Dungeons and Drama - Kristy Boyce

 

 "He raises an eyebrow and then strides back to his friends, leaving me to follow. Sophia better wake up and notice him pronto, because I won't be able to take much more of Nathan Wheeler."

Obviously, the first thing I noticed about this book was the cover. It so bright and vibrant and it marries to two things that I really enjoy. Tabletop-gaming and musicals. So, let's not keep you waiting for this review! 

⭐⭐⭐🌟

Started: February 5th, 2024

Finished: February 21st, 2024

Synopsis: Riley Morris is your average high school student who loves vibrant colors and is OBSESSED with plays and musicals. Her dream is to become a stage director, but when her school decides to cancel the play, she is heartbroken. She doesn't have much time to grieve, however, since she was grounded for taking a joyride in her parent's car to see another play with her best friend, Hoshiko. As her punishment, she has to work after school at her father's board game store, which she has always hated. Her parents are divorced and there has been some tension between Riley and her father, who always seemed to love his games more than his own daughter. It's at the game store where she meets Nathan Wheeler, her father's favorite employee and Riley's nemesis. But when an old flame comes to visit Riley, she pretends that Nathan is her boyfriend, which sets off an entire chain of events, with perhaps, some romantic results. 

My Review (spoilers): Overall, I thought this was a really cute book, but I did have some hang ups regarding the material. First off, I understand that this is YA and is meant for readers who are younger than me, but that wasn't the issue for me. But first, let's talk about the things that I adored about the book.

Yes, gaming representation! Not many books talk about video games or board games in a flattering light. Though we are reading this through Riley's POV, and she does not think of games highly, it is still lovely to see that games have a role in books and literature as well. Just like musicals, they can be a niche subject, but I am so happy that both are brought up in this book.

Another aspect that I enjoyed about this book was the topic of consent when it came to Riley and Nathan's fake-dating. Both parties, especially Nathan, were very clear on their boundaries regarding their fake-dating. It's nice to see how high school students can be equipped with this knowledge and know the limits that they can take a relationship whether it is fake or not. Plus, I always loved a good grumpy vs. sunshine trope in any book and Nathan and Riley are the pinnacle of that trope here. 

One of the things that hindered my experience reading this was that Riley was almost *too* sunshine-y. It became annoying at some parts in the story. I can understand that she is a theater kid and I grew up with theater kids so I know how they act. But as someone who belongs to a niche activity such as musicals, I would think that Riley would be more tolerant towards the gamers at first. 

I also REALLY wanted more adventures with the D&D crew. There were a few instances where we got some campaign material, but I really wanted to see more of their characters and their interactions within Dungeons and Dragons. I feel like this would have been the perfect opportunity to showcase Riley's acting and singing skills and we can see Nathan falling for her even more. 

Final Thoughts: I thought this was a cute story of enemies (sort of) to lovers with the fake dating trope. I think creating two different people with two different pastimes was a good idea, adding to the "opposites attract" ideology. I just think I wanted a bit more about their interests working together, rather than just the fake-dating schemes to propel the story forward. This book is perfect for anyone who loves all things high school and of course, Dungeons and Drama ;)