| Title | : | Queens of Geek |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250111390 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250111395 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 262 |
| Publication | : | First published March 14, 2017 |
Charlie likes to stand out. She’s a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie at SupaCon, and this is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star Reese Ryan. When internet-famous cool-girl actress Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.
Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde, chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads, is an empowering novel for anyone who has ever felt that fandom is family.
Queens of Geek Reviews
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4.5 Stars (but it gets a 5/5 for cuteness)! I really really enjoyed this book! I’m hoping to film a full, indepth review for my YouTube channel, but for now, here’s a quick list of reasons to read Queens of Geek:
-OWN VOICES FOR BI REP, ASPIE REP, AND ANXIETY REP
-Geeky convention setting!!!
-Chinese-Australian Bisexual main character
-Black wlw love interest
-Plus size main character with Asperger’s and dealing with an anxiety disorder
-Hispanic love interest
-Confronts really important issues like biphobia, bi-erausre, fatshaming, sexism, and toxic relationships
-Really beautiful passages on bisexuality, autism/aspberger’s, & anxiety (like, literally so freaking beautiful I could die)
-Supportive friends, breaking out of comfort zones, so so so much love.
-Cute, funny, sweet, so fluffy and full of feels. A perfect fast, light-hearted read!
While I definitely loved Queens of Geek my 4.5 stars is a fairly critical 4.5 stars because I definitely think QOG has flaws, such as:
-The dialogue isn’t the strongest. The passages on certain topics are FLAWLESSLY WRITTEN but the dialogue fell short for me. Conversation just felt very inauthentic/planned as opposed to natural, so this aspect fell pretty flat for me.
-I was really excited to read a book about a YouTuber like myself, but like every other book including a vlogger that I’ve read, it really underestimates the work YouTubers do. Charlie had the label of a vlogger and she posts videos and she has fans, but that’s it. Any info about being a YouTuber in this book is what you observe from being a viewer, not an actual creator. I feel it really glossed over the work YouTubers do, how it’s a 24/7 career for big stars and not just a hobby they partake in when they want, which makes it feel inauthentic and ill-researched. For example, The “YouTuber” aspect of Charlie honestly felt a little gimmicky, to say “this book features a main character who’s a YouTuber!” because it really was only a label. I would have preferred it much more if Charlie was just an up-and-coming indie actress that got a surprise rise to fame.
-Certain points were just too cheesy. I’m pretty forgiving with cheese in YA, but combined with the not-so-great dialogue and massive influx of pop-culture references (beyond normal convention conversation) and excessive use of fandom language (listen there's only so many times a celebrity couple can refer to themselves by their own ship name before it gets obnoxious), I definitely rolled my eyes at specific parts.
Overall, I really loved Queens of Geek . It was a super fun read with so much to love, even if I had some critiques. I would definitely definitely recommend!!!!! -
“History and experience have proven to me that it’s very hard for people to understand, and all too easy for them to judge.”
I really loved what this book did, but I just wish there was more of a story.
Queens of Geek appealed to me immediately the very moment I saw all that pink hair and read the blurb. I am a convention girl - I love them. I've made my way through various ComicCons in the UK and US, stood in line waiting to meet the people I admire, planning all the cool things I will say, and then gone googly-eyed and mute when I finally got to the front. I get the fandom culture. I am the sort of weirdo who might actually cry if I met certain people. Not even sorry.
James Marsters AKA Spike from Buffy
Scott Wilson AKA Hershel from Walking Dead
Cosplay!
And this book does so many fantastic things. It's full of diversity, in all its forms. The two narrators are Charlie, who is Asian and bisexual, and Taylor, who suffers with anxiety and is a "chubby" girl. They come bounding off the pages in full-colour cosplay. The side characters include many gay characters, many POC, and those with autism. Wilde creates these individuals with such sensitivity, never allowing them to fall into stereotypes. I especially loved the way Taylor's anxiety is described - as someone who has dealt with it myself, it was a very honest and true portrayal, to me.And the anxiety is a constant hum, a buzzing in your body and mind that never stops. Sometimes it feels like I’m allergic to the world, like I’m allergic to my own species. Being here, it’s an assault on my senses.
Queens of Geek unapologetically tears into some very timely issues. During Charlie and Taylor's time at the convention, online sexism, racism and homophobia are explored. The author deftly critiques slut-shaming, and those who deny the existence of bisexuality, while uncovering the misogyny and double standards in the movie industry. For example, Charlie is an actress and vlogger, and while her male co-star is asked deep questions about his acting methods, Charlie is asked about her body and workout regimen/diet.
It's a book full of awesomeness, and yet there's so little story. Everything takes place at SupaCon and the main plot consists of the characters going from panels to cosplay competitions and fighting the patriarchy through their conversations. There are two romances going on - between Charlie and a female vlogger, and between Taylor and her best friend, Jamie - but these cannot carry the story. They almost fade into the background.
If the right reader is handed this book, it could be eye-opening and extremely informative. But for those already familiar with the issues - and, let's face it, most people who choose to pick up
Queens of Geek already will be - then it's a bit like preaching to the choir. It felt like there was little to read for, because even a convention nerd like me will eventually tire of hearing about panels and cosplay.
One thing I'd like to add: if you've never been to a convention, and you are in any way a fangirl/boy/other, I highly recommend you go. James Marsters once said to me "I love these places; they're like the safest places on Earth" and I didn't understand what he meant at the time. But as I've gotten older, I think I do. Geeky conventions are, for many, safe spaces. They are places where being a "freak" is the only way to be; where it is embraced. There is a kind of universal acceptance when you walk through the doors - everyone seems to be saying it, without actually saying it: "We're all weird here."
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More of a 4.5/5!
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I think my expectations were just too high with this one. It did a great job in terms of representation, diversity and addressing some very prevalent social justice issues. However I think the story itself was kind of lacklustre. The writing was definitely average, the dialogue even falling on the below average side. I felt like what really made it stand out to me was its diversity and the incorporation of fan culture through the convention setting. Other than that it was just an average read. It didn't have much of a good plot going for it, it was mostly about starting discussion about some important things, which is awesome, but the lack of a real story left me wanting more. Definitely a cute read but nothing I would go on raving about personally!
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“You’ve never been in anyone’s shadow. You are your own light source.”
Twelve reasons why I became totally smitten with Queens of Geek:
1. Set around SupaCon, we follow three lively best friends attending the convention: Charlie Liang, a Chinese-Australian actor with gorgeous pink hair. Pro fangirl Taylor, who has autism spectrum disorder and deals with anxiety. And “Flirty McFlirtersons” Jamie who's one of the kindest and also “got the whole Peter Parker thing down to a tee, right down to the camera hanging around his neck.”
I love me some Peter Parker.
2. I nearly passed out from joy at all the pop culture references thrown in here... IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES. From video games and comics to Felicia Day to Youtubers to the cast of The Vampire Diaries (my past self was over the moon at that last one), this book had it all.
3. I was so lost into this book that I barely noticed what was going on around me. My eyes were practically glued to the pages, so the above gif is a pretty accurate portrayal of what I looked like throughout.
4. A f/f love story. Charlie and Alyssa (my intersectional feminist queen!!!), two of the most smart, compassionate, and outspoken characters I've read as of late, we're seamlessly perfect together.
“It feels good to talk to someone who’s in a position similar to mine, who’s finding herself more and more in the public eye, and who’s being herself in a world that tells her not to.”
