Book Review and Author Event: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Carry On Author: Rainbow Rowell Published: October 6, 2015 by St. Martins Griffin (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.  Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.  Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

We don't get a lot of YA authors coming to Pittsburgh. So when I found out that Rainbow Rowell, who is someone that I adore and have missed meeting at two BEAs, was coming to town I was absolutely ecstatic. Two days after the release of Carry On she came to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for a short talk and book signing. She was unsurprisingly delightful and kind, staying for three hours to sign books. During the signing we chatted about awkward author encounters (she'll make this list now) and how I figured out she was writing this book when she tweeted about doing something new. She talked about everything from writing and reading, to fantasy, to fanfiction, and even some movie updates. I was originally going to write a whole separate thing about the event but I figured I would just pepper in some things she said throughout.

I absolutely love Rainbow Rowell and all her books. The one that introduced me to her writing was Fangirl which I will always have a special place in my heart for. I love Fangirl for multiple reasons. For one thing I always connected with Cath and her love of fantasy. So when I found out that Rainbow was writing a book about the characters that Cath loved, I was very excited to fall in love with them too. And that is exactly what I did.

One of the things that I always love about Rainbow is her characterizations. Every book has brilliant and realistic characters who you can't help but love and Carry On was no exception. In her talk Rainbow mentioned that one of the things she noticed while writing Carry On is that she had to have a lot of character perspectives because each character needed a little bit of information. I think there are seven different POV characters here. Usually that is something that annoys me but here it mostly worked. Each character had their own distinct voice and did in fact bring something that felt essential. Rainbow said one of her favorite characters to write about was Baz and he was definitely my favorite to read about. He has so much inner turmoil but so much humor and intelligence. He was fun and dark and so interesting. Simon was also really interesting. He's such a complex character and I really enjoyed his development and the way Rainbow played with the Hero's Journey through Simon. But I think my other favorite character was Penelope. She's the overly intelligent Hermione-esque character here but I love the way she flouts the rules and helps Simon. They had a great friendship.

But all the relationships here were so fantastic. For one thing they were incredibly complex, especially the romances. I often think that term "love triangle" is a misnomer. It's usually a love line with the MC in the middle and the two love interests on either side. Here it could genuinely be called a triangle. Most of the characters did in fact like the other two which made for a lot of drama. But the OTP here was the best part. We're all on the same page here, right? The ship here is Simon and Baz. And wow, I loved it so much. Baz isn't in the first part of the book and Simon's obsession with him was a little frustrating because I just wanted them to interact. I wanted the banter and the romance. And when I did get it I couldn't be happier. Because when it did finally happen it was so sudden. They went from enemies, to a begrudging teammates, to in a romantic relationship. I do kind of wish there was more romance though because the kissing scenes were pretty top notch.

But that wasn't the only thing about the book I loved. The world was also fantastic. This is Rainbow's first fantasy book and I have to admit that I was a little nervous about a favorite author who writes in a genre I don't usually love, writing in a genre I do love. I don't know why, I should have trusted Rainbow because she did an amazing job with this aspect. She said in her talk that she reads a lot of fantasy so she "had the vocabulary" and also mentioned a love of Lev Grossman and how he played with the tropes so after that I was really excited. And what is created in Carry On is a really unique fantasy world that does play with the tropes in a fun way. The magical school is quite common in YA fantasy but that was really just the backdrop here. Although Watford was a cool place. The locations within the castle felt Hogwartsian but they still felt unique.  But what I really liked about the world was the magical system. It was such a complex and interesting system. Here Mages had to be magical which is a mostly hereditary skill. And then to control their magic they also have to have some sort of magical object like a wand, a ring, or even a sword which was interesting. But even more creative was the fact that their magical words were nursery rhymes, song lyrics, and even some cliches. It was really unique and fun to see. The world and magical system of Carry On was one of my favorite parts.

