Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Publisher: Speak (October 2008)

321 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Sexual Situations

Separated by social strata and the many others reasons childhood friends grow apart, Quentin receives a surprising late night visit from his estranged neighbor, Margo, which takes them on an adventure that lasts into the wee hours of the next morning and hints that a renewal of their childhood friendship may be possible—that is until Quentin discovers the next morning that Margo is missing (and has likely runaway from home). This leads Quentin to become obsessed with finding Margo—a girl I found manipulative, self-important and just generally didn’t like. It may be that my age colored my perception of this story, but I found nearly all of the characters to be both selfish and immature, doing reckless things that I found unimpressive, yet they termed adventurous—but, I think that was kind of the point of this story. This is a book about teens (specifically teens with only one month or less left of high school—kids on the brink of adulthood) and the realization that people are not always who we think they are—a close look at most anyone is likely to disappoint. This delved a little further into teen drama and antics then I found interesting, but I absolutely loved the road trip (broken down hour-by-hour in Part III of the book)—hilarious! The road trip alone, is worth the read! Quick read and I think anyone who enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars  and The Perks of Being a Wallflower may enjoy this.

Movie Adaptations:

Paper Towns (2015)

Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Austin Abrams

Movie Rating: PG-13

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Publisher: Speak (January 2012)

337 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Content Note: Includes Swearing and Sexual Situations

Hazel is a sixteen-year-old girl with terminal cancer who has become depressed and largely cut herself off from life, that is until she meets Augustus, a seventeen-year-old boy who’s lost his leg to cancer and meets her at a support group for teens with cancer. Now this sounds like a really depressing read from the description, and I had put off reading it for some time for that very reason, but I finally tackled it, and though there are inevitably some sad parts, the overall feelings I got from the book is strength, hope and taking full advantage of the present. Hazel and Augustus, despite their medical problems/diagnoses, have a very normal teenage courtship, and even with all the heavy issues they are dealing with, I think that really comes through. Both Hazel and Augustus were such fun, quirky characters, you can’t help but get wrapped up in the story. Great read!

Movie Adaptations:

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff

Movie Rating: PG-13