{ARC Review} Maybe One Day By: Melissa Kantor

Title: Maybe One Day
Author: Melissa Kantor
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Source: HarperTeen for review
Format: Physical ARC

Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads: Critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

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.

Review: A HUGE thank you to Harper Teen for sending me this galley for review! I am a huge fan of Melissa Kantor's other novels, The Darlings series. Melissa incorporates wit, humor and passion into her books, and I was extremely happy to see this in Maybe One Day.

Characters: Olivia and Zoe are best friends. When Olivia is diagnosed with leukemia, it shatters their world. At times, I felt like Olivia was the better person, the stronger of the two. Zoe didn't seem to have a good head on her shoulders, and I felt like she didn't know her place in life. Zoe teetered on the edge of a party girl and a good girl, and characters like this just make me a bit uncomfortable. It feels very hard to relate to their character when their own identity cannot be established. However, despite Zoe's uneasiness, she truly did love Olivia and wanted only the best for her friend. 

Writing: Melissa Kantor has written a well executed novel about pain, loss and grief, even adding in the occasional bursts of humor and light. In a way, Maybe One Day is reminiscent of The Fault in Our Stars, but this novel just has a spark of individuality. While Zoe may have been a slightly underdeveloped character, her and Olivia's friendship definitely was not. Their friendship was sweet and pure, and everything teenage girls wish for in a best friend(ship). The passion and undeniably pure love was one of the greatest characteristics of not only Oliva and Zoe's friendship, but also of the entire novel. Melissa's writing just pulls you in and envelops you in the plot. It was very hard to pull away from this novel, that is for sure ;)

Romance: I'm very iffy on the romantic aspect of Maybe One Day. While Calvin was sweet and supportive (most of the time), it was a bit unnecessary and seemed to convey that the only way Zoe could pull through this tough time, was to lean on a boy that she really didn't get to know all that well. I'm still on the fence about their relationship, and will probably be for a while.

Conclusion: Although some elements fell a bit short, I was pleased with Maybe One Day. It is definitely recommended for those looking for a tale of friendship, courage, and love.