100 Days

by Nicole McInnes

Agnes doesn't know it, but she only has one hundred days left to live. When she was just a baby, she was diagnosed with Progeria, a rare disease that causes her body to age at roughly ten times the normal rate. Now nearly sixteen years old, Agnes has already exceeded her life expectancy.

Moira has been Agnes’s best friend and protector since they were in elementary school. Due to her disorder, Agnes is still physically small, but Moira is big. Too big for her own liking. So big that people call her names. With her goth makeup and all-black clothes, Moira acts like she doesn’t care. But she does.

Boone was friends with both girls in the past, but that was a long time ago—before he did the thing that turned Agnes and Moira against him, before his dad died, before his mom got too sad to leave the house.

An unexpected event brings Agnes and Moira back together with Boone, but when romantic feelings start to develop, the trio’s friendship is put to the test.

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

287 pages, Unknown Binding

First published August 23, 2016

Reviews

[T.J. Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. 100 Days by Nicole McInnes was such an inspiring read.

Three 15-year-olds, all insecure, all facing life’s most difficult challenges, all uncertain as to who they are, who they want to be, and where they are going, all attempt to find their way as best they can.

TJ's Time Travel Tips:
https://tjtimetraveltips.wordpress.co...

The most fascinating aspect of this book was following each teenager’s train of thought, and noticing how starkly they misjudged the motivations and intentions of others, and how crassly they misjudged their own desires, capabilities, weaknesses, and strengths. Reading this book was an eye-opening experience for me.

On top of the usual pubescent insecurities and angst, these three teenagers have to deal with additional strains, difficulties, and tragedies – a rare fatal disease and parents’ divorce, and all-consuming weight problem, the death of a parent and incapacitating depression of the other parent – each one struggling to find his/her way as best as s/he can. The real beauty of the story lies in the way each of these struggling teenagers, despite their own difficulties, is able to be a crutch and play a crucial role in assisting the others in overcoming their most difficult challenges.

I can highly recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike.

I received a copy of this book from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[human]

i did a project about progeria for school once.

it was heart-breaking.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
3.5*

This is a sweet book about friendship, learning to move forward, and to let go. 100 Days is a very character driven story exploring the lives of three teens, one of whom has progeria and has already lived longer than most people with the condition. Agnes knows that she isn't long for this world, but she worries more about those around her than herself. She's a beautiful character, and one who I couldn't help but fall in love with. She worries mostly about her mom and her best friend, Moira, who is kind of a lost soul.

Then along comes Boone. Boone used to be friends with the girls, but there was a falling out. Boone is a mess. Moira is slow to forgive Boone's past actions. It becomes very apparent that Agnes is the glue, but when your group's glue is the fragile, sick one... things can get messy, fast. And that is mainly what the book explores, through a series of both flashbacks and current events, told one day at a time.

What I enjoyed:

The friendships. The friendships were everything in this book, and I loved it. Moira considers herself Agnes's protector, but Agnes is just as much Moira's. A strong, beautiful female friendship is portrayed- but not unrealistically. They have squabbles and tiffs as any best friends, and it was refreshing to see that level of realism.

The idea of second chances and reconnection. Boone isn't a villain. He's not a bad guy. He's a guy who needs a chance. He's a guy who needs a friend. And it's important for Moira to be able to give those chances, so it is a double win.

Obviously, there are feels. I was happy and smiling, laughing, and yes, crying. It's a nice balance, though.

Family was featured very prominently. Don't get me wrong, some of them were messes, but they were a huge part of the story. Some of them were uplifting, some broke my heart, but they were all important.

What I didn't love:

I didn't fully understand the reason behind the formatting. Each "day" was a separate chapter, which I adored, but some of the chapters didn't seem to warrant whole chapters. Like, a random memory that popped up didn't make sense as a whole DAY to me, I guess. It threw me off a little.

There was quite a bit of the "misunderstanding/lack of communication" trope, especially in the middle of the book, and frankly, I just don't like that trope very much. It frustrates me as a reader. But that could just be my hangup.

