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Looking for Group: A YA Novel of Trans Identity, Gaming, and a Road Trip to Find Home
Looking for group for the quest of a lifetime.
Dylan doesn’t have a lot of experience with comfort. His room in the falling-down Village Estates can generously be categorized as “squalid,” and he sure as hell isn’t getting any love from his mother, who seemed to—no, definitely did—enjoy the perks that went along with being the parent of a “cancer kid.”
Now that Dylan’s suddenly in remission, all he’s left with is a lingering OxyContin addiction and a hunger for something—anything—but the life he’s known.
His only escape has been in the form of his favorite video game—World of Warcraft—and the one true friend who makes him feel understood, even if it’s just online. Dylan met Arden playing Warcraft, and now he wants to take her on a real mission, one he never thought he’d live to set out on: a journey to a mysterious ship in the middle of the Salton Sea.
But Arden is fighting her own battles, ones that Dylan can’t always help her win. As they navigate their way west, they grapple with Arden’s father (who refuses to recognize his daughter’s true gender), Dylan’s addiction, and the messy, complicated romance fighting so hard to blossom through the cracks of their battle-hardened hearts.
Dylan doesn’t have a lot of experience with comfort. His room in the falling-down Village Estates can generously be categorized as “squalid,” and he sure as hell isn’t getting any love from his mother, who seemed to—no, definitely did—enjoy the perks that went along with being the parent of a “cancer kid.”
Now that Dylan’s suddenly in remission, all he’s left with is a lingering OxyContin addiction and a hunger for something—anything—but the life he’s known.
His only escape has been in the form of his favorite video game—World of Warcraft—and the one true friend who makes him feel understood, even if it’s just online. Dylan met Arden playing Warcraft, and now he wants to take her on a real mission, one he never thought he’d live to set out on: a journey to a mysterious ship in the middle of the Salton Sea.
But Arden is fighting her own battles, ones that Dylan can’t always help her win. As they navigate their way west, they grapple with Arden’s father (who refuses to recognize his daughter’s true gender), Dylan’s addiction, and the messy, complicated romance fighting so hard to blossom through the cracks of their battle-hardened hearts.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2017
13 people are currently reading
1484 people want to read
About the author
Rory Harrison
3 books18 followersRory Harrison lives in the American Midwest and is sorted into Slytherin. She’s a geek and a gamer: she and pop culture are >>likedis<<. Some of her favorite games include Skyrim, Dragon Age 1 & 3, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 1 & 2, Life Is Strange, Goat Simulator, and whatever else strikes her fancy at the moment. When she’s not reading, writing, or gaming, she’s having very strong opinions about things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 11, 2017
Where do I begin reviewing a book so vastly different than any I’ve read before? I was intrigued the moment The Literary Box announced this as their next curator’s novel, partly due to the gorgeous cover and partly due to the content. When contacted for a review, I was initially curious how this road trip would ensue and encompass all the important issues discussed in the blurb. Would this be another surface level, LGBT 101 info dump where it’s nicely written for diversity, but doesn’t delve deeper than a surface level plot? Does the reader feel like they’ve learned anything new, especially those inside a privileged bubble who may be completely uninformed to the plights of those outside their circle? I found out rather quickly, as I read this book in 2 sittings and less than 24 hours, that the story indeed was much deeper and more thorough than any YA book on the subject I’ve seen yet. As someone who is typically a fantasy reader, it was refreshing to branch out into the contemporary realm and ride alongside this makeshift couple as they learn some important life lessons.
While difficult to explain, there was simultaneously a heavy yet boisterous feel to this story; at times my heart sank with hurt for these two characters who have faced so many challenges in their short lives, and at others there was a great deal of laughter and joy that I felt privy to in their midst. I’d like to leave the plot untouched for now, as this is one best to read going in blind, but if you read the blurb you realize this is a journey that deals with issues such as cancer, gender identity, and how society as a whole reacts when we experience people who are different from ourselves. It did take me about 40 pages to really get sucked in, as there is a good deal of setting up Dylan’s back story and explaining how the game World of Warcraft is played. As a non-gamer myself who is married to a gamer, it was nice getting filled in on what my husband partakes in as a hobby, even if some of it did still go over my head. Once Dylan meets up with Arden, I was completely captivated. It was mesmerizing following the budding relationship of two non-traditional love interests; the message of love abiding in all forms really hit home here.
