Overemotional

Overemotional #1

by David Fenne

Sometimes, emotions can be a little too powerful...

Seventeen-year-old Steven has a big problem... Whenever he feels intense emotions, weird things happen. Like when he kissed a boy for the first time, and the boy's head literally exploded.

Fleeing to the miserable town of Grunsby-on-Sea, Steven is determined to not hurt anyone else - but he doesn't count on his best friend Freya, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy following him. And when agents from the mysterious DEMA organisation show up talking about "neutralisation", Steven realises that Grunsby-on-Sea might not be the safe haven he'd hoped for...

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Young Adult, LGBT, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2023

Reviews

[Drew (Taylor's version)✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Hey did you hear? Steven Percival is a low-budget superhero who might kill you if he laughs too hard."

Edit 2: HAPPY PUBLISHING DAY!!! GO GET YOURSELF A COPY BESTIE.
Edit: I haven't stopped thinking about this book so it's gone up .5 a star to perfection :) stay mad
5/5

If i don't respond to your dm it's because I'm hanging with my babies Steven and Freya <333
This is going to be a trilogy and my new obsession. Just trust me on this one guys, it's really good.

(release date July 6th!)
Thank you to Netgalley and Black & White Publishing for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review. WOW. The story is so engaging, I'm so attached to the characters, I'm so in love with this story and this world. The found family, the romance, everything was on point. The writing is so good also.

The story follows Steven after he blows up the head of a guy he's kissing. He's an emomancer (ikr cool name) and whenever he feels intense emotions, weird things happen. Fleeing to the miserable town of Grunsby-on-Sea, Steven is determined to not hurt anyone else - but he doesn't count on his best friend Freya, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy following him.

I'm literally so attached to all the characters, these people are my new obsession and book one hasn't even come out yet. I NEED BOOKS 2 AND 3 IMMEDIATLEY. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. I NEED MORE OF THESE AMAZING CHARACTERS. I can not believe this is a debut novel :0

the swearing (especially as it's being marketed as YA) is consistent and the use of "prick" "tits" and other words like that should probably be monitored. Amazing novel otherwise.

Pinterest board

Quotes:

"I guess certain things bind you to someone for life. And, apparently, running around the playground pretending to be alien butterflies with freezing breath is one of them."

"Straight men, ironically, really need to get their priorities straight"

"That's it; I'm not a gelatinous blob of unrequited homosexual angst. Pity my existence. And pray for me"

"Jesus tits indeed"

""No it's just, i like you...and stuff"
"I like you and stuff too""

"“And you aren’t going to disown me?”
“You’re gay. You haven’t murdered anyone.”
Well, not intentionally.
“And what if I have?”
“Then I’ll get my shovel and help you dig.”"

PLAYLIST:

Why am i like this ? by Orla Gartland

Sweater weather by the neighbourhood

Strawberry blond by Mitski

You stupid bitch by Girl in red

Nina cried power by Hozier

Not allowed by TV GIRL

Motion sickness by Phoebe Bridgers

Don't kill my vibe by Sigrid

Are you satisfied? by MARINA

No light, no light by florence and the machine

Maroon by Taylor swift

[Amur Thera · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 41%


    - Steven has not come out yet. Freya, his supposed best friend, keeps trying to catch him off-guard so he'll come out to her. Who does that? It's all up to Steven if and when he wants to come out, and it's none of Freya's business. She also assumes he's gay just because he's never shown any interest in girls, blatantly ignoring that Steven might be acespec, arospec, private about his feelings, not interested in any of these girls in specific, not interested in romance/sex in general yet, bi/pan with a preference for men, etcetera. Or maybe Steven isn't a guy. There are so many options other than Steven being gay, and her insistence on calling him gay and trying to make him out himself to her is awful.
    - I searched ahead to find out if and how Steven comes out to Freya. Freya catches him kissing a guy and then makes him give her a label, even after Steven says he doesn't really know.

    "Gay? Bi? Pan?"
    "Errr, I don't know."
    "Well, do you find women attractive?"
    "I guess not."
    "You guess not? Jesus, I'm asking if you are sexually aroused by women, not asking if you want butter on your toast."
    "It's hard to really know."
    "Sure, but gun to your head?"
    "Gun to my head, I'd say I'm... I'm gay."

