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Five Things Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Taught Me

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

It’s May 2013, the day offers a burning heat and the air conditioning is on. I am out. I can picture it so clearly – the day I read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. The day I felt something shift; I would not come out of it the same person.

I’ve never read a book quite like Fangirl where I have felt like I could be a part of it. I’m sure that Rainbow Rowell somehow followed me about when she was writing Cath because I feel like I am her. It’s the book I turn to when things are a bit fuzzy in my head, when I want to lose myself in the fan fiction or escape for a little bit. It is my favourite book of all time.

Recently, needing that escape, I found it once again in Fangirl. It was my first full re-read since I read it that day in 2013 and a lot has happened since then – I’m no longer the 13 year old I was then. However, I did notice that I have learnt a lot from it, and I really wanted to share that today.

Here are the life lessons that Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell taught me:

1. Sometimes it is totally acceptable to have an Emergency Kanye Party

You know sometimes you feel so full of emotion that all you can do is dance it off? This is a good thing to do. Dancing, no matter how bad you are at it, will always make you feel better. The stupider the dance moves, the better you will feel afterwards. This is a fact.

2. You don’t have to go out and party to have a good time.

I am not, by any means, a party animal. Like Cath, you’re more likely to find me curled up with a book or writing than at a party and reading Fangirl made me realise that this is okay. Being introverted isn’t a problem and not everyone likes going out. Cath made me feel like I was less alone in this feeling!

3. “Are you rooting for me?”

Find someone that you are rooting for, that you want to succeed. And find someone that will root for you in return, whether that be a friend or a loved one.The people in Cath’s life support her and there’s the clear message in Fangirl that the people who don’t care, that won’t support you in return, aren’t the ones that matter.

4. Do what you love. Write what you love.

For Cath, it’s her fanfiction and she loves the world of Simon Snow, so she writes about it.

5. Some books will always stay with you – treasure them.

There are some books that I read and loved years ago, but have returned to after and not loved as much. Fangirl, though, will always stay with me and will always mean something to me. Likewise, for Cath, the books she loves are the fictional Simon Snow series and, even though she’s getting older and people find it weird that she loves them so much, they matter to her. You shouldn’t let other people get in the way of that.

Have you read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell? What did it teach you? Tell me your favourite thing about it in the comments below!

Book Haul

Books, Books, Glorious Books! | Book Haul

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The past few weeks have been seriously good for books. I seem to be buying a lot more than usual lately because there are so many books I’m excited to read, and I’ve also been very lucky to receive some from lots of lovely publishers. SO MANY AMAZING BOOKS!

Spot the Difference by Juno Dawson is one of this year’s World Book Day titles and I’m currently reading it. Juno always delivers amazing books, so of course I’m loving it!

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell is the other YA World Book Day title for 2016 and tells the story of Elena, who is queueing outside her local cinema for the opening of the new Star Wars film. It was super cute and a great choice of book to read if you’re in between books and want something quick but extremely gripping.

The Trouble with Women by Jacky Fleming is a look at women through history and how, as Fleming puts it, men have put women in the Dustbin of History. Its witty illustrations and satirical tone make it impossible not to laugh whilst read it, or bang your head against your bookshelf in horror at all Mankind.

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman is one of my most-anticipated releases of 2016, especially as I loved Solitaire so much. I’m going to be starting it right away because I can’t wait any longer! Alice is an incredible writer and I already know I’m going to love Radio Silence just as much as I loved Solitaire.

The #1 Rule for Girls by Rachel McIntyre looks at life post-break up for main character, Daisy. I enjoyed Me and Mr J, her debut novel, when I read it last year, so I was very pleased to hear that Rachel had a new book out this year. Thank you, Electric Monkey!

I read Crush by Eve Ainsworth last summer and have been desperate to talk about it since, but it’s only just been released! Eve is perfect at writing gritty contemporaries, and Crush explores what it’s like to be in a toxic relationship. Highly recommended! Thank you, Scholastic!

Half Lost by Sally Green is the conclusion to the Half Bad trilogy and I am so excited to see what happens! The trilogy has been absolutely amazing, so it will be a tiny bit sad to say goodbye to it, but I know there will be lots of other exciting books from Sally Green in the future. Thank you, Penguin Platform!

I’ve never read anything by Emery Lord before so when a copy of When We Collided popped through my letterbox, I was very happy. It comes out in April, so I’ll hopefully be reading and reviewing it before then. I’ve heard great things about Emery’s books. Thank you, Bloomsbury!

