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If I Stay (If I Stay #1)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 67,950 ratings · 8,440 reviews

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices...more

Hardcover, 201 pages

Published April 2nd 2009 by Dutton Juvenile

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Dec 20, 2010 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 l...more 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 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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Jan 11, 2012 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 taking up the piano was anoth...more

92 likes · like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Tatiana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tatiana by: Heather

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

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, I am a little lost for words.

I think the genius...more

54 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2013 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, contemporary

A powerfully emotional novel, If I Stay is a journey through life and death, in the eyes of a young girl who has lost just about everything.

After a disastrous car accident, Mia finds herself looking down at her own battered body, barely alive. This is one case where, immediately, you get a feel of who these people are, their realness, the love they have for each other. With only a few minutes of getting to know them before the accident, I already felt a connection with Mia and her whole family,...more A powerfully emotional novel, If I Stay is a journey through life and death, in the eyes of a young girl who has lost just about everything.

After a disastrous car accident, Mia finds herself looking down at her own battered body, barely alive. This is one case where, immediately, you get a feel of who these people are, their realness, the love they have for each other. With only a few minutes of getting to know them before the accident, I already felt a connection with Mia and her whole family, turning an already emotional novel into a gutting one. Mia's loss and grief is tangible through Gayle's effortless writing style. It's a tragic tale of unimaginable life changing loss that will make you thankful for everything and everyone you have in life.

This novel is not a story, there is not even a plot per se; in short, it is a chronicle of Mia's life. While she's lost in this sort of limbo, we relive her life with her. She sends us through the ups and downs of her past years. Her relationship, fun family anecdotes, talents, dreams, everything she has ever had, and everyone she can still lose. Mostly, you can see how fast a life full of potential can be changed so drastically. You know that even if she does get through this, nothing will ever be the same. She will not be the same person that we're being introduced to. Through her stories and her time at the hospital, we also get to know other people in her life who love her so fully that you feel their pain for Mia's uncertain future. What got me the most emotional was not Mia's reminiscing, but the reactions to others towards her. There's an especially powerful scene with her grandfather that… ugh *clutches chest*. It shows exactly how talented Gayle is; to be able to render so much sympathy for characters you have only just met, in a book with a mere 200 pages at that, that is some outstanding writing. This is not just Mia's story, it includes everyone that has touched her life as well.

Brilliantly written with as much love as there is sorrow, with as much life as there is death, If I Stay shows us the importance of family and friends that, together, make up our lives. A must read that I would recommend for all fans of YA contemporary novels such as Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall.

Audiobook note: I wasn't the biggest fan of the music between certain chapters, but the narrator was truly amazing. Her voice authenticated all the emotions coming off of Mia wonderfully. A+!

Cover Blurb Note: "It will appeal to fans of Twilight" O_O This book is not even close to being anything like Twilight in any way! What the eff?

--

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Mar 28, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 parents, brother...more

41 likes · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Zoe Russo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

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'.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 missed much. Yes, her parents were both beautiful people who will be missed. And I have to admit the whole story of he...more

58 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2011 Flannery rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, kcls, read-in-2011, young-adult-teen, reviewed-2011, wishlist-for-books-to-keep

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...more 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 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)

62 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2012 Lyndz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mypod-audiobook, reviewed

The Lovely Bones? I am sure I am not the first person to make the comparison. And yes, in some ways they are similar.

In my opinion, If I Stay accomplished what Lovely Bones set out to do but didn’t. So let’s put that comparison to bed right now.

Mia plays the cello and listens to classical music and she doesn’t care that most people think she is a little odd.

I actually quite liked Mia. I can’t seem to put my finger on what it was about her exactly that I found so endearing, but I liked her none...more

37 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2011 Hope rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 cat...more

18 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone with a beating heart

Shelves: hand-to-my-heart-and-tears-falling

This book was beautiful. Packed with so much living, dying, loving, crying....Not necessarily in that order.

This is a book about Mia told from Mia's point of view, which by the way was heart-breaking and gorgeous. On a normal day in the normal life of 17 year old Mia and her mom, her dad and her little brother Teddy...Life derailed and took a different course.....a beautiful snow day turns tragic

The story begins. She is a cellist. Extremely gifted and Juillard bound. Mia is in a coma from the a...more

This book was beautiful. Packed with so much living, dying, loving, crying....Not necessarily in that order.

