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A review by orchids
Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the Advanced Reader Copy!
Dungeons and Drama follows Riley, a theatre-loving high schooler who just got grounded and now has to work at her father's game store as punishment. She quickly becomes enemies with Nathan, a fellow classmate who works at the store and is snarky and nerdy which annoys Riley to no end. After an awkward interaction with her ex, Riley devises a plan to fake-date Nathan, and surprisingly he agrees after Riley convinces him that this will help make his own crush jealous. However, part of the plan involves Riley hopping into a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Nathan and all of his nerdy friends! Riley finds herself having to juggle school, her passion for keeping her theatre department alive, and building a relationship with her father all while trying to make her fake relationship with Nathan look believable!
I was immediately intrigued by this premise, and I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I read most of this book in the span of two days, and if it wasn't for my busy work life, I would have finished this book in three days (which would have been a personal record!). Kristy Boyce's prose flows so beautifully which is a huge reason this book was such a page-turner! All the characters felt very grounded and realistic. The characters and their dialogue were so charming and funny that it made reading this book so enjoyable. Riley did say some cringey things every so often, but to be honest, that's very true to form for a high school theatre kid! This book deals with so many complex themes like being a child of divorced parents and feeling guilt from "picking a side," and the importance of community spaces. Kristy Boyce did a wonderful job weaving these themes and subplots into the larger narrative. I will admit that I was giggling like an idiot at Riley and Nathan's "fake" dating scenes-- they are so adorable! I also appreciate the parts where they discussed their boundaries and consent! That is so important to include in YA novels! All in all, this book was such a fun and lovely read! I truly didn't want to book to end; I could read a million books about Riley, Nathan, and the whole cast of characters, and that would still not be enough! If you are looking for a light, charming, and nerdy rom-com, this book is perfect for you!!
Dungeons and Drama follows Riley, a theatre-loving high schooler who just got grounded and now has to work at her father's game store as punishment. She quickly becomes enemies with Nathan, a fellow classmate who works at the store and is snarky and nerdy which annoys Riley to no end. After an awkward interaction with her ex, Riley devises a plan to fake-date Nathan, and surprisingly he agrees after Riley convinces him that this will help make his own crush jealous. However, part of the plan involves Riley hopping into a game of Dungeons and Dragons with Nathan and all of his nerdy friends! Riley finds herself having to juggle school, her passion for keeping her theatre department alive, and building a relationship with her father all while trying to make her fake relationship with Nathan look believable!
I was immediately intrigued by this premise, and I was completely hooked after the first few chapters! I read most of this book in the span of two days, and if it wasn't for my busy work life, I would have finished this book in three days (which would have been a personal record!). Kristy Boyce's prose flows so beautifully which is a huge reason this book was such a page-turner! All the characters felt very grounded and realistic. The characters and their dialogue were so charming and funny that it made reading this book so enjoyable. Riley did say some cringey things every so often, but to be honest, that's very true to form for a high school theatre kid! This book deals with so many complex themes like being a child of divorced parents and feeling guilt from "picking a side," and the importance of community spaces. Kristy Boyce did a wonderful job weaving these themes and subplots into the larger narrative. I will admit that I was giggling like an idiot at Riley and Nathan's "fake" dating scenes-- they are so adorable! I also appreciate the parts where they discussed their boundaries and consent! That is so important to include in YA novels! All in all, this book was such a fun and lovely read! I truly didn't want to book to end; I could read a million books about Riley, Nathan, and the whole cast of characters, and that would still not be enough! If you are looking for a light, charming, and nerdy rom-com, this book is perfect for you!!