BOOK REVIEW: IF I STAY

I am not ashamed to say that I am a complete and utter nerd, and have been on quite the reading binge lately.  However, this book is set apart from the rest for many reasons.  I originally picked up If I Stay by Gayle Forman because it seemed like an interesting read and the movie is coming out soon, and I always like to read the story before I see it on the screen.

At first glance the storyline seems a little heavy, the protagonist, Mia, gets into a fatal car accident with her family, where she is left in a coma and with a grave decision to make.  While the car accident immediately kills her parents, and leaves the health of her brother undetermined, Mia must choose if she wants to stay on this earth and fight for her life, or succumb to her coma and leave with her family.  Once again, this is a heavy and emotional story, however the way Forman portrays the story is far from depressing.  I did get several tears in my eyes while reading, I am not a total robot, but I was not rendered into a crying child like I have been with previous depressing books. 

This is not the most cheerful read, but it is absolutely a ‘must read.’  The story is written brilliantly in which I could not put the book down.  Two hundred and fifty pages took me about 4 days to read; keeping in mind I only read about 1-2 hours a day.  This book was so captivating; from the very first sentence, I was hooked.  While this book was a sad read, I found it sweet.  Mia was hanging around in ‘limbo’ watching how her loved ones were reacting to the news.  She saw all the mayhem that ensued and all the influx of love that her people showered her with.  It made me really think about what is important in life, and it transported me into the story directly; Both I find to be important traits of a good book.

Check out the trailer, and if you think you can handle the story line, definitely pick up the book first.  There is a sequel to the book, which I immediately felt compelled to read once I finished the last sentence of If I Stay and was looking for more.  However, being as I did not have the book in front of me at the moment, this now being several days later, and me having 3 other books already in the queue on rotation, I will not be reading the second part any time soon.  I like the fact that it gives you the option if you want to just end the story in one book, or if you would like to know what else happens and see it from her beau, Adam’s, eyes.  If you are thinking about reading the second book, definitely buy them together; if you’re anything like me, you might lose steam [out of sight, out of mind].  But if you’re just looking for a quick read to entertain you for a few days, you definitely found it with If I Stay.