Seriously, what the fuck is this? Steven doesn't need a label. Steven doesn't need to come out to her. Steven doesn't have to know just exactly which genders he's attracted to and how much, not when he's only 17 and not later in life either. Oh, and note how Freya again ignored the options of acespec, arospec, and Steven being trans.
    - There was a love triangle in this book. I hate love triangles. If I had known there'd be one going in, I would not have picked this book in the first place.
    - The third guy in the love triangle was a guy who was introduced to the story without a mention of his age. I thought he was a random guy in his 30s, so imagine my surprise when he kissed 17-year-old Steven. Later, Steven conformed he looked like someone in his 20s. There was of course also the severe power imbalance with this guy being Steven's only hope for a normal life. So without warning, I got confronted with a guy whose age was later confirmed to be over 80 years old sexually assaulting the 17-year-old main character. Ugh. Oh, and the best part of the love triangle is that Steven would have picked this old guy over his classmate and friend, and only 'switched sides' when he found out the old guy was not trustworthy. How romantic and genuine.
    - This book is advertised as "wholesome", and has no content warnings. Yet this book covers topics such as illegal experimentation on pregnant women, eugenics, creatures and gore fit for horror stories, kidnapping and drugging, sexual assault of a minor, and whatever else is in the part of the book I didn't read.


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased.

[Miki_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and Black & White Publishing for providing an arc of this book for review.*

Overemotional was a fun read, even if it was a little silly. The interactions between Steven and Troy were really cute and endearing. Troy is just a really cute character in general. I did, however, find the logs difficult to follow. The social media references threw me off a bit as well. It is a YA story, though, so I'm sure that will appeal to younger teenagers and is more of a personal peeve of mine. I also found the jumps between all four POV's a little confusing and hard to follow at points. In saying that, I still enjoyed this. It was fast-paced and funny even if it wasn't anything groundbreaking. This would be perfect for younger teenagers looking for superpowers and LGBTQ+ representation. I just wasn't the target audience

[Brigi · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at pg 108.

Just really badly written, ridiculous and over the top. The mc's best friend also tried to force hm to come out...

[Andreas · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was amazing. Fantastic story with great world-building. I love the idea of magic manifesting through emotions. I was a bit skeptical at first if this concept is strong enough or it'll fizzle out halfway through the book. It didn't. The author clearly put a lot of thought into it an came up with a lot of ideas for it.

The story is told first person with alternating perspectives between four and a half narrators. Steven the main character and his three friends (as depicted on the book cover) and reports from an agent of a secret organization. Seems a lot at first glance but you get into it easily and the POVs are very distinctive. Sometimes the perspectives change quickly like after every sentence and it's very funny.

Of course it's also a queer story. And not just in a "this character happens to be gay" way. It's integral part of the plot.

This is one of the books I wish a streaming service would pick up for a mini series instead of the n-th reboot or sequel or prequel of a long time worn-out franchise. This book has an original story, an exciting plot and intriguing and loveable characters. I'm so glad that this is just the first book in a planned trilogy and I can't wait to read the next book.

[Drakoulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Fenne is my new insta-buy YA author!

I devoured Overemotional from start to finish in less than 2 days. It has everything I want from a gay YA story: interesting characters, mystery, humour, a romance I'm rooting for.
The book is very British, very gay and very (over)emotional!

Steven's emotions causing a reverse effect in the world around him is an intriguing starting scenario which is explored in various ways, and casts a different light in the whole superpowers discussion.

One of the plot twists is very easy to see it coming but this only adds to the suspense of the book, since you will be anxious to see how it will play out for the characters.

The romance is sweet, really cute and dorky and highly connected with another plot twist I didn't see coming (not this way)!

Shout-out to the Enid Blyton reference, I had read so many of her books as a kid and I finally see her mentioned in a contemporary YA book!

I can't wait for the sequels!

