Review: If I Stay by by Gayle Forman

On a day that started like any other, Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.

Paperback, 262 pages

Published April 6th 2010 by Speak (first published 2009)  

Genre: Young Adult

Kristine's Thoughts:

This book has been sitting on my literal bookshelf for quite a while now. My sister and co-blogger picked it out for my daughter for Christmas a few years back. At the time I don't think it had yet to gain the popularity that it now has. With the movie hitting theatres this weekend I thought I'd better read it before going to watch it. I have to warn you that I have seen the movie trailer quite a few times and I think that it in some way impacts my view on the book.

I am going to keep my thoughts short because this book has been reviewed a ton. This book is a sweet, moving and emotional story that I adored. It is written in a simple and understated way so that even the youngest of YA fans can enjoy it while us older ones can too. There is a little swearing and talk about sex but it is mild compared to what is out there today. The only thing that stops me from giving it a full five stars is that I didn't feel the emotional connection between Mia and Adam as strongly as I would have liked to. This is probably due to watching the movie trailer where I felt it so strongly that it brought tears to my eyes.

The way it ended left me anxious for Where She Went and I am sure that I will be reading it sooner rather than later. Now that I have read the book, I can't wait to go see the movie!

Check out the movie trailer below...

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