YA Fanatic

Short, sweet, and an excellent read. It's what Gayle Forman does best. If I Stay is a wonderful work of storytelling. Told in less than 200 pages Forman makes you fall in love with characters and really feel for what they are going through.

Mia, 17 years old and an amazing cellist, trying to follow her dream to get in Julliard, while worrying about how it will affect her relationship with rocker and band star, Adam. One day everything changes, Mia and her family are caught in a freak accident. We find Mia, in what I call, the "in-between" watching over what happens in the hospital, trying to decide whether she needs to stay or go.

I really felt what was happening to Mia, even though we only get her story in flashbacks and what she is feeling while watching over her friends and family. It's really the perfect length in writing for it definitely would have dragged if it became any longer. In fact, I think I may have read this years ago, but I read so much I didn't remember it, little moments and scenes I read seemed very familiar.

I'm very interested to see how the movie is going to pull it off since much of the book is told through Mia's thoughts, especially since its that first person view.

Where She Went is definitely now added to my to read list, and already put on hold through my nook. Looking forward to where Gayman takes us, I'm sure, if its like her other books it will be told through Adam's point of view.

Recommended for those a fan of John Green, Rainbow Rowell, Maureen Johnson, and even Forman's other books. It's one you won't want to miss out on, especially since the movie is quickly approaching...read the book first!