Next book review- The Fault in our Stars!

So I just finished The Fault in Our Stars(quite early this time, book club meeting isn't until June 8th!). It was a fast read and not exactly what I thought it was going to be! I'm going to try and not spoil anything...

 
The story is written from Hazel's perspective, and I love the gallows humor which keeps everything surprisingly upbeat, considering the topic. Hazel is a 16 year old who was diagnosed with terminal cancer at age 13. She was miraculously brought back from the verge of death by an experimental drug which has extended her life temporarily. With her uncertain future she decides to live her remaining time causing the least amount of pain and suffering to others as possible(including animals). Her defeatist personality causes her parents to put her in a (very depressing) childhood cancer support group. All of this changes when Hazel meets Augustus Waters one day at support group. Hazel is determined not to cause him pain, and tries her best to keep him at arms length.
 

Their friendship grows through the sharing of Hazel's favorite novel. The book is written from the perspective of Anne, another terminally sick girl, and ends mid sentence as though she passed away while writing. Hazel has read the book a million times and really wants to hear the end of the story before she dies. Augustus takes it upon himself to get the end of the story for Hazel, and the story follows this adventure.

The book really gets you thinking about what impact we leave on the world, how small a single life can be, and how the ones we love will remember us. Overall - a quick read for me, and yes, it was a tear-jerk-er. As a follow up on my strategy to not cry - the finger pressing up under the nose works a lot better when upright(not lying in bed) because then you can occasionally look upwards(which also helps). Well, on to the next one right? So much time until the next book club (The Book Thief is up next!) so I get to pick a book in the mean time. I've had The Casual Vacancy sitting on my shelf for a while.

Yes, I got it because it was written by J.K. Rowling... Haven't heard the best things about it, but I suppose I should give it a shot.