I’m sure a great deal of you are riding on the boat of curiosity wondering “how much detail does this book go into?” Here’s where I struggle to decide on age appropriateness: I’m an old school mom in the sense that I’m overly cautious about the level of mature content I offer my kids to read. Having a 4 year old who is now reading chapter books, and already being majorly behind socially and emotionally (likely due to her ASD), I’m already having to hardcore screen the books she reads. That being said, this is marketed to a target audience of 14+; there was one tiny scene that made me feel it might be more for the 16+ crowd. This had nothing to do with it being a non-traditional relationship or the fact that I think YA shouldn’t be offered this level of content-far from it! I think this book is a trailblazer in the LGBT genres, especially for the younger crowd. So I flip flop between being overly cautious, but also noting that kids are experiencing more mature content at an earlier age, and do we try to include this type of content earlier to give them a healthier, overall picture? I don’t have the answer, but I think just like every parent is different, so is every child, and maybe books can come on a case by case basis.
There were little details included that made an almost fantastical book feel grounded. EX: Along the trip, Arden’s 5 o’clock shadow starts showing. These small moments added up to bringing Arden alive and off the page; so many times I’ve seen transgender characters just painted surface level and included in a narrative simply to say Look! Diversity! The ending was a bit tricky; some will love it while others despise it. I fell somewhere in the middle; while I wish there had been a little more in a sense, I appreciate that Harrison left things emotionally raw and open. We all know I despise a picture perfect ending. I feel like I could go on for days, but know this: if you pick this one up, go into it for the journey. There really is very little plot and action; Looking for Group is more characterization through dialogue and internal monologues. While it was deeply moving, it consistently maintained a whimsical feel that kept the book from being too heavy. I laughed, I *internally* cried; it was fabulous. Highly recommended for those looking to deepen their understanding of the transgender community; this is a book that assumes you are treating Arden as female and doesn’t waste time with the Intro to Transgender etiquette. I’m really interested to see what the young crowd makes of this and I do believe we’ll be seeing more from Rory Harrison for years to come.
*Many thanks to The Literary Box for providing my copy for review; it was a pleasure to share my honest thoughts here on the blog.
***********************************************
I just received this in the mail yesterday and it has so many different elements that are drawing me in. I love the cover and was planning on picking up a diverse YA asap, so this really couldn't have come at a better time. I don't know of many YA stories involving a teen in cancer remission and all my tingly feel goods are blinking like crazy. Let's see how this one plays out...
While difficult to explain, there was simultaneously a heavy yet boisterous feel to this story; at times my heart sank with hurt for these two characters who have faced so many challenges in their short lives, and at others there was a great deal of laughter and joy that I felt privy to in their midst. I’d like to leave the plot untouched for now, as this is one best to read going in blind, but if you read the blurb you realize this is a journey that deals with issues such as cancer, gender identity, and how society as a whole reacts when we experience people who are different from ourselves. It did take me about 40 pages to really get sucked in, as there is a good deal of setting up Dylan’s back story and explaining how the game World of Warcraft is played. As a non-gamer myself who is married to a gamer, it was nice getting filled in on what my husband partakes in as a hobby, even if some of it did still go over my head. Once Dylan meets up with Arden, I was completely captivated. It was mesmerizing following the budding relationship of two non-traditional love interests; the message of love abiding in all forms really hit home here.
I’m sure a great deal of you are riding on the boat of curiosity wondering “how much detail does this book go into?” Here’s where I struggle to decide on age appropriateness: I’m an old school mom in the sense that I’m overly cautious about the level of mature content I offer my kids to read. Having a 4 year old who is now reading chapter books, and already being majorly behind socially and emotionally (likely due to her ASD), I’m already having to hardcore screen the books she reads. That being said, this is marketed to a target audience of 14+; there was one tiny scene that made me feel it might be more for the 16+ crowd. This had nothing to do with it being a non-traditional relationship or the fact that I think YA shouldn’t be offered this level of content-far from it! I think this book is a trailblazer in the LGBT genres, especially for the younger crowd. So I flip flop between being overly cautious, but also noting that kids are experiencing more mature content at an earlier age, and do we try to include this type of content earlier to give them a healthier, overall picture? I don’t have the answer, but I think just like every parent is different, so is every child, and maybe books can come on a case by case basis.
