The Fault in our Stars- John Green

Now that I have finished wiping up my tears, I can finally gather my thoughts enough to say that this was a beautifully, intelligentlly, and emotionally riveting tale of cancer-ridden , star-crossed love. 

Sometimes I get into a slump when reading books. It's easy to continue on the same path of genres until you're mind essentially becomes mush. I did this recently, with the self-inflicted onslaught of new adult romance novels I've been reading. Not saying they weren't interesting, lovely tales, just saying I was in a slump. That is how I came across Fault in our Stars.

You'll notice that this book is written by a... dun dun dun... man! 

I actually would have never noticed while reading the book, because he did such a great job sounding like a cancer infested teenage girl. It is a sad story, but it is refreshing to hear about pain and death the way they really are. Painful. Sad. Not. Fun. The Fault in our Stars made me laugh out loud and cry out loud, and even made me reread parts that were too intelligent for my brain, but nonetheless all of these aspects made me love reading this book so much.

This is the synopsis that I found on Good Reads

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

Loved:

• the truth in pain and suffering... no sugar coating
• how disease breeds friendship 
• the honesty in conversation
• insightful words to quote by
• star-crossed lovers
• the fact that I laughed and cried out loud
• hope that even living for a little while, is worth living

Loathed:

• how true endings just end, but I guess I get it from reading this book {you shall too...read it}

GREAT BOOK! It is a little most costly than most ebooks, but I guess with great insight you must giveth a little more mula!

View all my reviews on Good Reads {my new empire for books!}

Point of Retreat- Colleen Hoover

I just now... like an hour ago... finished this book. It is the second installment of Slammed by Colleen Hoover. Point of Retreat picks up a year after Slammed ends. 

Point of Retreat was, I have to say, even better than Slammed. I actually cried, laughed, and slammed out loud! It was incredible. I love that I feel like the characters are all part of my own extended family. I even feel the need to use key phrases like "butterfly you" or "carving pumpkins." Those of you that have read one or both of these books, will understand what I mean. 

Colleen definitely outdid herself with this book and I really hope she gives us more snippets of Layken and Will on her blog. 

This is the Amazon.com synopsis for Point of Retreat:

Layken and Will's relationship persevered through hardships, heartache and a cruel twist of fate, further solidifying the fact that they belong together.  What they don't expect is that the things that brought them together may ultimately be the very things that tear them apart. 

 Layken is left questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built.  Will is left questioning how to prove his love for a girl who can't seem to stop "carving pumpkins."Once they find answers, the couple faces an even greater challenge.  One that could change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone who depend on them.

Loved:

• Will and Lake!!! <33333333
• watching the boys grow up from the last book
• Kiersten and Sherry's characters
• sucks and sweets (worst and best part of each day)
• the poetry before each chapter
• Julia, Lake's mother's, grasp on life even after death
• the tragedy that makes a good story
• slams
• the inside jokes that make you feel like a part of the story

Loathed {disliked}:

• the lack of trust and communication that occurs
• that there wasn't as much slam poetry as in Slammed

Jason Mraz's I Won't Give Up is the perfect song to accompany this book. Colleen posted it on her blog, and as soon as I finished Point of Retreat I was compelled to listen to it. It completely and utterly encompasses what this book is about. 

Listen to it on loop while you eat up Point of Retreat!

Go and buy it!!! $3.99 Will. Not. Break. Your. Bank.