I was avoiding reading this book because I'm a "book hipster". I loved John Green, and Looking For Alaska is probably one of my favorite books, but when all the fan girls started piling onto this novel I just couldn't make myself read it. Obviously I came around, but it was hard, so know that I read this book IN SPITE of the hype. Eh. 
 I wish I'd discovered this book before the movie came out, because I kept picturing the actress as Hazel. I hate how movies do that to books, forcing you to put a different face on a character... anyhow. 
 I cried a lot reading this book. I also laughed out loud, in public places, a lot. It's that kind of book. 
 I don't want to say too much more than that, because so many people told me how sad it was and I formed a lot of preconceptions and again, I wish I hadn't. You can't actually avoid it right now, though, so I don't think I'm spoiling anything. Just know it's a not a "sad" book. It's a good book about a sad subject, is all. 
 The reason I didn't give it five stars... I just didn't find the characters authentic throughout. Unless having a disease suddenly makes you more profound with a larger vocabulary (who knows, maybe it does?) I don't think that teenagers actually speak that way. 
 Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. A good read. A QUICK read, because you're not going to be able to put it down. If you liked this book, please read Looking For Alaska. It's better ;)