If I Stay by Gayle Forman

A note to the wise: if you’re ever in need of a good cry and don’t feel like crying for no reason, or you need to prove to yourself that you’re not a robot do either one of the following: A. Read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher and then The Fault in Our Stars by John Green in four days or B. Read Looking for Alaska by John Green and then If I Stay in less than three days. If you haven’t cried after doing one of the above, more power to you. I’ve done both of the above and have yet to find a way to stop the tears. Any ideas?

In retrospect, I guess it was a good idea to read Looking for Alaska and then If I Stay, together. Since If I Stay has to deal with aftermath of a car wreck for the seventeen-year-old girl Mia. Her whole family perished in the car accident except for her, and she is experiencing an outer body experience as she tries to decide whether or not she wants to continue life or move on.

In a lot of books, I am not a fan of flashing back and forth between the present and the character’s back-story, I feel that it takes away from the overall plot, but for this one I think it works out. You learn a lot about what Mia was going through before the car accident, who the major people were in her life and why they are fighting so hard for her now. The only thing I didn’t like about the flashing back and forth was the fact that a lot of the story focused on Mia’s parents and her little brother, who are dead. This just makes the tears fall harder. I really loved Adam’s character and how hard he fought to see her, especially considering the problems that they were having before the car accident. They made such a cute and awkward couple.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Quick and to the point, the character development was smooth and almost flawless. The only question I have is how exactly did Mia survive the car wreck if everyone else in the car died? Or is it just one of those freak things? Curious to see how things end up in the next book.

Bookshelf worthy? Either electronic or support your local library!