If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)

Dec 20, 2010

Heather rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those in search of a good cry

Shelves: 2009, ya, faves, ala-s-best-books

There are two kinds of books, those that you finish reading and leave you with fleeting memories of the attractive hero, the silly heroine, and the overall storyline, or perhaps all you noted was the glaring plot holes, inconsistencies, ridiculousness or flat characters. At any rate, it’s a book that you read, either like or dislike, but no sooner than you have turned the last page, it is out of sight and out of mind. Then there is the other kind of book that will touch your heart, or awaken a ...moreThere are two kinds of books, those that you finish reading and leave you with fleeting memories of the attractive hero, the silly heroine, and the overall storyline, or perhaps all you noted was the glaring plot holes, inconsistencies, ridiculousness or flat characters. At any rate, it’s a book that you read, either like or dislike, but no sooner than you have turned the last page, it is out of sight and out of mind. Then there is the other kind of book that will touch your heart, or awaken a lingering memory or a potential fear that will haunt your mind so that even long after you’ve fallen asleep, your unconscious self is still wading through the details. Your dreams will be fitful and when you finally awaken, you will find yourself tangled up in sheets with puffy, swollen eyes from tears that you shed when you weren’t even aware enough to know you were crying. If I Stay is the latter.

Mia is eighteen and has the kind of family any of us would pray to be born to and the kind of boyfriend that can only exist in the fictitious world. Furthermore, she is a gifted musician and is about to be accepted into the prestigious Julliard. Mia has a choice, she can follow her love of music, go to Julliard and accomplish her cellist dreams, or she can stay with her family and the love of her life and follow her heart. Either way, she has something to gain and something to lose. Then, one fateful morning, Mia’s world is turned on its head and life as she knows it changes. The one thing that remains the same is the question that Mia has asked herself for the past few months, should I go or should I stay?

In art, the brightest colors appear beside the darkest of lines and in this book, the most endearing, tender and happy moments are surrounded by grief so palpable, that you will laugh through your tears and sob with a smile. If I Stay demonstrates the kind of beauty that can only exist alongside despair and shines all the more for it. It is filled with happiness and sorrow, laughter and tears, birth and death, love and loss. By writing a book filled with parallels, Forman proves that life has no opposite and thus leaves readers with an overwhelming since of joy and hope despite tears and grief that they are bound to feel.
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Mar 02, 2011

Tatiana rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Tatiana by: Heather

Shelves: 2009, ya, ala-ya-2010, 2011, series-finished-good, rc-couch-potato

Update 3/23/2011. The sequel is a fabulous cryfest. Better than "If I Stay."

Update 3/2/2011. While I didn't love this book as much as many of my friends did, I still think that it has a lot of heart. Looking forward to the sequel.

Original review
It is always difficult for me to write reviews for books that do not have any flaws. "If I Stay" is one of those books. This story of love and family, of choices and happiness, is just so superbly written,...more

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Feb 02, 2011

Flannery rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, kcls, read-in-2011, young-adult-teen, reviewed-2011

Books about death and dying are particularly hard to review. The way we react to them is so deeply personal that I'm skeptical about the actual value of my (or anyone's) review of the work to other readers. When we read, we don't come to the book with a clean slate--we come to it with years of experiences, friendships, and memories that provide us with a vantage point from which to view the story. And if you have an awful tendency toward existentialism, like I do, these books only become more em...moreBooks about death and dying are particularly hard to review. The way we react to them is so deeply personal that I'm skeptical about the actual value of my (or anyone's) review of the work to other readers. When we read, we don't come to the book with a clean slate--we come to it with years of experiences, friendships, and memories that provide us with a vantage point from which to view the story. And if you have an awful tendency toward existentialism, like I do, these books only become more emotional as you evaluate your own life,choices, and relationships along with the protagonist.

I spent two years of my life moving around the US doing service projects, and most of that time I lived in the gulf after Hurricane Katrina. Living in a tent city and gutting houses for months in what basically felt like a post-apocalyptic world was life-changing for me, but the absolute devastation of the area wasn't what did me in, it was the people. Most of the people whose homes we gutted had not returned from evacuation yet. Their homes had been under 10-12 feet of water for two weeks. My point is this: we threw out almost all of their belongings. Barely anything was salvageable--at the most, we found a few pictures or some of their silver or china. I cannot imagine what it was like for those families. Is it better to come back to a nightmare or to come back to an empty, clean slate from which to start again? I still don't know. But I realized, after speaking to so many residents, that most of their stuff didn't matter to them. They had their lives. Their family. Their connections to other people. I know it sounds cliche, but I feel like it is something that a lot of us tend to forget. Even when it feels like all is lost, there is always something there to hold on to. (view spoiler)

Mia, the protagonist of If I Stay is in the intensive care unit after a horrible car accident. While she is in a comatose state, some part of her (her soul?) is able to see everything that is going on outside of her body. I found it fascinating--so often with an outside watcher, we see a person hovering over their funeral or watching to see what happens afterward. In Mia's case, we were able to follow along with her while she makes her decision to stay or go. I wasn't sure what Mia's choice was going to be, even to the last second, and I appreciated that fact--Gayle Forman gets it. The relationships between the characters felt so real to me, especially because a lot of my immediately family are doctors and nurses so I've spent a lot of time in hospitals.

I read an article today about the decline of the "book review." The author was discussing the extent to which people used to depend on critical and objective book reviews for suggestions of what to read and how the number of literary critics has severely decreased. (actual literary critics, not just reviewers)It got me thinking about what I actually look for in a book review. What makes me want to read it? Though I definitely enjoy the NYT Book Review, I am much more likely to buy a book that my friends recommend, on Goodreads or in real life. Give me a subjective book review about what a book made you feel and I am all over it. If you are the same way, you should know: This book made me feel optimistic for the future at a time when I have been feeling completely lost, so for that, it is getting 5 stars.

