*Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for approving me for an ARC!*

This was my introduction to this particular author and I have to say I understand the hype completely!

I loved the character dynamic between Vi and Jack. Vi is a nerdy feminist badass and Jack is a genuine sporty good guy.

Both of their character developments were sooo special to see and honestly this book ended perfectly for me.

One of the things I loved most about this book was how true it is to being a female presenting person in fandom spaces. Often women/non-binary people are questioned and sneered out in spaces that should be safe and the book captures that so honestly.

I really would love another book from Olivia’s POV. I absolutely loved her character and was so glad to see the friendship form between her and Vi.

5/5 ⭐️

This book currently holds the place of my favorite read of the year, and honestly it is going to be tough to beat. I was so swept away by this story, finding the concept and the story and the characters to be so interesting and relatable (to me anyway–I love geeky protagonists).

First off…this is a Shakespeare reimagining. If you haven’t read “Twelfth Night,” you’ll still be able to follow, but it does follow the general story line of the play. If you haven’t read the Shakespeare, then if you’ve seen the movie “She’s The Man,” then you’ll still know the basic story overview.

Where this adaptation really gets me is all the inclusion of tabletop gaming and online gaming. So TTRPGs similar to D&D play a part in this story, but the main gaming inclusion is MMORPGs (the online game included in this story is based on Arthurian legend, which is also very cool).

Viola is such a relatable character for me. Seriously, I understood her viewpoint when it came to opinions on TTRPG gameplay and character decisions and…it actually hurt because it so resembled actual scenarios I have been through in previous gaming parties.

Jack and Viola and Olivia and Sebastian and…well, all of the characters felt so real and distinct, and I DID NOT want to stop reading about them, even with all their complicated teen drama as they go through so many staples of the end of high school and planning for what comes after.

I’ll also be completely honest: I have not been in as much of a YA mood lately. While there are still some YA releases that still sound rather intriguing to me, and that I really do want to read, for the most part, I’m migrating more to just adult fantasy reads. But, when I do still pick up YA, I never lower books for the supposed immaturity of characters…because the characters are teens; they aren’t meant to be mature, reasonable, rational, whatever adults. I expect them to be balls of emotion and hormones and drama.

I also realize that I am not the target audience. I am a 35 year old woman, so these books are meant for someone half my age…but since YA was still a newer section in bookstores and libraries when I was that age, I can still remember wanting books targeted for that audience, and I can allow my inner teen out to indulge in these stories that I wish I had back then.

I could seriously gush about this book for such a long time. I absolutely LOVED it, and I absolutely cannot wait to have a finished copy on my shelves. Honestly, I might actually end up reading it again when my hardcover arrives.

I can’t believe this is my first Alexene Farol Follmuth/Olivie Blake book. I own several Olivie Blake books but I haven’t read them yet. I need to move them up on my TBR, for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book? That comes out on Tuesday? ROMCOM PERFECTION. CHEF’S KISS. Obsessed is an understatement, and no, I will not back down from these sentiments!! If you love 2000s Shakespeare retelling romcoms like me, this book was made for us, bestie!!!! Follmuth truly delivered and gave us this wonderful book to start out the summer.

The banter? Hilarious, charming, and made me laugh out loud throughout the book. The romance? A slow burn of two complete opposite people—Vi being a grumpy gamer, and Jack being a sunshine football star. When Jack gets a knee injury that takes him out for the football season, he begins to play Twelfth Knight and befriends a peer who he is told is Bash, Vi’s extroverted theater brother, but in reality, it’s Vi who plays as a male character. While Jack begins to take his role more seriously as president of the student body with more responsibility, Vi agrees to help him figure out what’s going on with his girlfriend who keeps dodging his questions. He is the bane of her existence, people!!!!! NEED I SAY MORE?

As they spend more time together, they begin to realize, much to Vi’s dismay, that they make a good team that can maybe lead to something more?… They both slowly reveal to each other who they are and begin to have real, genuine feelings for each other. I love how they handled the “third act breakup,” and what Jack says 😭😭😭 I don’t have it in my quotes on this post, because you really need to experience that moment for yourselves. Everything that came out of their mouths??? I was in 100000%.

And the relationships in this book — with Bash, Olivia, Vi’s mom, Antonia, etc — I loved it all so much. There is such an important theme of realizing that it’s okay to have moments of joy and find people who make you believe in yourself and love you for you.

I could not look away. If this became a movie I would EAT IT UP. I would have a movie ticket preordered SO FAST.

It was an HONOR to read this ARC, and I highly recommend it!!

CW: misogyny, sexism

Vi is the single most insufferable FMC I’ve ever had the disservice of reading. I couldn’t even make it five chapters without hating everything about her and DNFing. Thanks for the free copy, NetGalley, but SHE was NOT for me. The writing was solid though, if only the lead female was different.

♡𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 &| 𝐞𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰♡
4.5 🌟
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O.M.G, this was a super cute quick read! I don't really have a lot to say about this book, but to just read it. I literally started and finished in one day.
A book with chapter name is a major plus in my eyes! Love, love, love a book with chapter names, and guess what? This book has chapter names.
The narrators did a great job bringing this story to life.
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𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 :
•ya romance
•football vs. PC player
•coming of age
♡𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 May.28
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Thank you, Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group for the (eArc)-eBook, and MacmillanAudio for the (ALC)-audiobook for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I haven’t read any of Alexene’s books under her pen name or her real name so I was interested to see how her writing was. This book was cute and I’ve been reading a lot of adaptions lately I’ve noticed. The writing was a little juvenile at times but that isn’t bad for YA books at all. It was very fast paced as well. One of the things I didn’t really like was how everyone reacted to Vi. I’m glad that in the end it shows that she’s just being herself and not really a bitch, I still felt at the end a little like Antonia was treating her like she was in the wrong for how she acts around people. Don’t know if I’m the only one who felt that. All in all, this is a cute book that’s pretty much a shot for shot Twelfth Night retelling. I enjoyed the story and will read more from the author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.

I love Olivie as an adult author and while I have yet to read her first YA novel, THIS ONE WAS INCREDIBLE. First off, I love anything that is a rendition of a Shakespeare play so this was right up my alley, secondly the banter was phenomenal. Viola and her twin Sebastian were hilarious. I always hate when siblings don't sound like actual siblings but with these two it was so believable. They were hilarious together and I loved how they complimented each other and loved one another. I could tell how loyal they were to one another, even when they were angry and it was really cute.

I also, obviously, really loved Jack and Viola together. They came together in a very unexpected way by meeting through a video game. I liked how they talked to each other in person too though. Vi always had the best comebacks and Jack was so kind, almost to a fault. I could really see how they were falling for one another too without meaning to.

Another unexpected pairing I loved was Olivia and Vi! Their budding friendship felt so real and genuine. They were really able to show up for one another and be honest together even though they barely knew each other. I think both of them needed a friend like the other and they came together at the perfect time! I was so glad when their friendship was solidified by their honesty and not thrown away because of it. I was honestly scared that it might be.

Overall this book was hilarious and fun and an all around amazing read. I'm definitely planning on buying a physical copy of it!

I’m not gonna lie, this wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m not really into fantasy games or worlds. So, it’s not really personal. I still enjoyed it. I really wanted to read Alexene’s next YA bcs the first one (My Mechanical Romance) had a Filipina heroine and I loved it. I love any Filipino rep in romance books when done right. So I was excited to read this one as well because it also had a Filipina heroine. I wished it had more though. We only really got a glimpes of Viola’s home/family life. But at least it wasn’t overdone. Jack and Vi’s character development was well done. It was frustrating at times but I understand. Being a teenager and all, it’s a lot. Enemies to lovers? Yah this one was good as well. It was endearing and exciting to watch Vi and Jack fall for each other.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this book! I loved the characters and how this author fleshed out her characters. I loved how stubborn the MC was and how the MMC wasn’t the usual dumb jock but a sweet guy on a very admirable mission. The connection between the two was sweet and done well. I was just a fan of this book and would tell every one to check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This book has huge rom-com vibes and was an unexpected delight! The banter and pacing were great, and I never felt bored. There is so much character growth and I'm very excited for the teens who get to read this book. Will definitely be recommending to other readers!

Wow! First thank you so much to TorTeen and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy ebook of Twelfth Knight. I thought I would like it and I was wrong. I LOVED it. If you like (or for love/obsess over) 10 Things I Hate About You than you will love this book too.

I of course loved Vi and Jack and the overall romance, but it was so much more than that. As a woman I often felt what Vi was feeling on a visceral level. It is true that many of us do hide under a tough shell to protect ourselves in this world. I love relating to another female gamer and nerd who dresses up for cons. For the first two chapters I liked it but by the time I hit 3 I was hooked. I read it in my phone or on my tablet every second I got.

Other reasons you should read this book:
I also am a huge nerd but never got into DnD - and I still loved everything about the book and ConQuest. So do not let that deter you!
I think this book was way better than the Atlas series, if that were to deter you.
I don’t really read YA romance and I loved this book.

[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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.