Kindred Spirits - Rainbow Rowell

RATING: ★★★★★

Publication Date: February 25, 2016
Publisher: MacMillans Kids UK
Genre: YA
Pages: 96 pages

Today is World Book Day and in honour of this special day, several authors wrote novellas that are only £1! A full list of the participating books can be found here, and this is my review of one of these books: Rainbow Rowell's Kindred Spirits. As mentioned in my previous post, I received this novella from Macmillan press, but this in no way influences my review.

So unless you've never been on my blog, Twitter or Tumblr, you are probably aware of the profound love I have for Rainbow Rowell books. I love her YA books like Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, but also really enjoy her books for an adult audience, especially Attachments. Kindred Spirits is a YA book again and delivers everything you want out of a Rainbow book: it's funny, endearing, surprising and most important of all, it makes you feel all warm inside, even on rainy March day.

Elena is a Star Wars fan through and through and when the new movie is released, she can't way to join the queue early and surrender herself to the "line experience". However, when she gets there four days before the release, there are only two other people in line, Troy and Gabe, and the cold Omaha winter quickly ruins her joy. However, Elena is not one to give up and is determined to stay in the line until the midnight screening. The 60ish page novella chronicles her adventures in the line and why Star Wars is so important to all three characters in the line.

As I said, I loved this book. Elena is an amazing narrator who is determined and doesn't take any shit from anyone in the line (hello epic rant about guys always judging girls who like something nerdy). It's easy to get into Elena's head and to understand why she wants to stay in the line and I guarantee you'll be rooting for her to stay in the line after the first five pages. 

The story is short and I really enjoyed how it only focused on the three characters in the line. It means that there's enough depth to all of them to understand and enjoy them, while never feeling bored with one of them. Even though I am not a Star Wars fan at all, and didn't even see this last movie, I somehow got swept up in the excitement of Troy, Gabe and Elena and was almost tempted to watch the movie - something that only shows how amazing Rainbow Rowell's writing is.

Though the book might feel predictable half way through, it really isn't. Nothing happens as you think it will, but it's still familiar enough that you're comfortable and just enjoying the ride. Rainbow Rowell again creates a world where it's okay to believe that fairy tale endings do happen, to only want good things for characters and to embrace the fact that happy stories can be amazing too - something I usually never think.

Kindred Spirits is obviously a quick read, but also an amazing one and a great pick for World Book Day. If you're unfamiliar with YA, this is a great introduction to one of the best authors the genre has to offer and if you are a teenager constantly forced to read classics in school, this book shows you that literature has stories on offer that you can relate to and thoroughly enjoy.

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell : Updated with Paperback info at the end!

RATING: ★★★★★

Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: MacMillan Kids UK
Genre: YA
Pages: 528 pages
Goodreads

I love Rainbow Rowell. I love love love love her. She could write my grocery list and I would enjoy reading it. She could write my monthly bills and I wouldn't mind reading them. Whatever Rainbow writes, I'm a fan. However, I was worried about Carry On. Fangirl is one of my favourite books of all time, but I just wanted that into the Simon Snow parts (I might even have skipped some of them...) and I just wasn't that interested to see the story of Simon and Baz develop...

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Review

Sometimes it pays off to not have high expectations of a book. I knew I'd read Carry On, simple because Rainbow Rowell wrote it. What I didn't know is that I would absolutely completely fall in love with the story of Simon Snow. 

As I've mentioned many times before, I'm not overly into the whole "chosen one" idea (aka Harry in Harry Potter) and I don't love fantasy as much as I love contemporary stories, which makes it even more remarkable that Rainbow completely sold me on this story. My favourite thing about this book is the amazing characterisation. Simon is the chosen one of this story and he's still an enjoyable character! This is the first chosen one that doesn't act like a brat. Or selfish. Or has a pity-party every chapter. Or IS ACTUALLY JUST A NICE PERSON. I loved Simon;  he was funny, clumsy and completely clueless about so many things, but not cocky about it. Together with his best friend Penelope, who is also funny, but completely in control and smart, there are so many laugh out loud moments in this book.

