This is a fun Twelfth Night retelling with some great messages as well! I absolutely loved the characters (especially the dual-narration), and the romance was super cute!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Cute story. Some of the dialogue was a little weird but that was only a couple of spots among a very good book with excellent characters, development, and storyline.

This was a fun contemporary view of a classic story! this dealt with realistic issues in a light hearted yet still relatable way! I loved angst and yearning between the characters. Slow burn? Yes please!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars

Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth was an absolute treat, and I couldn't help but get lost in its charming retelling of Shakespeare’s play mixed with modern-day dilemmas. The book perfectly captured the essence of YA romance while dealing with tough topics in a way that felt refreshing and real. So let’s dive into why this one deserves all the stars.

What I Loved

First off, the romance was everything! It's a slow-burn that I actually appreciated, which is rare for me. The chemistry between Viola and Jack was undeniable, even when they were at odds with each other. Their relationship was built on genuine moments of understanding and growth rather than just some explosive “I’m madly in love with you” declaration. The *grumpy x sunshine* trope was done to perfection—Viola is all snark and sharp edges, while Jack, the sunshine boy, is warm, supportive, and genuinely kind. But that doesn’t mean it was all smooth sailing. Watching them move from enemies to reluctantly helping each other, to forming a real bond, was so satisfying.

The dynamic of their relationship wasn’t just about love, though; it also addressed deeper issues, like the emotional weight of losing one’s identity, dealing with societal expectations, and finding space to truly be yourself. One of my favourite moments in the book was when Viola, in the middle of her internal battle, realises that sometimes letting people in isn’t about being perfect but about finding the right people who show you how to care and belong.

Here’s one of my favourite quotes from the book:
“I hope you never change. In fact, I hope you change me. I like to think you already have.”
This perfectly encapsulates Jack’s role in Viola’s life. He doesn’t try to change her or demand anything from her. He accepts her as she is, and in turn, she learns to embrace a version of herself that’s more open, less defensive. It was a beautiful way to show how love can be transformative without forcing someone into a mold.

Characters That Felt Real

The characters were where this book really shined. Viola was complex and deeply relatable. She may come across as abrasive or unapproachable at first, but as the story progressed, I felt such empathy for her struggles. The expectations placed on her—from her peers, her family—made it so hard for her to just *be*. Her character development was so satisfying to witness, especially when she started to realise that not everything needs to be done on her own, and letting people in might not be as scary as she thought.

And then there's Jack—he’s such a lovable golden retriever of a guy! His journey was equally engaging, moving from the pain of a sports injury to the discovery of new passions and forming unexpected bonds. His emotional depth, despite being a seemingly easygoing guy, was something I really appreciated. He was just so *genuine*, and I found myself rooting for him at every turn.

The side characters also made a huge impact. Olivia, with her “this is me trying” energy, and Bash, with his heart of gold, added extra layers to the story that made it feel even more grounded and full of love. I could honestly read an entire book just about them.

What Didn’t Work for Me

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were moments where the pacing felt a little slower than I would’ve liked. Some of the plotlines felt a tad predictable, but to be honest, the charm of the characters and their growth made it easy to overlook this. There was also a bit of frustration with how Viola’s family treated her. I get the tension, but there were moments where I just wanted to yell at them for not understanding her more. Still, it’s a testament to how well Follmuth created these characters that I felt so strongly about them.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing me with an ARC of Twelfth Knight. This book was an emotional rollercoaster with just the right balance of humour and heart, and I’m already thinking about reading it again.

In conclusion, *Twelfth Knight* is a heartfelt, fun, and genuine read that’ll leave you thinking about love, friendship, and growth long after you finish it. It's a perfect example of a contemporary romance done right. Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a solid YA romance with a unique twist.

tropes - grumpy x sunshine, slow burn, enemies to lovers. Some of my favorite tropes

This retelling of Shakespeare felt so naturally integrated into a modern-day setting that there were times I forgot it was a retelling at all. I think that’s the best outcome because I wasn’t distracted by the original work or thrown off by out-of-place references. Instead, everything blended so smoothly that the story felt fresh, while the characters stayed true to their motivations—complex and layered. I also really enjoyed the gaming and roleplaying elements. They never felt forced or awkward, like they sometimes do in similar stories.

And then there’s the grumpy female protagonist with her sunshine-y nemesis... and I actually liked them both? My heart can’t handle it.

If you’re looking for a solid YA with emotional depth, well-crafted moments, and no melodrama or excessive angst, this one’s got it all. It’s diverse, fun, nerdy, and has just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek. Plus, the slowburn romance is one of the best I’ve read in a while. Highly recommend giving this one a try.

3.5-4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth! I was so excited to dive into this one, and it did not disappoint.

Let me start by saying the character development in this book was top-notch. Vi took me on a bit of a rollercoaster—I’ll admit, I struggled with her unlikability at first, but as the story unfolded and her layers were revealed, I ended up really rooting for her. Her growth felt realistic and made me appreciate her all the more by the end.

Jack, on the other hand, was an absolute standout as the male lead. His journey as a youth athlete grappling with the pressures and uncertainties of his future was both relatable and heartfelt. I loved how his story wasn’t just about romance but also about finding himself outside of sports.

The romance between Vi and Jack was adorable and had all the sweet, swoony moments you’d hope for in a YA rom-com. That said, the side characters truly stole the show for me. Olivia and Bash were so fun and well-drawn that I found myself wishing we got even more time with them—they added such a great energy to the story.

