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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This book made me feel for the first time that I'm not alone in what I feel and have been through being a bisexual teen with bad anxiety. It is a must read for anyone LBGTQ+ or with anxiety.
I'm not a huge fan of YA contemporary but I like to give it a go now and then when it's about geeks and fandom. So that aspect as well as the bi and autism rep are why I picked it up.
It was an alright read, I teared up a few times and I liked the characters. The Rising live action experience sounded fun.
But I was kind of distracted by the fact it lacked so much geekiness? There was a lot of fandom name drips and Taylor was always posting on tumblr - the app actually working clearly proved this to be fiction - but like they were at a con for a weekend and it felt like they didn't really do anything? I love cons but it didn't really feel like they were at one. It was missing an energy and I dunno. I expected more from a book called Queens of Geek.
Still it was enjoyable enough just not quite what I expected.
It was an alright read, I teared up a few times and I liked the characters. The Rising live action experience sounded fun.
But I was kind of distracted by the fact it lacked so much geekiness? There was a lot of fandom name drips and Taylor was always posting on tumblr - the app actually working clearly proved this to be fiction - but like they were at a con for a weekend and it felt like they didn't really do anything? I love cons but it didn't really feel like they were at one. It was missing an energy and I dunno. I expected more from a book called Queens of Geek.
Still it was enjoyable enough just not quite what I expected.
Queens of Geek had me hooked instantly, like even before I was set to read it. I read the blurb about it and said to myself, “I HAVE GOT TO READ THIS.” so I was SUPER IMPATIENT waiting for it to be published. I did found out there was a Wattpad version, but seeing people wondering if there were differences made me shy away and just wait it out until publication day.
It features things close to my nerdy little heart: a) nerdy queer love b) nerdy queer love founded at a nerd convention.
For my new readers, I met my fiance over six years ago at a convention, and we started dating exactly a year later on the day we met. (we didn’t plan it that way, scout’s honor.) so Queens Of Geek was literally up my alley, even if when I got into it and it went up in smoke and I absolutely hated it. There was a book out there that I could relate to.
Taylor, Charlie and Jamie’s initial reaction to SupaCon was extremely identical to my own first-time congoer experience. That nervous excitement. That need to do ALL THE THINGS EVERYWHERE. [Con-going Spoiler Alert: you cannot do all the things at once. You will burn out.]
Taylor, being a person who suffers from anxiety has the most in common with me. Later on we discover she’s on the aspie spectrum. [a person with autism.] Reese can go eat a dick, I cannot stand him. I want Taylor and Jamie to date [SPOILER ALERT: They eventually do, or perhaps they’re ALREADY dating and I missed the ding dang memo. woops.] and Charlie’s an openly bisexual person of color? Asian in fact? *SQUEE*
Charlie’s blossoming relationship with Alyssa was super, super cute and I was rooting for them the whole way. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler-free as possible so I won’t go into detail as to where their relationship ends up going. There is an “OH, SHIT!” moment involving them though, and that’s all. I’ll budge on.
Overall, Queens of Geek was everything I wanted and more in a nerdy queer romance read and has rightfully earned a space on my “favorites” shelf.
It features things close to my nerdy little heart: a) nerdy queer love b) nerdy queer love founded at a nerd convention.
For my new readers, I met my fiance over six years ago at a convention, and we started dating exactly a year later on the day we met. (we didn’t plan it that way, scout’s honor.) so Queens Of Geek was literally up my alley, even if when I got into it and it went up in smoke and I absolutely hated it. There was a book out there that I could relate to.
Taylor, Charlie and Jamie’s initial reaction to SupaCon was extremely identical to my own first-time congoer experience. That nervous excitement. That need to do ALL THE THINGS EVERYWHERE. [Con-going Spoiler Alert: you cannot do all the things at once. You will burn out.]
Taylor, being a person who suffers from anxiety has the most in common with me. Later on we discover she’s on the aspie spectrum. [a person with autism.] Reese can go eat a dick, I cannot stand him. I want Taylor and Jamie to date [SPOILER ALERT: They eventually do, or perhaps they’re ALREADY dating and I missed the ding dang memo. woops.] and Charlie’s an openly bisexual person of color? Asian in fact? *SQUEE*
Charlie’s blossoming relationship with Alyssa was super, super cute and I was rooting for them the whole way. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler-free as possible so I won’t go into detail as to where their relationship ends up going. There is an “OH, SHIT!” moment involving them though, and that’s all. I’ll budge on.
Overall, Queens of Geek was everything I wanted and more in a nerdy queer romance read and has rightfully earned a space on my “favorites” shelf.
This book was great for so many different reasons. It had diversity in both ethnicity and sexuality, it addressed issues of gender and sexuality in the media, it showed how social media can destroy a relationship, it showed the lack of inclusion in books and movies. I received this in The Ya Chronicles' Pride Box and it really covers the need for diversity wonderfully. We need more books like this.
The actual plot line was fairly low key. Three friends go to a convention (think comic con) together. We follow Taylor and Charlie as they fall in love, Taylor with her best friend and Charlie with her favourite YouTuber. The actual stories are pretty relaxed, there aren't any explosions or sudden deaths or zombie apocalypses (not real ones at least). However, this cute little book managed to address so many important issues in a really subtle, but impactful way.
Firstly, while the two narrators are Australian, it is made clear that Charlie is of Australian-Asian decent and is explicitly bisexual. Taylor suffers from anxiety and is on the autism spectrum with asperger's syndrome. While this alone is great to see in a YA novel, it takes it a step further and addresses the way society sees (or refuses to see) these aspects of their identity.
They mention Charlie being the first asian actor introduced into long standing television shows and movie franchises and stress the importance of breaking the boundaries set in place to stop diversity in the media. When Charlie is questioned on a panel she expresses annoyance at being asked about her diet while her male co-star is asked serious acting questions.
Taylor is surprised and thrilled to find a comic about an autistic protagonist. Taylor defends Charlie when people tell her that Bisexuality 'doesn't exist.' We are able to see the way anxiety impacts Taylor's everyday life. We see Taylor's devotion to her favourite book series and the way it empowers her. All of these are smalls things in the novel that bring the injustices of society into view.
The romance within the story is adorable and realistic.
Taylor and her best (male) friend Jamie have had crushes on one another for years but are too afraid of change to make a move. It's clumsy and they miscommunicate and try to fix it and it is genuine and beautiful. We see the way that Taylor's anxiety impacts their relationship and the ways that Jamie tries to understand and learn how to help her, which is so important.
Charlie struggles to figure out whether her crush on a fellow YouTuber is reciprocated or not. Together they explore the problems that can come with hiding sexualities and having the public's eyes on a blossoming relationship. Their relationship was the most adorable thing ever and their first date was something straight from a 90's teen romcom.
This book was short but adorable and relatable and diverse and I loved it. As someone with anxiety, who has relied on literature to help me understand the world and to cope, I could relate so much to this book. Fans of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell will love this, but I think everyone should give it a try. It contains so much enlightenment snuck in-between adorable love stories and general geekiness and pop culture references.
The actual plot line was fairly low key. Three friends go to a convention (think comic con) together. We follow Taylor and Charlie as they fall in love, Taylor with her best friend and Charlie with her favourite YouTuber. The actual stories are pretty relaxed, there aren't any explosions or sudden deaths or zombie apocalypses (not real ones at least). However, this cute little book managed to address so many important issues in a really subtle, but impactful way.
Firstly, while the two narrators are Australian, it is made clear that Charlie is of Australian-Asian decent and is explicitly bisexual. Taylor suffers from anxiety and is on the autism spectrum with asperger's syndrome. While this alone is great to see in a YA novel, it takes it a step further and addresses the way society sees (or refuses to see) these aspects of their identity.
They mention Charlie being the first asian actor introduced into long standing television shows and movie franchises and stress the importance of breaking the boundaries set in place to stop diversity in the media. When Charlie is questioned on a panel she expresses annoyance at being asked about her diet while her male co-star is asked serious acting questions.
Taylor is surprised and thrilled to find a comic about an autistic protagonist. Taylor defends Charlie when people tell her that Bisexuality 'doesn't exist.' We are able to see the way anxiety impacts Taylor's everyday life. We see Taylor's devotion to her favourite book series and the way it empowers her. All of these are smalls things in the novel that bring the injustices of society into view.
The romance within the story is adorable and realistic.
Taylor and her best (male) friend Jamie have had crushes on one another for years but are too afraid of change to make a move. It's clumsy and they miscommunicate and try to fix it and it is genuine and beautiful. We see the way that Taylor's anxiety impacts their relationship and the ways that Jamie tries to understand and learn how to help her, which is so important.
Charlie struggles to figure out whether her crush on a fellow YouTuber is reciprocated or not. Together they explore the problems that can come with hiding sexualities and having the public's eyes on a blossoming relationship. Their relationship was the most adorable thing ever and their first date was something straight from a 90's teen romcom.
This book was short but adorable and relatable and diverse and I loved it. As someone with anxiety, who has relied on literature to help me understand the world and to cope, I could relate so much to this book. Fans of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell will love this, but I think everyone should give it a try. It contains so much enlightenment snuck in-between adorable love stories and general geekiness and pop culture references.
i just.....really fucking hated this mainly for the autistic rep as an autistic person
(have been thinking about it again recently and have decided to change it to 1 star bc everytime i think about it i hate it more
(have been thinking about it again recently and have decided to change it to 1 star bc everytime i think about it i hate it more
this book has soooooo much diverse rep in it, i absolutely loved this. this was so heart warming and it made me feel all fuzzy and i absolutely loved every second of this book.
Considering that in many ways, I'm this books target audience, I wish I had actually liked it. Since SupaCon, being in San Diego, is obviously just SDCC, it actually took me out of it a little bit, given that I live in SD, and have been to SDCC twice. So some things felt a little off. And being in the 501st Legion, I have found myself in various unlikely but awesome circumstances kind of like in the book and yet it just didnt feel relateable. Maybe the focus on youtube fame was a bad thing for me... I just felt annoyed at that for whatever reason. And Alyssa was a totally flat character. If she had been a boy, everyone would be rolling their eyes at his perfect ya boy tropeyness, but since she isnt its somehow okay? yeah no. Meh. Corny.
Also dance party w skyler was super corny. I have met some of my famous heroes.... yeah no, those encounters never go like that lol. More like awkwardly trying to come up with a way to appear relevant and not just another of the thousands or millions of random fans (a futile effort). Talk about wishful thinking.
Also dance party w skyler was super corny. I have met some of my famous heroes.... yeah no, those encounters never go like that lol. More like awkwardly trying to come up with a way to appear relevant and not just another of the thousands or millions of random fans (a futile effort). Talk about wishful thinking.
I.Love.This.Book! I can't express how much I am in love with this book. It's funny, it's cute, it's absolutely adorkable! I think I rarely enjoyed a read that much! Yes, it's YA and yes, it's cheezy and predictable but it's also a lot of fun! I smiled the whole time while reading and even when I closed the book. It made me so happy to see all these weirdos and feel like we could be friends. It's not a masterpiece of literature but in its own way it is pure perfection. And I can't believe I am really saying this... about a book. But it's the truth. I am in love.
This read like a self-published novel that could do with a rewrite under a professional editor, but I still enjoyed it. Four stars for the feminism and a main character being bisexual!
I loved this so much. So much geekiness and fandom that I had a hard time sitting still while reading.
Review soon
Review soon