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Don't Die, My Love

4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 · rating details · 6,862 ratings · 362 reviews

Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower have always been school sweethearts. Now both are in high school and deeply in love. Luke, a talented football player, is almost certain to receive an athletic scholarship to a top college. And no matter what her parents say, wherever Luke goes, Julie intends to follow. When Luke can't shake what he thinks is a virus, Julie persuades him to...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published July 1st 1995 by Laurel Leaf

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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Dec 22, 2008 Bre rated it 4 of 5 stars

The author, Lurlene McDaniel, does an awesome job in her work. I wish I had more time to read her books. I love to read her writing. It is so vivid. I can actually put myself in the main characters place.

This book is an amazing love story. I love how the main character shows how devoted to her boyfriend. Yet, as many changes he faces she stills stands by his side even when he doesn’t want her love. Don’t Die, My Love takes you a journey of two young adults as there undivided attention to one an...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Savannah Silverstone rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Mar 21, 2013 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was given to me by relatives as a random stocking stuffer when I was a pre-teen. I never expected to like it, but as soon as I started reading, it became my favorite book, and remained my favorite book for years afterward. I read this book cover to cover at least 15 times as a teen (I'm actually underexaggerating), and never once made it to the end without bawling my eyes out. It's still sitting on my shelf, over a decade later, falling apart at the seams from all the use it got in my...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Deanna Vader rated it 4 of 5 stars

“If it's possible to send a message from heaven, I'll get one to you.” -Luke

~Spoilers~

You want a book that rips out your heart and stomps all over it? You got it with this one!

This book is beautiful and the kind of love any woman wants from a man. Childhood friends and still deeply in love with one another. They reach high school and are still going strong, their love never dies. Then Juile finds out Luke has cancer and everything goes downhill. However her love for him never died in fact it gr...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Stephanie Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Book I choose for this month is “Telling Christina Goodbye” By Lurlene McDaniel. It was a very good book. It’s about a girl named Trisha she and her boyfriend Cody was a having a great Senior year, But she doesn’t like her best friends boyfriend. They want to go away to College but Tucker doesn’t want Christina to go to College, he wants her to stay home. So she is going to stay home and Trisha doesn’t like that Tucker controls Christina all the time. So one night When all four friends were...more The Book I choose for this month is “Telling Christina Goodbye” By Lurlene McDaniel. It was a very good book. It’s about a girl named Trisha she and her boyfriend Cody was a having a great Senior year, But she doesn’t like her best friends boyfriend. They want to go away to College but Tucker doesn’t want Christina to go to College, he wants her to stay home. So she is going to stay home and Trisha doesn’t like that Tucker controls Christina all the time. So one night When all four friends were coming home early from an away game because a guy talked to Christina and Tucker was going to beat him up but they got thrown out before anything happened so everybody was yelling at each other and then a car pulled up and tucker thought that the other car wanted to race him so he started going as fast as he can go and hit a Patch of Black Ice. That night Trisha woke up laying in a back of an Emergency Truck and she glanced up and saw Tucker talking to the Police telling them what had happened. The next morning she was in the hospital and he parents were there and they told her that Christina was dead, Tucker was just fine, Cody was in a coma and she was injured. The very next day Tucker went to see Trisha and he was telling her that he was sorry that he shouldn’t have done what he did and she was looking at him like he was stupid. When Trisha got well she went to go see Cody he was still in his coma she sat down by his bed and fell into a deep sleep she dreamed about the night of the accident then next thing you now Cody’s mom woke her up. She was telling her that Cody has been in the coma for 5 days and when he woke up he wouldn’t remember her. The next day Tucker went to see Trisha and he told her that Cody had woken up from his coma and when she got in the room he freaked out and started yelling at her telling her to get out of his room and stuff so she ran out crying and when she and Tucker got back to her room she was saying he doesn’t remember me over and over again. The next morning she went back to his room while he was asleep and she sat there and asked him why don’t you remember me and she started crying then he woke up and said who are you and she said Trisha do you not remember me and he said no and she started crying and he said please don’t cry, Then he called his mother in the room asking who she was and she said that’s Trish your girlfriend. He was startled the next few days she went in his room everyday and he got to know her even more everyday. A couple of days after that he got to go home and he stated to remember a lot of stuff but he still didn’t remember her. Trisha finally got to go back to school she had people help her around school and people tell her there sorry about Christina and after school everybody followed her to the scene of the accident and they put flowers every were she died The next day they went to Christina’s Funeral and when her dad saw Tucker he freaked out and told him to leave. When the funeral was over Cody went to Trisha’s house and he asked Trisha to marry him and she said yes. So after they graduated they got married.(less)

