Paper Towns by John Green

Now, I am admittedly a huge John Green fan. The first book I read by him, An Abundance of Katherines, was a catalyst for me to devour the rest of what he had written. I quickly read Looking for Alaska and loved it and can go on and on and on and on...about the love I have for The Fault in our Stars (arguably in the top 10 contemporary pieces of literature I have ever read). So, on this fabled second snow day I thought what could be better than curling up with a John Green book? Well, a couple of things apparently.

Now, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book. It wasn't a terrible way for me to spend the day, but I didn't love it. To me, honestly, it seemed too much like Looking for Alaska. There is a boy, and a girl, the boy is a nerd/geek, but in his own right, and the girl is this person that he has somehow idolized and then fantasized into a being that is so unrealistic that his realization of how wrong he could be could only become part of the plot. He even comes to this conclusion:

So, here is the information on it. The book's main characters are Quentin, who is referred to as Q for the majority of the novel, and Margo Roth Spiegelman, who disappears for the majority of the novel.

Q is your average teenager. Not in the over-stereotypical, media sensationalized sense. He does not party hard, does not sleep around, none of those things. He goes to school, hangs out with his friends, and likes a girl. He is nerd in the sense of not being popular, but is perfectly fine with is lot in life. Except for one thing. He has a...fixation...on Margo. Margo and Q were childhood friends since they grew up living next to each other. Even from childhood he had a fascination with her, and it never faded as they grew into their teens even though they grew apart. He always observed her from a far, but never tried to make things happy.

The concept of Margo is hard to put into words because we never really get to see her from a point of view other than Q's. Even when her friends are talking about her, he still filters it and refutes what he doesn't like, but then again, begins to accept and evolve his concept about her. So, yeah, hard to pin down, but that is supposed to be the nature of her character.

The story begins by sharing a memory from their childhood that would cement Margo in Q's mind as the girl he will always want. This draws the reader in immediately. The, Margo and Q team up for a good number of pages and we are drawn into this realistic night of their lives. If you didn't know they hadn't been hanging out, you would think them two very good friends. Then Margo disappears.

This is the part of the book I found to be lacking. It starts with her disappearance being nothing out of the ordinary. No one is surprised and everyone thinks that she will be home soon, especially since she has done this kind of whimsical thing before. When she is gone longer, it becomes Q's obsession to find her. For good reason, as he does fear the worse. But, when I say obsession, I mean obsession. It got old to read about his dead ends and failed attempts to decipher the clues left for him, and that is where I started to wane on how much I would enjoy this book.

I fear to talk to much more about it for sake of giving out spoilers. But, as I said earlier, I didn't hate this. In fact, I did love the way he incorporated the clues. I really liked that. To me it speaks to the point where we all want to think we matter enough that if we leave hints people will follow them. We all want to believe that our absences go noticed, and that in some sense day to day life is not the same if we are not there. I, as always, also love the way that Green writes his characters. None of them seem far fetched, and it wasn't hard to relate to anyone of them. Even to me, someone who has always known exactly what she wants to do and exactly how to go about doing it, could relate to Margo and her ideas of paper towns and paper people.

The story in the novel itself is good. The characters are developed well, or not - but that is for plot purposes,  and everything seems very realistic. I just didn't get into this as much because I kept seeing too many similarities between this and Looking for Alaska. 

You walk away from this novel with some thought provoking quotes and it does make you wonder about the relationships we value in life, but I didn't dwell on these thoughts long and hard. So, was it good? Yes. Was it great? No. I would recommend it to anyone I know hasn't read Looking for Alaska, and would want to pick their non-predisposed brains on it.

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

So, before I begin, I would like to say that under normal circumstances I do not like werewolves. I do not entirely know why, it may have to do with the fact that I find half human, half beast creatures whose mannerisms are controlled by a lunar cycle to be a little anti-female in nature, but I have never been particularly fond of any type of werewolf lore. However, I love this book.