There were little details included that made an almost fantastical book feel grounded. EX: Along the trip, Arden’s 5 o’clock shadow starts showing. These small moments added up to bringing Arden alive and off the page; so many times I’ve seen transgender characters just painted surface level and included in a narrative simply to say Look! Diversity! The ending was a bit tricky; some will love it while others despise it. I fell somewhere in the middle; while I wish there had been a little more in a sense, I appreciate that Harrison left things emotionally raw and open. We all know I despise a picture perfect ending. I feel like I could go on for days, but know this: if you pick this one up, go into it for the journey. There really is very little plot and action; Looking for Group is more characterization through dialogue and internal monologues. While it was deeply moving, it consistently maintained a whimsical feel that kept the book from being too heavy. I laughed, I *internally* cried; it was fabulous. Highly recommended for those looking to deepen their understanding of the transgender community; this is a book that assumes you are treating Arden as female and doesn’t waste time with the Intro to Transgender etiquette. I’m really interested to see what the young crowd makes of this and I do believe we’ll be seeing more from Rory Harrison for years to come.
*Many thanks to The Literary Box for providing my copy for review; it was a pleasure to share my honest thoughts here on the blog.
***********************************************
I just received this in the mail yesterday and it has so many different elements that are drawing me in. I love the cover and was planning on picking up a diverse YA asap, so this really couldn't have come at a better time. I don't know of many YA stories involving a teen in cancer remission and all my tingly feel goods are blinking like crazy. Let's see how this one plays out...
April 12, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA contemporary romance story, featuring a gay boy, and a transgender girl.
I liked both Dylan and Arden, and both had had a rough time of it. Poor Dylan had had a brain tumour that was in spontaneous remission, and Arden had a father who insisted on calling her ‘David’.
The storyline in this was about Dylan and Arden going on a road trip to find a buried ship full of pearls, but what was really sweet was the way their relationship developed as the story progressed. Although Dylan was initially a bit confused by his feelings, I liked the overall message that people are just people, and that falling in love can’t be wrong no matter what your gender or identity.
The ending to this was a bit of a let-down though. Nothing was tied up, questions weren’t answered, and we were just left to wonder what would become of Dylan and Arden and their relationship with no idea of where it would actually go which was really disappointing.
7 out of 10
“I’m everything. I’m the whole world.”
This was a YA contemporary romance story, featuring a gay boy, and a transgender girl.
I liked both Dylan and Arden, and both had had a rough time of it. Poor Dylan had had a brain tumour that was in spontaneous remission, and Arden had a father who insisted on calling her ‘David’.
The storyline in this was about Dylan and Arden going on a road trip to find a buried ship full of pearls, but what was really sweet was the way their relationship developed as the story progressed. Although Dylan was initially a bit confused by his feelings, I liked the overall message that people are just people, and that falling in love can’t be wrong no matter what your gender or identity.
The ending to this was a bit of a let-down though. Nothing was tied up, questions weren’t answered, and we were just left to wonder what would become of Dylan and Arden and their relationship with no idea of where it would actually go which was really disappointing.
7 out of 10
April 14, 2017
A Twitter friend sent me a copy of a physical ARC back in December, after I expressed deep misgivings about what I'd heard about it, and I chronicled my reading of it through a continuation of that same thread.
Short version: I, as a trans woman, was profoundly concerned because Dylan, the narrator and protagonist, was referred to as a gay teen boy in all the advance word of mouth I was seeing, and his love interest was described as a bi/pan teen trans girl.
A gay boy. A trans girl as his love interest.
Just typing the above infuriated me all over again, because as a concept it's offensive.
The blurb didn't help, because it gave me the impression that "Arden" was the love interest's deadname and "Nuba" was her real name. That's not something I can blame the author for; authors don't usually write their own blurbs, especially not with a major publisher like HarperTeen.
And … the book was, essentially, everything I feared.
Dylan consistently uses the correct pronouns for Arden, in his narration, but that's about as far as it goes. He misgenders her when talking to others, deliberately and without consent, in order to "protect" her, and while she calls him out on it, there's still microaggressions throughout the text; for example, when he first meets her face to face, he mentions her broad shoulders and strong jawline (both stereotypes of trans women). There's also a scene where he notices some teen girls at a Wal-Mart whose heads Arden turns; we find out shortly thereafter that, at the time, Arden had some beard stubble (Arden buys disposable razors so that she can shave).
