Up until his diagnosis, Lane lived a fairly predictable life. But when he finds himself at a tuberculosis sanatorium called Latham House, he discovers an insular world with paradoxical rules, med sensors, and an eccentric yet utterly compelling confidante named Sadie—and life as Lane knows it will never be the same.

Robyn Schneider's Extraordinary Means is a heart-wrenching yet ultimately hopeful story about the miracles of first love and second chances.

I had a feeling that this book was going to cause me immense emotions, but I still went ahead and read it. That was my mistake.

Throughout this book, there was dread hanging over my head. When the setting's a place for kids with terminal illness, one kind of has to assume that someone's going to die. But it didn't go at all how I expected.

I held out through the end of this book and closed it without shedding a single tear, but then I broke down completely and got really angry at the world. Schneider's writing was beautiful and made me contemplate life in such a gorgeous way.

The premise was at points a little contrived, but this was forgivable. I enjoyed how Lane treated the situation and what this eventually led to, and I enjoyed how it initially felt so close to the books about students at boarding school that I used to read when I was young.

The group of characters Lane eventually fell into was fun and believable. They all felt like real people, and their dynamic was playful and carefree, a complete contrast to the atmosphere that the setting provided.

Schneider knows how to capture the vitality of life and this was an example of gorgeous writing. Anyone who likes John Green will like this one, and Schneider is an author to look out for.

My Expectations Before Reading

I braved the hype and finally read The Fault in Our Stars. Before I read this book, I knew surprisingly little about it, considering the massive popularity and the release of the movie. For the most part, I managed to skip past all the spoilers, especially on Tumblr. Of course I knew that John Green wrote it and that it was about cancer. Oh and I didn't manage to escape the metaphor of the cigarette. Then again, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, so that doesn't really count.

In terms of expectations, I tried to ignore all the hype surrounding this book. Still, I couldn't ignore that John Green wrote The Fault in Our Stars—not necessarily because of who he is but rather because I've read two of his stories before. The first was A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle in Let It Snow, and the second was An Abundance of Katherines.

A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle amused me greatly, and I thoroughly enjoyed Green's writing style for the story that he had written. As for An Abundance of Katherines, it's one of those books I disliked so much, I still am irked just thinking about that book. After reading The Fault in Our Stars, I've decided that John Green is a hit-and-miss kind of author for me.

My Thoughts on The Fault in Our Stars

Mixed Feelings

What I enjoyed most about The Fault in Our Stars was the prose. Paradoxically, I didn't very much care for Hazel's voice. The writing style itself was clear and concise, with few words wasted. But the voice of Hazel's left me unconvinced.

I hated hurting him. Most of the time, I could forget about it, but the inexorable truth is this: They might be glad to have me around, but I was the alpha and the omega of my parents’ suffering.

Moments like these sucked me right into The Fault in Our Stars. Yet that was more because of the linguistic flair than because of the story or the characters. Like I said, in terms of the prose, it was a pleasure reading this book. However, this also worked against the book. The signature wittiness I found endearing in A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle somehow resurfaced in The Fault in Our Stars. Instead of charming me into loving The Fault in Our Stars, that built a barrier that prevented me from fully immersing myself into the life of Hazel.

Lack of Depth

Either way, the characters themselves were likeable enough to me, even though they lacked the depth I'd expect from people who were on the brinks of their deaths. They lived day-to-day, not knowing if that day would be their last. Somehow that didn't translate. In fact, the frailness and fragility of Hazel didn't even came across, in my opinion. 

Sweet Romance

In terms of the romance, the relationship between Hazel and Gus was very sweet and innocent, and I couldn't help but root for Gus. He pursued Hazel with all his heart, was unrelenting, fully treasuring every moment that he had with Hazel. I liked that for all the time that they spent together, they didn't sideline Isaac, who was Gus' best friend.

Witty vs. Solemn Tone

Sadly, even though I got to know Hazel, Gus and Isaac pretty well in terms of their ailments, likes and dislikes, I just didn't connect. At no point during the book did I feel inclined to cry, even though I tend to be very emotionally involved in the books that I read. I wasn't moved much by the story. I think in part that's because I felt the approach to the issues at hand was too light-hearted and a bit too concerned with wittiness.

It's not that I expect a book such as The Fault in Our Stars to be solemn every single moment but glossing over the worst sides of cancer, and indulging so much in the romance between Hazel and Gus left a lot to be desired in terms of the pain that they suffered physically, mentally and emotionally because of their terminal illnesses.

This review first appeared on Word Revel.

Space and Mars aren't usually my thing but when it comes to Genesis, it turns out that doesn't really matter. In fact, that setting, along with Earth is what made this book all the more thrilling. Set 500 years into the future, enough humans have settled down on Mars that children are already born on that planet. Pip is one of them, which makes him stand out among the Ferals on Earth, although not any less menacing to Rosie, a Banker.

Since I don't generally read books set in outer space, Genesis obviously offered something very different for me. I also appreciated that the setting wasn't a gimmick but rather added to the plot as a whole. Written from a third-person omniscient view, I thought the characters needed to all be well-developed. Lara Morgan did not disappoint. Rosie is a believable character who as brave as she is, depends on the guidance of her elders, particularly her Aunt Essie. Pip in a way represents the typical brooding type, yet never fails to be full of surprises. Mr Yuang is a mysterious man who charming as a is, has many secrets to hide. Not to be outdone, Riley has many secrets of his own, making it difficult at first to pick any side, be it as Rosie or as the reader.

Throughout the book, I was completely kept on my toes. Although by the time I was done, I was convinced that Lara Morgan is a fan of Murphy's Law. Anything that could go wrong, just had to go wrong, so that was a bit much for me. I like happy books but sadly they don't build up as much tension. So I do have to concede, this is what builds conflict and that is why I couldn't stop reading. I had to know how they all would work through these obstacles to reach their goals.

I feel like I should say more but I've already jumped right into the next book in the trilogy, so I don't want to accidentally spill any spoilers. All I can say is, do try to pick up this book if you can. It might be difficult to find for those not living in Australia but hunting it down is well worth the extra effort!

This review is also available on dudettereads.com.