The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Get out your kleenex. Any time you read a book about two teenagers with terminal cancer you know it's going to be emotionally rough, and probably full of cliches about facing cancer bravely and living in the moment. But in the hands of John Green, it's refreshingly funny and touching and illuminating and frequently surprising. Hazel, who has thyroid cancer and needs assistance to breathe, meets Augustus, who had a leg amputated due to bone cancer, at a cancer support group. They share a sarcastic sense of humor an intellect beyond their years. They bond over a favorite book and contact the author to ask him some questions that lead them on a journey to Amsterdam. But the plot really isn't the point here. It's the characters and how they make something special in the midst of the rotten luck they share. Like many excellent young adult books, it's definitely for older teens and will be embraced by adults as well. I was serious when I said get your kleenex, though. Read this book somewhere where you can wallow in delight and in sorrow.