Book Response #2

One Moment, is really starting to get interesting. Last time, I mentioned that Maggie had recently lost her boyfriend due to an accident while cliff jumping, but was it really an accident? The time has finally come, Maggie and her friends have to say good-bye to their friend for the last time. You really sympathize for Maggie as she approaches Joey's open casket. The quote really catches how much she wishes the entire situation wasn’t real. It helps you see how much Maggie wishes she could stop time and almost pretend like the entire thing didn’t happen.

"Five steps later, I was in front of her, standing on two shaky legs. I put my hand on her shoulder and kissed her soppy cheek, trying to keep my eyes from darting to the body lying next to her husband. As I moved away from Mrs. Walther, Joey's father reached out and folded me against him. He whispered something across the top of my head, but all I caught was the vibration coming from his chest. I wanted to stop time, to stay there in his arms forever, because his shirt smelled like Joey. And he was the last stop before my final good-bye. Mr. Walther pulled away from me, holding me at arm’s length as his eyes wandered the planes of my face. "Doesn't he look peaceful?" Mr. Walther asked, tilting his head. And I turned. Faced him for the last time. My Joey."

       As Maggie approached the coffin she made the horrible mistake to touch his lips one last time. Her emotions overcame her and she rushed outside and was immediately sick. The author does a really good job of portraying what Maggie is going through as she faces going back to school and seeing friends and teachers. Almost every sentence you feel like you've been grabbed by the throat, you feel so bad for Maggie. I am not going to lie I teared up on a few paragraphs.

As Maggie is back at school everyone is recalling their last conversations they had with Joey or the last time they saw him. As soon as Maggie is around though, everyone is hushed and whispers, she finds out things she never knew about Joey and things that he has possible been hiding from her. To add to the chaos that has already arose, Adam, one of Maggie's closest friends and Joeys best friend, is hiding something. The night before Joey's death Adam and he were in some kind of argument, but what was it and why can't Adam tell Maggie? The way the author leads you on for a little bit, then throws another curve ball at you makes you want to keep the pages turning. I am looking forward to finding out the mystery behind Joey and his secrets, and if they are possibly connected to his death.