Love and First Sight Hardcover – January 3, 2017

I loved this book. It has been a long time since I have read a book without a single complaint, but honestly I can not say I have any. The only things I could even think of were (to agree with a friend) the book was not long enough- I want MORE of this story, I loved it so much. Well that’s it, that is the only thing wrong with this book. I want more to read.To start off Love and First Sight is about a 16 year old boy named Will. Will is blind, and has gone to school for the blind all his life. He has decided that he wants to be more independent and start at a mainstream public school. So thus, his adventures begin. His first day is a little rough but he makes good friends and really loves his life at school. He even meets a girl named Cecily.Then, an experimental surgery is offered that could give Will his eye sight, a chance to be able to finally see for the first time. As he goes through with his decision to have the surgery he realizes that seeing is not as easy as he thought, and the things he sees are not what he thought they would look like. And Cecily does not look how everyone described her to be. Suddenly Will is feeling betrayed and having a hard time coming to terms with everything happening.The description alone in this book is enough to fall in love with it. Starting off with Will as a blind main character we have the perspective of his side. And it is intricate, beautiful and so amazingly written. To be able to read a story with the main character as blind really makes a person think, and it was so very well written. Honestly this book changed the way I viewed reading now, even how I viewed life and my ability to be able to see. I felt myself stopping in my reading several times and pondering over Will’s difficulties and interactions with people thought the whole story.As the story goes on, Will obviously has the surgery (this is not a spoiler it is literally in the description of the book) and gains the ability to see. But it was not as he thought it would be, being blind his whole life he has to LEARN to see. This was truly the selling point for me in the book. I had never even stopped to think how difficult that might be, having to learn things that for so many of us we have known since the time we were like 2 years old. The author did such a wonderful job on these sections of the book. The descriptions of Will having to figure out what everything is, having to adjust to what he is seeing etc is AMAZING. This is something that I had never thought of, even considered ever in my life. It was confusing to say the least, reading about something I had never known. And truly, truly amazing.I adored the writing style as well, along with the description in this novel I felt a strong connection with the characters as well. As someone who has had bullying in life, and also having been on an academic quiz team (we called it academic decathlon at my school) I was instantly in love. I appreciated how the author included the “misfits” the “nerdy” kids because that is who I can most connect with. I love board games, I love geeky things and it was comforting reading a book where there was some other hobbies besides reading, or writing. It was really good to have a book that branched out not only in including characters with disabilities but characters with unique hobbies and interests.I applaud the author several times over, he has created a masterpiece that I think should be required literature in schools. I feel as though this is a book that is good for people to read. It helped me gain a little perspective, and helped me to think of things I never had before. It really opened my mind, I have nothing but positives about this book and I have not said that about a book (truly said that) since Harry Potter. Everyone needs this book in their life. I am so glad I got to read this book and I am so excited that we picked this for our book of the month for the Contemporary Corner Book Club.I rated this book a 5/5 on Goodreads, I don’t like to just give the highest rating to a book usually but this book really deserves it. Josh Sundquist PLEASE write more novels, this one was amazing; it truly blew me away.

** spoiler alert ** I love this one! It was such an unusual and refreshing storyline, but I would have expected nothing less from Josh Sundquist. I found it SO interesting reading the storyline from a blind teenager's view and seeing what it would be like to gain sight for the first time. It seem incredibly frustrating, and I'm not sure I realized just how hard it would be to see for the first time at around 16 years old. You don't just *see*. You literally can't tell anything from what you're looking out. In my mind, I equated it with everything being blurry, but even that's not it. If I was in Will's mind, I would have recognized everything—everything would have looked "fine" to me. It's just that he didn't understand any of what he was seeing, and that's the part I struggled with imaging. But that didn't stop me from loving this one. I think it's important to broaden our perspectives, and this book definitely did that for me. I also really loved Cecily. She and Will proved that love doesn't come from what you look like but what's inside. There were a lot of important life lessons in this book from looks to race, and I think Sundquist did a great job tackling them. You could tell he put in a lot of research, time and effort.

*ARC received by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! It is written for a YA audience, but touches on themes that were fascinating and very mature in a way.The premise of the story is that a 16yo boy, born blind, has to decide if he’d like to take part in an experimental surgery which may give him partial or full sight. He’s comfortable in his own skin, rather independent and his other senses are sharp. If he has the surgery, it comes with so many risks!!!As a sighted person, it is difficult to grasp the reality of what it would mean for a person born blind to imagine life the way we see it. They don’t understand colors, shapes, letters, visual perspective or on and on....The author did an AMAZING job putting the reader in the shoes of Will, and making you think..... what would I do if faced with his choice?!?!

This book made me step into the shoes of a blind person and imagine what my life would be like through their experience. It made me think about all that the essence of a person is, and how we know people. I ate this book. I read it in under four hours and I intend to devour it again. It both made me appreciate what a gift sight is and how it is so beautiful, and realize that it is merely another way of sensing the world around us, and isn't necessarily the most important thing in life. The characters are lovable, funny, and realistic. The story is so captivating, and leaves you wanting more in the best way possible. My friend has a younger sister who is blind, and I may not want the sister to read the book, because I don't want her to feel she is missing out on eyesight, but I would love for my friend and any other sighted person to read this book to develop more of an empathy for the blind, as well as those who look different. This book is important and so unique. A book I was waiting for and didn't even know.

Sundquist does it again. This novel is about Will, a boy born in complete blindness. However, he eventually gets to see the world in a ways that is not only visual. I loved how I was given the chance to empathize with Will through his unique perspective. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to expand their horizons a bit and explore the blind side of the human experience. It is truly riveting.

This was a very insightful story. The summary drew me in and the great writing kept me going. I learned so much and have a new appreciation for the author because not only was I entertained, I was also taught something. The story continues in my imagination.

This is the third book I own by Josh Sundquist. Has his great sense of humor in if as well as a good reflection on what is important to look at in our own life. I think anyone can find a character to relate too even if it's a minor one.

Good book to read enjoyed it

I was really looking forward to reading this after hearing Josh read some during the Project for Awesome and I was not disappointed. I hardly wanted to put it down. Very interesting story and gives you a lot to think about as well as being entertaining. Would recommend.