Looking for Alaska

by John Green
Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed this book. It's not one I would typically pick up but I'm glad I did. At first, the beginning reminded me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and I was worried as I didn't think I could stand another book about a whiny teenage boy. After about the first 25 pages however, I was pleasantly surprised.

While following Miles to a boarding school he attended in search of his "Great Perhaps" I found myself laughing with the characters and really starting to like them. It felt like a real group of kids with real troubles and not just a dramatic story. Throughout the story you follow Pudge (Miles) and his group of friends through their story of friendship, love, loss, laughter and their clever school pranks that are guaranteed to crack you up.

More than just their story, the author manages to slip in different religious theories about life and the afterlife. These theories end up meaning a lot to the characters of this story as they try and discover for themselves what it all means for them and their life experiences.
In short, it's good. Just read it.
L-

*****

Rating: 4/5

This is our first book in our 50 state challenge and it was a really great read. We picked this book because there were slim pickings for Alabama available on the Kindle (our preferred reading platform) and it had decent reviews. I wasn't sure about it at first, but was quickly drawn into the story. The author does a great job making you really care about the main character, Miles, a shy, socially awkward teenager who decides to start over by leaving home for boarding school. The pacing of the story is perfect. It is funny and poignant and believable.  I'm sure I'll be reading it again in the future.

Warning-Although this is a teen book, it is not a sweet innocent book. There is lots of drinking, some drugs, cigarettes and sex. So if your squeamish about those things, this may not be a book for you.
-K 

This book is part of our 50 states reading challenge.
State: Alabama