Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Author: Jesse Andrews

Publisher: Amulet Paperbacks

Date Published: May 7, 2013

Genre: YA fiction, humor, realistic fiction, contemporary

Pages: 304 (hardback)

Age Range: 15+





Summary

 

Up until senior year, Greg has maintained total social invisibility. He only has one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time—when not playing video games and avoiding Earl’s terrifying brothers— making movies, their own versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics. Greg would be the first one to tell you his movies are terrible, but he and Earl don’t make them for other people. Until Rachel.

Rachel has leukemia, and Greg’s mom gets the genius idea that Greg should befriend her. Against his better judgment and despite his extreme awkwardness, he does. When Rachel decides to stop treatment, Greg and Earl must abandon invisibility and make a stand.

 Review

  Here comes another cancer book... Surprisingly, this book was not a 'cancer book' like The Fault In Our Stars, or My Sister's Keeper. Instead, it was more of a story about the growth of friendship between Earl, Greg, Rachel, and the other characters.

All of the characters were stunningly real. Each character covered a part of today's society, and it was something that I hadn't expected to find in a book featuring cancer. Rachel was your ordinary girl, except she had contracted leukemia. She played her part to a T, she was real, and she was raw. Greg was perfect for being the narrator of the book. His prose was light, hilarious, and kept you from bawling your eyes out. Earl was the real instigator of change in this book, he was the least likely person to be a main character in a book like this, and I loved him for that.

The fact that this book didn't make me cry gave it bonus points. Honestly, I'm tried of depressing cancer books, and I loved that Greg reflected those feelings when he said, “I learned nothing from Rachel's leukemia.” That meant that we were allowed to feel throughout the book without waiting for the huge moral of the story. Without waiting for the deep life lesson that we should take away from this story.

The humor in this book was out of place. Hearing about Greg's love life, or lack thereof, didn't fit in with your normal cancer book, and that's why this book was so perfect. It wasn’t about the cancer, it was about growth and regular life and emotion.

All in all, I love this book. Would I read it again? Definitely. Don't get me wrong, I love The Fault In Our Stars, but it's nice to see a fresh view on the regular 'cancer book'.

The Fault In Our Stars: Differences Between the Movie and the Book

In the book, Hazel goes to visit Isaac in the hospital after his eye surgery. In the movie, she doesn't. Poor Isaac :-/

In the book, Hazel has a friend named Kaitlyn--who keeps up with Hazel's growing relationship with Gus. In the movie, Kaitlyn doesn't exist.

In the book, Augustus has former girlfriend, Caroline Mathers--who died of brain cancer a few years before. In the movie, Caroline isn't mentioned.

In the book, there is a comedic ad that Gus and Hazel put up for her "Desperately Lonely Swig Set." In the movie, though the swing set is there, they don't even try to sell it, or put up the fun ad.

In the book, there is a part where Hazel and her mother (Mrs. Lancaster) hears Gus crying and yelling at his mother (Mrs. Waters) before they leave for their trip to Amsterdam that is relatively important. In the movie, this doesn't happen.

In the book, Gus tells Hazel he loves her on the plane as they come back from Amsterdam. In the movie, he tells her at dinner at Oranjee.

In the book, Gus and Hazel sit outiside Oranjee and enjoy the look of the elm trees and the canal. In the movie, they sit inside.

In the book, Gus' obnoxious sisters and their husbands and sons are there constantly during his last days. In the movie, they have no screen time.

In the book, Hazel finds Gus mumbling in his sleep after he "pisses the bed." This is when she realizes that his cancer is taking its toll. In the movie, this scene isn't in the movie.

In the book, Hazel reads through comments on Gus' Facebook after his death, and isn't pleased about what she reads, leading to her sending another commenter a harsh message. In the movie, she doesn't do this.

In the book, Hazel searches everywhere for that letter Gus wrote for her before he died, until, finally, his parents tell her there are some torn pages of his notebook, and that the pages are missing. Not finding them anywhere, she decides to email Peter Van Houten--who sends her what Gus wrote to him. In the movie, Van Houten gives her the letter when he comes to Gus' funeral.


It was a very enjoyable movie! I really really liked it! And though I was a little disappointed about a few of these details they left out, I understand why they couldn't do everything exactly and put everything that was in the book into the movie.

It is a must-see if you've read the book!

8 Books to Read This Summer (2014)

Here are 8 books to read this summer.

