Spoiler Alert - Faults In Our Stars #LSUYAL2014 (Actually a Confession)

I just did an absolute no no. I am embarrassed and I need to turn in my YA literature license and walk back to Connecticut in shame.

Unfortunately, shame didn't work in reverse. I tried to get others to take my ticket to the premiere of the movie, but I had no takers. I'm a terrible movie goer and HATE seeing a film when I haven't read the book first. Still, the looks of my colleagues shamed me into going anyways.

I have been told by everyone who knows me that I need to read this book. After Looking for Alaska, however, I wasn't eager to try another John Green novel for a while. I knew the story, heard of the emotions, and was prepared to be punched in the gut.

I was. But I was also humored by Steven Bickmore once again who revved the teenage audience (96.86% adolescent females) into a pep rally for young adult literature. I was out in the hallway charging my phone when I heard the applause and cheering. I thought the movie was starting, but nope. It was Steve. Steve - 'young at heart' and 'forever teaching' - Bickmore. He was surveying the students, cheerleading the conference, and connecting with adolescent readers in Louisiana.

Brilliant. I loved every second of it.

It was a sold out crowd, too, and I was lucky to have won a ticket during the conference this week. I now want to read The Fault In Our Stars and I have several people I want to send it to.

Some thought the movie was better than the book and the truest felt the opposite. I will have to judge for myself. There were classic lines in the movie and I hope they are also in Green's writing. I shall see. I did the faux pas of viewing before reading...tsk tsk!