Teen Beat Thursday: Erika

Teen Beat Thursday continues with Erika, an 18 year old from Florida. WAIT A MINUTE!! Today is Erika’s birthday and she is 19!!! Here is a bit about this young dynamo:

• College student, studying criminal justice and hopes to be a private investigator
• Played soccer in high school and now on a club team
• Her favorite things to do are: read, go to the beach, fish, listen to music
• Last Book read: Looking for Alaska by John Green
• Last movie watched in the theaters: Into The Storm
• Favorite Restaurant: Salvo’s Seafood in Louisiana
• Favorite place to shop: Changes from time to time but currently, Cotton On because they have really good deals right now
• Favorite music: depends on mood, but mainly Country

Erika chose to review Looking for Alaska, by John Green, a book she picked up after having read his book The Fault in our Stars. Here is her review in her own words:

Summary (from Amazon):

Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award An ALA Best Book for Young Adults An ALA Quick Pick A Los Angeles Times 2005 Book Prize Finalist A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age A 2005 Booklist Editor’s Choice A 2005 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole life has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave “the Great Perhaps” even more (Francois Rabelais, poet). He heads off to the sometimes crazy and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young. She is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart. Then. . . . After. Nothing is ever the same.

What I liked:

I liked how the book itself was written. It’s about a boy who didn’t know anything about friendship, love, loyalty, and how to break the rules. All of which changed when he fell in love with a girl named Alaska when he moved away to boarding school. Its also about not knowing what could happen at anytime and that the inevitable is bound to happen at any given moment. This book to me just made me realize about growing up and finding love and friendships with others that you never thought would be there. I also like how this book took an unexpected turned, but I also disliked that turn at the same time. Any great novel has to have some type of unexpected twist to make you want to read more. But once I finished this book by John Green I decided to go out and read some of his other novels, and I haven’t been disappointed by any of his books so far.

What I disliked (SPOILER ALERT):

There’s nothing I really disliked with this book. I guess the part that I didn’t like the most was that Alaska died once Miles kissed her and decided that he was going to tell her he loved her. I did want Alaska and Miles to be together and that’s why this part of the book would be something I disliked. But at the same time, I understand that this plot twist was needed for the book. And like I said, I didn’t really dislike these parts, I just didn’t expect these sorts of things to happen. My heart was broken when Alaska died and how Miles and Chip took the news. This book builds you up into thinking one thing will happen, and then breaks you down when something you didn’t even think was bound to happen, happens.

Rating:

Out of 5 stars I would probably give it 4.5/5 just because he did a surprising plot twist but without the death of Alaska I don’t think the book would have been as good if it was a happily ever after. This plot twist did break my heart but it also goes to show that you shouldn’t leave anything unsaid because you never know what’s going to happen.