First off, before I even start the review, I must say that the cover is so fun and cozy. The chickens definitely made the story just a little better.

Wren Martin Ruins It All had me hooked from the first line. I laughed all the way through this book. It was such a heartwarming, amusing, and very true to the high school/queer kid experience.

Wren was a chaotic mess, but that’s what made his story so fun. I enjoyed reading the story through his narrations, even if they were a bit cheesy at times. There was also a bit of second-hand embarrassment that comes along with the sitcom style of storytelling.

Leo was so sweet, which is funny because in the beginning, Wren was giving a whole list of reasons why he doesn’t like Leo. I don’t normally like rivals or enemies to lovers outside of fantasy books. Their rivalry didn’t last long. In the end, they had wonderful chemistry throughout the book.

The asexual representation was beautiful and made me incredibly happy. I appreciate the fact that he’s asexual and just existing; it's just part of who he is.

Wren and Leo’s relationship was so sweet and true. They weren’t without their flaws, but that’s what makes their relationship feel so real.

I would recommend it to anyone who wants ace rep, a fun queer read, or if you liked Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Something I must say is that Amanda DeWitt knows how to still add some sense of humour and irony into a story. It is something I loved with Aces Wild and now with Wren Ruins It All, you get a total different story and setting but you still get this sense that it is DeWitt’s writing. I absolutely love it! And look forward to add this book to my physical shelf.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review – thanks!

I have not read DeWitt’s debut, as I am not usually drawn to heist novels, but I think after reading Wren Martin I am more interested in picking it up. Her writing style is so easy to fall into and the characterization in this book was just really well done. I couldn’t put this book down! And I definitely will be recommending it time and time again.

One thing about this book is that the “twist” is glaringly obvious to the reader from the beginning. But, somehow, DeWitt makes it still be such an important and endearing moment. I didn’t mind knowing one bit, even if it made some of the choices the characters make more frustrating.

Moving on from that, the narrative choices in this book really did keep the plot moving forward even though it takes place over more than half of the school year. I liked Wren’s quippy way of recapping what is going on, as it really does suit his character to glide past things that aren’t necessarily important to the reader (or even to him). It really doesn’t waste any time on trivial plot points that don’t add to the story, which I can really appreciate.

Wren and Ryan’s friendship is definitely one of my favourite things about this book. I loved the easy way that they just *know* one another so well, and its shown so well. I just think they are the cutest, and I hope that somewhere out there, some one will make some cute fan art of them because they deserve it <3.

It’s hard to review this book without talking about the obvious, which would be Leo Reyes. While we do not get his POV in this book, I think that Wren does a good job at building up what we know about him. There is a lot of growth from his character, and the balance between the pair of them is really well written.

I really do not want to spoil too much of this book, so I will leave my review here with the desperate plea that you pick up this book and read it! You will not regret it.

Wren Martin Ruins It All released November 7th, 2023

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
I loved Wren Martin Ruins It All by Amanda DeWitt so much, and it's definitely going to end up in my top 5 reads of the year! Wren was a fascinating and dynamic character and I loved him from page 1 and he was so funny. As a member of the ace community, I found the asexual rep to be great and incredibly relatable! I loved the whole student council group and Ryan was the best friend. And while I enjoyed Wren's character so, so, so much, Leo may have been my favorite character in the book. He was so sweet and honestly a cinnamon roll. I really liked how the book managed to be heartfelt, chaotic (in a good way), and hilarious! I gave this 4.7 stars out of 5.

Wren Martin is determined to make changes during his last year at Rapture High, including fixing the hole in the stage floor and, most importantly, abolishing the Valentine’s Day dance. Nothing goes quite as he plans, though. Wren works closely with seemingly-perfect Leo Reyes, a classmate he has sworn as his enemy since 7th grade, and he updates his list of reasons why he hates Leo. Working together on student council means they spend more time together, though, and with time can come understanding. Wren also develops a secret appreciation for Buddy, the app he swore was stupid and he would never use. In fact, he realizes he has a crush on his match in Buddy, someone he has nicknamed “Buddy Boy.” Wren thought he had his senior year planned out, but suddenly his life is filled with drama. Wren Martin Ruins It All is a fun-filled read about friendship, love, grief, and growth.

DeWitt masterfully crafts the first person narrative. Jack Shannon was a delight in Aces Wild, and Wren Martin captures our attention and our hearts from the first page. We can quickly see past Wren’s stubborn, grumpy facade and discover a thoughtful, humorous individual who is grieving. With the help of the student council advisor’s thoughtful questions, he comes to understand the ways in which his grief over the loss of his mom is intertwined with this post-high school plans. He takes steps towards healing, and he also able to connect with and help a friend. Wren’s voice is raw, honest, and funny. He reflects on his understanding over the course of the narrative and he speaks directly to the reader at points, sometimes acknowledging his own shortcomings, and sometimes acknowledging the details he knows we want to hear. We can see how the pieces fit together long before Wren can, but it is a joy to watch the story unfold.

One of the most powerful aspects of DeWitt’s novels alongside her craft is the extent to which they are inclusive and offer asexual representation. Not only are the novels themselves inclusive in terms of the representation, though, but her characters are developed to the extent that they process their own understanding and experience and recognize how each individual experience is truly unique.

In Aces Wild, for instance, we see how Gabe reflects on his own understanding of his asexuality and how he came to understand that everyone’s experience as an asexual is different.
Similarly, in Wren Martin Ruins it All, Wren reflects on what his identity as an asexual means to him. He considers how he has valued the term asexual and the fact that it “makes [him] feel like [he] belongs somewhere even when the rest of the world thinks [he’s] not quite right” (241). And, yet, he also recognizes that not everyone wants to label their identity. When Ryan shares her experience and lack of romantic attraction but says she “never needed a word for it, really,” Wren reflects that while for him, the term was helpful, “for some people it’s more comfortable opting out of having a box entirely.” When his crush on Buddy Boy leads him to understand that he is, in fact, romantic, he reflects that he “used to wonder if [he] was aromatic, too, if it went hand in hand with asexuality like some sort of two-for-one-special” (240). At other points, Wren reflects on his hesitation to even bother with dating for fear of rejection. He shares these concerns with Ryan and Buddy Boy and has to decide whether or not he will take a chance for someone to accept all of who he is. While the story is not about Wren being ace, DeWitt provides an authentic representation of an asexual experience, reflecting how aspects of our identity influence various parts of our lives. The conversation between Ryan and Wren highlights the distinction between romantic attraction and sexual attraction, and the fact that it is not always a “two-for-one-special,” as Wren notes. (Related ace side note: Love the inclusion of the cake variation!)

Read Wren Martin for the romance, the drama, the ace rep, because you love Aces Wild, or all of the above. It does not disappoint!

Thanks to NetGalley and Peach Tree Teen for an ARC of Wren Martin Ruins It All.

Happy release day! Let me tell you all you need to know about this book. Firstly, as a part of the community myself, we love to see the ‘A’ in LGBTQIA+ being represented! And so naturally might I add, like it wasn’t the main thing about him, it is simply what makes Wren, Wren. And as characters both Wren and Leo had so much depth and I found myself rooting for them. Usually ‘slow-burn’ isn’t for me, but GOD this was just so precious! Aside from the romance, there were also other interesting topics in the mix, like grief and how one navigates and tries to cope with it. Overall this was great, just my cup of tea.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with such a nice experience!

What a palate cleanser of a cute weird YA romance? Romcom? IT WAS REALLY FUNNY OKAY.

Wren Martin has basically written dating and romance out of his life because honestly, it's hard enough to navigate being a teen still grieving the loss of a parent using the age-old proven technique of "I don't talk about it", not to mention also being asexual! So when Student Council Presidency falls into his lap due to both the line of succession and some misdeeds of the former president there's one thing this low budget school is wholly and intently focused on that Wren hates: The Dance. Add in a vice president that's too tall/handsome/smart and nice despite Wren's desperate attempt to hold onto a years-long grudge and a new anonymous pen pal via the app that's all the rage we've got so many recipes for disaster. Especially as being asexual does not always mean that you're also aromantic...........

Wren is a grumpy gremlin and honestly I love him. He's got great dry humor (humor: not JUST a defense mechanism!) that's matched by anonymous chatbuddy "BB" and it's the sort of low stakes book (despite the cws: cancer/grief/loss/impeding loss) where you basically know what's going to happen but that's not a detriment at all, it has you quickly going to the next page to find out how and when the expected things are going to happen.

Just a great quick read with cute banter not just between the main pair but between the friends and the other members of the student council too. I very much enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley and PeachTree Teen for the eARC in exchange for review!

Wren Martin Ruins It All is full of heart and wit. I absolutely flew through this book and was constantly thinking about it when I wasn't reading.

I enjoyed the conversational style of the writing, it was so charming and made me love Wren immediately. The characters in this story were all unique and loveable in different ways. I adored the banter between Wren and Leo, as well as Wren with Ryan.

Books with asexual representation are still somewhat rare, so it was lovely to read a YA story with that present. Wren learning to be vulnerable with others and take risks was so heartwarming.

I definitely recommend this book for a funny, sweet queer YA read!

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for an early copy of this title. All thoughts are my own.

3.5★

This was freaking cute. Super slow burn, lots of awkwardness of age 17, coming of age with real struggles, self discovery journey.

Wren is dealing with the pain of growing up, he is in senior year of high school, trying to find his place in there, passionate about making his school a better place, trying to find his place in world and the rest of his life, he is also grieving, trying to navigate his relationship with his dad and grief, he is also navigating through his sexuality, afraid his asexuality will affect his romantic relationships. He has unresolved feelings towards Leo, which he thinks he only hates.

Leo, on the other hand, is a more popular, taller, good looking, seemingly, happily and easily acquiring what he wants in life. But he has his own battles in life, which we discover along with Wren and changes the perception of him.

They are forced to work together in student council, which leads to a lot of awkward moments, and an awkward friendship and lots of insight on both Leo and Wren’s lives. I loved how slowly their friendship grew and evolved. I also loved their interactions because they were genuine.

I liked the writing style most, Wren’s lists for everything were super cute, but most importantly, dialogues, events and characters were written age-appropriate, without being cringy or forced. The communication between students, and how they reacted, yes sometimes they are silly but they are 17 so they have to be but even in those times, it felt genuine.
I liked Wren’s quirky brain a lot, he was stubborn and biased a lot of times but one by one those biases were demolished, it was really nice to watch his growth.
I liked the cat!

There were a few things I wished different though;
The supposedly biggest plot twist around Buddy app was pretty predictable, very early on. I wished that mystery was handled more mysteriously.
The slow burn was so slow, some events seemed a bit dragged, I wished we had seen more of their relationship at least how they interacted as a couple a little.
The ending felt a bit rushed, or short. Because when they finally made peace and revealed all their secrets and came together, it just ended. Obviously on a happy note which was nice but also a bit loose. I wished we got a more elaborate epilogue or more solid end.

Overall, it was fun and cute read, I enjoyed a lot, smiled throughout the book because Wren is irresistible.

Thank you NetGalley and Amanda Dewitt for the ARC.

I loved every moment of this book, and it's by far one of my favorite reads of the year. It is so witty and wholesome in a way that also feels real and natural. The characters in the book were lovably imperfect teenagers trying to navigate their identities and growing up, and it reminded me so much of how it actually felt to be in high school.
I loved every character in this book, and I was rooting for Leo and Wren from the very beginning. Their dynamic together was amazing, and both characters were compelling on their own. There were so many moments where I just wanted to be able to give them a hug before I remembered they're not real.
I can't even begin to describe how well done the character development is in this book, and this goes for the main duo as well as the side characters. These characters are really everything YA characters should be.
Anonymously falling in love with someone has been one of my favorite tropes since A Cinderella Story, and this story brings a new twist to this as queer characters try to navigate this online world as well. The texting mixed with the real-life interactions make the relationship one to root for and fall in love with.
Finally, I think this is the first book I've read with either ace or aro representation, and this had both! This representation was handled so well and addressed the insecurities associated with ace/aro identities. again, in a way that was so realistic.
This book felt like a warm hug, and I could've read more and more of it.

“It feels like an asterisk after my name, or a warning label on the back of my head”

“I don't want someone to look at me and tell me my sexuality is a deal breaker. I don't want to be pressured or to be a disappointment. I want to be Wren and I want that to be enough, and that's not going to happen.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Title: Wren Martin ruins it all
Author: Amanda Dewitt
Pages: 400
Genre: Young adult

⚠️TW: cancer, grief and loss depiction, death of a parent.

Thanks to NetGalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink for this ARC in exchange of a honest review.

Honestly, the moment I saw that this story had asexual representation, I said I HAVE TO READ IT. And I’m pretty glad I requested it because I had such a good time reading it.

🐓At first I was annoyed of Wren, but once I started knowing his personality, his fears and thoughts, I could comprehend him better and start loving him. I enjoyed his narration; it made me unable to put the book down for a long time.

🐓Leo is such a cute and wholesome character. I could not love him more. I literally just wanted to hug him every time he appeared in the book.

🐓The parts that I love the most were the conversations between Wren and Buddy boy, they had such a good chemistry since the beginning. I wish we could have had more of those 🥺 And even though it was obvious who the identity of Buddy boy was, it didn't stop me from enjoying the process of the story.

🐓The asexual representation was so natural, and that made me really happy. Wren portrays exactly how it feels to be asexual in our current society.

🐓 I would have liked the other characters to be more developed, because I felt that everything revolved only around our protagonists. However, I really liked the dynamic between Ryan and Wren, and how protective Maggie was with Leo, she’s a really good friend.

🐓 And finally, I really liked how Wren and Leo got closer, all their little moments together were super cute (i was always screaming with excitement) and the two complement each other in a singular way. Likewise, Wren could understand Leo in the situation he was in, which opened his eyes to the fact that we all have problems, no matter how perfect we look on the outside.

Wren Martin Ruins It All is an adorable rivals-to-lovers high school romance. Wren becomes student council president by accident, he hopes to get the big school Valentine's dance canceled because of the overhyped heteronormativity and the large budget. When his fellow student council member Leo gets the dance sponsored by Buddy, an app that connects people with anonymous friends that Wren thinks is dumb, they must work together to make the dance a success. I loved that this book features an asexual-homoromantic MC working out his own happy ending. If you want a charming rom-com full of flawed but sweet characters, give this one a read.

This is a sweet YA book about an asexual teen and his friend/not friend at school. I don’t want to spoil anything but the story involves an app called Buddy. The teens use the app to rethink school dances so they are more inclusive. Recommend.

This book was incredible. I cried, I laughed, I squealed. I adore every single character and I want nothing but the best for them.
The romance in this was so goddamn cute. It was wholesome and lovely and also very real. There's a lot of discussion in this book about how to love someone is to love ALL of them, and it was just so sweet and lovely.
I adore Wren Martin. He is flawed and injured and so so loveable. He is such a real feeling character, and I thought he was so relatable (even if it's been a while since I was in high school and I have never been a boy in high school).
As with her last book, Amanda does such excellent Ace rep. It's both an important part of the character and the discussion, but also so much else is going on. Wren has so many other traits besides his sexuality, but it's still a big part of who he is. It's just such good rep, that really makes you feel SEEN when you read it.
And the side characters!!! Leo is great, Ryan is a menace and I love her, Maggie is mean and I love her for it, and Arthur is so stupid and I want to protect him at all costs. Even Ms. Little is so loveable. It's just such a stellar cast of characters.
And I love the plot of an unnecessarily extravagant school dance, and how the plot it isn't really about that so much as it's about learning to live life no matter how much it may hurt some times. The parts in here about grief were so real and human. This is truly an exploration of what it means to keep living when it seems impossible. Life it scary, losing people is scary, but life can also be beautiful, loving people is beautiful.
This book has so much heart, but it is also insanely funny. I don't know how she does it, but Amanda seems to have some portal into my brain because she writes in my EXACT kind of humour. I was laughing so hard the entire time. It's just written in a way that scratches my brain perfectly.
Anyway I love this with my whole heart, just like I loved Amanda's debut author. She has my buying loyalty forever.

Abruptly elevated to student council president, Wren is prepared to commit social suicide by canceling the school dance that sucks up all the funding each year and using the money for vital infrastructure work instead. When his disgustingly handsome vice president/nemesis Leo suggests asking the not-dating app Buddy for a sponsorship, he can't think of a way to reject it. Then he downloads Buddy and finds himself clicking with an anonymous new friend. As a committed asexual, this causes him some Feels. Also, he has to plan an awesome, inclusive masquerade alongside Leo. The twist is telegraphed a mile away, but it's still super sweet.

thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book

loving a book you had high expectations for is always amazing but loving a book who has ace rep and that you had high expectations for is THE best feeling ever.
This book was funny and heartwhelming. The ace rep is impeccable, I felt so seen by this book and by Wren. It menages to show perfectly how experiencing romance can be scary for an ace person, especially when you're fine on your own and how on the other hand we can be such hopeless romantics deserving of a good partner and an happy love story.

This book filled me with so much ace joy with how many times the word asexual was used, with the amazing friendship beetween Wren and Ryan, with the cupcakes, with the implication that we can have crushes for people we have never seen but just interacted with (my allo friends never understood me) and the final chapter!!! omg i won't spoil but i could make an essay on just how much i liked it and i loved Wren behaviour!

i feel quite obsessed with this book i can't wait to have a physical copy because i really need it

Wren Martin Ruins It All l is a funny and sweet YA novel that’s perfect for fans of books like Loveless by Alice Oseman.
This book had me chuckling one minute and “awwing” out loud the next. I really loved the main character’s voice and was hooked from beginning to end. If you are in the mood for a quippy and entertaining novel, then definitely check out Wren Martin Ruins It All.

This years ya books have blown me out of the water. I went into Wren hopeful this would be another grand slam and I was not disappointed. From the first ten pages I knew this was gonna change my life. My psyche was changed in ways I don’t wanna unpack.

The pacing, the storyline, the characters and the cat were perfect. I genuinely have no complaints. I felt like wren was me written in a different font and I am two seconds away from getting chickens just to sit with them and contemplate life. It’s a new life goal.

The banter and humor were so delectable that it hit me even harder when illness and grief were brought up. I was laughing then suddenly crying and having no idea what just happened to me. The only thing I would’ve liked was more from wren and his dad but honestly I feel like their relationship was done in a way that it’s not a big deal we didn’t get more from them (I will take a second book just saying). Also, wren repressing his emotions made me wanna look at the wall and make eye contact with no one.

Overall, this made my top tier list of this year and I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this book so I can sit in a dark corner and weep without a glowing screen showing my vulnerability.

I received this ARC free from the publisher through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. It was young adult without feeling to young or cringe. And without falling into the "fellow kids" trap that can happen. The story was interesting and I enjoyed reading about the experiences of an asexual teen still wanting romance (despite how much he may deny it). And to see his friend realize her own sexuality was interesting as well.

Both Wren and Leo felt real and I loved seeing how they interacted in different way throughout the book. Really well done and a good read even for adults.

Wren Martin is now the student council president and his first order of business is to abolish the school dance. He feels the dance is too big of a drain on the school’s budget and he has strong feelings about the social connotations of the dance, especially because he’s asexual. With a strong narrative voice, this book brings you the story of an asexual high schooler struggling with personal issues and budding feelings for his student council vice president.

The Good:

✔️ I read this book in less than a day mainly because the narration is so strong and personable

✔️ I adore all the characters

✔️ The anonymous “dating” app is an interesting addition and I haven’t read anything like it

✔️ The asexual representation is immaculate, I could talk for days about how it made me feel but let me just say it’s *chef’s kiss*

✔️ THE CHICKENS

The Bad:

❌ The ending felt rushed

❌ I think the twist with Leo and Buddy at the end could have been foreshadowed better because we never see Leo actually coding, we’re only told that he’s on the robotics team

Amanda DeWitt out here giving me the asexual representation we all needed. The book doesn’t explain asexuality just as you wouldn’t bother explaining gay, lesbian, or bisexuality. Wren is just asexual, it’s who he is, and it’s a big part of the narrative. I could list out all the sections that I related to as an ace person, but I would end up listing the entire novel. No, seriously, I haven’t felt this seen in a novel in a very long time. Thank you, Amanda DeWitt.

I was seriously reading this book smiling and giggling the entire time. The only part that didn’t do it for me was the ending. The Dance itself was rushed and the Leo/Buddy reveal felt flat. I also wish we could have seen more of Wren and Leo’s relationship as a couple, but that’s just my personal preference.

That being said, absolutely five stars. I’m going to buy the paperback as soon as it comes out. Go read this book. Seriously.