Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Expected Publication: September 10, 2013
Format: finished copy provided by publisher
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Rating: 5/5
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Synopsis:
A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 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, and 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?

My Thoughts

I’ve been waiting for this ever since I put down Eleanor and Park. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed at all. I’d like to do this review a little if I may this time. I’d like to start this off as a sort of short open letter to Rainbow Rowell.

Dear Rainbow Rowell,

You are one of those rare and amazing people who were born to write. You have written such funny and amazing characters that I just can’t put into words how I feel about them. So I’ll simply say… THANK YOU! Thank you for writing characters that stay with me until way after I turned the last page. You’ve made me realize again how fun and exciting reading can be. Most importantly you made me remember how it feels to fall in love with characters once again. It’s good to read a book[s] that doesn’t have to reply on gimmicks, vampires or other crazy worldly things to tell a story. You’ve shown me that great stories can come from everyday people those are the truest heroes for me. Through your writing I remember how first love can be, the butterflies, stealing looks, hand holding and the magic of a first kiss. All the things that makes the teenage years crazy yet wonderful all at the same time.
So once again thanks! I can’t wait until you bless us with yet another wonderful story.
*Rainbow…you’re so on my auto buying list now!
-Monica

Ok now that I’ve done that…I don’t think I can review this without spoiling it at some level…so I won’t. I will only say this…PLEASE BUY AND READ IT! You won’t regret it. Once again it gives you characters to root for and of course those you will fall in love with. I’ll leave you with this… it gives me two new characters I adore.

[1] Levi- I can’t help to smile when I read he is smiling. Sigh!
[2] Reagan- I can totally identify with this smartass roommate. I so maybe dating myself here but is it just me or do I sense a bit of Megan from Felicity?? Haha! Oh if ya’ll don’t know what is check it out. It’s one of top YA type TV shows of all times, besides My So Called Life and Dawson’s Creek. However that’s another topic for a future blog.