What do you think?
Rate this book
Quest to Valadin
Can a game unlock bravery?Social anxiety and childhood isolation drew Alanna to a career in the library, where she could live vicariously through the book characters neatly organized on the shelves and ignore her feelings of loneliness. Books don’t judge or see how defective she feels.
Joining Quest Therapy at the suggestion of her therapist feels like a huge mistake. Pretending to be someone else in a room full of strangers that have issues of their own seems futile. But as they learn to work as a team in the quest, Alanna begins to see the possibility that letting others into her real life might not be such a fantasy after all.
For those readers that hide behind the pages of stories, but long for adventures of their own, this is the book for you. May you discover that bravery requires first being scared, then doing it anyway.
Joining Quest Therapy at the suggestion of her therapist feels like a huge mistake. Pretending to be someone else in a room full of strangers that have issues of their own seems futile. But as they learn to work as a team in the quest, Alanna begins to see the possibility that letting others into her real life might not be such a fantasy after all.
For those readers that hide behind the pages of stories, but long for adventures of their own, this is the book for you. May you discover that bravery requires first being scared, then doing it anyway.
502 pages, Paperback
Published September 13, 2025
4 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Herron
3 books5 followersNicole Herron has been writing since she was a child, creating characters and worlds she called friends. She grew up to become a theatre teacher and librarian so she could be surrounded by stories every day. She currently lives in Texas with her husband and twin teenagers. She would like to invite you into her worlds to discover new friends for yourself.
Sign up to get your free bonus novella and join the mailing list!
https://books.nicoleherronwrites.com/...
Sign up to get your free bonus novella and join the mailing list!
https://books.nicoleherronwrites.com/...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 2, 2025
(Wow I think I'm one of the first ones to write a review... I'm really nervous. A lot of people could see this. maybe I should wait. I don't deserve to write the first review I'm not a book reviewer. I only read maybe a dozen books a year at most. I've never even read The grapes of wrath. So what if there's something in the grapes of wrath that invalidates what I said here and everyone will make fun of me and think my book opinions are stupid. I just have social anxiety and nicole is a friend so I was able to get an advanced copy of the book. Someone must be more qualified than me to write a review.)
This book is so great! I'm so glad it exists! I'm 32 like the main character here and only just starting to be comfortable being a person in the world after a 15 year period of suffering from serious social anxiety disorder and isolation. In that isolation period I remember being in high school and college and being immersed in stories from tv and movies and video games, because there's not much else to do when you're alone. And, i feel odd saying this because I am a boring straight white guy in America, but i wished so hard in that time that i could see stories that showed people like me. I had empathy for story tellers though “no shit there are no stories about people who stay in their room all day and are sad… that's not a story idiot dumbfuck loser weirdo” (my inner monologue was maybe more r rated in its insults than alana's). So I used to try and think "ok how should a story about someone like me be written". After reading this I think I see now the way to do it because it's done here really well. I mean among many other things the one thing that stands out is - You highlight the main character's inner voice as it's ability to become the villain in her life. What if every time you went to talk or connect to someone the thing inside you- you're conscience-inner voice-morality-beliefs... all that's meant to help you and give you advice and guide you to joy says "ohh nononono big nonnono, don't talk to that person. that? it's death. That's basically a fire breathing dragon over there. you will die. I'm trying to save you here buddy. Don't share anything about yourself and you'll be happy forever, trust me". So if you're going to write a story about social anxiety disorder it should be about the main character learning to conquer that voice. It's not done by shouting it down or killing it, It's done by.. well I guess I don't want to spoil it read the book! But in summary I think the book effectively communicates the hell social anxiety disorder can be. A self imposed solitary confinement that feels impossible to break free from. But the joy and comfort that can be on the other side when you do. That's what I imagine Nicole went through in her life and why she felt so strongly about trying to put it in a book to share with people and help them. And it helped me already so I agree that it was a good idea. :)
ok so that's one part of the story but I feel a responsibility as one of the first reviewers to try and talk a little more about the RPG element because that's the other half of the book. I liked the concept of a group of fantasy adventurers being made up of a rag tag group of people in therapy. Instead of a hobbit named Frodo and a archer named Legolas. You have a socially anxious librarian named Alana and a heiress with bipolar named Irsina. The character's differences and illnesses are never made light of, but are used to add depth to their rpg characters and their interactions. So i don't know in general I was just impressed with Nicole's ability to create two distinct and interesting worlds that interacted and played off each other. It was fun to bounce from a fantasy world structured by clear rules and magic to the messy reality of talking to your neighbor when you don't really want to. It kept both worlds from ever feeling too stale to me.