The story begins. She is a cellist. Extremely gifted and Juillard bound. Mia is in a coma from the accident and the story is her having an out of body experience. It is beautifully written. I was emotionally invested. I only took a break to wipe my tears away. Life is a gift that sometimes we take for granted. Reading this story truly made me realize that its important

If I stay. If I live. It's up to me
All this talk about medically induced comas is just doctor talk. It's not up to the doctors. Its not up to the absentee angels. It's not even up to God who, if He exists, is nowhere around right now. It's up to me

As "she" is wandering the halls of the hospital she is looking for her boyfriend Adam. Adam totally won my heart. Singer, song writer, lover of music and most of all totally in love with Mia. Full-throttle, intense, can't-erase-that-goofy-smile type of love.

But now that Adam is here, I'm paralyzed. I'm scared to see him. To see his face. If he is crying it will kill me. Forget this is my choice business. That alone will do me in

I don't care. I only need a second. So I can show her that I'm here. That someone is still here

Like I said, this book provoked a lot of thoughts for me. Lots of emotions. Steady trickle of misty-eyed moments and then some outbursts of full-out WAILING. Anna-Style....where I scare my hubby and he thinks I'm having a seizure. You've been warned.

In the quiet corner of the ICU I start to really think about the bitter things I've managed to ignore so far today. What would it be like if I stay? What would it feel like to wake up an orphan? To never smell Dad smoke a pipe? To never stand next to Mom quietly talking as we do dishes? To never read Teddy another chapter of Harry Potter? To stay without them? I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up

Adam~ Its okay. If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. But that's what I want and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It's okay if you want to stop fighting

Adam is mumbling something now. In a low voice. Over and over he is saying: Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Finally he stops and looks at my face. "Please Mia" he implores. "Don't make me write a song."

STAY

If you stay, I'll do whatever you want ......And that would suck, but I'd do it. I can lose you like that if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay

And then he takes her hand and she has visions. She sees a future. She hears music. She sees visiting a cemetery with three graves. She sees New York City. She sees her cello......She feels the pain....She

DECIDED TO STAY

GORGEOUS BOOK COVERS

LOVE CAN MAKE YOU IMMORTAL❤

Im diving right into book 2

Told from Adams point of view. My heart is ready .........bring it !!!!! ❤(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2012

Mia and her family, father, Mother and younger brother go for a drive on a sunny morning after a light snowfall the night before. In a moment, their world is turned upside down in the form of a devastating car crash.

Mia finds herself watching her mangled body being pulled from the crash and follows what takes place in the hospital as she decides if she should stay in this life or to move on.

Mia has couple of reasons to stay, one is for music. She has a major talent for the cello and is about en...more

20 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult

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 stron...more 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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May 17, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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, stories-with-a-message, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, writing-to-which-i-aspire, made-me-cry, 2010-reads, prose-envy, reviewed

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 Lovely Bones” -- and I am...more

36 likes · like · see review

Aug 30, 2009 Adele rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 makes all c...more 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 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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Nov 29, 2011 Lissa added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Thankfully this book was only 200 pages. If it was drawn out to 400 it probably would have gotten a much lower rating.

This book is about the 24 hours seventeen-or-eighteen year old (they switch ages a few times, I think) Mia spends in an out-of-body experience, stuck in a type of limbo after a horrific car crash. She must make the decision to stay in her life or to move on.

Most of the book was flashbacks trying to help Mia decide whether or not she wanted to stay, or watching the relationships b...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Emily May by: Tatiana

Shelves: ya-na, 2011, contemporary

Despite the general hype about this book, I had my reservations because I had gone into The Lovely Bones with similar optimism and been highly disappointed by a story that never really took off and was simply drab and boring. After reading the goodreads description for this, I imagined something of the same and could only hope I wouldn't have a repeat performance.

To be honest, if you're looking for fast-paced adventure and a really gripping plot then I'm not sure this book is for you. Gayle For...more

18 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2012 Watermelon Daisy rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make -and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

- - -
WHY I DROPPED IT:

I didn't like the book. I just thought it was compl...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Lamia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction, complete-series, favorites, 2011, music, swoon, want-to-hump-the-writing, couldn-t-put-it-down, own-hardcopy, cry-all-the-tears

This review can also be found at The Book Eater

why so good, book?

