Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

"After the accident, she can still hear it. And she can see her damaged body being taken from the wreck of her parents' car - even though she can't feel a thing. 

All she can do is watch as doctors rush to save her life, as her friends and relatives gather outside her room, as the boy she loves struggles to be near her.

As the next twenty-four hours unfold, Mia must come to terms with what came before the crash - and what could come after. And she knows she must make the most difficult choice of all. 

If she stays.."

Genre: YA, Contemporary romance
Published: April 2nd 2009
Pages: 201



If I Stay is a contemporary romance novel, written in first person P.O.V and a tearjerker at one point.
I ordered this novel after hearing lots of good things about it, on both Goodreads and Booktube.
It's about this girl, Mia, who is happy with the life she is living. She has a good home, a happy family and a loving boyfriend, who happens to be her perfect match.

One day the entire family jumps into their car and heads for the highway, where their lives suddenly take a whole other exit than they had planned on.
Within ten seconds, Mia's mom and dad are dead and her little brother ends up in critical condition. They were in a fatal accident and Mia is conscious of her surroundings, but remains outside her body.
She watches as her body gets carried away, as she ends up in the hospital and as her family arrives to say their goobyes, something Mia wasn't able to do.


She has to fight for her life and soon realizes that she has to make a decision within the next twenty-four hours. Does she want to continue living without her family and start all over again, or does she want to join her family and leave everything and everyone behind.

I love how I have never read something like this before. Forman created a completely different perspective than the ones I was used to. Mia is living outside of her body, watching everyone but not being able to do anything. She can't feel, she can't touch anything and she can't comfort her family.
I connected with her in a simple way. I wanted her to wake up, to fight and live, because she had people waiting for her. But as the day progressed, she became more aware of what she was about to face.
Life without her family, if she decided to step back in and live.

I don't always like reading books that have death as a theme. They confront me with something I'd rather not think about, but there is something innocent and sweet about this book.
Also music plays a big role in this book, which is pretty cool. I liked the band things, the cello music she played and explained and the references to artists. It made it seem more realistic, because it connects Mia's story to a realistic story.

She ended up choosing the path I would have chosen, even though it is the most difficult one. It's tough to start all over again, even though you have just lost everyone you ever depended on.
Mia was, throughout the entire book, a strong character. She was wise, loving, admirable and willing to fight, which I liked.

It's a beautiful book with realistic themes and it caused a tear or two to roll over my cheek, but that it what I like. I want to read a good book which pulls me in and stays in my mind for days after I have finished it.