From the Bookshelf of The Reading Challenge Group…

Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell

Start date: November 1, 2014

Finish date: November 30, 2014

Discussion: Group Read Archive 2014-16

Why we're reading this: YA Group Read - November 2014
[close] YA Group Read - November 2014

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Group Read Archive 2014-16

Genre Group Read (Humour) - December 2016 - You Are Not So Smart
By Allison , Quest Hound · 11 posts · 30 views

last updated Dec 28, 2016 04:05PM

Alternate Group Read (Classics) - December 2016 - Mansfield Park
By Allison , Quest Hound · 5 posts · 18 views

last updated Dec 04, 2016 09:34AM

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What Members Thought

Sep 21, 2013 Ally rated it it was amazing

*This review contains spoilers and fannish glee in equal parts.*

Okay, so a couple of things about this book.
One: I am an absolute fangirl. In fact, I met someone on vacation last year (HI SARAH!) who was in my fandom, and did not have the grace to be ashamed of the fact that I am a full ten years older than she is. I fangirl harder than any thirteen year old hiding the slash from her parents has EVER fangirled. British pop, obscure TV shows, indie bands... actually pretty much everything except *This review contains spoilers and fannish glee in equal parts.*

Okay, so a couple of things about this book.
One: I am an absolute fangirl. In fact, I met someone on vacation last year (HI SARAH!) who was in my fandom, and did not have the grace to be ashamed of the fact that I am a full ten years older than she is. I fangirl harder than any thirteen year old hiding the slash from her parents has EVER fangirled. British pop, obscure TV shows, indie bands... actually pretty much everything except books. For some reason, I cannot do that. I have never written fanfic (slight exaggeration, what I mean is I don't post fanfic) because I don't write a whole lot of love stories or love scenes. But MAN do I know this world. I am the Sherlock Holmes of fandom culture, I know every back alley and secret code.

Two: This book is fairly transparently a mash up of Twilight and HP fandom, neither of which I am part of, and the glaring obviousness of that DID pull me out of the story, just a few times, in the same way Lev Grossman's "The Magicians" pulls me out every time I am aware they're just adding sex and drinking to Narnia. But I LIKE Grossman's voice, and you know what? I really love Rainbow Rowell's characters. Like SO HARD. So hard I wanted to SLAP some of them, because when I hated them? I hated them THAT HARD!

Three: To be honest, for the first like, thirty or so pages, I hated this book. I'm still feeling raw about anything college related, and Cath is coming from such a horrible place, and seems like such a bland and pathetic person, and my little fangirl heart was deeply offended at the idea that we look like this to the outside world. But trust me, it warms up, and fast.

Four: So, I have lost count of the number of times I've complained about a person with a disability being in a story for the purpose of exploring disability. And OMG! This book actually discusses bipolar disorder in a genuine way. And it is still only PART of the story. I mean, it's not even a big part, though it is a big part of who Cath is and what she's afraid of. But generally speaking, it's like, just there, just part of Cath's world. And I mean, it's not as good as say, physical disability, which never gets talked about AT ALL, but still OMG RAINBOW ROWELL YOU ARE SO AMAZING!!!! I was holding in my squee, for serious.

Five: Speaking of squee, can we talk about Levi? I mean, tbh, he's a bit country-fried for me, like, he gets all sentimental about his 4-H club for mercy's sake. Also there's that bit where he's feminist enough to stand up for women in bars, but not take no for an answer when he NEEDS to be "chivalrous." which, ew. However, he is very big on consent, which, is SO HOT. And also he likes her to read him slash fanfic. I mean, y'know, mild slash fanfic (seriously, Rowell, do you REALLY think that's what's going on on those forums, or are you just covering up your own misdeeds? S'okay, you can tell me ;) but whatever. Secure dude into slash fiction and getting the enthusiastic yes? I would almost put up with Starbucks for that. Just DAMN.

Me and this book, you guys. I ship it. ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 Melissa Broadbent rated it really liked it

I can not put into words how much I loved this book.
I loved the characters, especially Reagan, she was the best, most kickass character I've read about in a long time.

I can't even ..
Of course, it would have been better if my friend hadn't read the last pages out loud to me when I only had two more chapters to go ...more

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Nov 14, 2013 Cathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance-health, new-adult

OMG! This book is so amazing!

In this story we follow Cath's passage into adulthood, her entry into college. Cath is not the typical young adult. She suffers from social anxiety with a few moments of panic. So imagine how horrible it is to someone like that to be removed from her comfort place and being thrown into a new environment, full of strangers, with a roommate who is not friendly. Can you imagine the level of anxiety that all this caused her?

This character is so loveble. I could identify ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Tammy Eaton rated it it was amazing

I didn't read this book. I inhaled it. So amazing. My only regret is that I am done. ...more

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Mar 07, 2014 Abbey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: humour, young-adult

This was a laugh out loud journey of a book. The characters are interesting and witty, the story lines entertaining and the writing was clever. I enjoyed the Simon Snow 'original' and 'fanfic' at the end of each chapter, this really was cleverly written. I can't wait to read more by Rainbow Rowells!

For more on my thoughts, visit my blog ...more

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