Where She Went (If I Stay #2)
Author: Gayle FormanPublisher: Dutton Juvenile
Hardcover: 208 pages
Published: April 5, 2011
Amazon Summary:
"It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance."
Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future - and each other.
Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance."
My thoughts:
It was refreshing to read a book from a male perspective, often in YA we only hear the voice of the female. This book was just...heart-wrenching. The depth of the relationship between Adam & Mia is something that is rare to find in Young Adult literature. Their relationship was so realistic. I'm so incredibly tired of the "star-crossed lovers" who instantly fall for each other. It was exhilarating to see a relationship like theirs being brought to life by Gayle's lyrical prose.
I really enjoyed Shooting Star's (Adam's band) lyrics interspersed throughout the chapters. I found myself wishing I could download some of the (completely fictional) songs on iTunes! (Total book nerd move!). Adam's lyrics are just so incredibly raw, and gave us even more of a window into his pain.
I loved the consistency of the chapters. In "If I Stay" every other chapter was a flashback to Mia's life - memories of her family, friends and of Adam. "Where She Went" followed the same pattern. I was SO excited to learn more about what really happened between Adam and Mia. I loved how everything that had happened in the past slowly unfolded throughout the story. It kept me flipping the pages as fast as I could!
I read "If I Stay" only a month or two before Where She Went's release date. I had "If I Stay" on my shelf for awhile, but couldn't bring myself to read it because it sounded so sad. It is SO much more than a book about a girl whose family dies. I would suggest reading If I Stay first, just so you can get the entire back story and full emotional effect (and also to read some more of Gayle's beautiful writing), but there are enough details in "Where She Went" to understand the story as a stand-alone novel.
I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this book to not only YA book lovers, but really anyone that enjoys a beautiful love story. Gayle Forman's writing is....exquisite. I would, without a doubt, read ANYTHING she writes.
It was refreshing to read a book from a male perspective, often in YA we only hear the voice of the female. This book was just...heart-wrenching. The depth of the relationship between Adam & Mia is something that is rare to find in Young Adult literature. Their relationship was so realistic. I'm so incredibly tired of the "star-crossed lovers" who instantly fall for each other. It was exhilarating to see a relationship like theirs being brought to life by Gayle's lyrical prose.
I really enjoyed Shooting Star's (Adam's band) lyrics interspersed throughout the chapters. I found myself wishing I could download some of the (completely fictional) songs on iTunes! (Total book nerd move!). Adam's lyrics are just so incredibly raw, and gave us even more of a window into his pain.
I loved the consistency of the chapters. In "If I Stay" every other chapter was a flashback to Mia's life - memories of her family, friends and of Adam. "Where She Went" followed the same pattern. I was SO excited to learn more about what really happened between Adam and Mia. I loved how everything that had happened in the past slowly unfolded throughout the story. It kept me flipping the pages as fast as I could!
I read "If I Stay" only a month or two before Where She Went's release date. I had "If I Stay" on my shelf for awhile, but couldn't bring myself to read it because it sounded so sad. It is SO much more than a book about a girl whose family dies. I would suggest reading If I Stay first, just so you can get the entire back story and full emotional effect (and also to read some more of Gayle's beautiful writing), but there are enough details in "Where She Went" to understand the story as a stand-alone novel.
I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this book to not only YA book lovers, but really anyone that enjoys a beautiful love story. Gayle Forman's writing is....exquisite. I would, without a doubt, read ANYTHING she writes.
Judge a Book By It's Cover: The cover model is gorgeous and totally reminds me of Mia. I love how the covers for the two books match. The book is a thousand times more awesome than the cover, though!
5 Stars!
*Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader Copy courtesy of Penguin/ Dutton Juvenile and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The links in this review are not affiliate links.
Still need to read the first one! But they both sound so amazing. However, I am on a self-imposed book-buying-ban until I can get back on track with my TBR list. Great review!
ReplyDeleteAgree! Agree! Agree! Everything you said, my thoughts exactly! Oh, how I wish I could hear Adam's fictional voice... :) LOVED your rewiew:)
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