Fangirl
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Cath's identical twin sister Wren is excited about starting a new life at college - meeting boys, going to parties, letting loose - but introverted Cath isn't too sure. She's more comfortable in the world of the successful fan fiction she writes inspired by the Simon Snow novels, much preferring to write about romance than to experience it for herself.
Cath and Wren used to write fan fiction together, but Wren has decided she's grown out of fandom, and no longer wants to be one half of a pair. Left alone without her twin's support, Wren must face challenges that take her far outside her comfort zone, from sharing a room with a complete stranger, to dealing with a creative writing professor who thinks that fan fiction isn't real writing at all, as well as worrying about her fragile Dad, left alone at home. Can Cath embrace the new opportunities and experiences at hand - even if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
This warm-hearted tribute to the power of being a fan is also a delightful coming-of-age story about a shy girl coming out of her shell - and a young writer discovering her own voice. US author Rainbow Rowell's style is sharp, fresh and very funny: she writes brilliantly about falling in love for the first time, as well as the ups and downs of becoming independent, complete with all the embarassing moments that will ensure this novel will resonate with adolescents both past and present. A glorious contemporary teen novel, Fangirl proves without any doubt why Rowell is already attracting so many fangirls (and boys) of her own.