Kill the Boy Band by Goldy Moldavsky looks at fandom culture and what happens when it goes wrong. Fandom culture is everywhere at the moment, so Kill the Boy Band is going to be very current. Thank you, My Kinda Book!

Finding a copy of the Complete Sonnets by William Shakespeare probably shouldn’t have excited me as much as it did, but I’ve been looking for a copy for ages. I’m reading lots of poetry at the moment and have read a few of Shakespeare’s sonnets, so I’m looking forward to reading the rest. SUPER EXCITED!

Head Over Heels by Holly Smale is the latest instalment in the Geek Girl series and I’m hoping to marathon read this and the previous book, All That Glitters, sometime in the next month. I need to catch up with Harriet! Thank you, Harper Children’s!

 

What books have you acquired recently? Are there any books on my list that you’ve read or are excited to read?

Recommendations

5 Books That Changed My Life

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Some books you can read and forget about after a few months, but there are others that stay with you for a long time afterwards. There are also those books that will always stick with you, no matter what, and have affected your life in some way. Here are a few of mine:

Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

I love books for a wide range of reasons, but one of the main ones is because they’re always there when I need them most. When I was 12, a few months before I started my blog, my granddad died and it was something that affected me hugely, us being so close and me being so young. During the months after, I turned to books to help me through and one of these books was Jessie Hearts NYC. For this reason, it’s a book I’ve recommended a lot and Keris’s books, like Jessie Hearts NYC and Emma Hearts LA, are a great place to start for readers who are starting to read YA.

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

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Blog Tour

RAINBOW WARS! Fangirl Edition

IMG_1381Everyone reading this knows that Fangirl is, of course, Rainbow Rowell’s best book. It’s a well-known fact. Here are four reasons why we all love it so much:

1. It’s like revisiting Harry Potter all over again.

The Simon Snow parts are HEAVEN to all of us Potter lovers. I can’t wait to read Carry On when it comes out later this year!

2. Everyone will fall in love with Levi

Levi is one of my favourite characters in YA fiction and just thinking about him makes me want to re-read the book again!

3. Cath is SO relatable!

When I was reading Fangirl, it was almost as if I was reading about myself. I love Cath so much because she reminds me of myself so it means that I feel so much closer to the story.

4. It’s re-readable

I have read Fangirl so many times and each time I discover something new about the plot, characters and meaning behind each scene. It’s why I love it so much!

Do you agree that Fangirl is the best Rainbow Rowell book?

Landline is out in paperback on 30th July from Orion Books. 

 

Discussion

Fangirl for Fangirl…

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Sometimes I think it’s great to try to recreate your favourite book and turn it into a picture. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is an all-time favourite of mine for a variety of reasons and I’m growing to appreciate it even more as I get older. It’s re-readability is off the scale – whenever I’m sad, I know I can pick it up and it will put a smile on my face.

I love how relationships are portrayed in Fangirl – not as simple and straightforward, but complex and with ups and downs.

I also love how it feels as if Cath has been created from a piece of my soul. She’s a character who I can relate to on so many levels and who I feel just gets me.

I love how every time I read it I learn something new about the characters, the plot, the settings.

I love Fangirl. I love it with all my fangirl heart.

Uncategorized

YA Starter Kit

So you may be new to reading YA, or just looking for some awesome book recommendations… Today I’m going to help you add LOTS and LOTS of books to your TBR piles!

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Undone by Cat Clarke will give you ALL THE FEELS. It made me cry so much and I loved every single second of reading it. It’s a must have on your shelf because it has LGBT themes, deals with grief and loss, and also has a brilliant plot!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is a favourite YA book of mine because I read it right when I was getting serious about reading YA. It’s about werewolves which may seem cheesy after Twilight but it’s such a refreshing urban fantasy novel that you can become invested in easily.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor has SO many fans. I still haven’t read the second or third books in the trilogy, but I really enjoyed the first instalment when I read it a few years ago. It’s completely unpredictable so it’s a very exciting reading experience!

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson is one of my favourite books of 2015 so far and is about imitations of the Jack the Ripper murders happening in London. Rory, the main character, is American and starts at a boarding school in London just as the murders start to happen. I LOVE this series a lot and can’t stop recommending it! SO, SO fantastic!

Trouble by Non Pratt is about teenage pregnancy and it’s written perfectly. I enjoyed it so much and can’t wait to read Non’s next book, Remix, as I loved Trouble so much.

