIFE AFTER NOW. This page-turner was eye-opening, full of compassion and knowledge...Lucy seems to have the perfect life until she finds out that her boyfriend is cheated and wants to break up, and her estranged mother comes back into town with some shocking news. Before she lets herself spiral into emotions she doesn't want to deal with yet, she decides to grab her two best friends and head into NYC for a night of partying. What she didn't expect to do was to wake up the next morning in a strangers apartment not remembering how she got there or what exactly happened. So she decides to just put the one-night stand behind her and move on with her life. Little does Lucy know that that one reckless night of 'fun' is going to have some serious consequences. Jessica Verdi tackles some very hard topics, like teen sex, drinking and drug abuse. But an even harder topic that is rarely ever discussed, HIV and AIDS. And she definitely delivers with her knowledge and delivers a very believable main character. Lucy's reaction to the news and her determination to keep it all a secret from everyone, even her family, was heart-wrenching. It pained me to see her in so much fear, pain and denial. And Lucy's fear of rejection, of not being lovable anymore, her anger toward herself - all of these emotions bled through the pages. I wanted to reach into the book, grab her, and give her a hug and tell her that everything will be okay. No child should have to endure something so big alone. I am happy with the way Lucy's story ended... it was a bit predictable, but it was what I wanted for her, and for everyone around her that loved her. And I have to point out that at first I did not understand the cover to this book. But after having time to reflect on Lucy's story... I like the symbolism behind the use of the red dress and the scenery completes it. I really like what they did with it and I love it.This is a book that should be on every school library's shelf and used in Health Ed. It would definitely be an eye-opener for many teens, and their teachers and parents too. It is definitely a subject that should be addressed a lot more.

[yourotherleft_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As she enters her junior year of high school, Lucy Moore thinks she's got it made. As the best actress in her school's drama club, she's sure she's about to land the role of Juliet in the fall production of Romeo and Juliet. Naturally she'll be playing the role opposite her boyfriend, Ty, the golden boy of drama club. She's got a pair of supportive best friends - Max and Courtney, and a pair of dads who couldn't love her more. In a space of the week, Lucy's world crumbles - the role and the boy both go to theater-camp competitor and high school interloper, Elyse. When her undependable biological mother shows up at her house trying to make yet another new start, that's Lucy's final straw. One foolish night of fleeing her problems for an uncharacteristic night of clubbing in NYC is all it takes to change Lucy's life forever. Now Lucy has a deadly secret she can't tell anyone, and the one person she does tell validates her worst fears. My feelings about My Life After Now were tremendously mixed. The beginning of the story seemed wildly exaggerated. I understand that this almost absurdly bad week had to happen to drive the rest of the plot, but the speed with which things come undone was blatantly unrealistic. The end, as well, fails in realism, with resolutions that seem to come together far to easily and with too few questions asked.In the middle, though, My Life After Now really shined. Lucy's terror and shame at what she has done and the diagnosis she receives is expertly rendered. Her unwillingness to open up to her parents and her friends about what happened and the consequences, for fear of their judgement, disappointment, disbelief, or fear is entirely convincing. When the truth does have to come out, as the truth always does, Lucy has become so isolated and afraid that her relief is palpable. Her coming to terms with living her new life is expertly handled. While My Life After Now suffers a little from a certain YA tendency to wrap things up too nicely and easily, it's ultimately an addictive read about a relatable narrator facing a different diagnosis than is tackled in any of those other YA "sick kid" novels you may have read, which makes it a welcome addition to the genre and well worth a read.