Gayle Forman. IF I STAY

I had been hearing about this one for a while, so I was excited to finally get to read it! I was not disappointed at all. This premise was quite unique. Five minutes after we get a wonderful introduction of Mia and her family and falling in love with each and every character, disaster strikes. Mia finds herself in an in-between stage. She’s not dead, but she’s not conscious either. She is witnessing everything going on around her. She sees her family members come in and talk to her. She sees her best friend and boyfriend both distraught.

In flashbacks, we learn more about Mia and her life up to this point. She has a wonderful life. She’s a talented cello player and will probably get accepted to Julliard. Her musician boyfriend loves her deeply and has his own successful career. The only major problem is that their careers will take them in different directions. Before the accident, Mia had a decision to make. Now she has a different, more compelling decision overriding everything. Mia realizes that it’s up to her to stay and wake up or take the easy route and go to sleep for good.

The premise alone made this an intriguing story. But, wow, I was constantly amazed at the beautiful writing. It really is a beautiful, heartbreaking story.
And if that doesn’t convince you, this book trailer will totally do the trick!



Here is the author's website for more.