Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Pages: 313
Challenges: None
Rating: 5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

I have a confession to make.  As much YA as I've read over the years, I've never once chosen to read a John Green novel.  Why?  I have no idea.  Because I'm dense most likely.  I know I've avoided The Fault In Our Stars for month because its a "cancer" novel, and I didn't want to read anything depressing.  But then the other, as I was walking through the aisle at Target, the pretty aqua covered called my name...again.  And this time I placed it in the cart and brought it home with me.  I started it that night and was instantly sucked in, because really, The Fault In Our Stars isn't a "cancer" novel.  No, its a novel about life and it touched me very deeply.

John Green has created two absolutely amazing, lovable, and engaging characters.  They are probably my two absolute favorite characters in all of YA literature.  There's the beautiful Hazel, and the amazing Augustus Waters.  Together they create this wonderful couple finding their first love.  And I don't think any other author could have portrayed this love better than John Green.  His pacing was spot on.  The events he created caused just the right amount of tension, or drama.  Everything fell completely into place in this book.  I think to say more wold ruin the wonder that awaits the reader as the turn the pages of this book.

This book will make you cry, but it will also make you smile.  It will make you want to go home and kiss the ones you love.  And if you haven't already, it will make you want to read more of John Green.  At least that's what it did for me.