[❣Trola❣ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aż brak mi słów na głupotę, która tu występowała. Doslownie tania podróba "Stranger Things". Każda postać tu podejmuje TAK IRRACJONALNE DECYZJE. Szczególnie głowny bohater, który nie widzi problemu z zaufaniem do randomowego typa bo jest przystojny. No jprd 💀
Tak samo, nie wiem czy to wina tłumaczenia, czy nie ale niektóre słowa są użyte, jakby autor nie znał ich znaczenia. Dekadencki, słoneczny pokój rozwalił mnie na łopatki.
Jeszcze boli mnie to, że często są tu używane stereotypy, jako główne żarty i cechy charakteru postaci. Troy, który jest Amerykaninem, nie umi gotować i przez całe życie jadł wszytsko z mikrofalówki. Ta informacja powtarzana była chyba z milion razy aż do znudzenia, bo przecież to takie mega śmieszne.
A TEN ZWROT AKCJI NA KONIEC TO JEDNO WIELKIE XDD

Jeszcze nigdy tak się nie zawiodłam, a naprawde z początku miałam takie wielkie nadzieje, że to będzie mój ulubieniec😭

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and humorously heartfelt, queer coming-of-age story, that perfectly captures the awkwardness of growing up (complete with all the emotional, angsty bits) but with an X-Men meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D twist that had me utterly hooked!

We follow seventeen year old, Steven who has run away from home and moved to the dilapidated town of Grunsby-on-Sea, in order to protect his friends and family from the strange new powers he’s developed. Powers he has no idea how to control, that arise whenever he feels intense emotions. Like kissing a boy for the first time and making said boys’ head explode… LITERALLY.

But Steven’s best friend Freya, has tracked him down and is determined to bring him home. However, Freya isn’t the only one to find him, Freya’s boyfriend Marcus and friend Troy have also worked out Steven’s location—alongside a secretive government agency, who seem to have Steven (and his ability) in their sights….

The writing was wonderfully charming and for the most part was really light-hearted (though given some of the topics explored I’d still suggest checking TWs beforehand) and the dialogue and banter we see between Steven and Co. was soo entertaining. And, to me at least, felt really authentic to their ages and personalities.

I really liked Steven, and enjoyed how nuanced his character was. When we first encounter him, he’s still reeling from the shocking events of his first kiss and I’m in awe of with how much he manages to cope with, despite how terrified he is. He’s soo compelling and his fear—not only of his emotions—but of judgement and rejection, make for an inspiring protagonist that I know a lot of young people will find relatable.

This is also a multi-POV story, so we do get to explore a lot of characters (including a few supporting characters) and their inner most thoughts in depth which really helped me in understanding their motivations. Especially Troy, Freya’s American friend who was an absolute cinnamon-roll of a character. I loved how goofy he was around Steven and loved the dynamics they both had together.

Another fave was rookie Agent Wren, whose enthusiasm leads to more than one awkward (but highly entertaining) conversation with her supervisor—trust me, it’s pretty much impossible not to find her antics a little amusing.

Now I can’t say much else without ruining the plot but, full of British humour and themes of love, acceptance and the (very relatable) desire to fit in—this action packed coming-of-age Fantasy YA was an absolute joy to read. YA loving superhero fans, you definitely don’t want to miss this!

Also, a huge thank you to Nina Douglas and Ink Road books for the physical copy.

[Benny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving this a 3.5 overall but the way this turned so intense so quickly has me a bit obsessed with this book. 'wholesome, queer YA adventure of the year' does NOT make me think of murder, human experimentation, systematically traumatising pregnant women, making out with 70 year old vampire men, zombies with their faces falling off or gay cold war eugenicists. And yet here we are. Iconic? maybe. Jury is still out. Blessed respite from end-of-year deadlines though so this was a smash hit for me thank you david fenne

[Ines · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Współpraca recenzencka
z Wydawnictwem Wielka Litera]

3.5/5

Steven boi się odczuwać emocji, bo każde silniejsze uczucie sprawia, że jego moce działają w niekontrolowany sposób… Smutek i radość potrafią wysadzić w powietrze połowę miasta, nie mówiąc już o innych skomplikowanych uczuciach, które przeżywa każdy siedemnastolatek. Po pewnym wypadku ze swoimi mocami, Steven nie chce już nikogo więcej skrzywdzić, więc postanawia wyjechać i zaszyć się w miejscu, o którym nikt nigdy nie słyszał i gdzie nikt go nie znajdzie. Jednak na „pomoc” wyruszają mu przyjaciele, którzy wspólnie ze Stevenem odkrywają dziwne tajemnice miasta Grunsby-on-Sea, uciekają przed podejrzaną organizacją polującą na osoby ze specjalnymi mocami i próbują odkryć sekrety opuszczonego laboratorium, w którym dochodziło do bestialskich eksperymentów.

Książka to typowe Young-adult. Mamy tutaj grupkę nastolatków, którzy nie panują nad swoimi emocjami, z czego jeden z nich może wywołać tornado z powodu buzujących hormonów. Pojawia się tajemnica do rozwiązania i jeden wspólny wróg, którego próbują pokonać, ryzykując tym swoje życie. Jest to ciekawa opowieść o uczuciach, emocjach, przyjaźni i poświęceniu, ale nie oferuje wiele więcej. Nie mówię, że książka jest o niczym, ale przez pierwszą połowę akcja toczy się dość leniwie i niewiele się dzieje.

Miałam trochę problem z kreacją bohaterów. Przez to, że mamy cztery perspektywy – Stevena, Frei, Troya i Marcusa – nie mogłam do końca złapać, jakie mają charaktery. Przykładowo, każda z osób opisywała i widziała Stevena inaczej, a były to różnice tak diametralne, że w końcu trudno było określić, jaki naprawdę jest główny bohater.

Cały zamysł na fabułę jest za to bardzo ciekawy – emocje same w sobie są mocą, więc główny bohater musi nauczyć się je kontrolować, ale także przywoływać i rozumieć, a gdy to konieczne, odsuwać na bok. Jest to na pewno opowieść z morałem, ale także z nieprzeciętnym humorem. Dużo tu znajdziemy słownych przepychanek Stevena i Troya, głównie dlatego, że jeden z nich jest Brytyjczykiem, a drugi Amerykaninem. Choć w książce króluje brytyjskie poczucie humoru, mamy tu też trochę „amerykańskości” Troya i wiele różnic pomiędzy tymi dwoma światami.

To, co mi się nie podobało, to niektóre z porównań: Trzęsę się jak pies przy defekacji nie jest najlepszym sposobem, żeby wyjaśnić co może czuć osoba po coming oucie. Rozumiem, że bohaterowie są nastolatkami i mają barwny język, ale niektóre teksty mnie aż mroziły, jak np. wolałbym się zesrać na dłonie i zaklaskać. Kolejnym językowym zarzutem są niektóre „powiedzonka”, co akurat może być winą tłumaczenia, jak np. Jeżu brodaty, kolo i tym podobne.

Mam również mieszane uczucia co do przyjaciółki głównego bohatera, która wręcz zmusiła go do coming outu przyłapując go na pocałunku z innym chłopakiem. Jej natarczywe pytania wprawiły mnie trochę w dyskomfort i nie mogłam zrozumieć, czemu Freya odczuwa tak ogromną potrzebę, żeby Steven określił swoją seksualność:

Nie chcę ci przyklejać żadnych etykiet, ale jak myślisz, kim jesteś? Gejem? Bi? Pan?

Yyy... nie wiem (...)

No to pomyśl(...)

No błagam...

Mimo wszystko, uważam jednak, że Overemotional to przyjemna, ciekawa książka z morałem – w sam raz dla nastolatków zmagających się z różnymi, skrajnymi emocjami.

Idealna na czytelniczy zastój i nudny wieczór !

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een leuke YA met (Britse) humor, cult verwijzingen, mysterie, lichte fantasie en romantiek. Dat lijkt veel voor een boek, maar het valt allemaal zo mooi in elkaar dat het echt fijn lezen was. Ik zou het nog een halve ster meer gegeven hebben als het achtergrondverhaal nog net iets beter uitgewerkt was.

