Soon to be hitting cinemas, If I Stay tells the heart-wrenching story of Mia, seventeen years old and somewhere between life and death after a car accident that took away some of the people she loves most in the world. But there are still people who love and need her and so Mia must make the ultimate choice.

For what is a relatively short book, If I Stay is one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. The use of flashbacks breaking up the events in the present not only give the characters more depth but makes them more relatable as they have a back story and a story of their own outside the events happening in the book's present.

Characterwise, as a reader I feel closest to Mia as a result of the way the book is written. However, her parents are the characters I adore the most. The flashbacks show how funny and cool and interesting they are, setting a high bar for fictional parents.

The theme of music that runs throughout the book is something else that makes If I Stay appealing. The way music is used to show change in the characters or differences and similarities between the characters is subtle but hugely effective.

Overall, If I Stay is heartwarming and heart-wrenching all at once. From the relatable characters to the slightly ambiguous ending, If I Stay comes highly recommended from me!

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