If I Stay

by Gayle Forman

Dedication: "For Nick. Finally ... Always"

First paragraph: "Everyone thinks it was because of the snow. And in a way, I suppose that's true."

Review: Mia's life is turned upside down in an instant. This book takes you through the most important day of Mia's life. One that pushes her into a reflection of her past and contemplation of her future, if she chooses to have one.

Before I start to actually review this book I just have to say one thing about the cover. The USA Today statement on the front, "Will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight", is ridiculous. It's possible that it -could- appeal to people who enjoy Twilight, yes. But the only similarity between the two is that they take place in the Pacific Northwest.

Anyway, now to tell you my thoughts. Good book. Easy read. Interesting story.

I like stories like this. Ones that make you think a bit more about your own life while reading about someone else's. It allows you to put yourself in Mia's position and wonder a bit at what your decision would be.

In order to keep the book from being completely morbid, Forman did a great job at bringing Mia's past to life. You come to love music just a bit more because you see how important it is to her. You learn about her friendships and I found myself secretly cheering for her life. Hoping she'd choose to stay even though life would be hard with all she'd lost.

The only thing I didn't really like was how abruptly the story ended. Although, I guess it makes sense. And it's probably a good sign for the book in general.

Click here for If I Stay's official website.