If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Review By Ursula 

5 out of 5 stars

Loved it from the start! The music references were enough to get me hooked and then when I least expected it BAM!! Right in the feels! Gayle had absolutely no mercy when she delivered the blow not even 5 chapters in! 

The story was very unique, I didn’t expect the point of view in which this story was told and at first I wasn’t very sure it was going to be something that I was going to like but I ended up enjoying it very much, it was a very different perspective.
Mia introduces us to each of the important people in her life throughout the book and she introduces them to us in the form of flashbacks, and that I think was my favorite part of the narrative, it was very important to story to get to know each one of them.
Her parents were amazing and the relationship she has with them was so inspirational and I was probably able to really appreciate it because ,while it would be pretentious to say that I find myself as cool as her parents, I do find myself in their situation having had my children in my very early twenties and the unmistakable role music had in my life. I’m not sure what year this was set in (though I will tweet Gayle that question) it made me reminisce about my teenage years and the music I enjoyed then (and still enjoy now) and what a HUGE part music played/plays in my life like Mia’s parents music was the reason I met my husband…needless to say I was able to identify with her parents in pretty much every level.

Mia is an old soul, older than 18 for sure and I think it reflects in the relationships she has, her friendship with Kim, the love she has for Adam, the friendship she has with Willow and Henry (who are her parents’ friends) and even with her grandparents.

It’s an uplifting story that makes you smile despite the tragedy that surrounds them all, it made me want to be a better friend, better mother and better wife.
It reminds you that everyday you should enjoy and cherish what you have and those that surround you because tomorrow is never guaranteed to come.

I have to admit that a few tears (ok more than a few) were shed, but it was well worth it!
So grab a box of tissues, a nice cup of tea and a blanket and enjoy!