(Originally posted at http://www.lostatmidnightreviews.blogspot.ca/) Crying at work was not something I planned for that day, but it happened anyway. I flipped to the last page of Paper Towns and couldn't stop the tears from falling from my eyes. Even re-reading this book, it managed to reach into my heart and tug parts of me I like to keep hidden. The first time I read this book, it connected to me completely. I have never been happy with the city I live in and have been plotting to escape since childhood. At the time of reading this book, I was working hard in my senior year of high school so I could receive a great scholarship, and finally leave. Besides being hilarious, this book made me feel vindicated about my desperate need for escape. The second time reading it, my connection changed. Because this time when I had read it, my life had taken a completely different route. My hard work got me a scholarship, but I still could not afford to go to a university in a different city. Two of the most important people in my life had walked out of it, and left serious damage in their wake. I had lost my desire to leave, because I could not even picture how it was possible anymore. I was in a completely different situation than I thought I would be just months before, and one that I was not happy with. I picked up Paper Towns, and it, once again, helped me with all the problems I was dealing with. This time around, the idea of people's judgements of you was at the forefront. I could completely understand the idea of being placed in an impossible box, a box other people created for you, a box I never wanted to be in, and one that people could not accept you stepping out of. There was a pivotal conversation in the book which gave me so much insight into what I was going through at the time. I finally felt like all my feelings were put into eloquent words spoken from a boy who had to face the same reality I did. We imagine people a certain way, but that's a distorted reality, and one that is imposed on us daily. I can't be who everyone wants me to be, but I can be myself. And if that isn't enough for certain people, then they aren't meant to be in my life. Tough thing to accept, and something I'm still coming to terms with. The book itself was just fantastic. The only way to understand how amazing it is is to read it. The characters are realistic, hilarious, stunning in their truthfulness, and will become a part of you. John Green has a way of telling you your most broken thoughts, making you look at them squarely, and telling you how to handle them. This book had me crying of laughter, and smiling like crazy. It had me re-evaluating myself, and changed my out-look on life. If that isn't the sign of a fantastic book, I don't know what is. I had to include a quote from the book because it is simply everything that I learned, felt, and realized from Paper Towns. "It is easy to forget how full the world is of people, full to bursting, and each of them imaginable and constantly misimagined." As a little bonus to the review, I made a mini-playlist. The book had me thinking about going on a road trip, so I made a playlist of the songs that make me think of those montage-driving moments (there's 48 songs, but here's only 19 (for my almost age!)). I linked the songs to YouTube so anyone can listen to them. The name of my playlist? Escape from the Paper Towns: 1. New York (Saint in the City) - The Academy Is... 2. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams 3. We Are Young - Fun. 4. Lucky Street - Go Radio 5. So Far Away (Bonus Track) - Mayday Parade 6. I Woke Up in a Car - Something Corporate 7. The Space Between - Valencia 8. Where Did You Go? - Valencia 9. Vagabond - Wolfmother 10. Take this to Heart - Mayday Parade 11.The Middle - Jimmy Eat World 12. Middle of Nowhere - Hot Hot Heat 13. Radar Love - Golden Earring 14. Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind) - Panic! At the Disco 15. So, In This Hour... - The Rocket Summer 16. Days Like Masquerades - The Academy Is... 17. Jaime All Over - Mayday Parade 18. Toasted Skin - The Academy Is... 19. Hurricane - Something Corporate - Ciara who is lost at midnight

one thing about this book: it was VERY well written. John Green did an exceptional job writing. However I was bored with the story after part 1. It took me a very long time to read because though it did initially grab my attention, it failed to keep it for very long. The only reason why I kept reading is because I wanted to know what happened in the end, which in all honestly wasn't as great as I had hoped. all in all, i'm rather disappointed. Probably not a book that I will be reading again.

I found Paper towns to be very similar to Looking for Alaska and maybe that's why I enjoyed it. I thought it was very well written and that the story just fell into place. It was never forced. However by the end I did find that some of the characters to be very one dimensional and the ending was rather predictable. Overall, not bad, definitely worth a read.

i LOVED this book! it was simply amazing. it was written wonderfully and the plot was interesting. all the clues Margo left behind were fasinating and always kept you thinking. my favourite part was the characters. they were some of my fave characters frtom any book. Margo is mysterious, and edgy. And Radar and Ben are hilarious! the humour really added to the book. i literally laughed out loud for many parts. :) buy it!

This is a fantastic story, beautifully crafted and alarmingly real. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It is a must on everyone's "to read" list. Quintin and Margo were friends as children. But high school happened and they went their separate ways. One night Margo knocks on Quintin's window and takes him on an amazing night of debauchery, revenge and fun. Then Margo disappears without a trace. But she Leaves clues for Quintin to find her. The question is does she really want to be found?

The prologue was gorgeous and rang true with the promise of an astoundingly well-written novel, as did the whole notion of strings tying us together. However, the thing about this book was that it moved me right up to the threshold of my emotional breaking point, and just as his words had gained enough momentum to make me cry or laugh endlessly (depending on the circumstances), the passage would end and be replaced by a newer, more neutral passage. It was almost as if Green was scared by the possibility of stirring his audience's emotions - which is absurd, because what else is the purpose of art but to stir the emotions and rouse the intellect of an audience?

One of the best books I've read. This book is made of awesome and it's nerdtastic. The witty and highly entertaining storytelling made me laugh out loud. I love how there are so many references to brotherhood 2.0 and the nerdfighter community. (Certain parts of the story were so "jokes".) Despite the unlikelihood of certain events (because most of us usually play on the safe side of life), I was awed by how much I can relate to one character in particular. I may also be biased in the review and rating of this book for this. This is one book I truly hope can be adapted for the big screen. Visit my book blog at bambireads.blogspot.com for more reviews.

It was pretty funny reading this book and finding all the little jokes (ha, get it, JOKES) from Brotherhood 2.0.

Anyone who loves books that pick you up in the present and take you back to a teenage time of fragility and confusion, ala Catcher in the Rye will appreciate this page turner. Just like John Green's previous books Looking For Alaska & An Abundance of Katherines, this one is also easily read. The reader is immediately taken in by the pace and tone of this book - we want to know more about the characters and what has brought them to this point. We can't wait to see what the future unfolds, since the plot presents us, early on, with the outline of what is to come - a well planned scheme of multiple pranks. On who? We are unsure. But boy, do we jump in page after page to find out! Anyone, teenager or adult, guy or girl, will completely enjoy this tale of adventure, love, loss, and discovery. How can you not? And if you did - well you should definitely check out the nerdfighters. nerdfighter you ask? John is one of the founding fathers of this new YouTube based community. John and his brother Hank started thier YouTube channel called Brotherhood 2.0 on Jan. 1, 2007 as their only way of communicating for the year - each brother alternating weekdays through video. The following that erupted in response led to the creation of nerdfighters as a term, and as a group. This 14,000 member group can be found on and off Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers) plus their own home on the web can be found at http://nerdfighters.ning.com/ Trust me. You need to check them out if you haven't already!

I'll probably get eaten alive for saying this, but I didn't like the book all that much. It was alright and I'll probably read it again but it didn't quite meet my expectations. In my opinion, it was the character development that was rather lacking. Neither Q nor Margo came alive to me. The only character that felt real was Lacey. I was a bit disappointed, but it definitely won't kick John Green off my favourite authors list.