The Best Reader + Where She Went

Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (April 5th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardback: 264 pages
Source: Won ARC
Series: If I Stay #2
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
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 Juilliard'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.
Review: Spoilers! I started reading this book right after I finished If I Stay. Although I wasn't crazy bout If I Stay, everyone I talked to said that Where She Went was much better. They were right!

Where She Went is from Adam's point-of-view. It's 3 years after the accident and since Mia left for New York. Adam is a famous rock-star and Mia is a musician but they haven't spoken in years.

Adam is shocked that Mia just left without a word since. Now he finds himself in New York getting ready for a tour and all the memories return. Sometimes it's difficult to find a story with a great male POV but this one has it. I really enjoyed Adam and hearing about his adventures. Even though he was far from a"good guy" he was much more likeable than Mia had been in If I Stay. I believed him more and he showed more emotion.

Adam runs into Mia and they have 1 special night together. She takes him around New York to explore the city before they both go off on tour. Their relationship is strained at first. It takes a long time for Adam and Mia to reconnect. For obvious reasons, Adam is mad. He doesn't understand how someone he loved could leave like that. To make matters worse, Mia doesn't really acknowledge his pain or what she did to him.

The setting and plot in Where She Went was much more interesting to me. We get a glimpse of New York and flashbacks of how Adam got to where he is now, but it wasn't too much. I was still able to stay connected with their present-day time together.

Again, the only downside of this book was Mia. I was furious with her! She left, didn't say a word, then ignored the subject for most of the time they were together. I believed Adam loved her, but I honestly wasn't convinced she felt the same.

Where She Went far surpassed If I Stay, in my opinion. Adam is a fantastic character and his POV truly allowed me to see his personality and his true essence.

Recommended: I would recommend readers check out book 1, If I Stay first. It wouldn't be a must but it would help to understand what's going on. Readers who love contemporary or more emotional reads would enjoy this.

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Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman + Where She Went