As an aside, I'd just like to add that this book was fantastic in audio format. Once in awhile, cello music played in the background and it was lovely to hear it considering Mia was an amazing cellist. Also, having a person actually read me the lyrics to Mia's father's song and to hear Adam say his speech to her was beautiful. I'd definitely recommend this book in audio format.(less)

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May 17, 2010

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: People who need some perspective about life and death and everything in between

Shelves: best-characters, best-endings, books-with-a-message, favorite-books, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, writing-to-which-i-aspire, books-that-made-me-cry, 2010-reads, prose-envy

Okay, I didn’t expect to read and devour this book -- but I was in a weird mood this morning, at 5 a.m. when I couldn’t get to sleep. . .only for this book to call to me from my to-read shelf. For once, I obliged a book’s call easily. . .and I am left stunned. The final pages had me gaping.

If I Stay, quite honestly, was mesmerizing.

The review blurbs for this book tout it as being “[appealing] to fans of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight“ and “reminiscent of Alice Sebold’s The ...more

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Aug 30, 2009

Adele rated it

Shelves: inky-longlist

I have had a continuous stream of tears running down my cheeks for the last few hours. Between Jenny Downham (Before I Die) and Gayle Foreman, I have cried a lifetime of tears in the past week. My house mate asked 'why do you put yourself through it?' I had to think about it, for a fraction of a second, before I answered 'because every word is worth it'.

Simply, this book wouldn't be the emotional cruncher it is without some superb writing from Forman. Without giving to much away, she...moreI have had a continuous stream of tears running down my cheeks for the last few hours. Between Jenny Downham (Before I Die) and Gayle Foreman, I have cried a lifetime of tears in the past week. My house mate asked 'why do you put yourself through it?' I had to think about it, for a fraction of a second, before I answered 'because every word is worth it'.

Simply, this book wouldn't be the emotional cruncher it is without some superb writing from Forman. Without giving to much away, she makes all characters in this story extremely real. It starts off as many YA stories do, some froth and a lot of great dialogue between Mia and her family. Once that chapter's done, the tone completely changes. Mia and her family are involved in an accident and Mia's trapped in limbo, witnessing the lives of those who care for her, and those she cares for in return, without the power to do anything but watch.

Forman walks the line between Mia's recollections and the present with ease. To often a book similar in intent would be manipulative, but I didn't feel this at all. I felt Forman's love for each one of these people, as if they were her own. That Mia's loss, was her loss. The empathy that courses through this book is both inspiring and astounding.

Despite the somewhat dark subject matter this is a story of hope, life affirmation and all that it brings. The relationship between Mia and Adam is honest, they might be in love but they have real problems and they aren't all solved with a snap of the fingers. Kim is an amazing best friend, sarcastic and strong her appearances in the book are bold and bursting with love. I particularly love an incident in the playground that was the inception of the girl's friendship. Mia's parents made a huge impression on me, they sounded familiar, as if I had met them but avoiding anything resembling a cliche. The hospital staff, particularly Nurse Ramirez with her biting wisdom and infinite care, also made an impression on me. How much did she really know? Mia's grandparents melted my heart, I have always heard how to outlive one's children is the worst thing imaginable but these two transcend the situation with some honesty and hope. I was shocked by how quickly this story and girl sucked me in as the tears by the second chapter would attest.

Music has a large role in this book but it's never clunky or awkward. Mia's somewhat of a cello prodigy and her boyfriend, Adam fronts a band called the Shooting Stars (Lauren might like that). Her father is a former punk and her mother was one of those feminist rock chicks, both parents still retain their rockin' sensabilities. When reading the acknowledgements I wasn't surprised to see that Forman had been listening to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's 'Falling Slowly' (from the movie Once) while writing this novel, you could feel the song's influence throughout each page. I think that could be the best comparison for this novel, it is to the written word as Falling Slowly is to your ears - emotive, heartwarming, stirring, powerful and memorable.

This novel is about love. Love for your family and the family you make for yourself. The strength to follow your passion, to love your parents unconditionally and they for you, to have belief in people, to embrace music and life. It is also about choice, when no two options are easy, what would you do?

I ask: how long will it take for you to get your hands on this book?
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Mar 28, 2009

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own, signed-books

Although I’d read the synopsis multiple times, I never really “got” what the story was until I read the first chapter when it all happens. When you find out Mia is making the choice as her body lays waiting in the ICU. She becomes an invisible observer, watching and narrating her tragic ordeal from the time the accident happens. And it is here that we join her on her quest. To ultimately decide to stay or to let go.

The choice is resonated through flashbacks, that feature Mia’s paren...more

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Sep 06, 2011

Hope rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, title-love, cover-love, ebooks, 2011-reads, reviewed, thought-provoking, disappointing

I was speaking to a friend after I finished this, about different types of readers. I came to the conclusion that I apparently like being sad, because I’m constantly reading books that either make me cry or make me sad. Apparently I like reading about loss and catastrophes, because I seem to be drawn to books with a lot of emotional upheaval and heavy-handed themes. I like fairytales or fluffy chick-lit once in a while, but it’s the novels that lean heavily on the side of realism that always ...more

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Sep 09, 2011

Elizabeth Salom (elistar) rated it

Recommends it for: If you liked The Sky is Everywhere, Contemporary Fans

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Joyce

Shelves: 2011, loved, sbc-2011, young-adult, cryfest

My God. I honestly cannot remember the last time a book touched me the way If I Stay did. I'd been hearing positive buzz about this book for quite a while, but for some reason or another I hadn't made the time to pick it up. Boy, was I kicking myself for having waited so long to read it.

