Britney's Review of If I Stay

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Publication Date: January 1, 2009

Summary: The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, and Just One Year. 

In a blink of an eyes everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident, she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces-to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love and family. 

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Review: One of the greatest, most emotional books I have ever read. It was so beautiful and so heartbreaking all in one. I enjoyed that we got to see Mia after the accident as she sees all the people visiting her, and trying to figure out if she wants to stay or not but I also enjoyed seeing the past. Learning about all her family and friends and the relationships they all have with one another. The relationships in this books were all so real, and I loved every single one of them. I was rooting for Mia to stay, but it was easy to understand why she might not want to; she did lose nearly all her family in a single day. It was amazing that this all took place in one day (and the flashbacks) but made me feel so much emotion. I would tell every single person to read this book. It really made me appreciate and think about all that I have, and all the people that I love. 

A quote that I loved: "Don't you doubt for a second that she can hear you," she tells them. "She's aware of everything that's going on." She stands there with her hands on her hips. I can almost picture her snapping gum. Gran and Gramps stare at her, lapping up what she's telling them. "You might think that the doctors or nurses or all this is running the show," she says, gesturing to the wall of medical equipment. "Nuh-uh. She's running the show. Maybe she's biding her time. So you talk to her. You tell her to take all the time seh needs but to come on back. You're waiting for her."