Book Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

One Moment by Kristina McBride

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Hardcover, 272 pages

Pub Date: June 26, 2012

ISBN:  9781606840863

 

My rating: 5.0/5.0

My Review:
I loved One Moment. It is one of those books that will stand out in my mind for months to come even in the blur of the many books I read each year. The story is tight, enthralling and never loses pace. The characters come to life, feel like people I know in situations I would know as well. It's just one of those books that grabs you and holds you from the first page until the last.

Maggie is the girl we all wanted to be. The girl with the gorgeous boyfriend, all the great friends, but as with any book, and with life, is everything what it seems? One afternoon everything changes when her boyfriend Joey jumps and all goes wrong out at the lake. And the worst thing, Maggie cannot remember what happened in that moment before Joey jumped. That's where the story takes off. That's where the suspense starts and the characters start to develop and build. This is where we get to know Maggie, Joey, Pete, Shannon, Adam and the others. A group of close-knit friends, but a group of close-knit friends with secrets. I liked Maggie, enjoyed watching the story through her eyes even though it was painful at times. Ms. McBride does a marvelous job telling this story. Weaving the story in and out through the characters. Weaving them together with secrets and lies and together through friendship. It's truly the tale of being a teenager with friends. I liked getting to know each of the main characters, I liked some more than others, but by the end I think Ms. McBride lets the reader know the inner intention of each character be known and I really like that. I felt each main character was really well fleshed out and I almost didn't want the story to end even though it came to it's natural conclusion.

The plot is masterful. The suspense of what happened in that one moment drives the whole book and while that doesn't sound exciting on the surface, trust me, Ms. McBride makes it very exciting. I think I read this in one sitting. I had to know what Maggie would remember. I had to know what the secrets were. I had to know what happened. I just had to know about that One Moment. And you will too. This is just one of those books that you cannot put down.

Definitely one of my top-five favorites so far this year. A masterful contemporary YA that has it all friendship, first love, and a gripping what happened type of plot in it. You won't be able to put One Moment down, I couldn't.
  
About One Moment: 
This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

***I received this book through Teen Book Scene for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***