If I Stay is the story of a young woman who, after a terrible car accident, is abruptly torn from her comfortable, easy life and loving family and forced to make an unbelievably difficult decision - ...moreMy God. I honestly cannot remember the last time a book touched me the way If I Stay did. I'd been hearing positive buzz about this book for quite a while, but for some reason or another I hadn't made the time to pick it up. Boy, was I kicking myself for having waited so long to read it.

If I Stay is the story of a young woman who, after a terrible car accident, is abruptly torn from her comfortable, easy life and loving family and forced to make an unbelievably difficult decision - whether she can stay without them. I don't want to tell you too much about the plot, because a.) I don't want to ruin it for you and b.) talking about it makes me cry. I will tell you that this book is so incredibly moving that when I'd finished, I literally put my Nook down and cried for five minutes straight (at least). And man, was it was an ugly cry. If I Stay has a way of making you feel so profoundly grateful for every last moment in your life - it reminded me of my mortality in a subtle, heartbreaking way.

In some way, the feeling I had when I closed the book reminded me a bit of The Book Thief. I wasn't sad about what happened in the story so much as I was moved at how the story made me think of my own life. I found myself constantly thinking about what I'd do if I was ever put in that situation, and God, I don't know if I could be quite as brave as the narrator.

If I Stay is a reminder of how short and innately sweet life is, and about how at the end of the day, or at the end of your life, the one thing you are always going to want to hold on to is the cherished memories of the people you love. The people who make life worthwhile. I'm going to cry again just thinking about how this book evoked those memories for me. I called my parents just to tell them I loved them. I made sure to tell my little brothers how much they mean to me. I gave my husband an extra kiss goodnight, and told him how thankful I was for his presence in my life.

Also, the writing is simply lovely. Forman takes teenage love, teenage emotions, teenage dreams and writes about them in a way that is accessible to every age, and is still believable. The language is beautiful, the pacing perfect. It's a short book, (about 200 pages) but I honestly don't know if my heart could have taken any more.

I highly recommend this to anyone who reads to feel something, and not just for entertainment. I loved it and I think you will, too! (less)

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May 10, 2010

Annalisa rated it

Recommended to Annalisa by: Tatiana

Shelves: young-adult, psychology, contemporary, romance, cover

This book starts off all wrong. In the first paragraph, Mia (the MC) describes an Oregon snow storm with that mocking tone people who live in states with actual snowfall have. I flipped to the author's bio: Brooklyn, NY. I didn't believe the setting. Mia references her rocker boyfriend as wearing "pegged" jeans, not skinny but pegged, like I'm embarrassed to admit having worn in the eighties, and all the bands referenced are old-school bands. I didn't believe Forman got teenagers. And ...more

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Jan 23, 2012

ijul (yuliyono) rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: ada-di-lemari, bintang-lima, favorites, novel-young-adult, novel-terjemahan

Mbrebes mili...

Summary
Mia Hall adalah seorang gadis yang beruntung. Dia punya Mum, Dad, dan si kecil Teddy yang menggemaskan. Tak hanya itu, Mia juga punya Adam Wilde, seorang rockstar yang sedang menanjak popularitasnya bareng band Shooting Star, yang sudah resmi menjadi pacarnya. Namun, sebuah kecelakaan tragis di suatu pagi yang dingin-musim-salju, merenggut kebahagiaannya. Dalam sekejap dia kehilangan Mum, Dad, dan Teddy. Bahkan, nyawanya pun dekat sekali jurang kematian.
...more

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Jan 24, 2012

Lisa rated it

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

If I Stay by Gayle Foreman was a mixed bag for me. It was certainly a quick read and I enjoyed myself, but I wasn't blown away by it as many of my friends were. This novel tells the story of seventeen year old Mia Hall who is severely injured in a car accident that kills her parents and younger brother. While her body is comatose, Mia's spirit watches her friends and family rally in support of her while recalling poignant moments in her life as she decides ...moreActual Rating: 3.5 stars

If I Stay by Gayle Foreman was a mixed bag for me. It was certainly a quick read and I enjoyed myself, but I wasn't blown away by it as many of my friends were. This novel tells the story of seventeen year old Mia Hall who is severely injured in a car accident that kills her parents and younger brother. While her body is comatose, Mia's spirit watches her friends and family rally in support of her while recalling poignant moments in her life as she decides whether or not to live or die.

The strongest aspect of If I Stay were the secondary characters, especially Mia's boyfriend, Adam, and her best friend, Kim. Both were likable and felt very real. I could identify with their pain and fears of potentially losing a loved one, and I loved their personality quirks. Even the minor characters such as Mia's parents' friends and Kim's mother were well written. Although we didn't learn as much about them as some of the other characters, the parts we did learn about felt real.

What didn't work for me in this novel was Mia, and to a smaller extent her immediate family. I did not relate to Mia at all and I found her mostly unlikable. Part of this was because her character was inconsistently written. There was a disconnect between what we're told about Mia and what we're actually shown. For example, Mia constantly brags about how humble she is. Someone who is truly humble doesn't brag about it. Additionally, I didn't think her actions showed her to be a modest or humble person.

Mia was also a bit too perfect, and I found that her idol status among those who loved her just didn't ring true. I found it odd that Mia's parents and brother recently died, yet none of the family reacts to it. It is all about Mia. Although the focus should have been on her since they were at the hospital visiting her, I felt that there should have been more acknowledgement of the three members of the family who didn't make it. Also, in the flashbacks Mia seems to be at the center of everything in a way that screamed Mary Sue to me.

I also felt that Mia's immediate family was a little underdeveloped. While her mother comes across as sort of a bitch (though never to Mia), her father is flawless. Her younger brother seems to be a character whose only purpose is to be cute and worship Mia. They did not come across as well rounded characters. Additionally, like so many other novels, both adult and YA, the younger brother did not sound like his age. His dialogue was much too mature as were a lot of his thoughts.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel, but not being able to relate to Mia kept this from being a truly great read for me. I enjoyed the sequel, Where She Went, a lot more than this one.(less)

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Jan 11, 2012

Kat Kennedy rated it

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, leaves-awesomeness-behind, to-ya-or-not-to-ya

I played the violin for five years and the viola for three. It is the piano that only lasted for one year. My older brother and I began our lessons together when I was nine.

My brother was a smart kid, but he didn't know it then. It didn't help that his little sister was extremely competitive, precocious and bratty. I think he always believed he didn't have much going for him - but boy he has it where it counts.

Back then I thought I was so much smarter than him, and ...more

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Jan 22, 2011

Jessica rated it

Shelves: 22-bookers-challenge, 04-crying-fit-inducing

Rating clarification: 3.5 stars / TBR reduction challenge #2 (Alexa)

I found it hard to rate this book. While it did make me incredibly sad and made me cry; which was to be expected of course, our protagonist in this story is on the brink of death after a horrible car accident and struggles with the decision whether to stay and live or to let go and die; I still have to say that I found the flashbacks somewhat, well, not boring, but I found myself thinking "hurry up and get back ...more

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Jan 31, 2010

Josiah rated it

A first thought: I heard a significant amount of 2010 Newbery discussion surrounding this book, probably because of how powerful a story it is, but I really would have been very surprised to see it get any form of Newbery recognition. If I Stay is most definitely a young adult novel, and with its not infrequent use of abrasive language and adult themes it is a book that might in the future be found on some Most Frequently Challenged Books lists. Ultimately, it's not the kind of novel that will ...more A first thought: I heard a significant amount of 2010 Newbery discussion surrounding this book, probably because of how powerful a story it is, but I really would have been very surprised to see it get any form of Newbery recognition. If I Stay is most definitely a young adult novel, and with its not infrequent use of abrasive language and adult themes it is a book that might in the future be found on some Most Frequently Challenged Books lists. Ultimately, it's not the kind of novel that will usually find its target audience among the Newbery crowd.

If I Stay is a powerful, no-holds-barred look at a situation rooted in the purest kind of anguish, as Mia's family becomes involved in a devastating car crash that has instantly life-changing results. The crash is so sudden and comes up on the reader with such little notice or foreshadowing in the text that I wasn't even sure what was happening at first. However, the massive violence of the crash quickly makes itself clear, through some short scenes of carnage that were so intense that I found them hard to read.

There have been many stories about out-of-body experiences, but If I Stay doesn't at all proceed how one might expect. Having followed in the proverbial footsteps of so many other like-minded narratives would have made it very, very easy to fall into hackneyed lines of thought and worn-out "rules" for a soul in suspended animation, but author Gayle Forman doesn't fall for either of these traps for a single moment. Mia finds herself in completely uncharted territory as she follows her own physically wrecked, comatose body to the hospital, replaying in her thoughts the recent events that have shaped her life as it begins to dawn on her that she, not the doctors or nurses or anyone she loves, has the choice of whether she will live or die.

If I stay really was different from what I expected. The plot doesn't follow anywhere that it's "supposed to" go, and the style of writing meshes well with Mia's independent thought patterns. All of the characters are developed amazingly well, too, more so than in your average young adult novel. As the tense climax approaches, the storytelling of Gayle Forman seems to grow richer, stronger, and more beautiful, emotionally raising the stakes for a final scene that will change everything for Mia, and probably for some of us reading, as well. Her life is in tatters, and her family torn apart: Does Mia have any reason left to live? How can she choose between life and death? How could any of us make such a choice, when all that we have personally experienced is life?

If I Stay is a unique book in its own right. It is thoughtful and sobering but also celebrates the good things that make living life worthwhile, inviting us to share in those moments of happiness with Mia and her family. This is a story that certainly will make readers think. (less)

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Sep 12, 2010

Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it

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Shelves: read-in-2010, young-adult, cover-appeal, no-longer-own, title-appeal, death, too-much-hype, magical-realism, not-for-me, series-or-companions, contemporary

A mediocre novel. I thought that the plot did have potential and from the description it sounded like it'd be very interesting. Unfortunately, it definitely wasn't gripping, though I did speed through it. Despite the subject matter, it didn't really provoke any strong emotions within me and I couldn't seem to connect with it. The main character did seem to have a connection with playing an instrument though and so if I could have related to this, perhaps i'd have enjoyed it more. It didn't have ...more

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Apr 02, 2011

Vote Whore rated it

i'm at a loss as to why so many people love this book. i know it's about everyone's favorite topic, death and dying. and i do think that many of the scenes are written quite beautifully and realistically. but i thought that the characters were cardboard cutouts of real people.

such cliches. the precocious little brother and the cool-beyond-belief parents whose biggest complaint about their daughter is that she doesn't rock hard enough? i wish i could roll my eyes harder ...more

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Mar 14, 2011

Kate rated it

Shelves: wishlist, writing-i-favor, favorite-author, swoon-worthy-males, tears-were-shed, read-2011, almost-favorites, favorite-2011-reads

For what I am sure are obvious reasons by now; I expected a lot out of this book. On top of that, the ungodly amount of time I was forced to wait to borrow 'If I Stay' from my sister, had me going a bit crazy once I finally got my hands on it. And I'm not here to say that I was disappointed, cuz I'm not. But I guess I'm just suprised because I thought I was opening a 5 star for sure book. I really loved some parts (umm, most parts) of the story, and others, not so much.