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Jan 13, 2011 Kendra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-irp-books

Don’t Die, My Love is a book about growing up, love the same person you grew up hating, and have to go through knowing the person you love has only a short life to live. Julie Ellis is a young girl who is dating the perfect boy that every girl in the school would be lucky to date, but the only problem is that he doesn’t care much for her an only has his mind on making into the big times for football. Luke Mulden is her love, he has liked Julie since they were little but she was so mean to him....more Don’t Die, My Love is a book about growing up, love the same person you grew up hating, and have to go through knowing the person you love has only a short life to live. Julie Ellis is a young girl who is dating the perfect boy that every girl in the school would be lucky to date, but the only problem is that he doesn’t care much for her an only has his mind on making into the big times for football. Luke Mulden is her love, he has liked Julie since they were little but she was so mean to him. Luke was the quarter back for his high school football team, and his dreams mean more to him then anything. Luke was sick for very long, Julie had no idea what was wrong but Luke wanted to finish the football season. Once he finally decided to go to the doctors he finds out that he has cancer. He loses all his hair, he doesn’t eat, he gets sick all the time and through all of this Julie didn’t leave his side. Julie and him travel to California for the summer to visit with Luke’s uncle. When they come they come to find out that he has a tumor in his lung. Julie and him talk about getting married and Luke doesn’t know what to tell her. He ends up having to go through a big surgery he knows that this surgery could take his life but Julie has all confident that everything will be fixed. Julie, Luke’s mom and Julie’s family wait for the news of how Luke’s surgery goes.
This book has a very good begin, it’s sad, makes you want to fall in love and it will make you cry. I love the author made it so Julie’s story about her life seemed like it was a true story. This book made be think of what if this happened to me and my boyfriend which made me for sad. The story of the love in California made me really happy and be very thankful for what relationship I am in! This book is trying to get a point across that you should always live your life on the edge, and always remember that life is short. This story really brings out that when you really love someone that you need to stay by their side through anything.
I give this book 5 stars because I think any girl who loves a good love story they would like this book a lot. It’s definitely a romance book which isn’t for everyone so if your into those books like Dear John I wouldn’t read this book. If you really like heart warming stories and cute young relationships I would recommend this book for you.
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Jun 24, 2009 Gloria added it

Shelves: advisory

In the book Don't Die my Love by Lurlene McDaniel is about Julie and Luke who love each other for a very long time. They are now in Highschool and Luke is a part of the football team. Julie found out that Luke had cancer. Julie was very sad and she went with Luke to every one of his doctor's appointment. THe cancer got worse and a tumor developed in his lungs. Julie stayed by his side hoping he will get better, but in the end Luke died.

I liked this book very much because it was very sad how Luk...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Magggiem added it

"Don't Die, My Love", is such a romantic book. I didn't like this book this much.It was a good book, but in the begining was kind of boring;it just talked about their romance and their love and Luke's virus. Then, in the ending of the book got a little bit better. I think it wasn't that much interesting as others books I read; there wasn't much goin on. I feel it was repeating the same thing over and over.
Luke,a football player, falls in love with Julie, a wonderfull girl who loves him a lot....more

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Jan 31, 2009 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 9th-advisory

DON'T DIE, MY LOVE
By Lurlene McDaniel
250 pgs.
Random House Children's Books
Dell Laurel-Leaf $5.50
ISBN:0-553-56715-2

"DON'T DIE, MY LOVE" is a book about Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower's love for each other. Luke has asked Julie to marry him in sixth grade, and she just laughed. They began dating in eighth grade and now in high school, they are deeply in love. Luke is a very good football player and is able to receive an athletic scholarship to a great college. Julie shows her love for him, plann...more DON'T DIE, MY LOVE
By Lurlene McDaniel
250 pgs.
Random House Children's Books
Dell Laurel-Leaf $5.50
ISBN:0-553-56715-2

"DON'T DIE, MY LOVE" is a book about Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower's love for each other. Luke has asked Julie to marry him in sixth grade, and she just laughed. They began dating in eighth grade and now in high school, they are deeply in love. Luke is a very good football player and is able to receive an athletic scholarship to a great college. Julie shows her love for him, planning to go to the same college as Luke although her parents are always telling her not to. When Julie knows something is wrong with Luke, she persuades him to see the doctor. Apparently, the results came out to be very surprising. Still, Julie would always be by Luke's side no matter what happens.

The plot and the way Lurlene McDaniel wrote this book was how it got me hooked into continuing to read this book, not wanting to let go of it. I like the style in how she wrote this book because it made me think about what would happen next. As I was reading, I wasn't able to determine what each character would do in order to support Luke.
I like how she made me think more deeply into the book, making it not as boring as just to read the book.

The story gets more and more interesting; especially when Luke and Julie's families find out what is wrong with Luke. Many things start to happen and it isn't as easy as it could've been. Although things are getting more and more messed up and a bit confusing, that is what makes this story continue. This is also what makes this book more and more interesting as the reader continues reading.

The personality of each person in this book is quite unique. Each person has their different ways of thinking and doing things, and that also helps make the story more interesting. Julie listens to Luke's mother more than she does to her own mother. A child would usually listen to their own mother instead of someone else, but that is different in this case.

Reading this book has taught me more about being in relationships and treating the one you love. The love that Julie and Luke has is very influencial to me and I think that is the true meaning of TRUE LOVE. No matter what happens to Luke, Julie is always there to support him. Everything they do for one another is for the other' good, and that is something I really admire. Since Julie and Luke loves each other so much, would their love last forever even if something has come in between them?(less)

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Jan 21, 2010 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2010, ya-contemporary, young-adult

Don't Die My Love by Lurlene McDaniel is a beautiful love story that will pull at your heartstrings. I read it in one sitting and fell for the main characters right away. Luke and Julie's love for each other was truly genuine IMHO, and I was sad for Luke when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's. The events unfolded at a steady pace, but I was not prepared for the final outcome, or rather in denial I should say. As realistic as it was, I was still hoping against hope and eventually found myself reach...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Vivian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-2012

I first read this summary a while ago in barnes and noble and really wanted to read it but apparently the library didn't have the book. However it did come with 2 other books in a book called True Love. For some reason even i loved the summary and wanted to read it so badly it did not meet my expectations. Luke was a football player, had everything going with his life with a girlfriend and the only bad thing was that his dad died from cancer and left his mom working non-stop. But like father li...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Jordyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

This was my first time reading an actual romance novel--I've read books with love stories at their core, obviously, but I've never read one of these sappy romances. Don't Die, My Love actually wasn't that painful to read, though. I got pretty bored when Julie and Luke are on vacation in California, but I liked the rest of the book pretty well. I was trying to figure out why books like this would be important for teen readers, and I actually think that some teens could learn some things from the...more

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May 20, 2011 Krista Basilio rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I must confess I have read this book 15 times (I'm not exaggerating!) in the past two years! It is extremely sad and even if you have read it so many times that you can quote it, as I can, you will still cry your eyes out whenever you read or reread it!

Luke Muldenhower, a handsome, talented football player, and beautiful Julie Ellis are deeply in love and have been ever since middle school. Now, in high school the whole school knows they are a couple. Luke is sure to get an athletic scholorship...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Genesis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Don’t Die My Love is written by Lurlene McDaniel. This book deals with a teenage couple,Luke and Julie, who are dealing with the developing cancer that Luke has. I have read other Lurlene McDaniel books and they never fail to deliver on emotional ties to the protagonist. As a reader, I could empathize with the Julie character. How Julie feels, acts, and her intentions were clear to me throughout the book. It was effective of McDaniel to write the book in such a way that chronicled the whole proc...more

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Dec 10, 2009 Gary Tydryszewski rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-literature

Romance

I don't think I am the target audience for this novel; at least, I hope I'm not. I don't know how to comment on this book. Another story of the perfect couple who's perfect future is interrupted by sickness. Julie and Luke are that couple that has always been together and everyone is sure that will end together, he's got his whole life ahead of him with scholarships galore and the most complicated aspect of their future is where they will end up. Then disaster strikes. It reminds me of t...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Shelsy Morillo rated it 5 of 5 stars

its really sad because Luke dies with cancer and it must hqve been very difficult to live with it, being a teenager, also being the best quarterback. With all that pressure of being a good student to be a good quarterback to have the scholarship, I just can't imagine how Luke must have felt, nor how Julie felt having to see her boyfriend working so hard to get into college and to impress Julie's dad, the coach.... I really loved it because it shows how a disease like cancer could ruin everybody'...more

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May 28, 2012 Michelle Starrs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-read

"Don't Die, My Love" wasn't the worst book I've ever read.
But it wasn't that fantastic either. The high school couple are in love and then he gets cancer and dies. The beginning of the book I was holding back my gag reflex the entire time. It is pretty darn sappy. It's very typical. But if you are looking for a clean, high school romance... this is perfect. I can see 12-14 yr-old girls loving this. It just felt so fluffy to me, considering the topic and how devastating it was to her. He also fel...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Claudia is currently reading it

The book at this point is getting really suspenseful because Julie and Luke went to the doctors because Luke wasn't feeling that great. Julie has been really worried about him ever since she found that swollen gland. The doctor told him he had a disease and his antibiotics weren't responding the way they should have been. By Christmas time, his hair started to fall out and Luke didn't want to go to school without his cap because he didn't want people to see him without hair cause he was afraid t...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Astrid Reyes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Don't Die, My Love really opened my eyes, it shows you how the most perfect things can become the most tragic ones. It really helped me to see how you can't really take anything for granted. It was beautifully written and it had a beautiful message. You will laugh, say "awwww", cry, scream, and want to punch somebody while reading it. Even if you're not that much of an emotional person, you will still feel that sad feeling inside of you. This book is one of those that people will use to guide th...more

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Apr 17, 2009 Natasha Joseph rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is soo Good! Well as you can see the two love birds on the front cover of the book is in love. Something that the boy didn't even thing it can happen makes him sick.:( how can that happen and he is healthy! hes a Football player for crying out loud! well when he ends up with the sickness he doesn't have much time left. Always going in aout of the Hopital. Knowing your girlfriend is finding you throwing up your guts. The kind of people that would love the book is people who love books t...more

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Dec 22, 2010 Bailey B added it · review of another edition

I think these are great books. This book was interseting, but it had some sad parts to it like when luke dies.I liked the begging of the book better because how sad it is of what they have to deal with. Luke is one of the best football players for there high school and Julie was the coaches daughter, they were dating. They get deepily in love with each other, when they go to California they disised they want to get married. Luke ends up dyeing at the end beacouse he did not make in surgery. Over...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Elena rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 14, 2011 Meagster 23 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books, a-re-read-must, absolutely-adorable, epic-romance-novels, i-dare-you-to-pick-it-up-and-not-cr, best-book-ever, one-sit-reads

