I found this softcover in this Little Free Library in North Billerica MA while dropping off some books of my own, and nabbed it for another release copy. (The setup: in Fangirl (which I hadn't read when I first encountered Carry On), there's a wildly popular series of novels based on Simon Snow and his adventures at wizarding school, including an ongoing rivalry with vampire/wizard Baz. Yep, totally expies of Harry Potter and co. Anyway, in Fangirl the main characters have been writing fanfic based on this series for years and are devoted to shipping Simon and Baz - but real life begins to get in the way. In Carry On we get to read a more fully realized version of the Simon/Baz fanfic without any reference to its fiction-within-fiction origins, and it's great fun!)

This was an entertaining read, with plenty of nods to magical-boarding-school tropes (and more than a hint of intentional Harry-Potter-fanfic, in a nice way) but with its own twists and sensibilities. I liked the whole bitter-enemies-forced-to-be-allies vibe, and the switching viewpoints (Simon, Penelope, Baz - though he doesn't turn up in the first person until well into the book, Agatha, and... others whose existence is a surprise). And the plot's good, with suspense (of the will-we-survive kind as well as the will-they-or-won't-they romantic complications) and humor (lots of that) and some heartwarming bits. I'll definitely look for more of Rowell's work!

[There's a TV Tropes page on the book, with some entertaining tidbits. There's an audiobook, too!]

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in this new-to-me Little Free Library on this lovely autumn day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2020 Spooktacular October challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2020 October LGBTQ challenge. ***