Review: Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor

Expected Publication: February 18, 2014

Format: E-ARC provided via Edelweiss

Publisher: HarperTeen

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had big plans for the future, none of which included Olivia getting sick. Still, Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

In this incandescent page-turner, which follows in the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, Melissa Kantor artfully explores the idea that the worst thing to happen to you might not be something that is actually happening to you. Raw, irreverent, and honest, Zoe's unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

My Thoughts

Wow. Talk about a heart wrenching read that will leave you emotional drained. I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure I wanted to read Maybe One Day. At first I was like really another teen cancer book but I’m glad I changed my mind and took a chance on this.

This story focuses equally on the disease and the friendship of Zoe and Olivia. Which I enjoyed most was the friendship and how both of these girls had to deal with the disease along with the hardships of just growing up. The true test of friendship is how other deal with things when the going gets rough. Learning how to deal with cancer is hard enough without having to realize you may never live to see adulthood and experience your “firsts”. You know your first kiss, love, and heartache. That’s what tore me up the most; it’s when Olivia realizes she won’t live to experience these things but then the next minute I laughed out loud when she said she would die a virgin.

Things like that made me love the book even more. While it deals with a serious subject matter she also reminds you it's still a book about a teen who's trying to cope with it. Melissa Kantor perfectly balances the story out. It’s just not a book for teens but one anyone can relate to because its main focus is on friendship. Our friends can impact us in a way no one else can, they are in some way our first loves. We learn how to love conditionally from them; they show us that no matter what happens we must always be there for each other.

What I also enjoyed was the under lining romance that Zoe had. While it wasn’t the main focus I loved that it had someone whom Zoe could talk to. She needed someone who would understand and someone who she could unload everything on.

Although this is a story that will make you cry, at least I did, it’s one of love, loss, friendship and finding yourself. It shows us how in the processing of letting someone go Zoe ultimately finds out who she is and what she wants to be. Believe me this is definitely worth the read.