Looking for an unforgettable collection of books similar to If I Stay by Gayle Forman? As an award-winning author and blogger about issue-driven YA fiction, I know how honest and emotional stories can open conversations about difficult topics, such as terminal illness. Here are my top three recommendations, each offering a unique perspective on grief and hope:
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess - a heart-wrenching mystery about a grieving teen’s search for answers about her anorexic sister’s sudden and tragic accident.
All the Bight Places by Jennifer Niven - Theodore Finch and Violet Markey are two teens suffering from profound sadness, but for different reasons.
How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow - a deeply moving story about a girl whose mother dies suddenly, leaving her adrift in the foster care system.
You’ll find detailed reviews of these and many other favorites below.
So, what books will appeal to fans of If I stay? Discover your next great read for National Reading Month in this roundup. I’m confident that you’ll find something new to love. Be sure to bring some tissues!
is one of those YA novels that breaks your heart—but in a good way. The idea that a person, on the edge of this life and the next, might have a choice about staying or going is a compelling premise. Several authors have explored this boundary. This novel is also wonderful for exploring the themes of love, loss, and life in general.
You can find your next great read for National Reading Month by exploring my reviews of these YA books you’ll enjoy if you liked If I Stay as much as I did.
The Delinquent Hero by Khristina Chess
“It’s easier to think about food and the physical pain inside my body from not eating than the other pain of not having Kat. My sister would totally understand this. She would. As long as I’m connecting to her this way—our familiar, hungry old way—she’s with me.” ― Khristina Chess, quote from The Delinquent Hero
For readers who love great “tear-jerkers,” The Delinquent Hero offers a tragic and raw exploration of sisterhood, eating disorders, and devastating loss. If you’ve ever lost someone you love, this gripping YA novel speaks directly to the grief of saying goodbye.
At its core is Molly, desperate for answers after her older sister, Kat, lands in the hospital. Something is suspicious. The investigation unfolds in real time, peeling back layers of secrets, regrets, and the painful bond they’ve always shared. For Molly, reconnecting with Kat means slipping into their old patterns—the kind that consume and starve in equal measure.
"I'm not very hungry. I am, and I'm not. I am hollow, but this feeling seems less about food and more about Kat. At any rate, I do not want to eat."
What makes The Delinquent Hero truly unforgettable is its heart-wrenching puzzle—not just unraveling what happened that night, but understanding Kat herself. This novel doesn’t just tell a story; it forces you to feel every ache, every unanswered question, every regret, every desperate search for why.
A beautifully crafted novel, The Delinquent Hero has sparked conversations across book clubs and reader communities. I wholeheartedly recommend this memorable YA book about grief and loss. If the novel If I Stay left you breathless, The Delinquent Hero is an absolute must-read.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
“Murderers are not monsters, they're men. And that's the most frightening thing about them.” ― Alice Sebold, quote from The Lovely Bones
Susie Salmon is dead.
She was raped and murdered in a most gruesome fashion by a most gruesome man, and now she exists in an afterlife, observing her family and her killer.
The story is a bit disorienting, but I think that’s kind of the point. Most of the novel is about Susie’s struggle to come to terms with the fact that she’s dead and move on. The “why?” questions haunt her. Her family and former life haunts her. The desire for justice and vengeance haunts her.
It’s the disquiet that comes when a young person dies tragically, suddenly, whether or not by foul means. There is a profound unfairness. The soul cries out.
If you're looking for books similar to If I Stay, you definitely need to check this one out.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
“The last laugh, the last cup of coffee, the last sunset, the last time you jump through a sprinkler, or eat an ice-cream cone, or stick your tongue out to catch a snowflake. You just don’t know.” ― Lauren Oliver, quote from Before I Fall
Samantha Kingston is dead.
In this YA-version of Groundhog Day, a “mean girl” gets a chance to relive her last day and the party she attended with her friends before the fatal car crash. She has an opportunity to make the same choices over and over, until she makes different ones.
This beautiful novel is an atypical mystery about redemption as the reader follows Samantha’s journey to figure out how she died. Her character arc really blew me away, and although I disliked her in the beginning, I was cheering for her by the end, and I love the way Lauren Oliver wrote the ending.
If you enjoyed If I Stay, check out this disorienting, confusing, and ultimately beautiful story that explores themes of a hovering afterlife in an interesting way.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“But it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note, ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” ― John Green, quote from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about star-crossed lovers. Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
For other YA books you’ll enjoy if you liked If I Stay, pick up this classic. And if you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“What a terrible feeling to love someone and not be able to help them.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
After re-reading this book a second time, I enjoyed it every bit as much as the the first. I liked the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the story, the language, and the symbolism.
Blue is a primary color.
Fans of If I Stay will enjoy this one for sure. It’s a tragic YA book about star-crossed lovers that stayed with me for a long time. All the Bright Places is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, Jennifer Niven is such a great author that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
“You are carrying so many heavy feelings. There just isn’t enough room for them all.“ ― Kathleen Glasgow from How to Make Friends with the Dark
After Tiger Tolliver's mom dies of a brain aneurysm, she becomes a ward of the state, an orphan, suddenly faced with an uncertain future. She doesn't have any living relatives. She doesn't know anything about her father. It's just her and her mom--and now just her. A minor.
What Tiger begins to learn is that her mom kept some important secrets from her. For example, she has a living dad. And a sister.
This YA novel about death and dying is a real tear jerker! Tiger strikes me a sheltered girl with little real life experience; on the day her mom died, she was kissing a boy for the first time. She wasn't prepared for the events that followed as she entered the system. Yet, despite her tragic circumstances, she makes a path for herself. She makes mistakes but doesn't fall off a cliff. She keeps people at a cautious distance, but she does make friends and finds a way to build a new family for herself.
If you loved If I Stay as much as I did, be sure to check out this thought-provoking and heartbreaking YA book that wrestles with grief and loss.
Other YA Books You’ll Enjoy If You Liked If I Stay
Be sure to check out the Books Similar to If I Stay list on Goodreads. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of reviews of other YA books reviews.
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.