I was so excited for the concept of this book, but it was too much for me.

The two main characters are an "annoying-TypeA-nerd" and "annoying-cocky-jock" that hate each other in high school. The concept was so well executed it was actually hard to read at times. Like the author REALLY made these kids insufferable.

Shakespeare goes to Comic Con.
After being thoroughly ignored by her male tabletop gaming players Viola loses herself in her online persona of Cesario, a knight who commands respect- as long as no one figures out she's a girl. She's secure in her role until the school's premier Jock- Jack Orsino suffers an accident on the football field and takes up the game during his recovery.
The story switches between the two points of view and it's interesting to see their dynamic build and their friendship grow, even as both try to figure out their roles in life. They each have their own challenges; watching them overcome them is a pleasure.
However, I have to admit to knowing nothing about American football, so the initial scenes detailing Jack's playing prowess were completely lost on me. I was skipping sentences with so many numbers- field positions, touchdowns and yard lines or whatever- which felt like maths homework.
Viola was a bit intense at the start- very much a Katherina (Taming of the Shrew) character and she needed to take it down a notch, which she did very realistically, without losing any of her initial verve.
I enjoyed all of the comic con references, especially the parts about meeting your heroes and working on the ticketing desk- hysterical.
I much prefer her YA Rom Coms to her more adult books.

I had not yet read any books by Olivie Blake, or in this case Alexene Farol Follmuth, but when I read this was a Twelfth Night retelling, I knew I needed to check it out! I mean, who doesn't love She's the Man, but now in book form!

Overall, I quite enjoyed this novel. The characters were fun, Viola was relatable and the demonstration of female rage was poignant. Jack's perspective was a fresh take, where male voices aren't always present in YA fiction where the story doesn't centre the man.

It was a great, quick, fast-paced read that my would've become my grade 9 self's favourite book ever. Unfortunately, I felt a bit too old for the audience and the overarching themes.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars

Olivie Blake of 'The Atlas Six' fame writing a romcom about a football player and a nerd who likes to play RPGs was not on my bingo card, and yet the book worked.

The characters were witty, and they had personal growth, and the personal growth didn’t fully revolve around each other!!!

Sometimes the plot and dialogue were a bit obvious. Every little societal issue was explained, when I feel like not everything needed to be spoon fed to me for me to understand what was going on.

The romance plot could have been better at times. I feel like 90% of the romance between the characters was in the last third of the book.

The ending slapped though SOOO good.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tor Teen for this advanced readers copy!

”I just think that 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.” </i>

i reallyyyy enjoyed this. i absolutely loved vi, jack, olivia, bash, and everyone else. not matt das though. the door is that way, and he can leave <3 i was super interested in this book because i love the author, and i also had high expectations. though i didn’t give this 5 stars, 4 stars is still a very good rating for me.

the plot was good, and it was pretty unique. i haven’t really read any books about gaming, so i was excited to give this a try. the mix of gaming and football was odd to me at first, but the author was able to successfully mix the two and not make the book super weird, and it was so fun. the book was a little predictable, as ya romances often are, but this was still 100% worth the read.

also, the COVER!!!! it’s so beautiful and i need a copy, especially with the sprayed edges????

overall this book was so great and i definitely recommend it, and i will likely be rereading it at some point :))

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review

"IDENTITY THEFT IS A CRIME, VI!"
Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth is a whimsical blend of fantasy and reality. The book offers a unique narrative that seamlessly blends the realms of online gaming and real-life relationships. Vi Reyes is a determined who finds solace in the MMORPG Twelfth Knight. The concept of creating an alternate persona in the virtual world to escape the challenges of reality is intriguing and adds a layer of depth to the plot.

The characters, notably Viola and Jack Orsino, are undeniably cute and endearing. They are relatable and readers are invested in the development of their online alter egos. Cesario and Duke Orsino, add a charming dynamic to the story. The exploration of their growing connection within the game, evolving from mere gaming partners to something deeper, is a delightful aspect of the narrative.

Twelfth Knight is a whimsical tale that successfully combines elements of fantasy and reality. The unique premise and adorable characters make it an entertaining read, particularly for those who appreciate stories that traverse the boundaries between online and offline worlds. While it may not reach the pinnacle of perfection, it is a solid choice for readers seeking a lighthearted blend of gaming escapades and budding romance.

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tor Teen for this advanced copy! You can pick up Twelfth Knight on June 18, 2024.

Based on the premise of this book, I was excited for She's-The-Man-style shenanigans and messy teen romance. Two worlds colliding and rivals to lovers romance. Maybe that's on me for going in with those expectations, but the book delivered a very different kind of story.

Vi Reyes prides herself on being unapologetically herself, even if that rubs people the wrong way. She doesn't twist herself into knots to please others and goes after what she wants. While I admire those traits in an FMC, the way Vi talked about them in her inner monologue -- essentially to the reader -- was through pages-long rants.

Right at the start of the book, these sections took me out of the story and made it difficult to relate to Vi. I relate to her struggles as a woman, certainly, but the way she talked about her worldview felt like reading an angry Reddit post.

This writing and characterization style just wasn't for me, but the rest of the book was fun and interesting. I appreciated the layered relationships between the characters and the growth both Vi and Jack experienced throughout the book. The romance was sweet, the video game lingo interesting, and the football less so but still enjoyable.

Overall, I'd recommend this book if you enjoy secret identities, black cat girlfriend and golden retriever boyfriend, and DnD.

Immediately ordered for my library. This is AMAZING. It was so well written, age appropriate and it was really fun. I loved the banter between characters and it was a really engaging novel

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. I've been doing nothing but reading this book for the past like four hours that's how obsessed I got with it. I love modern retellings of classic plays. this book is based off of twelfth night (its obvious based on the name) like she's the man. vi and jack are so cute together!!!! I want someone to love me like they love eachother.i love the hidden/mistaken identity trope especially when they fall for eachother without knowing who the person really is but sometimes it can lead to third-act breakups (disgusting I hate them) and I'm so glad that this book had them communicate so it didn't lead to an extended break up.

Rating 2/5

Thank you to Tor Teen for providing me with an e-ARC although I’m not happy about the rating I have to give. As a girl gamer myself, I was so excited for this YA book about a girl gamer making her own space, but it was disappointing all around.

Viola “Vi” Reyes is a terrible MC. She’s rude, everyone’s her enemy, but somehow she’s the smartest girl ever? This isn’t even about her being “unlikeable”. I had to DNF the book at 15% because on top of Vi’s character making her chapters difficult to get through, the plot was slow and there was way too much info dumping. Both MCs, Vi, and Jack, had internal monologues that were so wordy to the point where (parentheses) were used several times in a single page! And, for lack of a better phrasing, I did not like the diversity in the book as it seemed insensitive to me (Ex: Danny Kim somehow is always referred to as Danny Kim and stupid according to Vi; why say his full name like that? This is a common racist call out to state a name like this. Even if that’s not his full name, “Kim” is still a Korean surname so this choice of naming is poor. Plus, Olivia Hadid has the stereotypical conservative Arab parents when she has a whole boyfriend?). The exaggeration of how male gamers were portrayed was hard to swallow too as a gamer myself. But it’s honestly the only way you could feel a little bit sorry for Vi. I skipped to 79% of the book, hoping to see character growth and hopefully re-read because I had misjudged, but nope! Jack says Vi is perfect and if everyone sees her as terrible they should be ignored and that HE needs to change. Jack was an okay character. A jock with family expectations on him. Why does HE have to change and not Vi? I had to put this book down, I'm sorry.

This was my first book written by Alexene Farol Follmuth (also known as Olivie Blake) and it won’t be my last. I loved this book and her writing!

Twelfth Knight is a young adult romantic comedy and coming of age story. It’s a story of friendship, self-awareness, personal growth, teenage angst, life, and love.

Viola and Jack, the two main characters, had major challenges and breakthroughs in this story. Their character development throughout the story was very well done. It was also really nostalgic reading about high school teenagers… remembering how it felt so important to know who you wanted to be and what you wanted to do with your life. Navigating friendships, sexuality, family drama, and school was so unique in that stage of life. All of these topics are addressed in this book.

After reading I reflected on how much I wish I read books like this when I was a teenager myself. I’m going to buy this book for my daughter and save it for when she is older.❤️

I highly recommend this book if you like:
🗡️YA romantic comedies
🗡️video games, table top games, cosplay
🗡️teenage angst and great banter
🗡️fun and lovable side characters
🗡️jock/nerd relationship
🗡️secret identity
🗡️navigating friendships
🗡️fun family dynamic

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Teen/ Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this arc. This is my honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, and I am providing a voluntary review.

For the record, I am a woman in my twenties, who has played D&D for the last ten years.

The only thing that kept me reading after I wanted to DNF at 10% was wanting to know if the author was making Vi unlikeable for an arc or if she genuinely thought her behavior was admirable. As it turns out, her antagonistic internal monologues are sincerely meant. Are there people who actually go around this stressed and angry all the time?? No wonder everybody is in therapy.

There is a dangerous combination of over-sensitivity and superciliousness going on here. On the one hand, being upset that teenaged boys are immature and reckless is fighting a losing battle. It's kinda what they're known for. It's not a systemically misogynistic excuse, it's a medical fact. You can either give them grace at the gaming table and take yourself a little less seriously when playing in groups, or you can play by yourself. I guarantee, as much as I get annoyed playing D&D with a 16 year old who doesn't write stuff down or ask pertinent questions, I would never play again with an adventurer who treated my tablemates with as little respect or grace as Vi does.

On the other hand, she's good at catching when men are taking liberties and putting a stop to it, but (here's where the overreaction comes in) she treats them ALL like knuckle-dragging inferiors. A good chunk of the girls—and teachers! also get this treatment. Duke gets badly injured playing football (oh, boo, we don't like football, it's...popular?) and Vi 1) offers not even the standard, BASIC POLITE TEXT “sorry you got hurt, get better soon” 2) repeatedly taunts him about his injury. This isn't being a strong female character, this is just meanness.

In short, you either agree with Vi on everything, or you are her mortal enemy. She requires a level of affirmation that is nothing less than sycophantic. The crux of the arc with her brother happens because she isn't letting him support her ENOUGH. Get real. I am so tired of this.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

I adored the feminist aspects of this books, as well as the casual queer discussions. The romance was fantastic, and the jock x nerd trope was done so well here. The plot was done well, with a very great and easy to follow pacing. The characters were distinct and interesting personalities. My favourite element of this novel was the detail put into the hobbies each character had. The cosplay elements and the D&D cameos were so well done and realistic, and I didn't find the football stuff confusing either. Compared to my mechanical romance, it was not as strong, but it was still a fantastic read.

"I was more myself with you than I've ever been with anyone."

Rating: 5/5

My Thoughts:
I absolutely LOVED this book by Alexene Farol Follmuth and officially going to read anything she writes.

The nerdy, gamer in me was squealing over Vi and Jack.

Vi and Jack both learned great life lessons in different ways because of each other. The pacing was perfect, the characters were SO likable, and the romance? So sweet. I wish this book existed when I was in high school. I found each character to be so important (even the side characters!) And I loved what they represented/lessons they taught. I didn't expect to cry reading this...but I totally did!

Thank you, AFF for writing this book with such relatable characters. I love Vi and Jack! (I also love Bash & Olivia and think they deserve books too...hehe.)

What I liked about the book:
-Vi and Jack's relationship (and their growth as individuals)
-Vi's relationship with her twin brother
-gamer and football player in student council together (CUTE!)
-DUAL pov
-text messages and instant messages formatting

Some of my favorite quotes:
-"There's a version of your life where you do other things. Infinite versions."
-"Don't you understand how good you are at just, like, existing?"
-"You are the bane of my existence, Jack Orsino." "As you are mine."
-"Infinite versions. Endless possibilities."

I recommend Twelfth Knight if you like the following:
-Shakespeare retelling
-Grumpy x sunshine (I really enjoyed their banter!)
-Secret identity
-Gaming conventions
-She's The Man

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tor Teen for the ARC of this title.

I loved this book! It gave so much more than I typically expect for a book with romance in it. The romance wasn’t the whole point, it was part of the story. The characters were the main point. Real characters with real emotions and real problems. There was so much growth in the characters and I loved reading it. It also didn’t revolve solely around the two main characters. There were other people and stories involved and I cared about all of them. This is probably my favorite YA romance book to date.

The book didn't quite hit the five-star mark for me, just because it didn't have much of a love story. For me, the romantic subplot or undertone often lends a nuanced touch to the narrative, providing an additional layer of emotion and complexity which I felt was somewhat lacking in this particular novel.

However, putting that minor detail aside, I must acknowledge that the book was an exceptional depiction of a coming-of-age story. The journey of self-discovery, the grappling with rapid changes, and the navigation through the trials and tribulations of growing up were all portrayed with such profound depth. It was as if the characters leapt off the pages and their experiences resonated on a deeply personal level. In spite of my longing for a richer romantic aspect, this book was still highly enjoyable and I would recommend it!

Am I too old to read YA? Yes, but I’m not going to stop, and books like this are why.

I’ll admit I’m a sucker for a Shakespeare retelling, and when you add something nerdy like D&D, it’s definitely got my vote.

Though I may not be the target audience for this, it was charming, and really fun to read.
——
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was very cute! A little meandering BUT the author notes this in the acknowledgements because of the story she was telling. It’s a YA romance with D&D and gamer and football elements. I loved the main characters, and it’s a fun update to Twelfth Night. Also gave me fun flashbacks to She’s the Man. Very cute!!

Disappointed I didn’t get into the characters or the plot, but I’m not the target audience. This is an easy three stars for them, with four to five for the right readers. Follmuth/Blake is a fabulous writer, and I look forward to her next work. I stopped after chapter 1 (4%).

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.