I have no idea how to do this story justice. It seems like I could go on and on about it for hours without even getting close to how amazing it is.

This book is bittersweet. Hot and cold, funny and depressing, heart-warming and sob-inducing. It's the perfect roller-coaster, a prime example of how powerful writing can be. I adored everything about it. The plot, shocking and realistic (despite my skepticism at first), the characters, touching and rea...more

18 likes · like · see review

Sep 15, 2010 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-2010, first-in-a-serie, five-star-rating

Cascade of emotions just poured on me throughout the book.
I literally buried my face and cried a little at the end.
Seriously, it was painfully beautiful.

The title itself doesn't do it's justice.
I never knew that it could be this kind of story just by looking
at the title. It takes you to a journey that everyone fears and wonders.
I was glad and proud how it was written without any religious focus.
It's pretty amazing really.

I don't want to write too much about this book and spoil the fun
for...more

9 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't cry! Well... I did get misty eyed at over Teddy, but I didn't bawl like I had expected to.

This book was beautiful - from the premise, story progression and character development to Forman's writing, the imagery she uses to describe the most graphic scenes or most raw emotions, the analogies she refers to make connections and the way she alludes to music to perfectly meld with her story. Forman had a way of writing, where you would think would be considered overwriting and bogging on the...more

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 20, 2013 Joana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, emotional, favorites, it-ll-stay-with-me, one-of-a-kind-book, read-2013, tears-streaming-down-my-face, young_adults

" Well, what is this?
What am I coming to?
And beyond that, what am I gonna do?
Now there's blankness
Where once your eyes held the light
But that was so long ago
That was last night
Well, what was that?
What's that sound that I hear?
It's just my lifetime
It's whistling past my ear
And when I look back
Everything seems smaller than life
The way it's been for so long
Since last night
Now I'm leaving
Any moment I'll be gone
I think you'll notice
I think you'll wonder what went wrong
I'm not choo...more " Well, what is this?
What am I coming to?
And beyond that, what am I gonna do?
Now there's blankness
Where once your eyes held the light
But that was so long ago
That was last night
Well, what was that?
What's that sound that I hear?
It's just my lifetime
It's whistling past my ear
And when I look back
Everything seems smaller than life
The way it's been for so long
Since last night
Now I'm leaving
Any moment I'll be gone
I think you'll notice
I think you'll wonder what went wrong
I'm not choosing
But I'm running out of fight
And this was decided so long ago
It was last night "

All it took was one second...she closed her eyes and everything changed.
The unthinkable happened...and now she have to make a choice.

I got to say that reading this story, i felt like I have been punched in the gut several times, it truly is such an emotional read. And it felt real, because I kept thinking how unfair it all was...why them? And I guess it all happened to each one of us before, when we question why bad things happens to good people.

The accident scene, i was in shock and crying through it. I knew it was coming but I was still hoping it was all just a twisted dream. It just couldn't be real.

And well, getting through the day in Mia's life while she remembered so many past moments, where just bittersweet and endearing. We get a chance to "meet" and know more about the most important people in her life...from her cool and awesome parents, to her lovable younger brother Teddy, her "groovy" and romantic boyfriend Adam, her best friend Kim and her grandparents. We get a glimpse of who she is and many of her defining moments, or at least moments that stayed with her.

And i just love how music is the soul of the story, it was what connected her parents, what connected her and Adam...they all lived music.

I can't say much more, because i don't want to spoil anyone... I can say that i just couldn't stop reading, it was just such a beautiful and heartbreaking story.

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Dec 16, 2011 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites, signed-by-author, kindle

This is story about Mia, seventeen year old girl who gets into a car accident with her parents and her 10 year old brother. She survives the crash but is unconscious in the hospital and in critical condition. However, she is able to see and hear everything around her, even her own body. The story revolves around her making the decision to stay and live or let go and die.

