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jessicabkbc8443's review
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lbarsk's review
5.0
Okay I HUGELY enjoyed this. I appreciate how Albert as an author never tried to push her character (Alden) to “figure out” what was going on with his neurodivergent brain, and how Conrad super supports Alden in that acceptance of himself and journey. The way Conrad looked out for things that would trigger Alden’s anxiety - SO SWEET.
I think in part I loved the dynamic between Conrad and Alden is because it was giving VERY Kirk (Conrad) / Spock (Alden) energy, but also the boys did feel like their own people. Also, the way Albert portrayed Conrad’s relationship with his family and didn’t try to wrap everything neatly up with a bow at the end felt true to life. Honestly I devoured this book and it was great fun.
I think in part I loved the dynamic between Conrad and Alden is because it was giving VERY Kirk (Conrad) / Spock (Alden) energy, but also the boys did feel like their own people. Also, the way Albert portrayed Conrad’s relationship with his family and didn’t try to wrap everything neatly up with a bow at the end felt true to life. Honestly I devoured this book and it was great fun.
amtrakchris24's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jonisbookquest's review
4.0
3,5*
Too much smut for my liking, a bit cheesy and cliché at some times, but I did have fun while reading and the romance was cute.
Too much smut for my liking, a bit cheesy and cliché at some times, but I did have fun while reading and the romance was cute.
izziebelle's review
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
rosska22's review
3.0
Ehhhhhhh. That's my emotions toward this book. Ehhhh. It was ok. Conrad and Alden are both very flat, sort of boring, likeable stock characters. Conrad is a big corn fed Kansas boy out to make it work on the East Coast, and Alden is an anxious, "elegant" nerd boy with overbearing parents and a handful of rejections to medical school. They both play Magic: The Gathering, oh wait, no sorry, Yu-gi-oh!...No! It's actually called Dungeons and Dr....just kidding, it's called Odyssey. The play the same card game. The play totally differently and have spent the last year or so meeting several times a week with their gamer group and they basically hate each others guts. There's a really cool convention that they've scored free tickets to, and they've gotta road trip from New Jersey to Vegas in order to attend. Spoiler alert! Only the two of them end up on the road trip. You can see where this is going.
It was ok. It was very clear exactly how this book was going to go from the opening pages. The spend half the road trip bickering and the next half kissing, and it was all just ok. There was nothing magical or amazing or inspiring. Just a lot of ok. I wasn't really into the actual card game bit, which was sort of, y'know, the main plot, so the actual game play really drug for me. I was very temped to skim over every single time they started pulling out decks to play. I didn't, but I wanted to.
It was ok. It was very clear exactly how this book was going to go from the opening pages. The spend half the road trip bickering and the next half kissing, and it was all just ok. There was nothing magical or amazing or inspiring. Just a lot of ok. I wasn't really into the actual card game bit, which was sort of, y'know, the main plot, so the actual game play really drug for me. I was very temped to skim over every single time they started pulling out decks to play. I didn't, but I wanted to.
tnemelce's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
maggieluong's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alex_watkins's review
4.0
Very much enjoyed that this book is about Magic: The Gathering (with the serial numbers filed off). The best part was the tournament and the descriptions of the games.