5. Charlie's bisexuality is talked about on the page and not just hinted at!!!
“I love everything about crushes. The butterflies, the possibilities, the giddy wonder of it all. But this is the first time I’ve liked a girl who might actually like me back. The moment I first realized I’m into more than one gender was a quiet one. It was sudden and almost anticlimactic, so it’s not a particularly exciting story.
I was fourteen, and by that time I’d had more than one crush on a girl, mostly movie stars. But I never interpreted my feelings as a crush; I just thought I admired them a whole lot. It didn’t occur to me that those feelings were similar to the way I felt about guys I liked.
I saw a post on Tumblr with the title “You Won’t Believe These Actresses Are Bisexual” or something stupid like that. I didn’t really know what that meant at the time, so I googled it. It didn’t take long to recognize myself in many of the articles I found.”
And not only that, but the book also took the time to talk about bi-phobia and bi-erasure, AND I'M SO THANKFUL!!
“But how could you possibly know you’re bi? Have you ever been with a girl?”
I remember seeing the frustration written all over Charlie’s face, and I spoke up. “How did you know you were straight before you were with a girl, Reese?”
That was exactly my response to his ignorant question. Side note: I hate Reese with the fire of a thousand suns.
“He’s all for equality, but he doesn’t even believe bisexuality exists.” She rubbed her fingers over the space between her eyebrows like she had a headache. “You can’t pick and choose whose equality you support. That’s not equality.”
6. Girls supporting girls. Girls standing up for girls. Girls loving girls. Girls, girls, girls!!!
7. As mentioned before, anxiety is also greatly discussed and represented.
“Most people think of anxiety as panic attacks. That’s not entirely accurate.
I haven’t had a panic attack in years. I started to recognize the signs and learned what I needed to do to stop it spiraling. I learned how to internalize it to avoid public embarrassment. Anxiety isn’t an attack that explodes out of me; it’s not a volcano that lies dormant until it’s triggered by an earth-shattering event. It’s a constant companion. Like a blow fly that gets into the house in the middle of summer, flying around and around. You can hear it buzzing, but you can’t see it, can’t capture it, can’t let it out.”
8. Sexism in the acting world is addressed, which, YES PLEASE:
“This is the third interviewer in a row who’s asked Reese an in-depth question about his job as an actor, and then asked me about my workout and diet regimen. I want to tell this guy to ask me something else, but I don’t want to look like a bitch or get in trouble with the studio, so I grin and bear it yet again.”
9. I loved when Taylor talked about her love for her literary hero, Queen Firestone. And the dedication it took to perfect her cosplay for SupaCon.
“I thought about buying one, but the ones I found online were too small to fit me comfortably, and the crown on the back wasn’t right, so I decided to make my own. I became so engrossed in it that some nights I sewed until sunrise without realizing, even forgetting to eat. Luckily my mum and sister were there to pull me out of my trance or I would have starved.”
Also, same about being so engrossed with things(reading)that you barely notice time flying by.
10. The discussions of fandoms and how heavy & intense it can get really reminded me of how similarly
Radio Silence tackled these issues.
11. On a completely opposite note, this book made me laugh giddily multiple times throughout. The one scene I remember being most starry-eyed about was when Charlie and Alyssa where shooting their first collab. It was so damn fun to read; it was like getting to watch behind-the-scenes footage.
“I was thinking we could do a Q and A tag? Where we have about ten questions and we take turns answering them?”
Alyssa sits on the couch and crosses her legs. “Awesome.”
“Those videos are always pretty popular, plus they’re a lot of fun.”
Plus, it’s a great way for me to get to know Alyssa better, without it being too obvious that I’m interested in her.”
This part was all awkward and cute and achingly real. And it was just the perfect blend of romantic and fun... I was rooting for them with all my heart.
12. This was truly one of the funnest books I've read so far. From running through zombie mazes to filming collabs and participating in SupaFan contests... it was hard not to fall in love with my Queens of Geek.
And with all the fun and games, this read still took the time to address vitally important topics such as body-positivity, friendship, love, change, shaming others, coming-of-age, accepting yourself... And it got to a point where I was dreading for the book to end. (Update: I loved the ending, even if it felt a bit rushed at certain points.)
All in all: though it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story - because of how meta it felt - I eventually came to embrace the vibrant SupaCon energy and everything that tagged along with it. Queens of Geek left left me on such a high that the only thing that could bring me down was watching the recently released episode of Grey's Anatomy. And if one things remains for sure, it's that I'll be on the lookout for any future works by the author.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication: March 14th, 2017
Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Queens of Geek, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!
This review and more can be found on my blog. -
“Besides, there's no one way to be a girl, Tay. You don't need to fit yourself into what society tells us a girl should be. Girls can be whoever they want. Whether that's an ass-kicking, sarcastic, crime-solving FBI Agent or a funny, gorgeous, witty beauty queen--or both at the same time."
I honestly hate myself because I put off reading this book for so long for no real reason and I have so much regret. Because this was everything I was expecting and so much more. And I wish I had read it sooner so I felt all this happiness sooner because honestly? This is the kind of book everyone needs in their life.
Queens of Geek is about a trio of friends who attend Supacon (basically Comic Con) in Los Angeles. There's Charlie - a Chinese-Australian girl who's a youtuber and recent movie star, her best friend Taylor who's a fandom blogger and their friend Jamie who's just moved to Australia and loves Marvel comics.
There is plenty of drama going down at this con though! Charlie is trying to escape her ex-boyfriend and is growing closer to her crush Alyssa Huntington. Taylor is dealing with her severe anxiety and desperately wants to meet her favourite author. Jamie has a crush on Taylor and is dealing with homesickness and not feeling like he fits in in Australia.
This is such a happy, light feel good book. It has so many cute moments, and the romance is soo cute. As in, "I physically need to throw my face into a pillow to deal with the cute" type of fluff.
My absolute favourite thing in this book, and one of the major reasons I picked it up, is the representation. For me, representation for marginalised groups in books means SO MUCH and I loved loved loved the representation. Charlie as a bisexual woman stood out to me especially, I'm bi myself and I thought the representation was just SO WELL DONE.
Charlie’s bisexuality comes under-fire from other characters, who make problematic and untrue assumptions about her and bisexuality but she counters them with grace and I loved that it allowed people reading who may not know about bisexuality to also learn with the ignorant character. However, I also liked that Charlie’s bisexuality was not the sum of her being - there were so many elements that made up her characterisation before that - and this made her a complete and rounded character.
On top of that, her romance with Alyssa was cute, well written and didn't sexualise them as wlw like soo many books tend to do. They were so solid together and I absolutely adored them.
I've also heard that the representation of the other characters is accurate as well as honestly and respectfully portrayed. Taylor is fat, and has severe anxiety - and many people who also experience this have said the portrayal is respectful and good. Jamie is latinx and while there has been less discourse on him, I've seen nothing bad. So to have a book which takes so many issues and writes them correctly and respectfully is so nice.
I really liked Jamie's character ! People don't talk about him much but he was such a good character? Super supportive, and a male character who doesn't fit into the "Nice Boy" or "Best Friend" kind of tropes we see all the time in ya.
by
mydarlinginej on tumblr
“But how could you possibly know you’re bi? Have you ever been with a girl?”
“How did you know you were straight before you were with a girl, Reese?”
