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Carry On
(Simon Snow #1)
by
Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen.
That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.
Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster run ...more
That's what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he's probably right.
Half the time, Simon can't even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor's avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there's a magic-eating monster run ...more
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Paperback, 522 pages
Published
May 9th 2017
by Wednesday Books
(first published October 6th 2015)
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Keri Engel
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Start your review of Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)

Hello 911 yes I just finished Carry On and I’d like to surgically remove my feelings
Honestly my heart is such a soft and sensitive mess right now. This book was soft love that feels a lot like when you're standing in the sunlight and you don’t really want to leave and it somehow gives you the sensation of lazily melting into what’s around you as you take it all in. I need to do more to deserve the love I'm feeling right now because I think I'm seriously about to get done for tax evasion.
This re ...more
Honestly my heart is such a soft and sensitive mess right now. This book was soft love that feels a lot like when you're standing in the sunlight and you don’t really want to leave and it somehow gives you the sensation of lazily melting into what’s around you as you take it all in. I need to do more to deserve the love I'm feeling right now because I think I'm seriously about to get done for tax evasion.
This re ...more

OKAY. OKAY OKAY...
I don't even know where to start. Obviosuly I loved this book, but I'm not sure if I loved it enough to be a TOP favorite of mine, though I really FEEL something, like... I think it'll become one of those books that I'll love more and more with every day that passes. But for now, let's just say that Rainbow Rowell did it again... I'M IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING SHE WRITES.
The first part of this book was a little slow, but as soon as Baz makes his official appearance, everything ge ...more
I don't even know where to start. Obviosuly I loved this book, but I'm not sure if I loved it enough to be a TOP favorite of mine, though I really FEEL something, like... I think it'll become one of those books that I'll love more and more with every day that passes. But for now, let's just say that Rainbow Rowell did it again... I'M IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING SHE WRITES.
The first part of this book was a little slow, but as soon as Baz makes his official appearance, everything ge ...more

4.5, I feel like if I give it more thought it'll be a full on 5 stars. I just felt like the beginning portion of the book dragged a bit.
While this book definitely had elements that we're similar to other fantasy stories, it had it's own refreshing style. The characters we're brilliant (as most of Rainbow's characters are) and the story itself was fun, mysterious, and exciting! ...more
While this book definitely had elements that we're similar to other fantasy stories, it had it's own refreshing style. The characters we're brilliant (as most of Rainbow's characters are) and the story itself was fun, mysterious, and exciting! ...more

Oct 12, 2015
Steph Sinclair
marked it as maybe-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy,
2015-release,
interesting-little-creature,
so-meta,
st-martins-press,
october,
glbt
Does this count as Harry Potter fan fiction? Sirius question.

Oct 06, 2015
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Sorry, this book is just too meta for me, man.
This book is about a fictional character who was the subject of fascination in another fictional character's life from another book. It's a story about a made-up character from a series that's fictional inspired from another fictional series? Does that even make any sense? I don't even know. It's just too meta, man!
Besides the ludicrous premise of a fictional Harry Potter (can you even have a fictional fanfic of a character who is fiction in the firs ...more
This book is about a fictional character who was the subject of fascination in another fictional character's life from another book. It's a story about a made-up character from a series that's fictional inspired from another fictional series? Does that even make any sense? I don't even know. It's just too meta, man!
Besides the ludicrous premise of a fictional Harry Potter (can you even have a fictional fanfic of a character who is fiction in the firs ...more

Thanks God I'm already gay, because after reading this I would probably want to turn into one.
...more

4.5 Stars
This book is by no means perfect and I don't think it's for everyone. The world could have used a bit more development, there were some plot lines that deserved a little bit more attention, and it's pretty meta, so if that isn't your thing, you may have a tough time with this.
But
This is genuinely one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. I cried, I laughed, I texted my friend screaming in all caps, I cried again.
Carry On is Rainbow Rowell's take on the "chosen one" trope, and I ...more
This book is by no means perfect and I don't think it's for everyone. The world could have used a bit more development, there were some plot lines that deserved a little bit more attention, and it's pretty meta, so if that isn't your thing, you may have a tough time with this.
But
This is genuinely one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. I cried, I laughed, I texted my friend screaming in all caps, I cried again.
Carry On is Rainbow Rowell's take on the "chosen one" trope, and I ...more

jk rowling could N E V E R, honey
i blame twitter for this honestly. but as an adult person, in 2018, i think i like this better than harry potter. i know what you're thinking. how dare you blaspheme the original boy wizard. but this book does SUCH a good job at pointing out the issues in the source material that this was a riff off of.
let's count the ways
- diversity... not only in name but in ACTION (hello indian hermione and gay draco)
- simon/harry actually expresses his annoyance at having to ...more
i blame twitter for this honestly. but as an adult person, in 2018, i think i like this better than harry potter. i know what you're thinking. how dare you blaspheme the original boy wizard. but this book does SUCH a good job at pointing out the issues in the source material that this was a riff off of.
let's count the ways
- diversity... not only in name but in ACTION (hello indian hermione and gay draco)
- simon/harry actually expresses his annoyance at having to ...more

”You’re so alive, Simon Snow.
You got my share of it.”
This is probably going to be the most incoherent review I’ve ever written but I just can’t seem to be able to contain myself!!! I mean we’re talking about SIMON AND BAZ!!! BAZ AND SIMON!!! <333
OMG!!! I can’t even!!! THEY ARE EVERYTHING AND EVEN MORE!!! XD
Their love reduced me to a babbling and giggling mess and I can’t stop to grin! I’m still grinning like a Cheshire cat and it’s starting to hurt!!! BUT oh god, how much I loved those two!!!
Th ...more
You got my share of it.”
This is probably going to be the most incoherent review I’ve ever written but I just can’t seem to be able to contain myself!!! I mean we’re talking about SIMON AND BAZ!!! BAZ AND SIMON!!! <333
OMG!!! I can’t even!!! THEY ARE EVERYTHING AND EVEN MORE!!! XD
Their love reduced me to a babbling and giggling mess and I can’t stop to grin! I’m still grinning like a Cheshire cat and it’s starting to hurt!!! BUT oh god, how much I loved those two!!!
Th ...more

"I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review."
Me and 2016, see, we were good. 'Til this week. Had one of the worst weeks ever and now this.
I started reading when I was six. Well, everybody here did, but what I meant is: after they taught me how to read I kept reading. I never stopped. Sure, there were years in which I read less (middle school. Worst period of my life.) and years in which it seems like the only thing I could say was "more books.", but I nev ...more
Me and 2016, see, we were good. 'Til this week. Had one of the worst weeks ever and now this.
I started reading when I was six. Well, everybody here did, but what I meant is: after they taught me how to read I kept reading. I never stopped. Sure, there were years in which I read less (middle school. Worst period of my life.) and years in which it seems like the only thing I could say was "more books.", but I nev ...more

4/5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This book was MAGIC. Literal magic. I enjoyed it tremendously. The beginning, though, was a chaos for me. It started off too strong, with too much information thrown at me, with no concept. The story started off from Simon's 8th year in Watford. So, there were many things that had happened in the previous years that the author tried to explain briefly. The first 100 pages were very confusing and disorienting for me, I was tryin ...more
“You were the sun, and I was crashing into you.”
This book was MAGIC. Literal magic. I enjoyed it tremendously. The beginning, though, was a chaos for me. It started off too strong, with too much information thrown at me, with no concept. The story started off from Simon's 8th year in Watford. So, there were many things that had happened in the previous years that the author tried to explain briefly. The first 100 pages were very confusing and disorienting for me, I was tryin ...more

“You have to pretend that you get an endgame. You have to carry on like you will; otherwise, you can’t carry on at all.”

