One Moment

by Kristina McBride

[violetpeanut]

The first word that comes to mind after reading this book is "sweet." This book is really a very sweet and poignant journey through grief. The main protagonist, Maggie, deals with the loss of her boyfriend but beyond that, the loss of perfect memories that are tainted when she learns some unexpected truths about their relationship. This book is her journey through their relationship with all of the intensity that only a teenage first-love can have. It is her journey through the trials of friendship and her journey through the truth of her relationship.

The plot is fairly straightforward. There is a little bit of a mystery here but it is somewhat predictable. The pacing was excellent. Things moved along quickly enough to keep the reader interested but at a pace that allowed the characters and scenes to shine. There is enough description to paint a picture without becoming overly wordy or boring. The ending is satisfying and again, sweet.

The strength of this book is in it's characters. The author does a fantastic job of portraying these teenagers honestly - with enough drama that it is believable without becoming cheesy as in so many other YA books today. The memories and flashbacks make the reader feel just what Maggie is feeling - the nervous flutterings in the pit of your stomach on a first date, the giggling, the longing, the ache, the intense devastation a teenager can feel when it feels like nothing in the world will ever be right again, the highs you can only feel when you are with your best friends in the world and it feels like nothing will ever be better than this. The extreme highs and lows of adolescence.

Overall a very enjoyable book and recommended to fans of YA - realistic drama in particular.