Carry On - Rainbow Rowell

Goodreads summary:

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.


My review:

4.5/5

I'm usually not the biggest Fantasy fan. I do love some classics, but it's not my favourite genre. However, I knew I had to read this, because it's from Rainbow Rowell (my queen). I'm so glad I did, because the second I opened this book, I could not stop reading. 

It's written in the amazing way Rainbow Rowell creates stories, so it's very realistic and full of complex characters. I loved how every single one of them is special and interesting, but then again, it shouldn't be a surprise. I didn't know this book was written in different points of vue, but I'm so glad it is. It made me discover the main characters much more than I would've otherwise and I actually discovered the big mystery early in the story because of those different perspectives. I fell in love with Simon, Baz, and Penny from the beginning. They're all quirky and loveable, even though Baz is considered as an enemy for most of the book. I wish I could have Simon and Penny's friendship, because they're such adorable friends that I found myself wishing I could be a part of it. 

I know some people complain about this book's resemblance to the Harry Potter series. Obviously, the link between those two is there, but once you get into the story, you discover that it's a much different universe. I do wish that this would be a series, since a single book isn't much to create a complex world of magic, but I did get an idea of what it looked like and it's quite a lot different from Harry Potter. As Rainbow Rowell says, this book is more about being the "Chosen One" (which must suck, to be honest), and I think that this, with the fact that it's set at a wizarding school, explains how similar it can be to Harry Potter. 

The main point that I am not too keen on is the mystery of this story. As I said before, I found out quite early what it was, which disappointed me a little. I thought it was so obvious and I'm not even the kind of person who guesses easily what's about to happen. I couldn't believe it when I read one of the hints in the story, because I don't think it could've been more obvious. I still loved this book, so it wasn't too big of a deal for me. 

I really liked the romance in this book, even though I think Simon wasn't too invested in it. I get that it's just him going with the flow, but I wish there had been more realization of it on his part. Nonetheless, it was adorable and it fit really well with the story. It's different from most love stories in Fantasy for many reasons and I loved it. 

Overall, I think this is a fantastic book. I haven't enjoyed one this much in a long while, so I had a great time reading it. I'd absolutely recommend it, no matter what part of it interests you the most. It's the kind of book that can please many types of readers, in my opinion.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan

Goodreads summary:

Will Grayson meets Will Grayson. One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine.

It's not that far from Evanston to Naperville, but Chicago suburbanites Will Grayson and Will Grayson might as well live on different planets. When fate delivers them both to the same surprising crossroads, the Will Graysons find their lives overlapping and hurtling in new and unexpected directions. With a push from friends new and old - including the massive, and massively fabulous, Tiny Cooper, offensive lineman and musical theater auteur extraordinaire - Will and Will begin building toward respective romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most awesome high school musical.


My review:

5/5

One of my favorite John Green/David Levithan books. It's amazing.

For some reason, I waited a long time before I started reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson. However, once I started, I couldn't stop. It's so good! Honestly, if you haven't read it yet, please pick it up.

Having read novels from both authors, I was expecting a sweet love story between interesting people. I only knew a bit about the story, which I mainly learned from the title, but I was happy with only knowing that. In the end, it is simply a novel about two guys with the same name, but there's so much happening that it's an absolutely lovely story. 

Obviously, the writing styles are beautiful. I knew it'd be that way, since I've read many novels from both authors. I liked how different Will and Will are and how it's shown in the writing styles. I was a bit confused by the lack of capitalization in one of their parts, but only because I didn't always realize when a word was actually a name. Despite having the same name, I wasn't confused by the main characters, because they're both incredibly different and amazing.

My favorite part about this novel is probably the characters, because they all have something interesting about them. I absolutely loved Tiny Cooper, because he's loving, lovable and so incredibly funny and happy. He's probably my favorite character. Both Wills are interesting in their own ways, one because he keeps trying to protect and degrade. himself and the other because he craves love so much. I really enjoyed seeing them interact together, because they get along really well, even though having the same name is one of the only things they have in common. My only complaint is that while I liked Jane, I thought she was a bit too perfect. She's smart, beautiful and her only fault seemed to be having a boyfriend, which isn't exactly one. It didn't have much of an impact on me, but I still wished I could've seen a bit more of a realistic personality. 

I liked how friendship became important in the story. I think the book starts with one of the Wills (reading about them wasn't confusing, but writing about them is) talking about how he didn't choose his friend Tiny, which I thought was quite rude, but I was happy to see him realize how important this friendship is to him. Also, the other Will finally made some friends, which was a relief to me, because I don't wish to see anyone go through life without friends. 

Although there is romance in this novel, it didn't feel like the most important thing at all. Dealing with relationships would probably be a more accurate topic, because there's a lot about that. I think it was done realistically and it adds a nice touch to the story, without being overwhelming. 

