Review: Where She Went

Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)
by Gayle Forman
Dutton Juvenile
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: ★★★★☆

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 Julliard'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. – goodreads.com

Review
I’d like to begin by first admitting that I have not read If I Stay. But, I can also say that I felt Gayle Forman did a great job making sure that wasn’t necessary! I read this because I was looking forward to hearing a guys perspective on love, loss, and relationships. The concept for this book left me intrigued enough to pursue it without reading it’s companion book.

Let me say Adam’s inner thoughts and sarcasm are quite entertaining! I found that even though this book was centered around something so depressing, it was still hopeful and funny at parts. I would definitely describe Where She Went as a rollercoaster! I cried and smiled and laughed my way through this book. It was great!

Gayle Forman definitely outdid herself with this book. It was extremely authentic and believable. Now, I’m not a guy, but I definitely feel that is exactly how they think sometimes! She did a great job. I also loved that she added in lyrics from Adam’s songs… You can see how they tie into the story. Music is such a HUGE part of this story and being a music junkie myself I loved every second of it.

For the most part, the chapters alternate between the past and present.. I found this to be somewhat difficult at times. As much as I loved hearing about Adam and Mia’s past, I wanted to know what was going to happen then! I would have to wait for another whole chapter before I could resume! Found myself speed reading through the chapters from the past at times. I had a love-hate relationship with this layout… I liked it because it fleshed everything out for me. This was super helpful, not having read If I Stay. At the same time, I hated getting pulled away from the present story!

I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a great, inspirational read. It’s inspiring in the sense that you see two people who have been through so much, find peace in their lives. I definitely suggest you all check it out! You don’t need to have read If I Stay because it’s great as a standalone read. Enjoy!