I've definitely have read a lot of books this year and a couple have stood out to me from the rest.
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Looking For Alaska by John Green - I first read a quote
(“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 a hurricane.”) from this book on someone's tumblr ages ago and I was very intrigued. So as anyone my age would, I copied it into Google, read the plot of the book and lusted for it. This book has become extremely popular and it actually has a good reason to be as it is awesome. This was the first book I read by John Green and ever since, I have never looked back. I've read this book twice already which is quite odd for me as I usually read a book and neglect it for several years after.
"BEFORE. Miles Halter’s whole life has been one big non-event until he starts at anything-but-boring Culver Creek Boarding School and meets Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, screwed up and utterly fascinating she pulls Miles into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart. But when tragedy strikes, and Miles comes face-to-face with death he discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.
AFTER: Nothing will ever be the same."
This book is definitely perfect for teenagers and young adults, although I'm sure any aged adult would find entertainment in this book too. I found it very easy to relate to as a teenager and like all of John's books, it is not a typical lovey dovey story. Looking for Alaska is very compelling and addicting to read as it left me feeling that the story was almost reality.
~ The Fault in Our Stars - John Green (I have wrote a small review here) - I'll be honest to you, 90% of my all-time favourite books are quite literally by John Green so you may see a recurring pattern going on. Anyways, I cannot really put into words how I feel about this book. It's one of those books that after reading it, you claim that it really has changed your life. Like a lot of his books, the importance of youth and life runs throughout it and what's more life threatening than a terminal illness?
"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."
Although it somewhat resembles a love story, and in it's essence it actually is one, but that aside, it is something much more than that. It's a tale of friendship, love and more importantly, the short-lived tragedy that we call 'life'. I found my heart warming to Augustus Waters, as if he was real, and without spoiling it, I was left both upset and speechless at the end.
~ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I found that when I finished the trilogy, and in the running up to the film, this series was very overhyped. I think that it is a very compelling book but I found that it got progressively worse as the books went along, as the first book was the best and the final book was the worst.
"Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been clse to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever..."
I think if you're a sucker for action-packed story lines, then this is the book for you. However, after reading John Green's books, I realised that this book really did not compare as it wasn't as good. I highly recommend that you read the books before watching the film as it is much much better, trust me. I would say that this trilogy is more for teenagers rather than young adults as it has a very twilight-esque feel to it.
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The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (I wrote a small review here) - After finishing this book, I felt almost desperate to find another book by Stephen but to my disappointment, there are none other than this book. There are not many adjectives that could ever give this book justice and the only ones I can think of are relatable and utterly beautiful.
"Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor."
Like Looking for Alaska, it's a story of youth and the daunting yet exciting tales of high school. There will always be at least one part of the book where you can say 'I've done that' or 'I've felt like that' and it's strangely comforting to know that you are not alone in high school and one person, despite being a fictional character, has felt like that too. This book is perfect for teenagers and young adults.
I hope you enjoyed this and I apologise for it being so long!
Kayla x
