The Fault in Our Stars Tour Live: Meeting John and Hank Green

Despite being a book blogger and getting invited to a lot of cool events I’ve never been able to actually attend one with them all being based in London and more importantly me having anxiety and panic attacks over traveling alone. I’ve always said that if I could meet any three authors they would be J.K Rowling, John Green or Richelle Mead, heck meeting any admired author would be fantastic, but these guys would be a dream come true. So when my best friend and fellow Nerdfighter Rachel text me all of a quiver because John Green and his brother Hank were touring the UK and did I want to go? My excitement and the prospect of traveling with a trusted friend far outweighed the anxiety and so we got straight onto booking tickets praying we’d get through to a busy box office and we did! The tickets were booked, the time and place Cadogan Hall, London, February 3rd 2013, 12pm.

The day came around and on the train to London Rach gave me some amazing Nerdfighter birthday presents (it was my birthday the week before) a ‘This Star Won’t Go Out’ bracelet, Nerdfighter Pin and Let it Snow the only John Green book I didn’t own as well as paying for my ticket to the event, needless to say I was spoiled! As our luck would have it our train was delayed by 1 hour so we we’re really worried we’d arrive late and wouldn’t be allowed in. It was a proper Cinderella moment as we flanked a cab and rushed to the other side of London before the clock literally hit 12 o’clock we got there just in time and sat down with moments to spare before John came on stage.

Maureen, Hank and John on Stage

The event itself lasted about an hour or so and was a mixture of John talking about The Fault in Our Stars, Hank singing his wonderfully dorky songs, the brothers teasing each other, answering questions and goofing around like in their Youtube videos. There was also a guest appearance from the wonderful Maureen Johnson who happened to be in London and is an author friend of John’s – as if this day wasn’t perfect enough already! I pretty much stalk John so knew a lot of the answers to the questions he was asked and I found myself mouthing the answers along with him but it was so brilliant to see him talking in the flesh about his incredible book which I already read when it was released in the US last year and loved. Hank sounded amazing live and I had his songs in my head for days after particularly “Accio Deathly Hallows” which is one of my favourites. It was so funny to see John mouthing along to “The Anglerfish Song” in the background; he knew all of the words! Maureen was so much fun and I loved how all of them were just as quick, intelligent, brilliant and funny in real life as how they appear online.    

Meeting John Green

The show ended with us all singing “The Proclaimers- 500 miles” which was an amazing experience. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to that song again without being reminded of that day. I knew from following the Twitter feed from the Swindon event that waiting to meet them could take hours but Rachel and I were determined not to leave the building without meeting our heroes and I think we waited for about an hour and a half which wasn’t all that bad. We passed the time talking with nerdfighters in the toilets and squeeing over what we’d just seen. Up until that point I was feeling pretty calm, I think because it felt familiar to me, it was kind of like watching another one of their vlogs but without the screen between us. When our row got called up and I edged closer to John and Hank and could hear them talking that’s when it really hit me that they were there right in front of me and I was about to meet two people I greatly admire and that’s when I started to get the sweaty palms, can’t stop shaking, is this actually real life? Feelings of nervousness and anticipation.

Meeting John Green went as follows…

Me: It’s nice to meet you Sir (why did I call him Sir!? *headdesk*)
Him: *Shakes hand* Hey thanks for coming along and waiting *noticing me wearing Esther bracelet* I like your Esther bracelet.
Me: Thanks *nods at Rach* my friend got it me for my birthday.
Him: Pretty awesome birthday present right?
Me: Yeah.
Him: *Hands books back signed* thank you.
Me: Thanks it was nice to meet you. *Shuffles off*

I then went on to meet Hank who I didn’t end up saying that much to which I regret because all that was buzzing through my head was I JUST MEET JOHN GREEN AND HE SHOOK MY HAND!!! I was also watching Rachel’s reaction to meeting him. With Hank it went a little like this…

Waiting to Meet Hank

Me: Can I get these Hanklerfished please?
Him: Of course! *takes books*
Me: Thank you it was great meeting you.
Him: You too sweetheart, thanks for coming.

After that me and Rach moved off to the side and fawned over our books and compared our signatures and what our hanklerfishes looked like. Then on the way out I bought one of the tour t-shirts which I wanted to get before but the line was MAHOOSIVE there wasn’t anybody there by the time we came out so I decided to snatch one up and also found some tattoos of Maureen Johnson which she randomly dispersed around the venue because she is awesome.

J-Scribble and Hanklerfish

We came out at half three and had enough time before our train to get some dinner in London and go to Foyles - a bookshop I’ve always wanted to visit. I was pretty sad that Maureen wasn’t available to sign books so you can imagine my glee when I found a signed copy of The Name of the Star in Foyles which I happily purchased along with some other bookish goodies.

