Twelfth Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Release Date: June 18

“I just think maybe happiness isn’t crossing a finish line, or finally meeting the right person or getting the right job or finding the right life. It’s the little things. It’s the thing that happen to you while you’re wide awake and dreaming.”

• first, thank you to @netgalley @afarolfollmuth @torteen for the chance to review this arc 🤗 i wasn’t sure what i was going into but this was so, so good! this is a YA modern retelling of twelfth night by shakespeare- viola is a grumpy (somewhat nerdy) girl trying to make it through high school but butts heads with quite literally everyone - especially the infamous & popular jack “duke” orsino. in a whirlwind of events + an unfortunate injury, viola and jack are pushed to working together more often and even striking a deal that leads to a complicated web of lies involving a computer game, ex girlfriend, and school dance. (and so on) i loved so many of these characters and they were all very unique - the banter was hilarious and i couldn’t get enough.

• if you loved she’s the man, pick this up - obviously a different retelling with different variations of characters and storyline but i couldn’t help but smile seeing duke orsino’s name again 🥰

• i will DEFINITELY be picking up a physical copy of this in june and i can hardly wait - it also includes beautiful sprayed edges 🤭

🏷️: #twelfthknight #olivieblake #yaromance #yaromancebooks #netgalley

A love letter to all perpetually angry teenage nerds who really just want to be loved. As someone who spent many of her formative years escaping into fantasy worlds and completely immersed in fandoms as a means of shutting myself out from the real world, I completely understand Vi's jaded attitude towards everyone around her (even those she loved). Olivie Blake (aka Alexene Farol Follmuth) has an innate talent for constructing beautifully fleshed out characters that tug at your heart strings. Vi and Jack feel like real teenagers, in all their messy and chaotic glory. They say things they don't mean. They fumble and they mess up. And somehow all of these surface level flaws make their love story all the more raw and beautiful.

I LOVE Alexene's fanfiction written under the name olivieblake, though I have not read any of her adult novels. I was really excited to see this book and was delighted to get to read this. And it was great! Highly recommended!

I loved this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night! Viola is a hard-working high school senior, determined to be accepted for who she is. Jack (“Duke”) is the youngest son in a football family, sidelined by an injury in his final high school season. But most importantly, this is a book about opening yourself to being seen, with all its risks & rewards. Jack & Vi have excellent chemistry and the focus on their character development makes the end all the more rewarding.

Being familiar with the Shakespeare play made this so fun, but the book stands brilliantly on its own.

3.5 Stars! Thank you, to the publisher, for this eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion!

The story touches on young love, sexism, responsibility, and more all under the theme of fantasy/gaming. The novel is structured with alternating perspectives, between Viola and Jack the main characters. I really enjoy dual point of views because it gives the reader a nuanced understanding of the characters and adds some complexity. Not only did I enjoy the main characters, but I also grew fond of the supporting characters as well. I also appreciated the uniqueness of the storyline. The novel was also well-written.

My only critique is that the sheer number of characters introduced especially towards the beginning became a bit difficult to follow. I also did not like how some of the supporting characters treated the main characters but that’s just my own quirky opinion haha and I’m sure that might have been intentional.

I would definitely recommend it to those who enjoy rivals to lovers/grumpy-sunshine romance, teen romance, romance comedies, and fantasy.

ARC releasing 6/6. Retelling of Twelfth Night by Shakespeare. I've never read that play or know anything about it, outside of She's the Man which I used as my reference point. Although I did enjoy this quite a bit, most of the book was centered around a video game and a D&D type game. This lost me a smidge, but overall, the book was a quick, fun read.

This was such a cute grumpy/sunshine, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers YA retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night! Complex characters with great character development and so much fun and witty banter!

The story is told in dual POVs from Viola Reyes (“Vi”), the smart and geeky girl who is tired of not being taken seriously and comes across as a little… bitchy, and Jack Orsino (“Duke Orsino”), the star football player who has it all figured out and who has never had any problems with people not liking him. Except Vi, that is. But when an injury makes his football career uncertain and his girlfriend doesn’t seem to be interested in being his girlfriend anymore, he might not have a clue about life or himself after all.

It took a while for me to root for either of the MCs. Initially, Jack was just too selfish, cocky and immature, and Violet too bitter and mean. But once they started to play the Twelfth Knight game together (what a clever way to make the title part of the story btw!) and unknowingly share their thoughts and doubts with each other, they both found their way to my heart. Seeing Jack’s struggle and how he’s gradually getting feelings for Vi was so sweet and heartwarming. I also really appreciated how he did the right thing with Olivia and didn’t act on his feelings for Vi until that mess was sorted out. The way Vi interacted with others was truly frustrating at times, especially the way she treated her twin brother Bash, but when seeing things from her POV I nevertheless always understood her thoughts and how she wasn’t mean, just frank and afraid of getting hurt.

The miscommunication was a bit annoying at times, but it’s hard to complain about that aspect as it comes with the original Shakespearean story that the retelling is based on. Overall, the Shakespearean references to the original plot were really well carried out and the story was updated to modern times and gaming culture without losing its uniqueness.

All in all, this was a charming and heartwarming retelling, with a strong female lead, great side characters and a cute enemies-to-lovers romance!

3.75 ✩

First off, thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Twelfth Knight is YA romantic comedy and coming of age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in.

Summary: Viola is more than just annoyed; she's a force to be reckoned with. Her crafted tabletop game campaign was dismissed by her majority male group and her best friend believes she should try being more “likable.” And on top of that, she is VP to the school’s football star and the most lackadaisical student body president, Jack Orsino. To escape reality, Vi enters the fantasy world of the MMORPG Twelfth Knight. As the video gaming realm is not kind to girls like her, Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight.

Jack and Viola seem to be complete opposites, he is the golden retriever to Viola’s black cat energy. But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the gaming world of Twelfth Knight, long nights of game-play turn into an unlikely friendship between Jack & Vi. But, Vi has been hiding her true identity from Jack, and Jack might be falling for her offline.

This was such a fun read!!! Throughout the book, you feel as though you are in Twelfth Knight standing next to Vi and Jack playing the game with them. I am a huge fan of Olivie Blake, this was my first time reading a YA book by her and it definitely won’t be my last.

My thoughts:
At the beginning of the book, we are introduced to a lot of characters very quickly. I found this to be confusing, toward the middle of the book I kept forgetting which character was who. Although I am not a huge gamer, the story was easy to understand and follow along.

Viola is a complex character as she does not let anyone in. She is angry at the world and because she hides her emotions, others see her as being ‘the worst person ever.’ Her guarded exterior makes it difficult to connect with her character. Some of her actions are questionable, however, by the end of the book, we see a huge growth development in Viola as she starts to realize it is ok to let others in.

I adored Jack and Vi’s relationship. I thought they complimented each other well; Jack helped Vi understand it is ok to let your guard down and show your emotions while Vi taught Jack that there is more to life besides football.

“Don’t you understand how good you are at just, like, existing?”

What I loved:
- The topic of women in the gaming industry: It is heartbreaking how females are treated in the gaming industry and the author does a great job of breaking the stigma that gaming can only be a male sport.
- The dual perspectives; both characters are going through difficult times and it was nice to see how they handle their situations. It was also fun to watch Jack talk to Vi in the game while not realizing who she was.
- Olivia: as a side character, Olivia goes through a lot in the story. I found her character enjoyable and I think others will be able to relate her to almost more than Vi.
- The unique concept: the star football jock with the strong female gamer
- The diverse characters & Shakespearean references

Overall, if you are a gamer yourself, enjoy Shakespeare, or are just looking for a heartwarming and relatable read with some romance, add Twelfth Knight to your reading list!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*

I'm a sucker for Shakespeare and this romcom style YA Shakespeare retelling was just sweet and funny. I loved all the references and overall I just enjoyed myself reading it.

4 stars because it was just fun and I love Shakespeare

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me access to the E-arc.

I really enjoyed this arc. I loved that it surrounds video games, plays and academics. It’s a great nerdy and fun YA rom com. Viola is a strong main female character. She knows who she is and nothing can change that. But she finds herself mixed up in a couples issues. This YA novel deals with hard topics in a more light hearted way.

I highly recommend it!

I loved this so much! I loved the characters and the plot! With this book you get Grumpy x Sunshine, Enemies to Lovers, Slow burn, Banter

Thank you so much to Alexene Farol Follmuth and TOR Publishing Group for the eARC. This is my first book I've read by Alexene. Twelfth Knight was a bit different then I expected but it was a good different. It was a great, easy, and quick read. Definitely something ill be recommending to my fellow peers in my school.

I received a free digital review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for this honor!

True Shakespeare readers (and those who had a Shakespeare class last semester, like yours truly) know the plot of Twelfth Night: Twins Viola and Sebastian get separated on a ship wreck and assume the other twin is dead. Viola disguises herself under the name Cesario as a male servant to Duke Orsino, is sent to woo Lady Olivia on the Duke's behalf, and accidentally woos Olivia for herself. Whoops! Sebastian, on the other hand, makes a friend, Antonio, and I really can't remember what they do most of the play. I read Shakespeare's Twelfth Night about a month before reading Follmuth's version, and I like this modern version a lot better!

In Follmuth's story, Viola is a high school senior who loves an MMORPG, Twelfth Knight, and a tv show, War of Thorns. She is extremely feminist and plays under the name Cesario in Twelfth Knight so that she isn't targeted, or underestimated, by other players. She's the Vice President of Student Government and the President, Jack Orsino, is a football player that does not take his job of President seriously. His focus is on football, but that all comes to a halt one day when he takes a bad knee injury during a game. During his healing period, he joins Twelfth Knight and meets Cesario (who knows who Jack is), and the two team up to take on the final quest of the game.

There is a lot more to the plot, of course, but I'm not great at summaries, so that'll have to do for now. It will be really hard to review this without giving spoilers, but I'll try my best. Onto the review!

I really liked how Follmuth's book both fulfilled and subverted some of the main parts of Shakespeare's original play; Ms. Follmuth hit all of the right tropes and skipped all of the bad ones. Antonio was thrown out the window (thank goodness), the twins don't have a tragic part where they both think the other is dead (in fact, Sebastian, or "Bash" isn't a super big part of the story), and there's no giant, confusing reveal scene in which Olivia says, "Oh, well, I'm not gay, so I'll just marry the guy that looks extremely like the girl I fell for!" Um, ok, Olivia. Whatever.

I also liked how Vi and Jack expand each other's worldviews and help better each other. No more on that because spoilers. The romance itself, however, was cute and I did feel the chemistry between the two characters.

Honestly, I felt like this book was either missing something big or doing something wrong, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I won't take points off for that because that's just my feeling. It may have been perfectly fine, idk.

However, I didn't like how this book tried to be profound in parts, but just wasn't. Maybe I read it too fast, but all of the introspection didn't make much sense and was too much for me. And I'm constantly self-aware and introspective to the point of extremity. I know the author said in her Acknowledgements (which were super sweet, by the way!) that she wanted to focus on the characters, but sometimes I think it was too much of a focus on them. The book didn't have the right balance of internal characterization and plot, I think.

I'm also not a fan of how Jack sees Viola. He sees her in a good light, but her personality seems to really dim down. It seems that in the beginning she was angry and bossy all the time and those were her only character traits. Taking that away is good (I was an angry, bossy high school senior once, too), but you have to let her other traits shine through, which I guess was supposed to be her passion for things. I just didn't feel that at all. Through Jack's eyes, Viola seems a little dull and even hard to recognize as a character sometimes.

I also could not keep track of how they fell in love. I can point out exactly where in the book Jack stops hating Vi and starts liking her (yeah, not a fan of how he fell first. Viola fell first in the play and I kind of wish they kept that), but there is no lead-up. Why does Jack stop "hating" her? Does he see her passion for things- her internal self- and find himself opening up, too?

However, all this could just be me really, really dense and not getting it at all, whereas it may make perfect sense in everyone else's eyes. Just a disclaimer.

Overall, this was a really cute story! I loved the modernization of everything (having Mal/Volio be a creep was perfect, and I'm glad his whole scene of trying to impress Olivia with his clothes was scrapped in this version) and hearing about Vi and Jack's passions (ok, I actually hate football, lol).

I have read novels with the cosplay and gamer aspect but never in this way before. Both main characters were extremely refreshing. This was a very new and interesting combining of age teen story and I would recommend it to others. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC  in exchange for an honest review.

I've never felt more frustration and anger towards such a sweet teen romance because well, maybe this hit too close to home.

Video game world aside - very well written, full of details and conquests without being boring nor childish to the rest of the book -, this is the story of how Vi and Jake become better people at the bare age of 16 because they understand something that most people haven't yet understand and a older age: whatever it is, it's not the end of the world.
If you break your knee and you can't play football for the rest of your life, even if that was everything you've ever known, it's fine. If you're scared of letting people in because you know you're very sensitive, and other people love to say how much of a bitch you are only because you stand for yourself, it's fine.
What will happen will still happen, the glass should always be half full and all the other craps that help you see the good side of life.

But this is not why I'm complaining. On the contrary, I love a good happy ending, a critique of misogyny and a not-so-subtle bad comment on “GoT”’s finale.
See, while both Jake and Vi are very relatable in their way of approaching other people, when everyone silently agrees you're the villain in their life, they're not gonna ask for forgiveness afterwards insulting you nor they’ll try seeing your point of view.
I'm so mad at every single character for how they treated Vi, from Antonia to her own mother and brother, because not one of them, NOT ONE, ever sat with her and asked what had happened. Antonia dismissed her attitude with “Vi being Vi”, her brother waited for her to come to him when it was clear from the beginning that she was the one used to handling things on her own and not asking for help, her Mom reached her to always be true to herself and don't care about others expectations and then wonder why she doesn't stand other people bullshit.

Vi pushes people away because she knows it's common to hurt others, intentionally or unintentionally that is. I don't argue with her logic, I understand it and from experience, I can say that yes, sometimes is worth staying around and seeing what happens, but if the effort comes from only one person, she’ll soon realize her heart will become tired and she’ll shut down again, given time.
Also, none of them properly apologized to her.

Thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Alexene Farol Follmuth has the unique talent of making me absolutely enthralled by a book that I fully do not understand. Do I have any clue how the magic system in The Atlas Six works? No. Do I understand any of the robotics in My Mechanical Romance? Absolutely not. And do I have any idea what goes on in TTRPGs and MMORPGs (and also football)? Definite no, considering I had to google what an MMORPG is. (Technically, Pokémon Go is one!)

That all doesn’t stop me from loving everything that Alexene/Olivie writes; there’s something about the way she crafts characters and motivations and feelings that transcends the necessity to have any clue what’s happening in a particular scene. Twelfth Knight is a fantastic exercise in understanding the teenage experience, and I wished it wouldn’t end. My only question is whether Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night exists in the world of this book, because if it does … how on earth would the characters react to that?

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review!

When I first attempted to read this, I was not in the right headspace, so I did not finish. Recently, I decided to give "Twelfth Knight" a true chance and I am so glad I did. Most of these characters are not likeable at first. Bash and Olivia are the anomalies.

Viola grew on me fast once I had seen how everyone treated her. I began to grow a soft spot for her. Normally, labeled as b****, Vi turns out to be more than that. The people who assassinate her character are actually worse than her. She is honest majority of the times and often misunderstood. I found it refreshing that Vi did try to stand up for herself when need be. Maybe she needs a few lessons on how to soften the blow, but I understand.

Jack was most definitely getting on my nerves with him not taking care of his responsibilities while essentially forcing Vi to do so. However, he grew on me too. The character development of Viola & Jack was done well. Their romance was pretty sweet too. Also, I love the gaming aspects. Overall, this was a good solid book. I will be purchasing a copy once it has been released!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Teen for allowing me to read a eARC in exchange for an honest review. All the views and opinions expressed in this review are purely by own and not affiliated with any brand.

This was a fun book! I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the sports world and the nerd world! I have read books that focus on board games but nothing about RPG video games.. It was great to read the growth of both the main characters. And I always love a book that incorporates a Con in some fashion. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves an enemies to lovers troupe and who enjoys seeing two opposites attract.

Thank you to netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Teen for allowing me to read this book. I loved the gamer and cosplay aspect of the book. This was so cute I really enjoyed it.

I recently read into "Twelfth Knight," a YA romantic comedy by Alexene Farol Follmuth, expecting a cute and heartwarming tale. To my delight, it surpassed my expectations, offering a captivating exploration of online and offline life through the eyes of protagonist Viola Reyes.

Viola escapes real-world challenges by immersing herself in the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, adopting the persona of Cesario. A twist in the plot occurs when Jack Orsino, the laid-back Student Body President and star athelete, enters the virtual realm, connecting with Viola's alter ego. As the characters navigate life and love both online and offline, the lines between reality and the gaming world blur.

Follmuth's narrative seamlessly blends romance, humor, and relatable challenges. The banter between Vi and Jack feels authentic, and the characters, including Viola, Jack, Olivia, and Bash, are portrayed with depth. While I wished for a bit more emphasis on the romantic aspect, it doesn't diminish the overall excellence of "Twelfth Knight," and it feels appropriate for the YA moniker. The story not only captivates with its romance and online escapades but also delves into themes of friendship and self-acceptance.

Viola Reyes's character resonates, highlighting the challenges of growing older, staying true to oneself, and navigating the complexities of friendship. "Twelfth Knight" is a genuine and comforting read that beautifully explores the balance between online and offline identities. The characters' growth, relatable challenges, and heartwarming moments make this novel a must-read. I'm excited for "Twelfth Knight" to charm book lovers on both BookTok in 2024, and the enchanting cover perfectly complements the warmth within its pages.