This book was first forcefully thrust upon me by my best friend Katherine. I was hesitant to read it because it was right around the time the first Twilight movie came out and I was afraid this was some appeal to the adult women who inexplicably found themselves drawn in to Team Jacob and wanted a more adult series to become a part of. I have never been so grateful to have been wrong. I absolutely loved this book and immediately began making my way through Armstrong's  Women of the Otherworld series and loving every one of the companion novels. I decided to re-read Bitten in celebration of the fact that it as been made into a TV series that will air on SyFy here in the States (Armstrong is a Canadian author) on January 13. I am really glad I did because I had forgotten how much I love her writing style.

 Bitten centers on Elena Michaels. Elena is unique in this story because she is the only female werewolf in the world. In this modern day, realistic fantasy, Elena has left her life with the Pack, who are the dominating group of male werewolves in the United States, to lead a wolf free lifestyle in Toronto and pursue as normal a life as possible. She didn't choose to become a werewolf and she was not born into it. Her friend, fiancé, and love of her life, Clayton Danvers, bit her (hence the title), and she became the first female to survive the change. Though some would think that would be awesome, Elena did not and wants nothing to do with a life she considers brutal, savage, and a far cry from the life she dreamt of having when she grew up. So, she leaves the Pack in Central New York to pursue her "normal" life in Toronto, vowing to keep the wolf side of her separate.

If only things actually worked the way we planned them. Jeremy, the Alpha, calls Elena and tells her she needs to come home. There is an emergency and the lives of all the members of the Pack are in danger. Elena has to decide whether or not she stays in Toronto, struggling to hide who she really is and live the life she considers ideal or if she should return to the Pack and live the life fate has dealt her. Along the way she will has to face some hard truths, a serial killer, and a bunch of savage mutts that view her as a tool of vengeance.

This book is absolutely phenomenal for any fantasy fans. Though it has its roots in fantasy, it is set in a realistic setting. No one has super amazing powers or any of that nonsense, so the fact that they are werewolves and have adapted to modern day society and living standards seems completely plausible. They don't change with the moon cycle, they actually change more frequently and sort of at their will (there body will eventually force the change if they try to put it off too long). The struggle Elena faces seems completely relatable as well. It makes it easy to get lost in this world and not want to put the book down. Plus, Elena Michaels is kick ass. She is such a strong female protagonist. Even when she is whining, she is doing it in a way that isn't annoying. Her werewolf side gives her a side that allows her to be both cynical and witty in the face of a dangerous situation and still be bad ass. It is pretty fantastic. I love that not only is she strong, she has a very realistic softer side as well. She still gets butterflies in her stomach when super hot Clayton puts the moves on her, but doesn't hesitate to break the wrist of the arrogant mutt who is trying to intimidate her. Love it!

I love Armstrong's writing style. More than once when I have had a bad streak of books that I just thought were blah, I have simply been like "I need some Kelley Armstrong!". She writes with a style that just draws you in and completely envelopes you as you read. It flows so well, there are no plot gaps or crazy, unexplainable, ill written plot twists. She develops all her characters so well that I feel like they are people I know. Then, with the companion novels in the rest of the Women of the Otherworld series, you see them develop further as they all interact with each other. It is fantastic.

I highly recommend this and all of Kelley Armstrong's novels for anyone. I am really excited to check out the tv series they created and hope it does the story justice.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I'll be the first to admit it. When I hear of a book or movie that everyone is talking about, I go through three stages:

What are they talking about? 
I'm not going to read/watch it, it probably isn't good.
Dammit, I have to know WHY they are talking about it.

Admittedly, there have been both wins and losses in this mindless pursuit. Win - The City of Bones and all the following novels, Batman Begins. Major losses - Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Napoleon Dynamite.

But, I must concede that this novel, The Fault in Our Stars, is one of the best things the internet has ever convinced me to read. I was already a John Green fan, but this novel puts him a distinct category very few authors/actors can say they belong in - characters that made me tear up.

