Cover Image: Twelfth Knight

Twelfth Knight

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

[4.5 ★'s ] God I love a Twelfth Night retelling! This one had a lot of my interests intersecting and I found Viola's character to be deeply relatable - having been written by one of my faves, this book really left me feeling like it was made for me.

I loved the diverse representation of characters, and the depth of the issues experienced by the group. Viola's experience with her own emotional landscape, her sensitivity to the world around her and her natural reaction to close off in self-preservation, was such an enjoyable journey of growth to experience. Jack's character acts in complete opposition to her, while experiencing his own obstacles, approaching life with a certain openness that is refreshing.

The romance is relatable and heartwarming. It’s a coming-of-age story that intertwines loveable characters with hearty life experiences - a backdrop of a slow-burn romance, gaming fandom, and sprinkled with Shakespeare and King Arthur references.

I devoured this book, it is precious and raw, I can't wait to read it again.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I’m a sucker for the movie A Cinderella Story, and this brought me straight back to when I was a teenager watching that movie for the first time. This book is a mashup of plot lines from A Cinderella Story/She’s The Man (hello, Sebastian and Viola???) and I absolutely loved it.

I’m not a Sports Romance fan, but this book twisted away from the normal Sports Romance in the best way possible. Highly recommend this book if the aforementioned movies are your thing!

Was this review helpful?

I love Shakespeare. Longtime readers of this little blog will know that. I also love rom-coms, high school high-jinks, and any kind of plot revolving around the You’ve Got Mail trope of “we’re dating but we also don’t know it.” So, obviously, I loved Twelfth Knight.

We follow Viola Reyes, gamer and ren-faire enthusiast, and Jack Orsino, football player recently benched due to an injury, as they connect in the online MMORPG Twelfth Knight. When it becomes obvious that Viola knows Jack in real life, she panics and says she’s her brother, Sebastian, setting in motion the events of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in this charming and warm high school rom-com.

I’ve been a fan of Alexene Farol Follmuth (as Olivie Blake) for a long time now, so I was thrilled when I had the chance to read an early release of this book. Let me tell you: it did not disappoint. Viola, Jack, Bash, and Olivia were all such dynamic characters, and the relationships between the four of them were such a highlight. Viola and Bash’s sibling dynamic was honestly my favorite part of the novel. Something about strong sibling relationships in fiction always just… it gets to me, man.

I also loved how clear it was that the author loves online gaming and renaissance fairies. It’s so apparent when “nerdy” hobbies appear in fiction that the author either a) knows their stuff or b) has no goddamn idea what they’re talking about. It was such a delight to see things I love represented so well in fiction, and it was just fun to see Viola get so excited about nerdy things. As a woman in geek spaces, I know all too well the struggles of dealing with misogyny, and that’s without having the added struggle of being a woman of color. Her decisions were completely understandable, and her arc throughout the book was incredibly moving to read.

The bottom line: this is a warm, fun, enjoyable read. Is it perfect? No. There are a few, minor, spoiler-y details that I wish were different, but given that those are a) spoilers and b) minor, I won’t get into them here. Really, if you’re in the mood for a warm hug of a book, you should absolutely check this out.

Was this review helpful?

Say hello to my very first Olivie Blake (aka Alexene Farol Follmuth, or vice versa) win! And a YA at that. Who would've guessed (not me).

It's a sad familiar song and one I've been singing for quite some time now but I've been having maybe my worst year of reading ever. I've had little to no motivation to pick things up and when I do I've struggled to find enjoyment in them (or I'm picking up things that are wrong for me, also, maybe both). So to not only read this in one sitting but also enjoy it? Not be distracted by my phone? Again, e n j o y it? Shocked. I am shocked. But I'm so happy.

This Shakespearean retelling felt so seamlessly interwoven into a modern day setting to the extent that sometimes I forgot it was a retelling. Which I think is maybe the best result because I wasn't distracted by the original or feeling pulled out by nonsensical references that didn't fit. Instead it was all folded together so wonderfully that the story itself felt original whilst at the same time the characters felt true to their motivations, as well as complex and layered. Plus, I really enjoyed all the gaming and roleplaying content. It didn't feel awkward or out of place like I've seen in other stories with similar content.

All of that and a grumpy female character faced with her own sunshine-y nemesis and I, gasp, liked them both? Be still my heart.

If you're looking for a solid YA that has some strong, emotional, and well-thought out beats, without any melodrama or too much angst, that's diverse, and fun, and also a lot nerdy and a little tongue-in-cheek, with one of the best slowburns I've read in a while, I would definitely give this one a go.

Was this review helpful?

We love a good literary adaptation, and She’s the Man is one of our favorite Shakespeare retellings, so we were thrilled to discover another retelling of his comedy Twelfth Night, full of mistaken identities and awkward love triangles.

Jack “Duke” Orsino is the son and younger brother of football legends, destined for an athletic scholarship to Illyria . . . until his knee is destroyed in a game, benching him for the rest of the season and throwing his entire future into uncertainty. Viola “Vi” Reyes is a gamer, and the misogynistic treatment she’s received within that world has shaped her into a tough, critical young woman who doesn’t suffer fools. Too bad she’s ASB vice-president to Jack’s president, a role that frequently tests her patience.

One of Jack’s friends recommends he try out the online role-playing game Twelfth Knight while he’s recovering from knee surgery, and Jack is immediately sucked in, the quests allowing him to enjoy the strategy and competition he misses from the football field. While playing, he meets and befriends Cesario, but he doesn’t know Cesario is the male avatar Vi uses when she plays the game to avoid dealing with misogynistic comments. Unwilling to reveal herself (even though she immediately recognizes Jack’s username), Vi tells Jack she is her twin brother Sebastian, and over the months to come, Jack and Vi fight constantly over ASB duties while Jack and Cesario become good friends.

Complicated enough for you? Well, hold on, because we’ve also got Jack’s girlfriend Olivia, who’s being super strange and requesting a break but refusing to give Jack a good reason for it. In desperation, he enlists Vi’s help figuring out what’s wrong with Olivia in exchange for taking the lead on planning their school’s homecoming dance.

There’s a lot going on, but if you’re familiar with Twelfth Night or the enemies-to-lovers romance trope, you know Jack and Vi are headed towards some disastrous miscommunications and, ultimately, love. But the road getting there is a lot of fun, there are plenty of allusions to the original play to look out for, and the “nerd culture” setting feels fresh (and recognizable to many students). There are also some more serious storylines as Vi and Jack figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how best to relate to the people in their lives.

Do be aware that the novel includes quite a bit of profanity when making your recommendations.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Will be posted at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on June 3, 2024.

Was this review helpful?

As someone who never turns down a Shakespeare retelling, this was absolutely brilliant! There was such a nostalgic factor since it was reminiscent of "She's The Man" (one of my favorite movies of all time).

Viola will be a character that will be held near and dear to my heart for all time. Although she is continually mistreated and disrespected as a female in a male-dominated environment, she stands her ground and does not shy away from expressing feminist ideology. Like Jack, I admire her strength and self-awareness of her value. That being said, she may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she is certainly mine! Her character growth was so endearing since I really do think that the theme of being lonely in our teenage years is so real. Whether you are a popular jock who has to grapple with a career-ending injury who may or may not continue with the only sport he's been dedicating his entire life for, or an imaginative nerd labeled as a b*tch by her peers who has such a tough exterior only to conceal how much love she has to offer. The way Viola and Jack were able to eventually open up to each other to reveal their true selves was such a great ending (or beginning of their relationship).

The side characters were also incredibly well-developed! I loved how Olivia was genuinely such a kind person and was not the stereotypical "mean girlfriend". That being said, I am so glad that a sweet female friendship was formed between them. Olivia deserves all the happiness in the world and I wish we got more of her. There's something about the Reyes clan because Bash, Mom, and Lola were amazing! I loved their mother's dating column. I thought that was such a fitting job for her to have and it was so sweet to see how much Viola idolizes her. Every time Bash was mentioned always felt like comic relief to me. The relationships showcased within their family from mother/daughter and the between the twins warmed my heart and despite Viola's unwillingness to be vulnerable with them at all times, the limited moments she opens the door for them - waterworks begin. I also loved Alexene's utilization of Filipino culture in the Reyes' household. And yes, I have a soft spot for being called "anak" because it is also what my single mother called me.

