LOOKING FOR ALASKA BY JOHN GREEN

Looking for Alaska is a story about a boy, Miles, who lives his home to seek 'The Great Perhaps'. He goes to Culver Creek, a boarding school, where he meets new friends that he absolutely loves and, most importantly, Alaska Young, a clever, thrill-seeking, danger-loving, 'dead sexy' ( I quote from the blurb) girl who will change Miles' life forever.

Looking for Alaska was beautiful, tragic, hilarious, shocking and unexpected. This is not just another teenage novel about adolescent angst and infatuation. It's a coming-of-age story, a mystery, a love story and a tragedy.

The characters are realistic, and the main character and first-person narrator Miles (who is nick-named Pudge early in the book) is a clever and likeable guy without being too overly perfect. And Pudge's best friend, known as the Colonel, is just as likeable but flawed.

There's a lot of sex/drugs/alcohol in this book but it's also one of the best books I've ever read and I don't think the sex/drugs/alcohol detract from how good it is.

John Green has written 3 and a half books (one book was co-written with David Leviathan) and Looking for Alaska was his first book. I'm amazed that someone who had never written before could produce something this moving and incredible, just like that! If I ever write a book like this, I'll be head-over-heels.

Butterflies: 9 out of 10
Recommended for people: who are over 15, mature and can understand the points that John Green raised in the video in my post 'how far is too far in teenage books'
Warnings: lots of sex, smoking and alcohol, but the messages are right in the end