(30)The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

@realjohngreen

Publication Date: January 10, 2012

Pages: 336

Buy it Here! 

Hazel Grace Lancaster has not been healthy for as long as she can remember. The cancer that has ravaged her body has also stolen a normal childhood from her.  All of her missed school resulted in Hazel getting her GED and now is a sixteen year old college student. An experimental drug has made life somewhat liveable, she has to carry oxygen wherever she goes , but it is really a small price to pay for staying alive. Even though she is glad to be alive, she is a bit self conscious to be seen in public, so she sticks pretty close to home. Much to her dismay, Hazel's parents require her to attend a support group made up of other kids who have cancer, it is there that she meets Augustus Waters.

From the first time they meet Hazel is drawn to Gus's quick wit and lazy smile. His rapid fire way of talking keeps Hazel on her toes and has her falling madly in love despite the fact that she is terminal and she knows that she is a grenade.  Gus is not only at group supporting his friend, Isaac, but he himself lost a leg to cancer, but has been NEC (No Evidence of Cancer) for quite a while.  Soon, Hazel and Gus are spending a lot of time together, discussing their favorite books, their favorite poets, and even something so normal as playing video games as teens are known to do. Will Gus and Hazel be able to escape the Grim Reaper to live their happily ever after?

Any "real" reader has been familiar with at least the title of The Fault in Our Stars as it was at the top of all the "Best of 2012" lists - including Time Magazine.  Now I understand why.  I listened to the book while on the treadmill, I knew I was taking a risk on the treadmill listening to a book about kids with cancer, but I found myself chuckling more than I found myself crying.  Hazel and Gus are such SMART, fun characters. Their banter and their wit and their utter devotion to each other just made me fall in love with both of them.  And then there is their cancer -the courage at which they deal with the cancer is just astounding and their trip to Denmark was just about as romantic as you would find in any romance novel, especially the visit to the Anne Frank house (which ironically enough has been in the news this week because of another famous teen who will remain unnamed in this blog).  But the end... the end of any book about cancer.... well, I am not gonna lie, it is going to rip your heart out.

Bottom line, The Fault in Our Stars, is a pretty damn good book.  John Green is one of the best YA novelist out there right now and he proves why with this book.  I know most of my readers are adults, but if you only read one Young Adult novel this year, let it be this one. You will be glad that I introduced you to Hazel and Gus, I promise.