A solid "meh."

It was entertaining enough that I was able to read 75% of it in one day (the day my ARC from Netgalley was going to expire -- thanks, Netgalley for the review copy!), but it really took me until a third of the way to be remotely interested in the book. I almost quit a few times. It's a YA book about fandom, so I wasn't expecting a masterpiece here, and obviously it requires a lot of suspension of disbelief (which is fine by me, generally), but compared to others in the genre (GEEKERELLA or FANGIRL), it was a bit disappointing.

Had I read this book two weeks ago, I would've thought the main character (Claire) was annoying AF and ridiculously fake. But then I actually went to a con (I was working the Once Upon A Time convention a few weekends ago) and met diehard fangirls in IRL. I realized that her character is not at all an exaggeration of what hardcore fangirls are like. I'll confess to reading fic (and even writing it on occasion, because it's a good creative writing outlet), but that's really my only connection to any fandoms. But man, the stuff that happens in this book and the drama is totally legit. Cons are a very strange experience. All that said, her character still bugged me a bit at times, but they all did. The people in this book have their moments of over-the-top horribleness as human beings. But, they mostly redeem themselves, and it advances the plot, so whatever.

My biggest issue with this book is the alternating POVs, which seems to be a theme in so many books I've read this year, and they all switch male/female perspectives. I really hate that in general, but I've really struggled to find someone who writes it well. To me, it doesn't feel like the characters are actually changing. They all have the same style of internal monologue, ways of describing things, etc., so it bugs me. It would have been better if it stuck with one POV.

I also wasn't a fan of the random fanfic chapters interspersed, because it's hard to read fanfic for a fake show that you don't really know anything about. I guess maybe the intent was for readers to substitute their own fandom characters into those portions? Idk. I found myself barely skimming those and quickly moving on. And honestly, the fanfic portions read like the rest of the book, which made it weird too. Like, the main character is a 16 y/o girl, so the fanfic she's writing should read like a 16 y/o wrote it, not the author. (Or maybe it's the overall book writing that feels young on the whole -- at times I was trying to figure out the age range for the target reader. The language and sex in the book is clearly not intended for middle schoolers, but it is a Freeform book and seems to be aimed younger in terms of writing level, so I have no idea).

And truthfully, I found the Claire/Forest/Rico friendship a bit odd. Claire is this 16 y/o girl, Forest is like 24, and then Rico is 35ish...and yet they are all chatting and hanging out like they're the same age, which gave me a little bit of a creepy vibe at times (just cuz like, would a 35 y/o actor be texting a 16 y/o fangirl he's known for like 3 days through a con?). Personally, I would have rather had Claire be 19 or 20, lose the eccentric parents storyline (because it wasn't necessary the the plot and felt like an afterthought), and it would have been less weird-feeling and Claire still could have gone through her whole self-discovery development arc. Especially because there are a lot of rumors about what goes on at cons in terms of adult dude actors behaving inappropriately with underaged girls. It just gave me a bit of a gross vibe.

There's a lot of intersectionality in this book, which is great and I think she handled well -- it wasn't over the top where it felt like she was pushing an agenda or taking it over the top, which can often happen when writers try to address it. But, she addressed some very real issues in Hollywood (particularly these types of shows) in a way where it supported the plot and led to some character growth, while also calling out the industry.

Overall, if you're not someone who would go to a con or read fanfic, this is definitely not the book for you (I think you'd be lost and annoyed). If you are, you might enjoy it.

For fans of Queens of Geek, Eliza and her Monsters, Fangirl and Geekarella, this book is for you.


Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.

Meet Claire. She writes fanfiction about a show called Demon Heart so when she finds out her favorite actors are coming to her home state for a convention, she races for the chance to go. Using her platform, she asks the show's writer and actors whether they think the two main characters, Smokey and Heart are romantically involved (which is mostly what she writes her fanfiction about) and is sad to learn that Forest, the actor who pays Smokey is less than enthused about the subject of his character being gay.

Meet Forest. He got his big break in Demon Heart and has dreams of becoming a big actor, playing a lead in a movie based on one of his favorite video games. After causing steam after Claire's question at the convention, he is even more disappointed to find that she's coming along for the convention tour.

