Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title:  Where She Went

Author: Gayle Forman

Pages:  208

Genre:  YA/ Teen

Source: Around the World ARC Tours

**Spoilers - if you have not read If I Stay, the summary/review for this book will contain spoilers.  And just as a side note, go get yourself a copy of If I Stay asap for you are truly missing out.**

 

If I Stay was one of my favorite reads from 2009.   In it, we met Mia, a very talented cellist who has a terrible car accident and has to make a tough decision between life and death. 

In Where She Went we learn that it's been three years since that fateful accident.  Adam was Mia's boyfriend at the time of the accident and since then there have been a lot of changes.  First and foremost, he and Mia are no longer together (shocker!).  Since their break-up his band has had worldwide success and is at the top of the charts.  All that he knows about Mia is that she left to school in New York and never looked back.  He knows why she stayed... he just doesn't understand where she went...

I can't tell you how much I have looked forward to this book.  I fell in love with Mia in If I Stay, but Where She Went made me fall in love with Adam.  God, he was such a tormented soul.  His separation from Mia was devastating - even though this same devastation caused him to become a very famous rock star.  His voice was so unique, albeit heartbreaking and achingly sorrowful.  I especially loved that we get snippets of the lyrics to Adam's songs at the beginning of each chapter.. they were haunting.

Once again, Ms. Forman has chapters that alternate between the present and the past told entirely through Adam's point-of-view.  Using this technique we get small glimpses of what went wrong... why Mia left and how Adam came to be the broken soul that he is today. 

The writing is raw and strong and is so infused with grief and pain that I felt my heart at my throat the whole time reading it.... you know, that feeling you get when you want to sob but don't actually break down... yea, that one.  Mia and Adam are so imperfect that they are perfect.  I laughed, I cried... I might have even sobbed a little. 

If you've read If I Stay then you know it ended perfectly.  But this sequel will bring you closure.  It will leave you feeling hopeful and all warm and toasty inside - you'll also find a big goofy grin on your face at its closure. I loved it!  It was definitely worth the wait.

My Rating: