Fangirl

Fangirl is the ultimate coming of age story.  Twin sisters Cather and Wren are heading off to college.  Wren, the extrovert, wants nothing more than to branch out.  Cath, the introvert, has no interest in meeting anybody.  Her whole world revolves around her fan fiction site.  She has spent years writing Simon Snow (a Harry Potter-like character) fan fiction, gaining thousands of followers.  She prefers to live in that world.  Wren wants to walk away from the fangirl life that bonded them as kids.  She spends too much time partying it up and immersing herself in the college life.  Cath spends all her free time writing.  Her roommate Reagan and her boyfriend Levi make constant attempts to coax her into the real world.

At its core, this book is about growing up.  Change is not something everyone is good with, but it happens anyway.  Cath is one of those people forced to deal with the changes that come from growing up.  She has to decide what she really wants and whether she will let fear keep her from getting it.  It is a story about falling in love, accepting who you are, making new friends, letting go of the past and embracing the future.  The characters are spectacular.  They are so well written you can't help but feel you know them.  This book will just suck you in and keep you going to the very end.

I myself am not now nor have I ever been a fan fiction reader/fan, but the culture of fandom is something that fascinates me.  The passion that people feel for fictional characters and worlds can be contagious.  It always entertains me when I read about or see that world come to life.  This book is really about fandom, so if you are not interested in that, don't let that be what stops you from reading this.  Also, don't read it hoping to get a book about fandom.  This book is about a fangirl who is forced to grow up and figure out what life outside the fantasy world of Simon Snow means.  On her own for the first time, she has to find herself and figure out who she wants to be.  It is definitely worth reading.  Once again, the characters are what make this story stand out.  They are exceptional.  Happy reading!

Slammed

A friend of mine recommended Slammed to me last summer.  I pretty much read it from cover to cover.  It was one of the those books I just didn't want to put down.  In my opinion, the book was poorly edited, and at times it really bothered me.  The story itself was enough to keep me reading and ultimately overlooking all the errors.  If that is something that you just can't abide, don't even bother with this book.

It begins with Layken (Lake), Kel and their mother moving from Texas to Michigan after their father dies of a heart attack.  As soon as Kel steps out of the U-Haul, their new neighbor, Caulder, comes running out to meet them.  The two young boys become instant friends.  When Caulder's older brother (and guardian), Will, comes out to meet them, there are instant sparks between him and Lake.  The two go on a date and have the best night of their lives.  They are quickly on their way to falling in love.  A few days later a bitter truth is revealed that puts a halt to their budding relationship.  The two are forced to try to forget/get over their feelings.

This book has a lot of layers to it.  There is a lot going on in the lives of all the characters.  It is far from boring.  The characters are wonderfully written.  The little boys, Kel and Caulder, provide a humor and honesty when faced with the worst of circumstances.  They are like a ray of light in an otherwise dark world.  Lake's new best friend, Eddie, also provides a much needed energy and optimism that helps buoy Lake up.  The title comes from Will's love of slam poetry, a
fun addition to the story.  It has a lot of poetry, which I usually don't like much.  In this book I found myself rather enjoying it and getting caught up in the energy of it.  There are also lots of twists/reveals in the book that left me feeling "slammed."  The title works in more than one way in this book.  If you enjoy it, the story continues in Point of Retreat, told from Will's point of view.  It isn't quite as good as the first, but still worth reading.  I could have done without the third book.  I was pleasantly surprised by this title.  Perhaps you will be too.  Happy reading!

Tuesday Talk: The Wishes series

A couple of months ago I stumbled upon a book by Australian author, G.J. Walker-Smith.   I downloaded the free e-book and then promptly forgot about it.  When I was looking for something to read, I came across it in my library and thought, "What do I have to lose."  It had over 4 stars on Goodreads so I figured I'd give it a shot.  I wish I hadn't waited.  As soon as I finished Saving Wishes, I immediately bought Second Hearts and read it the next day.  I rarely get lucky on books/authors I've never heard of, but this is definitely a winner.  The third and final installment of the trilogy just came out yesterday and I quickly ate it up.  The characters are just so much fun.  Charlotte (Charli) is so spunky and free spirited.  She totally believes in faeries and lives with one foot firmly planted in La La Land.  She believes in listening to the universe and always goes with her first thought.  She also completely believes in happy endings, no matter how long it may take to achieve.  When rich and ambition New Yorker Adam Decarie breezes into her small Tasmanian town it is love at first sight, for both of them.  Their lives are forever changed, but being together is far from easy.  They have completely different lives and sometimes love will prove to simply not be enough.  Their struggles and heartbreak suck you right in.  The supporting cast, namely Alex and Ryan are so much fun as well.  Saving Wishes takes place in Piper's Cove (Australia), Charli's home turf. Second Hearts takes place in Manhattan, giving us an inside glimpse of the privileged and stuffy world of the Decarie family.  Storm Shells takes place a little in both places.  I'm a sucker for a good love story and this series was awesome.  It was a lot deeper and real, and not at all fluffy (at least to me) like a lot of chick lit.  I definitely recommend giving it a try.  Happy reading!