The story is told in a serious of flash backs where we get to see that Mia is a normal teenager, living in Oregon, with a brig...more

11 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 happiness feels like...more 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 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)

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 31, 2010 Josiah rated it 4 of 5 stars

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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Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-gold-star-award-winner, trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Mia has a lot to love in life. She is a cellist who could be on her way to Julliard. She has a wonderful, loving, and supportive family. And she has a boyfriend who is perfect. But as wonderful as Mia's life is, she has choices to make. Should she go to Julliard and leave everyone behind?

When a terrible accident occurs, Mia suddenly finds herself with only one choice left - should she stay?

This book is just WOW! Do not read thi...more Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Mia has a lot to love in life. She is a cellist who could be on her way to Julliard. She has a wonderful, loving, and supportive family. And she has a boyfriend who is perfect. But as wonderful as Mia's life is, she has choices to make. Should she go to Julliard and leave everyone behind?

When a terrible accident occurs, Mia suddenly finds herself with only one choice left - should she stay?

This book is just WOW! Do not read this in public because this one will bring tears to your eyes - I'm warning you! That doesn't mean it doesn't have humor though, because there were many times I found myself laughing out loud. This is an intense story that will not only appeal to teens, but have a lot of crossover adult appeal, as well.

Gayle Forman does an excellent job going from Mia's present to Mia's past and drawing the reader in so they truly understand her love for the cello, her family, and Adam, her boyfriend. As I was reading, I felt like I really got to know Mia and her family and found myself grieving along with Mia - the writing is just that powerful.

IF I STAY is a short read, but it packs so much in and I wanted to savor every moment. At times I found myself reading slower and drinking in the words because I didn't want the story to end.

The story centers around music: Mia with her cello, Adam with his band, and Mia's dad being a drummer, and Gayle Forman's writing felt lyrical. She was able to capture music and put it into a book. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like I was reading a song - hopefully that makes sense! Music is such an important part of the book, Gayle Forman has included a playlist for the book on her website. I loved checking out the songs that went along with the story and listening to them when Mia did.

IF I STAY is a must-read. The themes of love, loss, grief, and hope are so powerful and beautifully written that this story will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

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Jan 16, 2013 Nessa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, not-my-cup-of-earl-grey-tea

I keep hearing that If I Stay by Gayle Forman is this wonderfully heartbreaking novel. Some reviewers have cried, some have felt empty after reading this, and... unfortunately, your Auntie Nessa is just not one of them. (Also, haven't read this book since July 2012, finally decided to finish my review... in January 2013. Go me.)

If I Stay follows the story of a girl named Mia, with a perfect family who decide to go out into the city on a snow day, and their car crashes, killing everyone in it. Ex...more

20 likes · like · see review

Sep 09, 2011 Elizabeth Salom (elistar) rated it 5 of 5 stars 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, beautiful-writing, must-read, favorite-series

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 - whether she...more 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 - 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 4 of 5 stars

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 her charac...more

22 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2012 ijul (yuliyono) rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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.

Ketika raganya masi...more

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Oct 06, 2012 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 21st-cent, e-book, fantasy-sci-fi-dys, hit-me-in-the-heart, ok-fine-its-ya, this-shelf-is-divine, own

I know that makes me a bit of a hypocrite. If that's the case, shouldn't I stay? Soldier through it? Maybe if I'd had some practice, maybe if I'd had more devastations in my life, I would be more prepared to go on. It's not that my life has been perfect. I've had disappointments and I've been lonely and frustrated and angry and all that crappy stuff everyone feels. But in terms of heartbreak, I've been spared. I've never toughened up enough to handle what I'd have to handle if I were to stay.

Mi...more

I know that makes me a bit of a hypocrite. If that's the case, shouldn't I stay? Soldier through it? Maybe if I'd had some practice, maybe if I'd had more devastations in my life, I would be more prepared to go on. It's not that my life has been perfect. I've had disappointments and I've been lonely and frustrated and angry and all that crappy stuff everyone feels. But in terms of heartbreak, I've been spared. I've never toughened up enough to handle what I'd have to handle if I were to stay.

Mia says this and it is the book's contribution to me. There's always something to take away with you; a piece of the story's puzzle that seems familiar. It may be the very focus of the plot, or it could be a tiny corner you can claim as your own. It's a gift, a comforting hand, a reassuring gesture...what have you. And this was it for me.

