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According to Plan
Not yet published
Expected 3 Feb 26From USA TODAY bestselling author Christen Randall comes a cozy, feel-good queer romance about self-discovery, finding your person, and carving out a space for yourself in unexpected places—perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Felix Ever After, and Julie Murphy.
As editor in chief of their school’s literary magazine, Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. They just want to stick to The Plan to graduate and get out of their small Midwestern town—a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag’s cancellation, Mal is suddenly scrambling to fill the hole in their college application.
That is, until Emerson Pike—who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal’s complete opposite—suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn’t exactly what Mal envisioned as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and definitely not in The Plan.
But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can’t seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson—and flirting with her over coffee—is fun.
Maybe The Plan isn’t the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they’ve depended on for so long?
As editor in chief of their school’s literary magazine, Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. They just want to stick to The Plan to graduate and get out of their small Midwestern town—a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they’ve never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag’s cancellation, Mal is suddenly scrambling to fill the hole in their college application.
That is, until Emerson Pike—who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal’s complete opposite—suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn’t exactly what Mal envisioned as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and definitely not in The Plan.
But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can’t seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson—and flirting with her over coffee—is fun.
Maybe The Plan isn’t the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they’ve depended on for so long?
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 3, 2026
440 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 1, 2025
ACCORDING TO PLAN is a joyful, neurodivergent love letter to zines, coffee, and finding your people when the plan falls apart. Warm, witty, and wonderfully queer — this is the story every anxious overachiever didn’t know they needed! Perfect for fans of Felix Ever After and Alice Oseman, and anyone who's ever needed a backup plan for their backup plan.
December 12, 2025
I absolutely adored this. I don’t read many YA books anymore but Christen Randall’s never fail to delight me, no matter my age.
Thanks to the author for sending me an ARC for review!
Thanks to the author for sending me an ARC for review!
October 2, 2025
I need this author to write faster because this is their second book and both were five star reads
Review of advance copy received from Author
As refreshing as a caffeinated blast from Haus, ACCORDING TO PLAN is a satisfying addition to the YA contemporary landscape--which feels like it is being a bit forgotten in a world of readers longing to escape our world. But this book is a reminder that there's so much to love right where we are: in the cities that feel tired and limiting. In the friends we haven't fully explored. In our bodies that feel not-quite-right, our brains that feel like too much, in our queerness and strangeness, that we shrink for fear of being pushed out of a world we simply have to survive in.
The plot here is about an underground high school zine, and it's just as much about carving out spaces in the world for ourselves and people like us. As someone diagnosed with ADHD in my adult life, I know the gravity of that neurodivergence and the way it can make you feel like you kinda suck at life, like, all the time. In every way. It was validating to feel like the story treats Mal's condition not as something to excuse broken promises or failed assignments, but as something that drives innovation, creativity, and open conversation about what makes someone tick. They might be a steady, muted character only in comparison to their loud, bright, emoji-explosion of a girlfriend, Emerson (seriously I love grumpy 4 sunshine), but they feel intensely relatable and special in the way they carry the beats of the story, and the way they put one foot in front of the other as they march towards their goals, towards community, and places they can be themself entirely.
In addition to the heavier themes, I think teens and readers of all ages will enjoy finding a contemporary story that is sweet with Southern charm, nerdy banter, a queer romance that believes in itself, and a cast of quirky characters who all belong together. ACCORDING TO PLAN says make something that matters...which means believing that you matter too.
The plot here is about an underground high school zine, and it's just as much about carving out spaces in the world for ourselves and people like us. As someone diagnosed with ADHD in my adult life, I know the gravity of that neurodivergence and the way it can make you feel like you kinda suck at life, like, all the time. In every way. It was validating to feel like the story treats Mal's condition not as something to excuse broken promises or failed assignments, but as something that drives innovation, creativity, and open conversation about what makes someone tick. They might be a steady, muted character only in comparison to their loud, bright, emoji-explosion of a girlfriend, Emerson (seriously I love grumpy 4 sunshine), but they feel intensely relatable and special in the way they carry the beats of the story, and the way they put one foot in front of the other as they march towards their goals, towards community, and places they can be themself entirely.
In addition to the heavier themes, I think teens and readers of all ages will enjoy finding a contemporary story that is sweet with Southern charm, nerdy banter, a queer romance that believes in itself, and a cast of quirky characters who all belong together. ACCORDING TO PLAN says make something that matters...which means believing that you matter too.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the free arc! I was originally drawn to this title because it is about a girl named Mal whose art literary magazine at school is canceled and who starts up a zine instead. As a former co editor-in-chief of my high school's literary magazine and art editor of my college one, I was interested in reading this storyline. However, the story turned out to be about much more than.
Mal is (as she describes herself) a fat, queer, non-binary person with ADHD and is possibly autistic. She has never really felt like she has fit in-- her mom is hard on her and she has always followed along with what her sister Maddie wants to do . When her school's literary magazine, Collage, is canceled due to lack of funding, Mal's Plan for herself, of having this extracurricular to get into college, collapses.
Mal starts looking for another actitvity to join and finally meets up with Emerson who also has ADHD. Together they decide to start a zine, which is not official, not approved, and is not part of Mal's plan. It's awesome to see how the zine develops, the people they meet along the way, and the community that they create.
I gave this book a 4 instead of a 5 because there was a slow build up. If I wasn't reading this book as part of a book challenge, I might have DNF'd it. At 416 pages, it felt like there could have been some editing of the first 50 pages or so to get to the main part of the story more quickly.
Mal is (as she describes herself) a fat, queer, non-binary person with ADHD and is possibly autistic. She has never really felt like she has fit in-- her mom is hard on her and she has always followed along with what her sister Maddie wants to do . When her school's literary magazine, Collage, is canceled due to lack of funding, Mal's Plan for herself, of having this extracurricular to get into college, collapses.
Mal starts looking for another actitvity to join and finally meets up with Emerson who also has ADHD. Together they decide to start a zine, which is not official, not approved, and is not part of Mal's plan. It's awesome to see how the zine develops, the people they meet along the way, and the community that they create.
I gave this book a 4 instead of a 5 because there was a slow build up. If I wasn't reading this book as part of a book challenge, I might have DNF'd it. At 416 pages, it felt like there could have been some editing of the first 50 pages or so to get to the main part of the story more quickly.
September 15, 2025
I got lucky enough to read an early draft of this book because Christen is a good friend of mine and needed a few more sets of eyes on it before it got sent off for edits. I will admit that I'm totally biased because I think Christen is really cool and I like how they write.
That being said, I resounded with this book so much more than I ever did with The No-Girlfriend Rule. Not that TNGR is bad, I actually just reread it and it's even better the second time around, but because I relate far more to Mal and Emerson's brands of neurodivergency than I do to Hollis'. I felt so, so seen by Mal Flowers and their need for a Plan. This book is so important for the kids that are autistic or ADHD. Christen writes from the heart and uses their own experiences for these characters, and it shows.
I hope once this gets fully released, librarians and teachers and anyone that just enjoys middle grade fiction will be able to read this and relate to it themselves, or know exactly who to give it to. It's a special kind of book like that.
That being said, I resounded with this book so much more than I ever did with The No-Girlfriend Rule. Not that TNGR is bad, I actually just reread it and it's even better the second time around, but because I relate far more to Mal and Emerson's brands of neurodivergency than I do to Hollis'. I felt so, so seen by Mal Flowers and their need for a Plan. This book is so important for the kids that are autistic or ADHD. Christen writes from the heart and uses their own experiences for these characters, and it shows.
I hope once this gets fully released, librarians and teachers and anyone that just enjoys middle grade fiction will be able to read this and relate to it themselves, or know exactly who to give it to. It's a special kind of book like that.
November 17, 2025
5/5 stars
According to Plan is a delightful young adult queer romance with plus size main characters and fantastic neurodivergent representation!
What I Liked:
~ Queer plus size MCs!
~ Lovable & diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Great ADHD / disability representation!
~ Adorable romance & great chemistry between MCs!
~ Entertaining plot with great pacing!
What I Didn’t Like
~ Mal’s parents, (argh of frustration!) but this aspect of the story felt very accurate to the experience of many neurodivergent teens.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
According to Plan is a delightful young adult queer romance with plus size main characters and fantastic neurodivergent representation!
What I Liked:
~ Queer plus size MCs!
~ Lovable & diverse ensemble of characters!
~ Great ADHD / disability representation!
~ Adorable romance & great chemistry between MCs!
~ Entertaining plot with great pacing!
What I Didn’t Like
~ Mal’s parents, (argh of frustration!) but this aspect of the story felt very accurate to the experience of many neurodivergent teens.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2025
I liked this enough. I liked the concept of the plot and most of the characters but I just wasn’t able to be “hooked” by this. Mal was a good character. I really liked how they never gave up on what they wanted to do. I hated that their mom was an ass. She truly got on my nerves and I just skipped over her parts.
While this did drag a bit for me, it was easy to read. I think others will probably enjoy this a little more than me.
While this did drag a bit for me, it was easy to read. I think others will probably enjoy this a little more than me.
October 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, the characters growth was amazing. Mal becoming their own person despite not always knowing what path to take. I will say their mom got on my nerves, the backhanded compliments and the comments about having to be there for your sister was genuinely so sad. The parents weren’t there for Mal. In the end though, this book was well written with amazing plus size representation as well as great queer rep too.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.)
Read For
✓ Coffee
✓ Queer Joy
✓ Young Adult
✓ Good Friendships
✓ Good Anxiety Rep
⚠️ Content Warning
Minor: Ableism, Gaslighting
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧
Plot: 8/10
Pace: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 9/10
Enjoyability: 10/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character: Mal
Favorite Quote: (coming soon, once quotes can be confirmed with the published version)
POV: Third Person
Pages: 320
Format: ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 03, February 2026
Rep/Extras: LGBTQIA+ Characters, Neurodivergent Characters
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews