Author: Rainbow Rowell

Review: Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow by Rainbow Rowell

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Fantasy, Sword and Scorcery, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan (8th October 2015)
Blurb:

SIMON SNOW ID THE WORST CHOSEN ONE WHO’S EVER BEEN CHOSEN.

That’s what his roomate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here – it’s their last year at Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story, and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

CARRY ON: THE RISE AND FALL OF SIMON SNOW by Rainbow Rowell is a standalone novel, which is linked to her young adult novel FANGIRL (review). CARRY ON tells the final part of the Simon Snow series which readers of FANGIRL will be familiar with, as the Simon Snow series is the fandom that Cath, the main character of the novel, is immersed in. Rowell gives readers a glimpse into the world they’ve only heard about through Cath, and her love of it.

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Review: My True Love Gave To Me Edited by Stephanie Perkins

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My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins (UK edition)

Title: My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Winter Romances
Editor: Stephanie Perkins
Authors: Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de la Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Romance, Short Story, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books (9th October 2014)
Blurb:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .

This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME is a collection of Young Adult short stories edited by Stephanie Perkins. All twelve of the short stories are set during the Christmas period. Each story varies in length, some of the stories read like a contemporary story, whilst others are more fantastic.

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Review: Landline by Rainbow Rowell

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Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Orion Books (3rd July 2014)
Blurb:

Georgie McCool knows that her marriage is in trouble. It’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and he still loves her – but that almost seems besides the point now.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells him that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her – he is always a little upset with her – but she doesn’t expect him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

LANDLINE is a standalone novel from Rainbow Rowell. Before reading this book I had already read FANGIRL (review)which is aimed at a young adult audience, whereas LANDLINE is my first foray into her adult fiction work. LANDLINE tells the story of Georgie McCool a woman in her late thirties who is a writer for a TV show, she is also a wife and a mother to two daughters. Just days before Christmas that she is supposed to spend with her family in Omaha, Georgie gets a big break but that means she has to stay in Los Angeles. It is only after her husband leaves with the children that she realises that she might have gone too far.

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ICYMI Sunday 18 – My birthday haul

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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) Sunday is a new meme that I am planning to feature on the blog every week. It is based on the Sunday Post  which is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, which was in turn inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. Basically, it allows me to let you know what went on the blog this week and anything interesting that is going on. It will also allow me to showcase any books I receive like the Showcase Sunday which is hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea.

Phew! It hasn’t been such a long time since I did one of these posts – just about a month. Things are going well for me at the moment and I had a great birthday, and got some lovely presents. I’m also doing really well on the reading front at the moment, touch wood!!

On the blog the last month-ish:

What else is going on?

No news/links from me this time as I am playing catch-up with blog posts and with new books I’ve received. Sorry guys.

This week are the books I received as presents for my birthday – thank you Mum and Dad, and Aunty Judith and family.

  • VISIONS (CAINSVILLE, 2) by Kelley Armstrong (signed) [Goodreads]
  • FORBIDDEN (OTHERWORLD 10.1) by Kelley Armstrong [Goodreads]
  • BRAZEN (OTHERWORLD, 13.1) by Kelley Armstrong [Goodreads]
  • ODIN’S RAVENS (THE BLACKWELL PAGES, 2) by K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr [Goodreads]
  • EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES by Lynne Truss [Goodreads]
  • AUTUMN ROSE (THE DARK HEROINE, 2) by Abigail Gibbs [Goodreads]
  • TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee [Goodreads]

I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan, especially her WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD series so I’m really excited to read the two novellas. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was one of the few books I studied at school that I fell in love with, so I’m really glad to finally get hold of my own copy.

I would love to hear what you’ve been up to this week and what books, if any, you’ve got so please leave me a link in the comments below.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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Cover of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books (30th January 2014)
Blurb:

Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they’re off to university and Wren’s decided she doesn’t want to be one half of a pair any more – she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It’s not so easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there’s romance far more intense than anything she’s experienced in real life.

Now Cath has to decide whether she’s ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she’s realizing that there’s more to learn about love than she ever thought possible . . .

A tale of fanfiction, family and first love.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell tells the story of Cath a first year University student whose life has altered from how she thought it would be thanks to her identical twin sister Wren, who wants to break free and live her own life without Cath hanging around. Cath is also a BNF – big name fan – in the Simon Snow fanfiction world and she has to complete her latest fanfic before the release of the final book.  Cath might be quite willing to bury herself in the fanfiction she writes but life isn’t quite that easy, sometimes for really good reasons.

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