Looking for Alaska by John Green
By now you may have noticed that I have a great deal of love for anything John Green writes. Maybe it’s the realistic characters and realistic -though incredibly original and fascinating- situations he details in his books, or maybe it’s just the sheer amount of Mr. Green’s personality that is threaded into each word to the point where it stops feeling like a book and begins to feel like real life.
These were all of my thoughts before ever having read the Printz Award Winning debut novel penned by John Green. Having read this novel now, I can honestly see this book is chock full of life. It’s in the vein of Catcher in the Rye, but clearly from the unique style of John Green. The biggest allusion in the novel to the aforementioned classic is when a character is wearing a “Fox hat” which is reminisce of the “red hunting hat” worn by Holden Caulfield (CitR).
Anyway, back to Looking for Alaska. There’s so many things I could say I loved about this book, and I’ll try my best to list them all. John Green once again puts a unique spin on things, presenting us with the memorable Pudge (whose real name is Miles) and the equally memorable characters he meets, mainly the Colonel and Alaska.
The novels most predominant themes are: coming of age, love, heartbreak, independence, dependence, and the overall feelings of invincibility in every young adult. Once again, John Green presents these ideas in ways that are both familiar and new at the same time. That may seem impossible, but it really does take reading the book to see what I mean.
Back to what I loved: the pacing was amazing, the character development is there, and every character is accessible to all types of readers.
John Green came on to the writing scene with a splash, as I have come to discover, and based on the books I had read previous to Alaska, I have seen that he has yet to slow down. Looking for Alaska will be recognizable in terms of style for any reader familiar with Green, just as in An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns we are given a character who has a very unique talent or interest, in this case, Miles/Pudge has a fascination with “last words”, famous or not.
I may be going a little all over the place, but I can honestly say that I couldn’t find one thing to nit-pick about when it comes to this book. Looking for Alaska may have moments where you just want to ring Miles/Pudge’s neck, but… it’s what makes this book as human as it is. This book will at least provoke deep thoughts and at most change your perspective on life, both of which will benefit any one who has the pleasure of reading this book.
5 out of 5 pages for Looking for Alaska by John Green.
You can purchase the novel here on Amazon.com.
“She Loves You, She Loves You Not” by Julie Anne Peters
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel in the mail just two days ago and finished it in approximately three hours of reading. In short, this book is truly something lesbian readers can relate to, more so times than others, but easy to relate to nonetheless.
I’ve never read anything by Ms. Peters before, however, I am aware that she is one of those few well-known LGBT young adult authors that the world certainly needs more of (I’m kind of hoping I’ll be one of them some day, but this is beside the point).
I will admit that the Prologue jarred me a bit. I instantly put the book down and came back to it about an hour later to start again. The Prologue is in 2nd person and really does serve a purpose throughout the book to an extend where it isn’t jarring anymore and is a great device. Personally, I realized it makes sense to have these short scenes in a 2nd person point of view since the novel is 1st person and these scenes should be our main character, Alyssa, recounting the events about herself, not to the reader.
As a story, there’s a blend of humor and heartbreak, some that you can predict, some that you just don’t see coming, but they all work. The subplots about Alyssa’s mom, Carly, and the plots of both Alyssa’s past and present are all very intriguing and get tied up with pretty little bows at the end.
Mix in realism, high school, being up-rooted and starting your whole life over, heartbreak, an unaccepting parent and potential happiness and you have Alyssa’s whole life in a few phrases. However, watching it all play out and the ability to put yourself directly into Alyssa’s shoes, mostly thanks to the 1st person and 2nd person POVs truly leaves you experiencing Alyssa’s life.
Being as this is a review of an ARC, changes could potentially be made in the short time before it gets released, I imagine, but this book will be a great addition to LGBT young adults bookshelves come June this year.
Pre-order/order this book: She Loves You, She Loves You Not @Amazon or She Loves You, She Loves You Not @ Barnes & Noble!
4 out of 5 pages.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
It’s hard to write a review for Mockingjay without letting the previous two books and their amazing tales get in the way. This isn’t to say that Mockingjay isn’t a good book, but I am trying to say that it ended all wrong, and all the things that didn’t have to happen, did just to help resolve the Katniss-Gale-Peeta triangle, which even the resolution didn’t make sense.
I’ll keep this review spoiler free, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be alluding to aspects of the story.
We find Katniss recovering from her being broken out of the arena at the end of “Catching Fire” by the rebels. With Peeta in the hands of the Capitol, Katniss isn’t sure of what to do. The Machine-like workings of District 13 are foreign to the survivors of the destroyed District 12 and but they begin to adjust to the schedules.
Katniss, Prim, their mother, and Gale have been reunited, though the hunters’ relationship is strained from the beginning of the novel and on. The Everdeen’s family relationship is strong, full of love, and readers will be feeling that until the very end.
A war between the rebels and the Capitol is quickly on the horizon and the rebels feel in need of having Katniss become the Mockingjay: the symbol.
