Carry On (Simon Snow, #1) in DC Public Library

Dec 12, 2014 Jessica rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, magical

It took a while to come together for me-- I kept drawing Harry Potter comparisons, which is expected when it's a book based on a made-up series in a book about a fangirl. It took until about halfway through for me to settle into "this is Simon, not Harry", and then I enjoyed it more.

I'm rounding up from 3.5 because I never read two characters that I wanted to yell NOW KISS at as much as I did Simon and Baz. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 28, 2016 Megan Reichelt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, ya

This book was a slow burn for me. I was liking it, but I was expecting it to be Harry Potter. It is not Harry Potter. It is a beautiful love story in the context of a Harry Potter world. The big bad is tangential to two people discovering each other. Their ways of communication was scintillating and beautiful, and the imagery was often visceral and breathtaking. I definitely recommend it, especially if you like Harry Potter. It is right in the middle between HP and The Magicians.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 27, 2015 Jennifer rated it it was ok

Could not connect to this book. If this book were a part of a series, it would be about book 5 or 6. Instead, all of the backstory, references to previous events, character development, and any emotional connection would have been built up to set the stage for this one. Instead, this book crams all of that into this tale, which I found frustrating.

The only character I loved was Baz. He was the most well developed and interesting. Penny had some great moments, but Simon and Agatha? There was noth ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 08, 2015 Christina rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, audiobook, 2016

Great audiobook narrator!

I ended up loving this story, though the beginning didn't hook me. The tone was very mopey and slow, and I get that we were getting a lot of exposition but it dragged and it's kind of hard to have that much exposition without much forward plot action.

I was also worried the book would feel too derivative, given its origins as a fake fanfiction story within another story and obvious Harry Potter inspiration. But there were so many original ideas in here, I ended up being ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 13, 2017 Akiva ꙮ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: f-queer, f-scifi-specfic, 3-fmt-f-novel, f-c-mg-ya

This book is so much fun. Draws you in by riffing on Harry Potter, and then keeps you with the characters and some genuinely clever worldbuilding. Will definitely reread.

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 08, 2020 June rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, mystery, magic, love, lgbt, ghost, vampires, monster, england

Simon is the Chosen One. His roommate, a vampire, says he is the worst one ever. Simon is supposed to be the strongest magician ever, but half the time he can't even make his wand work and the other half he tends to set things on fire. Also the monster he is supposed to stop, looks like him.

I'm not sure I got all of the ending, but I enjoyed the characters. ...more

Like · see review