Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

I'm not quite sure where to begin with this review.  For anyone out there who has already read this book, you might be able to understand where I'm coming from and how I'm feeling after finishing the last pages of this epic read.  Epic is just about the only word I can think of at the moment to describe this book, and yet it really doesn't do it justice.

Let me be clear...I both love and hate this book.  I want to encourage everyone to read it, and yet I also want to steer everyone away from it at the same time.  I'm completely torn and while it's driving me crazy, I also have to admit that it's probably the biggest red flag that makes that book stand out as such an epic tale.  It's drawn every single emotion out of me possible and honestly it left me drained.  Completely and without a doubt...drained.

Without question, John Green was meant to be a writer.  I can't imagine him in any other profession, and the idea that readers could have in some alternate reality been denied his talent for words and stories, leaves me chilled.  There is no way to go into any detail about this book at all without the risk of ruining something with a terrible spoiler, so I'm not even going to attempt it.  All I can say is this is a book in my opinion, that you must enter with at your own risk.  I found myself taking it with me everywhere so that I wouldn't have to miss out on a good reading opportunity should one arise.  I made the huge mistake of taking the time to read some parts of this one on my lunch breaks at work.  Huge mistake!  I found myself scrambling for tissues, and doing everything I could to make it appear as if I hadn't been crying at my desk.  Who knows what my coworkers thought of my appearance after a pretty emotionally draining chapter or two.

So if you're planning on picking this read up, and like I said, I can't encourage you to go one way or the other on that choice, but if you do take a chance, carve yourself out some time when you're alone and can truly immerse yourself in these pages.  Because no matter what your plan is, everything else will fade away when you crack open this cover.  Everything else will fall to the wayside, because to be quite honest, even after I'd put the book down when I needed a break from the emotional roller coaster I was on, it stayed with me.  Followed me everywhere I went, and I know it will still cross my mind for years to come.  There's no turning back once you start in on one of John Green's adventures!

In My Mailbox (102)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week?

For Review:

 

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

 

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Just One Day (Just One Day, #1) by Gayle Forman

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

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.






Slide (Slide, #1) by Jill Hathaway

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth--her sister's friend Sophie didn't kill herself. She was murdered.

Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn't actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else's mind and experiences the world through that person's eyes. She's slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed "friend" when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie's slashed body.

Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can't bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting distant lately, especially now that she's been spending more time with Zane.

Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

Dark Promise (Between Worlds, #1) by Julia Crane & Talia Jager

Rylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green

 

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Guest Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I'm very excited to have a guest reviewer on the blog today!!!  I've been wanting to get this started and make it a regular thing for a while and now I finally can.  My cousin and fellow bibliophile, Ashley has recently finished Green's latest work and volunteered to write an post a review for it for the blog.  So please give her a big welcome and thank you so much again Ashley for contributing to the blog, and PLEASE come back anytime you've read a read that you'd like to review and share!!!  She's the best!!

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.


This book has had buzz surrounding it since it was published last year. I’ve heard of it, but the real reason I finally picked it up was that my (high school) students had been circulating the book like crazy, in fact, some of them demanded that I read it because it was so good. When I finally picked it up off my shelf, I was wary to start. Did I really want to read a story about a kid with cancer?

After reading the first few chapters, I was hooked. Hazel is our main character, who has stage IV cancer and is sixteen years old. At the cancer support group, which is full of other kids who have various stages of cancer, she meets Augustus Waters, another cancer survivor. He wins her over with his charm and their shared sense of humor. It’s a pleasure to watch their romance blossom.  They change each other’s lives. The two of them are smart beyond their years. Since they are both dealing with cancer they struggle with questions everyone eventually ponders (except years sooner)- Does my life have a meaning? Will I be remembered?

It seems as if most authors that write YAL want to sugar coat their character’s feelings, to try to make things sound better when they aren’t. Green does a phenomenal job of capturing true emotion in these characters. When you have kids meeting at a cancer support group, things aren’t awesome for them, when things aren’t going well, the characters call it like it is.

I have to admit, I have an author’s crush on John Green now. The way he weaved literary references into his story had me cheering and jumping up and down (internally). So many authors out there try a little too hard to reference other novels or books, Green makes references masterfully.

I haven’t read a book in a long time where I was so emotionally wrapped up in a story, where I laughed and cried reading it. Maybe it’s because I have read so many dystopian novels lately, that I’ve grown accustomed to the format of those stories (not knocking them- I really do love them).

