Ship It, by: Britta Lundin (ARC Review)

       I’m so excited to be sharing my first NetGalley Review with the world! This experience has been an absolute BLAST, and I couldn’t be happier to have this experience. Since I first started this blog, one of the biggest goals of mine was to be able to read and review ARCs, and in the past couple of weeks, I have been able to achieve that goal. I hope that these reviews become somewhat routine and that I will be able to review even more in the future. 

Click Here to Read More

My Rating: ★★★★☆

       Before I became a reading nerd, I was heavily involved with the fandom scene online. (I made edits on Instagram and everything. #TrueFan) So anytime I get the chance to read a book that features these types of geeks, I have to get my hands on it. The nostalgia and relatability that come with these books in unreal for me, and I’m glad I got the chance to read it. If you have ever been a fan of something, new or old, this book is one that you’re sure to love.
       I loved Claire as the main character of the story; she’s not the everyday girl or hero that usually shows up in YA literature. She doesn’t have any friends and uses a fandom to connect with people online. This book is perfect for a nerdier audience, because even though we might not be just like Claire, we can still relate to her situation and how she incorporates fandoms into her life. I also liked how she is continually trying to figure out her identity as a person. Through her, we discover that it’s okay to be figuring it all out in life. Personally, I’m doing a lot of “figuring out” since I am in the midst of a college search; even though Claire wasn’t picking a college, it was very comforting to see that it’s okay not to have everything figured out yet.
       I have wanted to attend a con every summer since I was about twelve, but they’ve never been convenient enough for my family to take me to one. With that said, reading about a super-fan visiting her first con was the next best thing. I loved having the opportunity to see fandoms from a different person’s perspective, especially since every fan has a different relationship to the fandom. My dream is to go to BookExpo and BookCon next year, but until then, these fandom books are the next best thing.
       One of my favorite things about this book was the plot (because who wouldn’t want to meet their celebrity idols, am I right?). Claire visits a con with the idea that she is just going to her favorite TV show’s Q&A panel, but she ends up getting the opportunity to meet and travel with the cast. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?! While the reader wants to see Claire’s dreams come true and everything go perfect, the fact that it doesn’t make the story worth reading. It reminds fans that behind every big fandom, some real people and situations affect the story and character in the fiction.
       This book is a perfect summer read for anybody who has ever been a fan of something, past or present.

---

       Have you gotten a chance to read Ship It yet? Did you like it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and feel free to share your favorite “fandom themed” books in the comments as well.

Your forever fangirl,
Ashton

There's a time and place for everything, and I believe it’s called 'fan fiction'.

— Joss Whedon