This is not the sort of book I'd normally choose to read and I'm still not sure what possessed me to get it. It sat on my Nook for several weeks before I even opened it. And then I took my time reading it. I needed to be in the right mindset to read about a teenage girl dying of cancer. But once I really let myself get into the story, I couldn't put it down.The writing is strong, the characters beautifully crafted, the story, heartbreaking. But I knew that going into it. I knew Mia was going to die from the very first page. What I didn't know was how. See Mia refuses to let the cancer take her. She wants to say when and how she's going to die, refusing to let cancer dictate the terms.She not only struggles with her own emotions but with those closest to her -- her parents, her younger brother, her friends, including dreamy Kal, her "always and forever" best friend and next door neighbor.As Mia moves through the stages of grief, she attempts various ways to end her life on her terms, on her schedule, alienating everyone around her with each attempt.The author does a phenomenal job telling Mia's story, taking us through each stage of the process right along with Mia. Even though we know we're going to lose her, we can't help pulling for her, rooting for her as she tries to repair the relationships she damaged before it's too late.No, this is not the sort of book I'd choose to read, but I'm so very glad that I did. I probably won't choose another book like it, because it was painful. Beautifully so, but still painful. I cannot say one negative thing about this book. Five out of five stars and a bucketful of bittersweet tears. Tears.(this doesn't necessarily contain spoilers, but I do put some of my feelings in about things that happen throughout the book and at the end)This book was so heartwrenching and beautiful I don't know if I can review it like it deserves. I don't do reviews much cause I don't express my feelings about a book well in writing.Karla pulled me in from the beginning on Mia's journey, which as a younger woman myself(21) hits close to home. She is in the prime of her younger years, highschool, amazing friends, the sweet age of 16, and now an unbeatable enemy.The news rocked me to my core when it was announced, I mean I literally broke down in tears for Mia and Kal, I said why the heck did you have to go and do that to this amazing girl and boy who have a future destined for greatness together?! A love that is only in fairy tales! I grew to love all the characters in this book like I was one of Mia's best friends, I could feel the love they all shared and the fun times they always had.When it got bad, I was constantly having to put the book down and wipe my eyes and try to compose myself again. I had to steel myself against her fight with her friends, because I was so wrapped up in this book that everything hurt for all of them. I felt Mia's pain when she had to hurt her friends because that is what she felt was best for everyone, I felt Kal's pain when he had to look at Mia and ask someone else if she was doing okay because he thought she didn't want him around. Brad is the gay friend everybody wants, he makes life enjoyable even in the worst of life's moments, every time they spent a moment together my face lit up and I could feel Mia's joy no matter how sick or drained she was.All in all, the last few chapters of this book and Mia's last moments were the hardest damned thing I think I've ever had to read. I've read sad books where people died and lost loved ones, but this book just KILLED me. I am sitting here, after literally just finishing that last page of beautiful love between Kal and Mia trying not to burst into hysterical sobs. I want to scream and yell at the world about this book, I wanna know why such an amazing innocent girl gets ripped away from this amazing man who has been her best friend for 10 years. I don't think, I will EVER recover from the amazing beautiful love that this story created and wove through my heart all the way to my core and tugging at my heart strings. The heart wrenching agony as I read my way through Mia's struggle to live a normal teenage life while fighting something so horrible. Karla, you did an amazing job! This book deserves way more than 5 stars, it deserves for the whole world to know about it and read it in all its amazing glory.
What do You think about Always And Forever (2012)?
So heartbreaking!!!Thoughts to come!
—thrasymachus
