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Following on the heels of her "must-read" debut novel (New York Times best-selling author Jay Asher) One Moment is perfect for fans of Sara Zorr and Gayle Forman.
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?
FarmChick
Posted September 9, 2012
A wonderfully written tale of love, loss, deception and friendship.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Suzie_Beth17
Posted August 5, 2012
romance, mystery, and tear jearker all in one
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Readergirl_Revus
Posted June 26, 2012
I love to find a good, satisfying contemporary read that has a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, and a bit of twist that was startling and unexpected. This is exactly what I got with Kristina McBridge's One Moment.
The author doesn't waste any time at all getting you right into the suspense of this story. From the first few pages, the story sucks you right in with Joey's tragic death, and with Maggie's shocked reaction as she represses the memories she doesn't want to and just can't seem to face. The entire storyline was so real... this could happen to anybody. The events leading up to Joey's death are ones that happen every day, and where this led Joey was tragic and sad. The characters in this story band together to get over their friend's death, and then the secrets begin to come out.
I loved how Kristina McBride slowly released the events, little by little, throughout the story until finally, the entire picture becomes clear. Betrayals that Maggie didn't expect are revealed, and unexpected love she didn't know she had develops.
The characters in this story were real, with real flaws. You come to care about all of them, even the ones that make mistakes. And the developing romance for Maggie was so sweet. The author did a great job in releasing information and taking matters to the next level at just the right moment. This is my first Kristina McBride book, but I have definitely become a fan.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 14, 2013
I loved this book. It made me want to cry at some times and it was by far one of the best books i have ever read.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Maggie is anticipating a great summer vacation. It's the summer before her senior year of high school, she and her friends are breaking loose and having fun, and she has plans for a special surprise for her steady boyfriend Joey of two years when his parents go out of town and leave him home alone. But then everything changes with the sudden death of the boyfriend that is like a bright light in a dark sky-- full of life and intense energy and recklessness.
Helping Maggie through these trying days are her best friend Adam and girlfriends Shannon and Tanna.
But questions arise surrounding Joey's death and the weeks leading up to it, and Maggie begins to wonder whether she really knew Joey at all.
I really enjoyed this lovely little YA novel.This was my introduction to author Kristina McBride, and I found the writing very effective, bringing scenes to life for me. The author does a wonderful job of beautifully capturing the fresh passion of new love.
At times gritty and spirited, other times emotional and sentimental, the story grabbed me and held me throughout. I don't recall a moment when I was bored or wishing it would end. The characters were well-developed. I wanted to comfort Maggie, shake Adam, at times even slap Shannon. But most of all you will find yourself becoming Maggie's cheerleader.
My final word: In a word, how did this book make me feel in the end? Hopeful...
How well can you really know someone? That is the question Maggie asks herself time and time again. As all the secrets and lies told by the someone she trusted entirely come out after his death. How well can you really know someone? Does it matter? After they are gone from this world, do the secrets and lies change anything? Do they change everything?
Those are the questions that kept my head in One Moment, nonstop, until I read the very last word.
The story is fairly predictable from the start. There are clues everywhere that lead to what Maggie eventually comes to realize herself. But that isn't where the tale really lies. It's not in the mysterious actions of her dead boyfriend and two of her best friends. The tale is how you deal with learning that the person you loved before they died wasn't necessarily the person you knew and the effect it has on how you cope with their death. Does it make it easier or so much more complicated?
Maggie is an endearing character from the start, she's real and you can easily relate to her. Adam is the nice guy, the type you hope your teenage daughter brings home. Caring to a fault and I instantly liked him. All the other characters where interesting and played their parts well.
One Moment is a touching tale of heartbreak, struggle, self-awareness, betrayal, lies, truth and healing. You run the gamut of emotions with this one but I think it ends in a nice fitting place.
eBook_Addict
Posted July 12, 2012
In the beginning of this novel, we are introduced to six friends who have been friends since they were children: Maggie, Adam, Joey, Shannon, Tanna, and Pete. They are all hanging out at the Jumping Hole, drinking, listening to music, and apparently jumping off the gorge. With being afraid of heights, Maggie is the only one of her friends who haven't jumped from the gorge, but she tells her friends that she's going to jump. She and Joey, her boyfriend, takes the path up to the gorge, and before you know it, Joey is dead and Maggie has no memory of what's happened. This story was very up and down for me; when I read the blurb for this novel, I was like "I'm so gonna love this book", but whenever I read it, I didn't have that same feeling. There were plenty of times where I wanted to not finish this book, but I really wanted to know what happened on the top of that cliff!! I didn't feel as if I could relate to the characters at all; they were drinking and weren't even 21!! I was able to relate to losing a loved one, but that was about it. The story is told from Maggie's point of view, and her character kind of rubbed me the wrong way; I get the fact that Joey was her boyfriend, but she walked around as if she was the only one to lose him...I just felt as if her character completely disregarded her friends' feelings. Overall, this novel was okay, I just felt as if it had too many flashbacks that weren't really necessary, but the secrets that were to be discovered is what really kept me reading.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Starryblue
Posted July 6, 2012
Once I finished reading One Moment I realized that I did not find the book entirely depressing. I was surprised to discover that I actually enjoyed reading it.
