Audiobook Review: Paper Towns by John Green

Publisher:  Dutton Juvenile/Brilliance Audio

Publication Date: October 16th, 2008

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.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This is one of my favorite John Green books.  I read it a few years ago, and I thought it was really great.  The characters were multi-dimensional and had a lot of depth.  By the end of the book, I felt like I was a part of their group- like I knew them.  Of course, that is how I always feel after reading anything by John Green.  He is a master at capturing the human spirit and translating it to the page, and I haven't come across anyone who does it as well.  As for the story, it's got John Green all over it.  Love, adventure, hilarity, and the plight of the any-teenager...

I recently read the audio of John Green's latest book, The Fault in Our Stars, and enjoyed it immensely.  It made me want to go and listen to the audio versions of all of his books, so here I am...  Because John's books are so human and dialogue heavy, they make for great audiobooks if read by the right voice.  My first of his audios was Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  I was blown away.  I liked the book, I LOVED the audio.  The same was true with Paper Towns.  What was a great coming-of-age story, became an epic tale of friendship and devotion.  As with many audiobooks, listening to someone else read it just brings it to life in a way that reading it silently to yourself can't.  The narrator, Dan John Miller, does that beautifully in this case.  Paper Towns became a new book for me.  Q was that much more real, and Ben and Radar became even more beloved than they already were. Q's complicated feelings for Margo became almost tangible, and I understood more about her.  I really didn't care much for her when I read the book, but she grew on me to the point of mild affection while listening to the audio.  The ending was still the ending, and although I expected this time around, I still felt that same sense of satisfaction.  If you've read and loved this book like I did, you should definitely give the audio a go.  You won't be sorry that you did!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Grade Level Recommendation:  I think the bulk of John Green's books are HS and up because they ARE high school.  This one had some teen drinking, language, and some talk of sex, as well as some dumb, and sometimes dangerous pranks, but in the end, it isn't the content that makes me put it at 9th grade and up (ages 14+), it's the fact that no MS age kid would ever GET it.

Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Publisher: Graphia

Publication Date: January 17th, 2011

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life.

Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go.

But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Get out the tissues, because even though you know from the beginning that this book is going to end with the death of the protagonist, it still hits you like a ton of bricks when it happens.  This book is so beautifully written and with such depth that, as the reader, you form intense bonds with the characters.  It will feel like a punch in the gut when Austin dies; you will relate to Kaylee, because you will feel like you lost a good friend.  This book is a difficult read because it makes you face your own mortality, but it is also a very uplifting and inspiring read because it makes you think about the people in your own life- relationships, burned bridges, things that you would not want to go unsaid if something were to happen to you tomorrow.  It gave me a lot of hope as I followed Austin in his quest to make right the wrongs in his life, to try to get through to people that needed a wake-up call, to experience at least a few of the things he wanted to experience before he died.  I found myself wondering if I would want to know if I had only a short time to live, or if I would want death to come instantly.  Is the suffering that a slow death, like that of a cancer patient, worth being able to tie up those loose ends?  I still don't know, but it makes me grateful for the time I have and eager to make sure the people in my life know that I love them.  This book is powerful in that thought-provoking way, but it is more...

Megan Bostic does a fantastic job with the character development in this book.  As I mentioned before, I bonded with Austin and Kaylee.  They became more than characters in a book to me.  The supporting characters were also very well well rendered; Austin's mother made my heart break, his grandmother, his peers; everyone in the story, no matter how small their role, contributed to the emotional roller-coaster ride.  I really love the idea of this story and the way in which it was told.  I'm an adult, and a parent, so I have a different perspective than this book's "target" audience might, but I really feel like Megan did a great job getting her message to younger readers.  Yes, there is some content that some readers would find objectionable; a lot of older reviewers like myself- parents, teachers, librarians- took issue with some of the issues that are touched on in this book (language, teen drinking, abuse, homosexuality, rape, drug use, and sex), and it's recommended age of 12+, but I don't at all.  Twelve year-olds are well aware of all of the above; they all use the language (don't even TRY to tell me that YOUR perfect angel doesn't), they know much more about sex and sexuality than we give them credit for, and are well aware that many teens drink and use drugs.  This story wouldn't be so real and credible if it were cleaned up, and quite frankly, it's really not about any of those things at all, but about Austin's journey.  It's not supposed to be a pretty or easy read, but one that is supposed to stay with you, and I really think it will.  I read this in June, and I'm writing this review in December, and it's still very fresh.  I have a feeling that it always will be.  Thank you NetGalley and HMH Children's/Graphia for the opportunity to review this wonderful novel!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  As I mentioned before, there is some mature content, but I feel the "recommended" age of 12+ is accurate.  I think that it would actually behoove many indestructible 12 year-olds to read this book.  Normally, I would say that a book with themes like these would be more appropriate for HS students because I would be afraid a less mature student would be able to wrap the heads around them, but Austin's voice is such that I think a 7th or 8th grader would be fine.  Grades 7 and up.

*Don't forget to register for my 25 Days of Jubilation Giveaway!  Three lucky entrants will win their choice of one book off of my Top 25 YA Books of 2011!  Click HERE!*

Before the Blog (4): Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

Some of you already know this, but I've started a weekly meme called "Before the Blog". In short, it's a place to review books you read and loved before you began blogging about them. Basically, you choose a book each week, then answer the following three questions,and post your review.   Then you can add your post to the little Mr. Linky widget below, and voila!


Why did you choose this book? 
When did you read this book?
Who would you recommend this book to?

For more info, see my 1st BtB post by clicking this LINK.  The book I chose this week is hilarious and one I wish was around when I was in high school.

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: September 29th, 2009

Why did you choose this book?  I loved it so much.  It's a quick read, perfect for a rainy day when you need a few good laughs.  It's light and heartwarming.  A favorite of mine.

When did you read this book?  October, 2010

Who would you recommend this book to?  Teens who are having trouble embracing who they are.  Older YA readers who remember all too well the pains of high school, no matter what their social status was.  Anyone who wants to laugh.

It’s Jessie’s sophomore year of high school. A self-professed “mathelete,” she isn’t sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime has shaved his mohawk and started dating . . . the prom princess!) . . .

Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high-school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way—the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?      

If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I originally chose Into the Wild Nerd Yonder because I was drawn to the cover.  I was previewing books for the YA section at my daughter's school book fair and I thought that between the title and the cover art, this could be hot seller for girls.  I'm so glad that I decided to read it because although I decided it was inappropriate for 6th graders, I found a new favorite and an author who I will read forever (other books include Get Well Soon and the newly released Don't Stop Now).

Julie Halpern is so witty and spot-on when in comes to life inside the walls of the average high school.  She nailed it when describing the social hierarchies and fickle moods of the average teenager.  I laughed so many times remember back to my high school years.  This is a great coming of age story as well.  I wish I would have been able to embrace my nerdom and wear it as proudly as the nerds in this book did (I was a total closet nerd- you know, the kind that acts dumber than she is so she's not classified as a nerd).  I loved the ending and well, everything about this book!  If you like a few good laughs and a great story, read this!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  A friend of the protagonist gets an STD and it's not just mentioned in passing.  There's a good bit of language and a lot of very high school situations.  I would say this is a high school book.  Ages 14+ (9th grade+).