John Green Recap

Ask me why it's been so hard to type up this recap post.

Because I still can't believe it freaking happened.

You'd swear I had a near-death experience recently with the way I've been reflecting on how my life has changed since I began blogging. I started this whole thing on a whim, concentrating on a new-to-me genre, all while I should have been spending my time doing fifty bajilliony more important things. I could really use a newer vehicle and a fatter savings account, but instead I have spent more money than I'd care to admit on hardcovers, shipping contest prizes, and an indulgent trip to New York. It all seems like I've been very irresponsible.

Ask me if I'd change it.

Absolutely not.

You see, back when I started blogging, before the ARCs and the galleys, I took recommendations from a few trusted bloggers and went to the library. I read YA "classics" like Speak and the Jessica Darling series, and then I heard about this guy named John Green. So I picked up his books, and I fell in love. With each new release and each reread, I fall in love all over again. I feel like I owe so much to those first few books I read, especially John's.

After a few missed attempts, I finally got to meet John this past Wednesday. Hearing him read from The Fault in Our Stars, having him answer one of my very own questions, and even hearing him "sing" with his brother Hank were very surreal moments for me. I am so incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to meet John. I wish I could convey my appreciation for who he is, what he does, and how he makes me feel all of the things. Also, I couldn't be happier about finally having this:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (a nonreview)

The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
Publisher: Dutton
Released: January 10, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 312
Source: Bought

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

“...books so special and rare and yours

that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.”(33)

This is more of a reaction post than anything because a) I can't dream of ever finding the words to describe the heartbreaking beauty of this novel and b) I wouldn't want to ruin anyone's experience with even the most minuscule descriptions. And although I feel as if I should heed the quote's advice, I also feel like I must say something about this novel: if not for my readers, then as a thank you to the author.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep:

slowly, and then all at once."(125)

This book is no Hunger Games. The pace is much more relaxed, slowly building up until the very end. The Fault in Our Stars is heartbreakingly honest and poignantly brilliant. This book absolutely slayed me in the best way possible. John Green has such a way of making the unfunny humorous and the painful beautiful. I am forever grateful for his words, his stories, and, especially, for Hazel and Augustus.


Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. New York: Dutton Books, 2011. Print.

Jealousy

There is a person I know who has something I want. Desperately. More than I've wanted anything in a long, long time. It is a book. So go out and get it. It hasn't been published yet. So request the ARC. It's actually a bound manuscript - of a book highly anticipated. It is written by this guy, you may have heard of him, named John Green.

Yep.

I have a friend who was recently blessed with a bound manuscript of The Fault in Our Stars. She called to tell me because she was obviously excited (understatement of the year), but she is unable to share it with me because she was required to sign an affidavit specifically saying she would be the only person to read it.

So I got mad.

How could she really call and tell me this only to say I couldn't read it? Why didn't she just keep it to herself? I mean, she hasn't even read a fricken John Green book before. How can she call herself a fan? I'm the one always telling her to read his books. How dare they send her a copy? How dare she rub it in my face? Did they really require a signature?! How are they gonna know? That is ridiculous...

This of course was the conversation I had with myself in my head. Only crazy people talk like that... you know, out loud... This person is a dear friend. And although I am extremely jealous of her (!!!), I am also glad she is finally taking my advice and reading a John Green book. Even if I'm kinda mad...

So anyway, this whole situation got me thinking: are we as book bloggers spoiled?

Being a book blogger is amazing. People send us books, often without a guaranteed review, for free. We get to read things months before the general public. We get bookmarks and posters and stickers and temporary tattoos. Authors talk to us, appreciate us, sometimes befriend us. These things make us a part of an exclusive group, and all because we're basically a bunch of nerds who read way more than the average person and enjoy spitting out thoughtful, well-written reviews for free.