Now, not to say I am a heartless hind, but let's face it, it has to be extremely well written for me to get so emotionally invested in a character that I shed a tear. I often get very angry (cue Sirius Black's death), or simply sad (Dumbledore,but let's face it, once that black, rotten hand was mentioned, you knew nothing good was going to happen), or when George R.R. Martin killed the direwolves (I hate when they hurt animals). I do remember distinctly tearing up while reading Bridge to Teribithia  and demanding my father read it so he could explain to me why she had to die. *He never did and to this day I still don't get it*. But, oh, this novel, this novel got me. I didn't bawl my eyes out or sob into a handkerchief, my nose running all uncontrollably. No, it was worse than that. It was the silent tears slowly streaming down your face while your throat gets all tight; the kind of crying we try to hide or prevent from happening because "come on, the person isn't even real!". Well played, John Green, well played sir.

First of all, the novel immediately begins with telling you the main character, Hazel, has cancer. So, naturally, I braced myself for death. If not her, someone. I mean, the first things she does is go to a support group for people who have cancer and immediately tells us about death. So, yeah, someone is obviously going to die. She has a cancer that affects her lungs and thus has to carry an oxygen tank with her everywhere, but she deals really well. (She also makes some awesome comments on the perceived coping mechanisms of those with cancer which I found well written).

He writes about Hazel and how she meets this boy Augustus. Augustus lost his leg to cancer and came to accompany a mutual friend of theirs to this support group. Long story short (only because I don't want to give away any spoilers. Do not interpret this as me Yada Yada Yada -ing through some boring stuff) girl meets boy, boy likes girl, girl likes boy.

One of the fascinating parts of the novel is the way these two characters connect. On the night that they first meet, Augustus asks Hazle what her favorite book is. She tells him (it is not a real book, dammit), he reads its, they bond. Then, as her "wish" (actually his, but that is explained in the novel), they get to go to Amsterdam to meet the author. This has been her dream; she wants him to tell her the ending to his novel. You see, he wrote about a dying girl and the book just ends in the middle of a sentence...very thought provoking, yes?

Well, let me tell you something. If there was ever a time I felt connected to a character is in this book...and unfortunately I cannot tell you about it. But trust me, I know this feeling all too well. When I met the author I idolized, let's just say Hazel and I had very similar experiences.

I desperately want to go through this book event by event and tell you how much i loved it all, but I can't, because then you wouldn't read it, and I want everyone to read this book. EVERYONE. It is that good. But, I warn you, you will get emotional. It is not the death that makes you cry, or at least, that is not what made me cry. It is how the death is viewed. It discusses all the nastier parts of emotions when we are dying; we all know they exist, but once we put a voice to them you feel them in ways that your thoughts alone could never do justice to.

So, moral of this entry? Read this book. Seriously, it is an amazing story. The thing I love best about it is that (I believe) the story isn't to get you to think about death at all, but how you live your life. Which, let's face it, we all could use some time reflecting on.



A note on the cover: Definitely did not make me think I was going to cry.

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

It's official. I have reached that state where you finished a book series and now you aren't quite sure what to do with your life. I finished Inheritance and I feel a void. Now what do I do?

I absolutely loved this series. I originally read Eragon while in college. My dad read it and told me to, and I am glad I did.  I regret not reading Inheritance sooner. Though I bought it when it came out, I kept putting it off, even after I re-read the previous three.

In the final book of this saga, we have Eragon and the Varden marching toward Galbatorix's city, finally putting into action their plans to usurp him from his thrown and free Alagaesia from his tyranny. Through their campaign, the must deal with nightly attacks from Murtagh and Thorn, seizing cities that have been magically protected by Galbatorix, fight soldiers that have been enchanted to feel no pain, and figure out how to bring down the most (magically) powerful ruler that ever existed. All this weight falls upon Eragon and Saphira's shoulders and they are not sure they are fully capable of it.

The conclusion to this saga is epic and well imagined. It is not your basic good-guy-kills-bad-guy-and-becomes-new-leader hero stereotype. The events that unfold are excellent, and semi-unpredictable. You know Eragon is going to go in and defeat Galbatorix, but no way can you predict exactly how. The twist on the defeat is well created, and it adds important dimension.

One reason that it took me so long to finish this book is that there were so many battles. After rapidly rereading the first three and all the details there,  I just desperately wanted to know how it ended! At first, reading all the battles seemed tedious to me. I just wanted to skip the rising action and get to the climax, so I stopped reading it. Once I picked it back up, and refreshed my memory, I was immediately drawn into the book unlike before.  From this refreshed viewpoint, the I saw the importance of the battles once again and couldn't put the book down. So, if at any point you read this, pay attention to the details of the battles, for they are not superfluous.

The one thing about this book that I absolutely loved I can't share because it is a major spoiler. But, what it does is create an immense sense of hope and this ties together the overall meaning and theme of the saga and helps it end on a note that leaves you wanting more without the feeling like you have been robbed of a satisfactory ending, something that is very difficult to achieve in a series, especially a fantasy series. 

On another note, I just found out that in a new edition of Inheritance, a letter from Jeod, one of the characters, give a further explanation as to what happens after the final scene of the book. I shall have to track this edition down and read it myself.

Triangles By Ellen Hopkins

For the first time, I honestly do not know how I feel about a book. Huh. Noted on calendar.

I am not sure if it is the context of what is happening in my real life or not that is affecting my inability to choose a stance on this book, but I got to tell you I hate/love this book.

Reasons I Hate It:

This story is about three women: Andrea, Marissa, and Holly. Each lives a life that has some tragic/dramatic element to it, all dealing with men and sexual relations.

Andrea is a single mother who just has crappy luck with men. Marissa is a devoted mother of a four-year-old dying of SMA and a wife of an adulterous husband. Holly is a bored suburban housewife looking for excitement and finds it with (an)other(s). I loved and despised all of them.

Marissa annoys me because she forgave her husband. As CeeLo says "f*** that". He had an affair. Not a little one either. Five years. Multiple cross global trips. LOVE. He stayed because of their daughter, but come on. Staying in a house is not the same as maintaining a relationship. Straight up.

Holly annoys me because she is a dirty, lying, ho-bag. She has an enviable life, and instead of just being honest and admitting to her husband that she is unhappy, so goes out and finds "fulfillment" with others. I think she totally deserves what comes to her in the end. It's called karma. I mean, I understand just because I find her life amazing doesn't mean it makes her happy. I do. I just don't get why she isn't honest.

Andrea annoys me least. At least she is not the complete catalyst for her problems. The only thing I don't like about her is that her loyalties are skewed. But, in the end, I find her much more forgivable. Jace was dropped like a hot ember by Holly. At least Andrea didn't seek it out.

Why I Loved It:

Andrea's dedication to her daughter is amazing. She really does everything she can to make her daughter's life as good as possible. Andrea is also strong. She left her dysfunctional marriage and abusive relationship to make herself a better person. Her stint in bed with Jace seems fitting to me. Two scarred hearts finding solace with each other.

Marissa's dedication trumps Andrea's, but it is the discovery of who she is as a person that drew me into her character. The love she has for her family, the love she lost for her family, her undeniable sense of purpose; it is these things that make you empathize with her. She is a remarkably strong woman.

Holly....I like her vivaciousness. Her self-awareness is both awe-inspiring and a warning. The warning is that you cannot allow yourself to become so completely wrapped up in yourself that you lose sight of those you care about. I like Holly least because she reminds me of my mother.

The writing in this novel is amazing. Hopkin's style is inimitable and draws you in. The flowing verse grabs your attention and keeps the fast pace. The word choice is excellent, and you do become vested in the story. As always, I loved the intertwining multiple perspectives. I love multiple perspective novels.

The raciness is notched up a bit in Hopkin's first "adult" novel, but the tone is still the same: grabbing taboo topics and putting them on display for all to see.  She did excellently. Warning: there are a few sex scenes/erotica writing that can make you blush...

As far as this goes as a companion to Tilt, it didn't at all shed any light on to that novel to me. I feel like I connected better with the adults than the teens with this plot line.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The night circus is a place of magic and intrigue. It appears overnight, as if appearing out of thin air. It stays for an undetermined amount of time, and disappears as quickly as it appeared, no one quite sure where it will appear next. Though, it is not your typical circus; it consists of many tents instead of one. Each of these tents contains its own individual magical atmosphere.

