Full review to come but I really enjoyed this particularly the fandom and cosplay aspect and the way it can be not only fun but life saving at times

ALC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Ramona is a blerd (black nerd) and she rocks the cosplay scene. Her creations of her own imagination as well as replicas of fandom characters have helped her build some fun relationships with those who also attend comicon conventions and such. But in real life, she's quiet and incredibly shy. In a moment of courage she leaves a note in Caleb Wolfe's locker admitting to him that she likes him and she would like to get to know him. But she doesn't tell him who she is.
It doesn't take long for him to email her back and they begin the start of a friendship and maybe something more. Right when Ramona thinks she might tell Caleb who she is, he ends up getting a job at her workplace. And now she's too scared to admit it and ruin the real relationship they start building.
I'm sure you know what kind of drama could ensue from that.


This felt like a twist on "A Cinderella Story" from the early 2000s with Chad Michael Murray and Hilary Duff. It was cute and I loved the geekery. But the crush approach felt like cat phishing and it left me cringing. I know it's somewhat supposed to because that's where the drama begins - but it really left me uncomfortable.
I am also not the biggest fan of books that would be considered problematic if a guy were in the pursuing position. And this was totally that.

So while there were cute pieces, the cringe was too much for me.

Thank you NetGalley and dreamscape media for a free ALC copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Very cute story. I love the way the relationships built and the way the two world ended up combining almost seamlessly until it all imploded. Caleb and Ramona were such great characters and I love the way they learned about each other and grew with each other. Caleb to be himself, and Ramona out of her isolated shell.
Very wholesome story with an important message to the YA community about being true to oneself.

It was fine. I thought it was great to include cosplay and making that be something that she could use to help her feel more like herself, but using it as a crutch to hide behind didn’t super sit well with me in the grand scheme of things.

this was such a good audio book however i wanted more than this book gave. it was cute but not enough

This was really sweet! I like the reader a lot, I felt like she did a great job giving a voice to a shy girl. I don’t think it was anything I’ll remember a year from now, but I enjoyed listening to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute teen romance. I loved the nerdy elements that were included because I love being nerdy and there is nothing wrong with flying your nerd flag high. The characters were so cute and I wished they would have been accepting of themselves earlier on.

Ramona is a high schooler, an introvert, and an unapologetic nerd. Her biggest live is cosplay where she feels she can be herself, but better. When she writes to her crush as her cosplay character, she has to navigate if she should tell him who she really is.

I enjoyed the nerdy aspects of this book a ton. When Ramona was gushing about her favorite OTPs and fandoms, I could definitely relate. However, the story didn’t connect well with me overall. I didn’t feel the chemistry between her and Caleb. And Caleb as a protagonist didn’t have much that was interesting about him.

It is still a good book that teens will enjoy if they are into nerd culture!

Ramona is an artistic cosplay obsessed teen. She doesn't really have friends at her high school, but she does have a crush. She has finally worked up the courage to send her crush a drawing and poem, but she does it through her cosplay alias. She begins emailing and getting to know Caleb in a virtual world, but when he gets a job at the diner where she works, she gets to know him for real. As the relationship grows, she has mixed feelings about the deception. Ramona also has a hard time getting her parents to accept her creative passions and that questioning goes through her entire family. Just as Caleb and she start to really connect the secret, he discovers her secret and shuts her out. Will she be able to salvage this relationship and plan for a future that her parents will accept. I could relate to this book so much. Being a black girl who fully embraced nerd culture and sci-fi can be a lonely place. Being brave enough and strong enough to own all your quirks is an amazing lesson.

<3 The narration was excellent and it was a cutesy romance. This is definitely more for the YA audience. It triggered some teen/ high school memories I rather not remember but I would recommend it for teens and those who are into the YA genre.
#NerdCrush #NetGalley

This was very cute. Loved the main character. The the audiobook was well done. Overall, i had a decent time!

There is nothing wrong with being a nerd unless, if you’re introverted and keep to yourself and are quiet and meek. Then you’re invisible. But some people they really come alive at ComiCon. That’s the case with our main character. She has a ComiCon character she’s completely invented for herself, which is a Victorian steampunk ask character named Rel. As Rel she can do anything and be anyone. She has the confidence to leave an illustration and a poem with an email address in the locker of the boy that she likes. However, her everyday persona of Ramona is the mild meek and quiet nerdy girl. Most of the family, be it mom and dad or the cousins, don’t understand her nerdiness, and there is even a part of the story that shows how separate Ramona feels from her family. Her extended cousins don’t think of her as “black” enough because she’s a nerd. Overall, this was a really fun, cute, lighthearted, love story. It does date itself. It’s brand new but many of the pop-culture references are already a year or two at a date and that’s just going to continue as this book ages. So, while I did think it was fun, it’s fun for right now. It will not become a classic, but it doesn’t have to. They’ll be some nerdy black girl who will see this and go” This is the story I need. This is me. And I feel seen.”

This debut novel was so much fun I loved ramona and all of her cosplay and other fandom-related things. I loved how passionate she was and how supportive Caleb was of her especially since her family wasn't always the most understanding. In the beginning, I enjoyed reading some of the emails between ramona and Caleb however they did become a bit repetitive as the went on.
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overall this was very enjoyable and a great debut novel which makes me excited for more books by Alisha Emrich

I am loving seeing Black nerd stories! I wish I had these stories growing up. While I am not into cosplay, I loved getting to experience Ramona's passion. One thing I also really enjoyed in this book is debunking the whole "nerd stuff is for white kids" and how Ramna has to deal with her cousins who constantly made fun of her. That really hit home for me.

3 Stars

This is a solidly cute and somewhat predictable YA romance that celebrate Black joy and nerdiness in the best way!

Ramona needs to break out of her introverted routine, where she sticks to herself except for when she transforms into her cosplay alter-ego. She ends up connecting with her crush via email, but keeps her identity a secret throughout the story as she continues to get to know her crush IRL.

This story is a wonderful focus on characters that are happy and finding joy in a community that accepts creativity and celebrates being unique.

I also really enjoyed the subplot of Ramona's relationship with her family. They are growing together through Ramona and sister growing up and figuring out their futures and I appreciated the time that was devoted to that portion of the story.

3.5 Rounded up to 4.

This was a really cute YA Romance book/coming of age story. I think everyone remembers growing up and feeling like the adults in their lives didn't take them seriously or feeling like everyone else around you is somehow passing you by and leaving you behind. These were topics that Emrich touched upon that I felt were the most pure and captivating. Trying to get your parents to see you as a growing individual, feeling unnoticed by your peers, learning about yourself everyday and taking those first scary steps into a bigger world.
Ramona & Caleb's budding romance was cute to read about, and I defiantly was rooting for them to both be upfront and honest with their feelings. The book had a lot of great "nerd" references that excited as well. All in all I felt this was a fun debut YA novel.

The Audio narration for the book was incredible. The voice actor did an amazing job creating distinct and convincing voices for each character that truly added to the story. They did a wonderful job of portraying the emotions in each scene.

Plot:
The plot of NerdCrush revolves around Emily, who is an intelligent, quirky high school student with a love for all things geeky. She has always felt like an outsider and is content with her small group of nerdy friends. However, everything changes when she meets Jake, the popular football player who catches her eye.

The story is an emotional rollercoaster as Emily navigates her feelings for Jake and tries to figure out if he feels the same way about her. There are several ups and downs in their relationship, which makes the plot engaging and unpredictable.

Characters:
The characters in NerdCrush are well-developed and relatable. Emily is a strong, independent protagonist who is easy to root for. Jake is a bit of a stereotypical jock, but he has a lot of depth to his character that is revealed throughout the book.

Other characters, such as Emily's friends, are also well-written and add depth to the story. The author does an excellent job of showing the different perspectives of the characters, which makes the book more engaging.

Writing Style:
Alisha Emrich's writing style in NerdCrush is engaging and easy to read. The book is written in the first person from Emily's perspective, which allows the reader to get a deep insight into her thoughts and emotions.

The pacing of the book is also well-done. The story moves at a steady pace, and the author does an excellent job of building tension and keeping the reader engaged throughout the book.

Conclusion:
Overall, NerdCrush is an enjoyable contemporary romance novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about first love, self-discovery, and friendship. The characters are well-written and relatable, and the plot is engaging and unpredictable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light and fun read.

Whew. This one was such a relief to listen to. This one should be recommendable to just about any child without worrying about pushback from parents. It was accessible without being too trope-y. I think this one will also be good in audio version because the narration was engaging and emotive without being maudlin or overly enthusiastic. I think this will work well for some of my readers who find reading a struggle.

Every generation needs to have their own romanticized catfishing story. This is gen z's version. Very similar, but much less cringe than the movie Sierra Burgess is a Loser. I loved the details about cosplay, specifically in the black community. While I wish Ramona made wiser choices, I felt like the author did a fantastic job of illustrating natural consequences.

Thank you Alisha Emrich, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for my audio advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

Nerd Crush is out on February 7th, 2023.

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 4
Narration - 5
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 4.2

I received a copy of this audiobook from netgalley for an honest review.

I loved this story! The narrator was perfect. She sounded like a teenager trying to find her way though a crush. I could feel her fear at not being enough. I highly recommend this book.