Fangirl in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Dec 09, 2013 gwen g rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya

Rainbow Rowell has a knack for creating characters you want to know in real life, and I liked spending time with them. "Fangirl" is less complex and weighty than "Eleanor & Park" (which is in contention for the Best Book I Read in 2013). The stakes are low, somehow -- but pleasantly so.

She does a great job of capturing just what it feels like to start college, too, and to want to live in a world that isn't your own. And of falling in love -- the woman writes love really beautifully.

I imagine th ...more

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Nov 16, 2014 Shelley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014, courtship-romance, youth

Cath hates change, so settling into college with a new roommate, a twin sister eager to separate and make her own life, a dad reeling from the newly empty nest and two boys always being around isn't going to be easy to deal with. Luckily, Simon and Baz will always be there to make things better.

I held off on reading this for a very long time - basically, Cath's life was mine, and I don't usually read to have my life reflected. (Truth: I can count the number of times I actually made it to the col Cath hates change, so settling into college with a new roommate, a twin sister eager to separate and make her own life, a dad reeling from the newly empty nest and two boys always being around isn't going to be easy to deal with. Luckily, Simon and Baz will always be there to make things better.

I held off on reading this for a very long time - basically, Cath's life was mine, and I don't usually read to have my life reflected. (Truth: I can count the number of times I actually made it to the college dining hall on one hand. Cath's issues are totally my issues.) It took me awhile to get into this, because it was all just so familiar. But I kept going, and it was super hard to put it down to go to bed at the end of the fall semester.

I clearly ended up enjoying it very much, but I still have some mixed responses. Part of it is the ending - it sort of fluttered to an end. Things wrapped up long before it ended, so the ending felt weird. I didn't really like the excerpts from Simon Snow and the fic in between chapters - it feels like they were only there to make that last excerpt fit in (which was a great reveal, so I don't dismiss the conceit, but I found them boring). The professor plotline even felt like it got dropped, though I liked the Nick resolution. Laura also fizzled entirely - I felt like there should have been a twin conversation to better wrap that up. I felt so very bad for Wren - that was a terrible ending for her. Yes, she made a lot of mistakes and needed to get back on path, but surely there was a middle ground! Cath's way isn't the best way, honestly. Cath is a quiet person, so I guess it makes sense to have a story with not so many peaks or climaxes, but it ultimately read like a very very very long vignette on college life.

Also, Levi was so preternaturally patient and kind, it felt super Mary Sue. (Not that I didn't love him, and I appreciated some insights into his feelings and hesitations and his gentle pushes, but still.) Plus, Cath's fandom experience seemed off to me. I know that everyone has different experiences, so I don't expect everyone's to mirror mine and the people I know, but I also know you don't get to be a BNF without community interaction, and while she referred to her beta and internet people as friends, she was not at all ever shown to be part of the community. I know she wrote and published only to get out of her head, but it's hard to avoid the community aspect and that confused me.

But I did really like Cath and sympathized with her, thought her relationship with her dad was so well handled, really liked Reagan and found Cath and Levi's relationship to be super sweet. I admit, this totally made me go and dig up old HP fic I loved in college. It was crazy fun seeing old names - a few fics didn't hold up, but most did. Good times! ...more

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Oct 27, 2013 Julianne Dunn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-friends-recommendations

I love Rainbow Rowell. She appeals to my super geek and allows for us to realize that some of our obsession get in the way of real life. I love her characters even when they don't always act the way I want them to. It's a great read. ...more

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Dec 12, 2013 Melissa rated it it was amazing

http://merrylandgirl.blogspot.com/201... ...more

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Dec 20, 2015 Kirsten rated it it was amazing

This book made me happy, and I didn't want it to end. :) ...more

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Feb 03, 2015 Cherie rated it it was amazing

There is so much to love about this book. I love the characters for starters. Cather is a great protagonist that I do identify with. I also love the way the author touches upon fan fiction and just dealing with the world outside of it.

Well written and felt it was a lovely story. I plan on reading more by this author.

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Jun 10, 2014 Lori rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, teen

Aww...classic teen lit done right. Not only do I now want a Levi, I might actually have some respect for fan fiction. Almost enough to actually want to read some...

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Apr 11, 2014 Kerry rated it really liked it

How does college impact twin sisters-- one a clever writer and the other and party girl trying to form and independent identity? I liked that both of them and their Dad have more meat to their characters. Plus, I like the dynamics of roommates, sisters and an aspiring writer. The fan fiction that Cather types wasn't as good at drawing me in as the rest of the story and I found some of those pieces detracted from the whole. Overall an enjoyable read. ...more

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Nov 03, 2013 jenn rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiftyfiftyme, 2013

This is a little tough to rate, because while I didn't think this was a bad story or poorly written book (on the contrary; I understand why people love this) it was just not my cup of tea. ...more

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May 12, 2015 Leanne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015

If you found Cath insufferable when you started reading this book, keep reading. She gets much much better.

If you didn't find her insufferable, you're probably a better person that me. ...more

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