Carry On (Simon Snow Trilogy Book 1)

This series of three books start off like a riff on Harry Potter, but acquire their own identity after a bit. Kids studying magic at a special school of magic in England. But our hero is a gay kid and that brings a new dynamic to how the story plays out.

#1 New York Times bestselling author!

Booklist Editors’ Choice 2015 – Youth!

Named a “Best Book of 2015” by Time Magazine, School Library Journal, Barnes & Noble, NPR, PopSugar, The Millions, and The News & Observer!

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

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

(The Purple Fantastic Steam Meter gives this a 2… it gets a little sexy at times, but never excessive… It beautifully captures the pressures experienced by teens when they realize that they may not fall into society’s norms)

More about The Purple Fantastic Steam Meter on the About page.