If You Liked The Fault in Our Stars

I like the internet as much as the next person. I like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars slightly less than the next person, since I was spoiled and therefore not quite as emotionally moved and blah blah blah it's ok because I still like it very much. 

What I'm not so crazy about is the internet's overwhelming obsession with this book. I'm happy that the internet chose a great book to hold on to, and I'm happy that so many people found something with which they resonate, but if I have to see one more person on tumblr saying his/her thoughts are stars he/she cannot fathom into constellations, I may lose my mind. This may be because I am turning into a cranky old lady at the young age of 18, but still. 

I'm not asking for the people of the internet to give up The Fault in Our Stars, but I'd be unbelievably happy if they read other amazing things and gave them some love too, for so many books deserve more attention. And I am here to give my own recommendations, categorized by things relevant to the experience of reading TFiOS, in case someone looking for something else to read happens upon this post.

Illness

Cancer plays a heavy role in The Fault in Our Stars, so perhaps you would like to read about other illnesses and their effects on people. One of my favorite reads of 2012 is Brian James' Life is But a Dream, which deals with schizophrenia in a very powerful, beautiful way. Another book I quite like is Wendelin Van Draanen's The Running Dream, about a runner who loses her leg. Not an illness, but it's a physical problem that totally sucks, so I can include it here.

Tears

Most everyone I've seen got at least a little teary-eyed by the end of The Fault in Our Stars, so it's only fitting that I tell you about some of the books that have made me cry. The one that immediately comes to mind is Sara Zarr's Sweethearts. I think TFiOS fans would especially enjoy this one because the relationship between the two main characters, Jenna and Cameron, is so beautiful and honest and full of emotions that by the end I am left a blubbering mess. Another book with a similarly fantastic relationship is Holly Goldberg Sloan's I'll Be There. Or, if you would prefer tears induced by pure sadness (and later beautiful relationships), you can't go wrong with is Gayle Forman's If I Stay and Where She Went, both of which are absolutely gutting in the best painful way (the latter is my favorite, but I love them both).

Quotes

If there is one thing the internet likes as much as The Fault in Our Stars, it's quoting The Fault in Our Stars. ("I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once," "That's the thing about pain...it demands to be felt," etc. etc.) If you would like to read things with lovely writing and fantastic quotes, you cannot go wrong with any book by David Levithan. And he has a book to fit your every need! For example, The Realm of Possibility is written in verse, Love is the Higher Law is traditional prose, and How They Met is a collection of short stories. You also cannot go wrong with the works of Beth Kephart. I quite like Small Damages, which makes me really want to go to Spain, and The Heart is Not a Size, which takes place in Mexico. 

Happiness

Perhaps after the emotional experience of reading TFiOS, you just want to read something that will lift your spirits completely back up again. I am best at recommending for this category since I love these books the most. For example, I am in love with Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, which  you should read no matter what because it makes me cry happy tears and want to travel all over Paris. Another fun book is Dash and Lily's Book of Dares  by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, a scavenger hunt set in New York City at Christmas. 

I could recommend many more books, but I think this is enough for now, so go forth and read.