Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell is so good at writing these incredibly sweet, compulsively readable stories. Fangirl was longer than most of her other books, but it wasn't long enough. I absolutely didn't want this to end, and part of me wants to follow Cath and Wren (and Levi and Reagan) all the way through college and beyond.

The book follows Cath at her first year at college. Her twin sister, Wren, has decided that she wants to strike out on her own, leaving Cath with a stranger for a roommate and feeling adrift. She does fine in her classes. But instead of seeking out new friends, she retreats into the internet fandom of Simon Snow (this world's Harry Potter), and the fanfic she's hoping to finish before the last book comes out.

I'll admit that I identify a bit more with Wren than Cath in this situation. But having read and written my fair share of fanfiction in high school, this was a fun trip down memory lane. It made me nostalgic for all the good parts of college. I loved reading about Cath coming out of her shell, learning how to make friends, falling in love. I also liked seeing her gain new confidence in her writing as she both defended fanfiction and learned how to transfer those skills to original fiction.

All in all, this book was an absolute delight, and I tore through it. I'm really excited to read Carry On, which is the fanfic Cath is working on throughout this book. I hope it's just as delightful as Fangirl, but with added magic and monsters!

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