Short version: I, as a trans woman, was profoundly concerned because Dylan, the narrator and protagonist, was referred to as a gay teen boy in all the advance word of mouth I was seeing, and his love interest was described as a bi/pan teen trans girl.
A gay boy. A trans girl as his love interest.
Just typing the above infuriated me all over again, because as a concept it's offensive.
The blurb didn't help, because it gave me the impression that "Arden" was the love interest's deadname and "Nuba" was her real name. That's not something I can blame the author for; authors don't usually write their own blurbs, especially not with a major publisher like HarperTeen.
And … the book was, essentially, everything I feared.
Dylan consistently uses the correct pronouns for Arden, in his narration, but that's about as far as it goes. He misgenders her when talking to others, deliberately and without consent, in order to "protect" her, and while she calls him out on it, there's still microaggressions throughout the text; for example, when he first meets her face to face, he mentions her broad shoulders and strong jawline (both stereotypes of trans women). There's also a scene where he notices some teen girls at a Wal-Mart whose heads Arden turns; we find out shortly thereafter that, at the time, Arden had some beard stubble (Arden buys disposable razors so that she can shave).
August 19, 2016
Okay it's 1:26 am and I just finished this, so I'll polish this review later. But I have so many THOUGHTS, so:
This book... it's so many things that I've wanted. Some things that I've known I wanted, and somethings I had no idea I wanted.
Dylan, our main character, has made a "miraculous" recovery from terminal cancer. He identifies as gay, has basically no friends, and his mom doesn't really love him. All he's really had for the past several years is World of Warcraft, and the one good friend he's made. Nuba, or, as she goes by IRL, Arden.
Arden is a trans girl whose father refuses to gender her correctly. She has a myriad of Highly Relatable issues re: self-esteem and allowing herself to ask for what she wants, or even to want in the first place.
This book covers so much. Cancer, unexpected recovery from cancer, class issues & divides, families that are broken in different ways, the sometimes blurry & confusing lines of sexuality and gender, and the power of online relationships, particularly when living in extreme isolation. It handles it all so well, in my opinion, having dealt with many of these things. But I'm really curious to hear other people's opinions on it (especially other trans peoples opinions!) because it's... this is a really new book, the kind of thing we've never seen before in YA. Especially not from a major publisher.
I probably wouldn't recommend this book to a cis person who knows very little about trans identity & experiences, but... I would recommend it to a lot of other people. (And I kind of like that it's not Trans 101. It takes for granted that you see trans women as women.)
This is definitely one to put on your TBR. Even if it's not your jam, I think it's an important read. I usually hate when people say this, but this really is an important & potentially game changing contribution to YA literature.
This book... it's so many things that I've wanted. Some things that I've known I wanted, and somethings I had no idea I wanted.
Dylan, our main character, has made a "miraculous" recovery from terminal cancer. He identifies as gay, has basically no friends, and his mom doesn't really love him. All he's really had for the past several years is World of Warcraft, and the one good friend he's made. Nuba, or, as she goes by IRL, Arden.
Arden is a trans girl whose father refuses to gender her correctly. She has a myriad of Highly Relatable issues re: self-esteem and allowing herself to ask for what she wants, or even to want in the first place.
This book covers so much. Cancer, unexpected recovery from cancer, class issues & divides, families that are broken in different ways, the sometimes blurry & confusing lines of sexuality and gender, and the power of online relationships, particularly when living in extreme isolation. It handles it all so well, in my opinion, having dealt with many of these things. But I'm really curious to hear other people's opinions on it (especially other trans peoples opinions!) because it's... this is a really new book, the kind of thing we've never seen before in YA. Especially not from a major publisher.
I probably wouldn't recommend this book to a cis person who knows very little about trans identity & experiences, but... I would recommend it to a lot of other people. (And I kind of like that it's not Trans 101. It takes for granted that you see trans women as women.)
This is definitely one to put on your TBR. Even if it's not your jam, I think it's an important read. I usually hate when people say this, but this really is an important & potentially game changing contribution to YA literature.
