Novel Thoughts

Review: Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Hardcover: 288 pages
Date Published: December 27, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Author Info: Website
Buy the Book: Amazon | IndieBound
Shelf It: Goodreads | Shelfari

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

I picked this book up, flipped it open and found it to be a verse novel. Win. I LOVE verse novels. Secondly, looking the cover and reading the back it looked all cute and happy and something I needed at the moment. But let’s clear something up right now. While, yes, it has cute, happy moments, there were several moments where I wanted to cry for poor Marcie. So, just know that.

I am PROUD to announce my FIRST FIVE star review of 2012! YAY!

This book was even home to one of my Greatly Disliked Themes in YA books: the love triangle. I HATE love triangles. They make me want to throw said book at a wall and sit huffily on my bed, fuming. HOWEVER - and this is a big ‘however’ - Tregay made this possibly one of the best love triangles/ cheating situations EVER. As a human being, cheating = the end to a relationship to me, even if there is a lot of grey area. But SHOCKINGLY I never disliked or hated Marcie, Linus or J.D. at all. That is amazing for me, people.

Now for what BLEW ME AWAY about this book. Many YA novels will have teens that talk about sex. Many YA novels will have teens that talk about love or falling in love. This YA novel had a teen talk about passion. Yes, there was sex-talk by proxy, but all Marcie wants more than anything is to be emotionally and physically connected with someone. Wow, guys. That is so much more intimate than just talking about love like it’s a bland box of instant mashed potatoes. Kudos to you, Sarah Tregay.

And without any spoilers (as always) OMG. The ending - or more specifically, the last 50 pages - made me feel like there were a hundred warm and fuzzy kittens running around in my chest in a totally non-creepy way. I was finishing this book while being a passenger in a car and trying hard (but not really) to not grin like a complete and utter fool. And then I preceded to re-read the ending again when I was done. (I may have read it a second time... and once again, just to let the taste of the words sit in the back of my mouth and savor the flavor.)

This book is cute and honest with funny moments, moments that make you want to cry and smile at the same time and I fully recommend it to you. If you read contemporary at all, you will HAVE to read this book!!

Giveaway: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

As you all know, Cinder by Marissa Meyer was our Debut of the Month for January! Our friends at the awesome Macmillan have graciously offered a copy to give away a finished copy to one lucky reader. Here's a little more about CINDER:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

All you have to do is enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Spectral by Shannon Duffy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Today I have an awesome cover reveal for you guys! If you like a good paranormal romance, you might want to add this one to your TBR list when it comes out!

Title: Spectral

Author: Shannon Duffy

Release Date: April 10, 2012

Publisher: Tribute Books

Shelf It: Goodreads

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

So, what do you think of the covers? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Author Interview: Printz Novelist John Corey Whaley

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:21:00 +0000

This week has been full of new experiences for me. The biggest being me trying to come up with a way to interview authors in a new way. Over the past two years, I have interviewed a few authors and through sending them questions and receiving their answers I felt a disconnect. One of the ways I've been working on changing that for myself is to start a weekly podcast that discusses all things YA. And while it is still a passion of mine, it has been shelved for a while.

A few days ago, I had a brainblast moment (any Jimmy Neutron fans out there?). I started thinking about video interviews. I have the knowledge and a platform now to accomplish at least that. So I looked into it a bit more and after just a short time I was ready to get into it!

Seeing as this all happened within the last few days, I really wanted to get John Corey Whaley, newly awarded Printz author of Where Things Come Back, to be my first interviewee. And fortunately for me, he complied. The interview comes in four parts. In part one, we discuss his book and other random conversation. In part 2, I ask him fan-submitted questions. And in part 3, Corey answers obscure questions that I came up with. Part four continues random questions and Batman discussion. So if you're in for a laugh and have time to watch, here's my first author interview with John Corey Whaley.

I'm still in a trial phase with this sort of interview style, so if you would like to leave feedback in the comments on how you like it or what I could do to improve the next time I would love to hear it! I apologize for the video quality of this one. I didn't quite have the hang of the program just yet. Bear with me ;)

We won't be doing all of our interviews like this unfortunately because it takes a lot longer to make, but I hope to have them for you more throughout the year. I hope you enjoy new frontiers because we love exploring them!

Review: Hunted (The Shadowing #1) by Adam Slater

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:45:00 +0000

Hardcover: 208
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Egmont USA
Author Info: Goodreads Profile
Buy The Book: Amazon
Add It: Goodreads | Shelfari

Once every century, the barrier between the human world and the demon realm begins to break down. Creatures gather, anxiously waiting to cross the divide, to bring death and destruction from their world to ours. This time is called The Shadowing.

Callum Scott has always known that there is a supernatural world out there—he’s seen ghosts for as long as he can remember. Lately, he’s had visions of children being brutally murdered by a terrifying creature. Then the visions start coming true, and Callum realizes that he’s being hunted, too.

Driven by a dark destiny, he must stand against the demons that threaten our world.

And The Shadowing is almost here. . . .

