Review: The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs

Fangirl’s Guide is a book that I’ve had on my TBR since it was released, and finally purchased at BookCon in May when I met author Sam Maggs (and also got an ARC of her upcoming release, Wonder Women). Not only was she awesome at Quirk Book’s in-booth signing, but she’s someone I look up to. She is a writer and editor of nerdy things, which I obviously relate to well, myself being a writer and also Assistant Editor at YouNerded.com. Sam Maggs speaks to the fangirl in all of us, and this book is an essential to anyone new or experienced in this geeky culture we love.

Though the nerd world is expansive, Maggs does an amazing job of including as many fandoms and interests that she possibly could. Each chapter of this book reads like an extra-long blog post, beautifully accompanied by illustrations, interviews, and tips. The slang and fangirl-speak included is defined and used well to get someone new to the scene a great idea of how to use certain words and phrases, and even gave me insight into slang I didn’t previously know (though I have encountered them).

If you have never attended a convention, look no further for advice. Fangirl’s Guide has great information on preparing for, attending, and getting the most out of conventions, from SDCC to GenCon. She also includes helpful info on getting into cosplay and the dos and don’ts of con-going. Reading this chapter and reminiscing on BookCon makes me want to plan to go to another con ASAP.

I really enjoyed the chapter on lesser-known kickass female characters and where to find them, since it gave me even more recommendations (not that my list isn’t long enough, but I can never have too many). The chapter on fangirl feminism was also a good read, especially in crushing the dumb misconceptions that some may have while also educating others on why it’s important to be thinking about these things while consuming media.

There wasn’t a part in this book that I even mildly disliked, and it all spoke strongly to my nerd-girl soul. I highly recommend it to anyone (of any gender) who is a fan of anything nerdy and wants to share that love with the world.

Rating: ★★★★★

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