From the Bookshelf of Addicted to YA…

Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)

Rainbow Rowell,

Jim Tierney (Illustrator)

Start date: November 1, 2015

Finish date: November 30, 2015

Discussion: Stand Alone

Why we're reading this: Won the poll for the stand alone BOTM
[close] Won the poll for the stand alone BOTM

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Stand Alone

* Stand Alone- Maybe Meant to Be
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* Stand Alone- The Summer of Broken Rules
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What Members Thought

Dec 02, 2017 Colleen Scidmore rated it really liked it

Shelves: notebook

I have never read Harry Potter, I’ve always wanted to but just haven’t gotten around to it. So I thought I would start small before delving into the big series itself by trying out Carry On first. I imagine Carry On is probably something like Harry Potter but with a side of romance.
And if the two are similar I’m definitely up for HP.

You can’t help but love Simon Snow. That poor kid has had a rough life. He was an orphan only to be found by The Mage at age 11 and told he was The Chosen One to se I have never read Harry Potter, I’ve always wanted to but just haven’t gotten around to it. So I thought I would start small before delving into the big series itself by trying out Carry On first. I imagine Carry On is probably something like Harry Potter but with a side of romance.
And if the two are similar I’m definitely up for HP.

You can’t help but love Simon Snow. That poor kid has had a rough life. He was an orphan only to be found by The Mage at age 11 and told he was The Chosen One to settle all of the magical worlds issues basically, but he can’t control his magic like the other students at Watford (where he goes to school and The Mage is the Head Master), he is lucky enough to have a relationship with the prettiest girl in school only to lose her to Baz his roommate, who he is always on the defense of because he is his enemy and an “evil” vampire who also can’t stand Simon and is plotting Simon’s downfall. Simon feels this huge loyalty to The Mage for bringing him to Watford so he is very intent on fight The Humdrum, who is a magical being that is stealing magic from the world of Mages and leaving huge holes in their universe which become voided areas of nothing. This fight could be the end of him and he knows this but Simon wants to do “the right thing”.

Simon of course was my favorite but I really liked all the MC’s except Agatha. I guess she wasn’t exactly a MC but she was involved enough. And I just couldn’t get into her character, I think it’s because she comes across as very weak to me. I started out not liking Baz but he definitely won me over towards the middle and Penelope was so good to Simon you can’t help but like her nerdy girl character.

I really liked Carry On. It was an interesting story about magic, politics, and romance with several mysteries 1) Who is Simon Snow really and where did he come from and 2) Who is the Insidious Humdrum and how can he be defeated.
I like be that there is a book that is a standalone as it gets tedious reading a whole bunch of series, but I actually think this would have made a really good series. This is my first book by Rainbow Rowell but I don’t think it will be my last! ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Jan 15, 2020 Katerina rated it liked it · review of another edition

3/5 stars
BOOKSTAGRAM

After Reading Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl and absolutely loving the main characters fanfiction about this boy name Simon and all the misgivings he has in life and his "monstrous" roommate Baz...well obviously I needed to pick up Carry On. While it was a pretty cute read and the action was there when needed - I just felt very disconnected from this book.

Out of all of Rainbow Rowell's books this one definitely was a let down for me and here is why:

1. The Plot
The plot was horrendo ...more

2 likes · Like · see review