The book has potential. There is a good book hidden within the pages but the end result that we receive just doesn’t reach that potential.

Vi is just not a likable character. She stays the same character from cover to cover and everyone else changes to fit her like she was perfect the entire time. Her sections of the book drag you down and make it hard to get through the novel. You keep reading expecting a growth in character that never comes.

But some people will love this book. It just didn’t hit for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

No. I'm sorry, but no.

I love TTRPGs like D&D (but know nothing about video games, not going to lie), and so I was very excited to read Twelfth Knight because it sounded like a romance with all of my favorite things. But I couldn't get over Viola's character.

Man, she was so unnecessarily mean I wanted to stop reading. She's just mean for no reason; yes, there are some instances in which she's good at calling out guys for their behavior or taking advantage of things, but she's so quick to assume everyone is the same. And everyone faces her wrath, too. If someone disagrees with her, she tears into them with honey badger-like ferocity, including her so-called best friend? And, I dunno, it was frustrating and hard to read when she was so ready to hate everyone and every guy for typical teenage behavior. So what if a few guys want to hit things instead of sit through a political drama? I know I'd be more interested in tons of fight scenes instead of court politics anyway because that's just my personality and what holds my interest. Sure, the guys she was playing with were rude and could have at least tried her idea, but... I don't even know how to explain it.

I was hoping that she'd start to change her behavior the further into the book we get, but we don't- in fact, the ml encourages her behavior by flat-out telling her to never change. She only seems nicer because she interacts with other people less the more the book goes on.

Her character was overall frustrating and hard to read. She made fun of the ml several times about his injury despite football basically being his entire life, and it was very insensitive and cruel for her to do so.

thank you Netgalley for the free copy

Thank you so much netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
I did not have a great first impression with this book, but it did become very much better by the end! The first half was a bit slow and I personally did not enjoy the main characters - which I’m guessing was the point, since they become much, MUCH better throughout the book (the last half of it). Jack and Vi were so cute and had their own unique personalities, and I LOOOVED that they were a bit nerdy. The game they played together sounds so fun and the characters all had great dynamics. This book also brought up a bunch of issues with identity that I feel were kind of misplaced, but spoken about very well throughout the book nonetheless. This was a good read, even though the first half took me a bit to get through haha:)

This book is really unique! I have never read a YA romance that centers around gaming / nerd culture. Viola and Jack were such compelling characters. I loved how this book talked about Viola's struggles as a woman and the persistent misogyny in nerd culture. I loved how everything about the MMORPG "Twelfth Knight" and the characters of Jack and Viola.

This was fantastic. As someone who is newer into gaming, I loved this and would definitely recommend for all ages.

What a great retelling that was! Twelfth Night is the Shakespeare play I’ve seen the most, so I know it well. This was a worthy retelling.

If you know the story, you know it. Some of the characters are flatter here than in the play, out of the necessity of focusing on the mains, but there are plenty of nods to the larger Shakespearean world. Jack seemed more realistic than Vi, but I related to Vi’s experiences more. I don’t typically read romance, but I am definitely interested in reading more from this author.

As a huge fan of She’s the Man, I was very excited to pick up this title, and it did not disappoint!

The characters—namely Viola, Jack, and Olivia—felt incredibly real. I especially loved the diversity of the main cast and how the social issues they are passionate about were brought up in a natural way.

The pacing of the entire story had me glued to the pages until the end. The final confrontation was absolutely beautiful, and the character development of Viola and Jack was just perfect.

This was a cute slow burn YA romance. I appreciated how true to high school prose it was and how relatable the characters were.

I thought her VI's moms relationship was going to be with someone completely different and was glad it wasn't!

This book perfectly encapsulates an over thinker and how it can affect different types of relationships.

I would definitely recommend this book!

An absolute triumph of a book. Every single complaint I ever had in a contemporary novel was fully addressed in this. Character development? Check. Fantastic side characters that are also developed? Check. None of this BS enemies to lovers? Check. Real conflict handled appropriately? Check. Pure care and attention to the characters dilemmas without it being cheesy? Check. I genuinely cannot say how much I enjoyed this and how perfectly she captured the feelings of being a teenager going through every last dilemma they could encounter. As someone who relates HEAVILY to Vi I felt almost uncomfortable at times because I swear Alexene was peering into my mind. You can tell this was a personal story and never veered onto the cheesy side. Also want to point out that she has some magical power of being able to explain EVERYTHING so that no one gets left behind when explaining things. This is a top read for me and I am so shocked I adored it as much as I did. A million stars.

Reading this book was like a breath of fresh rom-com air. It was everything I needed and wanted in a YA Rom-Com. The author did a fantastic job bringing us into the complex but wonderful characters' worlds.

There are real aspects to this book that people experience and that makes it more relatable. I couldn't stop reading this book. I also enjoy that this book was the POV of both main characters.

If you a Shakespeare fan this book is fun with all the references to his work. The Author did a great job contributing his work into the modern century.

I highly recommend this book for the fun, easy, and complex dynamic of a YA Rom-Com.

So this book follows Viola Reyes, a type-A nerdy girl who is too strong for her own good, along with school and football golden boy Jack Orsino. In true Twelfth Night fashion, Vi gets into a sticky situation where she lies about her identity to Jack over an online role-playing game cleverly called "Twelfth Night". Enemies in school, they begin to form a real friendship online. Antics ensue, and trust me, you want to be there to read it!

I LOVED this book! I haven't read any of Olivie Blake's books under this alias but I think I might need to after reading this book. Vi's character arc was so beautiful (and a little too relatable, oops) and I just love her so much. Jack- I need my own Jack Orsino, quite possibly the most perfect book boyfriend. He's such a little cutie and I loved seeing this journey with fandom and his relationship with Vi. Even the side characters *cough cough* OLIVIA!!! I was so invested in her story and wouldn't be opposed to a little spin off that focuses on her. I am a Merlin girlie and the computer game Vi and Jack play is based on Arthurian Legend and I ATE. IT. UP. If you are any form of nerd, you will love this book.

This book is the most perfect romcom, do yourself a favor and read it!!

As a huge Shakespeare fan who especially loves retellings, I was so excited to read this, and it did not disappoint. I usually judge retellings along two tracks: how is it as a retelling (or, how did it incorporate the source material) and how is it as a story, and this passed on both counts.

The Twelfth Night elements were incorporated cleverly. The mistaken identity was when Viola meets Orsino online and knows who he is, but panics and tells him she's her twin brother, Sebastian. "Cesario" is her online character's name. There is a little bit of Viola-Orsino-Olivia love triangle, but it's not a source of angst and drama, which I really appreciated, and I admired how it was able to incorporate it without sacrificing the central relationship (Orsino and Viola) OR making the inclusion seem superfluous and just for the sake of aligning with Twelfth Night. I also liked the reason Olivia and Sebastian became friends and how that aligned with the original as well without leaning too hard into strange romance things. The identity themes were translated into a high-school-senior "who am I and what do I want to do with my life going forward" context, which worked well.

As a story, I was invested in Viola and Jack's relationship from the beginning and how it developed both in person and online. I liked how Viola had genuine reason to be annoyed with Jack (she's a naturally prickly person and Jack is slacking on a shared duty Viola finds important) but Jack never really hated Viola, and as he came to know her he learned how to understand her and not take her prickliness to heart. The incorporation of the TV show, video game, con, dnd, etc and the ways they interacted with each other within the text was well done. It was also sweet for both Jack and Olivia to learn to enjoy these "nerdy" things and not be embarrassed about them or look down on them - it was just because they had never really been exposed to them before. The scene at the end with their new dnd group was heartwarming.

After Viola and Jack, my favorite dynamic was Viola and Bash. Viola/Sebastian dynamic is something that intrigues me about the original play that we simply do not get a lot of beyond hints, and I love when it's explored more in retellings where an author has more space to play around with it. Every time they were on page together, I was laughing, because their dialogue and dynamic is hilarious (including, or perhaps especially, when their mom was also involved). I also loved Viola and Olivia's growing friendship.

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, it is not working for me right now. It is nothing against the story or the author, but I couldn't get into the story/characters. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

"Twelfth Knight" is not just a YA romantic comedy; it's a rollercoaster of emotions that resonates with the complexities of teenage life, friendship, and self-discovery.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the Publishing team for the ARC.

Viola Reyes, our brilliantly imperfect protagonist, navigates high school, football, and an MMORPG called Twelfth Knight. Faced with challenges, she creates a masculine online alter ego, Cesario, to find refuge. When Jack Orsino, the school's star athlete, stumbles into Twelfth Knight, their online identities form an unexpected connection. The plot brilliantly weaves elements of fantasy, humor, and a dash of romance.

As someone diagnosed with both Anxiety and ADHD, Viola's character struck a chord with me. The depth of her struggles, the fear of being hurt, and the journey toward self-acceptance are portrayed with authenticity. This book, much like Viola herself, is unapologetic and empowering.

The gaming aspect adds a unique flavor, making it a must-read for gamers or anyone who has navigated male-dominated spaces. The banter between Viola and Jack is like a symphony of teenage angst and genuine connection.

This is my first dive into Alexene Farol Follmuth's work, and it won't be my last. The versatility in her storytelling, seamlessly moving from fantasy to rom-com, is a testament to her skill. Each character is a 10 out of 10, resonating authenticity and relatability.

In my honest opinion, Twelfth Knight" won't just own BookTok and Bookstagram in 2024; it will own a piece of every reader's heart. It's more than a coming-of-age story; it's a reminder that the path we've laid out for ourselves isn't the only one we can take. It encourages us to take risks, let people in, and embrace the messiness of life.

5 Stars

Recommendation: If you love a good banter, teenage angst, and genuine characters, "Twelfth Knight" is your perfect read. Let Viola and Jack's journey sweep you off your feet in this heartfelt and empowering tale.

Although I don’t generally read books marketed as being in the romance genre, I enjoyed this far more then I thought I would. I’ve read a few of the author’s other books and enjoy her writing style and this is no exception. The witty banter is fun to read and I can actually see young adults enjoying this book. Super well done YA novel and I highly recommend, even if you don’t generally go for romantic comedies.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

This book was nerdy, sporty, cute, and a slow burn. It was about so much more than just a coming-of-age romance. Both characters had other obstacles to overcome and had so much growth throughout the book.
And the side characters- the SIDE CHARACTERS! were so, so, so, so well developed. I want to know more about them. I would love to read another story that focused more on Bash, Antonia, or Olivia.

The reason I gave this book a 4 star instead of a 5 star is because it was a bit slow to start. It didn't really get good or fast paced (to me) until the 30-40% mark. I'm glad I read the whole thing because it turned out so good, but the beginning was hard to get through. It seemed to info dump a lot about football or about ConQuest or some of the other things that Vi was interested in.

Interested in reading more by Alexene Farol Follmuth!

4.5 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the amazing chance to read this story. So first of all, I am no Shakespearean expert. And despite the (perfectly) obvious name of the book, and plenty of references to Shakespeare, I only kept thinking of the movie She’s the Man! (It was a fav btw) That said, this book was so much more than I expected. Grumpy sunshine fun. Frenemies to more. And a well rounded set of other characters you actually get to enjoy as well.
Vi is definitely prickly but her opinions and personal challenges are easy to relate to. I may be biased, as a female gamer myself, but there were so many times throughout the book I was like “yes, exactly!!” And Jack is the jock you think you’ll hate but nope, he will win you over too. I will definitely be recommending this book to all my reader friends.

A retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, this book has tabletop role playing games, MMORPG, football and secret identities. The characters were each very well developed and had a great growth arc that was fun to see. The plot was fun and interesting, and the stress while reading was moderate. It’s such a fun read, a letter to fandom and the sometimes toxic environment, but the love was still there. I 100% recommend!

As a late-twenty adult, I love finding books that I wish had been available when I was in high school. Viola Reyes tries her best to stay on top of everything while maintaining her cool, unbothered facade. Inside, she feels like everyone else is just floating by as she struggles to keep up. Jack Orsino is the star of the high school football team and is actually unbothered by everything. He is student body president, but leaves all of the hard work up to Viola, his VP. When an injury flips Jack’s world upside down, he finds himself finding solace in playing Twelfth Knight online where he unexpectedly (and unbeknownst to him) befriends the one person at school who doesn’t seem to swoon in his very presence, Viola.
This is easily one of my favorite contemporary reads of the year. I already loved Olivie Blake as an adult author, but this book made me laugh and cry and feel seen in a way that is very healing to my inner 17 year old self. I loved the banter and the difficult aspects of teenage hood that was explored throughout the book. It’s hard to be yourself, but it’s even harder when people seem to always want to put you in a box.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Tor/Forge for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

At the start of this book it was hard to like either of the main characters. They both followed the stereotypes for the "groups" they were in in high school. The mmc was the super popular hs football star with the cheerleader gf and that guy that nobody disliked. The fmc was the nerdy outcast that no one liked because she was "weird". However as the story went on I liked seeing the growth of both of them. He learned to open his mind to things that were "nerdy" and "uncool". She learned to let her walls down a little and let people in to get to know the real her.

<i>"I hope you change me-in fact, I think you already have."</i>
ABSOLUTELY SOBBING FISTS WAVING IN THE AIR AT THE HEAVENS ABOVE

Alexene Farol Follmuth, you absolute ANGEL! Thank you for bringing this story to life.

Twelfth Knight was everything I've been looking for in a romance recently. It gave me feelings of watching an early 2000s Hilary Duff/Lindsey Lohan romcom, in the BEST possible way. That feeling of having your girl/womanhood totally seen in media, you know? Vi's female rage was everything to me. Viola and Jack are my favorite romance leads that I've read in a long time. Give me good, witty banter or give me death. This book gave me LIFE! Every character was just so damn likable. The rage, nerd culture, and representation in so many forms were all so well done.

<i>"You are the bane of my existence, Jack Orsino." "As you are mine."</i>

If you're a woman who loves nerd culture things like D&D, MMOs, Comic-Con, I am simply on my hands and knees begging you to read this. It will be like eating your favorite dessert. An absolute treat.