This is a really high rating for me. This rating reflects more about how the book affected me, rather than literary merit. It did what I wanted a book to do. It captivated me. It hit the notes I love in a book or a story.

A book about books and reading and stories? Check
Metafiction? Check
Gay nerdy protagonist? Check
An enchanting world that is a part of ours? Check

While I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it's not a perfect book. There are questions that lingered in the back of my mind regarding some plot choices, but I don't care. It didn't make or break the plot. I enjoyed the adventure, the scenery, and the mystery. I loved what she left unexplained. The mystery left me creating my own stories and endings.

I plan to read this again at some point. This book did that rare thing of holding me in suspense but not stressing me out. Morgenstern has a way that works for me. This book left me wanting more. Left me wanting her to write more. A collection of short stories, a sequel, something else. It's a great feeling to feel especially when you know that more is not needed and probably won't happen.

One thing I noticed when reading that I wasn't prepared for was the love story for the lead. This book was written by an author who already has a bestseller and usually we get straight couples and the gays as side characters. It was nice and comforting to read a story that I could relate to and not have search similarities to my own relationships.

This book might not be for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride this book took me on.