An absolute no-brainer 5-star read! The story was filled with subtle, enjoyable details that were so fun, but at the same time, the maturity and the way the conversations flowed made it feel realistic. While reading it felt like there was a coming-of-age movie playing in my mind, and I felt nostalgic the entire time. Vi's tough and hostile exterior honestly drew me in; her journey to embrace vulnerability was incredibly relatable. I loved her sass and realness, even though she definitely would’ve made me cry had I been on the other end of her words 😂. Despite her seeming certainty, her emotional growth stuck with me and helped my own realizations, even as a 23-year-old woman. I think that’s the beauty of reading YA, you can still learn so much even as an adult. I appreciated that Jack, despite being your typical YA football jock, wasn’t portrayed as a rude and dumb individual. His charm really masked his insecurities and you could tell that he played into a role he was given so well, even he believed he was unstoppable. Truly, the cutest opposites attract, jock, and nerd romance.

As someone who goes to conventions, like DragonCon, when Alexene Farol Follmuth described MagiCon, you could tell she had a true appreciation for the community because the sentiment towards it was so positive. But, I especially love that she didn’t shy away from talking about the toxic nature of the gaming and convention community, specifically towards women. 

Overall, I absolutely loved her presentation of MagiCon, and it made me miss DragonCon (or conventions in general) so much.

I wish I had this book when I was in HS. I know I would’ve benefited from the conversations & emotional maturity.

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for providing me an advanced e-arc in exchange for an honest review! Twelfth Knight publishes May 28, 2024!