Paper Towns by John Green

Quentin Jacobsen has always loved Margo Roth Spiegelman, for Margo (and her adventures) are the stuff of legend at their high school. So when she one day climbs through his window and summons him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next day Margo doesn't come to school and a week later she is still missing. Q soon learns that there are clues in her disappearance . . . and they are for him. But as he gets deeper into the mystery - culminating in another awesome road trip across America - he becomes less sure of who and what he is looking for.

I read this with my buddy reader pal Kath. We’ve read a few together now and this was our second John Green novel, the first being Looking For Alaska. 

We both enjoyed this one, and we kept on chatting throughout about what was happening. We both agreed on the ending being not what we expected, and a little disappointing. But overall we enjoyed the story. It gave me ‘Looking For Alaska’ vibes, the kids running around, sneaking away from the grown ups and doing random stuff they shouldn’t have been doing.

I like Q, and I liked his friends. Margo was a bit hit and miss for me, sometimes I liked her, sometimes I didn’t. 

If you like John Greens books I’d recommend it. 

Looking For Alaska by John Green

 

In the dark beside me, she smelled of sweat and sunshine and vanilla and on that thin-mooned night I could see little more than her silhouette, but even in the dark, I could see her eyes - fierce emeralds. And not just beautiful, but hot too.

BEFORE. Miles Halter's whole life has been one big non-event until he starts at anything-but-boring Culver Creek Boarding School and meets Alaska Young. Gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, screwed up and utterly fascinating she pulls Miles into her world, launches him into a new life, and steals his heart. But when tragedy strikes, and Miles comes face-to-face with death he discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.

AFTER: Nothing will ever be the same.

Poignant, funny, heartbreaking and compelling, this novel will stay with you forever.

I read this as a buddy read with my fab pal Kath. I’d only ever read one of John Green’s books, The Fault in Our Stars , and I loved it, so was looking forward to reading this one. 

I really enjoyed it. I think the thingI liked the most was the way the kids spent their free time. It was just like I imagined a boarding school to be like. They hung out, snuck around with buried alcohol (yes, you heard that right lol), smoked cigarettes secret out of the windows or down at the smoking hole. It was just proper friend time and bonding. 

I loved The Colonel, he was my favourite character. A cheeky chap, with witty come backs, and I think he would just be a cool person to hang out with. I did like the main characters Alaska and Miles, and there were times I felt so bad for them both. And yes I cried a bit too.

Looking forward to reading more of John Greens books! Thanks to Kath for reading alongside me :)