It’s been days since I finished this book, and I’m still thinking about it. It’s rare (for me at least), to find a YAL novel to stop and really make me think about life. This is a young adult book filled with raw emotions and read characters that everybody should read, not just teens. You win kids, I loved this book. Must read!

Countdown: 2012 Releases (4)

You guys know the drill by now...I'm always on the lookout for new finds and exciting new reads and below are just a few that I've come across this week. With how busy everyone gets if I don't write the titles down immediately I'll never be able to remember them later when I'm ready to download a new book to my kindle, or pick one up in the store wondering which shelf to look through first. So by posting these countdowns I give myself one more place to look when I need to be reminded of the titles I've been looking forward to.

And as always if you guys hear of any that you haven't seen me post let me know. Like I said, I only have so much time to search for future reads on my own, and to be honest, the majority of my favorite titles I owe to friends/bloggers/author recommendations. So leave a comment, shoot me an email, etc...if there are any books or authors you think I should have on my radar.

Countdown Pick #1: City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments, #5) by Cassandra Clare ( 5/8/2012)

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series continues - and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon. Can the lost be reclaimed? What price is too high to pay for love? Who can be trusted when sin and salvation collide? Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

I just adore Clare's writing and her Mortal Instruments series had me hooked right from the beginning of book one, and four books later, she's got me counting down and craving book five, just so I can find out what happens next to Clary and the rest of the shadowhunter gang.

I'm still not sure how she does or how she manages to continuously come up with new plot lines and twists that leave readers reeling, but regardless I'm grateful. She's one of those authors that has the gift of an addicting voice, writing that flows so fluidly that you don't even realizing your reading a book, rather you feel like you've been transported into the pages of her world and are interacting with the characters themselves.

Countdown Pick #2: The Clockwork Princess (Infernal Devices, #3) by Cassandra Clare (11/1/2012)
In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it's too late. As Jem's health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves - even if it means never seeing the other one again?

Sticking with the Cassandra Clare bandwagon on this one, if you're a fan of her Mortal Instruments series, than I'm sure if you've discovered her Infernal Devices series, the same can be said. It's impossible to stay clear of Clare's writing once you've gotten a taste. I was skeptical as to whether her Infernal Devices series could stand up to the clearly awesome Mortal Instruments series, but it does just that. And to be honest, as much as I love Clary, Jace and Simon, along with everyone else in her other series, there's something about this series that trumped it for me. When I figure out what that something is, I'll be sure to spread the word, but in the meantime, I just want Clare to continue to churn these masterpieces out as quickly as she can manage, because I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to get enough.

Countdown Pick #3: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (1/10/2012)

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs...for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Now if there's anyone out there reading this synopsis and isn't already feeling protective about Hazel, I'm not sure how you did it. One read through of this description and I was invested. I've yet to read anything of John Green's but everyone I talk to seems to say the same thing; he's a genius! His writing seems to speak to people on a level unlike what we're all used to or have come to expect. This story might not be a laugh out loud kind of read, but if you can prepare yourself for an emotional and probably difficult to get through kind of read, than to be honest this one sounds like it would be well worth it. No need to countdown on this find since it came out earlier this month, but I couldn't resist adding it to the list so that I'd be able to remind myself not to let this one slip through the cracks.

Countdown Pick #4: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer (1/3/2012)

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl...

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother, and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

I wasn't sure how I felt about this one originally. I had gotten wind of it a while back but moved on quickly for what reason I don't know. I've always been a fan a remakes and retellings, but it might be because while I enjoyed Cinderella as a kid, it was never my absolute favorite fairy tale. So I didn't give this take a fair chance. So when I came across the title again this week on several blogs and was hearing positive feedback, I figured I should probably look into it one more time. Now that I've got a more open frame of mind, I think this one sounds kind of cool. Retellings can always go in any number of directions, but I really think this spin that Meyer's is working with sounds more unique than most. So if you've had the chance to get into this one, let me know what you thought, and in the meantime, I think it's about time I got myself a copy of my own.

Countdown Pick #5: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith (1/2/2012)

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second changes and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I'm already picturing major romance here and the excitement is building. How could I have missed this one? I'm not familiar with the author, but I will be soon. This read sounds like one of those stories that no matter what happens with the main characters, you can't help but walk away feeling a little bit more optimistic than when you first started. Sounds crazy right? Regardless of what transpires between Hadley and Oliver, just as the synopsis says, just the idea of true love find everyone when they're not expecting it, possibly not even believing in it, well how can anyone not think that sounds like a winner? So it's been added to the list, and I think I might just need to turn my kindle on a.s.a.p. and have this one beamed over to me right away, because who doesn't need an excuse to feel a little bit more optimistic on a daily basis?

Clearing the Shelves (2)

Like I said before, after taking a closer look at my bookshelves at home, I was ashamed to realize how many books that have been added to my collection that I have yet to read. So now that I'm determined to catch up and begin making my way through these titles I'd like some help. If you've read any of the books I list let me know what you thought? Point me in the direction of reviews you've written or read, interviews with authors who wrote them, etc...

So here we go for round two...

Pick #1: Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

When Kit Corrigan arrives in New York City, she doesn't have much. She's fled from her family in Providence, Rhode Island, and she's broken off her tempestuous relationship with a boy named Billy, who's enlisted in the army.

The city doesn't exactly welcome her with open arms. She gets a bit part as a chorus girl in a Broadway show, but she knows that's not going to last very long. She needs help--and then it comes, from an unexpected source.

Nate Benedict is Billy's father. He's also a lawyer involved in the mob. He makes Kit a deal--he'll give her an apartment and introduce her to a new crowd. All she has to do is keep him informed about Billy . . . and maybe do him a favor every now and then.

Being a winner of the National Book award in 2008, Blundell certainly has the resume that speaks for itself. While this would be my first time reading one of her novels, the reviews lead me to believe I'll enjoy the process. The plot sounds exciting and filled with tension and yet very different from any other book I've read. Have you guys had the chance to read this one yet? Have I been missing out? I'm always looking for new authors to add to my favorites list but would appreciate the feedback if you get the chance.

Pick #2: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles "Pudge" Halter is abandoning his safe-okay, boring-life. Fascinated by the last words of famous people, Pudge leaves for boarding school to seek what a dying Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps."

Pudge becomes encircled by friends whose lives are everything but safe and boring. Their nucleus is razor-sharp, sexy, and self-destructive Alaska, who has perfected the arts of pranking and evading school rules. Pudge falls impossibly in love. When tragedy strikes the close-knit group, it is only in coming face-to-face with death that Pudge discovers the value of living and loving unconditionally.

While this book has won quite a few awards including the Michael L. Printz award, I've never seen or read too much about it in the blog world. John Green's name however is one I've heard over and over again. Add to the amount of times his name comes up, I've yet to hear anything negative. So why I've waited so long to read one of his books is beyond me, but I'm planning on rectifying that situation very soon.

Pick #3: The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1) by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

I started this title a year ago and only got a few chapters in before I got distracted and didn't go back. A friend of mine said that if I liked The Hunger Games series than I would love this series. Not that I don't believe her, but at the time nothing could live up to Collins' masterpiece in my mind. So now that this series is almost complete, I think it's time to give it another try. Hopefully I'll enjoy it as much as I"m told and will be grateful that I don't have to wait for the rest of the installments to come out.

Pick #4: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn’t remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

Yet another book that I got as a gift and put off for too long. I've heard great things about this one and the ploy sounds different from what I've been reading lately. Hopefully it could be a good change of pace for me. In addition to all the positive reviews I've read of this title, I also recently saw that the sequel is coming out soon. Yet more initiative to crack this baby open and give it a whirl. If it's as great as everyone says I'm sure I"ll be racing to the bookstore to buy the next installment.

Pick #5: Dark of the Moon (Dark Guardian, #3) by Rachel Hawthorne

I've loved him forever, but he can never be mine.

Brittany is determined to prove herself to the Dark Guardians. And yet she's been keeping a devastating secret: She hasn't experienced any of the intense, early signs of change that mark a Dark Guardian's transformation. The only intense feelings she has are for Connor—and she's kept that a secret, too. But she knows she'll never truly have Connor's love if she's not a Shifter like him.

At the first full moon after her birthday, her greatest fear is realized: She doesn't transform. Brittany is so desperate to become a wolf that she'll go to extremes she never thought possible . . . and put all the Dark Guardians in incredible danger.

This is a series I stumbled upon by pure luck. The first two installments were awesome and made me an instant fan of Hawthorne. I started this third installment and will admit that I don't think I gave it a fair chance. Each book is centered around one female character and while I adore most of the characters, this book's focus was on Brittany and I wasn't really a fan. So I gave up quickly, saying I'd go back eventually but didn't. No more... I'm ready for round two and I'm hoping Hawthorne will surprise me and have me end up on team Brittany after all.