Reading about all the characters made me really happy and I loved the ending. I almost wish this book had been longer, because there's so much more I would like to know about the characters. 

I very highly recommend this novel.

Weird Girl and What's His Name - Meagan Brothers

Goodreads summary:

In the tiny podunk town of Hawthorne, North Carolina, seventeen-year-old geeks Lula and Rory share everything—sci-fi and fantasy fandom, Friday night binge-watching of old X-Files episodes, and that feeling that they don’t quite fit in. Lula knows she and Rory have no secrets from each other; after all, he came out to her years ago, and she’s shared with him her “sacred texts”—the acting books her mother left behind after she walked out of Lula’s life. But then Lula discovers that Rory—her Rory, who maybe she’s secretly had feelings for—has not only tried out for the Hawthorne football team without telling her, but has also been having an affair with his middle-aged divorcee boss. With their friendship disrupted, Lula begins to question her identity and her own sexual orientation, and she runs away in the middle of the night on a journey to find her mother, who she hopes will have all the answers. Meagan Brother’s piercing prose in this fresh LGBT YA novel speaks to anyone who has ever felt unwanted and alone, and who struggles to find their place in an isolating world. Ages 14–up.


My review:

5/5

It was so good! I absolutely loved this book. Also, I really want to check out X-Files now, because it sounds really good and I'm unfortunately too young to have watched it before. 

I really liked both of the characters, but especially Lula. She's funny, passionate, kind and always hopeful, which makes her a bit immature sometimes, like when she decided to leave, but also very realistic and interesting. I enjoyed seeing her interact with her wonderful grandparents, Walter and her friends. She seems to be liked by most people she meets and I wish I could've read even more about her. Her quest to meet her mom is childish, but it's also so easy to understand that I couldn't blame her for it. Her actions, as well as Rory's, made me cringe, especially in the beginning, with all these awkward moments on the night Lula left, but I could relate to both characters very well. I liked Rory, too, but I found it harder to understand him, especially since a lot of the story is about Lula. I loved their friendship and their friday nights, because they both care so much about one TV show and it's amazing. 

Although I found it confusing at first, I really liked the way it's written. I wasn't expecting it to be that way, but I enjoyed understanding what happened before, after and now. It kept me wondering what would happen next, in the past or in the present. I thought the book would be about finding Lula, but seeing her after she's back was even better than what I expected. 

I found the story to be very accurate and easy to relate to. The main characters are young adults confused with their lives and desperate for love, as most teenagers are. Their expectations and hopes are understandable and similar to mine, which made me feel them at the same time. I liked how their lives change during the story, but only for the better. Rory and Lula's friendship is affected by everything that happened between them, but as true friends do, they manage to keep their complicity and work everything out. I didn't expect everything to be that way in the end, but I was truly satisfied with everything. 

I highly recommend this novel! It's realistic, fun and passionate, which is perfect for young adults. 

(Thank you Edelweiss for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

I also did an interview with the author, Meagan Brothers, which you can find here. 

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli

Goodreads summary:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.


My review:

4/5

HOW CUTE!!! Seriously, this novel might be the cutest I read in a very long time. It's not even the kind of cuteness that's strictly about romance, because I swear, everything in this book is cute. Just, ahhh. Wow.

I must admit, I thought this book was similar to Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Not only because they're both about homosexual relationships, but simply because they have many details in common and the feeling I had while reading them was very similar. I loved Will Grayson, Will Grayson, so it isn't really a complain, although it's a bit sad to read this book after having read another that's so much alike. 

That being said, I have to say that everything else in this book is amazing. I thought the plot was really good, because even though it's a normal guy's life and not much happens in it, there's actually mystery in it and it kept me interested through the entire story. I discovered who Blue is pretty soon, but I wasn't entirely sure, so it was really nice to guess with all the little clues. I really liked their relationship and how everything evolves between them, because it's really not usual, but it's still adorable and honest. 

Simon's friends are incredible, in my opinion, because they're so nice and comprehensive. Their reactions felt sincere to me and I can honestly say I would love to have them as friends. As someone who has an amazing gay friend, I loved seeing more about what it's like to come out to your friends and family, because you can only get that when you're in someone's perspective, not really in a conversation. 

Bullying is part of this book, which I thought was realistic, as sad as it is. I know homosexuality isn't always well seen in our society, but I thought Simon and his friends handle it really well (better than me, to be honest, who felt like crying and wanted to beat some people up). I think it shows well how it is to be in high school, whether you're gay or not, because bullying is horrible and while we all know it shouldn't even exist, it still does. 

I really liked reading this novel, because it's really cute and light-hearted. I read it pretty fast and I would do it over again!