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Quick answer: If you loved The Fault in Our Stars, read John Green's Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns and An Abundance of Katherines, then Five Feet Apart, Eleanor & Park and Before I Die. All mix humour, heartbreak and teens who think deeply about life.
John Green's 2012 novel follows Hazel and Augustus, two teens who meet in a cancer support group and fall in love. It is sad, funny and philosophical. The books below offer similar tears, wit and big feelings, with options from the same author and from others who write about illness, love and growing up.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looking for Alaska | John Green | Teen | more Green |
| Paper Towns | John Green | Teen | mystery and romance |
| An Abundance of Katherines | John Green | Teen | humour and math |
| Turtles All the Way Down | John Green | Teen | mental health |
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | Teen | first love |
| Five Feet Apart | Rachael Lippincott | Teen | illness romance |
| Everything, Everything | Nicola Yoon | Teen | sealed-in romance |
| All the Bright Places | Jennifer Niven | Teen | emotional depth |
| If I Stay | Gayle Forman | Teen | heartbreaking choices |
| The Sun Is Also a Star | Nicola Yoon | Teen | short-time romance |
| Before I Die | Jenny Downham | Teen | bucket-list stories |
| Side Effects May Vary | Julie Murphy | Teen | angry honesty |
| My Sister's Keeper | Jodi Picoult | Adult | family dilemmas |
| Me Before You | Jojo Moyes | Adult | adult tearjerkers |
| Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda | Becky Albertalli | Teen | funny and kind |
1. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Miles goes to boarding school and falls for the charismatic Alaska Young. A bittersweet novel of friendship and loss.
Best for: more Green.
2. Paper Towns by John Green
Quentin follows clues left by his neighbor Margo before she disappears. A road-trip mystery with heart.
Best for: mystery and romance.
3. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
A former child prodigy sets out to prove a mathematical theory of love. Goofy and clever.
Best for: humour and math.
4. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
Aza lives with obsessive thoughts while she and her friend search for a missing billionaire. A thoughtful portrait of anxiety.
Best for: mental health.
5. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits fall in love on a bus in 1986. Tender and honest, with hard family situations.
Best for: first love.
6. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Two teens with cystic fibrosis fall in love while having to keep their distance. Emotional and quick.
Best for: illness romance.
7. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Maddy has never left her house because of an illness, until the boy next door arrives. Sweet and surprising.
Best for: sealed-in romance.
8. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Violet and Finch deal with grief and mental health. A powerful, heavy book.
Best for: emotional depth.
9. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Mia must decide whether to live after an accident. A moving story of family and music.
Best for: heartbreaking choices.
10. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Two teens meet in New York on one day that could change everything. A romantic story about fate.
Best for: short-time romance.
11. Before I Die by Jenny Downham
A girl with terminal cancer makes a list of things to do. Honest and sad.
Best for: bucket-list stories.
12. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy
A girl with cancer decides to make a list of revenge. Sharp, funny and unexpected.
Best for: angry honesty.
13. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
A girl sues her parents for control of her own body after being conceived to save her sister. Emotional and thoughtful.
Best for: family dilemmas.
14. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
A caregiver and a paralyzed man form a deep bond. Emotional and thought-provoking.
Best for: adult tearjerkers.
15. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Simon exchanges anonymous emails with a boy at school. Funny, warm and hopeful.
Best for: funny and kind.
How to Choose
If you want more John Green, start with Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns or Turtles All the Way Down. For illness stories, pick Five Feet Apart, Before I Die or Side Effects May Vary. For romance with heartbreak, choose Eleanor & Park, If I Stay or The Sun Is Also a Star. If you want something lighter, read An Abundance of Katherines or Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Many of these books deal with death, so keep tissues nearby. Pair a sad book with something lighter afterward, such as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda or An Abundance of Katherines. If your teen likes audiobooks, many of these have full-cast or author narration that brings the voices to life.
Related: What Age Is The Fault in Our Stars Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide · 26 Reasons Why Books are Important in Our Life
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Fault in Our Stars about?
Hazel, a teen with cancer, falls in love with Augustus Waters, and they travel to Amsterdam to meet an author.
Is it a true story?
No, though it is inspired by Green's time working with sick children.
Is there a movie?
Yes, a 2014 film starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
Where does the title come from?
It echoes a line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar about our fault being in ourselves, not our stars.
What age is it for?
About 13 and up.
What should I read after it?
Looking for Alaska and Eleanor & Park are popular choices.
Is The Fault in Our Stars too sad?
It is very emotional, but also witty and hopeful.
Who narrates the audiobook?
Kate Rudd narrates the audiobook of The Fault in Our Stars.
Is there an age rating?
Most libraries shelve it for ages 13 and up.