Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to carry on as I am.” – Baz

  I have found a new favorite 😍.  This is my second Rainbow Rowell book and I was blown away.  Carry On is Rainbow Rowell’s take on the characters to whom we are introduced in Fangirl, a novel about a girl named Cath who is starting college and who writes fanfiction about Simon Snow and Baz Pitch, characters from a fictional series similar to Harry Potter.  You do not have to read Fangirl before you read Carry On, but it is a fantastic book as well and I recommend it.  Carry On is one of my favorite books of the year and probably one of my favorite books of all time. I loved every second of it. 

  The magic system is very creative.  I love that the power of the spells is affected by the relevance of language and how important phrases are in modern speech.  That system ensures that magic changes with the times and can grow as society does.  There were many pop culture references that I appreciated because it kept this fantastical world grounded in the real world.  

  The characters are as flawed and realistic as magicians can be.  Obviously, Simon and Baz are my favorite characters.  How could they not be?  They are so different, but when they are together they are completely unstoppable.  Their relationship is one of the cutest I’ve read about in a long time.  Honestly, I could go on and on about them, but spoilers.  Just read it, okay?  Please? 

  I listened to the audiobook for Carry On, and it was spectacular.  I’m pretty picky about audiobook narrators, but Euan Mortan did a phenomenal job.  He is able to capture the character’s personalities with subtle variations in his voice.  If you like audiobooks, I definitely recommend this one.  

  Though the characters are the stars of the show, the plot was captivating and kept me on the edge of my seat.  Who doesn’t love a good twist on the “Chosen One” trope mixed with a little murder mystery?  Add in the Hogwarts reminiscent setting and you’ve got me hooked.  I was tempted to just restart the audiobook as soon as I finished it, but alas my TBR is guilting me.  

  I HIGHLY recommend this book to fans of Harry Potter and fantasy, although I believe anyone could enjoy it.  It was funny and whimsical and absolutely amazing.  5/5 stars for sure! 

  I hope you guys enjoyed this review!  If you did, leave me a like and comment because I’d love to discuss this book!  See you in the next one! 

  

Top 5 Wednesday: LGBT Books I Want To Read

For this T5W the topic is favorite LGBT reads. Unfortunately, I haven’t really read very many. One of my goals for this year (and the future in general) is to read more diversly. I am ashamed that my reading history is so devoid of diversity, but I plan to remedy that very soon. So, instead of my favorite LGBT reads, here are the ones that I am most eager to read. 

1. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

This stand alone fantasy novel centers around a lesbian relationship and it intrigued me from the very first moment I heard about it. A princess goes to a neighboring kingdom with the intention of marrying the prince and ends up falling in love with the prince’s sister. I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on this book. 

2. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

This popular LGBT book has received a lot of hype since it’s publication. It involves a closeted gay teen who can only be himself online with an anonymous friend. The plot sounds incredible and adorable, so I’m honestly not sure why it’s taken me so long to pick it up. Hopefully it will happen soon. 

3. The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan

I know this one isn’t super heavily LGBT, however the LGBT character in this series is a very important one. Rick Riordan is excellent about including diverse sexualities, races, and religions in his books and I deeply respect him for that. I can’t wait to read this series because I adored the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. 

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Shame. Shame. Shame.

This books is probably the one on the list that I feel the most ashamed about not having read it. I have also never seen the movie, but I know that one of the main three characters in this novel is unashamedly gay. I have heard nothing but amazing things about this book. It’s been on my TBR for far too long and I need to get to it soon. 

5. The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich

This book has not yet been released. The publication date is set for May 16, 2017 and I NEED IT. From what I gather from the synopsis it is about two teenage boy spies who are to compete for the affection of a target girl, but end up developing feelings for each other. Just the description makes me want to squeal. You can bet I will be reading this ASAP after it’s released. 

Thank you guys for reading my Top 5 Wednesday post. If you have any other LGBT recommendations please please please leave me a comment. 

The Goodreads​ group for Top 5 Wednesday can be found here. Come join us for fun weekly topics about bookish things! 

I’ll talk to you guys in my next post!