BBCP Pages to Pictures: Eleanor & Park

Hey, everyone! I've got a very special post for you today! This year I decided to give Nori's Book Blogger Creativity Project a try, and I was placed on Team Magenta. Our team is made up of a few different bloggers - Nori, Cody, Sarena + Sasha, Tamara, and Lynette. Together, we decided that it would be fun to try to take books that we loved and prepare them for adaptation for the silver screen.

Soundtrack Saturday (53)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post!

So anyone who might be new to my blog (or oblivious to this meme) might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Soundtrack Saturday (52)

Hey, there everyone, and welcome to this week's Soundtrack Saturday post!

So anyone who might be new to my blog (or oblivious to this meme) might be thinking, "What on Earth is Soundtrack Saturday?" Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I could share my love of books and music. Each Saturday, I choose a book and post a playlist full of songs based on the characters, the plot, and the themes in the book.

But that's not all. You can participate, too! I'm inviting all interested book bloggers to participate in this meme! Each week, I'll be posting a linky at the bottom of my post so that you can share your Soundtrack Saturday playlist for other bloggers and blog readers to find.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few easy steps to follow to help you create your own perfect Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read or are currently reading - any book is fine as long as you can create a playlist for it
• Create a full (10+songs) or a mini (four songs) playlist for the book of your choosing
•  For more detailed instructions on the different types of soundtracks and how to make them, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post. It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday is a weekly meme that was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool at the bottom of the post

Short Story Review: Kindred Spirits

Title: Kindred Spirits

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Format: Paperback (World Book Day Edition)

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Publication Date: March 3, 2016

Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

"Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd."
"Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?"
"Maybe."

If you broke Elena’s heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she’s expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does.

What she’s not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels.

"Kindred Spirits" is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, and Carry On. "Kindred Spirits" has been specially produced for World Book Day.

My True Love Gave to Me Mini Review: Midnights

Book Title: My True Love Gave to Me

Editor: Stephanie Perkins

Story Title: "Midnights"

Story Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Source: St. Martin's Griffin for Review

Add it to Goodreads

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

It's Time to Listen to Carry On!

Title: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Audiobook Read by Euan Morton

 Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 6, 2015

11 CDs | 13.5 hours | $39.99

Add it to Goodreads

#1 New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell writes books about misfits and nerds, or people who feel like misfits and nerds, and how find their way through life -- cracking each other up and falling in love.

Making her highly-anticipated return to young adult fiction, Rainbow continues to break boundaries with CARRY ON, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl. 

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.

CARRY ON is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story -- but far, far more monsters.

Book Review: Carry On

Title: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Add it to Goodreads

Rainbow Rowell continues to break boundaries with Carry On, an epic fantasy following the triumphs and heartaches of Simon and Baz from her beloved bestseller Fangirl.

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.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

It's Almost Time for Carry On!

Have you heard the amazing news? About Rainbow Rowell? Oh come on... You must have heard something about her upcoming book, Carry On? You know what I'm talking about...the Simon and Baz story!

No?! Well then what are you waiting for? You need to do some research on this book (or just read this post) because it's coming out soon! Rainbow Rowell's latest book, Carry On, releases on October 6, but if you pre-order it now, you're entitled to some pretty awesome swag! Trust me... you won't want to miss out on this.

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly bookish meme created and hosted by Jill at her blog, Breaking the Spine. The meme helps bloggers and readers spotlight the upcoming releases that we are dying to read.

It's pretty simple to participate in Waiting on Wednesday:

• Create your own Waiting on Wednesday post that features an upcoming title (or titles)
• Be sure to credit Jill in your post
• Add your link to the Linky on Jill's blog

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT) is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and Bookish. Each week, there is a different topic, and all you need to do is give your answers in the form of a top ten list. They love making lists. I love making lists. It's a win for them, and it's a win for me.

This week is about book recommendations, more specifically the top ten books that your friends recommend to you because they think you'll love it or because the book is just so popular that it is just being recommended all of the time.

This one is kind of tough for me because people often recommend books to me that I just don't want to read. I try to be as polite as I can, but sometimes, I just know that I don't want to read a book. When I get a recommendation on Goodreads that I know isn't for me, I just ignore it. It's a little bit tougher when it happens in real life, though.

I recently opened another recommendation on Goodreads, so I am using some of the books from there. I'm also using some books that I've been told to read in the past.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -  I'm not afraid to admit this, but I didn't read the Harry Potter books until I was twenty-three despite so many middle school and high school friends practically begging me to read them. I tried to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when I was in sixth grade, but it wasn't for me. After more people in college told me to give them another try, I finally did, and I couldn't be happier with myself. They are by far the best books I've ever read.
   
