I absolutely adored this novel about a young woman coming to terms with losing her sight to Stargardt disease.

Paige and her best friend, Jazz, are determined to make Year 10 their best year ever. Jazz posts to Paige’s Instagram all the crazy things she gets up to, like jumping off buildings, kissing boys she barely knows, and mouthing off at school. Paige used to be an art nerd, but since she began losing her eyesight she is trying to make up for all the things she may never get to do or see again. Paige is the ultimate teen rebel, but she has good reason – it’s not easy to go from being a 16-year-old who only has to worry about boys and homework to someone with a serious disability. And she’s determined that no one at school should know, so only Jazz is aware of her difficulties, and Paige has been hiding how bad it is even from Jazz.

This is the story of how Stargardt disease slowly impacts Paige’s relationships with her best friend and her family, as well as her chances for romance. Written with warmth and compassion, the reader can wholly empathise with Paige as she goes through this reluctant and often painful journey to find acceptance of her condition.

Suzy Zail has written well-known historical young adult books that have been shortlisted for many awards. This latest novel treads different ground, but it is equally compelling, well-researched and authentic. Readers aged 12+ who like contemporary stories and romance are going to devour it just like I did.