Bottom Line: A very sweet story about three young people navigating life and relationships while they figure out how to deal with the unfairly short lifespan of one of their own. Definitely come for the friendship and the feels, but know that it is very character driven.

*Copy provided for review

[AlphaMom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book very much. At first, I thought it was going to be a very touching story. And yes, I loved the characters and I loved the stories, but I don't think they were used well. And the whole time it kinda reminded me of "Wonder." The whole thing was screaming that to me. And the last thing I didn't like was the fact Agnes was treated like a expensive doll rather than a human and how she was so childish about Boone and Moira getting together. She made it seem like everything had to go her way.

I did like how the days where in chapters and I realized how little 100 days are when you think about it. It made me realized how lucky I am and others as well.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I absolutely loved this story about three high school students and the unique connection that is shared between them. I was literally sobbing by the time that I reached the conclusion.

The characters were written with distinctive enough voices that I didn't feel it was necessary to have their names heading each chapter. I found the story quite easy to read. The characters even sound like real teenagers. Which is rather fascinating in YA books, right?

Now this book is probably going to receive a lot of comparisons to other well known books,such as, "The Fault in Our Stars" and Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl", but lets not listen to those voices. In ""100 days" the central focus isn't as much on Agnes' s condition. While there are chapters devoted to Agnes and her visits with doctors. There remains quite a lot of questions for the reader.

Instead "100 days" appears to be bent more towards examining how family and friends respond to the situations that do arise.In all fairness, it's Boone and Moira that take centre stage as they sort through their own issues. This also includes their budding romance and how it affects the relationship between them and Agnes.


Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced e-book galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tawnie Mccutchen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out not knowing much about this book, which can be good or bad. To make a long story short, the blurb interested me so I picked it up.

Let me say that this book was sincere - it wasn't intentionally bad, and that's why I gave it two stars, because I appreciate the intent.

Now that that's out of the way, have you ever started a book that is boring,  and unoriginal, but you have to finish it because you paid for it and now it's personal? That's what this book turned into about halfway through.

100 Days has a lot going on - a lot of tropes and clichés that is.

First we have the tropes:

-sick girl with limited time left
-angry sad, fat girl who hides her pain behind makeup and alternative music (this was probably the most disappointing part of the book, but more on that later)
-troubled bad boy from a broken family
-a highschool that is filled with mean kids, except for Agnes, Moira & Boone.
-the list goes on

Second there are the clichés

-troubled bad boy is misunderstood
-bad boy hurts his friend, and is tortured for years
-dancing to no music
-dancing in a field
-skinny dipping
-cheesy lines that I didn't come here for

Nicole McInnis tries really hard, but 100 Days is a book written by someone "old". You know? It's written by someone who's writing about how she thinks teenagers act, without actually having a clue.

Agnes, one of three protagonists, is written like a child, which is what you should probably avoid when writing about someone with Progeria. Especially since Agnes doesn't want to be coddled.

Boone is written like the protagonist of a bad harlequin novel, without the sex. At the beginning of the novel the author plays with the idea that he maybe has some kind of learning difficulty - but it disappears quickly. I feel like McInnis wasn't committed to that aspect of Boone's character? I don't even know. Anyway, Boone is also angry at the beginning of the book, with an uncontrollable temper, but he's cured when he reconciles with Moira. He even says that she has made every crap thing in his life ok - and it really cheapens the character. My pet peeve is when characters don't act, or speak their age, I understand that it probably was an attempt to give him depth, but it falls flat.

Finally, we have Moira. Agnes' best friend and protector. *

* forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm fairly certain that the school would provide an aide/support for a student with such specific special needs, but I digress.

Mira's relationship with Agnes is troubling... Moira finds a large part of her identity in Agnes, and even gets mad when Agnes has to cancel plans unexpectedly, and she's incredibly overbearing. No wonder Agnes acts like a child with Moira around - she may as well be wrapped in bubble wrap.

I am really disappointed in their relationship, because at times Moira almost uses Agnes as a crutch - which the book never deals with. She does find her confidence, but it's only confirmed after she's serious with Boone.