Claire and Forest both grow as characters. Claire isn't so sure that she's queer, even when she falls for a girl she met while touring with the show and Forest needs to tone down his ego and border-line homophobia. These two are great in their banter and their growth as people and eventually friends.

What I loved:
The fandoms
The character arcs
Supportive and funny parents
Great inner dialogue
The diversity
Satisfying ending

I cannot wait to buy it when it releases.

I remembered ‘wishing’ for this book on netgalley and I was a bit surprised that my wish had been granted. The reason why I wanted to read this book was because I can relate to Claire, my namesake. Like fictional Claire, I also had many ships while I was in high school. From “Supernatural” to “Harry Potter” then “Doctor Who,” I read some fan fiction and talked to other people online about various ships (mostly ships that aren’t canon).

Fictional Claire’s object of attention seems to be like a “CW Supernatural” inspired show called “Demon Heart.” You know it’s like “CW’s Supernatural” because there was a demon and demon hunter involved. And of course, fictional Claire ships a non-canon ship. She writes slash ship fan fiction (or same-sex fictional couples). I find myself skimming her fan fiction for some reason. There had been a visual excerpt of Claire's slash ship fan fiction and I felt that it was slightly unnecessary. The author could have just written about Claire's writing process, or few short sentences featuring Claire's drafts as if Claire was writing and/or editing her fan fiction. This is just my opinion because I find myself disengaged every time there's a huge portion of Demon Heart content (i.e. Claire's fan fiction excerpt) because I'm not invested in reading her Demon Heart fan fiction. I'm invested in reading about fictional Claire's life and her obsession with Demon Heart and fandoms in general.

However, I do like the relationship between Tess and Claire even if there were moments of immaturity. I liked the idea of people bonding over their favorite things, such as fandom related content. I think the development of Tess and Claire's relationship is something to look forward to when reading Ship It. If you do decide to read this book, remember to have patience with fictional Claire because she’s just a teenager that often makes mistakes.

The other POV is Forest, the actor from the show. It seemed that the actor was struggling with his identity as a fan pointed out that his character (in the show) was gay. He had a pretty strong reaction to it and eventually, he was coaxed by his manager to do something about it, whilst the people involved with the creation of the show reminded him often that they own him, etc. etc.

The book explored queer-baiting and the normalization of heterosexual ships in the media (recognizing that it's not a good thing but it's also very real). The relationships in this book and how the characters handled their issues were also interesting. However, I neither like nor dislike this book. In fact, I just couldn’t get into it. While I do relate to fictional Claire at some level, I was never a die-hard shipper. It’s an interest (for me), but it’s more like a lifestyle for fictional Claire. Additionally, I honestly could care less about Forest’s POV. I wanted to read more books about teens who are fond of fandoms in general. I have very little to no interest in reading about how actors view ‘shipping’ and ‘fandoms.’ In general, Forest’s POV could be used for a different book (not this one). I felt that his POV was not relevant to the story. 

**E-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a digital version of Ship It from a granted Netgalley wish and I am absolutely overjoyed about it.
Right off the bat, Claire was practically the most relatable character I have ever encountered. Her passion about this little show and her dedication to writing her fanfiction was something that was somehow portrayed more realistically than I've ever seen. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell got close, and I have yet to read Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here by Anna Breslaw, so Ship It, for me, captured the essence of being a fic writer and fandom participator perfectly right off the bat. This drew me in right away; the accessibility of Claire's character. Though she certainly evolved a bit more from her first introduction, the basics of her personality are very inviting to the reader.
I had not realized the story was from two POVs, Claire's and the actor Forest's, but it added a whole other layer to the story entirely. Of course it was wonderful to see Claire, to practically be her through story, someone we can relate to as readers ourselves, but to see it through Forest's eyes was a whole aspect I was unprepared and thoroughly delighted by.
And the romance! Honestly it made me emotional, as a queer fangirl myself, to see Claire's budding romance with Tess. I think much of the stereotype is that the fangirls are straight fanatics who are fetishizing gay men. Is this true for some of the demographic? Absolutely. But so many of us are just queer fans looking for representation. (Also, a shoutout for Tess bringing up the importance of race being one of the representations we fight for. I'm so thrilled that was mentioned.)
I've seen some negative reviews floating around that I'd like to address. Claire is problematic. We all are. I think she learned a little in the story, though probably not enough, but honestly, it wasn't bad. It just means that she's a teen girl who still has some growing left to do. I thought it was pretty apparent that she was on the path to learning more about the world around her, not just through her own gaze. So to the negative reviews, I'd have to say that dissing a whole book with great representation and amazing connectability to fans just because a teen girl wasn't as evolved as you think she ought to be is pretty harsh. I still think it's an amazing book.
I did find myself occasionally thinking how absolutely unrealistic this was but hey! So is a majority of fiction. Of course this would never happen—but neither would a lot of what I myself put into fanfiction. Isn't that what we love best about fiction? Thank you Britta Lundin for writing the story I wish I could live.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ship It is an emotionally rich book that left me smiling upon finishing it. I’ve never read a book that centered around fandoms before, and Ship It is an honest and great gateway into that niche.