I could go on about how tenderly this book was written. How different and meaningful it feels compared to others in its genre. But I can't because I don't have the energy. I don't even really want to write this review...but seeing as I also can't stand the idea that a person out there, whoever, wherever, a person like me...knowing that they won't be reading this book is equally deflating.

This book made me think about many things. About the nearly 2000 victims of Hurricane Katrina. About the every day deaths we see in the news. About the tsunami that killed over 200,000 people. About the barrage of stories from survivors: how one woman clung to her two sons, but the water was so strong she knew she had to choose. So she let go of her firstborn. About watching a family look through a wall of photos, searching but not searching for their missing girl. And then the sister found her -- recognized the pink sweater she had been wearing and then their cries because they found what they were looking for. And about my own thoughts and compassions as I witness and experience loss and grief.

Feeling all that I did and reading Mia's story, everything just fell too much into place and it started to get harder to continue reading. Mia's voice was too real, and the situation too familiar even though I've never been anywhere close to that kind of tragedy. That's storytelling for you. Holding you captive, making you believe in every word. Making you look at life, yourself, and think and re-evaluate. Making you want to be better and to hope. While breaking your heart. It's always a blessing in disguise. (less)

8 likes · like · see review

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About Gayle Forman

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, I was a journalist who specialized in reporting on young people and social-justice issues. Which is a fancy way of saying I reported on all the ways that young people get treated like crap—and overcome! I started out working for Seventeen magazine, writing the kinds of articles that people (i.e. adults) never believe that Seventeen ran (on everything fr...more Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, I was a journalist who specialized in reporting on young people and social-justice issues. Which is a fancy way of saying I reported on all the ways that young people get treated like crap—and overcome! I started out working for Seventeen magazine, writing the kinds of articles that people (i.e. adults) never believe that Seventeen ran (on everything from child soldiers in Sierra Leone to migrant teen farm workers in the U.S.). Later on, I became a freelance journalist, writing for magazines like Details, Jane, Glamour, The Nation, Elle, Budget Travel, and Cosmopolitan.

In 2002, I went traveling for a year around the world with my husband, Nick. I spent time hanging out with some pretty interesting people, a third sex (we’d probably call them transvestites here) in Tonga, Tolkien-obsessed, role-playing punks in Kazakhstan (bonus points to those of you who can find Kazakhstan on a map), working class hip-hop stars in Tanzania. The result of that year was my first book, a travel memoir called You Can’t Get There From Here: A Year On the Fringes of a Shrinking World. You can read about my trip and see pictures of it here.

What do you do when you get back home after traveling the globe for a whole year? First, you get disproportionately excited by the little comforts in life: Not having to look at a map to get everywhere? Yay! Being able to drink coffee without getting dressed and schlepping to a café first? Bliss! Then, if you’re 32 years old and have been with your husband for evah, you have a kid. Which we did. Presto, Willa!

So, there I was. With a baby. And all of a sudden I couldn’t do the kind of gallivanty reporting I’d done before. Well, you know how they say in life when one door closes another opens? In my case, the door came clear off the frame. Because I discovered that I could take the most amazing journeys of my life without ever having to leave my desk. It was all in my head. In stories I could make up. And the people I wanted to take these fantastical journeys with, they all happened to be between the ages of 12 and 20. I don’t know why. These are just the people who beckon me. And I go where I’m told.

My first young-adult novel, Sisters in Sanity, was based on another one of those social justice articles I wrote when for Seventeen and you can click here to read the article. Sisters was published in 2007. My next book, If I Stay, was published in April of 2009 by Dutton. It is also being published in 30 countries around the world, which is surreal. The sequel/companion book to If I Stay, Where She Went, comes out in April 2011. I am currently working on a new YA novel, that is, when my kids (plural, after Willa we adopted Denbele from Ethiopia) allow me to. And after that book is finished, I’ll write another, and another….

Wow. This is crazy long. I suppose the short version of this bio could simply read: My name is Gayle Forman and I love to write young-adult novels. Because I do. So thank you for reading them. Because without you, it’d just be me. And the voices in my head.

Gayle Forman is an award-winning author and journalist whose articles have appeared in such publications as Jane, Seventeen, Glamour, Elle, and The New York Times Magazine, to name just a few. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. (less)

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Quotes from If I Stay

“Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you.” — 1,671 people liked it

“I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard.” — 1,320 people liked it

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