This review contains *spoilers*.
This was my first time rereading the whole book instead of just reading the really cute scenes over and over.
Fangirl was one of the very first books that got me into reading Young Adult and because of that Rainbow Rowell will forever hold a special place in my heart.
So, of course, when Carry On came out back in October it instantly became one of ...more

This review contains *spoilers*.
This was my first time rereading the whole book instead of just reading the really cute scenes over and over.
Fangirl was one of the very first books that got me into reading Young Adult and because of that Rainbow Rowell will forever hold a special place in my heart.
So, of course, when Carry On came out back in October it instantly became one of ...more

So…Carry On.
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. But ultimately, this book let me down. Frankly, it was a bit of a mess.
The big question everyone seems to be asking about Carry On, is whether or not you need to read Rainbow Rowell’s contemporary novel Fangirl first, since the two are somewhat linked. The clear and definite answer to this is: no. You won’t get anything more or less out of this book having read Fangirl first. HOWEVER, you do need to have read Harry Potter . People ...more
I really wanted to like this book. It had potential. But ultimately, this book let me down. Frankly, it was a bit of a mess.
The big question everyone seems to be asking about Carry On, is whether or not you need to read Rainbow Rowell’s contemporary novel Fangirl first, since the two are somewhat linked. The clear and definite answer to this is: no. You won’t get anything more or less out of this book having read Fangirl first. HOWEVER, you do need to have read Harry Potter . People ...more

Yup, I'm totally on board the "I just want to re-read this book forever" train.
I can't even explain it. I went in to this book with a healthy amount of skepticism (mostly an attitude like "but why does this book exist?") and I was TOTALLY put in my place. This book is perfect.
It's everything fanfic-loving adolescent Kristina ever wanted out of a book. It's everything that never would have happened in Harry Potter. It's delicious LGBT+ representative romance, it's sassy writing, it's delightful u ...more
I can't even explain it. I went in to this book with a healthy amount of skepticism (mostly an attitude like "but why does this book exist?") and I was TOTALLY put in my place. This book is perfect.
It's everything fanfic-loving adolescent Kristina ever wanted out of a book. It's everything that never would have happened in Harry Potter. It's delicious LGBT+ representative romance, it's sassy writing, it's delightful u ...more

May 11, 2015
C.G. Drews
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
magical-fantasy,
young-adult,
paranormal,
foodie-fiction,
ya-male-narrators,
read-2016,
5-star,
read-2019,
reread
[Read 2] Sept 2019
You know what? I am here to revise my opinion and give this book 5 stars 👀and I have no regrets. It feels like mildly trashy fanfic (in a good way) and it's so very like Harry Potter to begin with, until it starts overturning tropes and being super awfully wonderful gay. All the gay. Everywhere. Oblivious dumb gays (aka SIMON) are basically the best trope because hello relatable and add in magic and chosen ones who SUCK and hate-to-love-slowburn-queerness and I just realised I ...more
You know what? I am here to revise my opinion and give this book 5 stars 👀and I have no regrets. It feels like mildly trashy fanfic (in a good way) and it's so very like Harry Potter to begin with, until it starts overturning tropes and being super awfully wonderful gay. All the gay. Everywhere. Oblivious dumb gays (aka SIMON) are basically the best trope because hello relatable and add in magic and chosen ones who SUCK and hate-to-love-slowburn-queerness and I just realised I ...more

The Written Review![]()
Happy Pride Month y'all! Click the booktube link to check out my favorite PRIDE books
Yes, this is based on Harry Potter and Fan Fiction.![]()
No, it's definitely not going to be like what you think.
This book is the novel talked about in Rainbow Rowell's other fan fiction based-book ( Fangirl - very good. Not necessary to read it prior to reading this one but reading it certainly did help).
In Fangirl, Cath is obsessed with Simon & Baz (who are the characters in this book).
Ca ...more

Well shit. I kind of loved that.

Jul 27, 2015
wesley
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
coming-of-age,
fantasy,
favorites,
teenagers,
paranormal,
fan-fiction,
enemies-to-lovers,
magic,
vampires,
friendship



I’ve loved Fangirl, especially the excerpts from Cath’s fanfics featuring Simon and Baz. But this! This is just a whole new level of intense. And if the above will not make you die of extreme sweetness, I don’t know what will.
You might have observed as well that the quotes above are all from Baz’s POV. It doesn’t mean that Simon didn’t have his moments (because he most certainly did!), but I’ve always imagined Baz to be a snobbish, condescending prick when I’d get to finally hear his voice. Well
...more
DNF at page 250.
Never thought I'd DNF a Rainbow Rowell novel. It was my 2nd attempt and as much as I wanted to love it, since I've adored her other books, it just wasn't for me.
I couldn't have cared less about the characters or storyline. It felt a bit all over the place, like reading the last instalment in a series. And though we were told certain aspects and events that occurred previously, it felt rushed and flimsy. There was no space for it to properly develop. It was just thrown in there, ...more
Never thought I'd DNF a Rainbow Rowell novel. It was my 2nd attempt and as much as I wanted to love it, since I've adored her other books, it just wasn't for me.
I couldn't have cared less about the characters or storyline. It felt a bit all over the place, like reading the last instalment in a series. And though we were told certain aspects and events that occurred previously, it felt rushed and flimsy. There was no space for it to properly develop. It was just thrown in there, ...more

September 2016: Comfort re-read. Highly comforting. Still great, okay bye.
October 2015, Updated 10/27/15: Okay, so. Look. This book. So good. I mean, it just. It has no right to. Like. What. To be so good. Finding words? Like, it should NOT work. Brain trying to brain. Failing.
Fuck it. I’m not capable of being objective about this book. FIVE STARS.
But first before the actual review, two things, so I can feel I’ve said my piece:
1. This book is NOT Harry Potter fanfiction, and Simon and Baz are NO ...more
October 2015, Updated 10/27/15: Okay, so. Look. This book. So good. I mean, it just. It has no right to. Like. What. To be so good. Finding words? Like, it should NOT work. Brain trying to brain. Failing.
Fuck it. I’m not capable of being objective about this book. FIVE STARS.
But first before the actual review, two things, so I can feel I’ve said my piece:
1. This book is NOT Harry Potter fanfiction, and Simon and Baz are NO ...more

3rd read: September 2019
Physical. 5 stars
SO READY FOR WAYWARD SON!
2nd read: December 2017
Physical. 5 stars
1st read: July 2017
eBook. 5 stars
AHHHH!!!!! I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS. I LOVE SIMON. I LOVE BAZ. I LOVE PENELOPE. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
...more
Physical. 5 stars
SO READY FOR WAYWARD SON!
2nd read: December 2017
Physical. 5 stars
1st read: July 2017
eBook. 5 stars
AHHHH!!!!! I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS. I LOVE SIMON. I LOVE BAZ. I LOVE PENELOPE. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!


I feel like it's more of a 3.75, maybe?
This was a delight, though I'll admit I expected to love it more than I did. I think this may be because, although this very obviously draws a lot of inspiration from Harry Potter, I couldn't stop my brain from constantly drawing parallels throughout the entire time reading this. It seems that for some readers those comparisons stopped after a while, but it was constantly in the back of my mind.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it because of the HP sim ...more
This was a delight, though I'll admit I expected to love it more than I did. I think this may be because, although this very obviously draws a lot of inspiration from Harry Potter, I couldn't stop my brain from constantly drawing parallels throughout the entire time reading this. It seems that for some readers those comparisons stopped after a while, but it was constantly in the back of my mind.
That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it because of the HP sim ...more


I can’t believe Baz never said, “You know nothing, Simon Snow!”

I have to say that this book did a decent job of trying to fill the Harry Potter-sized hole in our hearts, but we all know that nothing else will ever completely compare. Watford and the surrounding World of Mages is like a valentine for those of us who still can’t let go of the Wizarding World—and damn anyone who tries to make us.

I didn’t care for the romance aspects of this book, but I rarely do anyway so I just kinda skimmed past ...more

I DON'T KNOW YOU GUYS. It took a while for anything to happen and then everything happened all at once, so much so that it was actually confusing. Like, I still don't understand what happened????? I shipped Simon and Baz SO HARD THO. But other than that and an exciting build up towards the end (that ended up being disappointing because I was confused), it was just okay :/ SUCH DISAPPOINTMENT.
...more

Jan 22, 2019
emma
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
owned,
auto-buy-authors,
fantasy,
ya,
diverse,
2-and-a-half-stars,
unpopular-opinion,
reviewed,
reread
The point of contention in a lot of reviews of this book is: Is it too much like Harry Potter?
But I don’t really like Harry Potter, so I don’t care about that. What I care about is: IS THIS THE ADORABLE GAY ROMANCE I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR? IS THE PLOT EXCITING? IS THERE ENOUGH MAGIC? IS IT FUN TO READ? DO I FEEL EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PAGES PASS BY IN A NOT-TOO-DIFFICULT BUT STILL NOT EFFORTLESS READING EXPERIENCE?
The answer to those questions, in order: yes, no, no, no, yes.
I think if y ...more
But I don’t really like Harry Potter, so I don’t care about that. What I care about is: IS THIS THE ADORABLE GAY ROMANCE I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR? IS THE PLOT EXCITING? IS THERE ENOUGH MAGIC? IS IT FUN TO READ? DO I FEEL EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PAGES PASS BY IN A NOT-TOO-DIFFICULT BUT STILL NOT EFFORTLESS READING EXPERIENCE?
The answer to those questions, in order: yes, no, no, no, yes.
I think if y ...more

Eh, screw it, I’m old enough to admit that yes, this is my guilty pleasure read and I’m not ashamed. I mean, what other guilty pleasure read do you expect me to have - Dostoyevsky?
Yes, I know it’s a fluffy enemies-to-friends version of an imaginary fanfic of an imaginary book that is basically Harry Potter is disguise. So fanfic cubed, I guess? A book that fully relies on close familiarity with the Harry Potter Hogwarts setting to the point where we can actually imagine that this is the eighth ...more
Yes, I know it’s a fluffy enemies-to-friends version of an imaginary fanfic of an imaginary book that is basically Harry Potter is disguise. So fanfic cubed, I guess? A book that fully relies on close familiarity with the Harry Potter Hogwarts setting to the point where we can actually imagine that this is the eighth ...more

By the time I was done with Fangirl, I couldn't care less about Cath or Wren (Levi was sorta cute, but rather forgettable! Um, Sorry Not Sorry, fans of Fangirl).
All that remained in my mind was the worst Chosen One who had ever been chosen. And his insufferable roommate.
So when this book was published, I was super excited which really doesn't explain procrastinating reading this book for so long. After waiting forever, I completed this book a few weeks ago and damn if this wasn't the first gay ...more
All that remained in my mind was the worst Chosen One who had ever been chosen. And his insufferable roommate.
So when this book was published, I was super excited which really doesn't explain procrastinating reading this book for so long. After waiting forever, I completed this book a few weeks ago and damn if this wasn't the first gay ...more

4.5/5 stars
I don't think this was *quite* 5 star for me, but it was pretty dang close. If I think about it more I may end up moving it up.
SO MANY FEELS SO MANY.
Honestly this was so fantastic. It perfectly blended the magical elements with the romance elements (if u didn't know....LGBTQ REPRESENTATION WHAT WHAT I see u Simon and Baz) and didn't feel like it was trying too hard EVER.
I loved the magic system and how different it was and also the characters and just AHHH. I would totally read more S ...more
I don't think this was *quite* 5 star for me, but it was pretty dang close. If I think about it more I may end up moving it up.
SO MANY FEELS SO MANY.
Honestly this was so fantastic. It perfectly blended the magical elements with the romance elements (if u didn't know....LGBTQ REPRESENTATION WHAT WHAT I see u Simon and Baz) and didn't feel like it was trying too hard EVER.
I loved the magic system and how different it was and also the characters and just AHHH. I would totally read more S ...more
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Rainbow Rowell writes books. Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS and LANDLINE). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL and THE SIMON SNOW BOOKS.). But she always writes about people who talk a lot. And people who feel like they're screwing up. And people who fall in love.
When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguin ...more
When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguin ...more
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“You were the sun, and I was crashing into you.”
—
1011 likes
“What you are is a fucking tragedy, Simon Snow. You literally couldn't be a bigger mess."
He tries to kiss me, but I pull back- "And you like that?"
"I love it." He says
"Why?"
"Because we match.”
—
908 likes
More quotes…
He tries to kiss me, but I pull back- "And you like that?"
"I love it." He says
"Why?"
"Because we match.”
Feb 17, 2021 05:47AM
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