Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Simon Snow just wants to relax and savour his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he'll be safe. Simon can't even enjoy the fact that his room-mate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can't stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you're the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savour anything.

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

Practically everyone I know has already read this and loved it, so this review with probably repeat points and with definitely gush at the awesomeness!

Simon Snow is not your typical hero; stubborn, kind of daft, not very good with his magic, and stupidly obsessed with his room mate. Speaking of which, I am completely in love with Baz. Snappy, dark, a vampire with a good heart, the way he interacts with Simon, winding him up just because and then being so careful when Simon kisses him, Baz is just perfect. I loved how the hero was a bit of a douche and the supposed bad guy was actually really sweet. And of course the real bad guy was a surprise! 

This was a brilliant ode to the Harry Potter fandom, with random little references and clever parallels with Harry and Draco rivalry and Harry's relationship with Dumbledore, but it was completely its own magical story, from the modern appliances in the magical world to the power of words for spells. 

One of my new favourites and I know it will be re-read many times!

Published 8th October 2015 by Macmillan Children's Books.