The Fault In Our Stars
John Green 

To be kind, I will start this post, not being 'myself.' I will leave my opinion out of it, for now...

The Fault In Our Stars, where to begin? Well, its a best seller, its written by a man, (which you don't see in teenage books as often) and its a very touching story that really lets you understand the true value of life and loved ones.

Sixteen year old Hazel Grace, (or as she wishes to be called 'Just Hazel) is the main character in the book. Sadly, Hazel is diagnosed with thyroid cancer, unfortunately it is stage 4, and there is metastasis forming in her lungs. Wishing she could be a normal teenager, Hazel spends mostly all her time, watching Americas Next Top Model, or reading her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. Her mother wants her to go out, and live her life and make friends, by going to a support group, but honestly, there's not much Hazel hates more than support groups, but she wants to make her mom happy, so she agrees. She constantly feels guilty about her disease and fears the day when she dies, knowing it will destroy her parents.

One day, while suffering her way into support group, she notices a new face shes never seen before, and believe me, this is a face she would've remembered.

His name is Augustus Waters. Seventeen year old boy full of metaphors. His type of cancer is Osteosarcoma, which caused him to lose a leg, but thankfully its been a little over a year and his last PET scan said he was cancer free.

Immediately Augustus and Hazel are attracted to each other, but Hazel doesn't want to get in a relationship with him simply because she views herself as a grenade, she will explode and hurt the people around her, and she doesn't want to do that to Augustus.

This story is full of great life lessons, and gives you a new way of thinking about the world.
It really does a good job showing the struggles of whats its like to have cancer, from people treating you different out of pity, and giving you free stuff, or how people view them as infectious, and admire their inspirational 'battles' with cancer, but really all Hazel wants is to be treated like a normal person.

This book can really open your eyes to new points, otherwise never would've crossed your mind. Its very honest, and true, but boy, the whole idea is depressing.

My opinion: No, just no....
unless you enjoy very sad stories and like thinking about death,
than no.

I enjoyed the meaning behind some of the quotes, it gave me a new way of thinking... but overall I did not enjoy the book.

It was difficult to bond or draw close to the characters for me, and the love story part didn't really seem true. It just was written like two teenagers who liked each other and then they hooked up, there was no loving mad passion that causes deep, love.

I know this is the type of story you think the characters would be deep, and very emotional, but quite honestly, that couldn't be more from the truth. Despite everything, the characters seemed, light hearted and never missed a moment to joke around. That may work for some people, but to me, I don't think a deep drama should clash with funny go lucky humor.

Another thing that bothered me was it bounced from one scene to the other. One moment Hazel is with (blank).. then the next moment, (blank) is dead. Which just left me like..... "wat."

I think what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't give you time to prepare... but that's just my opinion.

I saw the trailer for the movie that will be coming out in June, and it brought tears to my eyes. I think, for the first time in history, (write this down) the movie will be BETTER, than the book... I know, crazy, right?


Overall, I'd give this book,

                                               

                                                     
                                                          3 out of 10 stars



Have you read The Fault In Our Stars?
Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book ?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 
Love without control, 
And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :) 

IF YOU WERE HERE

Alafair Burke
http://alafairburke.com/


Who do you trust?

That is the ultimate question in this latest mystery thriller by lawyer
Alafair Burke.

  McKenna Jordan is a reporter just doing her job. Its a slow news day and she is chasing  leads on some less then promising story lines. When an event comes up about a woman rescuing a boy who fell on the tracks in the subway seems like just another story - at first.  

Only when she reviews the cell phone recording of the incident made by a 
bystander, something gives her pause . The way the woman moves when she runs, her profile as she lefts the boy off the track and on to the platform, all have an eerily familiar look. Is it her good friend   Susan Hauptmann, who disappeared and was never found 10 years ago? 

McKenna uses her contacts as a as lawyer-turned-journalist,  to dig deeper in to the story and what appeared at first as a human interest piece quickly becomes a life and death hide and seek. Not only for McKenna but for those around her. The more she tries to unravel the mystery, the more people get hurt. 

The second half of the book zigs and zags  quickly and with less character dialogue and more action  a complex storyline  is pulled together leaving no loose ends. 
  
This book is well written but starts off slow. If you can endure that, you will enjoy reading it as it picks up about a third of the way through and carries that tensile quality all the way to the last page. 

This is a second novel by an up and coming young writer you will want to keep your eye on.  Not the best book I have ever read but the ending has enough twists to make this book weigh in as a good read. ~

till next time, keep reading!

Indie
http://thebookloverz.blogspot.com/

The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries. - Rene Descartes

DIE FOR ME
AMY PLUM

If you're in the mood for a light read to pass the time... this is the perfect choice.

This story of romance, fear and death is read from the point of view of Kate Mercier, a 16 year old girl who is sucked into grief and sorrow from her parents untimely death.
She is forced to move to Paris, to stay with her grandparents, along with her party animal sister, Georgia.

Each of the sisters had there own way of coping, Georgia goes to parties hoping to dance the pain away, and Kate, (When she isn't rotting away inside) goes to art museums, and gets lost in books.

Her family worries about her and her well being, so they make her go to a coffee cafe down the block for fresh air. While there, sitting at her table in the corner, she sees three good looking men that stand out in the crowd like no one else. But to her surprise one of them staring at her, and that is when she meets the love of her life, Vincent. The only thing, is that Vincent isn't like ordinary guys. Hes a Revenant... which means he is immortal, and he spends his immortality sacrificing himself for other people by saving there lives... by giving his own. Yes they die, but they come back to life to die again. Weather if its a mortal committing suicide or being a victim of an accident, Vincent and his family will be there to save the day, its what they live for. The beautiful cycle continues. Apparently that's an issue for Kate. She doesn't want to see him die over and over again, EVEN THOUGH he will come back. If there was a chance he wouldn't come back, any risk at all, I could understand that, but there isn't. You tend to learn after a while that no matter how many times superman gets shot he will be FINE.

Now ill be honest, this book does not take a place in my top favorites, but like I said, if you're bored and have nothing better to do, this book would be entertaining enough to hold you through.

I think my biggest problem with this book is how it was written, it seemed too simple... It tended to skip a lot of information and details. Kate would be at a coffee shop in one paragraph, then in the next she would be at home talking to her sister. It also contradicted itself quite a few times. One moment she was depressed and felt like doing nothing then she'd go downstairs and laugh and joke with her sister... it takes you through a roller coaster for sure, but not the good kind.

Overall, I would recommend quite a few books to you before this one. :)

I give it, 4 out of 10 on the big burger of things.

Have you read Die For Me?

Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 

Love without control, 

And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :)