Enjoy Seasonal Reading

By Preslee Pope

Motlow Buzz Contributing Writer

            If you're a reader like myself, then you know that every book gives you a different feeling then another. Whether it is a character in the story or just the plot itself, you are invested one way or another. So what makes you really get into a story? What makes you pick up a book at the store and say, "I've got to read this!” What makes you pass on to other readers your love for a particular book?

My favorite genre of books is teen fiction. Even though I'm two years out of my teens, I enjoy the drama and intensity of teen fiction. An adult fiction book would not include spontaneous adventures like a teen fiction. You can always bet that a teen story will include sneaking around and amateur love with drama involved. I also enjoy books that involve murders, kidnaps, rape and anything of that nature.

Sometimes I choose a book solely based on the author. John Green is a good example. He wrote “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Looking for Alaska,” “Paper Towns,” and his newest edition, “Turtles All the Way Down.”

Now I have to admit that I would have never bought “Turtles All the Way Down” if it was not written by John Green. The story is about a 16-year-old girl named Aza who is investigating a fugitive billionaire with a $100,000 reward at stake. It seems rather boring if you ask me. I'm not that invested into the main character like I was in his previous books. I'm also not invested into the story itself.

A website that is known to give detailed reviews on books had a lot to say about Green’s new novel. Read it here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/10/john-green-turtles-all-way-down-review.

One of my favorite books of all times is “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold. Surprisingly enough, I found this book at a Goodwill store. I had watched the movie a few years prior to buying the book and enjoyed the book more. The story is about a teenage girl who was lured into an underground hideout by a neighborhood man. He rapes and murders her and is watching her family and friends solve the mystery of what happens to her. It is both beautiful and sad at the same time. It is beautiful because of the passion and love that her family had for her and how they never stopped trying to find out what exactly happened. It was sad because of the way she died and how her killer had no remorse at all. You can read the full summary at https://www.shmoop.com/lovely-bones/summary.html.

I recently have been interested in a book that is coming out on Nov. 7, 2017 called “All in Pieces.” It is about a teenage girl who has anger management issues, and she also takes care of her disabled brother. She stabs her ex-boyfriend in the hand with a pencil because he is making fun of her brother. She is then sent to an alternative school and has to then face the struggles and challenges of being there. The author of this book is also the author of eight other bestselling books that I have yet to read but would like to. You are able to pre-order the book and read further information on it at https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-in-pieces-suzanne-young/1123385431?ean=9781481418843#/.

A Motlow State Community College student, Jordan Donalson, is a book lover like myself. When asked who her favorite author was, she could only agree that it was John Green. Like myself, she is a fan of some of his classic novels, including “Paper Towns”. She was inspired to read the book after reading and watching “The Fault in Our Stars.” She fell in love with the main character, Margo, for her spontaneous personality and her eagerness to make sure fellow book mate, Q, had an adventurous night.

I have a few favorite places that I will purchase books from. The main one is https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.  They have a really wide selection of books, and they are all categorized in a way that makes it simple to find exactly what you are looking for. I also can get some really great finds at http://www.goodwill.org/. They have paperback books for under a dollar and hardcovers for under $3. Another great place is http://www.mckaybooks.com/. When I walk in there, it takes my breath away by how many books that place has. They are all used books, but you can find anything from classics to books that came out this year. The place is two stories high and stays busy. Come and join me on my reading craze!

Preslee Pope is a 22-years-old and a student at Motlow State Community College.