Anyway, some people liked this book, I am not one of those people, but you do you.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boooorrrrriiinnnngggggg.... From the book cover and summary I would've expected this to be some type of bucket list book, but instead, it's just a terminally ill girl and her best friend, and her other kinda best (ish) friend going through a badly plotted out year of school. Moira's really, REALLY annoying. Either you love yourself, or you don't, but don't go fluctuating between the two just so you're in the worst position. Boone. We never really found out why people didn't like Boone. Maybe he didn't get the best grades, but I'd bet there were people at that school with worst. Agnes. Agnes was, okay. The entire book was like some sad version of "I don't want to be defined by my illness", while the author portrays the character in a way, so that the onLY THING WE CAN SEE, IS THE ILLNESS. Not a good read. Would not recommend.

[Brighid Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, let me tell you that my school library has a wide variety of books of many types and sizes. But while I was looking for a book this one called my name. It had a shiny blue cover I immediately grabbed it off the shelf.
100 days is a book about Agnes, Moira and Boone. Agnes doesn't know it but she only has 100 days to live. When she was just a baby, she was diagnosed with progeria a disease that causes her to age… very fast. An unexpected event brings these three friends together again.
This book was purely marvelous, touching and astounding it's uplifting story of hope made this book a total page turner! It was nearly impossible to put down after picked up.
I have never read a book before for this written by Nicole McInnes but she made it so easy to be hooked on 100 days and totally zone out. After 100 days I am looking for book by her.
My opinion on this book is that it is amazing! This book was fabulous, with unexpected events at every turn. If I had to recommend this book to someone I would probably recommend it to someone over 11 because of a bit of language every once in awhile. But other than that this book was amazing I loved it.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to the author and publisher for giving me an advanced copy of 100 Days. McInnes’s second young adult novel is a memorable story about three unique teens. They find themselves as misfits among their classmates, yet the three find solace within their own special friendship. McInnes does an outstanding job of drawing up the characterizations for each of the story’s three main protagonists. Agnes is “the little old lady girl.” She suffers from Progeria, a fatal genetic condition which causes her body to age at an alarming rate. Her best friend and self-proclaimed protector is Moira with her “reaper-like taste.” She dresses in all black and often finds herself the victim of cruel jokes about her plus-size figure. To Boone, a young man built “solid and tall, like the side of a barn,” Moira has the perfect curves for a girl, but he has issues with his temper, which strains his friendship and relations with both Agnes and Moira. McInnes is spot on with depicting how easily some teens can become marginalized due to circumstances both in and out of their control. She captures the emotional burdens of those deemed as outsiders. 100 Days examines how friendships can be easily broken and not so easily mended. The story also deals with overcoming tragedy and loss, finding hope and moving on, and also developing compassion and forgiveness. McInnes writes with steady ease, and she brings great wit, humor, and warmth to supplement the hardships of her teens as they persevere to find themselves and understand each other.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wording was moving, the storyline pulls you in, and the characters have so much, well, character. You think by the summary that you know what's coming--Agnes will die in 100 days and she ages at 10x the rate of others--but there is so much depth in the book that even in 387 pages I didn't expect. It's heartbreaking but most inspiring about how we should all live life to the fullest--live as if we had 100 days left to live. Don't hold grudges, keep friends close, and do things for fun because you can.
I don't usually read the epilogue or "about the author" unless the book is really good. This book was that good.

[Bre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, this book was sad. Too sad. Even though we knew the worst kind of ending was coming, I still felt like crap in the morning.

100 Days took me on a road with several potholes, sharp turns, and many beautiful roadside attractions. So many obstacles were thrown in these characters' way, yet they took the damage and kept on. They were bursting with their own personalities and their own quirks. Moira was me in a nutshell, Agnes was lovable, and Boone was stronger and smarter and kinder than everyone thinks he is.

This book is short, and I wished it was lengthened considerably. I fell in love with everything and I never wanted it to be over. This book was engaging and I rarely got bored of it.

