A Season for Goodbye

One Last Wish #11

by Lurlene McDaniel

Together again. It's been a year since Katie O'Roark, Chelsea James, and Lacey Duval shared a special summer at Jenny House. The girls have each spent the year struggling to fit into the world of the healthy. Now they're back, this time as "big sisters" to a new group of girls who also face life-threatening illnesses.

But even as the friends strive to help their "little sisters" face the future together, they must separately confront their own expectations. Katie must decide between an old flame and an exciting scholarship far from home. Chelsea must overcome her fear of romance. And Lacey must convince the boy that she loves that the feelings for him can be trusted.

When tragedy strikes Jenny House, each of the girls knows that things can never be the same again. Will Lacey, Chelsea, and Katie find a way to carry on the legacy of the Jenny House? Can their special friendship endure when they go their separate ways?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Childrens, Teen, Realistic Fiction

Unbound

First published March 1, 1995

About the author

Lurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.


Other places to find her are...
https://www.facebook.com/lurlenemcdan...
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/aut...
http://www.youtube.com/user/LurleneMc

Reviews

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Lurlene McDaniel novel

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Actual Rating: 3.9

To be honest I'm pretty over these books and this series. I understand why I liked them in Middle School but as a 27 year old adult they don't much hold my interest.

With that being said, the characters lives, relationships and stories are progressing well and I do like watching them grow up and make decisions about their future. Katie FINALLY decided what she would do with her college scholarship and Josh actually got behind her and encouraged her to go see what the world was like. I think the next book will be about her new life in college and realizing that Josh is the one for her.

I liked the relationship between Dullas & Lacey in this book. I knew they would learn from each other. I liked the ending where Katie, Chelsea & Lacey took Dullas up to their memorial and challenged her to be the new keeper. To find forever friends and bring them to this place that had been their go-to spot at Jenny House.

I'm interested to see if Jenny House gets re-built and to learn more about Dullas after she goes to live with Kimbra.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm 14 years old and got introduced to Lurlene Mcdaniel. This book was a really a great book I've read many books. This is my 5th book and really I'm a huge fan of Jeff and and Lacey. All her books are real problems in life and I really enjoy it. So if you're looking for a good book read all of hers doesn't matter! But My all Time favorite one is "6 months to live" Have fun !!!!!!!!!!!

[Livvy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruise read.
i personally think the series should have ended here.

[Amanda Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Lurlene McDaniel!

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read.
This must have been the intended end to One Last Wish before McDaniels cranked out Reach for Tomorrow much later. Katie, Lacey, and Chelsea fulfill their promise to return to Jenny House, all of them as counselors this time around. They have a group of sick kids to look after but the only one that gets any real attention is "Dullas". Lacey and Jeff are having drama cause despite Lacey actually changing her ways and wanting to be with him, he doesn't believe her and fears being heartbroken. Josh and Katie are having drama because she wants to go to Arizona to run track for college but he wants her to go to UofM and marry him. Chelsea is having drama because DJ doesn't like her. And then at the end of it all, they take down the memorial because they're going to college and Dullas needs to know that Jenny House lives in their heart and minds so there doesn't need to be a special memorial because...who actually knows?
This felt more like a typical teen angsty drama than the rest of the books. There wasn't any stakes cause the girls already had their medical scares. I am glad there's one more book as a sort of epilogue cause the ending of this one was just terrible.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anyone who hasn't googled Lurlene McDaniel just to look at the titles of her books needs to do so. I read a bunch of these when I was little, and rather than write an actual review, I'll copy-paste a piece of this one's plot summary (per amazon):

Big Sisters Katie, Lacey, and Chelsea are happy to be healthy and together again. But as they prepare to face the girls who need their support and encouragement, each of them has a personal crisis. Katie, a heart transplant survivor, wants to go to college away from her family, friends, and boyfriend to run track for Arizona. Lacey, who is learning how to control her diabetes, needs to find a way to deal with her boyfriend, a hemophiliac. And Chelsea must contend with her deceased best friend's twin brother, knowing he hates her for living while his sister died waiting for the heart that Chelsea received.

