If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Mia's life is on track. She's got a great family, a loving boyfriend, a no-nonsense best friend, and a real shot at getting accepted into Juilliard's School of Music with her cello playing. Her parents are the hip, aging rockers that you wish were your parents, and her little brother is almost like her own son. It started out as a good day. School was cancelled because of the slight dusting of snow, and even Mom took the day off to spend with the family. On their drive to visit Grandma and Grandpa something happens. The car is suddenly ripped apart, and so is Mia's world. Her parents are dead on impact, and she is floating above the scene.

It gives a new meaning to 'out of body experience'. She follows herself to the hospital, and begins to understand that her life is changed forever. She must make a decision. Will she stay? One by one her family arrives, first her grandparents, then her aunts and uncles. Her best friend, Kim, comes with her mother. Finally, Adam, her boyfriend rides over with his bandmates.

Mia reflects on her life to this point, where it was going, what is most important to her. She thinks about what life will be like moving forward. It is decidedly a sad book, but very well written. There are many reminiscences of happier times which temper the mood, and moments that made me laugh out loud. I highly recommend this on audio book, as well.

"'Just listen,' Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen. 'Stay,' he says," (Forman, 2009).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Sisters in Sanity by Gayle Forman
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

Forman, Gayle. (2009). If I Stay. Dutton Books: New York, NY.