Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobson (Q to his friends) has lived next to the beautiful, energetic, and mysterious Margo Roth-Speigelman all his life.  When the were children they were best friends until junior high when they drifted apart (Margo is a cool kid and Q, tragically, is not).  So Q is very surprised when Margo shows up at midnight at his bedroom window dressed in all black with her face blacked out.   That night they embark on an 11 step night of revenge.  The next Margo ends up missing.  Her disappearing is not unusual, but the clues she left for Q to follow are.   Q takes it upon himself to follow Margo on her journey, but what he discovers along away may not be what he hoped to find.

John Green has proven himself an excellent writer.  His fiction is funny, smart, and observant.  However, if he writes one more novel about a obssessed boy and uniquely damaged girl that is a mystery to be figured out, I will scream.  Paper Towns could have been more aptly titled Looking for Alaska 3.  It could be that most people don’t care if he writes the same book over and over (I mean I love CSI but it is the same episode with differently named charactors every time and I don’t mind that).

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Peter Sollet

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist was just as much fun as the book!  Nick, having recently been dumped by Tris, is having a terrible day until Norah comes along to remind him there are other fish in the sea (slightly different than book).  After being thrust together in situation after situation they realize they are better for each other than either of them can hope to find on their own.

Putting faces to the characters was fairly well done (I’ve heard complaints about Michael Cera as Nick, but I thought he was great).  It was great to see the gay band that Nick plays in and to see who they picked for Norah.

After everything the movie was good, a far cry from classic status like The Breakfast Club but still descent.  Definitely a date movie!

Love and Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

When Murphy chose New York City, she left her first love behind. Now, a summer in Bridgewater means trading subway trains for pickup trucks and facing the boy she turned her back on.

Leeda expects her trip home to be over faster than her new Manhattan boyfriend can hail a cab—until a surprising inheritance saddles her with a huge responsibility.

Birdie’s heart led her all the way to Mexico, and heartbreak brings her back to the orchard. But when the Darlington family decides to leave peach trees for palm trees, Birdie gets a crash course in letting go—and learning when to hold on.

Together for another juicy summer, carefree Murphy, perfect Leeda, and big-hearted Birdie return to the place that allowed them to bloom. Brimming with all the charm, humor, and heart of Peaches and The Secrets of Peaches, this satisfying conclusion to the series reunites three unlikely best friends for a final sweet farewell.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

 

Tally’s teeth are filed, her nails hard as diamonds, and her mind sharp as a razor. She is Special. With the Smoke destroyed the runaways are still leaving the city but where are they going? Shay and her new team of Specials are going to find out. What they discover is much bigger than them; it could mean change for the entire world. This is the shocking finale to Westerfeld’s Uglies trilogy. All questions will be answered and they won’t be what you think!

 

Scott Westerfeld has written several books for young adults. He lives in Australia and New York City in attempts to avoid the winter. He has “ghost written” for authors in the past, he could tell you who “but then he’d have to kill you”.

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Tally knows what happens when you become pretty. She knows the city’s dark secret. She knows the truth. Then why is Tally living it up, pretty and oblivious? Tally finds herself in New Pretty Town going to parties and being well received because of her outlaw reputation. She even finds a boyfriend, Zane, and in there efforts to be more “bubbly” they figure out what there pretty minds may hold. Then Tally is visited by faces from her past and the war for the minds of the people is just beginning.

 

Scott Westerfeld has written several books for young adults. He lives in Australia and New York City in attempts to avoid the winter. He has “ghost written” for authors in the past, he could tell you who “but then he’d have to kill you”.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Tally Youngblood is going to turn sixteen and all her ugly little problems will go away. Her ugly face, gone. Her ugly body, gone. Her ugly mind, gone especially. When Tally turns sixteen she will be able to get the operation to correct every physical flaw she has. When her best friend turns sixteen and moves to New Pretty Town she figures her life is over until she becomes pretty. That is when she meets Shay who is drastically different than anyone Tally ever met. For starters she doesn’t want to become pretty which the girls will soon find out isn’t really a choice. Follow Tally on this amazing rollercoaster of a novel. This novel is great for anyone in middle school and up. This is the first in a trilogy.

 

Scott Westerfeld has written several books for young adults. He lives in Australia and New York City in attempts to avoid the winter. He has “ghost written” for authors in the past, he could tell you who “but then he’d have to kill you”.