If I Stay is beautifully written, with characters that feel solidly real. I pick up any novel like this with a great deal of trepidation, because the potential for treacly, overly dramatic, cliche scenarios abound--but this one exceeded just about every expectation I had and avoids pretty much all the usual YA pitfalls. Mia's relationships with her parents, with her brother Teddy, and with her grandparents were all wonderfully vibrant, in a way that reminded me of Madeleine L'Engle's complicated, close-knit Austin family. Her music, her plans for her future, and her relationship with Adam were all compelling as well.

Even as I appreciated the writing and was engrossed by the story, I was still taken by surprise at the tears that welled up at a pivotal moment near the end of the story. This is a quiet, deep book filled with a stunning depth of emotion.