2. The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer - These were another set of books that my high school friends wanted me to read. I gave them a shot after my younger sister read and loved them, but I threw Twilight book at her head after three pages. Meyer's style just wasn't for me.
   
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Everyone was passing this book around and recommending it. Everyone. Even some of the students I interact with thought I would enjoy it. I read it. I hated it. End of story.
   
4. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - It seems like everyone is reading these books, and I'm currently binge reading the released books in the series. I am actually really happy that people told me to read these because I kept passing them up in the store. So far, I'm enjoying them.
   
5. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - As a substitute teacher, I saw a lot of young girls reading this book. When I was in a long-term substitute position, I spent my prep periods in a middle school library. The school librarian was the one who finally convinced me to read it. I enjoyed it, and I went on to read all of Rainbow's books.
   
6. Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern - I got an email that said I would enjoy this book. It's also been recommended to me on Goodreads a few times. I haven't read it yet.
   
7. If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman - Obviously these two go hand in hand. For the longest time, I ignored the recommendations on these ones just because I wasn't sure that I would like them. I thought about it for a bit, and gave them a try. These are two of my favorite books, and I even passed If I Stay on to my mom because she was really curious about the movie.
   
8. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - My one friend from college keeps telling me to read this. She's told me to read it so many times that I've lost track, but I am going to keep my promise and eventually read it because she's not much of a reader.
   
9. Anna and the French Kiss series by Stephanie Perkins - I had seen this book everywhere, and then it started showing up in my automatic recommendations from Goodreads. Then my Goodreads friends started recommending it to me, so I when I found it at a used bookstore, I grabbed it. I loved it, and I'm currently waiting on Lola and the Boy Next Door to get here.
   
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - My eleventh grade English teacher was obsessed with this book. I paid enough attention to his fanboy moments to know that I wanted to read the book. I kid you not... my English teacher was a Stephen Chbosky fanboy. He would rave about the book and Jericho all the time. When I finally got to college, the whole English department started recommending it. It turns out that they were planning to bring Mr. Chbosky in to speak to us. It's one of my favorite books ever. I had Stephen sign it, and then a year later, I met him again.
    

Book Tag: Most Owned Authors on my Auto-Buy List

Yay! It's time for another book tag! These things can be so much fun, but I was kind of scared when I was tagged to do this one. Rachel over at A Perfection Called Books tagged me to participate in this one, and it's all about the number of books I own from authors on my auto-buy list.

Now some of you might be wondering why this book tag scared me. Well... the answer is kind of simple. I really don't have many auto-buy authors. I'm a taste test kind of reader. I read whatever looks interesting to me at the moment. If you ever see a picture of my shelves, you'll probably notice it.

I'll try my best to complete this tag, but it might seem a bit odd to you. Just hang in there. This should really be called Auto-Acquire Authors for me because a lot of these books were given to me. Oh well. I hope it makes sense.

• J.K. Rowling (12 books) - Okay. This one might be a bit of a stretch because my grandma bought all my Harry Potter books for me when I finally decided to read them. Now I can say that I have bought a few of her books with my own money. I own all seven Harry Potter books and the Hogwarts library box set. I even own an extra copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard because I bought it for myself before finally deciding that I wanted the pretty box set. I also own The Casual Vacancy, and when I find her other books for a cheap enough price, they will have a spot on my shelves. 
• Lauren Oliver (6 books) - Lauren Oliver is an author that I wouldn't have heard about if it weren't for winning a Goodreads giveaway. I was lucky enough to win Before I Fall, and then I quickly purchased the first two books in her Delirium trilogy. Her new adult book is coming out soon, and I'm going to get it. I'm also impatiently waiting for her new YA book, Vanishing Girls.
• Rainbow Rowell (4 books) - The first Rainbow Rowell book I read was Eleanor & Park, and I quickly bought Fangirl and Attachments. I waited patiently to get Landline, so now I have one copy of all of her books. I know I'll be buying anything she releases in the future.
• Veronica Roth (4 books) - I was a little late to hop on the Divergent train, but after I bought it, I ordered both Insurgent and Allegiant and binge read them. I pre-ordered an autographed copy of Four, and I really can't wait to see what she writes next. It'll be on my shelves.
• Sarah Ockler (3 books) - Twenty Boy Summer started it all for me, but I don't even own a copy of it. Don't worry... I'm looking for a decent looking hardcover. Sarah writes beautiful YA books, and I really wish more people would read her books. I still haven't gotten my hands on #scandal, but only because I haven't seen it anywhere. Her new book, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is one I am going to run out the door for on release day.
• Kiera Cass (4 books) - I own all the books in her Selection trilogy plus the paperback companion short stories. I probably won't buy The Siren, but I'm sure I'll give her next book a chance.
• Nicholas Sparks (19+ books) I own at least one hardcover of every book he's released, and quite a few dupes because my grandma buys them every time she goes to a thrift store. I swear that I could start my own bookstore and just sell his books.  I haven't really liked many of his newer releases, so I don't know if he is still an auto-buy author for me. 
• Marissa Meyer (3 books) - I only just recently read Cinder for a Goodreads read-a-long, but I bought all three books in The Lunar Chronicles series. I can't wait to get a copy of Fairest in my hands, and I really want to get Winter.

So now I get to tag some people! Okay, I'm going to go with my two co-mods at All About YA, Angie and Robin.

The Countdown Survey

Amber over at The Book Cookies tagged me in this survey, so I figured that I would partake in The Countdown Survey. The Countdown Survey was created by Christy at Christy's Book Addiction.
10. Books Already Released on Your Wishlist

• Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
• #scandal by Sarah Ockler
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
• Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
• These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman
• The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
• The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner
• Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

9. Favorite Covers

 

These aren't all of my favorite covers. I have way too many to post.

8. Not Yet Released Books That You Can't Wait For

• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
• Rooms by Lauren Oliver
• The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
• Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah
• A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
• Starry Nights by Isabel Gillies
• The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purd
• Diamonds in the Rough by Michelle Madow 

7. Auto-Buy Authors

• Rainbow Rowell
• Sarah Ockler
• J.K. Rowling
• Nicholas Sparks
• Veronica Roth
• Ann Brashares
• Huntley Fitzpatrick

6. Book Boyfriends

• St. Clair
• Four
• Peeta
• Levi
• Prince Maxon 
• Adam

5. Books You Recommend the Most

• Divergent
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower
• If I Stay
• The Hunger Games
• Anna and the French Kiss 

4. Books You Thought You'd Like, But Didn't

• The Fault in Our Stars
• Go Ask Alice
• Rebel Belle
• The American Heiress 

3. Books That Made You Cry

• Allegiant by Veronica Roth
• The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
• If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2. Books You Never Plan on Reading

Anything by John Green

1. Favorite Genre at the Moment

I'm really liking Contemporary YA right now. It's been fun exploring the stories and books.

So now I have the chance to tag people. If you read this, you're tagged. You have to fill it out with your answers. Be sure to leave a comment on this post with a link to your Countdown Survey, and I'll be sure to check it out.

Top Ten Tuesday (1)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and Bookish, and we compile a list of the chosen topic. This week, the topic is:

Authors I Own the Most Of

Okay, so obviously, I wanted to start participating in something while running my book blog, but this one scared me. I do a lot of book and author sampling. I took a deep breath, and examined my shelves and boxes of books, and I came up with a list. Some are technically ties, but this is what I've got. Enjoy.

1. Nicholas Sparks (20)
   I own every book written by this man in hardcover. I also have a few dupes and a few in paperback.
2. J.K. Rowling (11)
   I own the entire Harry Potter collection, including the three supplemental books to the series. I have two copies of Tales of Beedle the Bard. Other people in my home own some J.K. Rowling books, so the total count is higher; I just included my own.
3. Ann Brashares (9)
   My mom bought me a box set of the Sisterhood series when I was in elementary school. I found the fifth one, and my grandma randomly buys some of her books for me. I still have to read 3 Willows, The Last Summer (Of You and Me), and The Here and Now.
4. Laura Ingalls Wilder (8)
   My mom bought me a box set of her books when I was little because she loved Little House on the Prairie. I've never read them, but I will one day. I just didn't understand why she gave them to me.
5. Kiera Cass (4)
   Right now, I own all three books in The Selection series and the stories in paperback.
6. Veronica Roth (4)
   I own all three books in the Divergent trilogy and a hardcover of Four: A Divergent Collection.
7. Rainbow Rowell (4)
   I own all four of her books.
8. Suzanne Collins (3)
   I own all three books in The Hunger Games trilogy.
9. Lois Lowry (3)
   I own a hardcover and paperback copy of The Giver. I also have a copy of Number the Stars on my shelf, but I've never read it.
10. Sarah Ockler (3)
    I don't own all of her books, but I do have Bittersweet, The Book of Broken Hearts, and Fixing Deliah.

If you participate, leave a comment. I want to check out who most often appears on your shelves.

Book Review: Landline

Title: Landline

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Source: Purchased from Target

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

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal 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 — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to 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?

My Review

Warning: Some foul language. But only what Rainbow tweeted and includes in her book. 

 

I feel like I waited an eternity to get my hands on a copy of this book. I entered every giveaway possible on Goodreads and on other websites because I NEEDED this book in my life. You see... I somehow became a huge Rainbow Rowell fangirl (forgive the pun). Alas, I did not win it, so I had to wait until it came out to buy it. Needless to say, I got myself to Target on release day and purchased it.

