Fangirl

Cath and her identical twin sister Wren have always done everything together. Wren's friends were Cath's friends. They shared a bedroom. And most importantly, they shared a love of Simon Snow (Simon Snow is the Harry Potter of this world). So much so that they began to write fan-fiction together. Well, Cath did most of the writing, but Wren helped. And Cath became pretty famous in the fanfic world. Simon and Baz (think Harry and Ron – only not) were real to her. While she didn't create the universe they came from (that would be the author, Gemma T. Leslie), she molded them into new and exciting stories that were completely outside of canon. So much so, that many fans enjoyed her story more than the original.

When it was time for the two to go to college, Cath assumed that they would continue life as normal – together. But Wren had other ideas. She applied for her own roommate and cut her hair. She began spending her time completely apart from Cath, leaving Cath floundering alone in a world that she was uncomfortable in.

Oh how I related to Cath.

She spent the first several weeks eating nothing but peanut butter and protein bars in her dorm room because she didn't know where the dining hall was. That is so me.

I'm the type of person who is completely terrified of the unknown and I will go to great lengths to avoid it. I could see myself in Cath's struggles and it made my heart ache for her so much.

But let's just take a minute to talk about the writing.

Rainbow Rowell was writing a million different things in this book and she did it all flawlessly.

She wrote Cath's story – and let's be real here. It's amazing. Just – go buy it now. I'll wait.

She wrote excerpts from several of the books in the seven-book-long Simon Snow series by Gemma T. Leslie. And I really really wish this were a real series. I mean okay – it's pretty blatantly a Harry Potter rip-off – but it's different. Baz (the Ron character) is kind of evil. And a secret vampire. I would absolutely read the hell out of it.

Then she wrote excerpts from Cath's fanfic from the Simon Snow universe where Cath turns everything on its head (including making Simon and Baz fall in love).

Think about that for a second. How brilliant do you have to be to keep all of that sorted out and then put it together so that it makes sense and flows in the narrative? That's how brilliant Rainbow Rowell is.

And yes – there is romance, in case you're wondering. Without a love triangle. Heart-fluttering, swoon-inducing romance that Cath whole-heartedly deserves.