Review: Gayle Forman's "If I Stay (If I Stay #1)".

Review: Gayle Forman's "If I Stay (If I Stay # 1)".

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1lesZOg

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1tCH4q7

Synopsis:

Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.

I open my eyes wide now.

I sit up as much as I can.

And I listen.

Stay, he says.

Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?

Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.

If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

Review-Jo Rushton

I went into this story completely blind. I didn't even read the synopsis or watched any of the trailers for the movie... how good am I? lol.  All I knew of this book was that there was a whole lot of hype surrounding it and a few of my friends had read it and expressed their love for it. So in I dived, totally unprepared for what was I letting myself in for. 

"If I Stay" was like nothing I had ever read before. It was so unique and so beautiful. I laughed. I cried. Sometimes I laughed and cried at the same time and sometimes I cried real, ugly, gut wrenching tears. This is a story that I will never forget. 

Mia had a wonderful life. She had an amazing family, a gorgeous boyfriend and a promising future ahead of her. Life was good until one snowy day everything changed. As tragedy struck, Mia's life would never be the same again. Everything she had known was gone and she was left with one choice. The most difficult and heart wrenching choice she would ever have to make. 

We are like Humpty Dumpty and all these King's horses 

and all these King's men cannot put us back together again.

"If I Stay" was beautifully written and was told entirely from Mia's POV and as the story progressesd and Mia was contemplated her decision, I was given flashbacks chronicling her life. I got to know the most important people in Mia's life and all of her memorable events. I was truly lost in this story, it captivated me from the first page. For those few hours of reading, I was in Mia's life, watching it all play out through Mia's eyes. 

This is not how it's supposed to be. This is not how my life is supposed to turn out.

It was impossible not to love every single one of the characters in this story. Firstly there was Mia. Mia wasn't just a normal seventeen year old girl. Yes, she had the normal teenage problems, she felt the same fears and anxieties as I'm sure every teenager deals with but there was something special about her. I couldn't put my finger on what it was, maybe it was because she just didn't realize how special she was. Mia was a joy to know. 

I loved Mia's parents. They were so cool. They were the kind of parents that every teenager would want. Mia's brother "Teddy" was just adorable and I loved his relationship with Mia. I also loved the grandparents who played a big part in her life. There was one particular scene with Mia and her grandfather that just broke my heart. Have the tissues ready for that part!

"I want you to stay more than I've ever wanted anything in my life." 

I loved reading the delightful banter between all of the family members. It was easy to imagine how happy this family were and how close they were. Mia's family was so loving and shared a strong bond. You could feel the love pouring from the pages. 

Of course, I cannot forget Adam who was just so sweet. Together Mia and Adam shared such a special relationship. Reading all of their tender moments was such a pleasure. 

"Who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, 

the same you I'll be in love with tomorrow." 

I loved every single thing about this book. I cannot recommend it enough. It is a must read and now I cannot wait for the film. I'm sure there will be tears! 

"If I Stay" is the first book in the series and although it doesn't end in a cliffhanger I felt that I was left with a huge amount of questions that I needed answering so I am off to read the next book. 

I truly fell in love with this beautiful story and it gets 5 amazing hearts from me!