But sometimes books are flawed. This one had tiny things that irritated me somewhat. Like the short one-page chapters that got across a specific character's feelings about a major event (like their deep grief and sorrow or their overwhelming happiness), which were cute but wasteful. Each chapter is one day out of one hundred, and that's not long for Agnes to live. I would've liked it if chapters like that were added on instead of their own separate thing. The book would've been longer and my questions could be answered and everything would be perfect, and I wouldn't need to knock down a star.

The bond between these friends was so palpable that I enjoyed every second of their time together. This book was realistic and fresh and so heartbreaking. There are quite a few familial bonds in this, too. All in all, this was a fantastic read and I recommend it to people looking for a new take on friendship.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wavered between three and four stars with this one. It really was pretty entertaining and I could see the target audience really enjoying it.

What I liked:

1.) Boone-He's dark and damaged and brooding and yet has feelings underneath it all. I loved the suspense built with his character which was way better than the others.
2.) The varying points of view. I liked seeing how each member of this friendship triangle thought about the others, especially near the end when there's the big blow up about Boone and Moira getting together and breaking Agnes' heart.
3.) I liked Agnes' mom. She let her child live her life and she treated her friends with such warmth when she could have been wrapped up in her own issues.

What bothered me:

1.) Agnes. Ug. I'm sorry. It's really mean to hate the dying/dead character, but I kept picturing her high pitched voice and awkward phrases and it was making my skin crawl. Plus, I kinda think she was naive and acted like a baby about the whole Moira and Boone thing. Yes, I know, this probably makes me an a$$.

2.) The plot was way predictable, the basic tenants anyway.

However, it was funny and cute and entertaining, so sometimes I really liked it. Sometimes.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming and sweet book I read in 2017 is 100 Days by Nicole McInnes. This story is mainly for realistic fiction lovers, which is one of my favorite genres. I love how the readers get each point of view from Agnes, a frail girl who suffers from a rare disease called Progeria and doesn't know that she only has one hundred days left to live. Moira, Agnes's best friend and protector since they were little, and unlike Agnes, she is big which results in her getting called names. Then we have Boone, he was friends with both of the girls in the past until he did something so terrible that it made Moira and Agnes turn against him.
People should really try to read this book, it will teach you about Progeria, friendship, moving forward, and telling you that sometimes you have to let go of the things you love most. If you are a reader who enjoys stories from different perspectives, sad stories about friendship or just sad stories in general, then I one hundred percent recommend this book to you.


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[ATry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book was great too! How do I keep doing this, picking great books? I have no idea but I'm just gonna add this to the list of Wow This Is Great. I loved Agnes and Boone but I especially loved Moira because she's a lot like me. Okay, I don't know what to say other than I loved this story and I really liked this book.

[Jan Raspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and fun, and I loved the characters. When I cry multiple times while reading, it's a good thing.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be warned...you will need tissues.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was really sad :(

[grieshaber.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

100 Days is about a 16-year-old girl who has already exceeded her life expectancy. Agnes has Progeria, that awful disease that causes children to age at 10 times the normal rate. Agnes looks like a fragile little, old lady and, although she and her friends don’t know it, she only has 100 days to live. Moira is Agnes’ best friend and protector. She was paired with Agnes when they were in elementary school and they have been inseparable ever since. Moira is definitely trying to find herself. She is overweight and is self-conscious about it. She decides to be Goth in order to act like she doesn’t care but she does. She really does. Back in elementary school, Agnes and Moira were friends with an outcast boy named Boone. Until something terrible happened. Now in high school, a bullying incident brings the three back together again. Boone is sweet, lonely, and so hardworking. His dad is dead and his mom is non-functional. Boone is forced to do everything himself. And he is exhausted. A rekindling of his friendship with Agnes and Moira is just what he needs. Or is it? This is a sweet, sweet story that left me in tears but left me with some hope, too.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I FINALLY FINISHED THIS BOOK. It took me way too long to read, but I’m going to blame that on my dislike of the book and not myself. This book...was not good. I was hovering between 2-3 stars and decided on 2.5 stars but I rounded up because I’m nice like that.
Where should I start with this book? Well, to begin with, the book had a good premise. I was interested and grabbed it on a whim at the library. However, the book itself was subpar. The characters didn’t feel real and they brought up their problems WAY too much. It’s like when somebody on American Idol has a tragic backstory and they make every song they sing about that backstory. There must be more to you than just that one part of your past. Just like there’s more to Moira than her weight and dark clothes, there’s more to Boone than his father’s death and his mother’s reaction, and yes there’s more to Agnes than her disease. But we never got to see it. And I get it, these things are important and teenagers do tend to dwell on their problems a lot. But it gets tedious if that’s all you talk about. Of course Agnes did had a condition that affected her entire life, but out of the three characters, she was the one least likely to bring up her problems.
Another problem I had with this book was the plot. It was so gosh darn repetitive and boring. The same thing happened everyday but we had to hear every character’s point of view on it. The only thing keeping me interested in the book was “the incident”. Gasp. But the author didn’t even keep that suspense going until the end. In fact the entire book could’ve been cut in half. I mean I got halfway and the only two things keeping me there had already happened and I didn’t really feel there was a reason to finish. We found out the big incident that tore the squad apart (which wasn’t as big as I thought it’d be) and the dog died. Obviously the 12 year old dog was gonna die but I wanted to see it for myself. Then when it happened (and Moira seemed to care about it for like a chapter) there was no point. I knew how it was gonna end. Moira would no doubt fall in love with Boone and they’d end up a happy couple and Agnes would die. But I had to finish so I wouldnt be called a quitter. So...I skimmed the last twentyish chapters. In my defence it was 1AM and I just wanted to get the book done. So yeah. I would not recommend.

[Olivia Ard · Rating 3 out of 5]

100 Days follows three teenagers over the course of three and a half months, between the moment they start to re-form their friend group and the moment one of them passes away. Agnes has a rare disease, Progeria, which causes her body to age at roughly ten times the normal rate. At sixteen, she's one of the oldest living people with the disease. Her best friend, an overweight goth girl named Moira, has served as her protector since grade school, but Boone hasn't been in their lives for over two years. Until now.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The rising number of YA books about terminal illness and death--"Sick Lit," as they're calling it these days--troubles me, to be quite honest. That's not to say there isn't a place for it in contemporary literature, but the overwhelming popularity of the topic among teenagers feels odd to me. However, this book does a good job balancing morbidity with the wild spontaneity and joyous freedom of youth. Perhaps knowing from the start that Agnes's days are numbered helps to soften the blow.

Having the three first-person perspectives made the reading experience a little muddled and dull. While Agnes, Moira, and Boone surprise one another often, reading the book from all three of their points of view robs the mystery of the story, especially where there's romance involved. Not knowing what everyone is thinking helps build tension, so having access to all their thoughts made a truly remarkable story kind of boring at times.

Pacing is also an issue. There isn't much action at all in the first half. In fact, when I reached the 50% mark after three days, I almost gave up on the book altogether. The second half moves much faster--I finished it in two hours--and makes me dislike the first half even more.

However, despite the perspective and pacing issues, I did end up enjoying the book. The characters are well-developed and interesting, and I was satisfied with the ending. I look forward to seeing what Nicole McInnes writes next.

I received a complimentary copy from Farrar, Straus and Giroux via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[BookWorm 221 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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This book was a total surprise for me, I went into it without really knowing what it was about, I just went with the initial premise and I have to say I found myself really enjoying it almost from the first chapter.

The book is told from 3 different points of view Agnes, Moira and Boone. And is told in Agnes’s final 100 days on this earth, and before you freak out about that, it is not a spoiler since it is in the description (I checked several times). Each chapter told from a different PoV on one of the 100 days, so that makes the book go by so very fast, the chapters are short and to the point which I appreciated but sometimes I felt like I was missing something, I wanted to know more about the things that were happening on that day or how certain character felt.

Agnes, Moira and Boone are wonderful characters, each one going through the pains of growing up, finding yourself and your comfort in this world, dying and having to be somewhat ready for it and the back breaking responsibility of being the one that has to pull your family through dark times.