It's definitely not my favorite Rainbow Rowell book, but is sure is sweetly captivating and hella entertaining. And who doesn't love the idea of a "magic fucking phone" that someone can use to call someone in the past? I loved that idea. It made for an entertaining novel with some unexpected events. Seriously... I want a phone like that!

There are some killer pop culture references in this one, my favorite being the one about Amy Sherman-Palladino, my favorite TV writer/producer. Like I've said before, I feel like reading a Rainbow Rowell book reminds me so much of watching a Amy Sherman-Palladino show. (Gilmore Girls and Bunheads). On a side note, can you imagine how freaking awesome it would be if these two women did some sort of collaboration. We need to make it happen. OMG. I just love how Rainbow includes all these pop culture tidbits in her novels because it really sets the scene. It makes the reader feel like they know her characters wholly because you know all of their likes and dislikes. 

The writing in this one is okay. I felt like it dragged on a bit, but otherwise, I really enjoyed this unique, new novel. 

Also, the rumors are true that Georgie will encounter a couple from one of Rainbow's other novels in this book! I won't ruin it for you, but I will tell you that they aren't named in this book. You actually have to remember their physical descriptions... So reread her other books if you must!

Anyways, this is an adorable book about trying to fix what you think is ruined, and I'm glad that I was so patient to wait for it.

Book Review: Eleanor and Park

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

 Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: February 26, 2013

Source: Purchased from Amazon

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

My Review

All in all, I was really impressed by this book by Rainbow Rowell. It was the first book that I read by this author, and I am now a fan! I will admit that I was frustrated with the ending of the novel, but it seems many people were as well. But hey... that's what reading is all about. Not everything gets tied up perfectly because life is messy. Ms. Rowell makes her novel that much more realistic by not tying things up nicely. Sometimes, there isn't a perfect ending in life, and books that give that message are, at least to me, one hundred percent more perfect because they show that life isn't perfect.

Other than that, I really did enjoy this book. It was a cute tale of two kids who fall in love but realize they aren't really right for each other. It is also a serious novel with the many things that Eleanor has gone through in her life. It is something that I think teenagers should read because it's not just a book about falling in love. It's about falling in love when your whole world is collapsing. It's dangerous. It's stunning. It shows that so many people really have it worse than you do, and that is something we all need to understand to become better people.

I would be thrilled to see a sequel to this novel to learn more about Eleanor and her life after she left town. I think she still has quite a bit to tell us. On the other hand, I think Park has a story of his own to tell. Even if we don't get a sequel, these two characters have made me think, and that's the wonderful thing about reading.

I would recommend this book for fans of contemporary YA novels, but also for fans of the ABC Family show The Fosters.

Reviewer's Note: If you haven't done so already, check out some of the fan art for Eleanor and Park. It is fabulous. You can even find some of it in the Collector's Edition of Eleanor & Park from Barnes & Noble. 

Book Review: Fangirl

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: September 10, 2013

Source: Purchased

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?

Book Review: Attachments

Title: Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Publication Date: April 14, 2011

Source: Purchased

"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you ... "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?

My Review

I smiled so much while I was reading this, but I couldn't figure out just why I was smiling so much. Why? Because there are just so many things to smile about when reading Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. Yes, it's hilarious. Yes, it's fresh. Yes, it's weird. It is everything you can ask for in a book, and while I was about halfway through the book, it hit me like a truck; this book, and all of Rainbow Rowell's books are filling a void I've been trying to fill since Gilmore Girls was cancelled. Her writing is reminiscent of Amy Sherman-Palladino's work, and therefore, I cannot get enough of it!

Attachments is just as witty as any episode of the adorably cute show, Gilmore Girls. Rowell seamlessly includes references to 90s pop culture while telling the stories of co-workers Lincoln, Beth, and Jennifer.

Jennifer and Beth are the dynamic duo of best friends that I needed in a book. I sometimes find it hard to connect with characters in adult fiction books, but these two are one hundred percent real. They get themselves into some sticky situations at work. They know they are breaking the rules at work, but they just don't care. They have some insane conversations on their work emails, but sometimes, their conversations are just normal and about life. I just loved them, and I would not mind having a friend like either one of them.

Then there's Lincoln. Lincoln's story made me wish that he were somebody that I knew in real life. Like how adorable is he? He cares so much for people, even people that he doesn't really know. He really doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. That is why he never reports Beth and Jennifer, even though it's part of his job description. I'll admit that it's a bit odd and strange that he reads their emails, but in the end, it's worth it. He also cares so much for his mom. He is an all-around great character.

I seriously did not want to put this book down! It's one of those books that every adult reader or fan of chick-lit should read because it breaks the mold of what we think women's fiction should be.