Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publication: September 10, 2013
By: St. Martin's Press
4 Stars!

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC.
 
What I Liked: Heartwarming, engaging and humorous look at one girl's journey to find out who she is when she steps away from her computer and into real life.  Fangirl has a witty MC and colorful cast of supporting characters, several of whom aren't even real. ;)

Cath is a bit neurotic and faces all kind of challenges like, meeting new people, figuring out where the dining hall is and how to live apart from her sister for the first time, ever.  But she also learns how to better her craft, develops her own friends (apart from Wren), falls in love and discovers a strength she didn't even know she had. 

I LOVED the humor and I appreciated the sweet fragility of the romance.  And can I just say that the kissing scenes in this book are some of the BEST I have ever read? Because they totally are! *fans face*   
 
What Left Me Wanting More: I wanted to meet Levi's Mom. 

Final Verdict: The kissing scenes alone make this book worth the read!

Favorite Quote(s): "I'm the cool one," she told herself. "Somebody give me some tequila because I'll totally drink it. And there's no way you're going to find me later having a panic attack in your parents' bathroom. Who want to French-kiss?" 

"Head, heart, hands, health. They don't have 4-H in South Omaha?" 
"They do, but it stands for hard, hip-hop, and Homey-don't-play-that." 

"Stop," Reagan groaned, "don't make me look at you. It's like THE SHINING in here."

Review also posted at YABC.