On August 22nd, one of my favorite books is coming to life on the big screen. To honor that, I’ve chosen If I Stay by Gayle Forman as August’s Book of the Month.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Synopsis
“Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.
I open my eyes wide now.
I sit up as much as I can.
And I listen.
Stay, he says.
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it’s the only one that matters.
If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.”
Jen’s Review
I read If I Stay years ago, and it still makes my heart twist and my stomach drop. Just thinking about it makes me search for a tissue while thanking God I haven’t had to experience what Mia did in this book.
One of the most important things in my life is my family. If anything happened to them…well, I’m not sure what I’d do. It’s one of those fears that haunts me on a daily basis, just as I’m sure it haunts many of you. To think of having everything you cherish taken away in the blink of an eye…
*shudder*
If I Stay addresses this tragic fear. It makes you live it through the eyes of Mia, a girl whose family is killed in a car accident. She herself is on the brink of death and must decide if she has the strength to stay and live with the pain of knowing when she awakes, her family will be gone; or if she can’t bear their loss and will let go to join them in death.
But, don’t worry. This story isn’t only about making you cry and sob and go through an entire box of tissues. It celebrates life and love, and offers hope when there is no hope to be found.
As hard as this story is to read, it’s worth it. For me, it made me consider what I’d do if this type of tragedy ever struck in my life. Would I give up? Or would I fight for life? To be honest, I’m still not sure. Like Mia, it’s a choice I can’t make until it I had to.
Jen’s Rating
To read more about If I Stay, click here!
And for those of you who’d rather “see” the synopsis, here’s the trailer for If I Stay…I suggest you grab a tissue before you view it 😉
…Just remember: Read the book BEFORE you see the movie!
Related Articles
BOOK REVIEW: IF I STAY BY GAYLE FORMAN
A Blogging Reader’s Review: ‘IF I STAY’ by Gayle Forman
Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Photo credits:
http://brynnetervention.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4374400-if-i-stay
http://gayleforman.tumblr.com/post/54363068897/the-quote-books-if-i-stay-by-gayle-forman
Jen's Pen Den 
I just saw the preview this weekend and was immediately tempted to run out and buy the book.
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Yes! Go read the book before you see the movie. It’s a quick read, so you have plenty of time to get through it 🙂
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it is now in my list!
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