So I have started this thing on Twitter called #10pagetrials. Where on books I am if-y on (ie. I have qualifiable reason to think I won’t like it), get a 10 page trial. Hunted by Adam Slater was one. Why was I if-y on it? Back cover synopsis key words: demon realm. *que the Mario Kart audio clip for when you fall of the track*

However, I picked it up and never put it down. It immediately intrigued me and I have to say that the phrase “demon realm” is not entirely accurate. Yes, it more-or-less happens, but really we are following around Callum Scott who has started seeing ghosts and visions of people being brutally murdered. See? We’re getting good already!

While I don’t get scared all that easily, I can’t lie and say I didn’t have several shivers run up my spine while reading this book. And you know the best part? This book is 200 pages (at least the ARC is) and in its little 200 pages, it packs a full-on punch. I always think 200 page books are so short that it can’t possibly get in depth. This would be another moment where my foot is neatly inserted into my mouth. I never felt for a moment that this book was skipping out on any detail and I only wish it was longer cause I wanted more! But have no fear, this is a series after all! Yay!

The Literary Oscars

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:40:00 +0000

Earlier this morning, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the 2012 winners for some of the highest recognized awards for Children's and Young Adult literature. Think of it as the Oscars for the literary world. The most notable awards being the Printz Award, the Newbery Medal, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Morris Award, and several others.

A short list of the 2012 award winners are:

2012 Newbery Medal Winner

And one of my favorites of 2011 won both the Printz Award and the Morris Award. So a HUGE congrats to John Corey Whaley.

2012 Printz and Morris Award Winner

One award that I hadn't heard of before today is one that recognized adult books that had a great YA crossover demographic, the ALEX Award. This was given to ten books of note. Here are just a few:

And for those of you interested in audiobooks, the Odyssey Award for best audiobook for children/young adults goes to:

For a full list of all the award winners, head over to ALA's website to read all about them. Or if you would like to watch the entire ALA awards ceremony, they recorded it and posted it on their website.

A big congratulations to all the winners and to the runners up in each category. A place in the finalists list is an honor in itself. I know after today's ceremony I have added a few more books to my TBR list.

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

The Future of Us by Jay Asher
and Carolyn Mackler
Published by Razorbill
Date Published: November 21, 2011

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

The Future of Us was a collaboration book between authors Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Though I've never read any of Carolyn's books, I've been a big fan of Jay's since I first read Thirteen Reasons Why in January of 2009 (being one of the first YA books I ever read). Since then, I've been wanting something new from him and when I found out about Future, I had to read it.

Even though I've had this book since I received it at BEA in May, I held off on reading it for a while. After I finished it though, I wished I hadn't waited so long.

The story is one that is quite unique. In in time where our everyday lives are consumed with social media, mine is Twitter rather than Facebook, it was fun to see a book come about that humors us about how much we spill about our day to anyone who cares to read it but also about what we do can affect our future.

Though Josh and Emma stumble across Facebook accidentally, they take caution with it and test to find out if it's real or a crazy prank. From that point on, they get careless and do things to try to change their futures to turn out the way they like. Though one minor thing could change their future forever.

In the beginning, this is a story of friendship. In the end, it;s a love story. I loved the progression throughout the book and the added humor that the authors write in. The characters, Josh and Emma, were both very well written and the story was told well and kept me interested until the end. I finished this book relatively quickly, which isn't always the case for me. That's usually a sign for me that it's a good book.

If you've read Jay's first book, Thirteen Reasons Why, or even Carolyn's book, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, you should definitely pick up their collab. And if you've not read either of them yet, this would be a great place to start! If you love original books about love, friendship, and humor, you'll definitely love The Future of Us.

New Feature: Book/Debut of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

For the new year, we wanted to start a new feature where we spotlight an upcoming book each month. Then I decided that we should do it for a debut author as well. So this is it. At the beginning of each month, we will share two books with you that are our choices for:

1. Book of the Month

2. Debut of the Month

Through that, we will spotlight the book and it's author by having interviews, guest posts, giveaways, and, of course, a review of the book. We will be trying different things out to make it even more fun but we just thought it would be a great idea to show that we love books. Who knows, maybe having this new feature will get more people to pick up those two books!

So to kick off the first "Books of the Month" (even though the month is coming to a close), our two books are:

Book of the Month: Debut of the Month:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I have already reviewed A Million Suns HERE but we'll be having an interview with Beth coming up soon. We will also be interviewing Marissa and reviewing Cinder in the next two weeks so look forward to that!

A Dystopian Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:46:00 +0000

~~Free~~ Speech

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It's something we could possibly lose before we know it. Today, we are blacking out as a protest to SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) which will in turn give government the ability to shut down any and every site or blog they please if they don't like it. We, along with Tumblr, Google, Reddit, and many more, protest against this. Speech is free. I will not filter myself nor limit myself due to government restrains. I will post what I like on my blog and those who don't like it don't have to keep reading it or follow me. Simple as that.

As an open letter to Congress, don't pass this. It will be a huge mistake. It will affect so much more than you think. Your main goal is to stop online piracy of the few, but in-turn, you're stopping progression. You are cutting down creativity and stifling the masses. You think it will help, but it will only cause more chaos than it's worth. When you start taking away people's food, they revolt. Just let them eat cake.

The US Government should not have the right to decide what it's people can view online. I am appalled that this is even a real thing. It seems so very dystopian in nature.