The other great thing is the love story in this book. If you've read Fangirl, you'll know that Simon and Baz are nemesis who will fall in love eventually. The way this is played out in the plot is great; it's never too fast nor too slow. You can slowly see their relationship transform through "realistic" things (realistic for a magical world obviously) and can see them get closer and closer together. At not one point does the love story take over the general plot, the quest Simon and Baz are on together, which was such a relief for me. I love seeing LGBT representation that shows that, just like with heterosexual relationships, characters can be in a relationship without it being their only story.

So, just as the last few books I've read, I loved this one. Even with all my issues with chosen ones and fantasy stories, this book was just amazing. In true Rainbow Rowell fashion, it's fluffy, easy to read and incredibly comforting. Exactly what I wanted out of this book.
 

Update: Carry On is now the most AMAZING Paperback book!

I want to thank Macmillian Children's publisher for sending me all of this! Carry On was published as a paperback a while ago and when I finally got back to my London place, all this amazing stuff was waiting for me. I can't wait to colour in this paperback version of Carry On! Did you already colour it in? What colours did you pick? Which should I pick? Such an important decision!!

Not only did I get the book, I got Kindred Spirits, Rainbow's World Book Day story as well, which I will review later this week! I can't wait to read a new Rainbow Rowell story again and to really delve back into her world. I also got some amazing postcards and the coolest balloons! 

Hunky Baz!

Messy hair Simon!

Matching Simon and Baz!!! They're now in my room and every time I see them I just get a smile on my face. And it makes me want to re-read Carry On so badly - after I colour the cover in!

Landline - Rainbow Rowell

RATING: ★★★★☆

Find it on bookdepository 

If you know anything about me, or if you have met me even once, you'll know that I love Fangirl. I rave about it all the time.

So when I got the chance to read Landline, Rowell's first 'adult literature' book, I was so excited. And luckily, as usual, Rainbow Rowell didn't disappoint.

Plot

Landline follows Georgie, a working mom who is struggling with finding the balance between work and family. She's married to Neal, who has become a stay at home dad for their two daughters, while Georgie writes scripts for tv-shows. Long days have always been standard, but when Georgie announces that she can't come to Nebraska with her husband to spend Christmas (because she has to work), everything seems to be crumbling.

When Neal and the girls leave, Georgie stays with her mother and uses the landline phone in her old bedroom to call Neal. She desperately tries to reach him, but when she finally does, he is not the Neal from now, but the Neal from when they first started dating.

A magic phone

So if you have read Rainbow Rowell before, like I did, you'll be used to realistic contemporary stories. I urge you to put that idea out of your head when you pick up Landline. It starts off realistically, but then there is a strong element of magic in there that you just have to accept. I spend a chapter or five struggling with the idea that anyone could have a magic phone and it ruined my reading experience. I put the book aside and decided to just roll with it (heck, I read Percy Jackson, a magic phone is nothing) and once I did that, I could thoroughly enjoy the story. It's realistic with elements of magic and Georgie is such a great character that it somehow kinda works.

The struggle of every woman

And Georgie is such a great character, because she is so damn realistic. The main struggle of the story is, like I said, between work and family. I'm still young and without a family, but even I found this a very relatable subject. Girls, from a far too early age, are being told that some day you'll have to chose between a family or a career and what I love about Georgie is that she doesn't. She loves her job and doesn't consider giving it up just so she could be home more. This book does not end in Georgie becoming a housewife - that is not the journey of this book. The journey is finding a balance between what you want and what your family needs and surprisingly enough, Neal makes that journey too.

Rating

It kind of kills me, but I can't give this book five stars. I adored Georgie, Neal and their relationship and even though I haven't focused on Rainbow's writing in this review (I've done that in all the other reviews from her books already) it was absolutely perfect again. But a magic phone? She really lost me there for a few pages, so I can't give it top marks. However, it's an excellent four star book. 

Midnights - Rainbow Rowell

Until Christmas, I will be reviewing the short stories from My True Love Gave To Me. There will be a review every other day. These will be shorter than the usual reviews and will always include the same criteria on which they will be graded.

Find it on bookdepository here. 

Christmas feels: ★★/5

It is more New Year than Christmas, but it still has the end of the year feel.

Romance feels: ★★★★/5

Characters: ★★★★/5

Humour: ★★★★★

The twist at the end made me laugh out loud - it is original and funny at the same time!

Originality: ★★★★/5

If you have been on my blog before, you might have seen this review for Fangirl - in which I basically just Fangirl about how much I love the book. 

So when I opened My True Love Gave To Me and saw that the first short story was from Rainbow Rowell, it immediately made my day better. My parents just left London, the weather is shitty, there hasn't been any snow yet and I needed a pick me up. What better author than Rainbow?

Since it is a short story, I can't really say much about the plot without giving everything away, but here is a very basic summary: Mags celebrates New Years Eve each year with a bunch of friends. New Years 2014, the main setting of the story, is the first New Years every is celebrating together after going away to college. The friends are reunited and it turns out certain things have changed.

As per usual with Rainbow, it is a love story but it isn't cliché at all. She always manages to bring in a surprising element and this short story is no exception - you have to read it to find out a cute and funny twist at the end.

It wasn't really Christmasy, because it takes place on New Years Eve, which was a bit of a bummer, since I expected a lovely Christmas story. But still, it was a really good read and it definitely gives you the feels. I hope the other stories in the book will be more within the theme, but this was a good start to the book.

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

RATING: ★★★★★

Disclaimer: this review is just going to be long way of saying that I love this book. I have nothing critical to say. Nothing. So if you can’t stand fluff and rainbows - don’t read it.

Everyone always writes reviews about how books made them “laugh and cry” or “it was a roller coaster of emotions” and it always makes me want to stab my eyes out. I love books as much as the next book blogger, but that much? Nah. I might almost cry or kinda laugh, but not in a roller coaster way. 

Until I read Fangirl. I was familiar with Rainbow Rowell from Eleanor and Park and I really liked that book. Liked. Not loved it as much as everyone around me seemed to do. So I was wary about Fangirl. The reviews were amazing, but then again, I’ve been let down quite a few times since deciding to read people’s reviews.

Fangirl is so worth it

It was even better than everyone made it out to be. It was original, funny, heartbreaking fluff that combines family issues with relationship problems with growing up pains. How did Rainbow manage to do that in 500 pages? No clue, but it’s wonderful.

The story follows Cath, full name Cather, who is going to uni together with her sister Wren. The two are polar opposites - Cath is quiet, shy and very uncomfortable with everything, while Wren immediately becomes party girl number one on campus.

While Wren goes out and makes friends, Cath continues doing what the twins did at home: writing Simon Snow fanfiction. Simon Snow is basically the Harry Potter of the Fangirl world and Cath is obsessed with writing fan fiction about Simon and his enemy, but secret lover in the end, Baz. Hence the title - Fangirl.

Cath moves in with Reagan, who is this kickass roommate. She seems like a mean person, but turns out to be very supportive of Cath. Reagan motivates her to go out and explore life and herself. Girlpower to the max.It was so nice to finally read a book where two very different girls meet, but can still be friends. This happens all the time with boys in books, but almost never with girls. It was such a relief to read that Rainbow didn’t take the mean girl route.

But with Reagan comes her ex-boyfriend Levi.

The guy we all want to date.

And honestly, did anyone ever read this book and not fall in love with Levi? He’s from small-town Nebraska and his main expertise is anything to do with farming. So at first, I didn’t like him. A farm boy? Very cliché. But Levi is anything but cliché. He’s kind and caring and it turns out that there is a lot more to his personality than you think - though I can’t reveal too much, because I don’t want to spoil it.

Only criticism for Levi is that he seemed to a bit needy of attention. He was always hanging around Cath and Reagan’s room. But then, the girls enjoyed this, so it’s not really a flaw. Just something I would change about my personal Levi.

Rainbow Rowell manages to combine a lot of characters (5 almost main characters, besides Cath) and several plot elements in a way that truly shows her talent as a writer. A reader never feels like there is an unnatural switch of focus from one theme or one character to another. Everything flows and the book just reads like one simple story. It isn’t until you put it down that you really realise how many elements are touched upon within the story.

Anything negative about the book? Yes - I wish there was more of it! I wanted to cry when I finished this book; it really felt like I had to leave a group of friends behind. I wish there was more Cath and Levi. What happens to Wren? Rainbow, don’t leave us hanging like that.

So it will be no surprise to any reader that this book gets 5 out of 5 stars. It’s perfection. It made my inner fangirl come out - I can’t even write a very serious review about it because I just love everything so much. Please give me more Fangirl.