Review + Giveaway (US + INTL): The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis

Title: The One Thing                               

Author: Marci Lyn Curtis

Publication: September 8th 2015, Disney-Hyperion

Format: ARC              

Source: Won from giveaway! (Thank you so much Erin Dealey on Twitter and Marci Lyn Curtis!)   

Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | Kobo | National Bookstore / Fully Booked (PH)

Synopsis:                                      

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 infuriatingly attractive 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.

Misfit Review:

We take a lot of things for granted, that's for sure. And if we lose a thing that means a lot to us, then we'd feel like nothing else matters anymore, that we're incomplete and we cannot function anymore. The One Thing serves as an eye-opener, that even in times of pain and obstacles, there is hope and you are not alone.

Maggie, a 17 year old girl, who gets her eye sight taken away from her after getting bacterial meningitis. She thinks everything is over, her relationship with her family, her friendship and her soccer career. To Maggie, not being able to see feels like a burden. She rebels, gets herself in juvenile custody but later encounters a ten year old boy, Ben. To her surprise, she sees him. She actually sees him and she wonders why. Ben becomes the flicker of hope to Maggie's life and almost at once, her life turns into a spirally road, with her heart and faith challenged with every turn.

What is this book? How did it come to exist? This is me in rabid fangirl mode right now. This book is one of the best reads I've had had in a while. Let me get into detail. Maggie is a character that you'd think you wouldn't like, but she's actually honest, no nonesense, sassy, witty, sensitive and kind. Her predicament makes her cold and distant towards others, but meeting Ben, we get to peel off layers in Maggie, and she becomes a revelation of sorts. 

Speaking of Ben, HALLELUJAH, praise the Lord for this kid. It's so refreshing to read this kid with his humor and wit. As though the light at the end of the tunnel to Maggie, Ben brings light and hope in this novel. And the best about Ben is his views on everything, as if each turn could turn positive. And he's 10! I can go on and on about this kid. He's sensitive and he cares about his family and friends. I think we all wish we could have a Ben or a kid with this much positivism in our lives. Even with his own predicaments, Ben doesn't fail to shine a bright smile and exude his charm. And please, I'm sure one day this kid is gonna win over a number of girlfriends. There, there Ben. She'll come one day.

I love the Milton family. They've become a way for Maggie to see a sliver of hope in her situation. And they exude so much good vibes, it's great. Of course, with a bit of an exception with Mason, who is Ben's older brother. He's a lot more reserved. If I could describe Mason, I would compare him to Adam Wilde, Where She Went stage, a little rough of the edges, but still has his soft side in him. The romance in this book is subtle, not too "slap in the face", cheesy but in the right way, sweet without being overly sweet and definitely had the right way of build up. I enjoy books that build up romance and doesn't hide the fact that it is existent, rather than denying it. Though Mason is not my favorite in this book, he did bring something nice to the table. The other characters were also quite great! Clarissa, with her overly sweet self, is actually the person you'd want to cling to the most. Lauren made me remember that I had a ton of fake friends in elementary and in high school. Oh well. Maggie's parents are on their way to adjusting, thank the heavens. And Grandpa Keith rocks!

A rollercoaster of feelings, the humor and drama are meshed together so well. I would be laughing at first and then I'd frown and then I'd be staring off to a distance, contemplating, "what if I end up in the same situation as Maggie, what would I do?" It wasn't afraid to show how big of an obstacle Maggie's blindness was but then it made it all the better when she was actually doing something about it. I related a lot with Maggie. Rather than her blindness, crippling her somehow, my sadness would at times take me into a place where I'd feel anxious about a lot of things, and I wouldn't like to mingle with other people anymore. But there are things, like Loose Cannons, that make everything better, or meeting people like Ben who help me. I think we all go through a time in our lives where we actually need to set ourselves free from reigns that hold us back and try new possibilities, no matter how scary they can be or may seem. And the scene with Ben. You don't make me laugh/cry like that. You don't. How dare you? I love you.

My THING. What is my thing? The thing that makes me happy? Reading I would say, but I have a lot of THINGS I would say make me happy and are helping me through tough times. And I'm glad Ben pointed them out. I almost forgot what they really mean.

Marci Lyn Curtis is a genius. Though it might seem kind of vague to believe that if you end up blind you'll see a person from some strange reason, it does give light to the issue that no matter the challenges ahead, and even if you have a disability, it shouldn't hinder you from doing the things you love and trying out new things as well. It was written as if I'm just talking with a friend, discovering new feelings and possibilities, telling me frustrations and I'm like, yeah yeah.

The One Thing is a refreshing read that will give you hope and will instill in you to be more positive about the world and that there are people who love you no matter what happens to you. A truly beautiful book, The One Thing is my new favorite Thing. 

GIVEAWAYS

Terms & Conditions:

• This contest is open for US residents or to those with US mailing addresses ONLY.
• The giveaway will run until October 14, 2014
• You must be 15 years or older, or have parents’ permission to enter.
• All your entries will be disqualified if you pickup entries for something you haven’t done. (I had to do this for so many of my last giveaways, please don’t make me do this again.)
• If you only use ONE account to do all these tasks and enter under different names, they will still only constitute as ONE entry.
• If the winner does not respond to my e-mail within 48 hours, I will have to choose another winner.
• I am not responsible for any items lost in the mail.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions:

• This contest is open INTERNATIONALLY.
• The giveaway will run until October 14, 2014
• You must be 15 years or older, or have parents’ permission to enter.
• All your entries will be disqualified if you pickup entries for something you haven’t done. (I had to do this for so many of my last giveaways, please don’t make me do this again.)
• If you only use ONE account to do all these tasks and enter under different names, they will still only constitute as ONE entry.
• If the winner does not respond to my e-mail within 48 hours, I will have to choose another winner.
• I am not responsible for any items lost in the mail.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to my mother from another universe, or realm or just. HAHAHA, Marci, for being so kind in offering these giveaways! You are the bomb! Be sure to give her some love! <3

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Marci Lyn Curtis grew up in Northern California, where she went to college and met an amazing guy in a military uniform. Two college-aged kids and one dachshund later, she lives in Maryland, where she laughs too loudly and eats peanut butter off spoons.