“Looking for Alaska” is by author John Green so right away you should know that this book will be amazing and inspirational in the best ways. The story is about Miles Halter, a junior starting and dorming at Culiver Creek High School, who seeks “a great perhaps.” Sick and tired of his predictable old life, Miles wants to just start anew and hope for something amazing to happen to him, or just something out of the ordinary.

In the beginning of the story, Miles meets his roommate The Colonel, who is the complete and utter opposite of Miles. He’s rude and arrogant, but at the same time turns out to be a very loyal and great friend. He also meets Alaska, The Colonel’s friend whom Miles falls in love with. Alaska is beautiful and adventurous and absolutely willing to take any risks she has to to make the most out of her life.

Soon enough Miles gets nicknamed “Pudge”, just like all of his friends have nicknames, and from then on, that is all he is called. Pudge loves his new and exciting life at Culiver Creek, always hanging out with his new friends, secretly breaking the school rules, and living with The Colonel. He especially loves being with Alaska.

Since this group is known for kind of being the “troublemakers” on campus, everyone is anticipating the greatest school prank from them, and Alaska has it all figured out. They will plan out a “pre-prank” first. That way everyone at school will believe the prank has already happened and it was great and all and now its over. However, little do they know the greatest prank is yet to come.

The night of the “pre-prank” everything is going as planned and the group sneaks off to sleep at this deserted barn on campus and get drunk to start off their fun night. For a while everything is going absolutely perfect and just right. Alaska and Pudge end up kissing and Pudge is ecstatic over the fact that everything is finally coming together with them, ignoring the fact that Alaska has a boyfriend back home.

Just as fast as everything comes together, it falls apart. Alaska gets a phone call, and the most tragic and unthinkable event unfolds that leaves Pudge and The Colonel shocked and in tears. It seems like their whole world just got crushed and shattered, and as a reader you’ll feel their pain and almost be able to relate to their unfathomable situation.

For the rest of the story we read about how Pudge copes with his new sad situation and just how far he’s willing to go to make things right again for everyone burdened. We learn secrets and clues as to why everything happened and ended the way they did. Putting the pieces together is a struggle and seems definitely impossible, but with a little help from friends, Pudge will eventually come to terms with his changed life.