To learn more about SOPA and why it should not be passed, check out these websites:
Fight For the Future
SOPA Strike
Google: Take Action
Electronic Frontier Foundation

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:47:00 +0000

A Million Suns by Beth Revis
Published by Razorbill (Penguin)
Date Published: January 10, 2012

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

Whoa. For pretty much all of 2011, Across the Universe, Beth's first novel, was my overall favorite YA book. Now I'm sure A Million Suns will be the same for 2012.

Beth takes things from an already heavy cliffhanger in AtU and launches the Godspeed with even more lies, conspiracy, and murder (how can you not love that?!). After finishing AtU, I thought it would be nearly impossible to top the levels of intensity of the story that was written. I was wrong. Just reading the first chapter will make you want to not put the book down until you finish. It's one of those 400 page books you'll fly through and then look back and be all "I'm already done? WTF?! What happens next? I NEED SHADES OF EARTH!!!" At least that was my response. And I was on a plane.

Beth's writing always draws me in and keeps me intrigued. Maybe it's the fact that I love a good murder mystery wrapped in lies taking place on a space ship floating in space. But nonetheless, I loved it.

And if anyone ever says this book is predictable, they are as confused as a Feeder on Phydus. At one point while reading, when a BIG SECRET unfolds, I went "WAIT, REALLY?! AHH!!" That's the response a book should make you have. I enjoy books even more when I can't see what's coming next and then BAM, something HUGE happens and leaves you speechless. That happens quite a few times in this book.

For those who've read Across the Universe but not A Million Suns just yet, no spoilers, but all those questions that were buzzing through your head and bugging the crap out of you...well, at least most of them, are answered finally. So there's some good news for you. Though it does just add more questions to your head you have to wait to find out. That's the bad news.

But seriously, this book was amazing and I still love the alternation between Elder and Amy's POVs.
Really though, I need Shades of Earth right away.
Beth, if you are reading this, help me out.
I can't make it another year.

Read this book.
Right now.
Do it.

Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:57:00 +0000

Heist Society by Ally Carter
Published by Hyperion
Date Published: February 9, 2010
Amazon

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

So upon first glance, I wasn’t exactly intrigued by the cover of Heist Society - to me it looked like a rich girl in Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s garb, committing white collar crimes. I mean, it looks about as dangerous as that dumb movie that came out a few years ago about cheerleaders who rob a bank.

However, once reading a few chapters, I promptly opened my mouth and inserted my foot. I mean OH MY GOD, DO I LOVE A GOOD CON. And this, I think, is my new favorite con artist book. That title doesn’t come easy or lightly, folks.

First of all, we have the BEST group of con artists ever. Dontcha love it when you read a book and you just LOVE every character? Like every character is just perfect for who they are? Yes, I experienced that with this. Katarina - a short, criminal mastermind. Hale. Um, there’s really nothing more to say than: HALE. He easily makes the list of hottest male characters ever. And the fact that’s insanely rich and doing this just ‘cause - *swoon*. Gabrielle. Yeah, she’s hot and maybe a bit snotty, but she is still freaking awesome in her own girly way. Simon, the kinda geeky computer master and then of course the Bagshaw brothers, muscle and comic relief rolled into one, or two.

I think the thing that just seduced me the fastest was Carter’s writing. It flowed like a movie. While it was 3rd person, it would start from some more or less innocent bystander and then move to our con artists swiftly moving around with precise clockwork movements, having complete control over the situation. I don’t know exactly know how I can read something and feel like I’m watching a movie, but I did without a question here.

Then there was the con. A master con. One with an absurdly simple idea, backed by an impossible task. It was clever and smart and completely on the level of Catch Me If You Can, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels with a touch of Goodfellas/ Godfather. I’m going to say this now: I WANT MORE CON ARTIST BOOKS IN YA. *bangs fists to get attention* PLEASE.

My love for this book was so intense that at some point in the evening, I paused the book, went to my local Barnes and Noble in search of Uncommon Criminals. Only to find they were out. UNACCEPTABLE. I went to one further out and got it. I did this so when I finished I could easily pick up the second book and not have to wait for things like stores to open to satisfy my book-hunger. And what did I do after I finished Uncommon Criminals? Bought the entire Gallagher Girls series. I needed more Ally Carter and thievery.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Published by Dutton
Date Published: January 10, 2012
Amazon

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

After turning the last page of The Fault in Our Stars, I couldn't justify moving away from the spot where I had just spent close to eight hours (I'm a slow reader) reading. As I sat there, I thought back over the words I had just read. Rereading it as best I could in my mind. I mentally paraphrased it at best. It was moving, heartbreaking, hilarious, emotionally-straining, but most importantly, it made me FEEL. "That's the thing about pain . . . it demands to be felt."

There's something about a fictional story that can make it's readers feel. Feel emotion, feel pain, feel like the fragmentations of a fictional, metaphorical grenade still cut deep within one's very literal heart. To feel like one of the many that were wounded in the main character's battle. This story will certainly be on my mind for quite some time. I am still in a state of bereavement and heartbreak.

Not since reading Looking For Alaska last January have I felt this sense of emotion following a book. John has a way of pulling it out of me and--I'm sure--many other readers.

