The Writing’s On The Wall: Side Effects May Vary

The Writing’s On The Wall is a regular feature on Pop! Goes The Reader in which I create desktop wallpapers inspired by some of my favourite novels.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think Julie Murphy’s 2014 debut, Side Effects May Vary, is one of the best and brightest books I’ve read this year. Brash, unflinching and deeply evocative, I have been unable to stop thinking about Alice’s story for an instant ever since I wrote my five star review back in April. But even that wasn’t enough. I knew I wanted to do something more to celebrate what Julie had created and to honour a story that had come to mean so much to me. Thus, this wallpaper was born.

Title Side Effects May Vary
Author Julie Murphy
Pages 336 Pages
Genre Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Cancer, Romance
Publisher HarperCollins / Balzer + Bray
Publisher On March 18th, 2014
Find It On Goodreads

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying — only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs — however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

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I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Make Media Co., The Pen & Brush and Nicky Laatz whose clipart and/or fonts I purchased, edited and used in the creation of this wallpaper!

What book would you like to see made into a desktop wallpaper next? Let me know in the comments – I would love to hear from you!