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We Were Liars….It really is best to lie about this book because the least you know about it the better! It took the book world by storm last year, and I still can’t believe the shock ending! I really didn’t expect it at all.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is one of my all-time favourite books and perfect for people who love sites like Tumblr and are involved in Internet culture. It’s about a girl called Cath who, alongside her twin sister, is starting college. Cath writes fan fiction on a book series very similar to Harry Potter!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas is a favourite fantasy book of mine and centres around Celaena Sardothien, an assassin who is chosen by the prince to enter a competition to become the King’s Assassin. READ IT, READ IT, READ IT!

Have a Little Faith by Candy Harper is hilarious and is a relatively short book too! It’s very true to a British teenager’s life and I adored it.

Every Day by David Levithan tells the story of A, a person who wakes up in a different body each day but, one day, A finds that there’s someone they just can’t let go of. It’s unique and David Levithan writes so beautifully.

Which books would you add to my list? Have you read any of these?

Uncategorized

My Favourite Books of 2014

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Whilst I definitely didn’t read as much as I usually do in 2014, there were many amazing books that I did read. This year has felt like one massive reading slump, but each of the books featured on this list captured my heart and I’ve been recommending them non-stop since reading them.

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle

Out on 1st January, this is the most recent edition to my list. Vendetta is Catherine Doyle’s debut novel and I’ve read many books by well-established authors that I didn’t love half as much as I loved Vendetta! It’s thrilling and adventurous – I couldn’t put it down!

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

I love all of Rainbow Rowell’s books so I couldn’t miss Landline out of my list! I read it at a very special time and all of Rainbow Rowell’s books are like a big, warm hug. It’s hard not to fall in love with every word!

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

I am OBSESSED with this series! I’ve started to watch the TV series, but I much prefer the books. I’ve now read the second and third books, which I loved even more. Incredible!

Have a Little Faith by Candy Harper

Candy Harper never fails to make me laugh. I read the two Faith books earlier in the year and I love them! They’re the funniest books I’ve read in a long time and so easy to read. I’d recommend them to anyone!

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Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton

Wow! This book amazed me when I read it – it has LGBT, feminism and diverse characters. I fell head over heels in love with it!

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

I don’t think I’ve spoken about The Virgin Suicides on the blog yet, but I have a few times on my YouTube channel. Whilst it’s primarily targeted at adults, I think this book has a huge crossover appeal and I’d love to see more teenagers reading it. It’s a haunting read that will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished it.

Winger by Andrew Smith 

Winger is a truly original novel that portrays teenage life and experience perfectly. It even has cartoon images that I adored when reading it! READ IT, READ IT, READ IT.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Although this book is hated by many, I was one of the people who loved it. Even though it was written over 60 years ago, it’s still very current a bookish rite of passage! Definitely worth reading at least once during your lifetime.

Trouble by Non Pratt

Trouble is a brilliant book all about teenage pregnancy! Non isn’t afraid to tackle subjects that many authors shy away from and I can’t wait to read more from her in 2015!

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

And now for my favourite book of the year… Solitaire! My review of Solitaire is the easiest review I’ve ever written and I will not rest until I get everyone to read it. It’s phenomenal and I haven’t seen a bad review for it in the five or so months since its release.

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Book Review Uncategorized

REVIEW: My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins

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I was incredibly excited when a copy of My True Love Gave to Me popped through my door. Firstly because the cover that greets you is beautiful and secondly due to the amazing authors whose short stories are included.

Edited by Stephanie Perkins (author of Anna and the French Kiss), My True Love Gave to Me is a festive-themed anthology, featuring short stories written by authors such as Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor and David Levithan. Each story is uniquely tailored to the author’s individual style so whilst they may not be writing in their usual style, their original stamp is still evident.

The stories all fit well together and stood out on their own. I think there’s a distinct lack of Christmas novels, and what sets My True Love Gave to Me apart is that it is a combination of lots of different traditions and customs. I loved reading about each one because each story offered something different.IMG_0353

My favourite story by far was Stephanie Perkins’, which I will be reading over and over again. It touched my heart! Other notable favourites include Jenny Han’s, Kelly Link’s and Ally Carter’s.

I think, though, that the story that wowed me the most was the one written by Laini Taylor because it was so different to everything else in the anthology. Taylor created a whole new world in just under 50 pages, which is an incredible talented thing to be able to do. I want more and more of her story!

I have no doubt that many people will buy My True Love Gave to Me solely based on the design. It has a cover I could marry, a beautiful built-in bookmark, and the most gorgeous endpapers I’ve ever seen. Each chapter header also has a different graphic – a brilliant inclusion!

My True Love Gave to Me really got me in the holiday spirit, and I especially loved the sharing of different customs – pagan, Jewish and Christian, to name a few. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!

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