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jessiejoelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
masoncasper's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Fun and super nerdy little coming into maturity novel. There are super strong themes of identity and community, particularly around the gaming and LGBTQ communities. Love the allusions and references to all the nerd culture and also the free flowing prose on sexuality across the spectrum.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
kyulee's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars! This is a cute story about a group of queer friends who like to play DnD together which is so great :33 It's a really chill read! However, the female characters were underdeveloped and a lot of the characters felt one-dimensional and just kind of there for the plot.
lsiegull's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
bookishjanna's review against another edition
2.0
i hate to say it, but this book was so disappointing. it features way too many characters to keep track off and the perspectives keep changing. i usually like 3rd POV, but here it made me feel so disconnected from ALL characters. there was too much distance and it made the characters feel so unrelatable.
more things i disliked:
• usage of a slur against Romani
• way too many unnecessary "sex jokes"
• female characters felt lflat
• feels like it's written for the cis gay white gaze and not so much for the whole LGBTQ+ community (like the title would suggest..)
• hp references
i received a digital arc by netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion
more things i disliked:
• usage of a slur against Romani
• way too many unnecessary "sex jokes"
• female characters felt lflat
• feels like it's written for the cis gay white gaze and not so much for the whole LGBTQ+ community (like the title would suggest..)
• hp references
i received a digital arc by netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion
kaveeta's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
umcrystal's review against another edition
5.0
Yes, yes, everything yes! Full disclosure I was immediately giddy when I saw the cover and title of this book. Lucky for me the story didn't let me down! Ben is going through a bit of a rough patch in life. At 25 he's still living at home in his parents' basement. His history degree hasn't exactly paved an easy path in his life and after being laid off from the library (his dream job), Ben has started selling nostalgic toys and other items online to make his money. On top of it all, the guy from the record shop has just told him he doesn't see him as anything more than a friend... but not really even that. The one thing that has kept Ben going is his weekly roleplaying game.
Much of this story takes place inside a fantasy world. Whether that's the actual fantasy game playing out on the page or the fantasies that Ben dreams up about this perfect life. I so badly wanted to reach out and give Ben a hug and a good pep talk. I really enjoyed the variety of characters we see in both the comic shop and around the gaming table. Specifically, I loved the growth of Mooneyham throughout the book, the kiss-in, and finally being able to be himself at work, even if it comes at the expense of losing those you thought were friends.
I wish there was more explanation of the vampires, I would love a second book that tells me just what the heck is going on with Varnec, Polly, and plays out just a bit more of the relationships between the guys. Overall this was just such an amazingly fun and engaging book. Once I started I didn't want to put it down.
5/5 Stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, University Of Iowa Press, and Doug Henderson for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Much of this story takes place inside a fantasy world. Whether that's the actual fantasy game playing out on the page or the fantasies that Ben dreams up about this perfect life. I so badly wanted to reach out and give Ben a hug and a good pep talk. I really enjoyed the variety of characters we see in both the comic shop and around the gaming table. Specifically, I loved the growth of Mooneyham throughout the book, the kiss-in, and finally being able to be himself at work, even if it comes at the expense of losing those you thought were friends.
I wish there was more explanation of the vampires, I would love a second book that tells me just what the heck is going on with Varnec, Polly, and plays out just a bit more of the relationships between the guys. Overall this was just such an amazingly fun and engaging book. Once I started I didn't want to put it down.
5/5 Stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, University Of Iowa Press, and Doug Henderson for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
peggyd's review against another edition
3.0
I love the title and location of this book--I found it browsing at my local bookstore (Book Soup!) and it truly called to me. It's been awhile since a book did that.
So I was primed to love it. And there are good things about it--it's a fast read with some funny moments and some heartbreaking ones. Some cringe-worthy ones too. It's about a Dungeons & Dragons club that meets in the back room of a local book club. The members are all LGBTQ and there's a hot newcomer, Albert, that shakes things up, particularly Ben a mopey, dorky club member.
The back cover details the D&D club but also implies that "some things" start bleeding into the real world and mentions a competing vampire club (I know!) and things like that. I don't know if I was expecting magical realism or something but it was really just people in their mid-twenties trying to figure their shit out and often failing miserably. There may be a lesson of finding your magic in the real world, which, yes, but also...I needed more. We get perspectives of multiple characters but this book really is about Ben and wants to be a quasi-romance book about Ben and Albert, and that's fine, but then the sidetrips with the other characters become a bit thinly-drawn and even, dare I say, a little stereotypical. I still don't understand the real purpose of the vampire group except to be vaguely threatening and annoying.
So it didn't really come together in the end but it's an entertaining read overall. I hope Henderson publishes more.
So I was primed to love it. And there are good things about it--it's a fast read with some funny moments and some heartbreaking ones. Some cringe-worthy ones too. It's about a Dungeons & Dragons club that meets in the back room of a local book club. The members are all LGBTQ and there's a hot newcomer, Albert, that shakes things up, particularly Ben a mopey, dorky club member.
The back cover details the D&D club but also implies that "some things" start bleeding into the real world and mentions a competing vampire club (I know!) and things like that. I don't know if I was expecting magical realism or something but it was really just people in their mid-twenties trying to figure their shit out and often failing miserably. There may be a lesson of finding your magic in the real world, which, yes, but also...I needed more. We get perspectives of multiple characters but this book really is about Ben and wants to be a quasi-romance book about Ben and Albert, and that's fine, but then the sidetrips with the other characters become a bit thinly-drawn and even, dare I say, a little stereotypical. I still don't understand the real purpose of the vampire group except to be vaguely threatening and annoying.
So it didn't really come together in the end but it's an entertaining read overall. I hope Henderson publishes more.
sophir's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-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
3.75
not like anything i’ve ever read before but not bad at all just different
ashberg's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0