This story focuses on two young magicians/illusionist, Celia and Marco. When they were both young, they were bound into a competition. Celia's father bound her while Marco was selected from an orphanage by his mentor to play his role.  The competition is vague, and only the mentors truly understand how it is played. The venue for this competition is the Night Circus. The magicians materialize fantastic feats of illusion and magic, each creation akin to a move in chess. Though neither of them know the rules, they know they must keep creating, trying to outdo one another. What they don't realize is that they are not the only two affected by this challenge; every member of the circus has become intertwined.

What was originally meant to pit these two against each other has instead brought them together. Each new tent creation bringing them closer, like the words on a love note. They are no longer competing, but completing, each creation a mixture of each of them. This threatens the contest, and neither can foresee how it is meant to end and what it means for the love they have created.

This story was so intriguing that I hated putting it down and I feel that my above description does not do it justice. There are so many things I could say, but I want to keep the mystery that propels the story forward. The concepts of their creations are fantastic, and described within the novel in such detail that you can picture it almost as if you have actually seen a photograph of it in real life.

The thing that drew me most into this book were the creations of the magicians. The imagination behind the tents is fantastic. The level of the illusions/magic make the reader have to doubt the basis that the attendees of the circus were so easily duped into thinking the real was fake and vice versa, but I still admire the creativeness of it all. I warn you, if you are the type of reader who needs everything explained and accounted for, you may not enjoy this. But, if you the reader who is able to see the forest beyond the trees and can create solid pictures with the help of well developed imagery, this novel should be a delight for you as it was for me.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

This book is the second book in the Maze Runner Trilogy. While I loved the first one, I found this one to be a little lackluster. Note, if you have not read The Maze Runner you may not want to continue reading this entry; it does contain some spoilers. Also, you may not understand some of the references I am making to people/places/things.

The book begins with Thomas, the Gladers, and Teresa having successfully escaped from the maze. They think they are all set and ready to enter their real world again, but to their dismay they do not get to. They instead are once again put through another trial, The Scorch Trial.

The Scorch is a vast area of land that used to be near the Equator. After the solar flares (we learn this in book one), this area of land is left desolate and barren. The challenge that Thomas and the Gladers face is having to cross the Scorch, in two weeks, and arrive at the "safe haven". Not only do they have to deal with crossing a desert with a small amount of food and unrealistically smaller supply of water, they have to travel one hundred miles total in two weeks, on foot, and fight off Cranks.  Cranks are humans that have been infected with the Flare. The longer you have been infected, the more psychotic you are. Oh, did I mention that WICKED has conveniently infected all of them as well for additional motivation to succeed in the trial (read: do our little test or die)?

While I was completely intrigued by the first book, this second one didn't really draw me in. At one point I voluntarily put it down to grade papers. That, my friends, is a first. But, after finishing and reflecting, I think I know why it didn't draw me in as well. The first novel was fully of mystery and suspense. We didn't know why they were in the maze, what was happening in the outside world, who Thomas was/is supposed to be, or if they were ever going to get out of the maze. It was interesting to follow the characters and discover with them. For this sequel, we already knew Thomas was telepathic and had worked with WICKED, what the challenge the Gladers had to face was, and we knew to expect many of the things that happened. There was much less suspense and mystery for me. I found it to be very predictable. Also, some parts dragged on for far too long.  I get it, Cranks are crazy, they want to kill people, run Thomas run. Even the bio-mechanical engineered monsters at the end were lame. It took the Gladers two whole years to figure out the Grievers. It took them less than two minutes to figure out these beasties. Finally, what turned me off was what they change in the dynamics and relationships of the characters. They seemed much more detached in this novel, and as a result, so was I.

The book ends on a cliff hanger, as should be expected since we know there is yet another book. I, however, am not as anxious to read this one. I am instead going to read another novel in between, hoping that the time I spend reading another novel will amp my curiosity about the ending of this story. There is also a prequel, to explain why the maze had to be created in the first place. We shall have to see if the third leaves me wanting more information enough to read that one.