Again with the great characters. Hazel and Augustus were so well-written. Which goes without saying when referring to John's characters. The one defining difference about this novel compared to his earlier work is that it was actually narrated by Hazel. I can honestly say that he writes really well from the perspective of a 16-year old girl. I did have a hard time getting into her mindset though because I listened to John read the first two chapters a while back and couldn't get his voice out of my head. Which isn't a complaint at all.

Hazel looks at her situation as inevitable death, but not so pessimistically. She doesn't want to be looked down on because she has cancer. She wants to be treated like any other person, though she knows that that will never happen in the real world. When she meets Augustus for the first time, all the sees is her own flaws. A hot guy is staring at her from across a circle of cancerous kids and she her only thoughts are on her own appearance. That sounds really conceited. She's not though. If you were being stared at by a hot guy, wouldn't you too wonder why and think you must have something on your face? I know I would if a hot girl was staring at me.

Augustus is hot, obviously. And not just hot in a "we're both diagnosed with cancer, so out of my options, he's the best" sort of way. He's legitimately hot. But in the best ways possible. He's a total nerd. He plays video games a lot and even reads the companion books to a certain military video game. When Hazel suggests he read her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, she doubts he'll even be slightly interested by comparison to his other interests. But he loves it and it sets the two of them off on a fun journey of self-exploration and what happens to characters after a book ends.

"I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence." Reading is one of my "pleasures of existence". I can just as easily say recognizing beauty is as well and for that reason I must say that I simply adored this book. The Fault in Our Stars is simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. You're going to want to curl up in a ball after you read this one.

This is one book I will be recommending to everyone for a very long time. An instant classic.

This Star Won't Go Out

Review: Audrey, Wait by Robin Benway

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:31:00 +0000

Audrey, Wait by Robin Benway
Published by Razorbill
Date Published: April 10, 2008
Amazon

When her ex writes a break-up song about her that rockets up the charts, Audrey is suddenly famous--she can't go out without being mobbed by fans and paparazzi. Readers can take a wild ride with Audrey as she makes headlines, confronts her ex on MTV, and shows the world who she really is. This irresistible, fast-paced novel has a totally hot new paperback cover! Its the song everyones singing. And its about her! But for Audrey, becoming famous overnight equals total, life-changing disaster. . .

So when the lovely book blogger Carla visited in May, naturally, we went to a bookstore and she threw a few books at me. This was one of them. She labeled it as “HILARIOUS”. And holy freaking amazeballs. It was. I laughed a few pages in. I busted out into obnoxious, uncontrollable laughter about 20 pages in (I can’t for the life of me explain what exactly is so funny about a morbidly obese cat, but I was seriously dying) and it didn’t stop.

If you’ve read the summary, you know what this is about. I honestly expected this to be some kind of mortification-fest for this poor girl. And it was. BUT Miss Audrey takes it all with charm, some grace, wit and a bit of a rock star attitude.

And Victoria. What kind of story like this would be complete without the ever-loyal, hilariously perfect best friend? Whose text messages perfectly understand Audrey’s drama without question all with emphatic caps and !!!s speak volumes about her. Then there’s adorkably cute James, her co-worker, who is only known to have said ‘butter pecan’ for the first 70 pages.

And there’s the ending. No spoilers, don’t worry! Never! But it is, like, perfect. PERFECT. I think I actually shouted ‘HAH!!’, sufficiently startling my cat who is too used to my random outbursts while reading. It was so cute and wrapped up all the ends so well! I was waiting to see one thing in particular happened from just about page one and was glad to see it done just perfectly.

Is it realistic? No. Hardly, actually.
Is it HILARIOUS?! YES.
Is it insanely cute? YES.
Does it have a TON of amazing music references? Yes.

Audrey, Wait is a whirlwind of a story. It’s so much easier to let go and be swirled around than to sit tight. From page one the frenetic energy engulfed me and didn’t let me go for 313 pages. It was very à la Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.

Jennifer's Best Books of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:02:00 +0000

At the very end of 2010, I challenged myself to read a 100 books in 2011. Pretty ambitious considering I think I’d read a max of 30 in all my years prior.

Anyway, when the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2012, I had 125 to my name, thank you very much! So welcome to my own personal version of the book Oscars.

Note: they are not ranked within each category, only alphabetized by author.

Here my rankings of the year of 125 books:

Top 5
These books are in the Top 5 for one reason alone: they invaded my brain. DAYS after reading, I kept thinking about them. Complete invasion like that is difficult to achieve, so well done.

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Top Runner-Ups
Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Best Contemporaries
Audrey, Wait by Robin Benway
Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth
Saving June by Hannah Harrington
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Without Tess by Marcella Pixley
Boy21 by Matthew Quick
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
Stick by Andrew Smith
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Darkest Reads
Death Watch by Ari Berk
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann
Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Best Action Reads

Heist Society by Ally Carter
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
Divergent by Veronica Roth

You might think 27 books is a lot for a “favorites” list, but that’s only like 20% of all the books I read. So really, that’s pretty good.

Trailer: Tempest by Julie Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:39:00 +0000

One of my most anticipated books of 2012 is Tempest by Julie Cross. For one, it involves time travel. So I have to read it being an avid fan of traveling time. And just released is the book trailer for it and it's awesome! Check it out below!

