Blindsided by Priscilla Cummings

Just before my grandfather died, his eyes finally gave out and he could no longer read. I remember thinking at the time, how awful that would be. My grandfather and I shared a passion for reading. We didn't read the same books, by any means, but we both really loved the written word. I can't imagine losing that capacity.

(Audio books are, by the way, not the same. They'd be better than nothing, but I just can't get lost in the story by listening the way I do reading.  Maybe I'd have to figure out braille. Oh god, maybe I should go ahead and learn braille just in case. Although, braille editions are massive. hmmmm)

Blindsided is about a girl, Natalie, who was born without irises. It's a pretty rare condition and can incidentally lead to blindness because the irises act like a light filter. Natalie has been losing her sight for years. She's a sophomore at the beginning of the book. They've done surgeries. They've tried everything. She's going to lose the rest of her sight, and soon. So, her parents send her to a blind school in Baltimore to learn the skills she'll need to function.

Natalie is not pleased. She's angry and prefers to live in denial. So this book is really about grief and adjustment. It's really a sweet little story.