If I Stay by Gayle Forman

My Favorite Quotes

“Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you.”
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard.” 
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“If you stay, I'll do whatever you want. I'll quit the band, go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I'll do that, too. I was talking to Liz and she said maybe coming back to your old life would be too painful, that maybe it'd be easier for you to erase us. And that would suck, but I'd do it. I can lose you like that if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay.”
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“Love, it never dies. It never goes away, it never fades, so long as you hang on to it. Love can make you immortal” 
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“Losing me will hurt; it will be the kind of pain that won't feel real at first, and when it does, it will take her breath away.” 
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“Fake it 'till you make it.” 
-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

“Girlfriend is such a stupid word. I couldn't stand calling her that. So, we had to get married, so I could call her 'wife.” 

-Gayle Forman, If I Stay

Book Specifications

·  Title: If I Stay

·  Author: Gayle Forman

·  Book Type: Novel

·  Genre: Young Adult Fiction 
·  Edition: Paperback

·  Publisher: Dutton Penguin Books

·  Year of Publication: 2014

·  Number of Pages: 210

Synopsis

A fatal accident claims the lives of most of Mia's family members right off the bat. As she lies in an ICU bed, she has an "out of body" experience while stuck in a sort of limbo between this world and the afterlife. The story is told from Mia's perspective through flashbacks and observations of her loved ones as they gather in the hospital, hoping she'll wake up. All the while, Mia struggles to decide whether she wants to return to her remaining loved ones and a life forever marred by the unjust loss of her family, or if she wants to let her life fade away.

My Review

There is something comforting in that. To go down as a family. No one left behind. 

I'm not.
I'm not crying. 
Why would I be? If I stay is only one of the most endearing stories I've ever read...
No reason to sob quietly while writing a review... ღ
❤ ❤ ❤

I edge closer and now I know that it's not Teddy lying there. It's me. The blood from my chest has seeped through my shirt, skirt, and sweater, and is now pooling like paint drops on the virgin snow.

This book is beyond beautiful. I am literally out of words for this book. When I first heard about this book, I wasn't really into reading it (probably because it's YA and I'm not really a fan of it). But when I started off with it, I felt something that I never felt before. Forman came up with a unique plotline that stays with us long enough even after the last page is turned. It truly brings out the fact that there will always come a point in our lives that we are stuck between choosing for ourselves and the people we love.  It's the choices we make in life that matters the most and Mia's story verily showers light on this. 

The story is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. You'll laugh, you'll smile but you will cry or drop a tear now and then. Tears because you won't be able to believe your eyes at how poignant this is. And how it is a story you'll cherish forever. In my heart, If I Stay will always have a special place.

It makes you wish you'd played the cello as our Mia exquisitely does. That's at least true for me, and that is how much these characters and story had an influence on me. What I know for sure is that, after reading this book, you'll take a moment to think everything once again. To think about your life and how it isn't easy but that, when you're surrounded by people you love, it's, somehow, easier to cross over all those hurdles life puts you through. 

Mia is constantly sharing wonderful memories with us, but what is so impressive is that the author subtly included a message in each of them. Firstly, it wasn't easy for me to connect to the protagonist but consequently, I got attached to her. I have heard from many haters that it's just a "cheesy young adult fiction". But few could decipher the message in it. A message to think about. This is the kind of book I wished everyone with a soul would read and see its irrevocably originality and very pleasant and peaceful atmosphere.

I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard.

What I unfortunately didn't like as much as I hoped to is the author's writing style. I read raving reviews saying how amazing the writing is but, I didn't quite see its amazingness as most people have I guess. It is well-written, of course, with a perfect atmosphere fitting the story and all the emotions of the characters, but so are many many other books I've read. Nothing special on that part for me, sadly. That is the reason I couldn't give this book five stars, but it is the one and only. 

Everything else was perfect.

Have a great day!

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