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy .. he's in college, has a girlfriend ... and he can travel back through time. But it's not like the movies—nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there's no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors—it's just harmless fun.
That is ... until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he's stuck in 2007 and can't get back to the future.
Desperate to return to 2009 and to save Holly, he learns what he can about his abilities and it's not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these "Enemies of Time" will stop at nothing to recruit him.

Also, you can read the FIRST FOUR CHAPTERS HERE!

A Million Suns Virtual Launch Party

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Today we’re celebrating the launch of Beth Revis’s A MILLION SUNS by participating in the Virtual Party! Each hour of the day, from 9am to 5pm EST, there will be a different feature on a different blog. And each stop, in true party fashion, will have a party favor to give out—in the form of a signed book plus some cool swag—and a party game: a puzzle piece to a truly epic prize for one winner! So read on to find out exclusive information about A MILLION SUNS and enter to win a signed book!

ON MURDER AND MAYHEM

I first wrote ACROSS THE UNIVERSE while I was a teacher at a small rural school in North Carolina. When I say small, I mean small. I happened to be visiting friends in New York City when I got an email from the principal inviting me for an interview at this school. I got off the plane, changed clothes, and went to the interview. Here I was in my fancy business suit and high heels straight from NYC, and the principal took me on a tour of school…including the goat field and the cow pasture!

I loved being a teacher, although it definitely took a toll on me. There were some days when I was too exhausted to write. And there were some days when I wrote and I probably shouldn’t have.

I happened to be working on a scene near the middle of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE where I needed a frozen person to die. This happened to be the day that one of my students had DRIVEN ME INSANE. He’s a decent kid, but a person can only take so much! So, in a fit of author glee, I gave my murder victim my student’s name, and then I described, in as gruesome detail as possible, how he drowned in the cryo box.

Another character based on student was Harley. This was a kid I liked—her name was Charly, and she was an art student who painted me a koi fish. While I was writing, I needed an artist as a side character, and Harley grew from her. I don’t want to spoil the book for people who’ve not read the first one, but Harley’s fate isn’t sunshine and puppies.

Before AtU was published, I told my two students about the book and that I’d used variations of their names. Word spread, and by the end of the year, nearly every student that I ever taught was begging to be in my book—and specifically begging to be killed off in the book!

You meet a lot of new characters in A MILLION SUNS. But I’m happy to say that nearly all the ones that die (with two exceptions) are former students of mine! In fact, there’s one scene were many people die at the same time—and every one of them was named after a student. So, if you happen to have been in my classroom…I hope you enjoy your bloody, gruesome end!

Thanks for stopping by today as a part of the Virtual LaunchParty for A MILLION SUNS! To help celebrate, one commenter on this post will receive a signed paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, the first book of the trilogy, along with some custom swag, including a poster, an art print of a koi fish (made by the student who inspired Beth to write the character Harley), NASA goodies, and more. This contest is open internationally, and will end in 24 hours.

JUST FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND COMMENT ON THIS POST TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THIS PRIZE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure you go back to Beth’s website for full details on the party. Visit every site in the party to gather clues that will enable you to enter for the GRAND PRIZE—a signed paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, a signed hardback of A MILLION SUNS, an exclusive water bottle, a poster, an art print, and more!

In order to win that grand prize, you need a clue. And the clue for this blog stop is...

This Week In Green

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:33:00 +0000

The day we've all been waiting for is ALMOST here! Tomorrow is the big day. The day The Fault in Our Stars is released into the world (officially). Now remember, if you pre-ordered your book from anywhere on the planet, which by simple deduction all of you did, you will be receiving a signed copy VERY shortly. I think it's safe to assume that there will be an explosion in Your Pants soon.

Also starting tomorrow, in case you didn't already know, is the Tour de Nerdfighting! John and Hank Green's continental trek across the United States (also Vancouver) to meet the top tier of the human race, Nerdfighters. Their 17-city tour starts in Boston, the hometown of Esther Earl (This Star Won't Go Out), and ends in Vancouver, BC. Publisher's Weekly wrote a nice, informative article about the tour, so if you would like to read more about it go check it out.

As John and Hank get ready for tour, it'll be fun keeping track of their experiences through twitter as the days and events go on. John's getting a head start.

I'm very curious as to what this tweet implies. Costume changes? It's going to be epic.

I am SUPER excited to be seeing them at the Atlanta, GA stop with friends, both IRL and internet. It is certainly going to be the highlight of my year so far! If you are going to be there, let me know! I know of a few people that I see in Atlanta several times per year, but if we've never met, I want to meet you! We will certainly be taking pictures and video during the event, but won't post the video until AFTER the tour is over as to save those of you who will be attending from spoilers. Though I might go ahead and post a recap and just shun all of those who don't want to be spoiled.

Just as a reminder, the TFiOS giveaway will be ending at midnight tonight, so get your final entries in today and I will be posting the winner Tuesday morning. Also, here's a list of our John Green Week posts in case you missed any of them over the past seven days:

TFiOS Giveaway
Paper Towns Review
Favorite John Green Quotes
TFiOS Chapter Preview Reaction
Let It Snow Review
Freak the Geek Review

Earlier this week, Penguin released the book trailer for The Fault in Our Stars and it is absolutely beautiful. Whoever did the editing is very good. And the music (Permafrost by Laurena Segura) leaves me breathless every time I hear it.

