Review: The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

My Rating: 5 Fan-Freaking-Tastic Stars
Date Read: September 2015



Publication Date: September 8, 2015
Hardcover, 336 Pages






Summary From Goodreads:
"Funny, sweet, and hopeful."--Kirkus Reviews

Maggie Sanders might be blind, but she won't invite anyone to her pity party. Ever since losing her sight six months ago, Maggie's rebellious streak has taken on a life of its own, culminating with an elaborate school prank. Maggie called it genius. The judge called it illegal.

Now Maggie has a probation officer. But she isn't interested in rehabilitation, not when she's still mourning the loss of her professional-soccer dreams, and furious at her so-called friends, who lost interest in her as soon as she could no longer lead the team to victory.

Then Maggie's whole world is turned upside down. Somehow, incredibly, she can see again. But only one person: Ben, a precocious ten-year-old unlike anyone she's ever met. Ben's life isn't easy, but he doesn't see limits, only possibilities. After awhile, Maggie starts to realize that losing her sight doesn't have to mean losing everything she dreamed of. Even if what she's currently dreaming of is Mason Milton, the magnetic lead singer of Maggie's new favorite band, who just happens to be Ben's brother.

But when she learns the real reason she can see Ben, Maggie must find the courage to face a once-unimaginable future...before she loses everything she has grown to love.

My Review: *Warning: Slight Spoilers Ahead*

I loved this book so much. It was so good that I was up at 2 am Tweeting about it. My thoughts after finishing were: This book is perfect and beautiful and heartbreaking all rolled into one, and I love it! 

This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me really appreciate the things that I normally take for granted {like being able to see}
  
I'll admit, I was extremely hesitant and doubtful before I started reading this book because, well, the premise just makes it sound so... I don't know, sad. It reminded me of The Fault In Our Stars, and that was something that I just wasn't ready to deal with. I wasn't really in the mood to bawl my eyes out, but I started this book anyway. At 8 p.m... And I'm actually pretty glad that I did.


I thought Ben was beyond precious. He was extremely endearing, and he said whatever he thought, without anything going through a filter first, but it wasn't bratty. Sometimes it was hard to remember that he was only 10, because some of the things he said and did made him seem older. Like when he planned this big special trip for Thea to see the stars and the sunrise... it was pretty fantastic.

I usually tend to lean towards books that have a little more romance in it. This one had some hints of romance, but it was very toned down, because the story focused more on Ben and Maggie, and their friendship, and I was absolutely A-Okay with that.

I loved seeing Maggie's character development through the book as she came to term with her blindness, and as she forgave her mother, and confronted her parents about not trying to protect her too much. I loved how her relationship with Ben grew stronger, and how she and Mason grew closer. Ah, it was just so perfect.