Claire is a 16-year-old girl who is an introvert at her school, and writes fan-fiction based on her favorite TV show Demon Heart. While at a panel for the show at a convention, Claire asks about her “ship” of the two male leads, and whether it was going to happen in the show. In response to her question, one of the actors laughs at her, and the panel instantly becomes a PR nightmare that the show tries to fix by taking her along on a convention tour.

I adored the characters, especially Claire. I just loved watching her grow, learn about herself, and find her voice. She’s outspoken and is passionate about what she loves, and I saw a version of teenage self in her. Not only do you see things from Claire’s perspective throughout the novel, but you also see things from one of the male leads from Demon Heart, Forest. Forest is kind of a jerk, but it was cool to see the other side of things—from an actor’s perspective with no insight on the fanbase.

This book was light-hearted while at the same time being filled with important themes of friendship, sexuality, and love. It’s clever, funny, and a very good representation of fan-fiction culture and fandoms. It’s definitely worth checking out!

Oh my goodness, I really loved this book.  I wasn't sure if there would be a book about fandoms that I would like as much as Fangirl or Eliza and Her Monsters, but this book was such a great read.



Ship It is told in two points of view.  One is 16 year old Claire and the other is an actor named Forest.



Claire is so easy to like.  She has no real friends and feels like an outcast living in a small town.  She writes fan fiction for her favorite TV show, Demon Heart.   In her fanfic, the two male characters in Demon Heart are gay.  I have to say that I loved Claire's fanfic that was added throughout the book.  I would read it and watch the show.  I found myself getting into it.  Claire struggles to write about sex, but she researches a lot.



"Frankly, it can be a challenge writing explicit gay fanfic as a teenage girl virgin who's never done any of these things before."



Claire has messed around a bit with a boy, but she really struggles to figure out her sexuality throughout the book.  This becomes even harder when she meets Tess at a Con.  Tess is a homoromantic pansexual and is very sure of herself.  She and Claire spend time together and Claire finds herself thinking about Tess a lot, which just confuses her even more.



Forest is our other narrator.  He is a bit harder to like, but I loved his growth in the book.  Forest is on Demon Heart and is trying to become a bigger actor.  He's not impressed that he has to go to these Cons and interact with fans.  He doesn't quite get fandoms.



The parts with Claire and Forest together really stood out to me.  I loved how she taught him about fanfic and ships.  She had to get him to realize that the fans are everything to a show.  It matters how they feel, even when the actors don't understand or agree.



Tess helps Claire realize that it's not just the lack of sexual diversity in Demon Heart that is an issue.  There is a lack of women and people of color, too.  Claire questioning her sexuality felt very real to me.  I'm a straight female, so I can't say personally how it is, but I felt for her and her confusion.  Everything about that part of the story felt so real and personal.  I found myself rooting for Claire and Tess (along with Forest who figured out that he shipped them).  



And since it's me, I can't forget to mention that the story ends up in my favorite city, San Diego.  That made me smile even more.  Also, Claire's parents are awesome.  They care so much for her and just want her to be happy.  Her mom knew she wasn't straight before Claire really knew.  And they added little bits of humor, too.



"Don't do drugs.  Unless it seems like everyone else is doing it.  Then make sure you know the name of everything you take so you can tell the EMTs later..."



Honestly, I just loved everything about this book and I hope everyone else likes it, too.  I gave Ship It 5 stars.



Thank you to Netgalley (my wish for it) for my copy for review.  All quotes were taken from an arc and may change before final publication.

I really wanted a cute f/f romance with some fandom trappings, maybe some exploration of how queer girls find themselves in fandom, but this book ended up disappointing me. It tries to be light and frothy, but at the same time the protagonist is full of internalized homophobia and makes weird jabs at other queer kids, like when she remarks how nice it is that her love interest wears dresses, unlike the two lesbians in the protagonist's hometown, who both wear Carhartts and do sports. What's so bad about wearing Carhartts and doing sports? I know it's just that they're not "her crowd", but it feels unnecessary anyway, like the author is drawing me close with one hand and pushing me away with the other. I really wanted to like it but instead of feeling comfortable and at home with the characters, I felt they would have rejected me for the type of queer that I am if I'd known them as a teen, and it's not a happy feeling.

This is a book that reflects Internet culture as it stands in 2018, and as such, may not stand up in the future when the Internet inevitably changes. For now, it's a pretty good representation of what I see on Tumblr myself, and of fandom in general. It does lean pretty far to the left in its values, as much of my own Tumblr does, but that may colour your opinion of it if you disagree with those values.
The characters are interesting, but a little difficult to warm up to at first. Some of the main character's (Claire) actions seem destructive and insane, bordering on criminal in some cases. I'm actually surprised that there was no legal fallout for some of the things she does. The actor, Forest, seems dull and unlikable, but like Claire, grows into something interesting and likable by the end.
I liked how many important issues were brought up concerning consent, representation, queer baiting, and the full spectrum of LGBTQIA. It's not everyday that a love interest is pansexual, and it explains the term well. The characters feel real as teenagers. In fact, I would love to find out how the author obtained the rights to my life story and my teenage diary to write this! I kept nodding as I read the interactions between Claire and Tess, and Claire and her endless drive to write slash fiction. It rang very true to my own experiences. However, it does reinforce the whole "only queer people like slash fiction" stereotype that the author keeps trying to debunk as most people we see like slash are queer.
The opposing side to Claire's quest is represented fairly, and he gets to have his say in a completely understandable spiel on Hollywood. Overall, an interesting look at fandom, the internet and the shows we love.

I tried to keep an open mind and give this a go, especially since I can't for the life of me remember requesting this (nor does it seem like something I *would* request), but when I reach a point where I'm forcing myself to read, I need to stop. Thus DNF at 20%. I can't get into it or connect at all. I find the female lead to come on far too strong and it rubs me the wrong way. This just isn't for me.

I love books about fandom because they’re the books I see myself in the most. I love books, movies, tv shows, anime and everything else fiercely. I have fictional crushes, I am emotionally invested in worlds and people that will never exist. So, of course, I had high expectations going in to Ship It. I wanted Lundin to be an author who understood fandom – and she is!

However, and this is a BIG however, I didn’t love where she took the book. ARGH MATEY, HERE THERE BE SPOILERS. To start with non-fans are invariably jerks and enemies. Only when non-fans come into the fandom light do they become good people. Look. I get it. We get bullied because we love things more than usual. This is true, I was bullied. Not everyone who isn’t a fan is a bully. Some people don’t prefer fictional universes. That’s okay. Lundin presents people without fandom interests as jerks and unintelligent. None of the characters who aren’t involved in fandom are just good people with different interests.

I mean it’s also a little unreasonable. I’m not that old, but even in my lifetime fandom has changed a lot. Most people ARE fans of something. I’m not really able to suspend my disbelief that an ENTIRE SCHOOL of teens doesn’t like any geek culture. Black Panther is one of the highest grossing movies ever but jocks and preps definitely don’t watch things like that right? I’m sure there are still bullies for particularly fierce fanfiction writing fans but being a geek is the new normal.