What I loved :...moreFor what I am sure are obvious reasons by now; I expected a lot out of this book. On top of that, the ungodly amount of time I was forced to wait to borrow 'If I Stay' from my sister, had me going a bit crazy once I finally got my hands on it. And I'm not here to say that I was disappointed, cuz I'm not. But I guess I'm just suprised because I thought I was opening a 5 star for sure book. I really loved some parts (umm, most parts) of the story, and others, not so much.

What I loved : Mia’s narration of her life. I loved meeting her parents and her brother and everyone through Mia’s memories. It was a perfect description of a life, filled with hopes, fears, love and passion. Her stories portrayed her family vividly, and I felt that in the short time, I really got to know who they were. I liked that so many were scenes of everyday life rather than important events, and I think that they’re the kind of details that illustrate one’s life the most precisely. At first it really bothered me how it was a bit glossed over : Mia’s life seemed more than nice, filled with butterflies and rainbows. After I thought about it more though it made sense to me, that she would think mostly of the good : as they were some of the things she had to stay for, and some of the things she had now lost.

What I liked less : how I felt, quite often, that the story was trying to pull my strings. Yes, the events are heartbreaking, tragic, the kind that brings tears to your eyes. And yes, it kind of worked on me. But in some places, I felt the writing lacked some subtlety. I don’t like when I feel pushed to be sad; it just annoys me and takes me out of the book. And the only other thing is all the music references. I found it a bit over the top at times.

But I hate to leave my feelings for such a delightful book on an off note. So I will end with perhaps the best compliment I can think to give to a book and that is to say that 'If I Stay' is worth my money and yours. And I am Extremely! cheap about which books I spend my money on, and hardly ever do.(less)

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May 30, 2011

Zoe Russo rated it

Shelves: didn-t-like, teen-issues, made-me-cry

My impression? It was good. Not fantastic, but okay. Decent. Tolerable. But I'm a bit irritated with this book right now, because it is one of those books that has been ridiculously overrated. Yeah, it was sad. But not 'devastating'. Not 'heart-wrenching'. People who called this book 'heartbreaking' have obviously never come into contact with a copy of Gone With the Wind. This book was fine, but I honestly think that if I had read the first chapter and then read the last chapter I wouldn't have ...more

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Apr 15, 2011

Mitch Cave rated it

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Shelves: cant-put-it-down-so-far, expecting-this-to-be-a-movie, i-can-relate-to-the-characters, is-it-as-good-as-everyone-says, love-the-cover, lovin-it-so-far, must-read, purchased-today, so-excited-to-read, could-not-have-grown-up-without-it, couldnt-put-it-down, favourites, one-of-the-best-books-ever, saddest-book-ever, made-me-cry, great-character-development, loved-everything-about-this-book

This is, uncompromisingly and unforgivingly, the best book I've ever read. Never in all of the books that I've read has a book given me so much advice, so much heeartbreak, so much heart-rending words, so much laughter, so much sadness, so much happiness. Never has a book captivated me and captured the essence of such a sad and depressing book subject. Personally, I thank the author, Gayle Forman, for writing such an epic masterpiece. If I Stay makes you stop and think -- about your life, about ...more

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Jul 03, 2010

Becky rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone.

Shelves: young-adult, 2010, blog_etb, multi-dimensional, romance, reviewed, tear-jerkers, highly-recommended

I admit it: I judge books by their covers. There, I said it. If it weren't for the cover of this edition, with the girl staring up into a blue-grey space, I'd have missed this book entirely. There is just something haunting and beautiful about the cover of the edition I read, and to me, it implies that the story within will be haunting and beautiful too.

Covers are important. This is the first impression that a potential reader has of your book, and so the cover must convey what you w...moreI admit it: I judge books by their covers. There, I said it. If it weren't for the cover of this edition, with the girl staring up into a blue-grey space, I'd have missed this book entirely. There is just something haunting and beautiful about the cover of the edition I read, and to me, it implies that the story within will be haunting and beautiful too.

Covers are important. This is the first impression that a potential reader has of your book, and so the cover must convey what you want it to, and communicate to a reader what your book may have to offer.
ifistayhappy

This cover makes me feel like the story inside will be playful and fun and it reminds me of birds, and spring and happiness. It's a lovely cover, but in my humble opinion, doesn't do well to represent the story. I've passed by this book, dozens of times with hardly a glance at the blue cover. But my eyes were instantly drawn to the haunted quality of the image on the edition that I bought.

My next cover related comment will pertain to the little "note" on this edition, which says, "Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT." --USA Today This too is somewhat misleading, because my initial thought was that it would indicate that there's a supernatural element to the story (vampires or werewolves, etc), but that's not the case. There is a quality of the story that is a bit paranormal, but not in the way that people would associate with Meyer's story. Rather, this comment is about the romance aspect of the story, but I feel like it would have been better left off altogether. I didn't even realize the quote was regarding Twilight when I bought the book, as there was a price sticker over almost all of it. I could see "Will appeal to fans of" and "A Today". So this thought is what occurred to me after reading the story and then removing the sticker.

I don't normally talk about the covers much in my reviews, but this one just has so much bearing on how the story can be seen, especially if one is inclined to determine by a cover if a book looks like it might be to their taste, that I wanted to talk about it.

After first cracking the book, and reading a little bit of it, I have to admit that I didn't think that the writing really warranted the praise lavished on it. The writing was simple, and direct, even somewhat vulgar, seeing as how much of the story pertains to the punk music scene, which is full of colorful language, but isn't exactly flowery. I read, waiting for the "achingly beautiful" parts to kick in, and was thinking that I'd be writing in my review about how, yes, it was sad, but I wouldn't exactly call the writing beautiful. And then I realized that it IS beautiful, in the unflowery, punk-rock and down-to-earth way that fit the story perfectly, and made my heart break for all that it represented.

I loved the way that Mia, the main character, showed us her life, and her family, and her world. Interspersed with "now" events were her memories, which showed so perfectly all that she no longer had due to an unfortunate accident. One minute everything is fine, and the next, everything is gone, and Mia has to decide if she wants to live in a world without the people she loves the most.

I loved the characters, and how they were all unique and true to themselves. I loved the way that they each represented a choice in how they wanted to live, and made that choice almost without effort. This seemed to contrast the decision that Mia has to make, and the difficulty and pain that it causes, both to her and her friends and loved ones. I could really identify with Mia's grandfather, who tells her that it's OK if she needs to let go even though he desperately wants her to stay, because I had a similar conversation with my grandmother when she was in the hospital a few years ago. It was incredibly hard to remember that feeling, reading this, but it was honest and true, and made sure that I understood the depth of Mia's family's love for her to want to let her be free of her pain.

Mia's boyfriend, Adam, was perfect. I almost don't want to talk about him. He is the kind of boyfriend that girls dream about: gorgeous, a little wild and dangerous and unpredictable, but sweet and honest and caring and sensitive too. His speech to Mia was so... raw and painful that I could barely see the page to read it. It's a good thing I was sitting up, or I'd have to wring this book out. Adam's request to Mia rivaled Wentworth's letter to Anne, and that is saying something.

This story was beautiful, achingly so, so it absolutely deserved the praise that it received. I was very surprised by this book, by it being so musically oriented, and how big of a role that played in the lives of everyone in the story. I was surprised by the roughness of the story, but glad that it was written this way, because it more real than any poetic prose could offer. Life is ugly and dirty and unfair and mean, so why shouldn't a story about these things be the same way? I thought it was beautifully done, and can't recommend this book highly enough.

I'm off to call my parents and tell them I love them. (less)

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Oct 28, 2009

Ivy rated it

Shelves: young-adult

Mia is a young woman who has dreams of becoming a great musician. Life is wonderful---she has cool parents, an adorable little brother, a great BFF and the most loving boyfriend a girl could ever ask for. Adam sings in a band that is becoming very popular, the girls are always flocking around him, but he has eyes only for Mia. Life can't get any better than that, can it? Yes, it can. Mia is on her way to Julliard and if she gets accepted, she is going to have to make some really tough choic...more

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Jan 15, 2012

HappyHippo rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fiksi, 2012

Hadeuh, ditagih repiu ternyata ;))
baiklah...

*dah lama gak bikin repiu*

Ketika nyampe tengah2 buku ini, entah kenapa tiba2 potongan lagu punk legendaris yang ditulis duet Mick Jones dan Joe Strummer dari band punk 70an The Clash terus2an nyelonong dikepala dan gak mau ilang2 *kebetulan ada beberapa karakter di buku ini yang menggemari musik punk*

Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll b...more

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Apr 21, 2011

Speakercoret rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: indonesian, pernah-minjam

hiks hiks...
ceritanya sih sederhana, cerita tentang mia yg mengalami kecelakaan bersama keluarganya, koma, terus "gentanyangan" di rumah sakit, ngeliat dirinya sendiri dioperasi, dirawat di icu, ngeliat kakek nenek n kluarganya yg lain di ruang tunggu rumah sakit, ada juga flashback kehidupan mia sebelum kecelakaan..

cuma penuturan si gayle ini ampun deh bener2 bikin mata berkaca2 melulu ;(
sedih hiks hiks...

inti ceritanya sih soal mia memilih untuk te...more

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Dec 13, 2011

Skyla (Happy Go Lucky and Lost in Books) rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, dark-subject-matter, disappointment, left-me-brokenhearted, music, real-life-issues, ya

http://happygolucky-skyla.blogspot.com/2...

Okay my best friend already yelled at me for rating this only 3 stars as he thought I should have rated it higher, but I just didn't love it enough to do that, so if you don't like my rating tough luck because if he can't change my mind no one can =P

Point #1: I had no idea what this book was about, but people kept talking about it and I kept seeing it...EVERYWHERE...so I finally caved and picked it up.

Point #2: Before...more

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Apr 23, 2011

*Christie* rated it

Shelves: young-adult

I read the first 50 pages of this book before bed and it kept me awake in panic and fear. Because I know that it's true. I know that you can be sitting around eating burned pancakes with your family one hour and your life can be forever changed the next.

I loved the writing. I loved the characters. I loved it. It was such a fascinating journey. I actually liked that the author didn't try to ascribe to one value system or ideology. She just told the story of a girl who decides...more

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Aug 13, 2011

Erin rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Twilight fans..... just kidding

Recommended to Erin by: the world

Shelves: own, crying-forever, dark, disturbing-moments, little-romance, past-and-present-collide, amazing-reading-experience

Maybe it's a bad idea to write this immediately after finishing the book, but whatever. I'm doing it.

My copy has this dumb blurb, "Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT." on the cover. Stupid, lame, and false. They have so little in common it's laughable. I'm going to get to the actual review ASAP, but first I have to say this... It seriously bothers me that all these Twilight comparisons get thrown around so much. It's like this knee-jerk, money-grubbing reacti...more

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Apr 10, 2011

Emma rated it

· review of another edition

If I Stay... I liked the title. And the original cover with the white tree. The paperback version is... rather depressing looking, honestly. But it fits, I suppose.