But unfortunately there were some things about the book that didn't quite work for me. One of those is the plot development. There is a lot going on in this book. I usually love that, a complicated book makes for an interesting book. But the most interesting plot point was the "Chosen One" storyline and sometimes it was overshadowed or muddled by other plot points. At first it read more like a mystery and less like an epic fantasy, whic I liked. The mystery unfolded in an interesting way that made logical sense. It was solvable but not predictable which was really refreshing. However even the central mystery had a little too many facets. Rainbow mentioned in her talk that she gave different pieces of the mystery to different characters which is fine but often it felt like they weren't sharing that info. As the reader we had privileged knowledge that helped us solve things but that kind of dramatic irony is not my favorite. I think on the whole there were too many minor storylines. From Baz trying to find out who killed his mother, to the political intrigue of families arguing about who should be able to attend Watford, and even some stuff about vampires. There was a lot of different things that sometimes took away from the main story which I was enjoying. Plus when it was all said and done there were lose ends and plot points that just fizzled out. If this was a series then I could maybe see why they were included for them to become important down the line but here it kind of just made things a little muddled. But in the end I did really like the big reveals and resolutions.

And while the ending did redeem things it still made for a book that had some pacing issues. Things started out a little slow for my taste. I understand that when you are creating a new fantasy you have to set the scene and introduce the characters. A little bit of that is fine. But because there were so many different plot points there was a lot of exposition until they got to the meat of the story. Then when things did build to the thrilling conclusion it seemed like it was over a little too soon. And like I mentioned before, some plot points just fizzled out. There were no resolutions on some while others just ended without any follow up. The more complicated plot I think just resulted in a book that had a little too muddled pacing for me. A little less is more perhaps.

But on the whole Carry On was a thoroughly entertaining read. Rainbow Rowell created a world full of magic and mystery that she populated with some fantastic and complex characters. Fantasy fans will love the way she plays with the tropes and the unique magical systems and fans of her contemporary work will adore the romance and humor here.

I give Carry On by Rainbow Rowell 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. This was a great read that I think will appeal to a lot of different people. I may not really recommend it to fantasy fans because of my concerns with the plot development but it is worth it to see how she plays with the classic tropes. If you are a fan of Rainbow's contemporary novels you will probably also enjoy this one. It's a big change for her but I'd like to see her do more fantasy. I wouldn't mind if there was more Simon and Baz either.

Have you read Carry On? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Carry On Author: Rainbow Rowell Published: October 6, 2015 by St. Martins Griffin (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.  Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.  Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

Why I'm Waiting 

Rainbow Rowell is an auto-buy author for me. I have loved everything she has ever written. Adult or YA, she is seriously one of my absolute favorites. This is her first non-contemporary novel that she is publishing and I am so excited to see her take on that genre which is an absolute favorite of mine. The things I love about Rainbow's writing I'm sure will translate to a great fantasy including being able to walk a fine line between serious and silly, characters that are complex and likeable in a realistic sort of way, and just amazing writting.

But I'm also really excited just because of the meta nature of this book. It's not really fanfiction but it's a story based on a story that was part of a story the author previously wrote! Is your head spinning? My head is spinning. I loved Fangirl and the Simon Snow parts of the book so I'm kind of excited to read the real Simon Snow. But is it the real Simon Snow? I'm confused again. Confused and excited. I seriously cannot wait!

Also on the topic of Carry On. I found out recently that Rainbow Rowell is coming to Pittsburgh in October, two days after Carry On comes out. I'm legitimately loosing my mind with the idea of meeting her and having her sign all my books. I'm probably going to be and absolute mess when I meet her!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Carry On with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Crossing Over: Rainbow Rowell Edition

This is a feature I started a while ago to recommend adult books based on if you liked a similar YA book. For me the classifications of books by age group is pretty superficial and there is so much crossover. I originally thought I would pick a "Geek Book" and I had a few ideas, then I realized they were both from the same author. So this time instead of picking a specific genre I decided to pick Rainbow Rowell.

Rainbow's second "adult" book, and fourth overall, Landline, came out yesterday and I could essentially just recommend her adult books to you, which are just as wonderful as her more popular YA, but that's too easy. So here are a few recommendations based on Rainbow Rowell's fantastic young adult books!

(can I just point out the creative use of headphones in both cover designs)

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Amazon - Goodreads - My Review
Eleanor & Park is a completely wonderful look at first love that will not only make you swoon and laugh out loud, but will leave you sobbing on the floor with the dreaded book hangover. The teen protagonists are complex and likable and the punk rock influences will leave a song in your head while reading. With this book Rainbow Rowell shows how she is a master of the Contemporary genre by effortlessly balancing the lighthearted and heavy moments in life.

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
Amazon - Goodreads
If you liked Landline then definitely check out Juliet, Naked. It is a totally engaging look at romance that will make you laugh out loud and think very critically about love. It may also leave you sobbing on the floor with the dreaded book hangover. The protagonists are realistic and likable and the punk rock influences will leave a song in your head while reading. Nick Hornby absolutely proves he is a master of the Contemporary genre by effortlessly balancing the lighthearted and heavy moments in life.

