“I want to feel all there is to feel, he thought. Let me feel tired, now, let me feel tired. I mustn't forget, I'm alive, I know I'm alive, I mustn't forget it tonight or tomorrow or the day after that.”
-Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hazel is a 16 year old who has been plagued with terminal cancer for most of her life. Despite her mother's hovering care taking Hazel longs to have some sort of stability in life. Hazel's gloomy outlook has earned her forced attendance at a cancer support group. There she meets Augustus Waters and they develop a relationship. Hazel shares her favorite book, Imperial Affairs, with Augustus and they grow closer and closer as they pick it apart and share more time with each other. As Hazel's sickness gets worse, Augustus uses his wish from the Make a Wish Foundation to take the two to Amsterdam to meet the author. Once there the pair make startling discoveries about the author and themselves.
      This book is another amazing novel by John Green (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherine's, Paper Towns). It is incredibly well written and the characters are both interesting and relatable. This book literally had me bawling my eyes out and laughing simultaneously. This book would be best for high school aged students.This is a link to the book trailer for The Fault in Our Stars

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick, by Joe Shreiber

Despite sleeping in the same house, Perry and the homely exchange student, Gobi barely know each other, or so Perry thinks. Perry's parents insistence that he take Gobi to the prom sends him on a crazy adventure with a completely different person than he thought he knew. Perry experiences a tumultuous night of attempted murders, robberies, and intrigue on the night of prom as well as the night of his bands first major concert. As the night progresses Perry is forced to do things he never thought he was capable of.

      This is a wonderful adventure book that has endearing characters, action, humor, and intrigue. Perry's adventure is both captivating and interesting. His sense of humor provides the right amount of comic relief amidst the bullets flying and the blood spilling. This book is a bit violent and would probably be best for upper junior high students and high school students.
Link to the book trailer for Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

This is a great young adult book about a girl in high school who has recently been abandoned by her popular friend group. In her loneliness, and through the persistence of the schools guidance counselor, Chole is thrown into helping out the school's failing radio station. Although her interactions with the other students who run the station are initially unpleasant, as they work together to make the radio station successful they slowly but surely become friends and in some cases much more.
      I really enjoyed reading this book, Chloe, although a bit oblivious, is an engaging and fun character. The little romance in it is both sweet and exciting. Chloe's changing relationships with her classmates are both interesting and funny. This book would be best for middle school and high school students.
Introduction to Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by the author .