 1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. This is one of my all-time favorite books. The series is amazing, gripping, and sweet, but also tragic. It has a smorgasbord of cutsey characters to fall in love with. And this book made me fall in love with Summer in a way I never have before.

 2. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. Yes, another novel by Jenny Han. A really sweet, family-based novel that will keep you wondering until the very end.

 3. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. A sad, sweet, romantic novel about two teens that have cancer. It's funny, sad, and then funny again. This book has many emotional twists and turns; one minute you'll be laughing at something one of the character's say, and then, you'll want to cry. The movie is to be released June 6th, so read it before you see it!

 4. if i stay by Gayle Forman. I know, not exactly a summer read, but the movie is coming in August and you might want to read it before you see it. Again, sweet romance mixed with tragedy, but it's a gripping novel with an exhilarating ending. It was such a perfect book that I bought it and reread it about four times that week. It's a cute book about love and life, and most importantly, hope.

 5. First Love by James Patterson. Another sweet, but tragic, novel about two teens on the run from their problems.

 6. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. It's a quick, easy read. It had me laughing throughout with it's quirky and silly prose. It's a very easy read (I read it in two hours). It censors the language for the most part, there is only a couple kisses through the book, and it's readable for any teen!

 7. Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene. is an old book, but it is worth doing a little searching for. It is an amazing story of hope and sacrifice for the greater good. This book is a heavy book, a book filled with emotion and tabulations, but it worth every tear shed.

 8. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. A humorous, quirky, fun read that is perfect for summer. It's about a girl who is sent away to a special summer camp to learn how to use her abilities and realize what she is. There are many funny parts throughout this book--one minute it can be some-what serious and then, the next, someone is making a joke or something happens that is just so random and funny.

The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack

The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack is out!

“All Of The Stars” - Ed Sheeran

“Simple As This” - Jake Bugg

“Let Me In” – Grouplove

“Best Shot” - Birdy & Jaymes Young

“All I Want” - Kodaline

“Long Way Down” - Tom Odell

“Boom Clap” - Charli XCX

“While I’m Alive” - STRFKR

“Oblivion” - Indians

“Strange Things Will Happen” - The Radio Dept.

“Bomfallarella” - Afasi & Filthy

“Without Words” - Ray LaMontagne

“Not About Angels” – Birdy

“No One Ever Loved” - Lykke Li

“Wait” - M83

“Tee Shirt” - Birdy


I'm very excited about Ed Sheeran being on the soundtrack!

The Fault In Our Stars Extended Trailer (trailer 2)

New trailer for The Fault In Our Stars!

It looks fantastic! Let's hope it stays true to the book!

if i stay and The Fault In Our Stars (Movies)

Two of my favorite books are being released as movies this year!!

 if i stay by Gayle Forman is one of my absolute favorite books, and it's been made into a movie! The story is moving, grounded and tragic, and soooo good! A book based on family, love, and a horrible tragedy that will change Mia's life forever...if she chooses to let her life continue.

I can't wait until it's released August 22nd.

 The Fault In Our Stars by John Green is another one of my favorites, and is also a movie that is to be released this year. This story is also moving and tragic. A love story that lasts a lifetime in only a short time.

I will be watching these two fall in love on the big screen June 6th.







The trailers for these wonderful movies:

 if i stay

The Fault In Our Stars

See you at the movies! ♥

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault In Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Date Published: January 10, 2012

Pages: 336 (hardback)

Genre: YA fiction, romance, realistic fiction

Age Range: 14+





Summary

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Winner of the 2013 Children's Choice Teen Book of the Year Award.

Review

Simply fantastic, humorous at times, and tragic. I love how John Green made the characters funny and real, and also for showing the darkness of cancer and how families deal with the illness (though this is a work of fiction, small pieces can be a reality). Though I don't want to give away too much of this novel, the click between the characters are great, the plot is wonderful, and the writing is fun and different.

Though the focus isn't just based on the two main characters (love-birds, Gus and Hazel), it's about their struggle with their illness, they're friend Isaac, and more. Keeping you interested with every little detail about their lives. I enjoy the quirky personalities John Green's gives each character, an example would be, Hazel's mother--who gets over excited about every ridiculous holiday.

I love books with a lot of emotion, that can make you feel this overwhelming power of mixed feelings--though this rarely happens unless if you feel a connection with the character(s). This book is one of those rare novels where you feel overwhelmed. It's a tear-jerker, but there are parts that will make you laugh or smile. This book has definitely made it to my favorites bookshelf.

A definite recommend.