It's easy to get spoiled. It's easy to get jealous. But it's kind of like your mom always told you: there will always be someone who has something you want and can't have. But when it comes to books, you CAN have it. Maybe not today or next week, but eventually that book will be released for everyone to read. And with awesome posts like this one by Beth Revis or that one by Michelle Hodkin, you can see that waiting for the finished copy isn't a bad thing. ARCs are advanced uncorrected proofs, printed long before the finished copies. Long enough for changes to be made - and not just typos! Changes to the actual content can and do occur. Scenes change; endings are altered. The wait for January might seem like a long one, but I want my copy of The Fault in Our Stars to be the one John Green meant for me to read.

Jealousy can be described as feelings of insecurity, fear, and/or anxiety over the potential loss of something valuable. But when it comes to books, what do any of us really have to lose? There are so many books out there already published - more books than any of us could ever read in a lifetime - and there are more books being released everyday. With such a vast amount of literature available to us, it seems silly to be jealous over just one book. Even if it is the new John Green.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
John Green and David Levithan
Publisher: Dutton
Released: April 10, 2010
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT
Pages: 310
Source: Bought

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.

Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humor that have won both them both legions of faithful fans.

Every once in a while, something truly great happens. Like when your two most favorite authors team up and write a book together. Crazy, right? I mean, who doesn't want that to happen? You can imagine my excitement for this book. I went to the bookstore the week it came out... and bought something else. The next several times I shopped for books I picked it up... but then set it back down. I broke down and finally bought it February, nearly a year after its release, and STILL waited weeks before finally reading it. Why am I so crazy? There's a reason for the madness, I swear.

What if it wasn't good?

What if John wasn't funny or David wasn't poetic or their individual brilliance clashed when brought together? Crazy talk, I know, but it could happen! I was so afraid of this book. Afraid of it not living up to my expectations, afraid of never being able to relive that first time experience if it did.

If there is anyone else out there feeling like I did, just pick the damn book up already! There's a reason it was a NYT bestseller and YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick! It's John Green and David Levithan! Do you really think they're capable of not delivering? Didn't think so. So save yourself any added grief by just reading it already.

Chapter one opens with John Green's Will Grayson: "When I was little, my dad used to tell me, "Will, you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose."

Chapter two opens with David Levithan's will grayson: "i am constantly torn between killing myself and killing everyone around me."

After reading the first two chapters I breathed a sigh of relief and got comfortable. I don't think I've ever laughed as much while reading as I did with this book. John in particular is so good at making the tough, uglier aspects of life funny. This is so important, because if we can't laugh at ourselves, even when things are bad, then it's a lot harder to trudge through the crap.

Will and will are great on their own, but it's after they meet and Tiny becomes their link that the story really gets going. I wish I could describe Tiny Cooper for you, but words won't do him justice. He is a character you will never forget, but you really need to read it for yourself to understand.

This novel is, in a word, stellar. It is brilliantly funny yet poignant, and I wish I hadn't waited so long to read it.

Do Bloggers Sell Books?

There's been a lot of talk lately about the good vs. bad of book blogging, and I have to say that it's made me sit back and think about why I started blogging, what I mean to accomplish, and what kind of effect (if any) my blog has on readers. It appears there are industry professionals who believe bloggers don't sell books. They are certainly entitled to that opinion because they're probably right. I'm sure many bloggers don't sell a single book, but I bet a lot of them do.

I know because I'm one of them.

One of my greatest strokes of luck since I began blogging - and I truly believe it was sheer luck - was being approached by my local indie bookseller. They found my blog, liked what they saw, realized I was local, and said, "Hey, we should team up!"

Since partnering with Cavalier House Books I've had the opportunity to participate in their school book fairs. I spent two days back in November talking to high school kids about books. It was amazing. I'm sure the majority of kids who bought books those two days would have made their purchases regardless of my being there, but there were several who actually took my recommendations.

There was one kid whose friend was obviously a bookworm, and she picked up several books while he just stood there watching her. I asked him if he read, and he said he didn't like to but thought it was because he never found the right book. I pointed him over to John Green telling him it may be a good place to start. The friend then told me - and I'm sure this will embarrass him to no end if he reads this - that he and his girlfriend had just broken up so she was trying to help him find something that might make him feel better. I told him to go with An Abundance of Katherines (because it seemed fitting), and I said I was so sure he would like it I'd buy it back from him if he didn't. True to my word, I'm happy to refund his purchase. Except I haven't heard back ;)

There were several highlights from that day, but that one kid was my favorite. I hand-sold several books including every copy we had of Before I Fall and nine If I Stays, but I'm most proud of that one John Green. I really hope Colin speaks to that guy the way he spoke to me.

Another dream-come-true has been my display. CHB has graciously given me a space inside their bookstore to showcase some of my favorite books. And I don't know how many people pay attention to the title of the display or what John and Michelle tell them about me, or if they ever even visit this blog. But it gets their attention, and the books sell. And the books are constantly changing. The display features new titles, old titles, whatever I want people to notice. One of the last times I checked on it Michelle told me a girl stopped in front of the display, picked up Boy Meets Boy, and left the store with it clutched to her chest. Picturing that literally brings tears to my eyes. I love knowing that someone else is getting to experience the wonder of David Levithan's writing because of me. Sure she may already be a fan. Maybe she's even read it and just wanted her own copy. Or maybe the cover caught her eye, and had it not been right in front of her she may have glanced over it and missed out on the beauty of Paul's story.

As a book blogger, I know I don't have much push or pull when it comes to book sales. In the immense world that is the internet, I play an infinitesimally small role. However, regardless of the influence I have, I will always, first and foremost support literacy, and one of the ways I do that is by supporting the books and authors I love. I will always read, I will always buy, and I will always recommend. So it may not mean a whole lot to John Green himself, but selling that one copy of An Abundance of Katherines means the world to me.

FIVE Challenge: Great Re-reads

The FIVE Challenge was created by Adele of Persnickety Snark. A few weeks ago Adele challenged her fellow bloggers to create lists of their favorite books of the year. Today's list includes the books I enjoyed so much that I've wanted to (or actually have already) reread.

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak

This book is the reason I learned to read. It is the one book I would reread for the rest of my life if I had nothing else, the one possession I'd wish for on a deserted island, the one novel that should be required reading for everyone. It is, in a word, phenomenal. The impact it has on me as a reader and a person is astounding.

If I Stay
Gayle Forman

While at times this book had me gasping for air between sobs, it was one of the most hopeful and inspiring love stories I've ever read. I can barely talk to people about this book - I just tell them they have to read it. Period. I could never give this book (or its sequel) justice, so I just tell people they must read it because they, too, will love it.

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins

I feel like there's really nothing left to say about The Hunger Games trilogy. If you've read it, you get it. If you haven't, you need to go out and get them. Right now!

Anna and the French Kiss
Stephanie Perkins

I'm going to include a quote from my review: "My initial reaction to finishing Stephanie Perkins's debut novel was letting out the breath I'd been holding and hugging this book close to my heart." This book was so wonderfully perfect that it felt like an old friend - one you'd like to revisit very often.

Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns
John Green

I feel as though I must bunch all of John's books together because 1. I read them consecutively and 2. they're equally amazing and I just can't pick a favorite. Okay, so maybe Looking for Alaska holds the title, but I swear it's only by a nose. One of my favorite quotes ever actually comes from Alaska, and it exemplifies the quality of writing John Green possesses:

"...I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was a drizzle and she was a hurricane."

Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobsen and Margo Roth Spiegelman were childhood friends who once found a dead body in the park. Fast forward to senior year of high school, and they're practically strangers. Margo, who leads the popular it-crowd, hasn't so much as looked at Quentin in years. But when she shows up at his window late one night, Margo takes Quentin on an adventure he'll never forget. Quentin gets home just in time to get ready for school, where he thinks things will finally be different between him and Margo. What he finds, however, is that Margo has disappeared and that she left clues specifically for him to find. What follows is a wild goose chase with friends Ben, Radar, and Lacey during their final weeks of high school.

If you don't already know how I feel about John Green, you obviously haven't read my reviews of Looking for Alaska or An Abundance of Katherines. There really isn't anything I can say that hasn't already been said. He is ah-mazing, and you must go out and get his books right now if you haven't already. Go! Now! And while you're at it, check out John's website and YouTube page!