Can it just be January 10th already?! Is that too much to ask, world? *deep breath* We will most definitely be reading TFiOS as soon as we get our hands on it, so be sure to check back very shortly to hear what we thought about it. I'm expecting REALLY good things. Really good things indeed.

DFTBA!

Review: Freak the Geek by John Green

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 07:38:00 +0000

Freak the Geek by John Green (Geektastic)
Published by Little Brown
Date Published: August 1, 2009

First off, let me start out by saying being a geek is cool. It's awesome, even. And that is what the anthology Geektastic is all about. Many stories about how the geeks are the better species. I, for one, take pride in the fact that I am a geek.

In Freak the Geek, John Green's addition to this anthology, the main character Lauren and her BAOF (best and only friend) Kayley are caught up in a tradition where two chosen geeks get "freaked" which is basically just a random prank done to them. This year, they were the chosen ones. And it was time to be freaked.
This short story was fast paced (as every short story should be) and was defintely a funny thing to encounter this event in their lives. If it were me getting freaked, I wouldn't be too happy.

Lauren was pretty relatable to myself, as well because I am also a Doctor Who and former Pokemon fan and have read a fair share of Harry Potter fan fiction. As does anything written by John Green, it had plenty of humor packed into just 11 short pages. The characters argued about the differences between trolls and orcs and even ask the tough questions like "How can mermaids hook up with seamen if they have no legs to spread?" Things like that.

My favorite line has to be this one, being a huge LOTR fan myself:

(When arguing about elves/trolls being people) "I would say that trolls and elves are definitely people. Elves have to be people, because interspecies sex is gross, and there's nothing gross about Aragorn getting it on with Arwen in Lord of the Rings.""Is the kind of thing someone would say," Kayley scoffs, "if someone was basing their analysis on the movies, not the books. Doesn't happen in the books!""Wrong! I say. The burden of meekned has lifted. "They get married in the appendices! It's a total symbol for the restoration of Numenor! Pwned!"

Overall, I loved this short story and I realize I probably waxed a bit eloquent on something so short but it was worth it. Definitely read this story and be sure to pick up the whole anthology to read the rest of them.

Also, I would kind of love to read more of Lauren and Kayley. So John, if you are reading this, please write more about them. They could have their own book or something. Just an idea.

Review: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:26:00 +0000

Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
Published by Puffin
Date Published: September 11, 2008

A trusted book friend pointed to this on the shelf at some book store and said “this is really cute”. I read this now two Christmases ago and all I can say is that it put me IN THE BEST MOOD EVER and I was SO READY for Christmas. Seriously, I was all happy and stupid and smiling and for that I truly thank Maureen Johnson, John Green and Lauren Myracle.

Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks. Thanks to three of today's bestselling teen authors—John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle—the magic of the holidays shines on these hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and breathtaking kisses.

Okay, I admit it, I RARELY read anthologies. Why? Because the story changes with each author and I want to be invested for hours, not minutes. How is this different? BECAUSE THEY ALL BLEND TOGETHER INTO MAGIC. Or... something along those lines.

Let’s start with the first section, The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson. Prior to this I had never read any Maureen Johnson, but if you follow her on Twitter you know that she is filled with ridiculousness and hilarity and her section is no exception. I was snickering half a page in. I was laughing a page in. I was bursting out in loud, obnoxious laughter two pages in. And it just got better from there. Three words: The Flobie Five.
But there is more than just The Funny. There is The Cute, dominated by Stuart. Not like ‘oh, he’s kinda cute and sweet’ this more along the lines of Cricket Bell-Lochan Whitely-Sam Roth-Alex Fuentes-Adam Kent-W.W. Hale-Jacian Obregon-Jake Tolan* brand of amazing. (And if you don’t know who one of those boys are, you are MISSING OUT!) But I digress, in the end, this is 117 pages of pure magic.

John Green. If I say this was classic John Green, would that make sense? I’ve read all but one of his works (An Abundance of Katherines) and I can certainly say that his work has a very specific tone and feel to it and I can identify it no better than “that John Green-esque quality”. Two average boys drag their girl who-acts-like-one-of-the-boys friend off in the middle of the worst blizzard in the history of the world to get to a Waffle House where there are a bunch of stranded cheerleaders. Classic John Green. Every piece of dialog is so hilarious in that dry and witty way where jokes are basically amusing and obvious statements of the world. Classic John Green. And to top it all off, John Green mentions my FAVORITE book ever, The Book Thief. As if there couldn’t be more WIN.

Lastly, Lauren Myracle. I also admit that prior to this I had never read any Lauren Myracle and since then have still not read any Lauren Myracle, though I have met her! She’s very nice and lovely! Anyway, it is hard to follow up The Maureen Johnson and The John Green and I will note that her section takes on a serious, but light tonal quality. It has more of a YA-novel quality about it, but it is also home to the OBNOXIOUSLY perfect ending. Little to no exaggeration there.

I’ll admit that in paging through this book, I ended up re-reading long and large sections of it cause it is JUST that good and even though it is now after Christmas, I still recommend this as a fantastic read. Read it anytime and keep the warm, fuzzy and happy holiday spirit alive all year long.

*Key: (so you DON’T miss out!) Cricket - Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, Lochlan - Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma, Sam Roth - Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Alex Fuentes - Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, Adam - Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi, W.W. Hale - Heist Society by Ally Carter, Jacian - Cryer’s Cross, Jake - Saving June by Hannah Harrington.

JGW: TFiOS Preview Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

With less than one week left until we can all get our grubby little hands on a copy of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, I think it's safe to say we're all chomping at the bit to read it. Fortunately for us humans with internet (sorry for those who don't have it, but I have a feeling you aren't reading this so my apology is irrelevant), we have access to the first two chapters of John's elusive new book.

What? You didn't know this? Well, I'm not lying to you. It's true. And just in case you haven't read the first two chapters, I would recommend doing so before you read this post. If you would like to read it in its archaic text format, go here. If you prefer to have the smooth baritone of the one and only John Green narrate it for you, go here. *cues Jeopardy music*

All done? Good. Now you're ready to proceed. I'll just hand you on over to our resident reviewer Jennifer and let her share her reaction upon reading the chapter previews.

I have a particular fondness for including my reactions in reviews, etc. like a play-by-play. Why? Because it gives a timeline sense for exactly WHEN I felt/ thought something.

Small Disclaimer: Before reading these chapters, I knew this was a cancer book. That’s it. Nothing else about it.

So, here it goes:
1) Oh, John Green. There is something socially immoral about you making cancer this funny. I mean, I know it has been done before (mainly in movies) but still. Ah, well. You are John Green. You can and will get away with it.
2) Wait, WHAT?! A GIRL POV?! *faints over dead*
3) Though... this could be interesting... Mr. Green is always known for his pretty-average boys - how would that translate into the other gender?
4) Mr. Green, I am laughing at your snarky and bitterly morbid girl. I like her. Why haven’t you written more girls?
5) Ooh. A hot boy. Very contrary to the usually-feisty and very-unattainable girl.
6) Oh, here we go. Enter philosophical mentions /terms /debate and make me feel stupid as paint. Classic Green.
6) Mentions V for Vendetta. (One of my very favorite movies.) INSTA-WIN!

Last thought: “Goddamn, aren’t you something else.” Best line of dialog. EVER. Like *jawdrop* *fangirlish flailing of arms* *minor heart palpitations*

So, usually, I try not to get myself excited over book releases cause I hate getting all excited and then finding out I have to wait 2903432097230847 YEARS before it comes out. AND I try not to spoil myself on teasers, etc. because I don’t want to start reading something I can’t have.

However, since I was asked so nicely to read the first two chapters and give my reaction, I broke this aforementioned rule and I must say that I am actually VERY EXCITED now! I’ve read all but one of Mr. Green’s works and am excited and slightly terrified to how he will break my heart this time. I mean, the set up is all there. A cancered, snarky girl, a cute, cancered boy. There’s pending love and disaster in the air! Still, it might just have the potential to be my favorite Green novel yet...

So there you have it, one person's thoughts/ reactions to The Fault in Our Stars. Also, Penguin released the book trailer for The Fault in Our Stars yesterday and it is simply breathtaking!

I could literally watch that trailer all day. It's so beautiful and I love that they used the song Permafrost by Laurena Segura. She has such a beautifully soothing voice. This gets me even more excited for TFiOS! Four more days!

Keep Calm and DFTBA!

JGW: Favorite Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:54:00 +0000

We compiled a list of some of our all-time favorite John Green quotes and listed them below. Some of them are just written out because they're so long, but others, I decided to make photos to go with them (all of the pictures below were made by me).

If you have any favorite JG quotes that we missed, feel free to write them down in the comments.

Also, don't forget we are currently holding a giveaway for TFiOs, enter HERE!

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey West) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Paper Towns by John Green
Published by Dutton
Date Published: October 16th, 2008

I find it a difficult thing to sit down and write a review for a book like this. I feel like my words won't do it justice. That my expression of love isn't enough. That no matter how hard I try, I won't be able to describe jut how much I adored this book. John Green has made a name for himself in Contemporary YA and nothing I say can live up to this book, but I will try.

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night - dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows her. Margo's always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she's always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they're for Q. Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

Quentin "Q" Jacobsen is head-over-heels, unconditionally in love with his neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman. He has been since they were nine years old. But a lot has changed since they were nine. Margo is one of the most popular girls in school and Q hangs out with band geeks, Ben and "Radar". Yet he is still in love with her. He seemed to think everything in Margo's life was perfect until one night, just a few weeks shy of graduation, she showed up at his window, face covered in black paint, inviting him out for a night he wouldn't soon forget.

John Green can do no wrong. At least when it comes to writing books. He writes such great characters that they are not just names on a paper. They are people existing (at least in our psyche). They are as real as you imagine them to be. Three-dimensional characters with unique personalities and emotions. And it's not just the main characters that are great. Even the "sidekicks" are awesome. You have Quentin with his love for Margo and loyalty to his friends. Radar with his intelligence and utter embarrassment for his parents' Black Santa collection. Ben, the best friend all the way to the end. And Margo Roth Spiegelman (you are required to say her whole name): what a character. She is so complex and full of hidden layers. She's like a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a mystery. Though at times, she could be a bitch.