I was honestly apprehensive at first since I have little to no knowledge on football and MMORPG. I thought that the language of these two incredibly different worlds, both of which I know nothing about, would be jarring and disinterest me. However, I was hooked by the first chapter and found myself rooting for and sympathizing for Jack and Viola! The way Alexene is able to express each character's thoughts and motivations as a young adult is so impressive. It definitely reminded me of conversations I've had during high school, while not seeming too juvenile. There were so many moments where I audibly giggled!! The banter between Vi and Jack - oh my gosh, I literally had to phone a friend since I was so giddy! Their flirting and testing the waters if there really was a spark between them was written so well. Alexene is a certified genius for that. I wish we got to see more of their relationship together post-reveal, but I savored every single moment of their interactions, especially the last chapter. All in all, I loved every bit of this book and I can't believe this is my first read from this author (despite owning every single one of her books). I am so impressed and I could not recommend this enough.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor publishing for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

This is a really great story. Engaging, entertaining, a quick read but the author allows the characters time to breathe. Yes, it’s a YA romance but both MCs have so much growing and learning to do - the romance is only allowed to happen once some personal growth has happened. And all the characters are such big dorks that I felt like I was back in high school myself.

Was this review helpful?

4.75 stars

Never in my life did I think I'd rate a YA romcom this high but what the heck, this was SO good. It fully lived up to the marketing of a book version of all our favorite Shakespeare retelling romcoms of the early 2000s---think "She's the Man" but with a nerdy twist, 2024 sensibilities, and more character depth. This is Olivie Blake writing under a different name, and while I haven't read her other books, this seems to be a departure from that style of writing, but it totally works. I got strong fanfiction vibes from this in the best way, which makes sense since that's how the author got her start. Her understanding of fandoms is spot-on, and makes what could be cringy if written by someone unfamiliar into a realistic great time.

Viola Reyes is a b*tch. Or at least, that's what she's been told by every geeky boys she plays ConQuest (it's DnD) or Twelfth Knight (a computer-based RPG---role-playing game) with when she dares to disagree with them or reject their advances. Vi doesn't care what they think, but when her best friend, Antonia, tells her she should be nicer to said boys, Vi is officially over it. It being how women are treated for not being doormats. So she quits her ConQuest party and devotes herself to Twelfth Knight, where she's playing under the name Cesario and not utilizing voice chat. It's a much more enjoyable game when the other players think she's a boy. (As a side note, this is by far the most realistic reason I've seen for this gender-swapping trope)

Jack Orsino (aka Duke) is the school's star running back (since I defined an RPG earlier should I also specify this is football?). He's ready to lead the team to a long-awaited state championship his senior year before going to Illyria on a football scholarship next year. Until he tears his ACL in the first game of the season. Now he's basically immobile, his future is in question, his teammates are too busy for him, and his cheerleader girlfriend Olivia is avoiding him. Desperate for an outlet for his competitive streak, he starts playing Twelfth Knight, where he encounters Cesario. The two start to play as a team, but their gaming sessions quickly turn to friendship as Jack starts to confide in what he thinks is his new guy friend.

There's so much good banter in this book, between Jack and Vi, Vi and her twin, Bash, Vi and Olivia, the list goes on. Basically, Vi is hilarious. I have often said that I don't think all books need to be dual POV, especially romances, but this is such a good use of it. The characters had voices that were very distinct from each other, and nothing felt repetitive. There were a lot of subplots here, but I enjoyed all of them, and they made the characters feel realistic---no one has only one thing going on at a time in life, especially not during high school. I loved Jack getting introduced to fandom culture and learning more about who he is outside of football. I loved Vi learning to stay and fight instead of run when she gets uncomfortable, but not having to change who she is. I loved Olivia's storyline and everyone's reactions to it. I loved the random Shakespeare references throughout. The conflict resolution at the climax was one of my favorites I've read. It was just all generally a great time. READ IT.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks Tor and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was surprisingly tender. I already know I like the author, and I'm halfway through the last Atlas book, but I think I underestimated how tender this would be. I really enjoyed the characters, and they felt like fully fleshed out people. I think the retelling of Twelfth Night was done so gently, it wasn't pushed in your face horribly, it just felt clever and fun if you knew what it was, but it isn't going to leave readers unaware or confused if they haven't got the context. I'll definitely be recommending this book at the next book club meeting.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve read Alexene’s work as olivieblake in the Harry Potter fandom and her writing has never disappointed me.