Maureen Tattoo and Signature 

With achy feet, full tums, and happy hearts we caught our train home and the next day I woke up sad that today was just a normal day and every day couldn’t be like yesterday, I couldn’t hang out in one of my favourite cities with my best friend, oodles of Nerdfighters and our nerdy rockstars every day. Then later on I signed into Youtube and found videos of the day and new vlogs from John and Hank, and then I realised that the beauty of what John and Hank have created is that I *can* hang out with these awesome people who share the same interests as me and the same morals. Even with time and space between us the Vlogbrothers have created a safe and happy place for us nerds to talk and create and inspire one another to do awesome things and be true to ourselves and that was the beauty of it, of us, of them. I clicked on a video, and re-lived one of the best days of my life all over again.

Goodies from the Day!

Review for Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Day by Gayle Forman 
Publisher: Definitions
Release: 10th January 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance, Coming of Age, Travel
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Bought



Goodreads Summary:
"When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines."

Review

This sentence sums up the plot pretty well for this novel. Throw in travel, Shakespeare, art, identity, love, heartbreak, self-discovery, Paris, theatre, romance, goodbyes, fate, chance, mistakes, friendship and adventure plus the utter beauty that is Gayle Forman’s writing and you’ve got Just One Day – one of my new all-time favourite books. Ever.

I’m a huge fan of Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and Where She Went so I had the total first date feels about Just One Day. I was nervous and excited and had no idea how it was going to go so I put off reading it until I couldn’t resist any longer and I wish that I wasn’t so scared to pick it up and that I read it sooner because this book was everything I hoped it would be and more.

I loved everything about this book and I did the thing were I went and liked every quote from this book I could find on Goodreads which I only ever do with those extra special books that I deeply connect with. If you’re familiar with Gayle Forman’s books you’ll know how beautiful her writing is. Her turn of phrase is so honest and raw sometimes that it hits me right in the gut and I get all chocked up and emotional without really knowing why other than that I’ve just read something true. Once again her words set the scene for my eyes, and the feelings of the characters for my heart so that I was completely invested in this story.

“We kiss again. This next kiss is the kind that breaks open the sky. It steals my breath and gives it back. It shows me that every other kiss I've had in my life has been wrong.” ― Gayle Forman, Just One Day 

“He showed me how to get lost, and then I showed myself how to get found.” ― Gayle Forman, Just One Day

Whilst Just One Day has a heart wrenching romance it’s so much more than a love story. I’d even go as far as to say that above all it is a book about taking a leap of faith into the unknown and going on such a once in a lifetime journey that you can’t help but come out the other end changed. Allyson starts off as a quiet, anal, stick to the rules kind of girl and by the end of the book she has grown into this strong, independent, adventurous young woman.

I loved that Just One day was a mature YA/ New Adult book and dealt with themes like growing apart from high school friends, figuring out what you want to do with your life and discovering who you want to be. I felt like Gayle Forman really got the thoughts and feelings of an 18 year old girl starting out in the world for the first time and discussed these feelings in her book.

Just One Day was in my opinion a complete masterpiece that made my heart thirsty for adventure and travel. I’m so happy that the companion novel Just One Year is out this October because I can’t wait to get Willem’s version of events. After all, there are two sides to every story.

Letterbox Love (20) J-Scribble, Hanklerfish, Belated Birthday Gifts and More!

Letterbox Love is a meme hosted by Lynsey @ Narratively Speaking for UK based book bloggers to showcase the books that they’ve received each week.

This time last weekend I was on a train to London to meet John and Hank Green. That sentence right there still feels crazy to me. I'm not going to go into all of that here though because I plan to do a write up on the event very soon, but this weeks book haul is extra special as it's full of signed books, the last incoming of my birthday books, and some books that I bought from Foyles - a bookshop I've always wanted to visit and finally did as well as the usual review copies. So here are the goodies from the last two weeks and if you're interested in the event write up I'm hoping to have that up for you next week so stay tuned!

 For Review

Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter - I read this on the train and loved it!
Fractured by Teri Terry
A Witch Alone by Ruth Warburton

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (Proof Copy, I did a little jig of happiness when this arrived!)
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian - Another one I can't wait to read
Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff (Proof Copy)
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

 Bought From Foyles

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion - Currently reading and LOVING this!
Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse - SO excited, I love C.J and can't wait to read this also my bestie is quoted in the back! You should watch her video about this and also subscribe to her on Youtube because she is awesome.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - I had a proof copy of this but after seeing her at the TFIOS event and noticing that this is signed I just had to get it especially because she wasn't available to sign books and I wanted a Maureen scribble!

 Last of the Birthday Presents

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - I've already read the hardback US edition of this but the UK paperback was free at the event and seems as the bestie bought my ticket for my birthday I'm counting this as a gift.
Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle - This was the only John Green book I didn't own so was another nerdfightastic gift from Rach, I'm so happy to now have them all!
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken - This sounds AMAZE
Splintered by A. G. Howard - I've heard mixed things about this one but I love the sound of it so I'm going to give it a go, plus the actual book itself is stunning and the ink is purple!