Having to write a book that followed Printz Award winning novel, Looking For Alaska, that lives up to its predecessor would be hard for anyone. Luckily, John Green is Shakespeare, Vonnegut, Twain, Whitman, and Thoreau all wrapped up in one. I may be one of the few to say this, but I actually think I liked Paper Towns better than I did Looking For Alaska and I LOVED LFA! So that's saying something. I can't say for sure though seeing as it's been a year since I last read LFA, so I am a little foggy on it. I need to reread it soon.

I loved the plot progression of Paper Towns! I was up for hours past when I should've gone to sleep because I just couldn't put it down. We are literally in the dark from the beginning like Quentin is and are forced to sit through his journey to find the truth behind Margo's vanishing act. I really liked all the foreshadowing that is set up in the first third of the book that kept subconsciously nagging you throughout the story as it went along. And I couldn't help but feel like a nerd when I got all of the Nerdfighter references that are still being used today by the Vlogbrothers themselves.

I was just in awe the entire time I was reading this. John Green is a mastermind.

Trailer Tuesday: Cinder, Partials, and Delirium

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 03:05:00 +0000

It's been a while since I did a book trailer post but there have been a few trailers posted in the last month or so that I just had to share them with you. Check them out below and let us know what you think of them. Also, be sure to pick up any of these books if they pique your interest.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Partials by Dan Wells

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

JGW: The Fault in Our Stars Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:16:00 +0000

As a way to launch into John Green Week this week, we thought it would be fun to give you the chance to win a finished copy of The Fault in Our Stars as a thank you for being a supporter of John Green.

But not only will it be a copy of TFiOS. It will be signed AND personalized to YOU since we'll be seeing him on the 15th in Atlanta during the Tour de Nerdfighting (!!!). And if you want John to write something special to you other than just your name, you can choose what he will write to you. I can't promise this will be allowed, but make sure you have your message ready in case you win!

Even better news, THIS GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL! So that means any of you nerdfighters, whether you live in England, India, Greece, the Philippines, or the US have the chance of winning this giveaway.

AND, as an added bonus, we are throwing in a copy of Looking for Alaska, also by John Green, which we can get signed and personalized to you as well.

If that doesn't sound awesome, then you are a crazy person (pardon my English).

As always, there are a few stipulations. To enter, you must be awesome and a nerdfighter. That is it. And if you have any doubts that you qualify, go look in the mirror. That person is awesome. YOU GO GLEN COCO! So feel free to hit up Rafflecopter below, give me a virtual high five, and enter away.

If there were a way for me to give you all a copy, I would, sadly I'm not made of money, so good luck and let the games begin!

This giveaway will end on January 10th, the official release day for TFiOS.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you guys have a great week celebrating John Green. He deserves ALL THE PRAISE!

Thanks for entering to win and DFTBA!

John Green Week Starts Tomorrow!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeremy West) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

We are just one day away from John Green Week. Haven't heard of it? Well, it's a full week devoted to ~~worshiping~~ celebrating John Green and his works. With I Eat Words hosting and so many other bloggers participating, it is bound to be a fun time for all.

Starting tomorrow, blogs from all around the country (literally) and probably the world (at least Canada) will be celebrating John Green Week and we decided to take part in it too! It starts tomorrow, the 3rd, and lasts until the 10th, being the much anticipated release day of The Fault in Our Stars and the (fan-made) holiday Alaska Young Day. A day that means a lot to John.

Throughout the week, we will have a giveaway, some reviews, possibly a video, and posts talking about the man himself, John Green, and we will end the week with a TFiOS Release Day Celebration (whatever that means). If you haven't yet heard of John Green, shame on you! After this week, you have no excuses. Read his books. He has defined contemporary YA in a way that no other contemporary YA author has to date.

If you'd like to participate in this week of celebration for John Green, I would say GO FOR IT! You don't have to post award-winning material. Just share how John Green's books have had an affect on your life. Talk about a favorite Vlogbrothers moment. Pretty much anything goes this week as long as JG is tied to it.

You could also join if:

You've never read a John Green book before and want to (I recommend you do).
Re-reading John Green books.
Reviewing John Green Books.
Talking about John Green however you want.
Discussion posts about John Green.

If you don't care to join us for John Green Week, I encourage you to check out these other awesome bloggers and vloggers that are participating!

Farrah and Britney - (I Eat Words)

Ginger - (GReads Books)

Anna - (Anna Reads Books)

Lindsi (Books, Sweets, and other Treats)

Melanie (Reclusive Bibliophile)

Tara (Fiction Folio)

Yani (The Secret Life of an Avid Reader)

Jamie (The Perpetual Page-Turner)

Liz (ElizzieBooks)

Heidi (YA Bibliophile)

Priscilla (The Readables)

Feel free to use and share my banner throughout the week if you would like. You don't have to credit me for making it, but if you do I will love you forever! Creepy much? Also, Ginger made a button if you would like to add it to your blog this week as well :)

I hope to see lots of posts about John Green this week all over Twitter and your blogs! It should be a fun week. What a perfect way to start off 2012 as well!