Paperback, 272 pages
Published April 22nd 2010 by Black Swan (first published January 1st 2009)
What if you had everything:
A gorgeous boyfriend who was madly in love with you?
Quirky hip parents who totally got you?
A musical talent that could take you anywhere?
What if your biggest problem in life was choosing which path to take?
Follow your first love--music-- to New York City?
Or stay with your boyfriend, friends, and family?
What if one day, you went out for a drive...
And in an instant everything changed?
What if suddenly all the other choices were gone?
Except for one--the only one that truly mattered?
The reason I picked this book up was because I LOVED Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver.
I'm still not quite sure why, but I just adore books about death. Ones that really touch you.
For me If I Stay was a good book, however it just didn't have the emotional intensity I was expecting. This book had gotten so many good reviews and some of my expectations were not fulfilled, which left me feeling quite disappointed.
Mia was a strong protagonist. One great thing about this book was the realistic qualities characters possessed. It felt like I was on a journey beside Mia. Sometimes I felt joy and other times sadness.
I adored Adam, Mia's boyfriend. He was also a very strong character, and you could tell Mia meant the world to him, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and develop.
This book did have some shining moments, like the ending. It was powerful, and meaningful, however these aspects weren't so consistent throughout the book.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this novel, however I wasn't as hooked to this book as I thought I was going to be, and for me, some parts really bored me. However I cannot wait to read the sequel Where She Went.
3/5
Great review. =)
ReplyDelete~Kelsa
Lovely review, Liddy! It's a shame you were a bit disappointed. I nearly bought this one in a second hand bookshop but I didn't in the end. Perhaps I should read Before I Fall first :)
ReplyDeleteOh, we loved this book! But you liked it enough to want the sequel, so I suppose that's something. :P
ReplyDeleteBtw, we are four YA writers and avid readers, and we just started a new blog to talk about YA literature. It's not so much book reviews as talking about different issues, trends, etc. We are hoping to connect with real teen readers, and we would love to see you there!