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? (Pub Date: Jan 03, 2017)
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
I was ready for this to be a tearjerker and to be devastated by the time I was done but this book is a journey through grief and discovery. This is about healing.
Definitely deserves a 3.5.
Maggie has lost her two-year boyfriend in a horrible accident for which she was the only eye witness, and yet she can't remember a thing. They were a tight group of friends since forever but with Joey's passing, they now drift apart, and nothing makes sense anymore. And does she even want to understand what happened during that one moment?
This was quick to read, even if the topic might feel heavy. This story was beautiful. More than talking about tragedy, it focused on friendship and, as aforementioned, on healing. But it was even more exciting than that. A little bit like 13 Reasons Why, the main character and the readers have some mystery to solve. Fortunately, the answer felt more real in this book than it did in 13 Reasons. On the other hand, I won't say it 'hit me with a bang'. Then again, I don't think the author really wanted to 'hit us with a bang'. (I also felt that the style, the storytelling were reminiscent of If I Stay, so for once a comparison on the cover got that right.)
What really surprised me was Maggie's development through the story. She was definitely the sheltered on among the six but by the end she feels so mature and strong, it was a thumbs-up to any teen going through loss.
Also the characters were all not only relatable but also round. You could really feel their voices and personalities through the pages. To a point I wish, for example, there were a second part telling more about Joey's brother, Rylan. He sounds so nice but as he wasn't with the gang, we barely got to see him. Is that possible? Please?
While I think the story could have had more twists, I can say I was already satisfied. And I repeat, this really surprised me. I was ready for something much more melodrama-like, and not this precious book.
I'd also recommend this for group discussions. There are so many parts of the plot, as I mentioned, loss, friendship, guilt, choices, among others.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
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