Book Club Friday

This week I read devoured 2 books.  They were beautiful... amazing... moving... lovely.  I loved every minute of it.  I didn't want them to end. 

I knew these characters.

I could see them.

I could hear them. 

I fell in love with them. 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

17 year old Mia is in the car with her mom, dad and kid brother one snowy morning, when her life changes forever.  The car crash killed her family and she is now in a coma.  She gets to choose whether she stays or goes.  She has to make the choice between living in a world without her loved ones, or joining them on the other side.

The story moves between what is actually happening and her memories.  She has amazing parents.  They're loving, caring, funny and hip.  I fell in love with them from the start.  She has an amazing boyfriend, Adam, who's the lead singer of a new up and coming emocore band, Shooting Star.  Music has been what links them.  Mia is an advanced cello player, on the brink of getting accepted to study at Julliard.  

This book.  I sobbed my way through it.  It was beautifully written.  Like I said before, I loved these characters... every single one of them.  It was funny and raw and heartbreaking all at once.  I didn't want it to end but I couldn't put it down... I read it in 3 sittings! 

5 Stars

Best book I've read ALL year! 

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

This is the sequel to If I Stay.  It's told from Adam's perspective, 3 years after the fatal crash.  Adam's band, Shooting Star has hit major success, won a grammy even, but Adam has been in a deep depression.  He can't get over losing Mia and it haunts him. 

This is a story of reunited love and forgiveness.  It's also heartbreakingly lovely.  Some of the phrases Adam would say, I'd read over and over to try to really engrave it, because it was stunning.  This story also moves between the present and the past. 

I didn't love this book as much as the first, mostly because a lot of my favorite characters were not in it... they had all died in the crash... but it was such an amazing way to tie up the story.  I really appreciate that Forman didn't try to milk another book from this story and leave us with another cliffhanger.  There's a neat ending that leaves you with a sigh of relief.

5 Stars

Get these books!  You wont regret it.