Death & Dying, Emotions & Feelings, Friendship 

When your best friend is dying, you wonder what life would be like without her -- but nothing prepares you for the reality. This past May, Samantha lost her "one and only," Juliana, to cancer. Now there is no one to share secrets, gossip, and dreams; no reason to keep taking dance class, alone. The way she sees it, there's only one thing to do: close the door, and try to move on. Then Samantha meets Mona in summer school. Mona has challenges of her own -- her mother is bipolar, and growing up has been a tangle of new schools, an ever-changing roster of "friends," and neighbors who never understand. The two of them click right away. Mona can make Samantha laugh, and Samantha never asks questions when Mona needs a break from her mom. By summer's end they've got jobs, an apartment together in San Francisco, and the beginning of a brand new life. But doors don't always stay closed, and moving across the Golden Gate Bridge can't keep the past away. Just before the anniversary of Jules's death, Samantha and Mona must face what they've been trying to ignore. Mona's self-destructive streak has sabotaged all of her new relationships. And Samantha's struggle to be free of Jules has failed, because the memories won't go away -- and the more she lets herself remember, the more overwhelming her loss becomes. Soon, it is almost as if they have a third roommate: Jules. If they truly want to move on, Samantha and Mona will have to examine and redefine their friendship, their future -- and, in the process, themselves. In its thoughtful, deft handling of coming of age and the grieving process, this long-awaited sequel to the award-winning A Time for Dancing is equally poignant, funny, heart-wrenching -- and well worth the wait. - from Amzon