The novel is well-written and has a very action packed climax and a few good points at the end. It was [SPOILER ALERT] Prim and Fennick’s deaths[SPOILER END] that thoroughly shocked me and seemed completely unnecessary, no mater what kind of justification Collins’ tries to give. It is obvious from the moment she gives her explanation via narrative as to why [SPOILER]Prim may have been killed [SPOLER END] that she did it solely to solve the love triangle.
The action was amazing, the detailed areas and fighting always topnotch. These perfections don’t save the flaws in some of her decisions that will surely anger some of her fans. While I am not angry about who Katniss chose, I am deeply unhappy about how she chose and what needed to happen in order for her to choose.
I give Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4 out of 5 pages.
Will Grayson/Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan
I read “Will Grayson/Will Grayson” in just about five hours. The alternating perspectives (I seem to be reading a lot of books like that lately) is really interesting. You can definitely tell which author writes which chapter, especially if you’re a John Green fan. (NERDFIGHTERS!!!!)
Anyway, I’ve never read anything by Levithan, but I think his portrayal of the emotional, depressed Will Grayson was probably spot on for what he was going for. However, it became completely irritating and I’d never wanted to kick a main character in the face this badly before. Deep down, I really hope Levithan doesn’t only create depressed characters like HIS Will Grayson, as I personally felt his chapters were the ones I couldn’t wait to be done with.
John Green, as always, forms a great story and quirky character with his Will Grayson, creating a character that is very unique and constantly changing and growing out of his “rules.” Though it may be that I just prefer John Green’s style of writing and storytelling overall, I think that will be the general feeling for most readers that pick up Will Grayson/Will Grayson.
I think the intertwining storylines and the minor characters were wonderfully handled by both authors, though once again, I felt as though John Green excelled at this. His secondary characters Jane and Tiny were far stronger than Levithan’s Maura and Gideon and overall more interesting to watch unfold.
Overall, I give Will Grayson/Will Grayson a
3 pages out of 5
While it was a good enough read, it was only good for John Green’s portions and occasional scenes written by Levithan. My personal preferences make me wish the novel was written only by John Green.
Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
I haven’t done a book review in a while, mainly because my last book review was probably the last novel I had read. Now that I’m going to have more time to read, I’ll be able to do more reviews.
On to Wildthorn. I happened upon this book accidentally at the Alachua library HQ in Gainesville, FL. Huge library, I’d never been in such a massive book setting that wasn’t a Barnes & Noble til that day. Anyway, I check the book out, even though my original goal was to read ‘Will Grayson, Will Grayson’. Either way, I check both books out and decide to read “Wildthorn” first.
From the minute I opened the book, I was submerged in the captivating story of Louisa Cosgrove who faces not only betrayal, but discrimination and issues with accepting herself.
Spoiler: (highlight text below this)
It is later revealed that Louisa has feelings for girls which ends up helping this novel stand out from many Victorian novels. The ending would not be the same had this not played a role.
That aspect of the novel, had great appeal to me as a writer and proves that novels don’t need to be laden with obvious terminology in order to make it fit into things that relate to modern day, especially as this novel takes place during Victorian times.
Through beautifully written first person, you are shown both the time leading up to Louisa being locked up and her time as an institutionalized young lady, longing to be a doctor. The alternating time lines and twists and turns of the novel really draw things together, and unlike many novels, tie up all the loose ends.
Without ruining the story, I will say that this book really pulls at your emotions, throwing you into a decorated England in Victorian times, complete with descriptions of the land, social class, gender role expectations, etc. and then putting together a story that will draw you in until the very last words of the epilogue.
I give Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
5 out of 5 pages.
Definitely check this book out. You will not be disappointed at all.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This book follows a character named Colin Singleton who just so happens to only be attracted to girls named Katherine (always spelled that way). He’d dated a grand total of 19 Katherine’s so far. Also, this kid was a child prodigy, and his largest conflict is the idea that he wont end up a genius.
Anyone that likes funny books, that are also chock full of knowledge and a realistic story, or if you are a math nerd, you will adore this book.
:]
An Abundance of Katherines is one of those rare books that has damn near everything needed to make a spellbinding realistic fiction novel and you’d be missing out on a great read if you never read a book by John Green.
4 out of 5 pages
“The Amanda Project: Invisible i” by ‘Stella Lennon’
The Amanda Project: Invisible i by Stella Lennon
So, going into this book, I didn’t really have any expectations whatsoever. Maybe that sounds harsh? In reality, the only reason I bought this book was because I heard that an author I liked (Laurie Stolarz) would be writing one of the books in the series (this series will have a different author for each novel) and so, I was intrigued.
To begin with, the author “Stella Lennon” is an alias for all of the soon-to-be authors working on this series, the real legitimate writer of Book 1 is Melissa Kantor. I’m not familiar with her at all, but her writing style is easy to read and understand, the characters are very lifelike and upon research, I learned that Kantor generally writes books very similar to the character of “Callie” (who is the narrator of Book 1)
Anyway, as for the book: it’s absolutely intriguing. The continuous changing of fonts to indicate a flashback or a note is lovely and a great ease on the reader. Also, the scattered doodles on nearly every page and the occasional image of a cell-phone screen, or a letter, or various other items mentioned in the book. It definitely gives the book a diary-like feel which adds to the ease of the read.
