Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobsen has spent most of his life being in love with the adventurous, and mysterious, Margo Roth Spiegelman. Even as kids, he followed her around and played along with her adventures. Now, however, he spends his time loving her from afar. When his window opens one night, and Margo climbs into his room and back into his life, beckoning him to join her on her latest adventure of revenge, he follows.  After spending all night racing around Orlando, getting people back, and breaking into Sea World, Q comes to school the next morning to see that Margo is absent. She is known for disappearing days at a time, but when they keep adding up, Q begins to worry. He soon discovers that she has left behind clues, and that they're for him. He urgently tries to piece together the unrelated clues, and the more he discovers the more he realizes he doesn't know adventurous, mysterious Margo Roth Spiegelman at all. 

John Green writes about not only a compelling tale, but a compelling character. Quentin spends all of his life looking at Margo as if she were perfect. However, when he delves deep into her personal life, he sees things that would prove otherwise. John Green uses this novel to take the "manic pixie dream girl" stereotype and destroy her. Incorporating Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass puts a beautiful poetic spin on the stories underlying themes, as well as on Margo's clues. Green also does an excellent job of using metaphors to make the reader view a topic differently and more clearly. When Q goes on his whirlwind adventures, all of which puts him completely out of his comfort zone, the reader is right there with him, feeling the anxiety of breaking into someone's house, or even into Sea World. Margo's character is unique, and beyond complex, which surprises everyone, including the reader, the more you discover about her. 

If anyone knows me and my taste in books, they know that I am a John Green fanatic, have been since day one, and will be forever. I am a strong believer that Paper Towns is John Green's most underrated novel and deserves more attention and praise. When I first read Paper Towns I automatically fell in love with it. I quickly adopted it as my favorite book and have since then, reread it often. It may, at first, seem like another Young Adult novel with a bit of twist, but it comes to be much more than that. Each time I flip through the pages, I pick up something new. There are some areas of this book that have either completely changed my outlook on certain things, or have taught me a lot about people, and how you should view them. Even if you don't want to go into a novel looking for in depth thoughts and secret meanings, you can read it and simply enjoy it. I have recommended this to anyone who will listen, and now I recommend this to you.

                                          

If You Enjoyed This Also Try: Looking for Alaska by John Green, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, and Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Jurassic Park by Michael Chrichton

 

After it is discovered that man can recreate dinosaur, a new park is being put into order. John Hammond, millionaire, mad scientist is behind the mastermind idea to make a profit off of this fantastical zoo. However, when a group of special experts come to review the island before opening, chaos breaks loose. At first, they are astonished as they watch Hammond explain how the process works and learn about the workings of the park. But, while on a tour of the park, the electricity seems to have gone out, shutting down the track as well as the electric fence in between the them and the dinosaurs. It becomes hard to trust anyone as the power outage may have not been an accident.  Stuck in the park, the group must somehow escape the island.   It comes to light that man cannot recreate something so vast and expect life to not find a way.

I know what you're thinking, you've seen this movie millions of times flipping through the channels on the TV. But, in the movie, a lot of the action is condensed. When I opened up the book, I figured that it couldn't be that much different from the book. I was wrong. It was so much better! As you read, you learn a lot more about science, chaos theory, and paleontology. In any other setting, I don't think that these topics would be particularly interesting, but when mixed with dinosaurs and the chase of a lifetime, you beg for the information. There are many twists and turns and unexpected outcomes in the novel and it's a huge page turner. Hidden behind all the rediscovered creatures and action, is an amazing insight on man and his desire for power, making it much more than just a book about dinosaurs. However, because of the all the unadulterated action and science, there doesn't seem to be enough room for powerful character development in the majority of the characters. Michael Crichton writes this novel in a way that leaves the reader almost wishing that they could experience this world, no matter how terrifying or deadly it is. If you're looking for an action-based, book to read, Jurassic Park will go above and beyond your expectations.

If You Liked This One Check Out: The Shining by Stephen King, Congo by Michael Crichton, Jaws by Peter Benchley, Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Cath isn't just an average fan of the popular series, Simon Snow. For Cath, being a fan is her life. Both her and her twin sister, Wren, spent hours reading and writing their own stories about Gemma T. Leslie's characters when they were little. They were at every book event and movie opening in costume and they spent the majority of their time in Simon Snow forums. Escaping into the world of mages helped them cope with their mother leaving. But now that Cat and Wren are older, it's time for them to move on and start their lives in college. Wren has moved on from their obsession, but Cath can't seem to let go. After Wren broke the news to Cath that she would not be her roommate, Cath is on her own for the first time. She is completely out of her comfort zone always being surrounded by her surly roommate and her too friendly, always smiling boyfriend. She is overwhelmed when her writing professor tells her that fan fiction is not writing but basically plagiarizing and with a handsome boy who only ever wants to talk about words. All the while she cannot stop worrying about her workaholic dad and how alone he is. Cath has to overcome many trials in order to grow up. She may have to learn to give her twin space, learn to finally live her life, and maybe even leave Simon Snow behind.

Being a person with an avid obsession with Harry Potter and multiple other series, I really related to this story. I think anyone who really loves something can look at this story and also relate to it. Cath embodies a girl who is scared to death of the real world and would rather live in a fiction world. This novel really does a great job showing what it feels like to be a "fangirl." The novel also addresses a very popular writing style that not too many people know about, fan fiction. Throughout the novel you see Cath grow through both her actions and her writing. There's so many twists and turns throughout the story and you will feel your emotions twist and turn with it. I truly fell in love with all the characters and flew through the pages of this book in one night. 

If You Liked This One Check Out: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider, This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales