What do you think?
Rate this book
Smash or Pass
For 16-year-old Ellie, beach volleyball camp is a disaster until she's paired with Sierra, an athletic prodigy who teaches her that volleyball...and love are about taking the right shot in this sporty sapphic romance.
Ellie dates the Right Guy, says all the Right Things, and acts the Right Way to avoid being ridiculed for her autism. When that Right Guy unceremoniously dumps her right before they're supposed to go to beach volleyball camp together, Ellie's perfectly curated world comes crashing down and she's labeled the boring, weird girl.
Desperate to regain her good reputation (and yeah, sure, the boy...), Ellie goes to Camp SMASH, which is nothing like she expected. There, she's paired with Sierra, a mysterious, standoffish volleyball legacy who makes Ellie's quest to get her boyfriend back even more complicated...
Dive into this sporty summer romance full of the a ragtag group of friends, a tense game of capture the flag, and a swoon-worthy sapphic love story.
Ellie dates the Right Guy, says all the Right Things, and acts the Right Way to avoid being ridiculed for her autism. When that Right Guy unceremoniously dumps her right before they're supposed to go to beach volleyball camp together, Ellie's perfectly curated world comes crashing down and she's labeled the boring, weird girl.
Desperate to regain her good reputation (and yeah, sure, the boy...), Ellie goes to Camp SMASH, which is nothing like she expected. There, she's paired with Sierra, a mysterious, standoffish volleyball legacy who makes Ellie's quest to get her boyfriend back even more complicated...
Dive into this sporty summer romance full of the a ragtag group of friends, a tense game of capture the flag, and a swoon-worthy sapphic love story.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2026
About the author
Birdie Schae
2 books230 followersBirdie Schae had big dreams from the moment she was born in a small town in Belgium. Now an author and student in the Netherlands, she spends most of her time writing love stories, analyzing all sorts of fiction through tears, or listening to a truly concerning amount of music.
Smash or Pass is her debut novel.
You can find Birdie online as @birdienotabird or at birdieschae.com.
Smash or Pass is her debut novel.
You can find Birdie online as @birdienotabird or at birdieschae.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
January 5, 2026
dare i say... smash?!
January 17, 2026
autistic sapphics we BALL!!!!!!
Want to Read
November 2, 2024hit smash so hard i broke my phone
January 13, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
“Nobody has the right to make you feel like you have to become smaller. You have as much right to take up space as everyone else.”
What an incredible read! I am truly so surprised with how much I liked this book. I knew going in it was going to be a YA, a genre I tend to not read, but I am so thankful I picked this up. This is one of my top coming-of-age books!
Ellie is an autistic girl who just got broken up with before going to a summer camp with the same boy who ended things with her. Her plan? Winning him back and proving to everyone she’s not the boring girl that her ex-boyfriend talked about in front of a crowd.
The kicker? She enjoys spending more time with her teammate than trying to get back with her ex. Within two weeks, Ellie has come to learn who she truly is and wants to be, not the mold that others want her in.
Finding your people, the ones who love you for who you are and not what they want you to be, is one of the most fulfilling feelings there are. This book gave me so many warm, fuzzy feelings, and the representation for autism was incredibly done. We’re all just people at the end of the day trying to fit in, but why should we when we should just be ourselves and everything else follows?
I loved all of the characters, I loved their little group, I love the message that this book gave. Be yourself, and who cares what anyone else thinks?
I read this book within 24 hours and two sittings, it never felt boring and it had me sucked in the whole time.
So this one time at volleyball camp… Ellie fell in love.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
“Nobody has the right to make you feel like you have to become smaller. You have as much right to take up space as everyone else.”
What an incredible read! I am truly so surprised with how much I liked this book. I knew going in it was going to be a YA, a genre I tend to not read, but I am so thankful I picked this up. This is one of my top coming-of-age books!
Ellie is an autistic girl who just got broken up with before going to a summer camp with the same boy who ended things with her. Her plan? Winning him back and proving to everyone she’s not the boring girl that her ex-boyfriend talked about in front of a crowd.
The kicker? She enjoys spending more time with her teammate than trying to get back with her ex. Within two weeks, Ellie has come to learn who she truly is and wants to be, not the mold that others want her in.
Finding your people, the ones who love you for who you are and not what they want you to be, is one of the most fulfilling feelings there are. This book gave me so many warm, fuzzy feelings, and the representation for autism was incredibly done. We’re all just people at the end of the day trying to fit in, but why should we when we should just be ourselves and everything else follows?
I loved all of the characters, I loved their little group, I love the message that this book gave. Be yourself, and who cares what anyone else thinks?
I read this book within 24 hours and two sittings, it never felt boring and it had me sucked in the whole time.
So this one time at volleyball camp… Ellie fell in love.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
January 19, 2026
I loved everything about this book. Ellie is an autistic high school student who attends a volleyball summer camp, where she learns not only more about the sport but also how to love herself and embrace who she truly is instead of trying to conform. There was a lot of LGBTQ+ representation, which was really nice to see, and the side characters were just as engaging as the main storyline. Overall, this was a cute and very enjoyable read.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.
March 19, 2026
LETS GO VOLLEYBALL LESBIANS
May 12, 2026
I seriously could not put this down!!! This has been one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint. I quite literally teared up a few times reading this because I saw myself in Ellie in ways that really hit me in a deep way. This is the kind of book I wished was around when I was younger, living my life in the same way Ellie does at the beginning of the book - careful so as not to draw attention and be as palatable as possible to the people around me. As an adult, this was very healing to read and I'm glad this exists for other young, queer, autistic youth.
May 17, 2026
(rounded up from 4.5)
This was wholesome as all heck. I love that we get these lower angst romances for the YA bracket about being who you are and finding yourself and your people. Every character in this (aside from the obvious villains) are delightful, the relationships are super wholesome, and I love that Ellie gets to come to terms with her autism in a supportive environment and even find love! Wholesome, full of sunshine vibes, and a good time!
This was wholesome as all heck. I love that we get these lower angst romances for the YA bracket about being who you are and finding yourself and your people. Every character in this (aside from the obvious villains) are delightful, the relationships are super wholesome, and I love that Ellie gets to come to terms with her autism in a supportive environment and even find love! Wholesome, full of sunshine vibes, and a good time!
April 20, 2026
3.5 🌟
Smash or Pass is a fun summer romance at a beach volleyball camp, all about learning to be yourself and finding the people who will uplift that real version of you.
I really loved seeing Ellie’s journey toward embracing her true self and allowing herself to grow closer to others. Her relationship with her autism diagnosis and finding a group of people who don’t expect her to mask her real personality. Her blooming friendship, and eventual romantic relationship, with Sierra was very sweet and exactly what she needed. I think her brief hesitations over choosing to be out with Sierra versus going back to her old life was a very realistic fear and added a lot of depth to her character. I also thought Ellie and Noah’s sibling relationship was really sweet.
I do wish Sierra was a little more fleshed out. It felt more like we were told outright about her life and her tendency to close herself off in the narration, rather than it being a natural thing revealed through action and conversation. I do wish we got MORE volleyball considering we are at a volleyball summer camp! We blew through the final competition with only a few sentences of description. I wanted to see more of how Ellie and Sierra worked as teammates.
I really liked the chaotic friend group Ellie and Sierra fall into, but it felt like the side characters sometimes took up space that could have been used to delve deeper into Sierra’s character. Also the over use of “Gen Z” slang made some of the banter feel inorganic. Like why are we unironically telling someone they’re “a man written by a woman?”
Overall a super quick and cute coming-of age-romance that will be perfect for summer!
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for the ARC
Smash or Pass is a fun summer romance at a beach volleyball camp, all about learning to be yourself and finding the people who will uplift that real version of you.
I really loved seeing Ellie’s journey toward embracing her true self and allowing herself to grow closer to others. Her relationship with her autism diagnosis and finding a group of people who don’t expect her to mask her real personality. Her blooming friendship, and eventual romantic relationship, with Sierra was very sweet and exactly what she needed. I think her brief hesitations over choosing to be out with Sierra versus going back to her old life was a very realistic fear and added a lot of depth to her character. I also thought Ellie and Noah’s sibling relationship was really sweet.
I do wish Sierra was a little more fleshed out. It felt more like we were told outright about her life and her tendency to close herself off in the narration, rather than it being a natural thing revealed through action and conversation. I do wish we got MORE volleyball considering we are at a volleyball summer camp! We blew through the final competition with only a few sentences of description. I wanted to see more of how Ellie and Sierra worked as teammates.
I really liked the chaotic friend group Ellie and Sierra fall into, but it felt like the side characters sometimes took up space that could have been used to delve deeper into Sierra’s character. Also the over use of “Gen Z” slang made some of the banter feel inorganic. Like why are we unironically telling someone they’re “a man written by a woman?”
Overall a super quick and cute coming-of age-romance that will be perfect for summer!
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for the ARC
May 13, 2026
Review of arc from NetGalley
Happy publication day to Smash or Pass!
This autistic lesbian coming-of-age story was a sweet, heartwarming read. I really enjoyed how Ellie’s masking and struggles with self-worth were written as well as her journey to discovering who she is and learning how to be herself. The book also has a very diverse cast of side characters and while they aren’t featured much they all felt like real, three-dimensional people.
The romance between Ellie and Sierra was sweet and simple; drifting into feelings through friendship which I liked. I liked Sierra’s character a lot although by the end I still felt like we didn’t know her very well.
I found the writing a little slow, and some of Ellie’s reflections became repetitive, and the dialogue occasionally unrealistic, but those are fairly minor things that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.
I also would have loved it if there had been a little more focus on how difficult it might be for an autistic teen to be at summer camp for the first time. Ellie’s struggles around social things and a sensory issue with sand (I totally understand that one) are addressed and she has one instance of a meltdown at the end of the last day, but there’s no mention of other sensory issues or overstimulation, possible struggles with food, struggles with so much change that comes with being away from home, stimming, or any mention of possible need for comfort items beyond having a notebook she writes lists in. I know all autistic people are different so possibly the author also doesn’t deal with this stuff but I do wish she’d shown more of how completely disabling autism can be sometimes. Most of the story focuses on Ellie masking and trying to seem normal and perfect but barely mentions what she’s masking in the first place.
But despite that, this was a good book that I’m sure will be helpful to queer autistic and allistic teenagers alike in being more themselves, believing in their own worth, and unlearning people-pleasing behavior.
Happy publication day to Smash or Pass!
This autistic lesbian coming-of-age story was a sweet, heartwarming read. I really enjoyed how Ellie’s masking and struggles with self-worth were written as well as her journey to discovering who she is and learning how to be herself. The book also has a very diverse cast of side characters and while they aren’t featured much they all felt like real, three-dimensional people.
The romance between Ellie and Sierra was sweet and simple; drifting into feelings through friendship which I liked. I liked Sierra’s character a lot although by the end I still felt like we didn’t know her very well.
I found the writing a little slow, and some of Ellie’s reflections became repetitive, and the dialogue occasionally unrealistic, but those are fairly minor things that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story.
I also would have loved it if there had been a little more focus on how difficult it might be for an autistic teen to be at summer camp for the first time. Ellie’s struggles around social things and a sensory issue with sand (I totally understand that one) are addressed and she has one instance of a meltdown at the end of the last day, but there’s no mention of other sensory issues or overstimulation, possible struggles with food, struggles with so much change that comes with being away from home, stimming, or any mention of possible need for comfort items beyond having a notebook she writes lists in. I know all autistic people are different so possibly the author also doesn’t deal with this stuff but I do wish she’d shown more of how completely disabling autism can be sometimes. Most of the story focuses on Ellie masking and trying to seem normal and perfect but barely mentions what she’s masking in the first place.
But despite that, this was a good book that I’m sure will be helpful to queer autistic and allistic teenagers alike in being more themselves, believing in their own worth, and unlearning people-pleasing behavior.
Read
October 8, 2025Full of heart and fun-in-the-sun, Smash or Pass serves up a diverse coming-of-age story about friendship, self-discovery, and first love—on and off the court.
January 13, 2026
3.75⭐️
This was a cute LGBTQ YA romance, with summer camp, beach vibes. Ellie is attending SMASH a beach volleyball summer camp after her being broke up with by her ex-boyfriend Daniel. She is paired with Sierra, the camp owners daughter who is lesbian. With Ellie being autistic it is hard for her to be herself so she asks Sierra to help her be comfortable in her own skin.
I really enjoyed this, Sierra was a good friend to Ellie and vise versa. This book has a lot of LGBTQ rep in all the side characters as well as the main characters which i also enjoyed. Ellie learning to be herself with good friends by her side was fun to navigate.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute LGBTQ YA romance, with summer camp, beach vibes. Ellie is attending SMASH a beach volleyball summer camp after her being broke up with by her ex-boyfriend Daniel. She is paired with Sierra, the camp owners daughter who is lesbian. With Ellie being autistic it is hard for her to be herself so she asks Sierra to help her be comfortable in her own skin.
I really enjoyed this, Sierra was a good friend to Ellie and vise versa. This book has a lot of LGBTQ rep in all the side characters as well as the main characters which i also enjoyed. Ellie learning to be herself with good friends by her side was fun to navigate.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2026
3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was so cute! Such a fun little read.
The reason for the 3.5 stars is because this was pretty young. Very YA if not middle grade. Which is fine; it just wasn’t completely for me. If I was younger it would be an easy 5 stars.
I really liked Ellie as a main character. I do not have autism, so I cannot say for sure if it is great representation, but from what I could tell it was! I don’t often read books with an autistic main character, but it was great to in this one! She had very real problems for being the age she was. It was all very realistic to me. I liked her relationship with her brother. I love that they got along, even if it was a little rocky in the past.
There were a ton of side characters, and all of them I enjoyed, but I also couldn’t completely connect with them either. Which didn’t ruin the book for me, but I wasn’t deeply invested, I just enjoyed reading the novel if that makes sense.
I liked Ellie and Sierra together, but I wish we had a littler more personality from Sierra. She was cool and I liked her, but it felt like something was missing from her character. Most of the focus was on Ellie that it was sort of like okay here is a girlfriend for her. Don’t get me wrong they were super cute and I was rooting for them, but I could have done with it being more fleshed out.
I actually really liked Veronica. She was a complicated character, but I really enjoyed her. I couldn’t stand Daniel and I wish we didn’t waste as much time as we did on him. I got annoyed every time he showed up. Nina was annoying too, but that is mainly because of everything Ellie was feeling about her. She is not a great friend at all.
I think this book had a slight touch of telling not showing the interactions and feelings between all the characters. But I really didn’t mind it because this was such an easy book to get through!
I love the title and I love the cover. Even though there wasn’t that much volleyball played or talked about, it was still a fun concept of them being at camp. Don’t expect a sports romance, but it is a nice touch to have in there.
If you want a sickly sweet fluffy romance, with some drama and real life problems thrown in there, this is the perfect read for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was so cute! Such a fun little read.
The reason for the 3.5 stars is because this was pretty young. Very YA if not middle grade. Which is fine; it just wasn’t completely for me. If I was younger it would be an easy 5 stars.
I really liked Ellie as a main character. I do not have autism, so I cannot say for sure if it is great representation, but from what I could tell it was! I don’t often read books with an autistic main character, but it was great to in this one! She had very real problems for being the age she was. It was all very realistic to me. I liked her relationship with her brother. I love that they got along, even if it was a little rocky in the past.
There were a ton of side characters, and all of them I enjoyed, but I also couldn’t completely connect with them either. Which didn’t ruin the book for me, but I wasn’t deeply invested, I just enjoyed reading the novel if that makes sense.
I liked Ellie and Sierra together, but I wish we had a littler more personality from Sierra. She was cool and I liked her, but it felt like something was missing from her character. Most of the focus was on Ellie that it was sort of like okay here is a girlfriend for her. Don’t get me wrong they were super cute and I was rooting for them, but I could have done with it being more fleshed out.
I actually really liked Veronica. She was a complicated character, but I really enjoyed her. I couldn’t stand Daniel and I wish we didn’t waste as much time as we did on him. I got annoyed every time he showed up. Nina was annoying too, but that is mainly because of everything Ellie was feeling about her. She is not a great friend at all.
I think this book had a slight touch of telling not showing the interactions and feelings between all the characters. But I really didn’t mind it because this was such an easy book to get through!
I love the title and I love the cover. Even though there wasn’t that much volleyball played or talked about, it was still a fun concept of them being at camp. Don’t expect a sports romance, but it is a nice touch to have in there.
If you want a sickly sweet fluffy romance, with some drama and real life problems thrown in there, this is the perfect read for you!
April 17, 2026
And the verdict is… SMASH! 4.25 ⭐
SMASH OR PASS is such a sweet, sapphic YA romance about an autistic girl learning how to live for herself, finding people who truly support her, and maybe even falling for a girl for the first time at a beach volleyball camp.
I really loved Ellie as a main character. Watching her grow throughout the story was incredibly rewarding. After being badly bullied in middle school, she created so many rules for herself to avoid being judged for her autistic traits—but that also meant she’s been holding herself back for years. Seeing her slowly let go of that and start embracing who she is felt so healing, and honestly very relatable.
This book was such a comforting read. It’s light, sweet, and easy to get through—I genuinely would’ve read it in one sitting if I had the time. There’s something so breezy and warm about it that just pulls you in.
I adored the characters, especially the dynamics within the friend group. It really captured that summer camp feeling where you get to reinvent yourself a little and find your people. The relationships felt genuine and supportive, even when the characters disagreed or challenged each other.
I also appreciated how realistically the book explores the pressure to fit in during high school, especially through Ellie’s perspective as an autistic girl. The need to belong, to be accepted, and to not stand out in the “wrong” ways was portrayed in such an honest and thoughtful way.
At times the writing felt a little simple, and I feel like this is on the younger end of the YA range, as the book felt a little junior and not so much 18-year-old (which it wasn’t meant to be), but I still loved it. I love reading younger books, they're so light and sweet. It reads a little more middle-grade/junior, but it’s not a bad thing. Just keep that in mind if you’re looking for an older YA, I wouldn’t recommend this necessarily.
Overall, this was a really lovely and healing read that I absolutely adored.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
SMASH OR PASS is such a sweet, sapphic YA romance about an autistic girl learning how to live for herself, finding people who truly support her, and maybe even falling for a girl for the first time at a beach volleyball camp.
I really loved Ellie as a main character. Watching her grow throughout the story was incredibly rewarding. After being badly bullied in middle school, she created so many rules for herself to avoid being judged for her autistic traits—but that also meant she’s been holding herself back for years. Seeing her slowly let go of that and start embracing who she is felt so healing, and honestly very relatable.
This book was such a comforting read. It’s light, sweet, and easy to get through—I genuinely would’ve read it in one sitting if I had the time. There’s something so breezy and warm about it that just pulls you in.
I adored the characters, especially the dynamics within the friend group. It really captured that summer camp feeling where you get to reinvent yourself a little and find your people. The relationships felt genuine and supportive, even when the characters disagreed or challenged each other.
I also appreciated how realistically the book explores the pressure to fit in during high school, especially through Ellie’s perspective as an autistic girl. The need to belong, to be accepted, and to not stand out in the “wrong” ways was portrayed in such an honest and thoughtful way.
At times the writing felt a little simple, and I feel like this is on the younger end of the YA range, as the book felt a little junior and not so much 18-year-old (which it wasn’t meant to be), but I still loved it. I love reading younger books, they're so light and sweet. It reads a little more middle-grade/junior, but it’s not a bad thing. Just keep that in mind if you’re looking for an older YA, I wouldn’t recommend this necessarily.
Overall, this was a really lovely and healing read that I absolutely adored.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
May 9, 2026
Smash or Pass feels like finding the people who finally see you exactly as you are and love you harder because of it. The friendships in this story are so genuine. Everyone feels so real, supportive, chaotic, and wonderfully accepting of each other in a way that made my chest ache a little.
The autism representation felt incredibly authentic and handled with so much care. Watching Ellie learn to stop shrinking herself for other people and instead embrace who she truly is was so comforting. There’s such a strong message throughout the story about belonging, self-acceptance, and realizing you never have to change yourself to deserve love and connection.
The connection between Sierra and Ellie was absolutely precious. Their friendship felt so natural from the beginning, even though both thought they were complete opposites from each other. The awkward pining, the flustered thoughts, the soft little moments that somehow feel like huge leaps. Ugh my little heart! Every interaction had me rooting for them harder.
This book is warm, funny, heartfelt, queer in the best way, and full of characters that feel like people you’d want in your own corner for life.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!
Favorite Quotes:
“Even with all my current moodiness, there’s something satisfying about being the reason she almost smiles. Like finally checking off the hardest item on my weekly to-do list.”
“I can’t imagine a life in which my heart doesn’t tug me toward them. After all these years of longing for it, I think I finally know what belonging somewhere feels like. It’s knowing that even when things aren’t perfect, everything has fallen into the right place.”
“Nobody has the right to make you feel like you have to become smaller. You have as much right to take up space as everyone else.”
“God, I really did lose my ability to think straight, didn't I?”
The autism representation felt incredibly authentic and handled with so much care. Watching Ellie learn to stop shrinking herself for other people and instead embrace who she truly is was so comforting. There’s such a strong message throughout the story about belonging, self-acceptance, and realizing you never have to change yourself to deserve love and connection.
The connection between Sierra and Ellie was absolutely precious. Their friendship felt so natural from the beginning, even though both thought they were complete opposites from each other. The awkward pining, the flustered thoughts, the soft little moments that somehow feel like huge leaps. Ugh my little heart! Every interaction had me rooting for them harder.
This book is warm, funny, heartfelt, queer in the best way, and full of characters that feel like people you’d want in your own corner for life.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!
Favorite Quotes:
“Even with all my current moodiness, there’s something satisfying about being the reason she almost smiles. Like finally checking off the hardest item on my weekly to-do list.”
“I can’t imagine a life in which my heart doesn’t tug me toward them. After all these years of longing for it, I think I finally know what belonging somewhere feels like. It’s knowing that even when things aren’t perfect, everything has fallen into the right place.”
“Nobody has the right to make you feel like you have to become smaller. You have as much right to take up space as everyone else.”
“God, I really did lose my ability to think straight, didn't I?”
May 7, 2026
I received a digital advanced copy from Penguin Teen Canada & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A cute YA sapphic romance that focuses a lot on self-acceptance!
Ellie is an autistic teenager who seems like a perfect, popular student. Only she’s faking almost everything about her personality to be accepted. When her boyfriend breaks up with her and embarrasses her in front of the entire school, she decides what she’s been doing hasn’t been working. This causes her to go to summer Volleyball camp with her brother where she vows to begin acting like herself again.
Watching Ellie become herself again and develop meaningful relationships with the people at camp was great to see. I think this would be a great read for teenagers who aren’t too sure about themselves as it touches on many common teenage insecurities.
A cute YA sapphic romance that focuses a lot on self-acceptance!
Ellie is an autistic teenager who seems like a perfect, popular student. Only she’s faking almost everything about her personality to be accepted. When her boyfriend breaks up with her and embarrasses her in front of the entire school, she decides what she’s been doing hasn’t been working. This causes her to go to summer Volleyball camp with her brother where she vows to begin acting like herself again.
Watching Ellie become herself again and develop meaningful relationships with the people at camp was great to see. I think this would be a great read for teenagers who aren’t too sure about themselves as it touches on many common teenage insecurities.
April 7, 2026
4.5⭐️ love love loved the autism and the queer rep!!! i literally could not stop thinking about this book and so had to prioritize it over assignments and binge read like 70% of it today 🫣 read more on the MG side than YA!
May 16, 2026
3.5⭐️
May 10, 2026
Book of the summer as far as i'm concerned and possibly book of the YEAR. This was so cutie and i'm gonna need a short story or a novella with these characters ASAP!!!
January 12, 2026
i’m definitely an outcast with my opinion on this book! it’s very cute but i think it’s a little too young for me . For being a YA book i think it reads almost middle-grade, which is not a bad thing it’s just not for me . I just read a different YA that i gave five stars so it really comes down to what the YA author works in and how the story is developed.
Aside from that i really enjoyed their relationship and the story , it was very straightforward and cute ! I like that we saw her heal from the awful breakup, which would’ve traumatized me a lot more than it did her .
I don’t have so much to say other than it was cute !
Aside from that i really enjoyed their relationship and the story , it was very straightforward and cute ! I like that we saw her heal from the awful breakup, which would’ve traumatized me a lot more than it did her .
I don’t have so much to say other than it was cute !
May 13, 2026
I went into this one almost completely blind—just vibes, a cover, and a “why not?” click on NetGalley… and WOW, did that gamble pay off. 🎯
I am thankful to have received a complimentary eARC from Random House childrens via NetGalley and a complimentary ALC from Paragraph Audio via their influencer program, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
This one truly took me by surprise in the best way. What I wasn’t expecting, but absolutely loved, was the incredible autistic and queer representation woven so thoughtfully into the story.
I started this as an immersion read, with the eARC and audiobook… but around the 30% mark, I fully abandoned the eARC until the final stretch because the narration by Elena Ray completely swept me away. She brought such emotional depth to every character that I didn’t want to pull myself out of the listening experience. Whether at 1x or 2x speed, the delivery was seamless and engaging.
One of the standout elements for me was the FMC’s journey of self-exploration. Watching her navigate both her sexual identity and her place in the world as someone newly diagnosed with autism was deeply moving. At times, it was genuinely heartbreaking to see her inner struggles and the lengths she went to just to feel like she belonged.
The sapphic romance was handled beautifully. It stayed completely age-appropriate—no spice, just a soft, meaningful connection that grew naturally over the summer. I especially appreciated that it focused on friendship first, letting the relationship evolve in a way that felt authentic and earned.
The secondary characters were given real depth as well, adding layers of representation and inclusion without ever feeling forced or performative.
If you’re looking for a camp-set story that balances heart, identity, and representation with an engaging and emotional narrative, I highly recommend picking this one up.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary eARC from Random House childrens via NetGalley and a complimentary ALC from Paragraph Audio via their influencer program, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
This one truly took me by surprise in the best way. What I wasn’t expecting, but absolutely loved, was the incredible autistic and queer representation woven so thoughtfully into the story.
I started this as an immersion read, with the eARC and audiobook… but around the 30% mark, I fully abandoned the eARC until the final stretch because the narration by Elena Ray completely swept me away. She brought such emotional depth to every character that I didn’t want to pull myself out of the listening experience. Whether at 1x or 2x speed, the delivery was seamless and engaging.
One of the standout elements for me was the FMC’s journey of self-exploration. Watching her navigate both her sexual identity and her place in the world as someone newly diagnosed with autism was deeply moving. At times, it was genuinely heartbreaking to see her inner struggles and the lengths she went to just to feel like she belonged.
The sapphic romance was handled beautifully. It stayed completely age-appropriate—no spice, just a soft, meaningful connection that grew naturally over the summer. I especially appreciated that it focused on friendship first, letting the relationship evolve in a way that felt authentic and earned.
The secondary characters were given real depth as well, adding layers of representation and inclusion without ever feeling forced or performative.
If you’re looking for a camp-set story that balances heart, identity, and representation with an engaging and emotional narrative, I highly recommend picking this one up.
October 1, 2025
I cannot wait to read this book!! Everything I have seen so far looks so amazing😋
Want to Read
January 12, 2025remind me when it comes out pls!!
March 17, 2026
3+ stars
Overall, enjoyable! I really liked the very realistic take on the pressures of high school and fitting in and the compulsive need to belong - especially when you add autism to the mix. I liked how the characters challenged their impressions and their reputations, how they found and made space for each other despite disagreeing and being very different. I think we could have let more of the side characters shine, though. Especially in the context of the sport they’re playing!
Speaking of… I’m not at all convinced that the author knows anything about beach volleyball. We never learn the rules, we barely have any actual on-page game time, the only relevance that beach volleyball has to the whole plot is the presence of sand to give MC Ellie a sensory ick - otherwise literally any sport would work. There was so little time spent on the actual game or anything specific to it (sand rash??) that I forgot they were at a sport camp and not just a generic summer camp. It was like the whole concept was built around the cutesy title without the bones to back it up…
But the central relationship was great. Wholesome but not without a hefty dose of reality as Ellie and Sierra got comfortable with each other and also had to deal with other things in their lives that could weigh them down. I definitely feel like Sierra’s resolutions happened mostly off-page or in a “telling” sort of way (as opposed to showing) but it was Ellie’s story at the end of it all.
{Thank you Get Underlined for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
Overall, enjoyable! I really liked the very realistic take on the pressures of high school and fitting in and the compulsive need to belong - especially when you add autism to the mix. I liked how the characters challenged their impressions and their reputations, how they found and made space for each other despite disagreeing and being very different. I think we could have let more of the side characters shine, though. Especially in the context of the sport they’re playing!
Speaking of… I’m not at all convinced that the author knows anything about beach volleyball. We never learn the rules, we barely have any actual on-page game time, the only relevance that beach volleyball has to the whole plot is the presence of sand to give MC Ellie a sensory ick - otherwise literally any sport would work. There was so little time spent on the actual game or anything specific to it (sand rash??) that I forgot they were at a sport camp and not just a generic summer camp. It was like the whole concept was built around the cutesy title without the bones to back it up…
But the central relationship was great. Wholesome but not without a hefty dose of reality as Ellie and Sierra got comfortable with each other and also had to deal with other things in their lives that could weigh them down. I definitely feel like Sierra’s resolutions happened mostly off-page or in a “telling” sort of way (as opposed to showing) but it was Ellie’s story at the end of it all.