Brillz.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 11 of the One Last Wish series will not let you down. It is basically at the camp and a new group of girls with various cancer problems and resulting attitude issues. Three issues of love relationships and the ever questioning issue of future; and if they even have a future or if their various diseases will end their futures before they began. But Lurlene McDaniel doesn't write about sadness and the decimation of disease; no she rights about hope and living life even with disease and medical issues that seem to control one's life; and living it to the full. Her's is a story of inspiration and hope. You will come away with a good feeling and better understanding of life; or if not understanding at least acceptance. The ending is a surprise in several ways; good surprises. So enjoy the read.

[Choua Vue · Rating 5 out of 5]

gosh this book was also a sad one.... Just because one girl has had a bad family life doesn't mean that the other girls have the right to blame anything on her.... as she was at the Jenny house her father decides to give her up to adoption... it's so sad, but once Chelsy, Katie, and Lucy realizes that the tragedy didn't happen because of her they decide to give their most precious gift to her.. a REAL dimond, believing that she will cherish it with her heart. That dimond represented Chelsy, Katie, Lucy, and two of their other two friend's, that have passed away, friendship...

[Ale · Rating 5 out of 5]

katie and those two othe rgirls go back to jenny house but as counselors. they go without one of them amanda . she died of cancer inthe other book. they all come back healthier. katie is fully recoverd.the diabities girl has her diabeties controlled and the other girl all ready recieved her translant as is better. They all get thier own little group. And the yall have boy problems.the d girl gets a really troubled girl with cancer that does not bother to cover her bald head. she is so rude and mean. read the book to see how the y help her out.

[Ashley W · Rating 3 out of 5]

What struck me through this book was how needy Jeff was. He should want Katie to go off to college. To make her stick around because she MIGHT die is so selfish. That's basically saying, Hey, you could die within the next three years, so spend your last time on earth with me whether you like it or not. And it's because she got his brother's heart that he should want more for her than to be stuck at home. Why would you want the person who got his heart to be miserable? He just annoyed so much through the book that I didn't even care about anything else.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This bk got a little long for me...with tragedy after tragedy for the main character, a young girl living in Texas during the Depression. But it was a touching story...sort of like a Little House on the Prairie bk.

[Mary Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. It was so heartwarming and sweet, but had some sad moments, like all Lurlene McDaniel books. I really love the plot and characters. I also liked the way the story ends. Very powerful and touching.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good: Lacey's plot with Dullas. Dullas herself was annoying as hell, but Lacey was awesome for standing up to her and becoming the one person who could stand her.
The meh: Katie's plotline.
The annoying: Chelsea's subplot. It felt like DJ's issues were an excuse for romantic wangst.

[Jamie Young]

sad at the end, but enjoyable to read.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book and a good story that's not totally predictable.

[Mayssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book rly teaches you about friendship and how it rly feels to lose a friend. We shouldnt let a small fight ruin our friendship, because you never know when you can lose tht friend....

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was very intersesting. they reuntied at the jenny house helping other people to have a normal life even though the have a sickness. this book also ties into a persons love life.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about friendship and love and sadness and hope. I would say if you Ike sad heart warming books read this one.

[The Third Place A Teen Library]

F McDA olw

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. No matter how old I get and how many times I've read their stories, I love the truth that comes off the pages.

[Hpitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

really good, one of my faves in the series

[Brittany]

Three teens deal with losses.

[Melenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[Kelly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think some of my female students would like this book.

[Harley Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Lurlene McDaniel books. That's all there is to it.
You really get to know her characters, and when they hurt, so do you.
I'm really rooting for Katie and Josh though!

[~ ! ♥ I rp therefore I am Awesome ♥ ! ~]

very good series

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 if I could.

[Celsey Holland]

I like this book because, There are three teenage girls and no matter what each of them go through they will always have each others back no matter what. That is what friends are suppose to be for, you are not suppose to betray any of your friends. In my offence i love this book, this is a great book for readers that love to read.