Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title: Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman
Published: April 5th 2011 by Dutton Juvenile
Series: If I Stay #2
Rating: 3 hearts

Goodreads 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.

Racquel thinks:

Where she Went is written from Adam's perspective and since I love books told from guy POV's, I loved this book before I even started it! But to be honest- and as much as I feel pressured NOT to say this- this story was unnecessary. I was happy with the way If I Stay ended and I didn't need closure in a sequel. If this book wasn't from Adam's POV, I probably would have really disliked it.

Racquel likes:

Adam's POV. I love books from guy's perspective and Adam's voice delivered, I felt his angst towards Mia and the anxiety of being famous.

What made this not a 5 star read:

-I liked the flashbacks at first, it was a nice view into Mia and Adam's previous relationship but however, I still did not feel the chemistry between Mia and Adam and just like with If I Stay, the flashbacks got annoying because I just wanted to see Mia and Adam in present time and how they're dealing with being around each other.


-the transitions. One moment it was Adam and Mia in the present bowling then it switched back to 4 years ago. One moment they were making up, the next they were having sex and the next second after that they were arguing. What in the world...


-I'm sure I mentioned this already but WHY ARE MIA AND ADAM GOING OUT? I don't feel any spark between them. Usually even if am not a fan of the couple I still root for them and life would not be complete if they don't end up together but with Adam and Mia, if they didn't end up together I would be happy.


Overall: sure I have my complaints, but like If I stay, I finished this in one sitting. If you want to read it, go ahead. If not, then you're not missing anything out.


Rating: 3 hearts

First line: 

Every morning I wake up and I tell myself this: It's just one day, one twenty-four-hour period to get yourself through.

Favorite: 

I can't imagine what it would be like to have had her company in my head--the comfort that would've brought.

Teaser: 

Mia's eyes reach out to meet mine, and for a second I fear that my facade will fall apart.

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Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay 
Author: Gayle Forman 
Published: April 6th 2010 by Speak (my copy is the Speak published one, not original Dutton books one!) 
Series: If I Stay #1
Rating: 3.5 hearts

 Goodreads summary:

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces - to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

Racquel thinks:
Yet again, hype proves to be bad. Not that I disliked If I Stay, but it was definitely not what I expected.

What in the world is the book about?

Mia the MC along with her loving parents and adorable younger brother Teddy, get in a car accident. Mia's is injured badly while the rest of her family dies, how does she know this when she's in coma? Her 'spirit' is lingering around seeing the chaos that the people who love her are in and now she must decide if she wants to move on with her perfect family or stay for the other people and things that love her.

Racquel liked: 

-Mia's family, they really are a great loss. During the flashbacks or 'remembering' parts I just couldn't get enough of them! And it really breaks my heart to know that they died, almost as if I know these people in real life and can't believe their death.

-The concept of the book.  I have recently come to the conclusion that fantasy & paranormal is not my favorite genre but in If I Stay even though there was the obvious fantasy element, it felt like a realistic contemporary story.

What made this book not a 5 star read:

-I expected more of Adam. I did not read a SINGLE review of the book before I read it but from the talk surrounding the book on goodreads, blogs & twitter I just expected more of Adam, better yet I expected him to be better developed. To me Adam was just this person who is musician, nice and is dating Mia and he loves her. I didn't feel any depth to him beyond that.

-I, for the life of me, cannot figure out why Mia and Adam love each other and are dating. I feel zero chemistry between them. Nothing, nada.  Maybe it's because to me both Adam and Mia aren't all that developed but still cannot comprehend there relationship.

-At first I enjoyed the flashbacks, but when it got to the point where there were more flashbacks then present time of Mia in the hospital and what's going on around her, it got annoying and I just wanted to skip to the parts where it's not a flashback.

Overall:

If I Stay is an emotional book even though I did not tear up or cry at all but I did finish it in one sitting so that tells you something. It's definitely worth reading!

My rating: 3.5 hearts

First line: 

Everyone thinks it was because of the snow.

Favorite:

"Yo Mama better watch his back,"

 Teaser:

Mom once snuck me into a casino.

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