{Thank you Get Underlined for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
April 28, 2026
ARC Review of Smash or Pass by: Birdie Schae
Format Read: Digital Netgalley ARC
Pub date: May 12, 2026
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 256
Recommended for readers who enjoy: Kelly Quindlen,
Notable Tropes: Summer Camp, Found Family, Volleyball Player x Romance Reader, WLW, and more!
Minor complaints:
- Honestly not many! This book was amazing and I’m so grateful to have been able to read it early!
Favorite Aspects:
- Amazing representation of not only queer love and joy, but also neurodivergence - specifically in teen girls. I loved Ellie as a character and seeing all of her friends support and give her the love she deserves made my heart so happy.
- “She calls it masking and says it's common for autistic people like me to do, but she also says it's not our job to constantly change ourselves to please other people. And she's right. Of course she is. I wouldn't judge someone for being like me, but still. I don't know. If masking is what it takes to be treated like a human being, then I guess it's worth it for me.”
- The characters in this book were all so unique in their identities, but found community and comfort amongst each other. I love a good found family trope, and the summer camp vibe just made it even more fun!
- This was also a decently short read, but the plot didn’t feel rushed at any time!
Final recommendation: In terms of star ratings, this book gets a 6/5🌟’s from me! I loved the characters and their individual developments, as well as how they interacted with the setting of the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers, for this lovely read in exchange for my honest review!💛
Format Read: Digital Netgalley ARC
Pub date: May 12, 2026
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 256
Recommended for readers who enjoy: Kelly Quindlen,
Notable Tropes: Summer Camp, Found Family, Volleyball Player x Romance Reader, WLW, and more!
Minor complaints:
- Honestly not many! This book was amazing and I’m so grateful to have been able to read it early!
Favorite Aspects:
- Amazing representation of not only queer love and joy, but also neurodivergence - specifically in teen girls. I loved Ellie as a character and seeing all of her friends support and give her the love she deserves made my heart so happy.
- “She calls it masking and says it's common for autistic people like me to do, but she also says it's not our job to constantly change ourselves to please other people. And she's right. Of course she is. I wouldn't judge someone for being like me, but still. I don't know. If masking is what it takes to be treated like a human being, then I guess it's worth it for me.”
- The characters in this book were all so unique in their identities, but found community and comfort amongst each other. I love a good found family trope, and the summer camp vibe just made it even more fun!
- This was also a decently short read, but the plot didn’t feel rushed at any time!
Final recommendation: In terms of star ratings, this book gets a 6/5🌟’s from me! I loved the characters and their individual developments, as well as how they interacted with the setting of the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers, for this lovely read in exchange for my honest review!💛
April 4, 2026
After being broken up with Ellie decided she didn’t want to be seen as the boring person her ex thought she was. She agreed to go to summer camp with her twin brother. Ellie learns how to not care what people think along the way and even make some friends while she’s there too.
Loved the queer and autistic representation in this book. The main character was written so well and I loved seeing the development with her. And of course, I really love the summer camp setting. The friendships made along Ellie’s time there was so wholesome.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Ellie
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🏕️🏐🏳️🌈
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Minor: Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Loved the queer and autistic representation in this book. The main character was written so well and I loved seeing the development with her. And of course, I really love the summer camp setting. The friendships made along Ellie’s time there was so wholesome.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: 💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Ellie
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🏕️🏐🏳️🌈
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Minor: Toxic relationship, Alcohol
January 14, 2026
oh this is for sure about to be one of THE books of 2026!!! this coming of age story and romance is one of the best i have read!! Eleanore and Sierra you inspire me!!!! The mix of humor and emotions in this book is truly incredible and is written so well. Make sure to read this when it comes out, this is a can’t miss read!
May 15, 2026
Smash or Pass is a cozy, comforting coming-of-age for the people-pleasers, gays and theys. Such a joy to read!I was going to make a witty volleyball joke, but the best I got right now is SMASH indeed!
- RTC
- RTC
May 17, 2026
this was. so completely head over heels adorable i cannot. such good representation for so many different identities. such good life lessons to draw from this. YA sapphics are just so sweet. i love them.
May 17, 2026
This is a really sweet coming of age and self discovery ya book. There is a nice found family aspect, and LGBTQIA and autism respsentation. The characters feel age appropriate, keep in mind they are around 16.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews