Simon & Schuster I Was Here

Having read other books from this author I was interested to see what I would think of I Was Here. As it tackles a difficult topic and something I've not read about before I wasn't sure what I'd think. The story comes about after Meg dies by suicide and her best friend Cody decides that she has to find out how and why it happened. From the description it sounds like an interesting story of discovering why Meg did as she did but in reality I think it was far from that. I think the first thing I didn't like about the book and what could have made all the difference in the book is the fact that we never really get to experience Meg and Cody's friendship or know much about who Meg really was. As a result I didn't really feel like I felt empathy for either character as Meg was the one in the book that it revolves around but was only ever really mentioned in passing and Cody came across as a friend that was more interested in putting the blame on someone in a bizarre scheme where she seems to forget that it's all about her friend and not just taking down All_BS from the Internet forum. I'd like to think that Cody would have been grief stricken but instead she was just annoyed the Internet didn't work in the library to check her messages for instance. Although the book is based on a suicide it revolves around Cody looking for the truth in all the wrong places and Meg appears to be a very minor part of the book. Although I am not a fan of books that flick between current time and past I think this would have been the perfect way to have written this book as it would've meant we got to know more about Meg and her reasoning from herself rather than the very brief explanation at the end. I don't feel like I know any more about Meg now than when I started the book. I think by hearing from Megs side of things it would've been a great way to bring mental illness into the story which is mentioned in brief throughout the book but in length in the authors notes. I am very disappointed in this book, it had potential to educate people about a difficult subject and mental illness ' link to suicide but instead it just follows an unempathetic Cody as she searches for someone to blame and mental illness is barely mentioned.

This book is relatively short (over 200 pages), with likeable characters. The course of the book did not go how I expected it to, however, I did really enjoy it and it brings a clear light on how suicide effects the family and friends left behind and the thoughts which the person has leading up to it. Overall fantastic read, I am 17 and would recommend it for 16+, as I feel some of the content is for an older audience.

2014 was my year of discovering Gayle Forman, so I was super happy when I received an E-ARC to review. I started it that day and finished it within a few short hours with my heart beating rapidly and tears running down my face. These are the YA books that everyone should be reading because they're so important. I connected to Meg because I suffer with depression and when I was 16 I attempted suicide. I needed help and I had no one to turn too. I felt alone, and that's why I love this book. Because the truth is we're never alone, I'm not the only one suffering with depression and I never have been, there's been thousands of people out in the world feeling the exact same as me but I was too blind to even care. And since reading this book in December 2014, I've read the book a further Two times and cried my heart out. It's purely emotional and a perfect portrayal of the taboo subject.

The Delivery: it came on time and in good condition. :)The book: the book is only 270 pages. I bought this book because I saw some good reviews on it and also as a way to get me out of a reading slump, and although it did work I didn’t really enjoy the book. The characters were good and it shared a good message about suicide and what it does to the family and friends affected by it. In the beginning it was quite fast paced and there were some good mystery elements but nearing the end the book felt somewhat repetitive and a bit slow at times. All in all this wasn’t a bad book and I would recommend it I just don’t think this book was for me.

I loved If I Stay, and was keen to read this follow up. Written from Adams point of view we catch up with him a few years down the line and he is now a famous rock star. Things between him and Mia didn't work out, but a chance encounter leads to an interesting night.I was certainly not disappointed with this book, fans of If I Stay are sure to love this.