[Will · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5/5 ⭐️
Boże jakie to było słabe. Nie dość, że infantylnie napisane i pełne niepotrzebnych, nieśmiesznych żartów to jeszcze cała historia została poprowadzona bardzo nieumiejętnie. Z głównym bohaterem nawet jakbym nie wiem jak próbował nie jestem w stanie się utożsamić (a to był chyba główny zamiar tej książki) bo jest po prostu głupi. Jedyny bohater, którego jakkolwiek polubiłem z tej całej książki to ofc czarny charakter ale i tak, że tak powiem dupy nie urywa. Motyw mimo że oklepany - nastolatek z mocami i jego grupka przyjaciół odkrywają tajemnice, naukowcy, agenci bla bla bla, byłby okej gdyby zmienić całkowicie przebieg wydarzeń po około 50 stronach i wgl zmienić autora. Banał, nuda i cringe a plot twist był taki że w sumie mogłoby go nie być.

[Technikolore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oceniam książkę wysoko, bo po pierwsze to debiut, a po drugie dawno nie czytałam czegoś, od czego nie mogłam się oderwać. Czy jest to obiektywna 5? Żadna ocena nigdy nie będzie obiektywna.

Książka przeszłaby mi koło nosa, gdyby nie [współpraca barterowa] z wydawnictwem Wielka Litera. Nie miałam wobec niej żadnych oczekiwań, a spełniła całkiem sporo wymagań - trzymała w napięciu dobrze wyważała humor i dramat, fantastykę i sci-fi, a także opisywała szeroką gamę emocji, a o emocjach w dzisiejszym świecie trzeba mówić dużo i mocno. Do tego postacie zróżnicowane światopoglądowo, rasowo i "orientacyjnie" to coś, czego ze świecą szukać w dobrze napisanych książkach, bo często inkluzywność jest bardzo spłycana. Po prostu całkiem dobre urban fantasy, które nawet samodzielnie bez kolejnych części nadaje się do przeczytania. To taka mieszanka Scooby-Doo, X-Menów i Stranger Things.

Historia zaczęła się z "grubej rury", bo główny bohater Simon pocałował się pierwszy raz z chłopakiem i... rozsadził mu głowę. Tak okazało się, że jego emocje oddziałują na innych w przedziwny sposób - im większa jego radość, tym większe nieszczęście na przykład. Ucieka z domu pod nieobecność rodziców i zawszywa się w małym miasteczku, gdzie jego znajomi i tak go znajdują (w bardzo prosty sposób - od jakiegoś czasu udostępniał lokalizację przyjaciółce i zapomniał wyłączyć tę opcję). Próbując zachować w tajemnicy swoje nowo odkryte moce, nie zabić nikogo ze swoich znajomych musi uciekać przed "kobietami w czerni", które chcą go "zneutralizować", a także zderzyć się nie tylko z tym, że nieumyślnie zabił człowieka, ale także jest gejem. Być może pomoże mu w tym nowo spotkany człowiek z innymi mocami...

Choć w tej serii łatwo się domyślić kto jest głównym złolem zarówno w części pierwszej, jak i w kolejnej, to raczej nie o to tu chodzi. Chodzi bardziej o motywację czy plan tej osoby. Przyjaźń, miłość, poczucie winy, historia ludzi z supermocami (nawet One Direction je mają!) pełna zarówno żartu jak i smutku idealnie sprawdza się jako jednotomówka, choć autor zostawił małą furtkę i w późniejszym czasie zrobił z niej trylogię. Ja się bawiłam świetnie i szybko, czego dawno nie odczułam.

TW: eksperymenty , przemoc, wykorzystywanie

[zaksiazkowanaa_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zaczynając tą książkę nie spodziewałam się tego co dostałam. W książce mamy motyw fantastyczny gdzie ja na ogół fantastyki nie czytam ale nie przeszkadzało mi to, wręcz ten wątek zrobił robotę w tej książce. Podczas czytania miałam w głowie ciąg wydarzeń które się wydarzą dalej w książce ale potoczyły się inaczej i towarzyszyły im przy tym plot twisty i rzeczy o których się dowiadywałam co ileś stron. Podobała mi się ta książka i z pewnością mogę ją polecić.

