Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Sometimes you read a book and it pretty much takes over and moves in.  I look at my bookshelves and see so many old favorites that have been there for years, but I’m always kind of delighted when a new favorite gets a place on my shelf.  Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell did that recently. I bought it for my kindle last November when it was being sold on one of Amazon’s deals and read it this past February. Then in March I bought it in hardcover.  I had to have a physical copy and was going to wait for the paperback to come out but just couldn’t do it. I can’t even say how many times I’ve read this book. Well, ok, I’ve read it all the way through once and then most of it many, many times. I completely fell for Cath, Levi, Reagan, Wren, and their dad.

I think the reason I love this book so much is because even though I am not like Cath, I remember some of those feelings from my first year of college. Thinks like figuring out how to eat in the cafeteria, or finding your classes or the best spots to study in the library. All the new people you meet. I even had a roommate whose boyfriend was over all the time. Cath is so strong even though she doesn’t think so. Even with her stomach in knots she still does what she needs to and makes it through whatever she’s dealing with.  And then there’s Levi who gives out smiles just because he can and because it makes him happy.  Levi has been my biggest book crush all year so far and I don’t see that going away any time soon.  

The only small squabble I had with this book is the actual fan fiction Cath writes. While I would probably read the fictional Simon Snow series if it were real, getting just bits and pieces of it took me out of the story. I wanted Cath and Levi, not Simon and Baz. I’m not saying it wasn’t good, I’m just saying that now that I’ve read it once, I can skip those parts and go straight to everything else that I love.

I bought Eleanor and Park at the same time I bought Fangirl and while I didn’t love that one as much, I found out that I love Rainbow Rowell’s writing. I’ve got Attachments on hold at the library and when Landline comes out, I’ll be reading it too.