Review: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan

Publisher: 2010 Dutton Children's

Pages: 304

Series: N/A

"One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical."

Okay, first off, I LOVE LOVE LOVE both John Green and David Levithan. I have read novels by both authors and thought they were fabulous. So obviously I had extremely high hopes for this novel. Just the other day I thought to myself "Shawnee, you have put off reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson long enough. Now go read it". And let me tell you, I am so glad that I did. 

Will Grayson is just your average teenage boy, well so is the other Will Grayson. You think at times having both main charachters be named Will Grayson would get confusing but John Green & David Levithan compose the story in such a way that it is not. I want to give a shout out for them distinguishing  the two Will Grayson's chapters. One W.G. is written all in lower-case with the text being provided in an almost IM kind of way. It is a little hard to get used to at first but after the first few chapters, I was glad that there was a way to distinguish. 

Now the first Will Grayson obviously has a chip on his shoulder. He has two rules 1) Don't care too much 2) Shut up. He has intimacy issues, he sometimes doesn't like his best friend since supporting him (publicly) being a gay football player has resulted in him being ostracized from his group of friends, and he doesnt seem to want to follow the path his parents have laid out for him. Until he meets the other Will Grayson. 

Will Grayson (the other one) is a slightly depressed recluse. He only has three friends, two mathletes and one girl who he can barely call a 'friend'. The best part of his day is talking to his online boyfriend Isaac, whom he has never met in person. The day he meets the other Will Grayson was the day he was supposed to meet Isaac, something that never actually panned out. 

A bunch of other stuff happens like the first Will Grayson starts to fall for his friend Jane but is too wimpy to do anyting about if for half of the book and the second Will Grayson has a relationship with the first Will Grayson's best friend, Tiny. Who is not Tiny in body mass or personality. 

What sends this book over the edge is the humor. I was laughing the entire time! Just some of the situations they get into and some of the things they have said are absolutely HILARIOUS. Do you want to read some of the hilarity? I know you do.

“I am constantly torn between killing myself and killing everyone around me.”  

“i will admit there's a certain degree of giving a fuck that goes into not giving a fuck."

“I have to tell you man, that my stalker meter is kind of registering in the red zone right now.”  

“Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large.”

“rolf! what? are you really rolling on the floor laughing? well, please stay down there for a sec while I KICK YOUR ASS.” 

""I think he'll be all sweaty because, let's face it, most fat people get sweaty just from lifting the Twinkie to their mouth""

 See? Funny! There's so much more, but some of it wouldn't make sense out of context. So you are welcome for no spoilers and not letting you get confused. :) Seriously though, I can not even put into words how funny this book really is. Its worth the read, just for the humor. 

In the end this is another great novel from John Green and David Levithan. You will be laughing, you will see the beauty, and you will not want to put it down. So go pick up Will Grayson, Will Grayson RIGHT NOW. I mean it. RIGHT NOW! :)

-Shawnee Smith

The World Cup Is Starting!

Happy World Cup day everyone!!!

If your not a fan of football (Soccer in the U.S.), than you are going to be incredibly bored over the next month. But if you are like me, a football junkie, you will think you have died and gone to Heaven. 

In honor of the beginning of the World Cup, I have put together a list of books that feature 'soccer' playing in the story. So check out one of these books and catch the football fever! 

Keeper by Mal Peet

"When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. "

Now Is The Time for Running by Michael Williams

"Just down the road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other . . . until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for the distant promise of safe haven. Along the way, they face the prejudice and poverty that await refugees everywhere, and must rely on the kindness of people they meet to make it through. But when tragedy strikes, Deo's love of soccer is all he has left. Can he use that gift to find hope once more?"

The Penalty by Mal Peet

"As the city of San Juan pulses to summer’s sluggish beat, its teenage soccer prodigy, El Brujito, the Little Magician, vanishes without a trace — right after he misses a penalty kick and loses a big game for his team. Sports reporter Paul Faustino is reluctantly drawn into the mystery of the athlete’s disappearance, and as a story of corruption and murder unfolds, must confront the bitter history of slavery and the power of the occult. "

Forward Pass by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

"Podium Sports Academy's star goalkeeper wants nothing more than to play on Canada's National Team. Parmita works hard at school and on the pitch, so if it seems like she's avoiding boys, she hopes everyone will think it's because she wants to be the best, and not because she's secretly attracted to girls.

The team's new assistant coach may actually have the pull to get Parmita a National Team tryout, but Parmita is uncomfortable with her coach's constant flirting and accidentally-on-purpose touching. After the coach guesses her secret about her sexuality and corners her in the locker room, Parmita has to decide how far she'll go to get a tryout."

Goal!: The Dream Begins by Robert Rigby

"While growing up on the tough streets of Los Angeles, Santiago's greatest joy is playing soccer. So it is a dream come true when a British scout sees him playing in the park and offers him a trial with one of England's top Premiership clubs. Determined to succeed, Santiago leaves behind his struggling family and his modest home, and flies halfway around the world to give it his best shot.

But it's not smooth sailing when Santiago arrives in northern England. Team practices are intense, and in this place where people live and breathe the sport, many seem eager to find fault with the new Latino player from L.A. The pressure even spurs Santiago to keep a secret that could sabotage his performance. There is no doubt that Santiago has skill, flair, and dedication. But does he have the stamina he will need for the English game?"

-Shawnee Smith

Review: Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: 2013 Simon & Schuester

Pages: 356

Series: Internment Chronicles #1

"On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose."

I first read this novel solely because it was written by Lauren DeStefano who also penned the Chemical Garden Trilogy, which I LOVED. DeStefano is able to create such imaginative worlds that burst out of the pages where they live. Every book she writes is absolutely amazing and Perfect Ruin is no exception. Everything in this book was thought out. The plot, the characters, the cliff hanger. It was all amazing! I ripped through this book in no time at all, that's how good it was. 

Internment is a small floating island in the sky. Because of that, no one knows what is below them on the ground, it is actually illegal to try to find out. Because of the limited space, there are rules and regulations that every citizen must follow. Each person is matched with someone when they are born that will become their spouse when they reach a certain age. This aspect makes me think of the Matched Series by Ally Condie. Except on Internment, everyone knows who they are going to marry from a very early age. Also because of the limited space only a certain amount of people are allowed to live. That means that every female has to wait their turn to have a child. When an elderly person dies, a woman is allowed to get pregnant. Not any other time. This of course causes problems if a woman accidentally gets pregnant, like what happens with Morgan's sister-in-law. Since Internment is covered in restrictions it is no wonder people are going to attempt to leave. Those that try jumping are always pushed back onto land and suffer some form of disability such as blindness. 

The story starts when a young girl is murdered. No one knows what to think of it, especially Morgan. When she meets the boy who is the prime suspect, she believes that he is innocent. This bring ups a whole new question as to who murdered the girl. As Morgan attempts to understand the world she lives on, others are attempting to stop her. At one point she even gets kidnapped by the Prince and Princess. And let me tell you, they are a little messed up in the head. But Morgan is of course a strong girl who will do anything to protect those she loves including her brother and his wife, her best friend, and Basil, her betrothed. 

Though I stated in my review of Matched by Ally Condie, matching up two people to get married is the ultimate form of control and rather sick, I don't think that applies in this book. What I see between Basil and Morgan really is love, despite all else. Even though they have been told that they are meant for each other since they were little, they still actually chose to fall in love with each other. I don't doubt that there will be problems with them in the next book, Morgan will probably start falling for someone else. But I have faith that these two really are meant for each other. 

Okay I want to talk about the ending now. SPOILER ALERT. At the end of the novel, a group of insurgents including Morgan, her brother and his wife, her best friend, and Basil, all get in a ship that was constructed to take them to the ground. Ultimately they succeed and land. The very end is Morgan about to leave the ship. The huge questions are: What is outside the ship? How is everything going to play out? Are they ever going to go back to Internment? I need the sequel now! 

Overall, I thought this was an amazing book! There is absolutely nothing I have to criticism. It was well thought out, interesting, and original! I can't wait for the second installment to his shelves! In the mean time I will bug all of you to go and read Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano!

-Shawnee Smith

What I'm Reading Right Now

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

What It's About: "Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away..."

What I Think So Far: So far it's a little different. I'm only on the second or third chapter so there are somethings that haven't been revealed to me yet. If I am guessing right, she has already encountered Po  on a mission and we have been revealed how she found out what her Grace was. That's about it so far. I will keep reading to see how the story plays out. I am intrigued. 

-Shawnee Smith

Book to Movie. Rad or Bad? The Fault In Our Stars Edition.

The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars is based on the hugely successful novel by John Green. "Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group." You can check out my review of the book here.

CHARACTERS

Hazel Grace Lancaster


Shailene Woodly is slowly becoming one of my favorite actresses for portraying characters from books. She has done Aimee Finicky (The Spectacular Now), Tris Prior (Divergent), and now Hazel Grace Lancaster, a great deed in creating these characters on the big screen. Hazel was everything I wanted her to be. Snarky, sarcastic, mature yet slightly adolescent, and a bit dark. It was perfect.



Augustus Waters
I really enjoy watching Ansel Elgort act, I really do. I think he is an amazing actor. His portrayal of Augustus had enough maturity mixed with enough adolescent joy that he was easy to see why Hazel falls in love with him. Some of the time he was just awkward which was a nice thing to see. Many "teenage heart throbs" are always hot and smart all the time but it was good to see a romantic lead act a little awkward at times. And oh my gosh, look out for the gas station scene. It broke my heart. Props to Elgort.

Isaac



Honestly, I freaking love Nat Wolff. He was a lot of the humor in the movie, but it wasn't dry humor. In my opinion, it is harder to play a comedic role than it is to play a dramatic one and Wolff NAILED IT! His portrayal of Isaac was so incredibly perfect. All of his one liners, and sarcasm really made the movie hilarious.




Peter Van Houten 
 
Honestly, I was a pleasantly surprised by Van Houten in the movie. He was not exactly what I was expecting, but still lived up to what I wanted him to be. If that makes any sense. He was a douche 99% of the time on screen. It was tremendous acting from Willem Dafoe.


Mr. & Mrs. Lancaster

These two were great parents! They weren't in the movie all that much so I didn't want to seperate them. However, the scenes they were in you could see the love they had for Hazel and how they would do absolutely anything for her <3



Patrick

Can I just say that this was probably one of the best parts of the whole movie? Patrick is just so incredibly ridiculous. The little back story montage thing explaining his cancer was gold. I didn't stop laughing!




Missing
There were a few characters that were missing in the movie. Kaitlyn, Hazels friend from before she was sick was not in the movie. And Caroline, Gus' ex girlfriend, was never mentioned. I completely understand why these characters were cut. There was simply not enough time to highlight what happens in every aspect of the book. Unfortunate, but necessary. Also John Green's Cameo was cut. (He was the little girl's father that asks about Hazel's cannula. See picture below)

PLOT

Hazel's Commentary: It is very rare to find a movie where I like the commentary that a character gives during a movie. I find that it often takes a lot of the emotion out of a movie. I didn't like it all that much. Sometimes it worked, but sometimes it just felt annoying and out of place.

Text Bubbles: I liked all the text bubbles. While I am not a fan of , I really liked the text bubbles. It allowed the audience to know what the characters were saying without having that floating voice.

Romance Scene: I thought this was very tastefully done. Of course, since I watched it with Lisa she began feeling awkward. Also a (very large, black) man took his daughters and friends to see the movie and he watched it with them. When this scene came on he said, and I quote "Oh hell no! I am not watching this!" Then he preceded to get up and walk out of the theater. BEST. FAN. REACTION. EVER.

Anne Frank House: One thing I liked about the Anne Frank House, other than they actually filmed there, was that before Hazel and Gus made out the commentary from Anne Frank's Diary was all about seeing the beauty in the world and taking advantage of it. I thought it was a perfect mirror for what Gus said about not denying himself the opportunity of looking at beautiful things. Also, according to Lisa, the German man that said something after the kiss said "Keep Going". I laughed.

Humor: This movie was so humorous, which is a somewhat good thing. The funny things were actually funny but I felt that some scenes were too funny. or funny when they didn't need to be. Towards the end when I felt that I should be bawling, I just wasn't. Someone would crack a joke or there would be a delay in the action (like from the pre-funeral to saying Augustus died). This brings me to the fact that I didn't cry. I teared up a bit, but it never overflowed.

Gas Station Scene: I just have to make sure you all know how incredibly amazing Ansel Elgort was in this scene. It blew my mind and broke my heart.

Egging Monica's Car: Effing AWESOME! This scene was probably one of the best in the whole movie.

Final Verdict: 

I thought this was a great movie! There were many direct quotations from the book which was awesome, the acting was amazing, and the story was faithful to the book! Though I am rather disappointed that I didn't cry, I still thought this movie was worth the money that I paid for. I suggest that everyone who is a fan of The Fault In Our Stars, watch the movie! You will not be disappointed!

-Shawnee Smith