[Gordon Ambos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es ist so schade, aber dieses Buch war messy af. Die Charaktere waren einerseits ganz cool, andererseits haben sie mich aber auch mit ihren unüberlegten Handlungen genervt. Dieser ganze Plot rundum Stevens Fähigkeiten war einfach random und unausgereift. Obwohl alles super schnell ging (zu schnell), hat es sich oft gezogen. Das muss man erstmal hinbekommen.
Leider gar nicht mein Fall. :(

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 47% I was debating DNF'ing this book, I just couldn't properly get into it. Only reason I kept reading is because getting a new book required getting up, and my cat was asleep on my lap so I obviously couldn't do that. I did get more invested later, thankfully

[꧁lee_felix꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Maybe my sense of humour is odd but I thought this was really funny, also it was super easy to read and very engaging💙🏳️‍🌈✨👾

[nebi ⁠☆ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･⁠｡ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

dopiero w połowie zaczęło się rozkręcać ale w sumie było spoko (mój ulubiony fragment to o agencie Stylesie)

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did it take me 9 months to read… yeah… did it take a while before I started to enjoy it… yeah… But in the end it was a really fun book and I can’t wait for the next one

[Roanna25 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated all the characters. The plot made no sense and the slang was both outdated and also lame would be a nice way of putting it

[PageCreature]

07/09/2023 || OVEREMOTIONAL (Free Sampler - Chapters 1- 12 / First 99 Pages) by David Fenne || I just reviewed OVEREMOTIONAL (Free Sampler) by David Fenne. #OVEREMOTIONALFreeSampler #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley, David Fenne, Black & White Publishing, and Ink Road Books for making this e-ARC sampler available!
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.

All of my thoughts are my own~

Tentative 4 star but if the MC gets with an adult I am lowering this to a 1.5 star

Before I got to the last chapter this was a solid 4 star read for me. But once the MC, Steven Percival, was alone with the mysterious Zachary, learning to control his powers, I started to get the ick. And then the last page in my sampler ended with Zachary kissing him, which turned my stomach and my interest away from this book.
Steven is 17. Zachary is described as possibly in his 20s. As a fellow queer, I am truly so tired of the amount of, specifically, gay/MLM books where minors/17 year olds or just BARELY 18 year old young men get into very toxic, power imbalanced relationships with an adult partner. SO. BEYOND. TIRED.

Now, I have not seen any reviewers give spoilers for the whole book on IF this fully occurs or not, there is another love interest (is the only love interest???), Troy, who is the same age as the MC and I love him to bits.
Honestly I want to give the story the benefit of the doubt, so I may attempt to read the entire book at a later date as I am very attached to the rest of the story and characters, but this is just such a tiring trope and I really hope it doesn't develop into anything more.

So just, fair warning to all those out there interested in this book- deffo check out other reviews for context.

On to the positives:
I REALLY loved the main characters, Steven/Stevie/Percy, Troy, Freya, and Marcus, and their interactions with each other. So far I also like the few side characters I was introduced to as well. Everything about the characters was extremely well done and I loved the multiple POVs that the we, as the readers, are given to fully process every point in the story. The characters are all very fleshed out and are unique and clear individuals, which I love about a story like this.

Piggybacking here about the characters, having multiple characters and multiple POVs can be tricky, but I feel as if Fenne does a stellar job at swapping through all their POVs (which are in 1st person when it is their turn). I also feel as if each character stays consistent with their unique inner voices and personalities.
However, while this did not bother me at all as I am from the age of RPs and fanfiction being my main source of reading/writing as a young teen in the early 2000's, there are a few points in the POV swapping where the characters sorta respond to one another in their thoughts/feelings- I could see where it would not be to someone else's tastes.
Also in my sampler, one of the characters had a 1 line POV swap in the middle of another character's POV that I could see not being received very well neither, but again, it didn't bother me and actually made me chuckle!
All in all, I could tell these characters are very important to the author and feel very personal and I loved it.

The plot line is also very strong and unique and I don't think I have seen anything like it. Even Zachary, whomst I clearly do not like, has additional interesting lore and adds a lot of depth to the story already (minus the weird thing about flirting with a minor). Again, everything feels very fleshed out and unique, and a lot of care clearly went into each character and the plot.

[Mr.Rainbow.Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

ヽ(•‿•)ノ

Hello everyone, I'm Mr. C Reviewer, and tonight we're discussing David Fenne's book, Overemotional. This was my first experience with David's work, and after reading this story, I'm eager to explore more of his books in the future. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of Overemotional in exchange for an honest review. I had the pleasure of reading this captivating novel at the start of July 2023, spending almost an entire day engrossed in its pages. Recommended for readers aged 14 - 18 years, Overemotional is set to be published on July 6th, 2023. The narrative, told from multiple first-person perspective (stevens, Freya, Marcus, Troy and report logs) spans 40 chapters and 336 pages.



