Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Title/Author: Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman
Publisher/Date published: Dutton Children's Books, April 5th 2011
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

***WARNING: PROBABLE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1!!***

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 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."

After hearing many, many people rave about If I Stay, I caved and read it. I cannot believe it took me so long to get to it! Gosh, it was really amazing. After finishing it, I just sat around and stared. I felt like I'd just come up for air after going through those last couple of pages. I've tried writing a coherent review, but I've failed so far. A lot of people had it on their 'book that made me cry' list and I get why. Mia's grandfather broke my heart! And Adam... Such an amazing character!

But, enough about If I Stay, it doesn't say 'Where She Went' in the title for nothing.

Reading the summary I thought: wait, WHAT?? Where did my wonderfully real couple from the first book go?? I could not believe they broke up after going through something like that.

And neither could Adam. This book is from his point of view and let me just say that I adored Mia's voice in the first book, but Adam is just so beautifully broken. I don't need my guys damaged and tortured, but I felt Adam's pain and felt the need to curl into a ball and just stop being along with him because of their break-up.

I loved how everything was explained slowly and Adam's memories of Mia and her family before the accident. I must admit that I was angry at Mia for breaking things off the way she did. It must have been so horrible!
Slight spoiler, light up to read:
Just stopping all forms of communication seems to me to be crueler than even leaving a post it or breaking up over a text message

I really enjoyed meeting Mia again and seeing how she had learned to cope with everything that'd happened. But Adam is the star of this show and gosh, how I love him. It all went a bit fast towards the ending, but I'm happy with how Forman left things.

All in all, I feel like gushing about this book. And Adam and Mia will surely remain in my thoughts for a long time to come. Two very big signs that this book is a definite winner for me :) If you haven't read If I Stay yet, go and do so. Right now.
My rating: 5 stars