Book Bouncer Author Summary: John Green

John Green

John Green, age 37 (born 24 August 1977) is the talented author of The Fault In Our Stars, An Abundance of Katherines, Will Grayson, will grayson, Looking For Alaska, Paper Towns and Let It Snow. His debut novel, Looking For Alaska, won the 2006 Printz Award, and The Fault In Our Stars debuted at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller List in January 2012.

He has a wife, Sarah Urist Green, two children (Henry and Alice Green) and a brother, Hank Green, with whom he made VlogBrothers. Initially, the project had only meant to last from January 1, 2007 to 31 December of the same year, going by the name Brotherhood 2.0, but after the deadline, the project continued. The Green brothers' fanbase call themselves the Nerdfighters (which I am proudly part of).

Although his characters are memorable, he adds a certain level of maturity to the characters that make them seem ten years older than their actual age. This could only work if there was a really critical moment in the character's life that caused them to be like this. For example, Hazel Grace Lancaster - The Fault In Our Stars - had cancer, which made her how she is: cautious about everything she did, partially pessimistic and very practical. But you can't give maturity to characters who are seventeen and have a healthy future life with minor problems that can always be solved.

Aside from that trait, John Green has books which have romance and witty humor in them. So obviously, I recommend his books to those who like love stories and have a knack for romantic comedy. But, the common thing I've observed from all his books is that there are always consequences and two sides to the story.

Collaborations

Will Grayson, will grayson

David Levithan and John Green

In April 2010, Will Grayson, will grayson was published. John Green wrote all the odd chapters of Will Grayson, with everything correctly capitalized. David Levithan wrote all the even chapters of will grayson, which were completely in lower case.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances

                                          John Green                                                       Maureen Johnson                                                       Lauren Myracle

On October 2, 2008, Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances was published. The book was split into three stories, each one written by one of the three authors. Johnson wrote the first story: The Jubilee Express, Green: A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, and Myracle: The Patron Saint of Pigs. The stories intertwine with one another to make one overall story.

Achievements

John Green was nominated for the Michael L.Printz Award for An Abundance of Katherines, while winning the same award for Looking For Alaska. He won the Edgar Allan Poe Award and Corine Literature Award for Paper Towns, and at the Children's Choice Book Awards, won Teen Book Of the Year for The Fault In Our Stars. As an author, he won the Visionary Award in 2014, the Innovator's Award in 2013, and the National Author Award in 2012.

Let's Leave A Mark Behind...

John Green is an amazing writer, always making his characters want to matter in the world. They want to do something that will leave a memory of them - a mark - behind, and this in turn reflects on the type of person John Green is and what his morals, values and beliefs are. Putting his thoughts on paper and having them shown through characters; and publishing what eventually becomes a popular, brilliant book, is how John Green left his mark.

He is included in the list of the top 100 most influential people in the world.

Quote Of The Week #5

"What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction, The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again."

- Katniss Everdeen, 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins 

Book Bouncer Review: 'Looking For Alaska' by John Green

'Looking For Alaska' by John Green

What could be the consequences of befriending Alaska Young? Alaska Young, who was beautiful, with green eyes and a daredevil side. Alaska Young, who loved books as much as she loved drinking and smoking. Alaska Young, who was spontaneous, open but still so reserved and mysterious.

What could be the consequences of developing feelings for someone that was so close, but still out of your reach? That someone was Alaska Young, the girl who taught Miles Halter the true value of life and love.

I didn't enjoy reading Looking For Alaska. John Green has a great skill in writing books that make you question even the questions regarding life. But the only question that I had stuck in my mind was: "What have I just read?"

I don't know where to begin with all the problems I had with this book. I'll just start with what I liked about the book. As usual, with every John Green book I have read, there was the witty humor that was always entertaining. And then there was Miles, who's in-depth point of view really got to me, and made some sense in this book.

Now what I didn't like: Alaska Young. She acted double her age, and she kept feelings bottled in. I understand protagonists are usually caught up in internal and external conflicts, but Alaska seemed to be too consumed in herself in the first half of the book.

The second half was a total let down. The reasons behind what she did might have been crucial for the whole plot of the story to work out, but her decisions were rash and careless. For some of her choices, she took the easy way out to avoid what could have happened. It aggravated me.

If you choose something, acknowledge the advantages and disadvantages, and try to picture the path you'll have to walk on to get through the consequences. There are never any shortcuts; there are dirt roads and detours which seem like too-good-to-be-true solutions. It's either go the whole way or back out before it's too late.

Unfortunately, Alaska mistook a hazardous detour in the route for a shortcut. That just messed up the book for me, which was poignant because I was hoping Looking For Alaska would be a good read.

There is swearing in this book, so readers under thirteen should not read Looking For Alaska. Also, this book does have some intense scenes which do require a higher level of thinking and comprehending.

While I do admit that this book didn't exceed or even meet my expectations, it is a book that does pose for good discussion questions and give an outline of the results that come out of making decisions that are either well-thought out or quick and hasty.

Quote Of The Week #4

"I want people like me to know that they are not alone. And I want everyone else to know that I'm a natural human variant. I want to take off the mask, but not until I change the world to make it a safer place for me."

- 'Confessions Of A Sociopath' by M. E. Thomas, pg 302 

RECENT RELEASE - 'Fairest' by Marissa Meyer: 27/01/2015

RECENT RELEASE - 'Fairest' by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis: 'In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.'

- Goodreads

Published: 27/01/2015

Author: Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Goodreads Rating: 3,84/5

                 

                        Cinder (Book 1)               Scarlet (Book 2)                Cress (Book 3)
                               4,12/5                                4,31/5                                4,48/5

Upcoming: The Epic Finale to The Lunar Chronicles - 'WINTER'!!! Release Date: 10/11/2015

 COVER COMING OUT SOON

Goodreads Rating: 4,46/5

Book Bouncer Review: 'Will Grayson, will grayson' by John Green and David Levithan

'Will Grayson, will grayson' by John Green and David Levithan

Meeting in a very peculiar way, two boys by the name of Will Grayson cross paths outside a store, and enter each other's lives. Who knew both could have such an impact on the other?

This was a collaboration between David Levithan and John Green. This was also the first book by David Levithan that I had ever read. It was unusual to read the chapters which he had written, because I was so used to John Green's work at the time that I was surfing through all the books he had written. There were noticeable differences between the two authors' writings to differentiate the one Will Grayson from the other.

For one, John Green wrote all the odd chapters on Will Grayson, whose story was written with capitalization. David Levithan, on the other hand, wrote the even chapters, and his character was lower case will grayson. Will Grayson was straight, and will grayson was not. I liked Will Grayson more than I liked Levithan's will grayson. The was due to the fact that his circumstances were not as easy to comprehend with, seeing as he was suffering from the crucial period he was going through. And John Green's Will Grayson also didn't quite cut it out for me. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson was a unique read that I have mixed feelings for. While there was slight humor and well-written characters, I can't quite pinpoint the highlights of this book. There were mild jokes and romance, but nothing extreme that could make me recall this book as amazing. This book did not prove to be as extraordinary as I was hoping it to be.

John Green, as always, had created quite a character that was intelligent and - in my eyes - a bit too mature for his age. And David Levithan's will grayson seemed to appear too emotional and depressed.

I do not recommend this book to: people who are under the age of thirteen, and those who have a problem against homosexuals and same sex romance.

Quote Of The Week #3

"If you push through that feeling of being scared, that feeling of taking risk, really amazing things can happen."

- Marissa Meyer, author of The Lunar Chronicles