I didn't really keep notes as I was reading. I probably should have but maybe that's a good endorsement for the book. I didn't want to stop and take notes because I wanted to keep reading. I finished it in like a week which I think is a world record for me it usually takes me months to finish a book.
So anyway Quest to Valadin will always hold a very special place in my heart. Because it does the most important thing a story about social anxiety can do, it helped me feel less alone. Even just from small things like hearing Alana trying to think of ways to get out of a social situation - hiding in a bathroom, or driving away, or getting to an event exactly on time to avoid talking to people. But I think this book has a lot of value to people who don't have social anxiety too, maybe if they want to understand what we go through? I think a lot of the time people can see someone being quiet and assume there's nothing going on in their head. But socially anxious people are probably the loudest people in the world they just aren't loud with the external mouthy voice parts. They're loud internally.
So is it a good book? I don't know ask cumfart69 or whoever is the top reviewer for good reads is. I'm just a person who's been through a lot, who just read a book that made him feel seen. So to me it's a very good read the best read in fact... (should I start a website named best reads...)
oh yeah also some characters are gay and religious I liked that. Can we get Evan to be the next pope or something somehow. I think that would be great.
Anyway... I did it! I wrote a review and posted it even though I was nervous about doing it wrong because I read the book and understood the moral... that we should have a Gay pope!
This book is so great! I'm so glad it exists! I'm 32 like the main character here and only just starting to be comfortable being a person in the world after a 15 year period of suffering from serious social anxiety disorder and isolation. In that isolation period I remember being in high school and college and being immersed in stories from tv and movies and video games, because there's not much else to do when you're alone. And, i feel odd saying this because I am a boring straight white guy in America, but i wished so hard in that time that i could see stories that showed people like me. I had empathy for story tellers though “no shit there are no stories about people who stay in their room all day and are sad… that's not a story idiot dumbfuck loser weirdo” (my inner monologue was maybe more r rated in its insults than alana's). So I used to try and think "ok how should a story about someone like me be written". After reading this I think I see now the way to do it because it's done here really well. I mean among many other things the one thing that stands out is - You highlight the main character's inner voice as it's ability to become the villain in her life. What if every time you went to talk or connect to someone the thing inside you- you're conscience-inner voice-morality-beliefs... all that's meant to help you and give you advice and guide you to joy says "ohh nononono big nonnono, don't talk to that person. that? it's death. That's basically a fire breathing dragon over there. you will die. I'm trying to save you here buddy. Don't share anything about yourself and you'll be happy forever, trust me". So if you're going to write a story about social anxiety disorder it should be about the main character learning to conquer that voice. It's not done by shouting it down or killing it, It's done by.. well I guess I don't want to spoil it read the book! But in summary I think the book effectively communicates the hell social anxiety disorder can be. A self imposed solitary confinement that feels impossible to break free from. But the joy and comfort that can be on the other side when you do. That's what I imagine Nicole went through in her life and why she felt so strongly about trying to put it in a book to share with people and help them. And it helped me already so I agree that it was a good idea. :)
ok so that's one part of the story but I feel a responsibility as one of the first reviewers to try and talk a little more about the RPG element because that's the other half of the book. I liked the concept of a group of fantasy adventurers being made up of a rag tag group of people in therapy. Instead of a hobbit named Frodo and a archer named Legolas. You have a socially anxious librarian named Alana and a heiress with bipolar named Irsina. The character's differences and illnesses are never made light of, but are used to add depth to their rpg characters and their interactions. So i don't know in general I was just impressed with Nicole's ability to create two distinct and interesting worlds that interacted and played off each other. It was fun to bounce from a fantasy world structured by clear rules and magic to the messy reality of talking to your neighbor when you don't really want to. It kept both worlds from ever feeling too stale to me.
I didn't really keep notes as I was reading. I probably should have but maybe that's a good endorsement for the book. I didn't want to stop and take notes because I wanted to keep reading. I finished it in like a week which I think is a world record for me it usually takes me months to finish a book.
So anyway Quest to Valadin will always hold a very special place in my heart. Because it does the most important thing a story about social anxiety can do, it helped me feel less alone. Even just from small things like hearing Alana trying to think of ways to get out of a social situation - hiding in a bathroom, or driving away, or getting to an event exactly on time to avoid talking to people. But I think this book has a lot of value to people who don't have social anxiety too, maybe if they want to understand what we go through? I think a lot of the time people can see someone being quiet and assume there's nothing going on in their head. But socially anxious people are probably the loudest people in the world they just aren't loud with the external mouthy voice parts. They're loud internally.
So is it a good book? I don't know ask cumfart69 or whoever is the top reviewer for good reads is. I'm just a person who's been through a lot, who just read a book that made him feel seen. So to me it's a very good read the best read in fact... (should I start a website named best reads...)
oh yeah also some characters are gay and religious I liked that. Can we get Evan to be the next pope or something somehow. I think that would be great.
Anyway... I did it! I wrote a review and posted it even though I was nervous about doing it wrong because I read the book and understood the moral... that we should have a Gay pope!
July 28, 2025
I'm so glad I found this book! As someone who struggles with anxiety myself, it felt really good to read about a protagonist with a similar experience.
Alanna's story was both relatable and inspiring. It's very hard to make your way out of the anxiety cycle, and I thought the protagonist's journey portrayed that really well. There are moments of victory, of feeling free of anxiety, as well as relapses and rough times. Alanna learns and discovers a lot, which felt inspiring to me. One sentence of hers went in my quote book ;). Additionally, the other characters, their growth and the meaningful moments sprinkled throughout the book made for a worthwhile read.
Aside from the anxiety representation, this story also features queer representation _and_ religion, specifically Christianity. Those two are known for not always being on amicable terms, to put it mildly. I personally have religious trauma because of this, and while this book did trigger me a few times, overall it was doable. The Christians depicted in the story are all queer-affirming. The existence of Christian queerphobia is acknowledged (and criticized), but no concrete instances of it are described. Religion doesn't dominate the story: the vast majority of the book reads like a secular novel, and the parts that do involve religion felt more oriented towards personal development and community than pushing a religious message, which I appreciated. I hope the future will see more and more inclusivity in all societal contexts, including religious ones, and in that sense this book is definitely part of the solution, not the problem.
All in all, I'd recommend this book. I laughed, I cried, I had a veritable "Aww!"-moment, I learned life lessons. I would not be surprised if I end up rereading the book at some point. There's too much good stuff in there. I hope I'll be able to implement some of Alanna's lessons in my own life. And if you know her struggle, I hope you will, too <3
Disclosure: I stumbled upon this book available for preorder on my favorite eBook store and felt an immediate connection based on the blurb. When I found out the author was looking for ARC readers, I pounced on the opportunity to read it now instead of in September ^^. It was a "get the book for free in exchange for an honest review" type of deal, so that's what you're reading now!
Alanna's story was both relatable and inspiring. It's very hard to make your way out of the anxiety cycle, and I thought the protagonist's journey portrayed that really well. There are moments of victory, of feeling free of anxiety, as well as relapses and rough times. Alanna learns and discovers a lot, which felt inspiring to me. One sentence of hers went in my quote book ;). Additionally, the other characters, their growth and the meaningful moments sprinkled throughout the book made for a worthwhile read.
