If I Stay - Review

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How does one adequately describe "If I Stay" - amazing does not cut it, beautiful is only part of it, unique does not do it justice -breathtaking is as close as I could come (it took my breath away on several occasions). If I Stay is the kind of book that leaves you crying buckets, it's beautifully crafted, with prose that pull you off your feet, leave you begging Mia to make the right decision for her, but what could that possible be? If I were in the situation, I am not sure I could be as strong as she is...

It is an elegant, sad, beautiful, amazing, stressful, and just beyond anything I have ever read, kind of book. The feelings I had while reading it, were/are so raw...I found myself in Mia's situation, heck I found myself putting myself in her situation with my life, around my own demons...this book had me thinking, REALLY thinking about life, "I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard." This words touched a cord so real with me...(As I said I have my own personal demons, and have struggled with depression most of my life, so I can get that sometimes dying seems easy...way easier than what living can sometimes offer.)

Gayle Forman is one strong woman to be able to write this story – to tell the tail of Mia and Alex, along with their family and friends. To dive into those raw emotions, and bring out something so beautiful...I just can't describe how this book made me feel.

I can't even offer a synopsis other than the one via goodreads – again, there's no way I could do it justice, or without huge spoilers that, if you want to find out you just must read the book. As such, I apologize, this review is not at all like like the "norm." I wish I could offer you more, do this amazing book more justice, I just can't...

If I Stay is a tear jerker - I cried off and on though most of it, it's an intense ride - with amazing characters, and words that fly off the pages and straight into your heart...it's a book that I will be recommending over and over again! One that, I will never forget reading!

If you have not picked it up, If I Stay is one you SHOULD! I give it a 5++ stars! It's just breathtaking!

If I Stay
Written by: Gayle Forman
Published: April 9, 2009
199 pages