All of the reviews I read for this say it's one of those tear-jerkers that just make you cry and cry. Honestly, I didn't think so. I didn't cry once. I didn't even feel obligated to cry. Emotionally, it didn't seem all that deep. Mostly, she walks around the hospital and reminisces her past. Not really in a sad way, though...more

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Jan 08, 2012

nina rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: contemporary novel readers, YA readers

Shelves: young-adult, romance-at-high-dose, favorite, american-setting, beautiful-love-story, gut-and-heart-wrenching, kickass-heroines, ordinary-world, series, hot-heroes, contemporary-novels, sweet-and-enchanting, best-covers-i-ever-see, hot-men-i-wish-were-real, non-fantasy, chicklit-and-mature-teen

Waktu jalan-jalan ke Toga Mas, aku sengaja menghindari bagian novel-novel berat--you know what I mean--karena ingin mencari buku ‘ringan’, habisnya aku baru kena terjang ujian fisika. Saat berputar-putar di bagian buku baru, novel ini menarik perhatianku. Covernya menarik—bangku yang ditutupi salju. Judulnya pun membangkitkan rasa penasaran, dan saat membaca sinopsisnya, aku merasa buku ini layak dikoleksi.
Walaupun saat itu aku sudah memegang empat novel, rasa penasaran menang ~~dan menjebo~~...moreWaktu jalan-jalan ke Toga Mas, aku sengaja menghindari bagian novel-novel berat--you know what I mean--karena ingin mencari buku ‘ringan’, habisnya aku baru kena terjang ujian fisika. Saat berputar-putar di bagian buku baru, novel ini menarik perhatianku. Covernya menarik—bangku yang ditutupi salju. Judulnya pun membangkitkan rasa penasaran, dan saat membaca sinopsisnya, aku merasa buku ini layak dikoleksi.
Walaupun saat itu aku sudah memegang empat novel, rasa penasaran menang ~~dan menjebol dompet lebih dalam~~. Untungnya, buku ini tidak mengecewakan.
Sejak awal, cerita mengalir dengan lancar. Di beberapa adegan, air mataku sukses mengucur, bahkan sampai membuatku terisak keras. Pertentangan batin yang dialami Mia cukup berat dan mengharukan. Cara Mia mendeskripsikan keluarganya, cara Mia mendeskripsikan kesedihannya. Kenangan dan flashback sesekali membuatku tertawa, sesekali menangis. Bahwa hidup Mia bahagia juga membuat cerita ini lebih menarik—banyak novel sejenis yang tokoh utamanya tidak bahagia dan cenderung sinis pada keluarganya. Ceritanya juga tidak klise dan singkat. Mia digambarkan memiliki kehidupan sempurna dan hangat, dan berhasil menciptakan kesan bahwa Mia tidak berhak—tidak layak—kehilangan keluarganya. Dalam sehari saja, kehidupan Mia jungkir balik.
Lalu keluarga Mia yang lain—kakek, nenek, paman, bibi, dan sepupu—sangat mendukung Mia dan ingin sekali Mia pulih. Pacar Mia, Adam Wilde(oh, ya, Adam punya point of view-nya sendiri lho, di where she went), juga menunjukkan cintanya yang tulus dan tidak sekedar cinta yang dangkal. Kim adalah sahabat yang sempurna, yang makin membuat cerita ini menarik dan tidak menjengkelkan.
Banyak pesan moral yang bisa diambil dari novel ini. Bahwa hidup bisa saja berbalik. Mia yang tadinya bahagia, pada pagi hari masih bercanda dengan ayahnya, dua jam kemudian Mia sebatang kara. Bahwa kita tidak boleh menyerah. Bahwa walaupun hidup terkesan tidak adil, tapi kita tidak boleh menyerah begitu saja, dan hidup layak diperjuangkan.
Anyway, sebagai selingan dari sederetan buku-buku fantasi dan sci-fi, buku ini sangat memuaskan dan sangat direkomendasikan. Terkesan ringan, tapi sangat menyentuh, indah, dan mengharukan.(less)

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Jun 18, 2011

Missie rated it

Shelves: legen-wait-for-it-dary, ya

Review:
Oh the agony! I totally need a hug right now.

Have ever wondered what an out-of-body experience would be like? If so, then this book is a must read! The aftermath of a horrible car accident finds Mia utterly helpless to do anything but watch as her life is literally torn apart. Not fully understanding what is happening to her, she shuffles through memories of her family and friends, of things that made her life perfect before everything changed.

I can't help the nag...moreReview:
Oh the agony! I totally need a hug right now.

Have ever wondered what an out-of-body experience would be like? If so, then this book is a must read! The aftermath of a horrible car accident finds Mia utterly helpless to do anything but watch as her life is literally torn apart. Not fully understanding what is happening to her, she shuffles through memories of her family and friends, of things that made her life perfect before everything changed.

I can't help the nagging feeling I have that says this type of story should not have worked favorably. Contemporary fiction with paranormal elements? My mind is screaming. But it did work, hauntingly yet wonderfully. It was a glimpse of something I think most people wouldn't be hard pressed to admit that they have thought about at least once. What if time stood by quietly, and you had to choose between the will to live or the will to die?

After what Mia has experienced, I know the choice wouldn't be as simple as giving in to the selfishness that is life. Suddenly, Mia's looking glass has been magnified, and she can't help but to get lost in sweet memories of her past so she won't have to face the fact that she has to make a choice.