Aside from the anxiety representation, this story also features queer representation _and_ religion, specifically Christianity. Those two are known for not always being on amicable terms, to put it mildly. I personally have religious trauma because of this, and while this book did trigger me a few times, overall it was doable. The Christians depicted in the story are all queer-affirming. The existence of Christian queerphobia is acknowledged (and criticized), but no concrete instances of it are described. Religion doesn't dominate the story: the vast majority of the book reads like a secular novel, and the parts that do involve religion felt more oriented towards personal development and community than pushing a religious message, which I appreciated. I hope the future will see more and more inclusivity in all societal contexts, including religious ones, and in that sense this book is definitely part of the solution, not the problem.
All in all, I'd recommend this book. I laughed, I cried, I had a veritable "Aww!"-moment, I learned life lessons. I would not be surprised if I end up rereading the book at some point. There's too much good stuff in there. I hope I'll be able to implement some of Alanna's lessons in my own life. And if you know her struggle, I hope you will, too <3
Disclosure: I stumbled upon this book available for preorder on my favorite eBook store and felt an immediate connection based on the blurb. When I found out the author was looking for ARC readers, I pounced on the opportunity to read it now instead of in September ^^. It was a "get the book for free in exchange for an honest review" type of deal, so that's what you're reading now!
August 1, 2025
This book was absolutely incredible. With social anxiety myself, I connected straight away with Alanna. It was so wonderful to witness her transformation into who she was always meant to be. I love how she learned what she needed and saw her strengths. This book left me feeling like I knew the characters and wanted more journeys with them. After reading this book, I felt so wonderful and cozy as and like I had been seen
August 8, 2025
I was honored to be an ARC reader for this book. I played D&D in college and loved seeing the idea of an RPG being incorporated into therapy. I loved seeing all the characters grow, especially our dear Alanna, and I’m hoping that there are more adventures in the future, maybe from different characters’ perspectives. As someone who deals with anxiety and depression, it was powerful to read them thoughtfully and lovingly portrayed.
I also appreciated the blend of LGBTQ+ characters AND affirming, inclusive religious experience. It is possible and such a hopeful vision while Herron acknowledged the reality that lots of folks are hurt by church.
My favorite quote - “You’re uniquely you and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.” No matter where we find ourselves in life, that’s a message we all need to hear. Thank you!
I also appreciated the blend of LGBTQ+ characters AND affirming, inclusive religious experience. It is possible and such a hopeful vision while Herron acknowledged the reality that lots of folks are hurt by church.
My favorite quote - “You’re uniquely you and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.” No matter where we find ourselves in life, that’s a message we all need to hear. Thank you!
November 29, 2025
I found myself really involved in the characters’ journey.
Quest to Valadin does a great job of navigating social and mental ills that confronts its protagonists all while remaining an extremely entertaining read with its multiple story lines.
I would recommend its message of love and acceptance to any teen and young adults
Quest to Valadin does a great job of navigating social and mental ills that confronts its protagonists all while remaining an extremely entertaining read with its multiple story lines.
I would recommend its message of love and acceptance to any teen and young adults
September 17, 2025
As someone with social anxiety, I found the main character Alanna's inner thoughts similar to my own at many points in my life. I often read books in the fantasy genre, so I enjoyed the fantasy and magic element that Quest Therapy introduced to the storyline. I think anyone who is familiar with the "Dungeons and Dragons" game will enjoy this element. As I continued to read, I found myself invested in Alanna and her fellow questers' lives. Seeing how the characters worked to connect with eachother and overcome their own issues made me feel less alone, and like I could do the same. It showed that being vulnerable with others is scary, but worth it. At the end of the book, I found myself wanting to see what happens next. I'm excited for book two!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews