Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Getting the worst possible start to the school year ever when his doctor tells him he has a rare and deadly blood disease, 18-year-old high school senior, Ben Wolf, decides he's going to forgo treatment and telling anyone. Then he embarks upon a quest to join his school football team, date the girl of his dreams, and fully live life for as long as he's able. Classic Crutcher elements like thrilling sports scenes, quick-witted dialogue, and sympathetic characters combine with the compelling life-versus-living theme of this novel to make it a high-interest YA read. Some readers may question Ben's ability to keep his health situation secret from his immediate family as well as the extraordinary number of abuse and mental health issues that work their way out of the woodwork as supporting characters reveal their secrets to Ben, but those who are able to suspend their disbelief and go with the flow of the novel's layered and likeable narrator will find Chris Crutcher’s Deadline to be a thought-provoking, heart-breaking page-turner.