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FanGirl!
Ruby Miller has her summer all planned out. Sitting by the pool. Babysitting for some extra cash. Packing for college. All of that changes when a fan video Ruby and her best friend, Iris, create goes viral gaining their little fansite a ton of hits and the attention of the big wigs in Hollywood.
Ruby and Iris fall into the world of actors, movie sets, teen stars and elusive artists. Not only is their friendship put to the test when Ruby's cast in the lead role of the newest zombie flick, she must straddle the line between fiction and reality, love and lust, and being true to herself.
Ruby and Iris fall into the world of actors, movie sets, teen stars and elusive artists. Not only is their friendship put to the test when Ruby's cast in the lead role of the newest zombie flick, she must straddle the line between fiction and reality, love and lust, and being true to herself.
303 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2012
7 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
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October 14, 2014Oh, this was an absolutely brilliant piece of geeky funny happy OMG-y goodness. This second book by Ms Lawson had me cracking up and cackling like a crone, the geeky teenage fangirling is described so well, it is plain uncanny. Much like Wraith, I got pulled in and the story would not let go.
I won't talk about the storyline, you can read the book. Or its blurb. But I WILL talk about the execution of the telling. That is where this author is coming along brilliantly. After only a few pages you are thrown into the action, then jarred out of it by annotations that make you jump back and forth in the text. At first this is irritating, but really soon it becomes giggle-snort-worthy, as the author kind of breaks the fourth wall here, and pulls you in. Brilliant take, and one I've never seen before. Well done.
Then we have all the action of running a fansite (Z.net for the comics called Zocopalypse) and tweeting about it and trying to get juicy deets up on the web before the competition, and here is where Ms Lawson just cracks me up and has me screaming for mercy. My god, the tweets are hilarious, and the names of the tweeter people are in a class of their own. Anyone who's been a Twi-fangirl/fanboy these last 2-3 years will appreciate the twitter-feeds, and the very fact that there's always ONE tweeter who comes in from the left field asking if we could please see The Man naked. Or in chaps. If you read this, do not miss the actual names of the people in the feed. Or the fact that when celebs break up, there's always some diehards who will tweet "name+name #forever". That had me rolling on the floor. Seriously. This is SO summer of 2012 it's almost ridiculous. (@andrewspants is a keeper. *nods*)
(This book is like a snapshot of my online feed these last couple of years).
Then the action takes off into an online fight between two fansites for Zocopalypse, and it becomes a wank. Or, a ZWank, as it were. There is no time lost before it becomes a ZWankhard, and all you fandom girls out there know what that was.
Lines from the book? I don't want to ruin it for you, so I'll choose some of the cool, but not the coolest ones...
Here:
"At least now we know what happens to you under pressure."
"A total mind melt. Stupidity. Complete fangirl implosion."
"Good plan. Bacon, then hacking."
Interestingly enough, I reached page 257 (of 294!) before I realized that this story is in first person present tense. And I hate first person present. How about that.
An extra plus? This book was edited to a T, at least as far as I could see, and that is such a bonus these days. Thank you, author, for taking the extra moment and going over your text that one last time to make it pretty for the reader. It is much appreciated.
Another extra plus? The cover! Not only is it super cool, it is also different, beautiful and so in line with the comics setting. AND on Kindle you can easily find it, (even when you have sixty-eleven titles all in a jumble) because it is so special. It kind of stands out.
See? There you go: full five stars. Thank you, Ms Lawson, for the dedication at the end "...and for all the fangirls who understand."
Yes. I do understand. The brilliance.
****
This was a free read from Amazon Kindle—a one-day offer. I would have bought it for money, though, but I can never say no to a freebie.
ETA I don't know why this book isn't flashing through my TL all the time, considering all the fangirls and boys there. Go get this book.
I won't talk about the storyline, you can read the book. Or its blurb. But I WILL talk about the execution of the telling. That is where this author is coming along brilliantly. After only a few pages you are thrown into the action, then jarred out of it by annotations that make you jump back and forth in the text. At first this is irritating, but really soon it becomes giggle-snort-worthy, as the author kind of breaks the fourth wall here, and pulls you in. Brilliant take, and one I've never seen before. Well done.
Then we have all the action of running a fansite (Z.net for the comics called Zocopalypse) and tweeting about it and trying to get juicy deets up on the web before the competition, and here is where Ms Lawson just cracks me up and has me screaming for mercy. My god, the tweets are hilarious, and the names of the tweeter people are in a class of their own. Anyone who's been a Twi-fangirl/fanboy these last 2-3 years will appreciate the twitter-feeds, and the very fact that there's always ONE tweeter who comes in from the left field asking if we could please see The Man naked. Or in chaps. If you read this, do not miss the actual names of the people in the feed. Or the fact that when celebs break up, there's always some diehards who will tweet "name+name #forever". That had me rolling on the floor. Seriously. This is SO summer of 2012 it's almost ridiculous. (@andrewspants is a keeper. *nods*)
(This book is like a snapshot of my online feed these last couple of years).
Then the action takes off into an online fight between two fansites for Zocopalypse, and it becomes a wank. Or, a ZWank, as it were. There is no time lost before it becomes a ZWankhard, and all you fandom girls out there know what that was.
Lines from the book? I don't want to ruin it for you, so I'll choose some of the cool, but not the coolest ones...
Here:
"At least now we know what happens to you under pressure."
"A total mind melt. Stupidity. Complete fangirl implosion."
"Good plan. Bacon, then hacking."
Interestingly enough, I reached page 257 (of 294!) before I realized that this story is in first person present tense. And I hate first person present. How about that.
An extra plus? This book was edited to a T, at least as far as I could see, and that is such a bonus these days. Thank you, author, for taking the extra moment and going over your text that one last time to make it pretty for the reader. It is much appreciated.
Another extra plus? The cover! Not only is it super cool, it is also different, beautiful and so in line with the comics setting. AND on Kindle you can easily find it, (even when you have sixty-eleven titles all in a jumble) because it is so special. It kind of stands out.
See? There you go: full five stars. Thank you, Ms Lawson, for the dedication at the end "...and for all the fangirls who understand."
Yes. I do understand. The brilliance.
****
This was a free read from Amazon Kindle—a one-day offer. I would have bought it for money, though, but I can never say no to a freebie.
ETA I don't know why this book isn't flashing through my TL all the time, considering all the fangirls and boys there. Go get this book.
August 9, 2012
In a lot of ways this book reminded me of Between The Lines by Tammara Webber. Also there are no actual zombies here, peeps. So if you don't like zombie books, don't be afraid to read this one.
This novel was so funny and very close to my heart. It talked about crazy fandom, it involved text messages and silly Twitter conversations, Internet drama blown out of proportion and worry about stats, hits and website advertising...
All in all anyone who blogs or actively communicates on the web will be amused by the world of FanGirl!
Ruby Miller is your average girl who together with her friend Iris blogs about Zocopalypse - their favorite comics on their fan website Z.net. They are as crazy as Twilight fans in what they worship, but obviously much geekier.
When they decide to recreate a scene from Zocopalypse with zombie-fighter extraordinaire Alexandra, that video goes viral, they receive some sort of celebrity status and are invited to lead a parade on FantasyCon.
From now on Ruby and Iris's lives change, as the comics creator Gabe Foster invites them to take part in his upcoming TV series, specifically Ruby to play the role of Alexandra and Iris to cover the whole thing through their website.
Funny, sharp and fab.
I would say that it's a book in New Adult genre, because Ruby is 18 and most of the other characters are around this age. She is plunged into an unknown world of jealousy, paparazzi and hatemail, she also finds incredible people, takes her own measure and falls in love, all in course of one unforgettable summer.
Fangirl! is an amazing geekfest, which I invite you to join, especially, because the book is currently FREE on Kindle.
This novel was so funny and very close to my heart. It talked about crazy fandom, it involved text messages and silly Twitter conversations, Internet drama blown out of proportion and worry about stats, hits and website advertising...
All in all anyone who blogs or actively communicates on the web will be amused by the world of FanGirl!
Ruby Miller is your average girl who together with her friend Iris blogs about Zocopalypse - their favorite comics on their fan website Z.net. They are as crazy as Twilight fans in what they worship, but obviously much geekier.
When they decide to recreate a scene from Zocopalypse with zombie-fighter extraordinaire Alexandra, that video goes viral, they receive some sort of celebrity status and are invited to lead a parade on FantasyCon.
From now on Ruby and Iris's lives change, as the comics creator Gabe Foster invites them to take part in his upcoming TV series, specifically Ruby to play the role of Alexandra and Iris to cover the whole thing through their website.
Funny, sharp and fab.
I would say that it's a book in New Adult genre, because Ruby is 18 and most of the other characters are around this age. She is plunged into an unknown world of jealousy, paparazzi and hatemail, she also finds incredible people, takes her own measure and falls in love, all in course of one unforgettable summer.
Fangirl! is an amazing geekfest, which I invite you to join, especially, because the book is currently FREE on Kindle.
November 13, 2012
It’s no secret that I just love Angel Lawson’s writing. I fawned over reviewed her first book, Wraith, and have mentioned her no less than nine times in various posts on my blog. Her second book is a different kind of story that the first; it’s lighter and funnier than Wraith, but the writing is sharp and clever and you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about the convergence of sudden fame and the internet.
Summer’s all planned out. Updating your fansite with your best friend; sitting by the pool, staring (but never having the guts to talk to) that hunky lifeguard; babysitting for some serious cash; getting ready for college. Then, only weeks before graduation, a video about your fav zombie comic shot by your best friend that you (reluctantly) starred in gets some serious play on YouTube. Before you know it, your Z.net website is getting tons of hits, you meet the creator of Zocopalypse, the comic that you and your best friend obsess about, AND the creator, Gabe Foster, tells you he has SEEN your video. On top of that, you and your bestie get to lead off the annual Zombie Parade at FantasyCon and get invited to be press at the Zocopalypse panel. Life. Lived. Fully.
Oh but the chocolatey goodness doesn’t stop there. Additional bizarreness happens when Gabe asks you to audition for the lead in the Zocopalypse miniseries that will be shown on television. Not only that, but the male lead has already signed on, and it’s none other than Andrew Xavier, the seriously hot former child star who is all grown up. And hot. (Did I already say that?) How can you say no, even though you think you will be the ruination of the project?
In line with every fan’s fantasy, Ruby Miller does get chosen to play Alexandra, the tough yet vulnerable lead who kills zombies alongside the splendiferous yet secretive Wyatt (played by Andrew Xavier, Mr. SupahHot). Then Ruby gets a faceful of all Hollywood has to offer: insta-fame, the paparazzi, speculation, love, hate, jealousy. Then there’s the fun part (EMOTICON SARCASM): anonymous internet trolls mock her acting, looks, ability to play Alexandra and her love life. The last straw is when it’s discovered that there’s a weasel on the set who is selling insider information and photos to a hater website, including some information that could be the downfall of the series, not to mention some personal lives.
This is a fun read that allows every fan to live out the “what if.” It’s a solid three that becomes a four because of authentic writing and the amusing extras: the use of footnotes, the addition of text from the script for the miniseries and all sorts of crazy fandom info. The writing’s spot-on and funny without being too insider or unreal. The artwork used at the beginning of each chapter adds a little something as well (and I love the skull/star used to separate scenes).
To be honest, you may see the ending coming, but you are going to have a good time getting there.
4 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)
Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Mild sexual discussions, underage drinking
FanGirl! by Angel Lawson was published July 20, 2012 by CreateSpace. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.
Summer’s all planned out. Updating your fansite with your best friend; sitting by the pool, staring (but never having the guts to talk to) that hunky lifeguard; babysitting for some serious cash; getting ready for college. Then, only weeks before graduation, a video about your fav zombie comic shot by your best friend that you (reluctantly) starred in gets some serious play on YouTube. Before you know it, your Z.net website is getting tons of hits, you meet the creator of Zocopalypse, the comic that you and your best friend obsess about, AND the creator, Gabe Foster, tells you he has SEEN your video. On top of that, you and your bestie get to lead off the annual Zombie Parade at FantasyCon and get invited to be press at the Zocopalypse panel. Life. Lived. Fully.
Oh but the chocolatey goodness doesn’t stop there. Additional bizarreness happens when Gabe asks you to audition for the lead in the Zocopalypse miniseries that will be shown on television. Not only that, but the male lead has already signed on, and it’s none other than Andrew Xavier, the seriously hot former child star who is all grown up. And hot. (Did I already say that?) How can you say no, even though you think you will be the ruination of the project?
In line with every fan’s fantasy, Ruby Miller does get chosen to play Alexandra, the tough yet vulnerable lead who kills zombies alongside the splendiferous yet secretive Wyatt (played by Andrew Xavier, Mr. SupahHot). Then Ruby gets a faceful of all Hollywood has to offer: insta-fame, the paparazzi, speculation, love, hate, jealousy. Then there’s the fun part (EMOTICON SARCASM): anonymous internet trolls mock her acting, looks, ability to play Alexandra and her love life. The last straw is when it’s discovered that there’s a weasel on the set who is selling insider information and photos to a hater website, including some information that could be the downfall of the series, not to mention some personal lives.
This is a fun read that allows every fan to live out the “what if.” It’s a solid three that becomes a four because of authentic writing and the amusing extras: the use of footnotes, the addition of text from the script for the miniseries and all sorts of crazy fandom info. The writing’s spot-on and funny without being too insider or unreal. The artwork used at the beginning of each chapter adds a little something as well (and I love the skull/star used to separate scenes).
To be honest, you may see the ending coming, but you are going to have a good time getting there.
4 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)
Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Mild sexual discussions, underage drinking
FanGirl! by Angel Lawson was published July 20, 2012 by CreateSpace. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.
October 6, 2013
This book was sooooo enjoyable. I literally read it in one day and I laughed like crazy! Like, the hubs was actually asking "what is going on?".
This is a story that every Fangirl/boy dreams about. I mean, how many time have any of us thought about meeting that special actor or writer or celebrity that we might or might not obsess about? But not meet like, say, saw him/her at a restaurant and approached and said hi or got an autograph, but meet as in really become involved in their lives? And in the coolest way EVER?????
We meet Ruby and Iris who are BFF and complete fangirls, website and all of this Zombie books that are completely awesome. They made a fan trailer and it has gone viral in their fandom. They also go to the coolest school ever. I want to go to that school! Why did I not go to that school????? Damn it! Back to my review.
There is also Gabe, the writer of the Zombie books and completely adorkable guy whom I might have a crush on. Swoon! He went to the same school a few years before the girls went and it's a "celebrity" nowadays. He comes to give the graduating speech to the class and meets briefly Ruby and Iris, who he recognizes from the fan video ( because of course he has seen it!, aren't all authors/actors checking into their fandoms constantly???)
At this fiction version of ComicCon, Ruby and Iris meet Gabe again. Actually he helps Ruby get out of a tricky situation and they get to chat a bit. Next thing you know, the girls have press passes for the next day Zombie panel and let's say that from then on, Ruby's life takes a complete 180.
I won't go into details about anything else, but let me say this. This book was so much fun to read. It lets you see how a big popular fandom operates, and the incredible things that can happen to anyone. I loved Ruby, she is an awesome heroine and let me say that I am completely partial to Gabe. Because he is made of rainbows! He is dreamy. Secondary characters are also great, even the bad ones. I might also want to be friends with Andrew because I think he needs a few real friends. Hollywood life is tough!
If you are in the mood for a light read that will make you laugh and will give you all the feelings, then this is the book for you. If you also happen to be a Fangirl/boy you will LOVE this book even more. So, yeah, go read it! 5 shiny ones.
This is a story that every Fangirl/boy dreams about. I mean, how many time have any of us thought about meeting that special actor or writer or celebrity that we might or might not obsess about? But not meet like, say, saw him/her at a restaurant and approached and said hi or got an autograph, but meet as in really become involved in their lives? And in the coolest way EVER?????
We meet Ruby and Iris who are BFF and complete fangirls, website and all of this Zombie books that are completely awesome. They made a fan trailer and it has gone viral in their fandom. They also go to the coolest school ever. I want to go to that school! Why did I not go to that school????? Damn it! Back to my review.
There is also Gabe, the writer of the Zombie books and completely adorkable guy whom I might have a crush on. Swoon! He went to the same school a few years before the girls went and it's a "celebrity" nowadays. He comes to give the graduating speech to the class and meets briefly Ruby and Iris, who he recognizes from the fan video ( because of course he has seen it!, aren't all authors/actors checking into their fandoms constantly???)
At this fiction version of ComicCon, Ruby and Iris meet Gabe again. Actually he helps Ruby get out of a tricky situation and they get to chat a bit. Next thing you know, the girls have press passes for the next day Zombie panel and let's say that from then on, Ruby's life takes a complete 180.
I won't go into details about anything else, but let me say this. This book was so much fun to read. It lets you see how a big popular fandom operates, and the incredible things that can happen to anyone. I loved Ruby, she is an awesome heroine and let me say that I am completely partial to Gabe. Because he is made of rainbows! He is dreamy. Secondary characters are also great, even the bad ones. I might also want to be friends with Andrew because I think he needs a few real friends. Hollywood life is tough!
If you are in the mood for a light read that will make you laugh and will give you all the feelings, then this is the book for you. If you also happen to be a Fangirl/boy you will LOVE this book even more. So, yeah, go read it! 5 shiny ones.
September 21, 2012
Ruby Miller is a role model. At the age of eighteen, she has her feet firmly on the ground and her head is only partially in the clouds. Okay, maybe not, but she has a solid sense of who she is and no idea of where she wants to go. Ruby has a problem, she's a people pleaser. We see this when her best friend, Iris, has to twist her arm to make a fanfilm--when her parents tell her college is her only option--when she lets Gabe Foster, creator of Zocopalypse (a graphic novel based on zombies taking over the world and Ruby's obsession), coerse her into playing Alexandria, the lead role in his story, for a television series. As her life becomes more complicated, agents with conspiracies, paparazzi with the thirst for blood, and one shady web site that seems to be gunning to ruin her status as a credible actress and person, begin to make her rely on only herself. This is going to be a Summer for Ruby to remember forever.
Angel Lawson, author of this gem, has a writing style that includes light humor and side notes. She truly dives into Ruby Miller and delivers a seemless performance. The maturity enforced in a character that is taking her first step into the real world, well I guess television is much more brutal than that at times, isn't cocky or forced. I trluy enjoyed reading Ruby's story.
Angel Lawson, author of this gem, has a writing style that includes light humor and side notes. She truly dives into Ruby Miller and delivers a seemless performance. The maturity enforced in a character that is taking her first step into the real world, well I guess television is much more brutal than that at times, isn't cocky or forced. I trluy enjoyed reading Ruby's story.
July 18, 2012
This was a wonderful and fun read. I loved the references to familiar places - Atlanta, Durham, Duke University. It also opened my eye to the world of zombies. Not only did I read about Ruby, but we also saw an insight into the Zocopalypse plot, the graphic novel featured in the story. The way Zocopalypse was woven within the story was well-done.
Being a fangirl myself, I could relate to the main character, Ruby. I completely felt what she was feeling towards Andrew and Gabe. As I read, I knew which one I ultimately wanted her to be with, but it took a while to get there... it was realistic.
Overall the book was enjoyable and I recommend it, especially if you are or have ever been a FanGirl!
Great job to Angel Lawson for another great story. I look forward to seeing how her career as an author continues to grow.
Being a fangirl myself, I could relate to the main character, Ruby. I completely felt what she was feeling towards Andrew and Gabe. As I read, I knew which one I ultimately wanted her to be with, but it took a while to get there... it was realistic.
Overall the book was enjoyable and I recommend it, especially if you are or have ever been a FanGirl!
Great job to Angel Lawson for another great story. I look forward to seeing how her career as an author continues to grow.
September 9, 2012
Snappy, fun dialogue that resonates because it's so authentic. Fun, quirky fan girl shenanigans ( like comic conventions and website dramas) that made me feel all warm and included because I live this life too. I think this book would be an entertaining read for most anyone, but especially for the fan girls and boys...because in one way or another, we've been there.
And I love...love characters that are multiple dimensional and imperfectly relatable. This book has them. Ruby makes mistakes and is sometime insecure but she's down to earth and introspective and gets it in the end. The surrounding cast of characters totally work, too - genuine feeling people, not caricatures.
Truly enjoyed. would not be sad to see a sequel.
And I love...love characters that are multiple dimensional and imperfectly relatable. This book has them. Ruby makes mistakes and is sometime insecure but she's down to earth and introspective and gets it in the end. The surrounding cast of characters totally work, too - genuine feeling people, not caricatures.
Truly enjoyed. would not be sad to see a sequel.
November 23, 2012
This book is about US!! It's FANTASTIC!! You should give it a try!!
April 27, 2015
Review posted
here
at
Books and Swoons
This review has been a hard one to write. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I loved it so much that I'm afraid I won't do the book it's justice in explaining just how awesome and real and witty it is. I want people to flock to their local bookstore or Amazon, whatever means possible and purchase this book. It is that good.
For the past few months I've been really irritated by female characters, in both Young/New Adult and Adults novels. I've come across a lot female protagonists that are either really weak, irritating, self-absorbed, and make me question their intelligence or all of the above. They also manage to never redeem themselves by the end of the book. However, in FanGirl you are never irritated with Ruby Miller or thinking she is weak and a liability. She's very sarcastic (which I love ), quirky, and what I love most, an average girl who was just thrown into the Hollywood scene and tried to deal with everything with as much grace and dignity as possible. With some funny mishaps along the way.
Ms. Lawson managed to create secondary characters I wish I personally knew. Ruby's best friend, Iris; Hollywood latest It Boy and Ruby's celebrity crush, Andrew Xavier; and creator of all things Zocopalypse, Gabe Foster. Iris was the mastermind in getting Ruby to play Alexandra in the fanvideo they made and continued to push Ruby to play her in the film. I love Ruby's and Iris's friendship and all their antics.
"Can we go home and spam her with the video? I can hack into her account."
"Yes. When I finish this bacon." I take a bite.
"Good plan. Bacon, then hacking."
I pick up my pen and jot it down. Iris leans over the table and pushes my pen out of the way. "Did you make a list for bacon and hacking?"
"Maybe."
"So weird."
"You love me."
"I really do."
~~
"Aww. You lie to make me feel better. Thanks bestie."
~~
"To this day, she maintains that I cut in line. Likewise, I maintain she was a bossy brat. The result? One pulled pigtail and one kick in the shin. After being dragged from the gym floor, our mothers made us apologize and forced us into a play date. We've been BFFs ever since, but at any time I may kick her in the shin and she may pull my hair. It's how we show affection. Her little speech kind of touches me."
Andrew Xavier was fun getting to know. I was kind of surprise by his secret in the end but it made a lot of sense. My inner fangirl just hoped that it wasn't true. And to introduce Gabe Foster, here's Ruby and Iris:
"Gabe Foster?"
"Gabe. Foster."
"Gabe Foster."
(Have I mention how much I love these two?) He's the cute, nerdy guy that I secretly love to swoon over. He pushes Ruby as well as gives her space, her values her opinions and wants her to do well. He's everything a girl would want from a guy. Where can I find a guy like him?
"Wow. Those are amazing."
"I found them online. They glow in the dark, too."
He looks up. "Yeah, I'm not talking about the shoes, although they are cool. Holy Batman, Ruby, I' not letting you or those legs out of my sight tonight."
~~
"That doesn't make sense."
"None of this makes sense."
"You know what makes sense?"
"What?" I ask, loving his silliness.
He kisses me in the front seat of that truck, and it's so much better than the last kiss I had in here. He's sweet and tastes like cake.
"This. This makes sense." (sighs. swooooon.)
Love. I just love this story. I was gifted the copy by Angel, but I'm definitely going out and buying myself the print version of FanGirl. I need to be able to hug this book. And normally I prefer reading standalone books, but I'm really sad that this is the end for FanGirl. I would love to read more about Ruby and Gabe and Iris. I guess I just have to make due and reread it all over again.
This review has been a hard one to write. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I loved it so much that I'm afraid I won't do the book it's justice in explaining just how awesome and real and witty it is. I want people to flock to their local bookstore or Amazon, whatever means possible and purchase this book. It is that good.
For the past few months I've been really irritated by female characters, in both Young/New Adult and Adults novels. I've come across a lot female protagonists that are either really weak, irritating, self-absorbed, and make me question their intelligence or all of the above. They also manage to never redeem themselves by the end of the book. However, in FanGirl you are never irritated with Ruby Miller or thinking she is weak and a liability. She's very sarcastic (which I love ), quirky, and what I love most, an average girl who was just thrown into the Hollywood scene and tried to deal with everything with as much grace and dignity as possible. With some funny mishaps along the way.
Ms. Lawson managed to create secondary characters I wish I personally knew. Ruby's best friend, Iris; Hollywood latest It Boy and Ruby's celebrity crush, Andrew Xavier; and creator of all things Zocopalypse, Gabe Foster. Iris was the mastermind in getting Ruby to play Alexandra in the fanvideo they made and continued to push Ruby to play her in the film. I love Ruby's and Iris's friendship and all their antics.
"Can we go home and spam her with the video? I can hack into her account."
"Yes. When I finish this bacon." I take a bite.
"Good plan. Bacon, then hacking."
I pick up my pen and jot it down. Iris leans over the table and pushes my pen out of the way. "Did you make a list for bacon and hacking?"
"Maybe."
"So weird."
"You love me."
"I really do."
~~
"Aww. You lie to make me feel better. Thanks bestie."
~~
"To this day, she maintains that I cut in line. Likewise, I maintain she was a bossy brat. The result? One pulled pigtail and one kick in the shin. After being dragged from the gym floor, our mothers made us apologize and forced us into a play date. We've been BFFs ever since, but at any time I may kick her in the shin and she may pull my hair. It's how we show affection. Her little speech kind of touches me."
Andrew Xavier was fun getting to know. I was kind of surprise by his secret in the end but it made a lot of sense. My inner fangirl just hoped that it wasn't true. And to introduce Gabe Foster, here's Ruby and Iris:
"Gabe Foster?"
"Gabe. Foster."
"Gabe Foster."
(Have I mention how much I love these two?) He's the cute, nerdy guy that I secretly love to swoon over. He pushes Ruby as well as gives her space, her values her opinions and wants her to do well. He's everything a girl would want from a guy. Where can I find a guy like him?
"Wow. Those are amazing."
"I found them online. They glow in the dark, too."
He looks up. "Yeah, I'm not talking about the shoes, although they are cool. Holy Batman, Ruby, I' not letting you or those legs out of my sight tonight."
~~
"That doesn't make sense."
"None of this makes sense."
"You know what makes sense?"
"What?" I ask, loving his silliness.
He kisses me in the front seat of that truck, and it's so much better than the last kiss I had in here. He's sweet and tastes like cake.
"This. This makes sense." (sighs. swooooon.)
Love. I just love this story. I was gifted the copy by Angel, but I'm definitely going out and buying myself the print version of FanGirl. I need to be able to hug this book. And normally I prefer reading standalone books, but I'm really sad that this is the end for FanGirl. I would love to read more about Ruby and Gabe and Iris. I guess I just have to make due and reread it all over again.
November 17, 2012
The original review for this title can be found
HERE
on The Book Hookup.
Christina's Review:
**NOTE:** Christina received an e-ARC of this title from the author, but that did not influence her review in any way.
Ruby Miller is your average girl. She has a family that supports her, a best friend who shares her interests- which just happens to be focused around a comic series with zombies, and even an ex-boyfriend that turns out to be a jerk and cheated on her with the queen b*tch of the performing art high school they all attend. With graduation fast approaching, Ruby anticipates a summer filled with her babysitting job, preparing for college, and geeking out with her best friend, Iris, on their website dedicated to their beloved Zocopalyse. But before the school year comes to a close, Iris and Ruby gain “celebrity” school status when the fan-made video they shot goes viral, quickly gaining them notoriety among the other fangirls/fanboys and even gets them noticed by Zocopalypse.com itself. Fast-forward past graduation– where Zocopalypse creator and former East Lake School of Art & Design attendee, Gabe Foster, speaks, thus leading to major fangirl moments– and you find the two besties at FantasyCon, every nerd’s (I use that term lovingly.) paradise. What follows next is a chain of events that eventually lands Ruby portraying Alexandra, the female lead in the new miniseries based on the comics. Living the life of every fangirl’s dream, Ruby steps out of the shadows and into the limelight, where she plays opposite Hollywood’s It Guy. Though with crazy shooting hours, paparazzi, and fake romances, she soon finds out that living the life of an actress is not at all what she had expected it to be.
Angel Lawson wrote a book that centers around a protagonist that every girl can relate to on some level. At some point in our life, we have all had that celebrity crush, fangirled in private or in person, and felt the uncertainty of where life goes once you leave the comfort of that high school bubble and enter “the real world.” Ruby, as well as the other characters, all appeared in print as authentic people with personality quirks and flaws, and I was able to quickly connect with the realness in all of them. Interlaced with humor and snark, I laughed out loud more times than I can count and found that pages moved far too quick with the easy dialogue and steady pace. With peeks behind the scenes of Hollywood and the dirtier side to publicity on full display, the story pulls you along on tale of Ruby going from being the girl that just wants to please people to standing up for herself and her credibility as an actress.
I also have to comment on the formatting of the story. I can’t imagine the extra work that went into adding the comic-style images at the beginning of every chapter, the blog comments, tweets, cliffnotes, text messages, and the comic excerpts that appeared throughout the story. It was something different that added a fun dynamic to the story and made me feel like I was a part of the experience, too. (I will say in my copy, the cliffnotes appeared several pages later and I had a hard time remembering what it pertained to in the first place. However, this issue could have been resolved in the finished product.)
♥ In short, this book was the perfect light read at the perfect time. It made me giggle and had my inner fangirl bouncy-clapping all over the place. If you’re ever in-between books and need something quick and humorous, this is a good read.
Christina's Review:
**NOTE:** Christina received an e-ARC of this title from the author, but that did not influence her review in any way.
Ruby Miller is your average girl. She has a family that supports her, a best friend who shares her interests- which just happens to be focused around a comic series with zombies, and even an ex-boyfriend that turns out to be a jerk and cheated on her with the queen b*tch of the performing art high school they all attend. With graduation fast approaching, Ruby anticipates a summer filled with her babysitting job, preparing for college, and geeking out with her best friend, Iris, on their website dedicated to their beloved Zocopalyse. But before the school year comes to a close, Iris and Ruby gain “celebrity” school status when the fan-made video they shot goes viral, quickly gaining them notoriety among the other fangirls/fanboys and even gets them noticed by Zocopalypse.com itself. Fast-forward past graduation– where Zocopalypse creator and former East Lake School of Art & Design attendee, Gabe Foster, speaks, thus leading to major fangirl moments– and you find the two besties at FantasyCon, every nerd’s (I use that term lovingly.) paradise. What follows next is a chain of events that eventually lands Ruby portraying Alexandra, the female lead in the new miniseries based on the comics. Living the life of every fangirl’s dream, Ruby steps out of the shadows and into the limelight, where she plays opposite Hollywood’s It Guy. Though with crazy shooting hours, paparazzi, and fake romances, she soon finds out that living the life of an actress is not at all what she had expected it to be.
Angel Lawson wrote a book that centers around a protagonist that every girl can relate to on some level. At some point in our life, we have all had that celebrity crush, fangirled in private or in person, and felt the uncertainty of where life goes once you leave the comfort of that high school bubble and enter “the real world.” Ruby, as well as the other characters, all appeared in print as authentic people with personality quirks and flaws, and I was able to quickly connect with the realness in all of them. Interlaced with humor and snark, I laughed out loud more times than I can count and found that pages moved far too quick with the easy dialogue and steady pace. With peeks behind the scenes of Hollywood and the dirtier side to publicity on full display, the story pulls you along on tale of Ruby going from being the girl that just wants to please people to standing up for herself and her credibility as an actress.
I also have to comment on the formatting of the story. I can’t imagine the extra work that went into adding the comic-style images at the beginning of every chapter, the blog comments, tweets, cliffnotes, text messages, and the comic excerpts that appeared throughout the story. It was something different that added a fun dynamic to the story and made me feel like I was a part of the experience, too. (I will say in my copy, the cliffnotes appeared several pages later and I had a hard time remembering what it pertained to in the first place. However, this issue could have been resolved in the finished product.)
♥ In short, this book was the perfect light read at the perfect time. It made me giggle and had my inner fangirl bouncy-clapping all over the place. If you’re ever in-between books and need something quick and humorous, this is a good read.
April 30, 2025
My original review for this title can be found
HERE
on The Book Hookup.
**NOTE:** I received an e-ARC of this title from the author, but that did not influence her review in any way.
Ruby Miller is your average girl. She has a family that supports her, a best friend who shares her interests- which just happens to be focused around a comic series with zombies, and even an ex-boyfriend that turns out to be a jerk and cheated on her with the queen b*tch of the performing art high school they all attend. With graduation fast approaching, Ruby anticipates a summer filled with her babysitting job, preparing for college, and geeking out with her best friend, Iris, on their website dedicated to their beloved Zocopalyse. But before the school year comes to a close, Iris and Ruby gain “celebrity” school status when the fan-made video they shot goes viral, quickly gaining them notoriety among the other fangirls/fanboys and even gets them noticed by Zocopalypse.com itself. Fast-forward past graduation– where Zocopalypse creator and former East Lake School of Art & Design attendee, Gabe Foster, speaks, thus leading to major fangirl moments– and you find the two besties at FantasyCon, every nerd’s (I use that term lovingly.) paradise. What follows next is a chain of events that eventually lands Ruby portraying Alexandra, the female lead in the new miniseries based on the comics. Living the life of every fangirl’s dream, Ruby steps out of the shadows and into the limelight, where she plays opposite Hollywood’s It Guy. Though with crazy shooting hours, paparazzi, and fake romances, she soon finds out that living the life of an actress is not at all what she had expected it to be.
Angel Lawson wrote a book that centers around a protagonist that every girl can relate to on some level. At some point in our life, we have all had that celebrity crush, fangirled in private or in person, and felt the uncertainty of where life goes once you leave the comfort of that high school bubble and enter “the real world.” Ruby, as well as the other characters, all appeared in print as authentic people with personality quirks and flaws, and I was able to quickly connect with the realness in all of them. Interlaced with humor and snark, I laughed out loud more times than I can count and found that pages moved far too quick with the easy dialogue and steady pace. With peeks behind the scenes of Hollywood and the dirtier side to publicity on full display, the story pulls you along on tale of Ruby going from being the girl that just wants to please people to standing up for herself and her credibility as an actress.
I also have to comment on the formatting of the story. I can’t imagine the extra work that went into adding the comic-style images at the beginning of every chapter, the blog comments, tweets, cliffnotes, text messages, and the comic excerpts that appeared throughout the story. It was something different that added a fun dynamic to the story and made me feel like I was a part of the experience, too. (I will say in my copy, the cliffnotes appeared several pages later and I had a hard time remembering what it pertained to in the first place. However, this issue could have been resolved in the finished product.)
♥ In short, this book was the perfect light read at the perfect time. It made me giggle and had my inner fangirl bouncy-clapping all over the place. If you’re ever in-between books and need something quick and humorous, this is a good read.
**NOTE:** I received an e-ARC of this title from the author, but that did not influence her review in any way.
Ruby Miller is your average girl. She has a family that supports her, a best friend who shares her interests- which just happens to be focused around a comic series with zombies, and even an ex-boyfriend that turns out to be a jerk and cheated on her with the queen b*tch of the performing art high school they all attend. With graduation fast approaching, Ruby anticipates a summer filled with her babysitting job, preparing for college, and geeking out with her best friend, Iris, on their website dedicated to their beloved Zocopalyse. But before the school year comes to a close, Iris and Ruby gain “celebrity” school status when the fan-made video they shot goes viral, quickly gaining them notoriety among the other fangirls/fanboys and even gets them noticed by Zocopalypse.com itself. Fast-forward past graduation– where Zocopalypse creator and former East Lake School of Art & Design attendee, Gabe Foster, speaks, thus leading to major fangirl moments– and you find the two besties at FantasyCon, every nerd’s (I use that term lovingly.) paradise. What follows next is a chain of events that eventually lands Ruby portraying Alexandra, the female lead in the new miniseries based on the comics. Living the life of every fangirl’s dream, Ruby steps out of the shadows and into the limelight, where she plays opposite Hollywood’s It Guy. Though with crazy shooting hours, paparazzi, and fake romances, she soon finds out that living the life of an actress is not at all what she had expected it to be.
Angel Lawson wrote a book that centers around a protagonist that every girl can relate to on some level. At some point in our life, we have all had that celebrity crush, fangirled in private or in person, and felt the uncertainty of where life goes once you leave the comfort of that high school bubble and enter “the real world.” Ruby, as well as the other characters, all appeared in print as authentic people with personality quirks and flaws, and I was able to quickly connect with the realness in all of them. Interlaced with humor and snark, I laughed out loud more times than I can count and found that pages moved far too quick with the easy dialogue and steady pace. With peeks behind the scenes of Hollywood and the dirtier side to publicity on full display, the story pulls you along on tale of Ruby going from being the girl that just wants to please people to standing up for herself and her credibility as an actress.
I also have to comment on the formatting of the story. I can’t imagine the extra work that went into adding the comic-style images at the beginning of every chapter, the blog comments, tweets, cliffnotes, text messages, and the comic excerpts that appeared throughout the story. It was something different that added a fun dynamic to the story and made me feel like I was a part of the experience, too. (I will say in my copy, the cliffnotes appeared several pages later and I had a hard time remembering what it pertained to in the first place. However, this issue could have been resolved in the finished product.)
♥ In short, this book was the perfect light read at the perfect time. It made me giggle and had my inner fangirl bouncy-clapping all over the place. If you’re ever in-between books and need something quick and humorous, this is a good read.
September 13, 2012
I quite enjoyed this book--even better the second time than the first. Lawson has taken the pretty standard YA trope, i.e., goony girl struggles with her goonyness while never realizing that not one but *gasp* two men/boys/guys find her attractive under all her goonyness, and breathes fresh, funny life into a played genre.
Lawson is definitely a talent. Her characters are believable, her dialogue rings true, her situations don't feel at all contrived. There's some drama, but no ridiculous angst or sturm and drang over nothing that plagues so many romance and YA books. Yeah, the likelihood that one fan will be plucked from her relative obscurity and thrust into the limelight is not at all likely, but, but, damn it, the quality of Lawson's writing makes me BELIEVE that crap!I'm a pretty tough critic, and I can't think of a single thing that is wrong with this novel thematically or in the narrative.
Technically, there are a few hitches. Where self-publishing really shows it's stripes is in this area; true to form, there were some glitches with punctuation, formatting (some paragraphs that were not indented), and end of page danglers--a single line or phrase that should have been carried over to the next page rather than left to dangle at the end of the page. These are issues that in a publishing house would be caught by a copy editor. More distracting were a few incidences of repetitive word use and phrasing (everyone was rolling their eyes far too often) and overuse of the period between individual words to show emphasis. A couple of times would have been fine, but that trick of non-standard punctuation got old fast. Those are things that whould be caught by a professional editor.
Still, this book was much 'cleaner' than any other indie novel I've ever read, and cleaner than most small pubs' manuscripts. Hell, I've read books that DID come through the Big Six that had worse issues. Lawson has a strong team, from cover, to illustrations, to layout, to editing, and they should be proud of what they accomplished. In her shoes, I'd probably not have included the last chapter or the narrative section of the epilogue (the tweets were a funny and effective way to end, given that we're dealing with fans). Though both are as well-written as the rest of the book, her story arc was complete at the end of chapter eighteen, and that last line was strong. Chapter nineteen felt superfluous to me. Not gonna complain, though--it wasn't weak and stupid, a position in which many post-resolution chapters linger.
Angel Lawson is a writer that I would definitely read again. I don't know if she has plans to ever try for the brass ring with a big publisher, but God I hope she does, if only to expose her writing to a wider audience. She's smart, funny, down-to-earth, and can write a kiss scene--a kiss!--that gave me more of a thrill than hot and heavy sex scenes in lesser books. She's so good. And so is FANGIRL.
Now to pass this on to my girls (finally-lol)...
Lawson is definitely a talent. Her characters are believable, her dialogue rings true, her situations don't feel at all contrived. There's some drama, but no ridiculous angst or sturm and drang over nothing that plagues so many romance and YA books. Yeah, the likelihood that one fan will be plucked from her relative obscurity and thrust into the limelight is not at all likely, but, but, damn it, the quality of Lawson's writing makes me BELIEVE that crap!I'm a pretty tough critic, and I can't think of a single thing that is wrong with this novel thematically or in the narrative.
Technically, there are a few hitches. Where self-publishing really shows it's stripes is in this area; true to form, there were some glitches with punctuation, formatting (some paragraphs that were not indented), and end of page danglers--a single line or phrase that should have been carried over to the next page rather than left to dangle at the end of the page. These are issues that in a publishing house would be caught by a copy editor. More distracting were a few incidences of repetitive word use and phrasing (everyone was rolling their eyes far too often) and overuse of the period between individual words to show emphasis. A couple of times would have been fine, but that trick of non-standard punctuation got old fast. Those are things that whould be caught by a professional editor.
Still, this book was much 'cleaner' than any other indie novel I've ever read, and cleaner than most small pubs' manuscripts. Hell, I've read books that DID come through the Big Six that had worse issues. Lawson has a strong team, from cover, to illustrations, to layout, to editing, and they should be proud of what they accomplished. In her shoes, I'd probably not have included the last chapter or the narrative section of the epilogue (the tweets were a funny and effective way to end, given that we're dealing with fans). Though both are as well-written as the rest of the book, her story arc was complete at the end of chapter eighteen, and that last line was strong. Chapter nineteen felt superfluous to me. Not gonna complain, though--it wasn't weak and stupid, a position in which many post-resolution chapters linger.
Angel Lawson is a writer that I would definitely read again. I don't know if she has plans to ever try for the brass ring with a big publisher, but God I hope she does, if only to expose her writing to a wider audience. She's smart, funny, down-to-earth, and can write a kiss scene--a kiss!--that gave me more of a thrill than hot and heavy sex scenes in lesser books. She's so good. And so is FANGIRL.
Now to pass this on to my girls (finally-lol)...
November 8, 2012
This review can also be found on Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell-blog.
My name is not Ruby Miller and this book is not about me. Although, it could be.
Except it could not, never. I would never ever ever ever go and meet my idol. I’m too much of a coward. This is why I watch Buffy on TV—or DVDs now—and why I am not Buffy.
But Ruby Miller is the zombie slayer. Or at least she pretends to be.
She’s a fan of zombie comic books and does all the things a young fan does. She spends too much time on the internet and discussing the comics with her friends. She also acted in a fanvideo and goes to the same school the creator of Zocopalypse graphic novels went to. She meets him, Gabe Foster, and ends up a little deeper in the fantasy world than any other fan.
As understandable as the situation in which Ruby meets Gabe for the second time is, I’m disappointed that once again the story starts with a guy coming to a girl’s rescue. After that, Ruby handles it all well, almost too well for an eighteen year old girl. She has her best friend Iris and her parents to support her, but how many of us would know how to act in the sudden spotlight of fame?
In Fangirl, the fangirl gets to live the other side of the industry. Not just see it, but to live it. Or a fictionalised version of it. Of course there’s romance and predictable relationship drama thrown into the mix to make things more realistic.
I had most fun with the fannish aspects like the lingo of the story even if certain nods to fanfics made me grit my teeth—Gabriel’s Inferno? Was that really necessary? The footnote commentary I found extraneous. It wasn’t there purely to add snark to Ruby’s voice and the informative facts for non-fans were useless to me because I know what IMDb.com is, but as I said, I’ve lived the fangirl side of things. I am still living it. It was a nice try to avoid infodumping, but it’d been better had the information buried within the body of the text. The romantic subplot was as predictable as ever as was Andrew’s secret.
This is a fun, straightforward Mary Sue self-insert novel for each and every fan of anything and everything ever. It’s labelled as Young Adult fiction but could be read by younger children and even people almost twice the age of the characters.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this review.
My name is not Ruby Miller and this book is not about me. Although, it could be.
Except it could not, never. I would never ever ever ever go and meet my idol. I’m too much of a coward. This is why I watch Buffy on TV—or DVDs now—and why I am not Buffy.
But Ruby Miller is the zombie slayer. Or at least she pretends to be.
She’s a fan of zombie comic books and does all the things a young fan does. She spends too much time on the internet and discussing the comics with her friends. She also acted in a fanvideo and goes to the same school the creator of Zocopalypse graphic novels went to. She meets him, Gabe Foster, and ends up a little deeper in the fantasy world than any other fan.
As understandable as the situation in which Ruby meets Gabe for the second time is, I’m disappointed that once again the story starts with a guy coming to a girl’s rescue. After that, Ruby handles it all well, almost too well for an eighteen year old girl. She has her best friend Iris and her parents to support her, but how many of us would know how to act in the sudden spotlight of fame?
In Fangirl, the fangirl gets to live the other side of the industry. Not just see it, but to live it. Or a fictionalised version of it. Of course there’s romance and predictable relationship drama thrown into the mix to make things more realistic.
I had most fun with the fannish aspects like the lingo of the story even if certain nods to fanfics made me grit my teeth—Gabriel’s Inferno? Was that really necessary? The footnote commentary I found extraneous. It wasn’t there purely to add snark to Ruby’s voice and the informative facts for non-fans were useless to me because I know what IMDb.com is, but as I said, I’ve lived the fangirl side of things. I am still living it. It was a nice try to avoid infodumping, but it’d been better had the information buried within the body of the text. The romantic subplot was as predictable as ever as was Andrew’s secret.
This is a fun, straightforward Mary Sue self-insert novel for each and every fan of anything and everything ever. It’s labelled as Young Adult fiction but could be read by younger children and even people almost twice the age of the characters.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for this review.
July 19, 2012
Zombies! Romance! Hollywood intrigue! Fangirls and fanboys! What’s not to love here? Ruby is extremely relatable as a slightly nerdy but endearingly real fangirl who somewhat reluctantly finds herself cast as the heroine in the T.V. adaptation of her favorite graphic novel, Zocopalypse. I really got a sense of everything that 18 year-old Ruby was struggling with – preparing for college, dealing with a douchy ex-boyfriend and running an online fansite with her hyperactive best friend Iris, all while trying to navigate the perils and pitfalls of sudden fame. Her conflicting feelings regarding Andrew, her hunky co-star, and Gabe, the adorkable creator of Zocopalypse, are also completely believable and the romance angle is allowed to develop at a natural pace. Lawson also does a great job of nailing the behind-the-scenes reality of Hollywood politics, where no one is who they seem to be and manufactured tabloid romances run rampant.
From a technical standpoint, I also really admired the amount of time and effort it must have taken the author to get all of the formatting right for this e-book release. There are numerous footnotes, passages of text messages, and excerpts from Twitter message boards and fan blogs. The fact that it all works pretty seamlessly and without any errors is a credit to the author and editors.
This is a fun and engaging summer read. I actually loved the Zocopalypse storyline so much that I hope Lawson will write more about this fictitious book and its characters in the future!
From a technical standpoint, I also really admired the amount of time and effort it must have taken the author to get all of the formatting right for this e-book release. There are numerous footnotes, passages of text messages, and excerpts from Twitter message boards and fan blogs. The fact that it all works pretty seamlessly and without any errors is a credit to the author and editors.
This is a fun and engaging summer read. I actually loved the Zocopalypse storyline so much that I hope Lawson will write more about this fictitious book and its characters in the future!
November 20, 2012
FanGirl was a totally fun read. I think this is a first for me when it comes to self-published books. I think. I can't remember reading any before this.*
I loved the premise and the execution of the plot. I mean, as much time as I spend on the internet geeking out over vampires, multicolored teenaged ponies, and orphaned firebenders, this damn story was written for me. The writing flows smoothly and the dialogue is quick and funny. However, I never warmed to Ruby or Iris. Iris gets this story going through her actions and keeps it moving for the first third of the book. I was waiting for Ruby to emerge as her own hero, but the story ends with a group effort.
Still, I'm interested to see what Lawson does with other characters. The woman has talent. Serial Summer, here I come.
*This was only the second or third story I've read on the kindle app. Lawson adds funny footnotes that appear at the bottom of the page in the paperback version. On the kindle app they come at the end of the chapter. This didnt impact my rating at all, but just giving a heads up.
December 28, 2012
This book didn't WOW me but it was a very entertaining read. Maybe is just that I'm too old for YA or maybe is just that Zombies are not my thing.
When you've been part of a fandom you've kind of seen it all. The drama, the tabloids, the are they/aren't they, the "He looks nothing like the MC"or any other issue.
I was, at times, having deja vu to some R/K fandom drama, hard to focus on Ruby and Andrew.
Well if you like or enjoy that type of things then you are going to love FanGirl, and even if you don't but you are a fangirl at heart you'll enjoy reading the adventures of Ruby.
Who is just your average geek girl but has her world turned upside down when she is cast as the heroine on the TV show version of her favourite comic book.
The love triangle is very interesting, I really liked the whole insight on the Hollywood lifestyle.
Like I said it was a very funny, entertaining book to read.
When you've been part of a fandom you've kind of seen it all. The drama, the tabloids, the are they/aren't they, the "He looks nothing like the MC"or any other issue.
I was, at times, having deja vu to some R/K fandom drama, hard to focus on Ruby and Andrew.
Well if you like or enjoy that type of things then you are going to love FanGirl, and even if you don't but you are a fangirl at heart you'll enjoy reading the adventures of Ruby.
Who is just your average geek girl but has her world turned upside down when she is cast as the heroine on the TV show version of her favourite comic book.
The love triangle is very interesting, I really liked the whole insight on the Hollywood lifestyle.
Like I said it was a very funny, entertaining book to read.
September 21, 2012
I give the author credit for trying to appeal to a younger audience by using different writing techniques and styles: cliff notes, list, fonts, text messages, web posts, etc. The reason why I gave it such a low score was because those same writing techniques didn't translate on my kindle and kept pulling me from the story (they note a cliff note, which is the punchline to the joke but you have to skip 5 pages to find the cliff note and then so back to where you were reading). This book would look great on print pages, where the author/publisher has complete control on the presentation. Otherwise, no matter how cute I thought the story would be, reading it was quite difficult on my kindle.
October 18, 2012
If you have ever fangirled over a book/movie/actor/author etc., you need to read this book.
There were so many moments where I was like "that was so totally me"...well, except for the whole landing a movie role in the adaptation your favourite book. I'm still waiting on my call back for Catching Fire.
I loved the characters, writing style, and story. It got a little cheesy in the end, but overall it completely appealed to my inner fangirl.
There were so many moments where I was like "that was so totally me"...well, except for the whole landing a movie role in the adaptation your favourite book. I'm still waiting on my call back for Catching Fire.
I loved the characters, writing style, and story. It got a little cheesy in the end, but overall it completely appealed to my inner fangirl.
August 23, 2012
This was such a good book! I am nearly to a 5 on this one, I was so engaged with Ruby from the start; relating to her situation as a fan and lover of her fandom, following her excitedly into her crazy situation with the author and other famous people she ends up having to spend time with. I felt so much for this story from the very start and hope that Angel with grace us with another story of this calibre very soon!
August 2, 2012
Really really enjoyed this book. Loved the characters. It was fun! Zombies hot nerd boys hot actor boys fun fangirls Hollywood Showmances and every Fangirl/fanboys dream wrapped with comics with a nice bow. Original fresh plot for your reading pleasure.
September 7, 2012
This was a cute, fun read with a witty dialogue that I adored and really likeable, strong female characters. The fandom references made me smile as well!
I missed a little depth, but I still enjoyed the read immensely. Perhaps I shouldn't have devoured it so quickly!
I missed a little depth, but I still enjoyed the read immensely. Perhaps I shouldn't have devoured it so quickly!
July 31, 2013
A very fluffy, safe read with predictable plotline. The characters were vibrant with distinct voices. I loved this well-written novel and the illustrations/pictures; my only dislike was the use of footnotes. They were in Ruby's voice, and distracted from the flow of the story.
August 13, 2012
adorable
September 4, 2012
I fun little read. review to follow
May 28, 2014
Loved this story! Ruby lived my dream life, I hope there is a sequel in the future. Angel is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
July 11, 2012
Review to come.
March 5, 2017
Reading the Death Fields books first made me realise that they were a kind of continuation from this book, so naturally, I had to read it (I get possessive over linked books and a series)
Fangirl deals with Ruby and Iris - two utter fangirls (I see what Lawson did there) over the Zocopalypse comics (The original title of the first Death Fields book) and the character of Alex (and Wyatt obviously). They run a blog about it, be it news about the comics, it's creator Gabe Foster, and anything else to do with the franchise. They decide to make a fan video of a section of the story, and that is the beginning of things blowing up.
Anyyone who has been a fangirl/boy will understand Ruby and Iris as characters. They are defiant in their adoration for Zocopalypse, the characters, and the creator - but their blog has rivals. Mostly, in the form of Ruby's ex-boyfriend, Reid. He gets jealous of the attention their video gets them - Ruby in particular, As someone who has been involved in a fandom blog back in the day, I totally 'got' this aspect of the story. This and the tweets about the fandom brought smiles and memories to my face. Sometimes, I would love to go back, others I would never deal with all that again.
While the story itself is a bit 'out there' in what happens, it was a great escapism story that would make any reader wonder what they would do in those situations. That to me makes a great book and story.
The writing is top notch and Lawson makes us believe we are a part of the fandom, even if only while we're reading the book.
Fangirl deals with Ruby and Iris - two utter fangirls (I see what Lawson did there) over the Zocopalypse comics (The original title of the first Death Fields book) and the character of Alex (and Wyatt obviously). They run a blog about it, be it news about the comics, it's creator Gabe Foster, and anything else to do with the franchise. They decide to make a fan video of a section of the story, and that is the beginning of things blowing up.
Anyyone who has been a fangirl/boy will understand Ruby and Iris as characters. They are defiant in their adoration for Zocopalypse, the characters, and the creator - but their blog has rivals. Mostly, in the form of Ruby's ex-boyfriend, Reid. He gets jealous of the attention their video gets them - Ruby in particular, As someone who has been involved in a fandom blog back in the day, I totally 'got' this aspect of the story. This and the tweets about the fandom brought smiles and memories to my face. Sometimes, I would love to go back, others I would never deal with all that again.
While the story itself is a bit 'out there' in what happens, it was a great escapism story that would make any reader wonder what they would do in those situations. That to me makes a great book and story.
The writing is top notch and Lawson makes us believe we are a part of the fandom, even if only while we're reading the book.
February 5, 2018
It was a cute romance about a girl obsessed with a zombie comic book getting to meet the comic book's author and their falling in love. Angel published the romance in 2012, with lots of little scenes from the zombie comic book interspersed in the story. Then the fans must have cried out. Because in 2016, Angel published The Girl Who Shot First. It IS the zombie comic book story, in novel form. I thoroughly enjoyed FanGirl, and give it a 5/5 stars. It doesn't matter whether or not you read FanGirl with the Death Fields series. But any "spoilers" in FanGirl all appear in the first book, so don't worry about knowing too much about later books.
October 20, 2024
Follows Cath, a college freshman who struggles to adjust to campus life while managing her passion for a popular fantasy book series and her online fanfiction writing. As she deals with social anxiety and complex family dynamics, Cath learns to balance her love for fandom with the challenges of growing up and forming new relationships.
October 27, 2024
Inconsistent, predictable, a little racist, and a lot sexist/anti-women's sexuality. For all the characters love the fictional Alexandra for being a strong female character, neither the characters nor this book have any idea what a strong female character actually is.
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