I may have read Juliet, Naked first but now that I think about it, it could very well be a look at Eleanor & Park in the future (although it's not the future I want for them). Nick Hornby and Rainbow Rowell have similar writing styles and both really know how to craft a Contemporary novel that will leave you thinking about it well after you've finished reading! If you liked Eleanor & Park and their story of love with a punk rock soundtrack check out Juliet, Naked. But be warned it is not a happy love story.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 
Amazon - Goodreads - My Review
Set during her freshman year of college, Fangirl is an exploration of Cath Avery and her inability to adjust to the changes that are before her. She's a little insecure, a lot nerdy, and all kinds of easy to empathize with. Enter Levi, an amazing and swoonworthy romantic lead, there to help Cath through the challenges. The book is full of interesting and complex characters and a great balance to the light and heavy. It's the perfect book for someone "in transition" and it really felt like I was reading a book about me.

College Girl by Patricia Weitz
Amazon - Goodreads
Set during her senior year of college, College Girl is an exploration of Natalie Bloom and her inability to adjust to the changes that are before her. She's a little nerdy, a lot insecure, and all kinds of easy to empathize with. Enter Patrick, her perfect guy, there to help Natalie through the challenges. Again this book will make you question romance and love, probably leaving you sobbing but it does still balance those depressing moments with ones that are lighthearted and funny. This is perfect book for anyone feeling "in transition" and it really felt like I was reading a book about me.

I'm not sure how long ago I read College Girl but I know one thing for sure, this book shook me to my core. I think I read it when I was experiencing my quarter-life crisis and it felt like I was reading a page out of my own diary. Similar to Fangirl it not only felt like it was book for me but a book about me! If you liked reading about Cath's coming of age story and struggle to find herself then check out Natalie's. But be aware this book is definitely aged up and does deal a lot with sex and the consequences of losing your virginity before you're really ready.

ARC Review: Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline Author: Rainbow Rowell Published: July 8, 2014 by St. Martin's Press Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell, comes a hilarious, heart-wrenching take on love, marriage, and magic phones. Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply—but that almost seems beside the point now. Maybe that was always beside the point. Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her—Neal is always a little upset with Georgie—but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go without her. When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything. That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts. . . . Is that what she’s supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

*** I received a copy of this book by the publisher at BEA in return for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion in any way***

You guys know I LOVE Rainbow Rowell and her writing style. Two of her books are in my top five of the year and she is absolutely on my auto-buy list. I was so excited to get an ARC of Landline at BEA (especially after the struggle it took me to get it) and experience a more adult Rainbow Rowell. That's exactly what this book was, Rainbow Rowell all grown up.

Now I don't just mean this because the characters are pushing 40, even though they are. What I mean is that unlike most of Rainbow's books that deal with first love and finding love, this is a very different love story. It is a story about staying in love after all these years. It's a story about making love work through the troubles and turmoil that can plague it. One could argue that this is merely a cliched "chick lit" romance that follows all the rules and tropes of those types of stories and you would be right, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. The plot is creative and imaginative with the main character of Georgie who's marriage is on the rocks being able to communicate with her estranged husband via a magical phone that allows her to talk to him just before he proposed fifteen years previously. If it sounds crazy, it is, but that's part of it's charm. It's silly and unbelievable but it's also sweet and romantic.

But despite the fact that it's a big of a divergence from her usual thing, this book is classic Rainbow Rowell. What she does so brilliantly as a writer of Contemporary novels is walk the line between the lighthearted moments and the heavy with effortless brilliance. And while Landline wasn't laugh out loud funny like some of her other books, it was silly and absurd enough to break the tension with the difficult moments in the story. The way Rainbow writes just feels so real. She captures the highs and lows of love and life.

What she also does so brilliantly is create characters who are so realistic and relatable. Usually it is so easy for me to put myself in the shoes of her protagonists because I've already walked a mile in their moccasins but with Landline I didn't have much personal experience to pull from. However that didn't prevent me from being able to connect with Georgie and want to see her succeed. The characters have such depth and complexities that you can't help but compare them to yourself, or a friend and family member. Landline was no exception. Every last character was interesting, flawed, complex, and like someone I know personally. Reading a Rainbow Rowell book is like reading about people you know, and who doesn't love that?

The only thing I really missed from this book, that I got in all her other books, was the book hangover and feeling of hopelessness that her books usually leave me with (but who's complaining). I did however realize something after reading this book, none of Rainbow Rowell's books really concludes the story. Sure it has a resolution, but it always leaves you wondering what happens next (this is where I mention that there's an Easter Egg where two previous characters have a cameo). But that non-resolved resolution is another thing that makes her such a brilliant and realistic writer. It's not like all of our problems could be wrapped up with a shiny bow in thirty minutes or less. That's just not life, and Rainbow Rowell writes about real life! Life is messy and open-ended. It leaves you with questions and uncertainty but find memories of a time well-spent. That was Landline in a nutshell.

Yes the plot and ending was a tad predictable but this book is an entertaining and delightful contemporary read perfect for your beach bag. You'll want to read it all in one sitting and find yourself staying up way too late reading it without even realizing that you just devoured it whole.

I give Landline by Rainbow Rowell a 9 out of 10

It is the perfect summer beach read. Fans of Rainbow Rowell will love to grow with her writing. I would absolutely recommend this book especially to fans of Contemporary novels or people who like chick flicks.

Have you read Landline? What were your thoughts? Leave me a comment and let's keep the conversation going. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Attachments Author: Rainbow Rowell Published: Penguin Group, 2011 Amazon Goodreads Synopsis:"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . " Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives. Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke. When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories. By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself. What would he say . . . ?

*I won a copy of this book as a part of Goodreads First Reads program and received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review. My opinion has not been swayed by this fact*

You know when you finish a book and you loved it so much that there are no words that will appropriately describe your love of that book? That is Attachments for me.  I am just completely and inexplicitly in love with this book. 

The first reason why I loved this book is Rainbow Rowell's writing style. Every book I read by her is better than the previous book. She is a phenomenal writer of Contemporary novels and has this brilliant way of balancing romance, humor, and heavy concepts like loss and identity. There are definitely some heavy and emotional plot points in Attachments, but I never sunk into a deep depression. The book was full of humor and laugh out loud moments that released any tension before it began. This book to me illustrates that there is so much crossover between Adult and YA books and why I started a feature to recommend similar books. Attachments is an adult book and may not be suitable for some younger teens but to me it reads just like Rowell's YA books Fangirl and Eleanor & Park. The characters are in their late twenties but they are dealing with similar issues as the teens. They are trying to find their identity and a place where they belong. They are faced with adversity such as difficult breakups, family drama, and loss of innocence. It's an adult coming-of-age story and as a person in their late twenties still dealing with a lot of these same issues I felt very connected to the story.

 

But besides being able to write a brilliant story, what Rainbow Rowell does so well is write amazing and relatable characters. Our main character is arguably Lincoln, an IT Security officer at a newspaper whose job it is to read emails flagged as inappropriate and send them warnings. He's having a bit of a quarter-life crisis. He's living at home with his mom, single, and hating his job. I can so relate to Lincoln and his feelings of stagnancy and displeasure with the way your life has ended up. In addition to feel like we are similar I also felt the swoony vibes for Lincoln. He is the kind of guy that I would be attracted to in real life. Then there were Jennifer and Beth, two best friends and colleagues. Their interactions are completely fabulous and hilarious. The way they talk with one another is so much like how I talk to my best friends that I couldn't help but connect with them on a personal level. I wanted to be their friend. I wanted to go to brunch with them and talk about babies, and boyfriends, and bridesmaids dresses. So many of their conversations were conversations that I have had with my friends. At one point I took a picture of the book and sent it to my best friend to inform her "this book is basically about us." But those are the characters that Rainbow Rowell writes. They are so realistic and relatable that you can't help but love them.

What I found truly unique about this book and the story was the way that it was written. We are introduced to Beth and Jennifer through their emails and that is really our only interaction with the two characters. We learn about them and their story through this series of emails that they are writing back and forth and despite the fact that we get such a superficial look at them and their lives you can help but feel connected with them and their struggles. These chapters alternate between Lincoln's story as he tries to figure out what he wants to do with his life and we are kind of seeing Jennifer and Beth through his eyes and as he feels connected with them, so do we as the reader. It's such an interesting and unique way to tell a story. As the book goes on and their stories intertwine the plot and romance gets more exciting. Everything built to a satisfying conclusion and when the book was all said and done I was feeling the warm fuzzies. 

