The Fault in Our Stars in Pick-a-Shelf

Jul 28, 2012 Dee rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2012, no-discussion-books

still wavering between a 4 and a 5 star read...will have the ponder - review to follow

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 30, 2013 Jayme(theghostreader) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-books, young-adult

I really enjoyed this book. I found out about this book last year. I didn't know much about it. I loved how the book was about two teenagers going through the same diagnosis of cancer and how they lived for today and fell in love. I really felt they loved each other. I thought it was sweet of Augustus to use his wish to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet the author of their favorite book. What I didn't like was the author of the book they were reading. He is a jerk. He didn't want to answer their q ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 21, 2013 Susan rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fiction

I hadn't been looking forward to reading this. I guess I expected it to be a bit grim. But it's not. It's funny and sad and realistic (I think) and hopeful. And while a number of the main characters are struggling in one way or another with cancer, the book is really more about friendship and young love. That makes it a terrific young adult book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 04, 2013 Serenity rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, audiobook

I would never have picked this up if there hadn’t been so much fuss over this book and the author all freaking year. Cancer books and YA realistic fictions are not really my thing. But I kept seeing it everywhere and gah I just need to change that green button underneath to say “Read” or else it will keep bothering me. At least it didn’t seem as offensively unpalatable as Twilight or 40 Shades.

Still don’t really understand why everyone has been flipping out over this book. Yeah, it is cute and f I would never have picked this up if there hadn’t been so much fuss over this book and the author all freaking year. Cancer books and YA realistic fictions are not really my thing. But I kept seeing it everywhere and gah I just need to change that green button underneath to say “Read” or else it will keep bothering me. At least it didn’t seem as offensively unpalatable as Twilight or 40 Shades.

Still don’t really understand why everyone has been flipping out over this book. Yeah, it is cute and filled with one-liners, but it is far far from spectacular in the wit, plot, or characterization departments. I can point out things like how all of the characters, from adult to too-smart-by-half-teen, speak in THE SAME way. Or how Augustus’s entire arc, but especially the ending, is predictable and just…trying too hard.

But you know what, all of that doesn’t matter. The heart loves what the heart loves, and if people love this book to pieces, I’m not going to rain on anyone’s parade. And not living up to hype is not the same as bad; in fact, I could see my high school self really loving this book. So yeah, 3 stars.

Also, kudos to quoting my favorite poem in the entire world. Although I do feel a bit sad now that EVERYONE is in on what used to feel like my own little secret.

**************
The following is a status update from about 25 pages into the book. It was too long for the status box, so I put it here, because I felt that it really needed to be said.

(view spoiler) ...more

Like · see review

Feb 02, 2014 Meg rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-books

Amazing Amazing Amazing!!!

I really liked this from the start. The language is so upbeat even though the topics are depressing. You fall in love with Augustus and Hazel not because you feel sorry for them or because they are tackling their disease with bravado, but because of who they are separate and apart, and who they are are pretty cool :)

From the beginning you have an idea of the turn it's gonna take eventually so you read with a sense of despair. I sensed the twist before it was revealed an ...more

Like · see review