In summary, Twelfth Knight is a cute and charming romance with a solid cast of characters and plenty of heart. While it took me a minute to warm up to Vi, her growth made the journey worth it. If you’re into YA contemporary with a touch of Shakespearean flair, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read!

The overarching story of Twelfth Knight was cute. I love stories that incorporate video game elements and video game mechanics into them. From TTRPGs to MMORPGs, this book covers a wide range of gaming experiences and gives a decent perspective of it from the inside.

What I couldn’t STAND was Viola’s character. She makes her entire personality “I don’t need anyone and I’m fine burning all the bridges because I’m independent.” And then spends the entire novel doubling down on how awful people are while simultaneously being confused why people hate her. Maybe I had too high of expectations for seniors in high school, but I would have liked a little more nuance to them. Jack was okay, as was his sort of girlfriend, Olivia. But Vi was insufferable.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Viola is a nerd who loves her video games. At school, she can't get the student body president, who also happens to be a football star for their school, to take anything seriously. When Jack gets hurt and his friend turns him on to the same video game that Viola loves, he begins an online friendship with her. The only problem is that he doesn't know its her and she definitely knows its him. All this comes to a head when real life collides with video games.
Opinion
This is a super cute book on first loves and enemies to dating. It takes two polar opposites and pushes them together to realize they have more in common that they think.
I truly enjoyed reading this book and would 100% put it in the hands of my students to read. I do not remember anything more than kissing and that makes me confident that it could also go in a school library.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to Tor Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I wanted to like this, but it felt very middling at best. I wanted stronger arcs for all of the characters and I found our female protagonist to be frustrating at times.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Publishing for this ARC.

This book made me feel so many emotions. Anger, happiness, betrayal, all the feels. This is a slow burn and I don't read many of those so at one point I was like: romance where? But the romance was seriously so cute. I loved it.

The sexism in this book made my blood boil. Viola is a girl who is crazy good at gaming. This really made almost all of the men in this book mad because gaming is an activity that is typically thought of as a 'male' activity and I am a sucker for whenever a book calls out sexism and how women are treated.

Also, I just wanted to say that I saw the name of this book, knew it was based off of Twelfth Night and freaked out because I recently read it.

Overall, I loved this feminist retelling of Shakespeare. It was funny but also discussed things like sexuality and figuring out who you are. I also want to read another Shakespeare retelling.

3.5 ⭐

I have loved modern reimaginings of Shakespeare's work ever since I saw 10 Things About You and She's the Man, so I was excited to read Twelfth Knight! It's a cute story & I love the characters, family dynamics, and DnD elements. That said, there were some things that fell flat for me. While I appreciate the focus on the plot, I would've loved to see more character growth and more romance. It was hard to get fully invested.

I love a good Shakespeare retelling! Twelfth Night is one of my favorites and this cute rom com spin on it was super enjoyable!

This one was a miss for me. Olivia Blake’s books and fics are always hit or miss, mostly hits I can flu through. This one just wasn’t it.

A delightfully entertaining and sweet banterfilled rom-com that I will be recommending to all my friends!

I love Olivie Blake and was so intrigued to see how she would do at a YA romance but unfortunately I've tried to get into this one multiple times over the past 8ish months and just haven't been able to get invested! I think it might just be the fact that I know she's capable of writing spectacular adult books that's creating the mental block for me because to me this just feels like a typical YA book. Which isn't a bad thing, but when I know that she's more than capable of standing out from the crowd it makes it a little tricky for me to lose myself in this one. Overall I think I'm just not the target audience for this and that's okay!

Twelfth Knight is a smart and engaging modern reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic play. Set in a contemporary high school, the novel brings themes of love, identity, and self-discovery to life through its relatable characters. Follmuth’s sharp dialogue and witty writing capture the humor and heart of the original play while making it feel fresh and relevant. The book’s exploration of gender and relationships adds a unique twist, making it both thought-provoking and fun. Overall, it’s a charming and insightful read that offers a new take on a beloved story.

I had super high expectations for this book due to both loving the adult books by this author and how Twelfth Night is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. I even love She's The Man as an adaptation. My expectations could not be higher!
I think this book did exactly what it set out to do: it's a super cute YA romcom with compelling fun characters and chock full of silliness and cleverness. I liked the Shakespeare references, I also liked the look into the world of gaming and all the modern issues that came with it. It's super relatable to teens, and honestly also for older teens/ young adults who have experienced the struggle of trying to be female in. a mole dominated space.
Really a delight to read, and a good balance of sassy banter, romantic growth, and real world issues.

⭐️: 4.25/5
🌶️: 🚪 YA
Format: 📖

Okay this was CUUUUUUUTE. I absolutely love an unexpected frenemies to lovers. I love nerdy shit. I love sports-boy-loves-nerdy-shit. This was adorable. I really liked that the FMC was not like, always perfect. In fact, she had some times when I went "girl, stop being kind of a B." But she GREW. She LEARNED. It was really relatable as an autistic girly, even though I'm not sure that was the intent behind the FMC's personality.

It was very fluffy imo. I could have used a little more oomph in terms of gravity, because it was a little fluffy, but it's also YA. And it's great for YA. I did really like learning more about how other folks play DnD because different groups play it so differently! The detail was awesome, and you can tell this author knows whereof she speaks! It really showed depth and breadth of writing when compared to Blake/Fallmuth's other books.

Overall, I really enjoyed it, would definitely recommend to others.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth!