Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Book Summary (via Goodreads):
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.

Book Trailer:



Book Review:
Oh my dear Gayle Forman, do you know how to write a book! This is an emotional roller-coaster of love, regret, anger, denial, loss, and acceptance. Forman's prose are so vivid and lyrical, I experience what the characters experience. I live in the moment they are created. Though I have never been to New York City, I feel that I have experienced it through the eyes of Adam and Mia. What a sad and tragic tale they have forgone. It starts in the previous book, If I Stay, which if you haven't already read, do so now! Mia loses her family in a horrible car crash, and we struggle along-side her as she decides if she will live and grieve, or pass away and join the rest of her family. In Where She Went, we follow Adam as he attempts to come to grips with his experience with Mia and how he has dealt with life since. Needless to say, you should have your kleenex handy. Overall, this is a beautiful story (both books one and two). Where She Went gave me the closure I needed, and some well-needed insight into both characters and the paths they both chose to pursue. I am definitely keeping Gayle Forman on my radar! She possesses a talent for superb writing. I hope to see more from her in the future! Check out her website here.

Favorite Quote:

“But still, I find the need to remind myself of the temporariness of a day, to reassure myself that I got through yesterday, I'll get through today.” 

Cover Art Commentary:
I just love this cover! I adore the colors and it looks very nice next to my paperback copy of If I Stay. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see Adam featured on the cover, rather than Mia.

Overall Rating:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Book Summery:
Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, adoring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. Then, in an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the one decision she has left—the most important decision she’ll ever make.
Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving. -author's website
Book Trailer:



Book Review:
Gayle Forman has done an extraordinary job of placing the reader in Mia's metaphorical shoes. In an instant Mia is ripped from everything she knows, frozen in a coma-state, and forced to make the biggest decision of her life, literally. Beautifully told, this poignant tale is sure to take you on an emotional roller coaster. There were times that laughed, and times that I cried. Mia definitely had an interesting life before her accident. I loved getting to know her and her family through the various flashbacks as Mia tries to determine her ultimate choice. Another great aspect about this book is its centered focus on music of all kinds. The references were nicely placed and definitely gave the story a flair all of its own. I highly recommend this book to readers of all kinds. For more information, check out Forman's website, where you can also find the playlist to the story. :)

Favorite Quote:

"'Are you going tonight?' Dad asks.

'I was planning to. It depends if they shut down the whole state on account of the snow.'

'It is approaching a blizzard.' Dad says, pointing to a single snowflake floating its way to the earth." (p.6)

Cover Art Commentary:
I have the paperback, which is the cover I have displayed at the top. This cover coveys a girl frozen in time. Not looking forward, not looking back. Just existing in the here and now. Beautiful. Silent. Powerful.

Overall Rating: