Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Darcy doesn’t think that she’ll find friends after her Moms make her move to a city, but what she doesn’t exact was to find Art. A boy he age who also plays RPGs, who wants to hang of it with her. Through him, Darcy finds a whole new group of friends who help her get through life’s struggles.
This book was a lot better than I thought it would be. But after reading, I’ve realized that this book is perfect for D&D lovers and people interested in starting their D&D journey. The book explains RPGs simply, and makes it easy to understand and makes examples out of Darcy and Art’s game. I absolutely loved the combination of fiction and fantasy in one book, it truly was one of a kind and an absolute gem to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Groundwood Books for a eARC of this book.

Can a game of D&D bridge the gap and bring people together, both in game and real life?

Darcy moves to a small town with her two moms and finds it difficult to make friends due to the constant exposure to homophobic commentary, often directed at her mother being the new doctor in town. In comes Art, a quiet kid who invites her to play D&D, and finds he is torn between his new friend and his conservative father, the influential figurehead of the town. As tension rises in real life, so does their D&D campaign. Can love and D&D bridge the gap?

I’m a big fan of D&D and all things fantasy, so I was charmed by the nerdy dialogue throughout the story. I live in Texas, and the conservative setting mirrors my own. It can get uncomfortable at times, and some dialogue containing sexist remarks and homophobic language can be off putting. For this narrative, it’s seen as essential. I also find the Young Adult tag confusing, seeing as this reads more like a Middle Grade book. Nonetheless, fans of D&D will enjoy the dual narrative and campaign, and its ending holds a good message on unity.

Thank you to Netgalley and House of Anansi Press Inc. for this ARC.

Thank you for the digital ARC!

THIS WAS SO FUN! I love that as D&D becomes more mainstream, books like this can be written to show the importance of finding community, and that tabletop RP games are an excellent way to do that. This definitely has FANGIRL vibes, which I loved. Readers will connect with themes of bonding over shared interests, queer identity, and the sweetest relationships/friendships.

Why would any sane queer person leave the city and move to a small minded small town? That’s what Darcy contemplates as her moms drag her from a home she loves to a rural town where they find more opinions than sense… When she starts school, Darcy suddenly meets Art, who happens to love all of the gamer nerd things she does. Unfortunately he’s the son of a one of the most closed minded in town… small town life has more than it’s fair share of twists and turns for Darcy’s queer little family, with a domineering boyfriend from the city who complicates things further. Weaved through the story is Art and Darcy’s gaming adventures that are eerily parallel to their own storyline.

This was almost a solid 4 star read for me, but there were a few spots where continuity was a bit hard to keep track of. Also some terms used were very broadly general (Game instead of DnD or even RPG, City with no name) which I found a bit off putting. Overall, still a very fun read that explores the dynamics of who you choose to portray both inside and outside of gaming experiences.