rgz

readergirlz is a literacy and social media project for teens, awarded the National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize. The rgz blog serves as a depot for news and YA reviews from industry professionals and teens. As volunteers return full force to their own YA writing, the organization continues to hold one initiative a year to impact teen literacy. All are welcome to "like" us on Facebook!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

If I Stay: Powerful Emotions (+ Win the Paperback!)

This week's focus is on Gayle Forman's If I Stay, and it's a near-perfect representation of this month's theme: Resilience. Mia is faced with a terrible tragedy -- her parents and little brother are gone, possibly dead, and she lies in a coma, critically injured in a hospital, weighing her options... to live, or to die.

For discussion: If you've read If I Stay, what emotions did you come away with? I laughed, I cried, I hoped, I doubted. You?

And, in general, what books have brought out the strongest emotions in you, as a reader?

3 commenters will win a copy of the new (gorgeously covered) paperback! Be sure to include your email with your comment.


25 comments:

Pam Harris said...

I haven't read this book yet but it's definitely on my TBR list. I think that Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl pulled out so many emotions from me. I cried, I worrid, I felt anxious--reading that was a very emotional experience.

elfarmy17 said...

I'm a bit behind on my Readergirlz reading as well. I started Hold Still yesterday. However, this definitely sounds like a good one.
Although it's nonfiction, Melissa Annelli's Harry, A History pulled me through the loop of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I danced, I hyperventilated...I'm strange.
In terms of fiction, the Harry Potter series (ha), and Stuart Hill's third book in the Icemark Chronicles. I cried for a solid 5-10 minutes at the end of that one.
Also, Mockingjay.
My email: jalawood@gmail.com

Leanne said...

I've wanted to read this book for the longest time!
Deathly Hallows made me cry throughout the entire book. Definately the most emotional for me.
Also, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson was emotional for me haha.

Jessi E. said...

The Host by Stephenie Meyer made me start bawling my eyes out at the end. It just really struck me!

jlelliott08 AT gmail DOT com

Kasey said...

I don't think I've ever cried as much at the end of a book as I did during both Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper, and Handle With Care. Oh! And Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. That book brings out a lot of emotions whenever I read it.

This book certainly looks wonderful and it is definitely on my needs to be read list.

Jessy said...

I was really emotional while reading the Book Thief. I think that might have been the first book that made me cry!

Jessy said...

Sorry, I forgot my email.

findjessyhere at gmail dot com

Aik said...

I cried when I read The Kite Runner. It's really a masterpiece.

Check out my giveaway here:
Giveaway: Signed Copy of Afterlight by Elle Jasper


aikychien at yahoo dot com

jess said...

I haven't read If I Stay yet. I cried soo much while reading The Last Song. It was such a cute but sad book.

jessica b
jecca.0104@gmail.com

Lorie Ann Grover said...

What an amazing list of books that move us. Here, here. I was pretty exhausted at the end of IF I STAY. Exhausted. :~)

Little Willow said...

I had such an emotional reaction to an event in the novel THIEF OF HEARTS by Christopher Golden that I walked around in a daze for a good half-hour. That man writes such evocative scenes that I feel as though I'm watching them, not just reading them.

Micol Ostow said...

Living Dead Girl is a great one as far as eliciting strong emotions! Ditto all three of the featured titles from this month.

Miss Bookiverse said...

I wanna win a copy :) This book appears to have so many different covers :O

bookoholiker(at)gmail(dot)com

Pokadots1121 said...

I read a copy from the library. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. It was heartbreaking and amazing at the same time. I cried throughtout most of it.
I would love to win a copy for myself.
Pokadots1121@yahoo.com
Thanks!

smeade said...

This book moved me so much. Gayle Forman layered the emotions so well and flashbacks were brilliantly written. It was a beautiful book that made me feel for the characters. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech also always has me bawling like a baby.

saraokwriter@yahoo.com

Celiac Librarian said...

I've been wanting to read If I Stay so it would be amazing to win!

I cried reading the Hunger Games at the beginning when they were starving. When I was younger I got really emotional reading Watership Down, Wizard's First Rule and Wonder (strangely enough they all start with W haha not intentional)

svollick@shaw.ca http://libraryya.wordpress.com

Skywriter said...

I still haven't read this one. Definitely to-read, though. Hold Still and Thirteen Reasons Why, I could hardly get through, but they were definitely worth it.

Batyisrael@verizon.net

Skywriter said...

I still haven't read this one. Definitely to-read, though. Hold Still and Thirteen Reasons Why, I could hardly get through, but they were definitely worth it.

Batyisrael@verizon.net

Audrey (holes In My brain) said...

oh gosh, i definitely cried. i didn't laugh but i did smile at parts, but the sad emotions were definitely prevalent. also hope and of course, swooning. looove this book, the writing and characters are soo good! would love to own it (if you ship to canada xD) :)

holesinmybrain@hotmail.com

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