Gayle Forman’s novel, If I Stay, takes a long, hard look at life without being too serious about it. When Mia’s family are in a car crash, she is flung out of her body and forced to make the hardest decision of her entire life. With her parents and brother gone forever, Mia must decide whether she wants to stay, or if she wants to give up all her dreams. She realizes that without her family, her life will change dramatically if she does stay, but if she does decide not to stay, her plans as a cello player, as a possible student at Juilliard, her relationships with her closest friends and boyfriend will all be ruined.




The writing was exquisite. With enough flashbacks, the author was able to create believable backstories for all of the characters.

If I Stay made me laugh and it made me cry. Reading it in public places is not to be recommended (people will stare at you strangely when you burst out laughing and when the tears fall silently down your cheeks), but reading it in general is.

The movie is already out in some parts of the world, and personally I’m counting down the days until it’s released here as well.

What would you do if you had to choose?

-Laura