“When I first started playing MMORPGs, I used to use a headset. I don’t anymore. You know why? Because when boys hear a girl’s voice, they either come for you unnecessarily, thinking you’ll be easy prey, or they think everything you say is flirting. Being nice to a geek whole being visibly female is the kiss of death. Do you know how many times I’ve gotten vulgar messages or explicit pictures? And if I say no, do you know how many times I’ve been called a bitch?”
Twelfth Knight
Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth (aka Olivie Blake) is a really fun book. It is a retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, but with a modern setting and twist. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it, but this turned out to be one of the funniest books I read this year, with some truly laugh out loud moments.
Vi takes everything incredibly seriously. School, her grades, her committment to being Vice President and the MMORPG Twelfth Knight. But more often than not, Vi’s seemingly uncaring attitude makes her appear as a “bitch.” She is often told to be nicer, that she could speak to others differently. Her attitude is a shield but one that she has built her entire life crafting. It’s not that she doesn’t care about the people in her life, it’s just that sometimes she doesn’t know how to show it without making herself vulnerable.
Jack Orsino is the opposite. He is charasmatic, cool, the ultimate jock. When he’s injured and tears his ACL, he feels completely lost, unsure how to proceed when he’s literally stuck unable to play football. But he dives into the game Twelfth Knight and meets a character Cesario, not realizing that it is Vi all along.
The two strike up a friendship, both in the game and in real life. It becomes apparent that there is more going on in both of their lives and they need not only to find themselves, but someone to balance them out. They need each other.
This book was so stinking cute. And it touched on some pretty serious topics but balanced it in a way that made them feel real and respected. I really loved Vi and her prickly personality. But I equally loved Jack and how hard he was trying to figure out his own life. There’s a side cast of characters that are equally amazing, Bash, Olivia, Pastor Ike, Bash and Vi’s mom. It’s just a seriously perfect YA book and I love it with all my heart.
Of Worlds Forgotten 
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