Looking for Alaska by John Green

A few weeks ago I made a trip to Books-A-Million with the intent to spend some saved birthday/Christmas money and I knew one of the books I was going to buy was Looking for Alaska by John Green.

The last few months that I've gone to the bookstore, I kept coming across this book and each time I left thinking that I would get it "next time." Next time always turned into my forgetting about it and then re-discovering it. Part of what drew me to the book was the title because it had the word Alaska in it and if you know me even a little, you know I love Alaska (the place). So I finally decided enough was enough and I bought it.

I didn't know much about it before I started reading, and I soon found out that the book is broken down into two sections, Before and After. "Before and After what?" you're probably wondering so this is where I challenge you to go read this book and find out. Another thing I soon found out is that it takes place in an area I'm familiar with so it was weird and amusing to me reading about Birmingham, Pelham, Mountain Brook, and Montevallo, Alabama.

Looking for Alaska follows Miles "Pudge" Halter on his search for the Great Perhaps. Miles is a friendless Florida teen who decides to go to Culver Creek, a prep school outside of Birmingham, Alabama. While there he becomes friends with his roommate Chip "The Colonel" Martin and beautiful, fascinating Alaska Young.

Teenage shenanigans ensue and culminates in a big event. I was curious as to what the event was going to be but I knew it had to be big in order for there to be a before and after and to say it was a surprise is an understatement.

This was also the first male narrated book that I've read in a while and it was a nice breath of fresh air getting out of the head of a female, even though Alaska is a prominent character.