Her flashbacks revealed a seemingly typical teenage girl who loves her family and her boyfriend. One who is passionate about classical music and playing the cello. While Mia's character was somewhat quirky, she was still a bit bland. But as the interwoven state of her present situation reveled itself more fully, Mia matured. And though it was a maturity that came by force of circumstance it was still beautiful in its rawness.

And then there was Adam. Ever since Dawson Leery and Ephram Brown, I loved Grand-Gesture guys. Adam is one of them. If I could give him an award for best boyfriend of the year, I totally would. Not just because he is rock star sexy, but because he has such a true heart, one that you can feel leaping out of the pages at every mention of him.

I know I have mentioned this before, but when guys cry, especially in literature, I completely lose it. Here, at least I'm not alone because Mia feels the same. So when Adam and Gramps break down in tears for Mia, I let myself ride the wave of emotion in a way that painful yet soothing.

But the emotional blisters that popped with bursts of sorrow didn't stop with the guys. There was also the best friend of the year, Kim. When she offered a small reassurance to a comatose Mia by whispering, "You still have a family," I just had to put the book down for a moment and walk away. It was more than I could bear.

Overall, there wasn't a thing I didn't love about this book. The way music was tied to memories and love was as fascinating as it was heartbreaking. And, let me apologize right now for being so crude, but I totally screwed myself by reading this now. The only reason I did it was because I challenged myself to finish all of the YALSA's Teens Top Ten of 2010 before the year was over. But, I should have waited for March, which is when Where She Went (the sequel to If I Stay) will be released, told from Adam's POV!!! Now I'm dying to know what happens next, but I have to wait and I hate that.

Though I do participate in one ARC tours program, I don't bother to write to publisher to ask for ARC for myself, but this one has me desperate to do just that. Still, I'm super lazy (and a bit scared to contact publishers), so I probably won't. Instead, I'll be here, slowly going insane... UNLESS anyone out there knows of a ARC program I can sign up for that has Where She Went on tour? Please. *bats lashes* If not, do you think writing Obama would help my case?

http://www.theunreadreader.com/2010/11/r...(less)

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Dec 26, 2011

Sarah rated it

Shelves: favorites, tear-jerker

This review is also posted at Smitten over Book

Excerpt: Then the musical instruments appeared. Dad’s snare drum from the house, Henry’s guitar from his car, Adam’s spare guitar from my room. Everyone was jamming together, singing songs: Dad’s songs, Adam’s songs, old Clash songs, old Wipers songs. Teddy was dancing around, the blond of his hair reflecting the golden flames. I remember watching it all and getting that tickling in my chest and thinking to myself: This is what happine...moreThis review is also posted at Smitten over Book

Excerpt: Then the musical instruments appeared. Dad’s snare drum from the house, Henry’s guitar from his car, Adam’s spare guitar from my room. Everyone was jamming together, singing songs: Dad’s songs, Adam’s songs, old Clash songs, old Wipers songs. Teddy was dancing around, the blond of his hair reflecting the golden flames. I remember watching it all and getting that tickling in my chest and thinking to myself: This is what happiness feels like.

As Mia contemplates about her decision, she has flashbacks about how her life has been. These flashbacks and memories seem to flow from inside Mia to me, the reader. Mia, the girl who felt like she did not belong is in fact has the love that binds those very important to her. She belongs. She’s meant to be with them, right in the middle. I was so captivated by Mia’s reminiscing that I slowly became part of her family and when she did finally decides what’s best for her, I felt that I would burst with emotion and there’s no way out but to cry.

She also asked: What if every person dying gets to decide whether they stay or go? Physically, you are there lying in bed, broken and bruised but the echo of you is watching everything unfold. How hard it must be to see the people you love wait with worry across the hospital hall? Hearing them talk about you like you’re not there. Seeing them cry and despair. I can’t help but feel Mia’s pain and sadness because I know how she loved her family and how scary it must be to be alone and wake up never to see them again.

Mia and Adam love story is just the way I wish mine would be. Quiet because they communicate in ways no other couples could: in music. It was honest and real. It was not forced, not a given but something that was develop over time. The kind that could last forever. I honestly think that Adam is one of the most unforgettable and sweetest male characters I’ve ever come across in books. Also, Mia and Kim’s friendship was incredibly portrayed. It will really make you realize that family can also be found in friends.

If I Stay is a gripping story of family, friendship and love. Forman has this amazing talent in translating emotions into words that will leave you open and personal with whatever the character is feeling. It was one of my best reads in 2010 and I was rubbed raw by the whole experience, I had tears on my eyes, my heart broke a million times but I will surely go back on this book like what I did today and remember Mia. Touching, poignant and packed-full of emotions, If I Stay will surely stir something at the deepest of your hearts. Just please make sure you have a couple of tissues at the ready.

***
A compelling and thought-provoking story. It's uplifting taking into consideration that it's largely about death. I believe that even if you have a heart made of stone, in one way or another, you'll be touched. This is definitely a must-read.

PS. Please prepare for a mild to intense tear ducts reaction.(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
would you choose to go or stay?	30	170	5 hours, 27 min ago
Paranormal Romanc...: If I Stay	1	2	Feb 21, 2012 06:10am
CrAzEd: If i stay:)	5	14	Feb 19, 2012 09:54pm
Where She Went--What's it about?	16	56	Feb 16, 2012 08:33pm
YA Lit Spring '12: If I Stay	4	6	Feb 15, 2012 06:45pm
reading log #9	1	17	Jan 28, 2012 09:59am
Movie?	7	69	Jan 07, 2012 09:13pm

title link	preview: If I Stay
avg rating	preview: If I Stay Goodreads rating: 4.03 (27294 ratings)
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