What You Left Behind is unusual in the increasingly crowded field of contemporary young adult fiction: It's a teen drama full of loss and hope, told not through the eyes of the tragically dying Meg or by new love interest Joni, but by Ryden himself. I don't recall reading any other YA novels recently with a male narrator who's experienced anything quite like Ryden. Age 17, high school senior, father. Bereaved as a teen without every really getting to start a life with the girl he loved. Work, school, soccer, trying to be a good dad, trying to be a good son, and still trying to understand what really happened with Meg. 
 You can't help but love Ryden. He didn't ask for any of this. Meg insisted on keeping the pregnancy, even though it meant going without chemo for all those months. All Ryden wanted was to love Meg and do anything in his power to keep her healthy... and here he is six months after her death, stressed out, feeling like a terrible father, having to face the reality that the life he thought he was meant for is now forever out of reach. 
 Jessica Verdi's writing is beautiful in its heartfelt sorrow and frustration and bitterness. Ryden is a giant mess, and he screws up a lot -- but I challenge any reader not to feel complete sympathy with him. He's in a horrible situation, and even though he has an amazing mother who supports him wholeheartedly, his life really does suck at the moment when we first meet him. Watching him go through the process of grieving and figuring things out and finally starting to see a glimmer of hope is painful. Ryden's emotions are raw and brutal, and he makes some big mistakes, and really doesn't understand the world around him or what his new life really is a lot of the time. But it's impossible to blame him for anything. He's in a horrible situation, not of his making, and -- he's only 17! He's bound to make mistakes, but I can't help but admire the courage and grit he shows in just waking up and moving forward day after day. 
 The author knows how to get inside a teen's head and explore all the contradictory wants and needs lurking there. The writing doesn't condescend and doesn't shy away from showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. The story didn't necessarily go where I thought it would, but I was invested every step of the way and couldn't look away. 
 My only complaint is that the author made me care so much about these characters that I wanted more at the end. I like the ending of the book very much, which makes it clear that a new chapter is just beginning and that Ryden finally has a path ahead of him that can lead to happiness. But (and maybe this is the mom in me speaking!), I wanted to know more. I really want to know what Ryden's life is like in a year, in two years, and in five. What happens next? What does he decide to do with himself? How does he grow as a person and as a father? I think it's a testament to the power of this novel that I feel invested enough to have so many questions. 
 Bottom line: If you enjoy contemporary YA fiction that deals with tough subjects with honesty and emotion, don't miss What You Left Behind.