Goodreads Summary: 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.
Why I Read This Book: Like many books, I saw this one being posted about around the book blog world, added it to my TBR, and eventually bought and read it. I don't remember reading the summary or the back of the book until the day I picked it up off my shelf as my next book to read.
Review: If you have read this book, you will know why I say that this is a book for you to read at home, not while on a plane, or waiting at the doctor, or on the bus, or where ever else you find yourself doing some public reading. I had the biggest ugly cry while reading this book. omgomgomg it was so freaking heart wrenching. BUT, it was also a fantastic story of growing, learning, adventure, and love. I loved this book, even though I cried during half of it (seriously, BF thought I was crazy). This is the first book I have read by John Green, and I will definitely read some more now. (although can someone tell me if he writes using a 'formula' such as authors like Jodi Piccoult - I really don't want to read the same book with different characters and a different teen tragedy). Anyway, until I know that, I will recommend this book, and sign its praises because it was great. I will say, however that it was a little bit cliche. Cancer stories are a little bit overdone. I mean, there is only so much left to say about cancer. There is nothing groundbreaking about it anymore, unique treatments aren't even all that unique anymore. Also, Green kind of wrote this book to be intentionally heartbreaking. He was probably giggling to himself saying "oh THIS is really gonna make those ladies bawl!" But, as I said, I liked this book. I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters, and I like all the characters. I thought Hazel's mom was awesome, she is exactly what a child going through that sort of thing needs. This review seems very jumbled, but I'm trying to do it quickly before work, so it will just have to do!
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