I found myself longing for the time I got to go back home and read, the characters really took a part of my heart and would like to know what happened after those 100 days, what happened to the people left behind, how did they cope with the sadness and also relief.


Keep Calm and Read On

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[Liz Friend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story: None of them knows it, but Agnes has only 100 days to live. Moira, her Goth best friend, spends most of her time trying to protect Agnes. Boone, with his dead father and semi-crazy mother, has lots of other things to worry about beside two less-than-perfect girls. But when they forgive him for something bad that happened a long time ago, Boone finds friendship and even love. And Moira finds a way to move on when something expected, but terrible, happens.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG; Sexual content PG; Nudity PG; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (body image shaming, parental death and depression, terminal illness) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: I liked this one a lot. The language renders it better for 8th-up, but it shines a light on a number of different issues, without turning the teens who have those issues into something to pity. Each one has his/her own weaknesses and failures, but is able to work through them by way of strong, supportive friends. Even when the dynamic changes due to death, friends help make it bearable.

[Stacey Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boone, Moira, and Agnes, I want my library to be your safe space. But I'm happy you found the FACS room, instead. Marcy will take care of you.

Moira has spent much of her life protecting Agnes from others. Boone was once their friend, but he made a poor choice in sixth grade that broke the bond. So much is going on in each of their heads, they have trouble seeing each other, but with patience they are able to find common ground again. Moira has heard insults all her life about her size, Shamu, Fatty, etc. Boone has been the man of the house for the past few years, with a mom sunk in depression and addicted to puzzles. Agnes is a teen living in a old person's body.

This sounds depressing, I know, but I loved this one. Even though it broke my heart. The relationships between Moira and Agnes, Agnes and Boone, and Moira and Boone feel so real that I just wanted to hug them all so hard. But I'd probably break Agnes' ribs. Sigh.

Read this one, I'm buying it for the library.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agnes doesn't know it yet, but she has 100 days left to live. She has progeria--a disease that makes a child's body age way faster than normal (and Agnes, at 16, is lucky to have survived this long). Her best friend, Moira, takes care of her like a bodyguard and a mom, escorting her through the halls so she doesn't get injured and driving her in a special car seat to and from school. But Agnes doesn't want to be coddled. She knows she isn't long for this world, so she wants to live it up, get all the experiences that she's missed out on in her short life.

One day, they bump into their old friend, Boone, in the cafeteria. This sets in motion a series of days full of grief, hardship, but also friendship.

Told from alternating views of all three characters and counting down from day 100, this is a light read that also deals with some somber topics. It's a great reminder to keep your friends close, enjoy every moment you have with loved ones, and to experience everything possible while you can.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

100 days by Nicole McInnes started out with two best friends, one, (Moira) who guarded the other, (Agnes) from bullies who made fun of her for her disease. Agnes had Progeria and little did she know, she had 100 days left to live. What I really liked about this book, was that it showed the amazing, and true bond between friends. When Boone came into the friend group, the two girls learned to accept him even though he wasn't nice to them in the past.
People should read this book because they will realize how much a life means and how friendship is the #1 cure for anything. They will see how these insecure teens face life's most difficult challenges. If you like heartwarming and sad stories, this book is perfect. The kind of reader who should read this, is a reader who is interested in books that change characters, and lots of emotional feelings. You learn how to let things you love go, and to make life count while you live.

[Lauren Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book! I enjoyed the unique mix of personalities and identities between the three friends, Agnes, Moria, and Boone. The three young adults balance each other out in every way possible. I found it very interesting the author chose to focus on a young teen with Progeria. I have heard of the disease and find it fascinating. Hearing a story told from the perspective of a teen fighting the sickness was a fresh perspective. In addition, I liked the way the 100 Days were told from a rotational perspective of all three characters. Overall, I felt the plot lacked excitement. Knowing the ultimate fate ahead of time as Day 100 rolled around took away some of the thrill. I could see several of my students enjoying the book, but it wasn't an all star hit for me.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

'100 Days' just seemed to really dig in on the stereotypes of teens, it seemed.
I had trouble feeling sorry for or relating to the characters because of this. I just felt cringey more than anything, but it was still mildly interesting.

[Elliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

100 days is a romantic suspenseful sad book telling you about a girl's last 100 days to live and the struggles and changes in her life before then. The book is guaranteed to make you cry.

[Max Gruender · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright. Tells a good story about dealing with loss.

[Giselle M · Rating 4 out of 5]

100 Days by Nicole McInnes is one of the few books I have read from start to finish. It is a young adult fiction that I enjoyed very much. The story and name of the book is about a girl named Agnes who is going to die in 100 days. The story is told from the perspective of three people. Each of them take turns telling the story for 1 day before moving on to the next person. The three main characters are Agnes, Moira, and Boone. They all have interesting perspectives and signpost moments that affect them differently. This book was recommended to me by my sister who said it would be a good book for me to read.

Agnes was born with an extremely rare disease called progeria that causes her to age ten times faster than normal people. It’s because of this that she is very short, but her face makes her look old. Despite all that has happened to her, she is generally a very happy and bubbly person. Kids with progeria usually don’t live until thirteen years old. Since she is fifteen years of age, she always knew that death was a real possibility. She doesn’t ever fully realize how scared she is until she hears a message from the doctor that was meant for her mom. The message said that her blood tests didn’t look good and the doctor tearfully apologized for not being able to do more. After hearing the message she thought, “A rush of heat flows to my face, and I feel my eyes tearing up.” This is an A-Ha moment because after hearing this news, not only does she accept it but, her actions shift. She takes many risks that could be detrimental to her health, but she does it anyway under the notion that she’s going to die anyway. Although this happens in the last few chapters of the book, it’s an important signpost moment because the risks she takes are partly the reason why she died.

Another character also has an A-Ha moment as well. This character is Moira, who’s A-Ha moment is more about self discovery. Moira is Agnes’ best friend, but she considers herself Agnes’ protector. Unlike Agnes, she is tall and is plus sized. She is judged and sometimes made fun of because of her body which makes her feel insecure. She tries to cover up her insecurities by displaying a sarcastic, rebellious, and tough persona. She wears black makeup and black lipstick to make herself look goth. She thinks that she knows who she wants to be, but she didn’t find out what she really wanted until a signpost moment. She didn't realize until she went out of her comfort zone and traveled to another state to visit her brother. It’s while she was walking on the streets that she saw a woman. She says, “She’s about the same size as me, but unlike me she holds her head high and sways her ample backside proudly from side to side as she strolls.” and is amazed that people aren’t making fun of her. She looks at her and realizes that’s who she wants to be. She wants to be confident, self assured, and elegant. This happens in the middle of the book and she changes a lot after this. She stops wearing a lot of makeup and other characters state that she started acting more girly. This is one of my favorite signposts moments of someone realizing who they want to be.

The last signpost moment is of a character named Boone. Boone’s signpost is different from the other characters because it’s a memory moment. In the last few chapters of the book, Agnes is dying and in the hospital. This triggers flashbacks for Boone when his Dad died. On one fateful day, a boat full of wood slips off a hill and hits his father crushing his rib cage. “I remember my father's mouth trying to form words,” he says and this disturbed him so much that he vomited. He tries CPR on his father, but it doesn’t work. This is a significant signpost moment because this moment basically changes his whole life. After his father died, he had to take care of all the chores because his mother is too depressed to even leave the house. His mother sits around and solves puzzles all day. This shaped him and his mother. Their relationship and lives were never the same.

One thing that is in this book that is in many other shows and literature in general is a love triangle. A love triangle is when two people have a romantic interest with one person and the other has an interest with only one of them. The love triangle is a classic story cliche used and I don’t really enjoy it unless it’s done right. The love triangle in this book is that both Moria and Agnes like Boone, but Boone likes Moira. It’s not the best love triangle, but it doesn’t distract you from the story. This book was very interesting to read because it talked about a rare disease. The book is average sized, but because of the chapter format, it seems easier to read and analyze. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in young adult fiction.