Ok, back to Paper Towns. There's no denying the similarities between Green's narrarators - Miles, Colin, Quentin - they're all dorky guys in love with seemingly unattainable girls who get through it all with the help of their always hilarious, mostly supportive friends. But as far as I'm concerned, John Green can write a hundred books with the same cast of characters and it will never get old. Some things just work, and I think this does.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Former child prodigy Colin Singleton is looking for a way to make his mark on the world. After graduating high school, Colin realizes he is good at anagramming, learning foreign languages, and getting dumped by girls named Katherine. Nineteen of them to be exact. An Abundance of Katherines begins with a broken hearted Colin who has just been dumped by KXIX. Colin's best friend Hassan decides it is the perfect time for a road trip and convinces Colin to spend his summer driving across the country instead of moping around his bedroom. The trip stops short in Gutshot, TN where Colin and Hassan meet Lindsey Lee Wells and start working for her mom Hollis. Friends are made, lessons are learned, and Colin finally gets to the bottom of his Theorem, which may or may not prove that Colin is destined to chase after and be dumped by Katherines forever.

I've already told you I've heard great things about John Green. And I've already told you how much I loved Looking for Alaska. But now that I'm no longer a John Green virgin, I have to tell you how amazing I think he is... JOHN GREEN IS AMAZING!! He is funny and nerdy and witty and oh-so-clever. I just love his characters and their dialogue. The banter and sarcasm between Colin and Hassan and Lindsey and her mom had me cracking up. I received the side eye from Josh several times when my laughing interrupted his TV time. Oops ;) It's really no wonder that both of Green's books I've read received the Printz Honor Award. (Katherines was an honor book in 2007, and Alaska won the award in 2006.) So please, the next time you're in your local library or bookstore, look up John Green. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

From Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Miles Halter's adolescence has been one long nonevent - no challenge, no girls, no mischief, and no real friends. Seeking what Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps," he leaves Florida for a boarding school in Birmingham, AL. His roommate, Chip, is a dirt-poor genius scholarship student with a Napoleon complex who lives to one-up the school's rich preppies. Chip's best friend is Alaska Young, with whom Miles and every other male in her orbit falls instantly in love. She is literate, articulate, and beautiful, and she exhibits a reckless combination of adventurous and self-destructive behavior. She and Chip teach Miles to drink, smoke, and plot elaborate pranks. Alaska's story unfolds in all-night bull sessions, and the depth of her unhappiness becomes obvious. Green's dialogue is crisp, especially between Miles and Chip. His descriptions and Miles's inner monologues can be philosophically dense, but are well within the comprehension of sensitive teen readers. (More can be found on Goodreads, but I decided to cut it short after realizing the rest of the description contained spoilers. Thankfully, I went into this book unspoiled and was shocked when I realized I almost ruined it for some of you!)


I usually spend a ridiculous amount of time writing my own original description. As a blogger, I feel like I'm cheating if I just copy and paste something from Goodreads or Amazon. (I AM NOT saying there is anything wrong with using someone else's description! I am only saying that I am anal retentive, and this is, for some reason, a big deal to me.) That said, I decided to borrow one this time because I simply could not put into words what this book was about. To describe how I felt about it is probably going to be even more difficult.

Looking for Alaska is probably one of the most mature young adult novels I've ever read. I was a little surprised by some of the content; however, I think it's important to address the uncomfortable issues like alcohol, sex, and drugs because these are real issues that are dealt with by real teens. I have heard such great things about John Green, and I was not disappointed. Green has an amazing way of creating characters you can almost touch. Miles. Chip. Alaska. These are three characters who will stay with me for a long time. Miles's voice is so real, so unique. His friendship with Chip and love for Alaska are portrayed beautifully on every page. I feel like there is nothing I can say to do this book justice, so I guess you'll just have to go out and read it yourself :)

I'll end my review with a quote from the book. I think it describes Miles and Alaska perfectly without giving too much away. Plus, I'm a sucker for great lines, and this one ranks way up there.

"I wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap my arms around her and sleep . . . just sleep together, in the most innocent sense of the phrase. But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was hurricane."