This was the novel that started my love affair with reading. I first read it when I was 11 and I still remember how I felt reading each page. I have 4 copies of it Since I have read this book at least 20 + times and I have the entire first chapter memorized word for word. I can't say there is anything particularly special about it I just adore lurlene and her talent of relating to teenagers in tough to extreme circumstances.everyone I've ever recommended this to has loved it
I refer to it as my '...more

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May 12, 2010 Julia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ya-novels, english-420

This book is a teen romance novel and I would think that 14 year olds and up could read this book. Although this book does deal with the hard topic of cancer it is done rather well. The book is about a couple, Julie and Luke. They have been dating for three years, when Luke gets sick. They start out believing it's just a minor bug, but it turns out to be cancer. Julie is so worried over Luke that she spends all her free time with him. By the end of this book I was crying and could barely see the...more

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Jun 24, 2010 Erica Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, chick-lit-for-the-girls

This book was a beautiful, short, and passionate love story. Me being a hopeless romantic myself (sometimes) I am instantly drawn to these books for a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. This book honestly made me cry, because of the way that Ms. McDaniel so realistically portrayed their romance. It wasn't cheesy, cliche, or over the top. It seemed like the romance two high school sweethearts could have. I love Ms. McDaniel's books, and I learn from all of them that true love, no matter how fleetin...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Rhiannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fiction, romance-all-the-way

Julie Ellis and Luke Muldenhower have always had a connection. Luke had a huge crush on Julie since the day he layed eyes on her in 5th grade. In 6th grade he asked her to marry him, but she laughed and told him to get lost. Why would she want a scrawny little boy with big brown eyes and blonde hair following her anyway?
But in 8th grade they started dating. And in high school they became deeply in love. Now its almost the end of senior year and Luke is a talented football player who is sure to g...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: winter-white-challenge

I absolutely loved this book! The story is about a young couple and their love, which appears to have begun in elementary school. Luke and Julie are in their junior year of high school, looking forward to their senior year. Luke is their high school's star football player who is dating his coach's daughter.

Luke has what the doctors originally think is just an infection, but as time goes on and Luke doesn't get better they run many tests after which he is diagnosed with a form of rare cancer. Wh...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Cyndi Sheridan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Don’t Die, My Love was the first book I read by Lurlene McDaniel, and honestly I loved everything about it. The imagery was so realistic and the relationship between Julie and Luke melted my heart. It was a true love story and I loved how Lurlene portrayed the main character as someone who devotes herself no matter what the circumstance. Lurlene’s descriptions of the love they shared made me realize how much I wish I could have a relationship like that. Despite the end result, Julie stood by Luk...more

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Apr 19, 2009 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! I just loved this book. A sweet innocent and CLEAN romance between to young people.(think the Notebook, but G rated) You will not read without shedding some tears. The only negative thing would be the way the main characters relationship with and the way she speaks to her mother- But that is the only disagreeable part in the whole book. I loved the strength these young people showed in the book, especially Luke. I enjoyed that the author was very REAL with the book. Very sweet, emotional, a...more

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Mar 23, 2009 Carrie Jenkins rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's sort of like the other Lurlene McDaniel books.
A girl falls in love with a guy after finding out she has a brain tumor. He has a disease and he ends up dieing after he purposes. They marry right before they die. Then she goes on vacation with her family to get away and meets a guy named brandon. She isn't ver optomistic about him. But in the end she ends up falling in love with him, she says that her other guy she was with would want her to be happy, then she dies and brandon is devestated.

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About Lurlene McDaniel

Lurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.

Other places to find her are...
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http://www.youtube.com/user/LurleneMc
http://www.myspace.com/lu ...more

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Books by Lurlene McDaniel

Angels Watching Over Me (Angels Trilogy, #1)

Until Angels Close My Eyes (Angels Trilogy, #3)

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Quotes from Don't Die, My Love

“If it's possible to send a message from heaven, I'll get one to you.” — 88 people liked it

“I'll cover you in flowers someday, Julie-girl.” — 33 people liked it

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