The plot was a bit slow paced. The reader gets to go on an emotional journey with Maggie, the protagonist, and figure out what occurred on the cliff when Joey died. As the plot moves swiftly along there are flashbacks of background information for the reader to digest.
I thought Maggie’s close knit of friends had a special bond. They were so close with one another and knew each other since they were young.
Maggie was the narrator of the story. She had to go through the grief cycle of losing her boyfriend from a terrible death. Maggie must find courage within herself to accept that her boyfriend, Joey was not a perfect person. She must be strong enough to discover Joey’s hidden secrets. At first Maggie seemed like a person who could easily be swayed to make a decision. I thought this because she fell into peer pressure. Eventually Maggie transformed to a person who was more self-aware with herself.
The main reason why I liked Maggie was because I felt connected to her. Whenever she went through the phases of grief, guiltiness, denial, regret, and acceptance I could feel her emotional state. The emotions allowed me to imagine how Maggie was feeling.
While, reading One Moment I could not bring myself to understand why Maggie loved Joey. Immediately I saw beyond his exterior and knew right away that he would not be my favorite character in the book. I was relieved when Maggie uncovered Joey’s hidden secrets. Before discovering his secrets she held him on a pedestal and ignored his horrible behavior. Maggie was truly blind in love. It took some time for the hidden veil to disappear and for her to realize that Joey was not a flawless person.
My favorite character was Adam. He was such a sweet and considerate friend. Adam was always there for Maggie. I viewed him as the type of friend you could always lean on for support. Mainly what drew me to Adam was his mysterious secret. He won my heart when he took Maggie away from seeing Joey dead body at the cliff. During that exact scene I just new that he had some special feelings for her.
Two other characters that I really found delight in were Pete and Tanna. I adored Pete because he loved playing his guitar and always tried to make his friends happy. He was the peace holder. Tanna was outgoing and a trusting friend.
Another element of One Moment that I loved was the music mentioned. There was Nickelback, Cee Lo Green and many more. This is a great factor for me because I’m pleased to read a book that includes music that I am familiar with and enjoy.
I will surely be looking out for more books by Kristina McBride. Her writing captures so much emotion into a book.
I highly recommend One Moment to readers who love a strong and emotional book.
You all probably know how much of a sucker I am for realistic fictions, but I guess this book just didn't really get to my heart. I have to say it was one of my highly anticipated books, but it just didn't amaze me like most realistic fictions do. The main protagonist, Maggie, suffers from the tragedy of her boyfriend, Joey's, death. While the synopsis of the story sounded interesting to me, I have to say I didn't enjoy it that much.
The beginning of the book, it was interesting. The writing was nice, and the events were exciting as well. Though after Joey's death, I felt like the story dragged on way too much. I felt like I was just reading about how Maggie is depressed and how upset she is. I know that plays an important part in the book, but I would have liked it if it didn't drag that long. While I was reading that part, it took me a while to finish it because it just didn't make me want to turn every page after the other. While the middle was a bit boring, I loved how there was excitement towards the end. I really enjoyed the twist of the book, and that made it sound even more realistic.
I alos enjoyed the friendship between Shannon, Tanna, Pete, Adam, and Maggie. It was nice and interesting to see how those best friends coped after the death of one of them. I really didn't even know weather to like or hate Joey, because every one of those friends had their own view of him. I don't have much to say about this book without spoiling it, so I'll stop here. While the middle felt really draggy and boring, I really did enjoy the end of the book. I do recommend it to young adult readers.
This is a contemporary with a lot of emotion, that is for sure. I love how it was written where we have this big dramatic scene at the beginning where Joey dies. The catch? Maggie can't remember what happened, and we piece everything together right along with her. I like how Kristina McBride wrote in the memories of Joey, while at the same time, revealing not so savory stuff about him that Maggie didn't know before. I got to see why their relationship worked and why she is so messed up about it, while at the same time feeling this rage against a book boy. Like her, I am caught in the middle of a mess he left behind.
The title is so fitting, One Moment. Because it really is mind blowing how just one moment, that may even seem insignificant at the time can change things so much, and then there are those big moments, happy or sad that you know is going to effect your life, even if you know know how.
My only complaint is that I wished that we figured out what exactly happened sooner so that we could see more growth in Maggie instead of basically being told about it. I also pieced together what happened pretty far ahead of Maggie, but I don't think that took away from my reading experience.
I liked how it ended, tied up but still loose at the same time, with her making peace, and being able to start moving on, while still holding on the right amount to be healthy, or at least on the road to getting there.
One Moment was an incredible novel. Despite being a contemporary novel, I enjoyed every second of of it. Even though the story was a bit predictable (not that much though), the characters were anything but. McBride does an amazing job in describing things in a way that you can almost imagine you being in there with them, furthermore she shows us that one single moment, can really change everything.
The plot: I can't say that One Moment wasn't predictable but some things did take me by surprise. But I do have to mention that the author mentions one character's actions a lot and then it was almost obvious that she had more to do with the story. But I thought that the story itself was beautiful and more importantly, beautifully written. It shows us the different stages and different reactions of grief. One Moment would really suit people going through someone's loss.
The characters: The characters were obviously flawed and yet likeable. But what I enjoyed most about the characters was that they were all really realistic. Maggie was a great main character. And McBride really has a way of showing us what she is feeling, so that we can relate to it.
One Moment may be one of the most heart-wrenching novels I have ever read. But it teaches us so many things about life and loss. Sad novels aren't mostly my thing but I couldn't not have enjoyed this one. I recommend McBride's novel to anyone who is going through something similar and all contemporary fans out there will certainly love this book!
Kristina McBride writes a gut-wrenching story of young love, tragic loss and forgiveness as a group of life long friends attempt to navigate their way through grief after an accident that leaves them all wondering if one moment really is all it takes to change a life forever. After a night of partying, Maggie, Joey and the rest of their friends head into a holiday weekend to kick off what they expect will be a fun filled summer before beginning their Senior Year of High School. The day begins like any other but ends with Joey's death and Maggie's memory loss. As the days go by, secrets will be revealed and lies uncovered that will have them all questioning if they really know each other at all? Maggie, Joey, Adam, Shannon, Tanna and Pete have been friends since kindergarten. They do everything together, always have each others backs,are like extensions of each others families. Adam is the steady one who always makes the others feel safe. Tanna is the friendly one, Pete the laid back, Mr. Feel-Good and Shannon is the resident Witch with a "B". Maggie is the cautious one of the group, the polar opposite of her daredevil boyfriend Joey. If there's a risk to take or a rule to break, Joey's the one to push the limit. Maggie and Joey have been dating for almost two years and to her they've got the perfect relationship, well, almost. She has big plans for their Senior Year, like finally telling him she loves him (which she almost does at the top of the cliff) and she's ready to take the plunge with him (in more ways than one). She's the only in their group whose yet to jump off of the cliff at the gorge, (because she's deathly afraid of heights) but she feels like she's ready now with Joey by her side, holding her hand. So as they prepare to go for it, he reassures her with a kiss, the countdown begins and then something happens to make her hesitate... When it's over and everyone is peppering her with questions, all she remembers is the screaming, the look on Adam's face when he comes to find her, the blood and Joey's lifeless body at the bottom of the gorge. Maggie is haunted by regret and the "what if's". What if she'd told Joey she loved him as they hiked up the hill, what if she'd made him stay a little longer the night before, after the party, what if, what if, what if? Would it have made a difference? Would Joey still be here, safe with her? But as her memory begins to piece itself back together, Maggie discovers that Joey was keeping secrets from her and he wasn't the only one. She starts to question everything she ever believed to be true about their relationship and the people she's called friends her entire life. When the truth of what really happened up on the cliff comes out and why, Maggie will have to decide whether one moment really does change a life forever, or if life is more about the choices we make. This is one of those books that gives you that "uh-oh", "pit in the stomach" feelings from the get go and stays there until the last chapter. (That isn't a bad thing necessarily.) My heart broke for Maggie on top of that cliff, in more ways than one and continued to do so throughout the story. Each time she was betrayed I felt a stab in the chest for her. At the same time that she seemed to miss the clues with Joey, she also missed the "other" clues. When she learned the truth about "the others" my heart broke all over again but I was happy with the way it ended.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I was in the mood for some contemporary YA and having seen One Moment around the blogosphere I requested it from NetGalley. One Moment is what you expect it to be-a sad story of teenage love and premature loss, but I'm not sure it worked that well for me as did, for example, Before I Fall or If I Stay (both of which deal with similar issues and which I adored).
The thing that moved me most didn't have anything to do with Maggie or even Joey's death. Maggie was not one to easy relate to. She tells about her pain and sadness, but I didn't feel it. Joey...well, it's someone you'd hate at the end of the book, and not particularly like even when you don't know what happened. (Hm. Yes, that sounds vague, but I don't want to spoil anything). What really got to me was Adam. The emotions were running high whenever he was in the scene. Desperately trying to be there for Maggie, but torn inside and harboring a secret that could shatter Maggie's world. Whenever he cried, I was at the verge of tears too.
One of the main complaints I've read about this book was that it's predictable. It sure is. You can guess early on in the book what the big secret is. Frankly, I was surprised that Maggie didn't see it. But my conclusion, after I finished the book, was that maybe that wasn't the author's intention. Maybe it wasn't about big shockers, but rather about coping with things like...that (avoiding spoilers here). Do you hold on to the memory of someone you knew and loved and chose to ignore the bad? Can you ever really get to know someone completely? Are there things that, though they are plain in front of your nose, you'd rather not see?
One Moment wasn't a life-changing read, and for the most part it didn't really touch me, but it has some strong points, nice writing and some heartbreak. For me, it's somewhere in the middle; I wasn't crazy about it, but I'm glad to have read it.
Anonymous
Posted October 21, 2012
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Anonymous
Posted March 20, 2013
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Overview
Following on the heels of her "must-read" debut novel (New York Times best-selling author Jay Asher) One Moment is perfect for fans of Sara Zorr and Gayle Forman.
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 ...