Also, the story is very well-written. The story fills in some questions the reader wonders about which is good because it can’t be expected that an 8-book series would answer every question in book 1. However, the things that are answered definitely add to the deeper meaning of the novel at times, which is generally created out of the character of Amanda. The evolution of Callie’s character is another aspect that makes this novel very enjoyable. At times, Callie is that character that high school students would call fake, what she becomes shows that she really is a round character, though she certainly is dealing with things on top of the whole Amanda-situation.
I think one of the greatest aspects of the storyline, specifically, is Amanda’s character. Constantly, you’ll be finding yourself questioning the type of person Amanda is, what she thinks of people, what she has lied or told the truth about, who she knows, why she’s nowhere to be found? It’s all highly intriguing and by the end of the book, whether you meant to or not, you want to join the search.
You’ll want to help find Amanda Valentino.
Pros- illustrations, strong storyline, strong characters, mysterious, easy to follow, page-turner, unique, very easy to become interested in.
Cons- the clues may be slightly difficult to follow for some reasons HOWEVER, that ‘con’ can be counteracted by The Amanda Project website where all the clues are located.
4.5 out of 5 pages.
“Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins Review
"Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
The book is flooded with expert imagery and without revealing anything, it has moments where your heart will be twisted into a sense of horrible sadness. The continuing black hole of horrifying memories that Katniss lives in is evident in her inability to forget Rue. Of course, anyone that remembers Rue from the first book will also recall that she was an easily lovable character who met a fatal end. Rue’s character continues to be a strong reason for the reader to feel sadness.
Now, on to the review of the actual storyline. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins picks up fairly close to where The Hunger Games left off. We are introduced to Katniss, Gale, and the rest of District 12 enjoying their new lives. Of course, yadda yadda, a series of events occur throwing Katniss far from having a more-relaxed life and into a horrifying situation (a situation that cannot be mentioned here since it will have something to do with the main storyline)
This book is completely on-par with The Hunger Games. It is beautifully written, a sense of the world they live in is continually impressed upon the reader. Each character is still uniquely who they were in the first book, though, they’ve evolved into a more rounded concept.
Of course, the world building and entire cast of characters are easy to love/hate just as they were in book one. However, Catching Fire builds upon the excitement of the first book, throwing further mystery and subplots into the mix, creating events that, up-until-the-very-end, have you questioning people’s motives.
Which, brings me to the end of the book. If it broke your heart when The Hunger Games ended, you’ll be crying your eyes out by the end of Catching Fire. Without revealing anything, the events of the end will have you, as it had me, dying for the next book (which will be titled “Mockingjay”) and longing to see what becomes of the entire cast of this series, or at least, longing to see what becomes of those that make it out alive.
If The Hunger Games was a 5 out of 5 pages, it’s safe to say that Catching Fire is not only a worthy sequel, but a book that builds upon the first in a way that’ll make you question which book you like more.
“Guardian of the Dead” by Karen Healey
(This is a review I sent in as a member of HipScouts, so therefore it is slightly different than the review I did of “Before I Fall”, however, from now on, all my reviews will be more like the “Before I Fall” review than like this one)
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
Guardian of the Dead is definitely one of the best ARC choices I’ve made since being a part of HipScouts. If this book doesn’t make the best sellers, I’ll be shocked in a million different ways. Guardian of the Dead is one of those books that not only give you a mythology lesson, but also enthrall you in a story that is addicting and incredibly interesting. Ellie is an intelligent, well-rounded lead character and Mark and Kevin are both easy characters to care about. I found myself flying through the pages of this book and then reading it two more times after. I’ve been looking up Maori history since I’ve finished this book for the third time and the more I learn, the more I appreciate the details of the story and plot all together. As for the book’s diction, the 12+ age rating on the back of the book should probably be raised a little. Some of the language is questionable for the age range and whenever I read books with that low of an age rating I wonder if that may be the cause of children cursing at such a young age. Again though, this book is wonderfully put together from beginning to end and I look forward to reading even more from Karen Healey and her rich descriptions of New Zealand.
~ Christina M., 17
4 out of 5 pages
“Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver
When I first got “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver, I wasn’t all that taken in by the storyline. It took me a little bit to get used to the format of sub-sections and the lengthy chapters, but it simultaneously became a very good alteration. Each chapter represents a different repeat day, so it is all nicely split up and easy to understand. The story quickly flies into a page-turner after the first chapter. Every day that follows, though it’s a repeat of the last, is what makes this book so addicting. The story is beyond realistic in terms of what it’s like to be a high school student, falling for your former-close friend, middle school, all the pressures of life and stress. I was happily surprised to have been given the ability to read the ARC of this novel and I’m actually going to buy it in Hardcover even though I have it in paperback already. This book has a strong message and that’s what makes the power of words so strong. You’ll find yourself wishing you had the ability to right your wrongs.
I give this book 4 out of 5 pages. It’s an awesome debut novel that has the reader go from hating every main character, then loving them and caring about them. :]
So, check it out! I had the privilege of getting this book in advance. (ARC= advanced reader copy)
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