The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Everyone I know seemed to be really excited about this book. After I read it, I saw why. It's pretty amazing. Even though a medical miracle has happened to her in her very short life, Hazel has never been anything but terminal. After her near death experience with a tumor, she has begun to think of life as an event leading up to death. This changes when she meets the alluring Augustus Waters at the Support Group her mother makes her go to. As she gets to know the young cancer survivor, she finds herself wanting to spend more time with him. But, because there's a threat of him falling for her too, she decides that she can't let this happen. She doesn't want to be a "grenade": a person who hurts everyone nearby when she blows up (aka dies). The breaking point for her is when their mutual friend, Isaac, loses his second eye to cancer and both him and his girlfriend end up hurt. But, just as she's decided to keep herself away from him, he's decided that he wants to be very near to her. As they start exploring their new found friendship, they start to find themselves falling in love with each other. But, just when their diagnoses is looking good, Hazel realizes that she may not be the "grenade" after all. Awesome book! Warning: you probably will cry.
Grade: A++
SC: 5
V: 4
C: 2

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

This book starts out with Amy, a girl living in the future, being cryogenically frozen. Important people, like her parents, are being transported to a distant planet to become the first civilization on this planet. 50 years early, however, Amy is yanked out of her frozen state and is almost killed. She is saved by Elder, the second in command of the giant ship heading to the new planet. Amy is suddenly thrust into a new world, with something sinister lurking in every corner. The ruler of the ship, Eldest, is ruling the ship with an iron hand. All of the "peasants" are drinking water that has been spiked with a drug that causes no emotions, everyone can communicate with everyone else by devices inside their ears, and they are informed that they are 50 years behind schedule. But, the situation worsens when Elder finds out that the ship isn't functioning properly and they are actually 250 years behind schedule: not even halfway there. As Eldest becomes even harder to deal with, Elder and Amy try to find a way to take control away from Eldest and protect the other "frozens" that are being yanked out and killed one by one. Overall, a good book. Lags a little in the middle but picks up again at the end.
Grade: B+
SC: 6
V: 7
C: 5