I also liked that this book was such a warm homage to fandom, pop culture and all things geek. These sorts of books are becoming more and more widespread, but I really like that because I very much feel a little like "these are my people" when I read them. This is one of those sweet books which makes you feel all warm and nice inside and I think we can all relate to the excitement Taylor feels at meeting her favourite author, or Charlie meeting her favourite youtubers.
On a kind of personal note, I really liked that the characters were Australian because I am too and we are so rarely in books! Australian's neverr get represented so it was nice to see some for a change.
I also really liked lots of the themes and messages set up in this book - self acceptance and validating your own experiences, putting your needs on top, the way that abusive relationships can function and effect people, a little critique of the bad sides of fandom, self love, doing things at your own pace, and being kind.
“That's what we do. We walk a tightrope every day. Getting out the door is a tightrope. Going grocery shopping is a tightrope. Socializing is a tightrope. Things that most people consider to be normal, daily parts of life are the very things we fear and struggle with the most, and yet here we are, moving forward anyway. That's not weak.”
My criticism of this book, and the reason it doesn't get five stars, is that the characters weren't well written in my opinion. What I mean is, all of them were caricatures. Every main character is basically the perfect representation of what a non-problematic person would be but it's unrealistic. All people have elements to them which make them problematic, it's a by-product of growing uo in a racist/sexist/homophobic/ableist society. Making perfect characters who never do wrong isn't realistic. I think I'm making it sound worse then it is, all of them had personality and things that made them interesting - but often their dialogue felt forced and like it was coming from the author and not the character which really irked me. It felt condescending and preachy. In some scenes it worked - like the bisexuality talk with Reese because he was an ignorant character, but in other places it felt forced and a little cringey.
But there are other things about these characters that make them great. I've already mentioned the representation - but I also wanted to mention the other good stuff. I loved the female friendships, and the way the women supported eachother. I also loved the friendship between the main trio in general and how they cared for eachother and had eachothers back. Charlie and Taylor were strong character who stood up for their beliefs and acted with agency and individuality. They also are constantly dealing with their own issues and struggled but continue at working and overcoming them.
“To the girl who hid in the shadows and tried to body-shame me, I’m sorry you thought that was a good use of your time and energy. I hope you find happiness within yourself. You deserve that. We all do.”
But genuinely I don't want my criticisms to put you off this book because it is GREAT. The story is so cute and fluffy, the relationships are well developed and written and the representation is SO GOOD. It is so, so rare to find a good bisexual character in a fairly mainstream book so this was so nice to read.
Queens of Geek was everything it promised to be and more - it’s such a fun and light book, with solid friendships and plenty of fandom, both imagined and real. But it’s also about learning to believe in yourself, being brave. It's about and for all the Geeks out there, and if you want your nerdiness to be validated READ THIS.
To the weirdo's, the geeks and the fandom queens. To the outcasts, the misfits and everything in between. The days of playing the sidekick are over. You are the superheroes now. You are my people, and this is for you
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My heart has bursted several times and I am in love with this book! Wow! It's exactly what I needed to read.
I don't know how to review this - and tbh I feel like this every time - but when a book has a special place in your heart because of how much you connected to it, it makes it that much more difficult.
I love that this was set at a convention. It made me geekish heart explode! I related to Taylor on so many levels! Her anxiety, her constant fear of going into the unknown. To see her inner dialogue, and try and battle it was a beautiful journey to follow. I shed tears for sure! (Not as many as I wanted, because I was reading at a cafe and seeing someone cry just ain't cute in public! But the overwhelming urge was there.) Her being comfortable in her own skin was another great addition to her character. Insecure, but secure and the page that called spoke out on fat-shaming... *slow claps*
I need these characters in my life. I need the Jamie to my Taylor. Charlie and Alyssa. Josie and Brianna. Wonderfully, diverse (which had me gushing!) set of characters with their own uniqueness. All of the characters were distinct and well-rounded.
Gosh, I wish there were many more pages! I cannot wait to reread this again! -
This is exactly the kind of book I have been needing. I feel as if Jen took every important part of my identity and created this book solely for me. Not only was this such a fun read, but it also had wonderful discussions about important topics. The characters felt so real that at times I felt like I was reading about my own friends.
The story follows two friends as they travel from Australia to the USA, to attend SupaCon:
-Charlie, a youtube star who recently starred in her first film and ended a year long relationship with her douchebag costar Reese
-Taylor, who has autism spectrum disorder with severe anxiety and is trying to cope with the pressure that comes with starting a new chapter in life and her feelings towards her best friend Jamie
I seriously can't believe how much of myself I saw in both Charlie and Taylor.
Reading about Taylor's struggle with anxiety was like looking in a mirror. It was so obvious to me that Jen Wilde understands anxiety. There were so many passages in here that made me cry because they describe feelings that I have never been able to put into words."Everything feels like I'm on a stage, spotlight on me, all eyes on me, watching, judging. Like I'm one second away from total disaster. It's invisible, it's irrational, it's never-ending. I could be standing there, smiling and chatting like everything is totally fine, while secretly wanting to scream and cry and run away. No one would every know. In my mind, no one can hear me scream."
I also loved the relationship between Taylor and Jamie. I was rooting for them to be together from page 1. The romantic tension between them was so strong and I was just screaming for someone to make the first move!
I fell every more in love with Taylor when she overheard a girl make a rude joke about her weight. I expected Taylor to be crushed and probably cry. But instead it lit a fire within her. I felt so proud of her for being confident in herself and not letting a mean girl take that from her."I'm not offended by the word 'fat,' even though you said it like it was the worst thing ever. I don't care what some random person thinks about my body. I like my body."
Charlie was incredible. I related to her so much. She is a youtube star and it was so fun hearing her talk about youtube culture and making videos. Also Charlie is bisexual. While at SupaCon she meets a girl she's been crushing on and they start a romance. And while this was Charlie's first experience with a girl, I loved how her story wasn't about her being bisexual. She was comfortable in her sexuality. There was one instance of biphobia, from her asshole ex, but it was immediately shot down.“But how could you possibly know you’re bi? Have you ever been with a girl?”
I remember seeing the frustration written all over Charlie’s face, and I spoke up. “How did you know you were straight before you were with a girl, Reese? [...] He’s all for equality, but he doesn’t even believe bisexuality exists.” She rubbed her fingers over the space between her eyebrows like she had a headache. “You can’t pick and choose whose equality you support. That’s not equality.”
The friendship between Taylor and Charlie is hands down my favorite female friendship I've ever read. They both have so many of their own problems happening but that doesn't stop them from dropping everything and being there for the other. They are so supportive and don't judge one another. They really reminded me of my best friends.
Another thing that I loved was that Charlie is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. And there was this beautiful moment when she is playing a video game version of her movie, and she sees herself as a character in the game. It's such a pure moment and she is so proud to be represented in that way.
The setting in this book is what knocked it out of the park for me. It gave me flashbacks to when I have attended conventions with my friends. Which is why it felt so real to me. SupaCon seems like such a fun event, I really wished I was there with them. The nerd culture was so amazing to read about. From running for their lives in a zombie maze to participating in cosplay contests, this book was such a fun ride.
I really don't have anything negative to say about this book except that I'm sad I finished it. Please please please do yourself a favor and read this! -
- follows a group of Australian friends while they’re at SupaCon, a big convention for lots of geeky stuff. ft. friendships, romance, and having Epiphanies about Important Things in 3 days’ time!
- very nice representation! Chinese-Australian bi girl, fat autistic girl with anxiety, Black lesbian love interest, Latinx love interest!!