 The Scribbles

That’s it from me for another week and if you made it to the end of this post I salute you! If any of these beauties have caught your eye and you’d like to find out more about them simply click on the title and the link will take you to goodreads for a full synopsis, reviews, and to add them to your wishlists. As always thank you to the lovely publishing folk for the review copies. If you’re looking forward to a certain book in particular and want to request a review feel free to in the comments and I’ll do my best to get around to the book sooner rather than later. And if you decided to do a Letterbox Love, Book Haul, IMM, Showcase Sunday, Mailbox Monday or whatever else featuring the books you got this week leave me a link as I’d love to check out your books too! ^_^

 Happy reading till next time!

Review for Undone by Cat Clarke

Undone by Cat Clarke 
Publisher: Quercus
Release: 31st January 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review



Goodreads Summary:

"Jem Halliday is in love with her gay best friend. Not exactly ideal, but she's learning to live with it.

Then the unspeakable happens. Kai is outed online ... and he kills himself.

Jem knows nothing she can say or do will bring him back. But she wants to know who was responsible. And she wants to take them down.

A searing story of love, revenge and betrayal from a bestselling author."

Review 
There is something about Cat Clarke’s writing that is so honest and raw that you immediately connect with her characters and dive head first into their lives, thoughts and feelings. Cat had me captivated once again with Undone and had my attention long after I actually finished the book because I couldn’t get this story out of my head.

Undone is a book about grief, revenge and all-consuming rage. Our heroine Jem has been in love with her neighbour and gay best friend Kai for as long as she’s known him. Only Jem and Kai’s family know that Kai’s gay and so when he is outed before he’s ready in the worst imaginable way with a sex tape Kai takes his own life. Jem feels like she can’t go on without him and is ready to follow in his footsteps when she receives a series of letters from Kai one for every month during the first year of his death. This gives Jem a part of Kai to hold on to and a year to find who did this to Kai and seek vengeance before she takes her life.

The characters in this novel are all so broken. When Kai commits suicide Jem is left with nothing but this rage and need for answers to the point where it becomes her only reason to live and even though this makes her not the nicest of characters I was totally with Jem and understood her reasoning for doing the things she does. Although Kai is dead for the majority of the book, we get to know him through his letters to Jem and her memories of him. The chapters where he is outed were so gut wrenching to read as this confident lovely person crumbles into despair.

Undone has several hard hitting subjects it tackles throughout the book including homophobia, bullying, grief and suicide to name a few. What I took away from the book was the importance of letting go and forgiveness, of not letting hate and anger consume us, and the message that it WILL get better.

I was in total awe of Undone and it would have been a perfect read had I not have figured out the “who done it” pretty early on. That being said there were lots of other twists that I didn’t see coming at all and although it was obvious to me who outed Kai and what had happened, overall this book was so good that knowing didn’t really affect my enjoyment of it at all.

The ending of this book literally took my breath away and I found it such a fitting end. Overall Undone is a beautifully crafted novel that I couldn’t put down. If Cat Clarke hasn’t already established herself as one of Britain’s finest YA authors Undone is sure to do it!

January Round Up and Book of the Month!

So this post is coming a little later than I would of liked. It was suppose to go up on Saturday but I was going to London the next day for The Fault in Our Stars event and I kind of overestimated how much time I'd have. ANYWAY I had a fantastic reading month to kick off 2013 and wanted to share what I've been reading with you guys so better late than never right?

 January's Book of the Month is Just One Day by Gayle Forman

I've heard that whilst everyone enjoyed this book a few people were disappointed by it but I have to disagree. Although I read some amazing books in January I'm trying to be a lot stricter on what gets a 5 star and so Just One Day was the only 5 star read this month. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more and is definitely one of my new all time favourite books. Hopefully I'll have a gushing review for this up sometime this month because I have so many feels I need to talk about.

Read in January

1.) Pantomime by Laura Lam (4*)
2.) The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen (4.5*)
3.) The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen (3.5*)
4.) Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans (3.5*)
5.) The First Last Kiss by Ali Harris (4*)
6.) Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (4*)
7.) Undone by Cat Clarke (4.5*)
8.) Shadows by Paula Weston (3.5*)
9.) Just One Day by Gayle Forman (5*)
10.) The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna (4*)

January's Book Awards 
Best Plot: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
Best Writing: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Best Cover: The First Last Kiss by Ali Harris
Best Characters: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Best Ending: Undone by Cat Clarke
Best Romance: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Most un-put-down-able: Undone by Cat Clarke
Most Memorable: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Best Moral: Undone by Cat Clarke

Top 3 Most Recommended Books: Just One Day, Undone, The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden 

Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading/Being Released in February 
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa J. Bick
Altered by Jennifer Rush
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse
Sever by Lauren DeStefano

 How was your month in reading? Did you read any of the books I’ve read? What are you looking forward to reading in February?