Wow! I'd heard so many things about this book. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful. Heartbreaking. The list goes on, but you get the idea. And yes, it was all those things, but it was also about life, about living, about accepting and about family. It's about a girl who is looking back at her life and all the wonderful, and less wonderful, experiences she's had in her short life. It's her watching herself dying and having to make a decision whether to live, or to die. And it is all in one day (well 24 hours). It's a love story. It's a family's story. It's just so much! And although I teared up quite a few times, I also giggled a time or two when she was remembering things.
I read this book in a day. It's a fast read, but it's hard to put down as well. The characterization is perfect. I loved Mia and I loved her family. Her punk rock unconventional parents and her cute little brother that says the most adorable things. Her grandmother that sees Angels in birds and other animals and her grandfather that doesn't say much but clearly loves her. I loved her friend Kim, who we only got glimpses of but seems to have an amazing and strong personality. I loved her boyfriend Adam, and the amazing things he would do, even though I felt like we didn't really get to know him enough. But in his punk rock style and amazingly sweet personality I found a boy I could really love.
And the end of the story. I can't say much without spoiling it, but it was beautiful how the author had things unfold. Beautiful. I highly recommend this book. It's not depressing. It's sad, but not depressing. You seriously have to read this book, this emotional book will make you reconsider taking anyone for granted.
