Falling Stars, an urban fantasy by Julie Rogers, is about nine-year-old Tommy Lucas, who needs a bone marrow transplant within the next six months to survive. But Tommy’s convinced his cancer is a curse on his bloodline, that he’s a vampire. His mom, June, is an oncologist. She allows Tommy to continue a soft practice of his fantasy (like eating only red-colored foods) because she doesn’t want him to lose hope. A uniquely moving story that leaves readers thinking about it long after they put it down.

Rogers presents sharply-drawn characters—Tommy and June—who provide a light pulsing in what might seem like infinite darkness. The book is a triumphant magical feast, moving readers deeply and profoundly. The book’s narrative approach adds pleasing depth to a gripping story, charging it with realism and raw emotion. Her seventh book is a deeper exploration of our own biological mortality. 

“I set out to write Falling Stars to encapsulate surreal, universal life themes,” says Rogers, “ones that will hopefully compel readers to think and even reconsider how those come to be.”