- generally fun and entertaining to read, especially since I just wanted a quick contemporary to binge, and I thought both of the romances were cute
- lots of great messages were included, but it definitely felt like they all came out of a list titled “Important Social Issues to Tackle”... felt pretty preachy since they were 1-page monologues that came every 10 pages and felt unnaturally added in
- dialogue also felt unnaturally juvenile at some parts (yes they are teen geeks at a con but they are not 10 years old)
- I usually don’t like the pacing of books that take place over a few days (this lasted like 3 days), but I think because I read this all in one sitting it didn’t bother me as much
- however the short and fast timeline of this had a role in how some conflicts were resolved Super quickly, to the point of unrealisticness
- though I had a lot of Objective problems with this afterwards, my experience while reading the book was just overall pretty fun so my rating isn’t that low because of that!
tl;dr (though let’s be real how long is this really): this book had its issues but I had fun while reading it so? awkward 3 star rating!
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:: rep :: Chinese-Australian bisexual MC, fat autistic MC w/ anxiety, Black lesbian LI, Latinx LI
:: content warnings :: (c = challenged) being outed to public, biphobia (c), sexism (c), slut-shaming (c), toxic relationships (c), fat-shaming (c) -
THIS WAS SO GREAT. Also the perfect book to read during Vidcon!
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I am completely in love with the concept of this book — I just don’t buy the execution completely.
Jen Wilde weaves in important themes: body-shaming, racism, sexism and equality. But the book became too caught up in being important, and it forgot to be real.
“Besides, there's no one way to be a girl, Tay. You don't need to fit yourself into what society tells us a girl should be. Girls can be whoever they want. Whether that's an ass-kicking, sarcastic, crime-solving FBI Agent or a funny, gorgeous, witty beauty queen--or both at the same time." She swings an arm around me and pulls me in.
"Are you happy the way you are? Are you comfortable? Do you feel like yourself?"
The corner of my mouth lifts into a half smile. "Yes. Yes. And yes."
"Then that's all that matters. Fuck everything else.”
(
x)
Not that that was such a big problem. I mean, it was still cute as hell.Because Jamie is my best friend, the one who always seems to know what I’m thinking.The one who gives me space when I need it but is always there when I need him. He’s the one I can sit in the darkness with, hovering eleven stories up in a metal box, and still feel like I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else. He’s the one I can share my mess with. He’s the one I can share my weird with. He’s the one.
And the movie and TV show references made me swoon.I don’t know how much longer I could’ve watched their incessant Ross-Rachel, will they/ won’t they storyline without doing something drastic.
It’s just that the characters don’t feel completely three dimensional — they work too hard to be good representations.
Things Of Note:
● Alyssa and Charlie: 10/10 relationship dynamics
● I ship it
● the video game scene at the end
● it’s so diverse
● I hate Reese he actually said “I don’t believe in bisexuality” when his girlfriend told him she was bi what the actual fuck
● he can go choke
● PINK HAIR
● I love everythingabout her Charlie and yes I’m talking about her hair
● TAYLOR AND JAMIE
● MY OTP
● I love them with all my heart
● I love the best friends to lovers trope
● they feel same with each other
● I'M!!
● jamie
● oh my god
● that kid owns my heart
● he’s so good to taylor
● he’s always willing to give her space
● he brings her ketchup
● he used books and comics to cope with Life
● I just want to give him a big hug
● he deserved that acceptance letter
● a+ anxiety rep
_____________________
● buddy read with
charls the cloth merchant,
josh dun and
lovelace the AI
● ayy it's pride month guess what that means!!
● (reading all the queer books i can find)
●anyway, i totally have high expectations because the protagonist has pink hairreading this for the hair totally paid off
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Queer book #1 of pride month -
hey, question: why can't almost-good things just be good already?????
this book is sooooooo almost good. it's a great concept! no, ok, it isn't. it's a fine concept with so much amazing diversity and representation (bi rep! autism rep! anxiety rep! people of color!) that you wish you could like it more than ANYTHING but you just can't. for reasons i shall enumerate Right Now, under one extremely catchy and all-encompassing subheading.
This Is Fanfiction For Fictional Characters
- takes place at a convention, following, like, YouTubers and sh*t (blech)
- repetitive kind of amateurish writing
- a lot of interpersonal drama (A LOT of interpersonal drama)
- problems that are solved faster than they can be introduced
- characters that are either perfect, unrealistic, flat, or all of the above
- and, of course, instalove and insta-friendship baby!!!!
- just felt all around p insubstantial. like fluff, but not in the fun way i want contemporaries to be
bottom line: wow i wish i liked this!!! it's so diverse it boggles the mind!!! but it's like reading fanfiction for a fandom i'm not part of. which, as it turns out: a full-on hellscape. -
Oops, I accidentally read this in a day.
This is so, so good. I mean:
- fat, geeky, anxious aspie protagonist discovering her own amazingness
- Chinese-Australian bisexual protagonist reaffirming her amazingness
- adorable friends-to-lovers romance (with a guy who is supportive and kind—not like Charlie's toxic masculinity-poisoned ex)
- adorable F/F romance between two vloggers who are both fans of each other
- takes place entirely at a convention!!
- love letter to fandom
- (though also acknowledging that it has problems)
- so many geeky references
- tumblr references!
- love stories with no contrived obstacles!! just realistic reasons why it will take the length of the book for them to really get together!
- bisexual character who actually says the word "bisexual"
- interracial romance between two women of colour
- well-paced plot, compelling romances, memorable and fully-realized characters
- I laughed out loud several times while reading it
- so fun and heartwarming
- just lovely -
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars.To get my bitter self out of the way and get into the gushing: Queens of Geek is very short. Short books often end up being a little forgettable; without room for a long character arc, they've got to be super emotional. I tend to enjoy short books only when they pack a punch. This book was just not impactful enough to justify such a short and lowkey underdeveloped story.
Don't get me wrong, though– this was a very cute story. We follow two girls, Charlie and Taylor, as they navigate a con week. Charlie is a bit of a celebrity dealing with fan culture and a breakup. Taylor is more of a wallflower, but she's an A+ fan. Both these characters are well-crafted and fun. I liked that neither are made to be generically relatable; that's been one of my pet peeves in contemporary books recently.
There are two romance plots here, one between Charlie and Alyssa, a fellow YouTube celebrity, and one between Taylor and Jamie, her best friend since forever. They're both adorable. I liked that there wasn't too much unnecessary drama, although I did feel I wanted the author to go a little deeper into their relationships. But all in all, the romantic element was definitely executed well.
And of course, this is a fandom story!! Sometimes I find books like this a little cringey with their demeaning portrayals of fandom, but this was not at all. I liked the emphasis on embracing your weirdness and all of yourself. I felt the author's love for fandom, rather than disdain. Great, right?
While the shortness may have been a complaint earlier, it's also a bit of a plus. Again, ignore the time it took me to read this: I read the whole book in two sittings. One of my major issues with contemporaries can be boredom stemming from lack of interest, and I didn't feel that AT ALL here. It was just all very readable.
Also, wanted to give a HUGE shoutout for diversity. Taylor's autism and social anxiety are portrayed very well here. Honestly, portrayals of autism in literature are generally either stories about their selfish siblings or use autism as a way to create unreliable narrator. The author neatly avoids all the gross tropes around autism, thank god. Also, points for a non-confused bi character without a cheating storyline (do you even know how bitter I am? infinity). And a chubby main character who gets a love interest, doesn't only learn to love herself through a boy, and doesn't lose weight! And a Chinese main character who isn't stereotyped! Wow, I can't believe I'm giving this book credit for all this. Avoiding gross representation should not be this freaking hard. And yet, apparently it is. This book did everything well. Fight me, contemporary genre.
Overall, a very cute story. Definitely check this out if you're into contemporary books or books focusing on fandom. I'm falling out of love with contemporary more and more, and it's making me a little sad. I should love books like this! Come on, brain!
The first pride month BR with
fellow Adam Parrish fan club captain (Silvia),
that one friend who's still really bitter about a certain AI (Pragya), and
my enemy / wife / both (Aimee) :)) And it's already terrible save me I'm in hell Amy has captured m -
So here I am, writing this review, right after I finished Queens Of Geek. I have no idea what to say that compares to how awesome, nerdy, awkward and adorkable this book is.
This book should have way more recognicion and hype than it already has, please help spread the word about this beautiful piece of art.
Queens Of Geek is narrated by two girls. One of them is Charlie, a Chinese-Australian bisexual 18 year-old who is a Youtube star and has recently starred in her first movie. We also have one of Charlie's best friends, Taylor, a fat and autistic girl who suffers from social anxiety. These two characters are so real they might be the most relatable I've ever seen.
And of course, I have to mention Jamie, a Latinx-American boy who's part of their BFF geek trio. He's such a lovable person, he cares so much about his best friends <3
These three are the main characters, and I'm not going to talk about the other because I'm afraid that if I mention them I might end up spoiling the book a bit.
The first thoughts I had when I found out about this book were that I had to have it, read it, love it. It seemed like an incredible story, full of pop-culture references and relatable characters (and a bisexual MC !!!!), so I had to read it. At first, I actually thought this was going to be pretty predictable, even tame regarding the plot, but it wasn't. It tackled some important issues like misogyny, fatphobia and homophobia (I think there are a couple of examples in my updates), and I did not know where the story was going.
This is a story about people getting out of their comfort zone, going into the public eye and accepting themselves. Charlie's going through a very public breakup and Taylor's trying to get through her social anxiety. I greatly appreciated Taylor's inner monologue, because she had tons of difficulties to go through and I found them extremely relatable, especially regarding her take on anxiety. It's pretty obvious Jen Wilde knows a lot about it and how to portray it.
This book is pretty diverse, and something I thought was really well done was how the author slipped Charlie's sexuality like it was no big deal, and it's not. Why doesn't anybody flinch when a 10 year old girl has a crush on a boy, but if she has the tiniest signs of a crush on a girl? Everybody flips the fuck out. And that shouldn't happen.
My experience went a lot like Charlie's, and whenever there was any homophobic shit going on, she'd shut it down. It was also incredible seeing her so sure of herself and having inner monologues where she reassured herself that she wouldn't change for anyone.
The character development was also on point, and the character growth was spectacular. The relationships were really well formed, and super super super cute. I loved that these characters noticed the things in themselves they could improve, and they went for it. I loved every single one of these characters (except Reese. He can choke.) and I just want them to be happy forever.
Overall, this book had no actual flaws. It was fast-paced, sweet and had a strong plot and characters that will probably stay with me forever.
I'd recommend it to my bisexual peeps who want more recognition and representation (*sigh* don't we all?) and autistic people who are also looking for a a character to identify with. If you're looking for a diverse, quick and short story about people being dorks and geeks with a bit of romance (so cute !!!), then this book is definitely for you!
IMMEDIATE THOUGHTS AFTER READING
I read this in less than 6 hours and I almost had a couple heart attacks because of the cuteness. RTC -
Such a cute book!
SupaCon!!!! Three friends travel from Melbourne, Australia to an L A comic convention. In the three days of adventure through the convention, all three of them find love in the most unforeseen places. 💘
This book is so adorable! Although it only spans the time of 3 days, it is perfectly written and keeps you flipping through the pages from beginning to end. The characters are not just a little relatable. I think most people would be able to see themselves in these characters.
The author gives us a great look at three young people who live in today's society of never-ending social media surrounding the world of fandemonium. The book is written from two perspectives: one in the spotlight and one in the shadows. Both are brilliantly written!
The fandom movie, book and comic references are a perfect addition for anyone who lives in the geek world. I found myself naming off the references right along with the characters in the book!
I enjoyed this book so much. I found myself feeling for the characters as well as relating to them. I found myself cheering them on and carrying on with them through their triumphs. This book was just so great and light-hearted and intriguing and funny. The perfect addition to any fangirl's library!
I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! I especially would recommend this book to my fellow fangirls! Power to the fans ladies! We are all queens of geek!
Or you can watch my review on YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/FuTJnYo7X-Q -
In terms of representation, this book gets 5/5 stars from me. I personally found all of the descriptions of bisexuality to be SPOT ON and it made me so happy to see a main character share feelings similar to how I felt when I first figured out that I was bi. And the amazing representation didn't stop there! This book was so great. The only reason I'm taking off a star is because I did find it a bit too cheesy at times, but I still ultimately loved this so much. It was just sooo fun
-
I related to this book on such a deep level - and not just because the MC and I are both asians with pink hair who have youtube channels haha. I love the relationships and characters in this book. I loved the setting, and the plot was fun and light but had real heart to it. The dialogue was sometimes a bit stilted, so I'd give it 4.5 stars, but overall I 100% recommend this!
-
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As you may or may not know, I went to my first convention ever last year. Fanime Con in San Jose, CA. Ever since I was young, I've always been really into anime, comic books, and science-fiction-fantasy. Even before it was cool to do so. Going to a con was one of my life goals, but I used to be really shy when I was younger, so I didn't go in my teens or early twenties because the thought of being in a large crowd, alone, was way too scary.
When I posted about going on Goodreads, I got so many kind comments from people who shared their experiences going to cons and offered helpful tips about expediting various things and how to be safe. The positivity and support I got from my internet friends made me even more confident and excited about going.
Fanime Con is one of the smaller cons, so there weren't a lot of celebrities or anything, the way larger cons in San Francisco and Los Angeles have. Christina Vee, the voice actress, was there, and so was a famous cosplay duo whose names I can't remember, but they're big on Instagram and make their costumes themselves. Mostly, though, it was just regular people doing their own thing.
As a geeky woman, I was very excited when I heard about QUEENS OF GEEK. It was announced right around the time that I was going to Fanime, so I was still high on the excitement of going to the geek equivalent of Disneyland (and yes, it's pretty much just as expensive). I was also worried, because I've read a couple books that tried and failed to capture what geek culture is like.
Would QUEENS OF GEEK live up to my expectations?
QUEENS OF GEEK is about three high school seniors. Charlie, a famous YouTuber and indie actress who is openly bisexual and of Chinese descent; Jamie, a Latinx character who's into geek culture and movies; and Taylor, a bookophile who's heavily into a series called Queen of Firestone (think Throne of Glass) and who is neurodivergent (she's on the autistic spectrum). The book is about the three of them going to something called SupaCon and exploring their interests while also discovering more about themselves.
Charlie is easily my favorite character. I loved her personality. She was strong and stood up for herself, and it was easy to see why she had so many followers. Wilde manages to capture the in-your-face authenticity that many YouTube stars are known for, for better or for worse. Her relationship with Alyssa was great, and I loved how many of the stereotypes about bisexuality were brought up and debunked. They were great together and I would happily read a book about them.
Taylor was a different story. I loved what the author was trying to do with her character. I could relate to her book obsession, and I also liked that she was fuller figured and how some of the negative stereotypes about that were addressed (at one point, someone body-shames her for cosplaying a character who is much thinner than she is - something that sadly happens a lot, especially online). I also liked that she was neurodivergent and how her anxiety disorder was portrayed. The problem was, I just didn't like her as a character. Every single chapter, she cries. Every. Single. Chapter.
I actually liked Taylor better through Charlie's eyes because it was obvious that Charlie liked her and considered her a good friend. Maybe that was the point - that we're all unlikable when viewed through our own eyes because we're so preoccupied with our own flaws. Charlie only saw the good in Taylor, and so did Jamie. I really tried to feel the same way, but could never manage anything better than indifference. It's hard to like a character that literally spends all their time crying and whining.
Oh, and let's talk about Reese. Oh. My. God. I'd say that his character was an exaggeration, but sadly he's the embodiment of mansplainers everywhere who think that their 'sexism' is just a natural byproduct of masculinity (nope) and that women are precious, temperamental creatures who need to be saved from their own delusions (nope, nope, nope, nope, noooope). As a blogger, I'm sorry to say that I have encountered people just like Reese. People who felt obligated to explain to me why my views of certain literary classics were incorrect or misinformed, or why my feminist beliefs are redundant or irrelevant. Reese is probably the best character in this book, because he is the worst.
Every time Charlie shut him down, I wanted to dance around and cheer.
Feminism: 1
Reese: -1,000
QUEENS OF GEEK captures conventions pretty well, whether it's the excitement of going to your first convention and meeting your heroes or the dull tedium of waiting in long lines in poorly ventilated rooms. I liked most of the characters in here and appreciated the diversity - especially since the diverse characters were fully fleshed out, and their stories weren't just about exploring their identities, but rather how those identities shaped and affected their various personal journeys.
Not bad, Jen Wilde. Not bad.
Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!
3 stars -
Full review originally posted on my blog:
Word Wonders
I received a copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review
SWOONS. SQUEALS. SCREAMS. AAAAH ALL THE HEART EYES AND LOVE TO THIS BOOK. Lo and behold, this is my first 5 stars rated fiction book of the year, so it’s something to celebrate. I’m completely and irrevocably in love with this book, the characters, their romances, the issues it discusses. It does everything right. It’s an #Ownvoices book at its finest. I really felt the authenticity and honesty of it. I want to talk about all the things this book stands for but my words are failing me, they jumble up in my head, collide and combust into fairy dust, rainbows and unicorn poops.
The writing is fun, fast paced and very quotable. I genuinely want to get myself a physical copy just to tab all the parts I loved. Queens of Geek is written in duel POV through Charlie and Taylor’s eyes and it was fantastic because both girls are very different and still manage to have a beautiful friendship. Aside from the classic formatting of the text, the book also has text conversations as well as Tumblr posts that Taylor types on the spot.
Queens of Geek is the book all of us proud nerds have always wanted but never knew we needed. I can’t begin to describe how happy this book made me, it is so heartwarming that just thinking about it puts the biggest smile on my face. So many pop cultures references and relatable fangirling moments that I’m pretty sure everyone can relate with, especially if you’ve been to a convention -I haven’t- because the vibe is so well encompassed in the pages of the book.
The romances are INCREDIBLE. Both of them. Both are two of my favorite tropes. The first one being bestfriends to lovers, Taylor and Jamie have been friends for years, in love for years as well and everyone knows it but them. They act like this adorable old couple but without the coupley stuff, and I lived for the awkward moments each time they started getting too intimate, it was so real, relatable and just funny. I specifically loved seeing them through Charlie’s eyes, she had this “KISS ALREADY” attitude that was hilarious. The second one is an F/F fan to lover type romance, except that both girls having been fans of each other for years, harvesting these innocent crushes that developed into more once they met. I must admit that this one evolves much more quickly and can feel like instalove but it isn’t because the girls knew each other beforehand.
Taylor is such a smart, kind and strong girl who’s into everything book related. She’s a neuro-diverse character on the autism spectrum (Asperger’s to be more specific) who has anxiety and what I loved most of all is how none of it defined her, her story wasn’t about it, it was about her being a fangirl, going to a convention, having a crush on her bestfriend and spending a great time with her friends. Her anxiety was always there and so well explained and dealt with. As she put it:
“Anxiety isn’t an attack that explodes out of me; it’s not a volcano that lies dormant until it’s triggered by an earth-shattering event. It’s a constant companion.”
but she kept challenging it as best as she could, meeting new people, doing things she wouldn’t normally do and I honestly loved that. I also adored the body-positivity in this book, how Taylor was totally and utterly comfortable with the way she looked and didn’t care one bit what people might think. Also, this might seem weird to you but SHE WEARS GLASSES, do you know how rare that is in books?
Charlie is a force of life. She’s a proud Chinese-American bisexual youtuber and rising actress with pink hair (hence the cover) who’s confident, empathetic and sensitive. What I admired is how she wasn’t portrayed as this almighty, fearless creature. She had her doubts too, was scared of falling in love after a tough break up and needed her friends as much as they needed her. I liked how through Charlie, the author addressed biphobia in the form of her ex-boyfriend who was a total tool and couldn’t wrap his head around how her being with him and being bisexual could coexist. On the other hand, Alyssa, her crush, was so patient and reassuring, and made sure to hear her and make her comfortable, she also planned the most perfect date for the two of them.
Jamie is the softest, most caring boy ever, he’s quite frankly redefined the meaning of book boyfriend. He was inseparable from Jamie and had -figuratively- “protect Taylor at all costs” written on his forhead. He knew when to be there for her and when to give her space, he was just honestly perfect.
The three of them make such an amazing trio of friends who plan their futures while making sure to always be around each other. I lived for their banter and healthy friendship, how they understood when one of them -aka Charlie- needed to go off and spend time with her crush and encouraged it instead of getting mad because she didn’t spend all her time with them. I especially loved Charlie and Taylor, they had such a supportive friendship when despite of having their own problems, found time to listen to each other and be there.
All in all, this book is the perfect mix of cheesiness, adorable banter and dealing with important issues. I adored it and would recommend it to everyone, their mom, their neighbor and their neighbor’s dog. GO GET IT AS SOON AS IT IS OUT. You won’t regret it. -
THE GOOD:
* Fun, easy to read, funny, witty
* Holy diverse cast, Batman! Characters who are racially diverse, body type diverse, one of the MCs is autistic and the other one is bisexual
* So many pop culture nods (including Tumblr, which was such a fun surprise) - the entire book takes place at a convention similar to Comic Con
* Characters that are romantically interested in each other actually communicate their feelings and talk them over, instead of having unnecessary drama over not talking
* Just SO cute and fluffy I cry
* Tackles subjects like bi-erasure, bi-phobia, anxiety, autism, sexism
* GIRLS SUPPORTING GIRLS. YES. YESSSSSS,
THE BAD:
* at times, the characters felt a bit too perfect and everything resolved itself a bit too perfect
* Maybe a bit too short? Although in the context of the 3 day trip the events take place during, it kind of makes sense.
* I got nothing else sorry PLS READ THIS
YAY or NAY: SO MUCH YAY
Favourite quotes:
“Besides, there’s no one way to be a girl, Tay. You don’t need to fit yourself into what society tells us a girl should be. Girls can be whoever they want. Whether that’s an ass-kicking, sarcastic, crime-solving FBI Agent or a funny, gorgeous, witty beauty queen–or both at the same time.“
“That’s what we do. We walk a tightrope every day. Getting out the door is a tightrope. Going grocery shopping is a tightrope. Socializing is a tightrope. Things that most people consider to be normal, daily parts of life are the very things we fear and struggle with the most, and yet here we are, moving forward anyway. That’s not weak.”
★★★★★
To everyone who got this far, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! Also, feel free to share your thoughts, comment or tell me anything :) -
I don't know the last time I so thoroughly enjoyed a book. This had a fantastic bisexual woc (who falls for another woc!) and a fantastic autistic girl who has anxiety and has the most adorable romance. They were both baes as were their love interests and I just want to be BFFs with all of them.
This book encapsulates all the best and most affirming aspects of fandom. It's so true to my experience, and the experiences of many others. Plus it's INCREDIBY current. There are references to Orphan Black, Felicia Day, Malala, and one of the protagonists is a YouTube star.
Ugh, I just. I know that SO many people are going to love this book and I'm like why do we have to wait til March??? -
I can see why this book is important; bisexual rep and autism spectrum rep. I was beyond excited for autism representation due to one of my cousins being autistic, so any book that represents him correctly makes me excited. Queens of Geek did do that. It also had great bisexual representation. However, I wasn't feeling this book. I couldn't connect to the character. I wasn't feeling excited over events and situations. It just fell flat for me, unfortunately.
Full review to come. -
So I can’t decide whether to give this 3.5 or 4 stars, so I’ll just stick with 4 because overall I did like it.
The best way to describe how i felt about this book is with a list.
What I liked:
-The diversity! I loved seeing a bisexual character done correctly. I also loved that Charlie was Asian. Taylor being autistic was also a nice addition and something you hardly ever see.
-Charlie’s love story. It was super cute <3 Alyssa knows how to take a girl out on a date.
-The fandom references, especially The Craft one (I love that movie).
What I didn’t like
-Lack of chemistry between Jamie and Taylor in the beginning and how it was a bit cliche. I found myself shipping Taylor with the other people she meet early on in the book. I also felt like Taylor didn’t even need a romance storyline. Her story was perfectly fine without it.
-The writing style. It was very average and at times reminded me of fan fiction. I wished there was more description on the characters’ appearances because I had a hard time picturing them for some reason.
-How predictable it was. I could see some plot points coming from a mile away.
All in all, this didn’t quite meet my expectations, but it was still a worthy read. -
I have a little reservation with Queens of Geek, Swoon Reads is usually a hit or miss for me. Though, the cover and synopsis alone has been hypnotizing me. I’m glad I followed my instinct because this book is all shades of amazing.
When I picked it up, I didn’t expect it would have intersectionality. This is not your bare minimum attempt at diversity. The story follows best-friends Charlie, Taylor, and Jamie as they attend a comic con. It was told from the shifting perspective of Charlie and Taylor. Charlie is a Chinese-Australian vblogger who is proudly a bisexual. She’s the leading lady of an indie apocalyptic film that is currently taking the geeky fandom by storm. The second main protagonist is Taylor who is an ultimate fan of this fantasy book series turned into a film franchise. She’s also on the autism spectrum. While, the third person in their trio doesn’t have his own POV, Jamie is still a significant character. He’s also Latinx, based from the supporting text, though I’m not sure if that’s explicitly stated in the book.
Queens of Geek has a positive depiction of fandom. There’s a lot of dissuading things about this community. We can be toxic and harmful but from my own experience, it truly shaped me into finding my voice. This book has that uplifting portrayal. Taylor is very cute, and geeky. You just can’t help but to root for her. She’s also introvert. She’s more comfortable at typing and writing her feelings rather than voicing it out. I love that her arc isn’t about overcoming it or toning herself down to be able to fit into the non-autistic world. It’s about creating a safe place for her, finding her own pace. That’s important. She’s also plus-sized so if you want to read something that has a fat heroine, you should consider picking it up. The story doesn’t revolve around her weight.
Similar to Taylor’s arc, Charlie’s story is about coming of age as well. She just got out of a highly publicize relationship with her douche co-star Reese. Even though, it’s been six months fans still ship them despite the glaring problems between the pair. That sounds familiar, isn’t it? Then, she officially met her long time crush Alyssa in the comic-con. Like, Charlie she’s also a vblogger but she has more following than her. Readers would love Charlie. She’s empowering, who’s proud of her heritage and sexuality. This is her story about embracing her own–without the restriction of societal’s expectation.
The romances are very cute and swoon worthy. We have best-friends to lovers where comfort zone is respected. A cute f/f couple with kissing in between.
Queens of Geek is positively nerdy. It's relatable and needed more than ever. -
1. I NEED THIS TO BE A MOVIE!!!
2. Actual Review:
3.5 stars
Disclaimer: I like to rate books for what they are. When I see a YA contemporary with a pink cover and under 300 pages, I more or less know what I'm getting myself into. Yes, it's too short and yes, it's no literary masterpiece but it is as sweet and fluffy as cotton candy. Also, it sweetened my over 3 hour long doctor’s appointment today. So yay.
A few thoughts:
1. The Characters
The diversity was amazing. We have bisexual, autistic, gay, POC, anxious, plus-sized,… characters, and it all feels natural. Never once did I feel like the diversity was “artificial” or forced (looking at you there
Beneath the Sugar Sky). I loved it.
2. Setting & Language
I have read several complaints that this reads like a fanfiction but to me, it honestly just felt modern. Sure, it’s not world-class literature but it’s what I read actual people write on the internet every single day.
The whole story is set at a Comic-Con/Vidcon type of event called SupaCon. It’s kind of like a YA/adult Disney land with actors, merch, fun rides and games from different fandoms. The people attending were actual geeks, fanboys and fangirls, who were so in love with their respective fandoms, it was so fun to read about it. It felt like attending a convention with a bunch of GR friends. 💜
3. The Relationships
The relationships were the CUTEST thing ever. I loved both of them. Jamie reminded me so much of Levi in
Fangirl, just the sweetest guy you can imagine and so supportive.
All in all, this book was everything I wished
Leah on the Offbeat had been. It was cute and fluffy, it was a fun and light read with loveable characters and couples I was actually rooting for. -
YouTube sensation Charlie recently starred in a movie that has seen more success than anyone thought. After a public breakup with her costar Reese, she’s determined to show the world she’s moved on. The perfect place to do this is at SupaCon – a convention where she’ll be a guest meeting fans, but also where she can escape the real world for a while. Shortly after arriving, she meets Alyssa, a fellow YouTube star, who she might have a crush on…it seems the crush may not be one sided either.
Charlie’s best friends Taylor and Jamie also accompany her on the trip to SupaCon. Taylor is very anxious, and is on the Autism spectrum, and is both excited to attend SupaCon and meet her celebrity icon, Skylar who stars as her all time favorite literary hero, and Jamie is excited to be spending time with Taylor. They might be best friends, but he has feelings for her, and thinks they might be reciprocated.
Told in alternation point of views between Charlie and Taylor, we see a trio of best friends enjoying their time at an event that will change their lives more than they ever expected.
Queens of Geek was such a delight of a book! I read it in two sittings, and flew through it. It was a very light, fun, read with minimal drama and conflict. While there are some speed bumps in the road, the story primarily focuses on friendship, confidence, self worth, and being true to yourself. I loved the friendship aspect of the book – in so many of the books I read, the friendships aren’t super healthy ones (or don’t exist at all), and this was a fantastic change of pace. I’d kill to have friends like Charlie, Taylor, and Jamie!
On that note, there were some moments in the book that felt a little too good to be true, if that makes sense. There were eloquently worded monologues, celebrities acting like they were best friends with strangers and inviting them to movie premiers after just meeting them, and women who didn’t get offended or upset when they overhear someone calling them fat behind their backs. While I’m sure those things can happen sometimes I feel like it would be incredibly rare for all of those things to occur, so I occasionally found myself having to suspend my disbelief in that regard. That said, if you enjoy the story for what it is and ignore the impracticality of some of the things that are said or that happen, the book is still adorable.
I really loved the representation of Taylor’s anxiety. As someone who suffers from anxiety, it’s not always easy to find books that accurately represent what it feels like to have an anxiety disorder, and I really related to Taylor feeling completely overwhelmed and having sensory overloads being in such a crowded place. I loved that her anxiety and Autism played into the story and weren’t treated as something shameful.
I also loved that these characters were diverse! The book had characters who were asian, overweight, bisexual, had shaved heads, weren’t traditionally “perfect” looking (as is the case in many YA books), and I loved that. There were a ton of references to fandoms (even some that I’m a part of, which was so fun to read!), and I loved that the “nerd culture” of attending cons and conventions was celebrated in this book.
Overall, I completely loved the book and could not put it down! It was a perfect light summer read, and was a 5 star read for me! I can’t wait to see what else Jen Wilde comes out with! -
Cute, cute, cute!!!
That's really the best description for Queens of Geek. This book is funny, heartfelt, adorable and genuine. The story resonates with me and I wish I had had this to read as a teenager. Not only is there lots of talk about coping with anxiety, but there are also moments discussing self esteem. These are two major issues I had as a teen and still have today even at the age of 34.
This book does a wonderful job at showing that everyone gets nervous, anxious and self conscious. Whether your a celebrity, a shy girl, a geeky boy or a confident go-getter; you will still have moments of doubt and need support.
True to its title Queens of Geek is very... well... geeky! So many amazing references to dozens of movies, books, tv series and comics. I couldn't help but feel like I was living the SupaCon alongside our characters as I appreciated every geeky moment.
If you are not much of a geek you may find this book silly or ridiculous. But if you want to know how us fan girls feel surrounded by the geekiness we love this is a good book to portray it. Clearly Jen Wilde is a geek herself.
So why only four stars... while this adorable book has some amazing moments of clarity in describing anxiety and self esteem; it's use of a three day span to bring two relationships together is a bit too quick for me. I especially felt that Charlie's storyline was a bit too rushed and somewhat unrealistic; even for a celebrity. That's not to say that there aren't some amazing moments in this book; it's just to say that Charlie's romantic moments seemed too soon. On the other hand Taylor's storyline was almost perfect.
Overall an excellent teen read and one I'd buy for teens in the future. It knows it's audience and this is a true teen book, written for teens. It doesn't pretend to be anything else which I greatly appreciate.
For this review and more visit my new book review blog at:
Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review. Don't believe me? Check out the other books I've had eARCs for that I gave poor reviews to. I always give my opinion whether good or bad -
I just want to make one thing clear : I LOVED THIS BOOK SO DAMN MUCH.
Well, now that that's settled, let's try to write something decent - and trust it's going to be hard because I have so many feels right now.
The book itself is divided into two povs, so I guess I will start with talking about both Charlie and Taylor.
#1 C H A R L I E
Charlie is my Queen. Simple as that.
She's had a few rough months : her asshole of ex boyfriend cheated on her, she's been publicly shamed, and then spent six months trying to rebuild her confidence. Clearly I think she deserves some holidays from all this bullshit. Just saying.
She's just this incredibly talented kid who just can't believe what's happening to her : she has a Youtube channel with more than 3 millions subscribers, her first indie movie is super well loved, and she just met the girl she's had a crush on for a few years.
I loved how she's so unapologetic about herself : born from Chinese immigrants, a nerd, bisexual, 100% herself.
Me. The geek girl from the suburbs of Melbourne. The youngest daughter of Chinese immigrants. The only openly bi kid at school. The drama freak who makes vlogs in her bedroom.
I’m the hero.
Finally, I feel like the rest of the world is starting to see me the way I’ve always seen myself.
Talking about bisexuality - my favourite subject you know it - I thought this book portrayed amazingly well how it is to be bisexual nowadays : you probably know this already, but when you come out as bisexual, there is always at least one person that will say she/he doesn't believe in bisexuals, like we're some kind of weird concept coming out of nowhere. And when Charlie is confronted to this person, she's basically like 'Fuck off, I am who I am and I will not be ashamed, so get the fuck out of my sight.' And I'm so proud of her for how she stands up for herself.
Also I loved loved loved her relationship with Alyssa - they're the cutest, yes.
It’s not my job to convince others of who I am. My only job is to be who I am. All I can do is find what makes me happy, and live it.
#2 T A Y L O R
I have so much to say about Tay ... where do I even begin ?
I wish authors wrote more characters like her, really.
She has autism spectrum disorder, and she's so fucking brave. Every day is a war, every day she has to fight her anxiety, she has to experience the loud and huge unknown of life, and even though every day is not a victory, she doesn't give up. And more than that, she helps other people who experience panic attacks like her even when she's going through a really stressful moment, she's just such a kindhearted person.
But she doesn't feel like she belongs with this world, she feels so out of place it hurts. She's never sure about what she does because she's afraid she didn't interpret the situation well, or to screw everything up. And she's brave for still keeping her head up and making her way through life like a fucking warrior.
I just met someone like me. Another Aspie.
In one brief conversation, she made me see that there’s nothing wrong with me. I’m a perfectly normal Aspie girl. I just feel broken because I’m trying to fit into a nonautistic world. I’m a square peg trying to squeeze myself into a round hole.
She also happens to be curvy, and she loves her body, really. SHE LOVES IT. DID YOU HEAR IT ? Because some people think that if you're overweight you automatically feel bad about it, that you're ashamed of your body, but no, it doesn't work like that. And why should people feel like they have the right to comment on HER body ? Why should they feel like they have the right to say mean things about HER body ? It's hers, and she loves it, so why does it bother you so much ? She's a fucking queen and taking none of your shit.
Also, can we talk one second about how amazing Jamie was with her ? Like seriously, this boy is pretty amazing : when she told him she didn't want to be touched and he said okay and gave her some space ; when he let her breathe when she needed time to think about them ; when he was ready to apologize because he thought he'd done something wrong to her but not at all .... He's just amazing. Also, this baby is latinx.
Fat. Chubby. Curvy. Overweight. Plus-size. Whatever you want to call it.
I’m not offended by the word ‘fat’, even though you said it like it was the worst thing ever.
I don’t care what some random person thinks about my body.
I like my body.
But it’s not the most interesting part of me.
If you judge me based on the way I’m shaped, then you miss out on how awesome I am.
And I am awesome.
#3 F A N D O M
I'm pretty sure we all know what a fandom is, so no need for me to explain ^^
I loved how our world - because it's ours - was described. We're all weirdos, but we are proud of it. We love talking about what we're passionate about. We don't care if we make friends on internet, because these are our people, they understand us and support us no matter what.
Here's to all the amazing weirdos out there ;)
