Spring 2019, Wild Readers 5 discussion

If I Stay by Gayle Forman is a heart wrenching story about a girl named Mia in her attempt to find her way back to life, or to let it go completely. Her and her family are set to embark on a day of visits (due to a snow day) when tragedy strikes. The family of four get into a tragic car accident leaving her parents killed instantly. Her and her younger brother are rushed to the hospital in attempts in saving their fast fading lives. Mia the main character is set in ghost form to watch the events unravel. Throughout the story she embarks on the memories she has created with loved ones and her love for music. The story introduces her many family members and their connections that will hopefully give her reason to stay alive. We get to see her make a best friend Kim who is her person. We see the love her mother and father share and give to her and her younger brother. We also see the memories of her falling in love with the boy she never thought would be interested in her, Adam. Adam a key character in the story shows us what their love means to them both and how though their music is complete opposites along with them themselves. However, their love is stronger than their insecurities and differences. With these loving moments shared in the story we get a real sense into what Mia has lost, and what she would be leaving behind. It gives us the feeling that she has more to lose if she goes, but when she gets news of her younger brother passing we see now the hope that she once had get ripped away. It leaves the reader wondering will she stay? I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was a story that had me not able to put the book down. The heartbreaking tale of a young girl losing everything in a brief second, but showing the journey of how much she has to live for next. I would definitely recommend this read because it is so heartbreakingly sweet that you can't help but root for Mia to stay, but also understand if she chooses to leave.