This book solidified my love and devotion for the fabulous Rainbow Rowell and everything she writes. I want to have brunch with her so that I can breathe the same air as her and so that we can become best friends and have email chains just like Jennifer and Beth. I feel like I am not adequately describing my love of Rainbow Rowell and this book. I can say one thing for sure, this is my favorite book of the year and made its way onto my list of favorite books. It's that fantastic.

I give Attachments a 10 out of 10



I would recommend this book looking for a really good contemporary novel. If you liked Eleanor & Park or Fangirl then check out Attachments. If you've read it leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and of course... HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Eleanor & Park Author: Rainbow Rowell Published: St Martin's Griffin, 2013 Amazon Goodreads Synopsis: Bono met his wife in high school, Park says. So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers. I’m not kidding, he says. You should be, she says, we’re 16. What about Romeo and Juliet? Shallow, confused, then dead. I love you, Park says. Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers. I’m not kidding, he says. You should be.  Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog you might be saying to yourself, “Hey! Weren’t you supposed to be reading High Fantasy this month? You always have a theme for the month and this month was High Fantasy. Eleanor & Park isn’t even Fantasy.” And yes, you would be right, but here’s the thing about Fantasy… They are soul-sucking, life-ruining, hangover-inducing types of stories. So I decided to take a break from High Fantasy. I wanted to read something fun and lighthearted. And let me tell you, that is NOT what Eleanor & Park is, but despite that fact it was very enjoyable.

This book came extremely highly recommended. It is on pretty much every best of 2013 list and the top of a lot lists. Everyone raves about this book. Last year I read Fangirl and was incredibly impressed with the book and Rainbow Rowell’s writing style. She does not disappoint in Eleanor & Park. She proves how phenomenal a writer she is of YA contemporary. What she does so well is balance the heavy moments with light and funny moments with such ease and poetic precision. As the reader I ran the gambit of emotions while reading this book. Eleanor & Park handles a lot of heavy moments like bullying, family issues, and self esteem that can not only cause the characters but also the reader to sink into a quagmire of depression but Rainbow offsets these sad moments with enough funny and sweet moments that it bring you out of the doldrums. 

The main plot of the story, however,  is about first love. The love story of Eleanor & Park is amazing and realistic. It’s shared interests developing into romantic attachment not insta-love, and even though it does develop over a slightly slower period of time but when it hits, it hits hard. It feels like that first teenage puppy love kind of relationship where you are obsessed with a person and want to spend every waking hour with them. It was sweet and lovely and it gave me all kinds of feels.

What Rainbow Rowell also does incredibly well is write realistic and likable characters. What continues to impress me about her books is how I feel like these characters are so real. You cannot only relate to them but you know people who are just like them if you’re not personally like them yourself. I found myself easily able to visualize the characters and finding real life counterparts too many people that I know. And because they are so relatable you couldn’t help but empathize with the characters and when they had to endure struggles and hardships you wanted them to succeed and achieve their goals. A lot of what made them so real is that many of the characters were deeply flawed and extremely complex. I felt like there was something more than what was on the surface but when it came down to it you liked the ones you were supposed to like and didn’t like the ones you were supposed to not like. I know this seems like an obvious statement but I don’t think it’s often the case, at least not for me. Even the way that the characters interacted with each other felt realistic, from how Eleanor and Park talk to each other, to how they talk to their classmates, and even how they talk to their parents. It all felt so genuine and I felt like I was sixteen again while I was reading. Rainbow Rowell just touches a part deep within your soul and brings you to a time that you’ve since forgotten.

If I had to find one word to describe Eleanor & Park, that word would be effortless. Everything about this book was effortless. The plot flowed in a beautiful and deft way that made the book so enjoyable to read that before long I realize that I had wasted an entire day and finished the book. For me when I was the book I was emotionally drained and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sob until the feelings of crippling sadness washed over me leaving me with that eerie calm that can only come from a cathartic cry. I of course mean this in the best possible way, because Eleanor & Park is nothing but fabulous!

I give Eleanor & Park 10 out of 10

If you are like me and in the slim majority of people who have not read this book you seriously need to drop everything and do it right away! This book is an incredible Young Adult Contemporary Romance and absolutely worth your time. If you have read Eleanor & Park leave me a comment with your thoughts and of course HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin, 2013
Target Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Goodreads
Amazon
Synopsis: Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.
Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Review: