Looking For Alaska By John Green

Miles Halter has a, perhaps unhealthy, interest in famous last words. Some that are particularly resonant for him are those of the poet Francois Rabelais who said on his deathbed, "I go to seek a great perhaps." At sixteen Miles decides to go in search of his own great perhaps, enrolling in a rigorous boarding school In Central Alabama. Miles, who has never done anything adventurous in his life, gratefully says goodbye to his safe and boring existence when he arrives at his new school.
He quickly falls in with a bunch of mischievous brainiacs, led by his math-whiz video gamer roommate "the Colonel," and gorgeous, clever and self-destructive feminist Alaska Young. Miles of course quickly falls in love with Alaska, who of course has a much more interesting and good looking college boyfriend. The group of friends becomes very close, as can only be done through all night talks, shared enmity (in their case, of the rich kids at the school), epic prank pulling, and misbehavior of various kinds. But the story is obviously building up to something. The chapter titles are ominously labeled 108 days before, 100 days before, then there is a page in the middle marked after. What occurs is one of those things which changes your life forever.