Summary: Steven, an unfortunate and secretive sixth former who possesses a unique and dangerous ability. Whenever he experiences intense emotions, whether they be joy or sorrow, inexplicable and potentially perilous events occur. After one such incident took place he is filled with guilt and fear of causing harm to others, seeking refuge in the desolate town of Grunsby-on-Sea, determined to protect those around him from the destructive power of his Emomancy. With a best friend as determined as Freya, it is impossible to stay hidden for long, especially when she realises Steven might be in danger after a mysterious organisation called DEMA start asking questions about him. Where Freya goes, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy soon follow. Together, they are determined to find out more about this organisation. In a serendipitous encounter, Steven crosses paths with an alluring enigma who not only professes to possess the same extraordinary abilities as him but also extends an enticing proposition to guide Steven in mastering his latent powers.



Review:
-In my opinion, this book was written with some good character development. The author has done an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and creating a vivid sense of place throughout the story. I liked the inclusion of a cheat sheet within the book that outlines the various effects experienced by the protagonist, Steven, when he undergoes different emotional states. This cheat sheet not only added an extra layer of depth to the story but also serves as a helpful guide for readers to understand the intricate connection between Steven's emotions and the extraordinary superpowers that manifest as a result.

I believe that starting the story with Steven at the party and exploring his reasons for leaving would have enhanced the overall reading experience. I feel that It would have allowed for a more engaging introduction to the characters and their relationships, as well as built anticipation and suspense leading up to Steven's disappearance.

While reading I found the utilization of multiple points of view's in this book to be somewhat excessive and occasionally confusing. It required me to maintain a high level of focus in order to discern which character was leading each section, as they were often presented in small fragments rather than entire chapters dedicated to each POV. In my opinion, I feel that the book would have been even more captivating if it had utilized Steven's point of view as the primary narrative perspective. As this approach would have offered us a deeper and more intimate understanding of his character, allowing us to witness events unfold through his eyes. By experiencing Steven's joys, fears, and struggles first-hand, we would have formed a stronger connection with the protagonist and become more emotionally invested in his journey.

I did like the action-packed sequences that the book had which injected a palpable energy into the story, heightening the overall reading experience. The author did a good job at setting the pace. I was immediately swept up in the story's momentum, eagerly turning page after page to uncover what lies ahead. This seamless transition continues throughout the middle section of the book, ensuring that us readers remain fully engrossed in the story. To be honest I believe that the book would have been even more enjoyable if the ending had served as a captivating introduction to a second instalment. As a result, I found myself feeling slightly fatigued as I progressed through the book.

-I found myself drawn to most of the characters and their development throughout the story. However, there was one character who belonged to the DEMA organization that I personally found to be lacking in professionalism and appeared rather silly. It would have been more satisfying for me as a reader if there were more alternative and clever ways for Steven, the protagonist when trying to escape being captured by this organization.

On a positive note, I did appreciate the strong bond between Freya and Steven, which was portrayed in a believable and relatable manner. Their friendship added depth to the narrative and made their interactions enjoyable to read. However, I did have an issue with Freya's attempt to impose a label on Steven. It felt forced and unnecessary, and unfortunately, this aspect was not addressed in the book at the time or even later on.

Personally I would like it if this book was turned into a TV Show. If it ever does I would definitely go and watch it. I am anticipating the opportunity to revisit this book upon its release and intend to acquire both a physical copy and an audible version to fully immerse myself in the story.


For each story that I read, I rate it out of 10 so for this am going to give it a 8. Remember this was what I thought about the book personally and I suggest that you give it a go for yourself.

[Lou Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I did not see Overemotional by David Fenne coming! This book is an absolute gem that took me by surprise in the best possible way. Imagine Heartstopper meets Stranger Things with a dash of Misfits—that's the wild, wonderful ride you're in for.

We follow seventeen-year-old Steven, who has a slight problem: whenever he feels intense emotions, things get... explosive. Like, literally. After an incident where a kiss leads to a rather unfortunate head-exploding situation, Steven decides to retreat to the gloomy town of Grunsby-on-Sea. But, of course, his loyal (and slightly chaotic) friends—Freya, Marcus, and the enigmatic American, Troy—aren't about to let him brood in peace.

Fenne's writing is sharp, witty, and had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. The banter between characters is top-notch, and the plot twists kept me on my toes. The world-building is immersive, blending the mundane with the magical in a way that feels both fresh and familiar.

What truly stands out is the heartfelt exploration of friendship, identity, and the beautiful messiness of teenage emotions. It's rare to find a book that balances humor, fantasy, and genuine emotional depth so effortlessly.

If you're a fan of queer YA fantasy that's equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, do yourself a favor and pick up Overemotional. It's a rollercoaster of feels that I didn't know I needed, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Overemotional is the first in a queer YA fantasy trilogy packed with magic, lovable characters, and big plot twists. Perfect for fans of TJ Klune, Rainbow Rowell, and Adam Silvera.

Furthermore whilst this book was one I borrowed from the library, I enjoyed it so much I've also made an order for my own personal copy so I can highlight certain phrases which had me and my friend in giggles last night. Whilst she was gaming I would occasionally read some of the funny lines out to her- Safe to say I can't wait to see how this series ends.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA Sci-Fi Powers

‘Overemotional’ has a really interesting magical system concept, where different emotions cause different powers to manifest. The main character Steven has a unique ability where his emotions correspond to the opposite effects. For example, happiness should have a positive effect but his power manifests as a disastrous effect. We follow Steven struggling to come to terms with his new abilities and running away to Grunsby on Sea. Steven’s friends follow him to the miserable little seaside town where weird things start to happen.

This is an incredible adventure packed with many mysteries, twists and turns. A secret organisation tracking down people with extraordinary powers. An unexpected villain with a troublesome past. And lots of awesome fight scenes!

As well as action, the book is full of distinctly unique characters. We follow multiple points of view throughout, not just by chapter but within each chapter itself. Steven also struggles personally with his own sexuality, which was handled very well.

This has the potential to be a major new YA queer sci-fi trilogy. Excited to see what comes next!

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven has powers that cause things to happen whenever he feels a strong emotion, but he doesn’t have control of these powers yet. After his powers cause a boys head to explode whilst they’re kissing, Steven runs away to a seaside town to avoid hurting anyone else. His friend Freya follows, and the Freya’s boyfriend and friend follow too. There’s other people after Steven though.

This was a fun book. I like the concept of Steven’s powers, and I enjoyed reading about the interactions between the characters. The storyline got a bit weird in the second half of the book but it was a nice lighthearted read. This very much felt like a stand-alone book so I’m curious to see where the 2nd and 3rd books go.

[Pineska · Rating 1 out of 5]

The main characters pissed me off so much.

Freya tries to force her best friend to admit that he is gay.
Steven has no problem telling almost everything about his life to a guy he met in the toilet that same day, overall Steve is 17 years old and the brunette in the toilet was described as over 20, every time the guy showed up I got chills, and what will turn out later...yuck
Agent Wren doesn't act like a trained agent, just a random woman off the street chosen to work in the field.

The book offers embarrassing descriptions and a lot of unnecessary jokes.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It got dark, but as some who reads dystopia and all kinds of fantasy i wasnt complaining
It read pretty easily too, the title changing with the characters POV was incredibly helpful.
I judge my books on how easy i find it to fall into the story and get through it.
This book took me 5 days, 5. Under a week which is impressive by my standards.

If you want wholesome uwu fantasy this isnt it, it can get dark and actiony while also being comedic
I love it!
Cant wait for the next instalment

[Nemo the Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a nice book overall. At the beginning i wasn't too sure about it, but it was a funny and light fantasy read!! The Characters act exactly like you would expect how teens react if they suddenly have to fight against leech zombies... xD

[Takealookinsideabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw this book going round on Instagram I knew I'd enjoy it.
I was intrigued throughout the majority of this story but couldnt rate it 5 stars because of a certain reveal.
If you love supernatural, sci fi adventures then I definitely reccomend this book! It gave me major dr who vibes at times and I loved the queer rep also 🌈

[Książkowa Cisza]

DNF 😖