This week's YA Highway Road Trip Wednesday asks what the best book we read in February is.
I finally read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. (Thanks to twitter for encouraging me to do so). Of course, I loved it. By turns funny and moving, it calls up the tropes of cancer books, lambasting some and fulfilling others. The main character is so very real, her voice is excellent. I laughed, and cried.
(I also read Pivot Point by Kasie West and loved it.)
I am now reading everything there is to read by John Green, marvelling at how real his voices are and trying desperately to improve my writing so I can be half as good.
Any recs for me? What did you read in Feb?
While I have some issues with John Green's books (see reviews on my blog and on Goodreads), I do think he is one of the best YA writers alive today. Anyone wanting to write YA--especially contemporary YA--needs to read him. Few writers capture YA voice as well.
ReplyDeleteTFIOS was such a good book! It's the only book I can recall that has actually made me cry. He somehow manages to make a book featuring characters with cancer be both funny and heartwarming. There's a really good reason that people have been raving about this one, as I'm sure you now know.
ReplyDeletePIVOT POINT is sitting on my dining room table and I can't wait to dive in! :)
The only John Green book I've read is Looking for Alaska, which is still one of the best books I've read, even though I read it for the first time about years ago. I really need to read more of his stuff!
ReplyDeleteColin - agreed his YA voice is awesome, I think.
ReplyDeleteJaime - absolutely, was funny and heartwarming! Good way to put it. And eeee read Pivot Point, it's awesome! Then let me know what you thought ;)
Laura - 'Alaska' is on my list ;)
Love TFIOS. I'd highly recommend LOOKING FOR ALASKA and WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by him.
ReplyDeleteAnother YA contemp I always recommend is THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson. Not much like Green in style, but her voice is also knock out. And the emotional content? Perfect.
Haven't read Green.
ReplyDeleteI read a review copy for Ciara Knight's upcoming book - it was great!
Oh John Green. There's nothing like his books!! I need to read more of him that's for sure! :-)
ReplyDeleteMy pick: http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.com/2013/02/road-trip-wednesday-favorite-read-of.html
I really need to get around to reading THE FAULT IN OUR STARS already. I avoided it because of the subject matter, but I've heard way to many good things about it. Nice to hear you loved PIVOT POINT because that one is on my TBR list too.
ReplyDeleteI'm still loving Amy Reed...I've read her three books and plan to buy anything she writes...
ReplyDeleteI still have not read this, I really must as I love all his other books. I just finsihed Where'd You Go Bernadette which is lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteI read PAPER VALENTINE by Brenna Yovanoff - if you missed my review on The Writer Diaries, it was definitely a good one :)
ReplyDeleteAlso if you never read The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, it's an absolute must.
Daisy - thanks for the recs, will def. check out Jandy and Alaska (just finished WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON and did love that too!)
ReplyDeleteAlex - Ciara Knight? Will add to my TBR! :)
Valia - really enjoyed his books so far!
Erin - def. rec pivot point and while Fault is upsetting, it was v. v. v. good.
Sharon - will check out Amy, thanks! :)
Alexa - will check out Where'd You Go Bernadette. I haven't heard of it!
J.A. Ward - thanks for the recs!