Despite Lundin’s insistence that this book isn’t based on anything, I’m getting HEAVY Destiel vibes from SmokeHeart. There was definitely a similar sort of controversy in the fandom and I remember attending a con with moderators warning fans not to ask about the ship. I don’t take any issue with the book being based on these events even if the author says it’s not. That’s fine, but it reads somewhat like a revenge fantasy.

The rest of the book is a mess. An enjoyable to read mess, but a mess all the same. Claire, Forest and Tess are all pretty shitty people. Claire especially. I understand how important representation is but Claire is willing to go to actual harassment levels to try and get it. She’s the type of fan who would get banned from cons and events. She’s not a fun person to have around. Sometimes shows aren’t diverse and you don’t get what you want. That’s life. Start petitions, blog, vlog or whatever. Don’t harass and threaten creators bigoted though they may be.

I also really don’t like the actor/fan dynamic here. Claire is a superfan, it’s weird that she is “friends” with the actors. It’s not a good dynamic. She’s a child and they aren’t. They’re famous idols she looked up to. It’s awkward and uncomfortable and Lundin doesn’t do a good job handling how a fan/actor dynamic should unfold. Also, Claire uses this friendship at one point to WRITE SMUTTY FANFICTION ABOUT AN ACTOR SHE NOW KNOWS PERSONALLY. This is actually revolting. I take slight issue with real people fiction at all times, but when you KNOW the person it becomes even more violating. Claire is creating porn about a person she has spoken to using the information he’s shared with her. That’s fucked up.

This is all a fine set-up if Claire is going to learn. SPOILER: She learns nothing. Claire faces no reckoning for stealing someone’s twitter. For writing porn about people she knows. For hating everyone who isn’t a fan of things. For intentionally sabotaging a show. For making people lose their jobs.

None of this is even touching on the relationship between Claire and Tess. Both of whom share each other’s secrets with the world, Tess outing Claire to her PARENTS, out of spite. Not a healthy relationship to continue you might think. Wrong, says Lundin. They apologized so it’s fine.

Also, there’s a lot of the originally homophobic actor questioning his sexuality which felt like a bit much to me. We didn’t need two characters muddling through those waters and it cheapened him accepting the ship. He only accepts it because he realizes he might be gay. Not because it’s okay for people to ship things regardless of his own sexuality.

I’m honestly so confused about what people see in this. Yes I loved the convention atmosphere but this is NOT how I want to be seen as a fan. Yes we all hope our ships go canon but I’m not about to break down someone’s door about it. Claire IS crazy. Everything she does is bordering on insane. Every relationship in this book is toxic (except for Rico he’s so pure). It’s hard not to enjoy this book as a fan, but I would hope that people don’t read this and think we’re all like Claire. She’s holier-than-thou and a psychopath.

There is no one to root for in this book. The creator is an intentionally queerbating asshole. Claire is well on her way to becoming a future prison inmate. The romance is messed up. Fandom should be fun, and important. People should be able to find themselves in media. Fanfiction is a great outlet for finding your sexuality. All true. Ship It understands fandom, but it fails to acknowledge when fans cross a line. That actors and creators do not belong to you. That their comfort is also important.

This is just such an upsetting depiction of fans, and the worst part is I know there are fans like this. It would be fine for Ship It to tell this story if it ever bothered acknowledging that Claire went too far. If Claire grew and learned. Instead her cruelty and insanity are rewarded and she doesn’t learn anything at all. Points for diversity and a deep understand of fan culture but Lundin really should have realized how damaging a depiction this could be.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS BOOK TO COME OUT, LIKE I HAVE IT PRE-ORDERED AND EVERYTHING, YAY

I read Ship It in only a few hours and let me tell you it wasn't a disappointment. This book had so much fandom culture, but also truth to it. I love Claire and Tess and what Claire finds out about the industry. The Forest chapters and the fic parts were not exactly my cup of tea and there was the fact that Tess basically outs Claire (there was an apology, but I feel they didn't make as big of a deal of it as it should have been). So all in all I did enjoy the story and I think it was actually pretty realistic to fandoms and TV production. I hope to read more of this author in the future.

After confronting the actors and creator of her favorite TV show about making her favorite (gay) ship canon, Claire gets to go on the convention circuit with them. While I enjoyed most of the book--especially Claire's confusion about her growing feelings for Tess, which really resonated with me--the ending was too neat and clean and way too unbelievable for my tastes, and Claire's many troubling decisions and actions are treated too lightly.

Claire's an established fanfic author with an online following and a safe haven on tumblr. Real life hasn't been as welcoming, until she finds herself on the convention trail with the stars of her favorite show. Although she ships their characters as a couple, can she get the actors--and their showrunner--to see where she's coming from? Or is this pairing destiel--pardon, destined--for shipwreck? Excellent for Supernatural fans, Sherlock fans, anyone in the fanfiction community. Lundin weaves a believable, heartfelt narrative of a writer finding herself through her participation in an online community, and provides a satisfying and believable denouement.

Oh my goodness, I love everything about this book! I really needed something fun and this was just perfect, and surprisingly nuanced as well. Ship It is in many ways a love letter to fangirls and to awkward teenagers who are trying to figure out who they are. Claire is a 16-year-old girl who is kind of a loner but writes slash fan-fiction based on her current favorite TV show Demon Heart. But when she attends a convention panel and asks about her "ship" of the two male leads (wanting to know if the characters will come out as gay), she is laughed at by one of the actors. This quickly becomes a PR nightmare that the show tries to fix by taking her on a convention tour, and hijinks ensue!

Claire is such a great character and I loved watching her grow, discover who she is, and find her voice. She is so passionate and outspoken, which I completely relate to. Especially as a teen girl, that can make it hard to make friends, but we really see how valuable it is regardless.

We also get the perspective of one of the actors in the show and I loved the nuance that brought to the story. The creator side is what really turns this into a dialogue about art, fandom, and the role that fans play in television, especially today with social media and digital technology. I expected this to just be a light YA book, but the author actually weaves in some significant and relevant discussions that are taking place today about the shifting industry and whether fans should have any influence at all on the direction things take in the object of their fandom. There aren't clear conclusions, but I appreciated the discussion and loved how both characters in the book came to empathize with the other side.

This is also a very queer book on multiple levels, and even includes some discussion of intersectionality in fandom and in queerness in terms of race and gender. I thought that was fantastic and really well done. And the fact that sexuality is complicated and it's okay if it takes awhile to figure it out and don't want to label it!

Oh, and did I mention that it's really funny and super adorable too? This book just made my heart happy and made my convention-going, cosplay-wearing inner fangirl feel very seen and appreciated. So if any of those things apply to you, I highly recommend this book! I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Be still my fangirl heart! Thank you, Britta Lundin for giving fandoms and fanfic writers a voice in "Ship It." Sometimes it's hard for megafans to find themselves in literature outside of being crazy stalker characters. Books like "Ship It," Jen Wilde's "Queens of Geek," and Rainbow Rowell's "Fangirl" do a great job of showing that we're all fans of something...some of us are just a little more intense than others. 5/5 stars.

I know nothing of fandoms and I've barely shipped people in books I read or shows I watch, but based on this description I was expecting a cutesy love story. Instead I found a love story that was not developed realistically and a fangirl reimagining what could have happened if the Supernatural crew had dealt with the aftermath of the Jensen Ackles debacle differently.

I wold totally buy this book for the library, but it's a little too grades 9-12 for a middle school library-BUT just barely. I love the strong Q aspect, and I appreciate this being about sexuality/gender without being entirely about sex. Students who are curious or interested in geek culture like cosplay, cons, and fan fiction may like this book, and students who feel underrepresented may see themselves in this book.
I'll definitely recommend to high school librarians.

Readers will adore this fandom-themed debut from Britta Lundin. SHIP IT features all the feels and fandom insanity you would expect from such a book and adds a sweet f/f romance. Fans of GEEKERELLA, FAN GIRL, and ALL THE FEELS will love this one.

This was the second contemporary give to me for a staff pick. Compared to the other book I enjoyed this one much much more. I felt that characters were well flushed out and the pacing was fast enough to keep me interested but slow enough to not leave me in the dark.
The book covers one of my greatest fears - finding that a person that I love and admire from afar is a real jerk up close.