But I enjoy her adult fiction more, as I’m not into young adult as much anymore. But her writing style is immersive and fun, and also full of heart.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows two high schoolers from totally different circles. Violet is a standoffish, clever, and nerdy girl who is going hrough some major struggles with her friends and Jack is a football star who injures himself at the highest point of his career so far. The one thing that will unite them is Twelfth Knight, an online video game they both become obsessed with. The talk about everything from love to friendships and when Jack starts falling for Violet in real life there's only one problem, he doesn't know it's her. Will Violet come clean?

I did not like the majority of the characters in this book. Especially Jack, he was insurfferable at the start and made me not want to read his POVs at all. Many of his chapters were just football lingo that, I myself just have no interest in. He eventually comes around but my god was it a hard slog to get to that point.
Violet was a more enjoyable and relatable character but her friends were diabollical and that made for a hard read. I liked her character develpment more than Jack's.

The plot was generally interesting but in the end I didn't enjoy this book the way I thought I would. I feel that maybe for a more American audience possibly late middle school, early highschool grade.

Was this review helpful?

I was looking forward to this one since I love Shakespeare and the sounding of enemies-to-lovers. Even though there were great aspects to the story, loved the reimagining of the original and the gaming vibes, but I couldn't get behind the main characters. I thought that they were very immature at times and I understand they were learning who they are and setting boundaries, but they were just very unlikable. Unfortunately I had to dnf.

Was this review helpful?

A Twelfth Night modern day retelling set in high school following a girl who is known for being the unlikable Vice President and the school's star running back/Student Body president who find themselves bonding over a online game... but under different identities. Viola Reyes is known as a "bitch", she isn't everyone's cup of tea and most people dislike her. She is the vice president for the student body and is tired of having to do all the work of the President who just doesnt seem to care at all. The only real comfort Viola has is the online game, Twelfth Knight, in which she can be herself albeit by taking up a guy character and being treated with respect and understanding... something she doesn't get in her regular life. Jack Orsino is the star running back for the football team and the Student Body President. He's charming, popular and likable... except he gets into an accident and gets a football injury which leads him to begin playing in the world of Twelfth Knight. Jack's life is turned upside down when he is injured as his girlfriend dumped him, his football team doesn't seem to need him, and now he's trying to figure out what he's going to do next if he doesn't have football. Jack begins to befriend another player in Twelfth Knight while also striking a deal with Vi, if she helps him get his ex-gf back by talking to her, he'll do his duties and take over the dance duties he was mean to but she was made to do. The more time they spend together the more they begin to fall for each other... yet Viola is hiding the fact that she has become Jack's friend on Twelfth Knight and she's afraid that if she reveals the truth he'll hate her. I was initially super excited for this, as a huge fan of the classic Shakespeare story and a lover of modern adaptations, this was giving me "She's the Man" vibes and I couldn't wait. I liked Viola and honestly her friendship with Olivia was the real shining aspect of the book for me. They were so sweet together and I really had hopes this could have been a sapphic romance but I also appreciate the female friendship. Jack on the other hand... he's alright. He just didn't feel like he had a lot of character and his relationship with Vi was meh at best for me. I wanted to like this book but it felt a bit too long and it felt I just didn't see the romance or chemistry between Vi and Jack. Overall, if you'd like to read a modern spin on Twelfth Night, I'd say give it a go anyways because it's a unique twist on the classic story.

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Tor publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book. I was drawn in by the cute cover art and I figured I was probably going to love this book when I read the description (I was right). I had alot of trouble putting the book down, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it.

I fell in love with Viola pretty much immediatley. There's a part in the book where Jack calls her "a marshmallow with spikes," and I honestly can't think of a better description for her. She built all these walls to protect herself, but she just wants people to like her for her, and I find that really relatable. Every time she called herself a bitch and talked about how people don't like her, I wanted to hug her. I'm glad that the book had a happy ending, and I love Jack for reassuring her that even though he was mad at her he didn't hate her.

Some other things I loved: I love that Jack seemed to fall for Viola first. I love that Olivia and Viola became really good friends. I love that Viola got to be QuestMaster and use her story with a group of people that are actually interested. I also LOVE that the book was told from both Viola and Jack's perspectives.

I would definetly recommend this book, and I can see myself reading it again in the future.

Was this review helpful?

Personally, I didn’t think Vi was the most likable character at first. But that’s kind of the point, you know? She’s aware she’s different than most people around her—and not in a “she’s not like other girls” way—and she loves her passions. She’s also deeply lonely and seeking escape in fandom (Alexa play I HATE IT HERE by Taylor Swift). Who can’t relate to that? Farol Follmuth once again was able to write a coming of age story that truly felt like the character themselves and the reader explored new thoughts and feelings and truths on every page. You could truly watch Vi develop, learn and explore and face realities she was afraid of before.
Jack is faced with losing everything he thought was his future-his sport career, his friend group, his girlfriend. And once again, this guy finds an escape in fandom and learning new things about fictional world and himself all at once. I loved looking deeper into his character and all the futures he could eventually picture for himself.
Vi and Jack were a great slow burn. Some very quotable moments once these two realizes they actually liked each other. (Alexa play So High School).
I also very much liked the side characters!
The conflict felt a little late, but considering how these characters developed not even rushed.
I can’t wait for the next novel by this author!

Was this review helpful?

Twelfth Knight is an homage to the 2000s’ Shakespeare retelling movies, keeping the rom-com camp and familiarity of story but updating the world to be more reflective of real life. Vi Reyes, Jack Orsino, and the rest of the students in Messaline High were unapologetically queer, brown, and infused with modern sensibilities and concerns, which informed and added depth to their character arcs while still being rooted in the (cishet and white, yes, but no less profoundly/relatably human) Shakespeare source material. Not that adding representation of other sexualities/races/etc has to “have a reason behind it” (is it not reason enough that our world is diverse?) but Follmuth’s cast of characters all make more sense and are enriched by their backgrounds being taken into account when looking at them. Viola’s identity as a woman of color in nerd spaces informed so much of how prickly she is outwardly and how deeply aware she is of the myriad micro-aggressions coming her way, and Jack’s “don’t get mad where people can see” lifestyle is so much more meaningful when you consider that he is a Black boy. It’s a personal boon for me, but Vi’s femme-person-in-nerd-spaces (and I’m general) woes hit very close to home. Her anger and hurt read very realistically, and anger/who is allowed to feel it was a throughline I thoroughly enjoyed exploring in this story.
The characterization of all the primary and secondary characters was pretty top notch. God, its so refreshing that Olivia is nice and smart actually. It’s such a tired and (in my experience) untrue stereotype that The Cheerleader/Pretty Girl is a bitch and dumb and etc. She’s quite sweet and despite knowing Shakespeare’s version of this story I even believed that she and Vi could end up Having A Thing (they bantered just as naturally as V and J! Especially when she and V were making her ConQuest character sheet! Alas, I am no stranger to non-canon ships). And the complexity of Antonia and Viola’s relationship hit me in the heart as well. It’s very emblematic of how teenage girl friendships can go.
Overall this was a very teenage story: the texts actually read like teenager texts, the idea that communication would be harder than keeping up a catfishing ruse feels like very pre-frontal-lobe-development thinking, and the slow build of emotions that just overflow between Vi and Jack were such a delight. The book reads fast, and hits all the important beats of two separate coming of age stories that twine together into a really sweet, healthy romance.
I think Follmuth’s use of multiple POVs was a great way to transition from play to book, using the novel form to allow for a greater internality of characters and allowing her to make them her own/put her own twist on things. It also allowed for easier differentiation between characters. If I stopped reading in the middle of a section and forgot whose POV I was in, I could figure it out within a sentence or so very early on. Both Jack and Vi are powerhouses. The love and passion that each has for their respective hobby (and later, their shared ones) is great, and described in enough detail that a reader unfamiliar with them can still follow what’s going on. I am not a Football Person, but I cared about it when in Jack’s POV because his passion carried over. This capacity for deep feeling translates to their feelings about one another, too (because jocks and nerds really are two sides of the same coin); when they hate each other, it’s vitriolic, and when those feelings begin to shift… well. It’s very sweet. I rooted for them the whole way through (even if Vilivia still holds my heart).
In terms of some stylistic choices, I thought the climax-to-resolution pipeline was a little fast. It was in keeping with 2000s Shakespeare rom coms, and I’m satisfied with the overall ending, but for me personally, that sort of speedy resolution works better in film than in print. Similarly, I wasn’t big on the parenthetical asides to the reader, though they are in keeping with fourth-wall breaking in Shakespeare plays.
The nits I’m picking really are tiny, though, because there’s very little to critique in this book. Twelfth Knight does exactly what it sets out to do, and in a satisfying way. It’s lighthearted without sacrificing emotional depth, romantic while also satisfying individual character arcs, and an absolute love letter to people who love things passionately. I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s ever felt like a geek about something (but especially Shakespeare, sports, or nerd culture) and lovers of films a la She’s All That.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book so flipping much!

It was cute, it was fun, and it was extremely nostalgic, but at the same time it was profound and changed my life. On the outside this is a cute fluffy teen romance book, but it is so much more than that. The themes of feminism that I have loved from Alexene from the very first book I read of hers is very present and delves into girls in the world of video games and LARPGs while using a fun Shakesperean comedy (That I personally only know from adaptations, cough cough, She's the man, cough cough).

Viola is what many people would call a, rhymes with witch. She is closed off, doesn't make friends easily, and is a high school perfectionist that is annoyed by her peers. She enjoys escaping the realities of life by escaping into an online videogame where she can pretend to be someone else, in particular a beloved male character from her favorite fantasy tv show.

Jake is the star running back of his high school football team, the coaches son, is dating the perfect high school cheerleader, and already has a lock on a full ride to the school of his dreams. His life is perfect until a season ending injury on the field. His girlfriend starts pulling away and he life seems to be falling apart at the seams. He decides he needs help with his girlfriend, so he turns to his vice president of the student council, Viola (Obviously he is the president since that's a popularity position) to strike a deal. He is going to be a more hands on president, and she is going to get information on why his girlfriend is suddenly pulling away from him.

I loved everything about this book! I loved the characters (Yes, even the unlikable ones), the pacing, the fun take on a traditional ale, and the writing style. I only wish that teenage me would have had this book to read when I was younger because I would have learned a lot from it.

Was this review helpful?

Give me a Shakespeare retelling and I will gladly read it. This book did not disappoint. I loved everything about this book, it referenced Twelfth Night without being too overbearing and incorporated the gaming aspects perfectly. I loved how we got to see inside the heads of both of our main characters instead of just following one point of view.

Was this review helpful?

This is an adorable teen romcom that is a shakespeare retelling. The author has done a great job with character development. Viola and Jack are enemies at school but best friends online who have been gaming together. This is a cute concept that isn't overly original which is to be expected with a retelling but the characters were well developed and overall an enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Twelfth Knight is a YA retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. It features Viola, a competent but kind of abrasive senior and Jack (sometimes Duke) Orisino, a star football player. When Jack is injured, he starts playing a MMORPG, one Viola absolutely adores and spends all her free time on. They begin to interact more in real life and online, where all the Twelfth Night triangles and schemes and pretending to be someone else roll out amazingly well.

I have to be completely honest: I read Twelfth Night once in uni and never revisited it. However, I do a yearly rewatch of She’s the Man and this retelling had big shoes to fill to meet She’s the Man level of acclaim. I’m happy to say that it came close.

I really loved the YA beats of high school drama interspersed with expecting 17 year olds to make life altering choices for their futures with the absolutely zero brain cells they have. I liked Viola’s confidence that others read as shrew-like or bitchy. At times, I did wish she showed others a tiny bit of grace - especially with her friend. However, she grew as a character and I really liked the resolution of that. I liked the Olivia “twist” and I really enjoyed Jack. Jack was delightful and kind and just the best YA boyfriend. Do these 17 year olds exist?

Overall, a really fabulous read that came close to Amanda Bynes perfection. If you are a fan of She’s the Man but with a 10 Things I Hate About You type of heroine, this is your book.

Was this review helpful?