Read
March 22, 2017Still working out my thoughts on this one, but definitely overall positive. It has a bunch of the things I really liked about Jess, Chunk, and the Infinite Road Trip, which I'm really glad about, because - ta da! It doesn't have the fat-shaming! - but of course that book is from the trans girl's POV and this one isn't, so it's not like we're talking a total rec replacement. Rather, this falls somewhere between Beast and Jess on the trans YA spectrum, which is IMO a nice spectrum to see books on, especially because it means we're getting more trans books without sexual assault plot points. (Which, as always, is not said to invalidate books that include them or how frequently that is part of the trans experience because people are fucking terrible, but just in the interest of having books that feel like a safer space for teens who need not to have it in every/any read for self-care reasons.)
Honestly, my favorite part was the flip side of "sick lit" (God, that is a terrible term, but I have a reason for using it) - Dylan's in remission, and I really loved the way he carried that with him. A lot of what gets called "sick lit" banks on the sympathy and anger and and and that comes with storylines of teens or their loved ones getting cancer, but this was the down-and-dirty of living with the afterward, and for all that we saw of "sick lit" for years, this feels like the real, unglamorous part that always got left out.
I'll probably add more to this at some point but leaving it here for now.
Honestly, my favorite part was the flip side of "sick lit" (God, that is a terrible term, but I have a reason for using it) - Dylan's in remission, and I really loved the way he carried that with him. A lot of what gets called "sick lit" banks on the sympathy and anger and and and that comes with storylines of teens or their loved ones getting cancer, but this was the down-and-dirty of living with the afterward, and for all that we saw of "sick lit" for years, this feels like the real, unglamorous part that always got left out.
I'll probably add more to this at some point but leaving it here for now.
April 11, 2017
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I was so not informed that this is going to be a road trip book. Let me tell you about road trip books - I usually do not enjoy them. I don't know why, but when it comes to road trip books, I tend to get bored and I just want the book to be over already. This is why I tend to stay away from them. And in this world where change is constant, this fact seems to be something that has not changed yet.
In a way, my brain registers that this is an important book. It explores sexuality in a way that YA books I've read have not explored yet. But here's the thing - I was so confused by how it was explored in this book as well. The main character Dylan is gay, and the other character Arden is a trans woman, so that makes her a girl if we are to follow the events in the book. But then Dylan and Arden falls in love, and it just made my brain go, "Oops, what the heck is happening here?" If someone knows how this works, please explain it to me because I just don't get it, and I just can't get over that fact.
Other than that, my main problem is that I couldn't connect with the characters nor the story. I think I couldn't connect with the story because of my luck with road trip YA novels. But the characters, I'm just so confused by them. I don't want to say that Dylan is whiny, but Dylan is whiny. And Arden was just confusing. Also, I think that the characters don't have enough depth to them. I feel like I couldn't describe in a way that I could describe other characters, and that was a huge problem for me.
I liked the resolution of this book though. I like how everything was not perfect - because that's how real life is like. It wasn't sunshine and kisses and happily ever after, and we know that the story goes on even if we can't see them anymore. The novel ended in a neutral note - neither happy nor sad - though I know that in the future there will still be a lot of happy and sad times. In that way, I think the ending was realistic.
Overall, I didn't like much about the novel because I couldn't connect with the story nor the characters. I like that it explores LGBT and cancer, but it had me confused as heck.
I was so not informed that this is going to be a road trip book. Let me tell you about road trip books - I usually do not enjoy them. I don't know why, but when it comes to road trip books, I tend to get bored and I just want the book to be over already. This is why I tend to stay away from them. And in this world where change is constant, this fact seems to be something that has not changed yet.
In a way, my brain registers that this is an important book. It explores sexuality in a way that YA books I've read have not explored yet. But here's the thing - I was so confused by how it was explored in this book as well. The main character Dylan is gay, and the other character Arden is a trans woman, so that makes her a girl if we are to follow the events in the book. But then Dylan and Arden falls in love, and it just made my brain go, "Oops, what the heck is happening here?" If someone knows how this works, please explain it to me because I just don't get it, and I just can't get over that fact.
Other than that, my main problem is that I couldn't connect with the characters nor the story. I think I couldn't connect with the story because of my luck with road trip YA novels. But the characters, I'm just so confused by them. I don't want to say that Dylan is whiny, but Dylan is whiny. And Arden was just confusing. Also, I think that the characters don't have enough depth to them. I feel like I couldn't describe in a way that I could describe other characters, and that was a huge problem for me.
I liked the resolution of this book though. I like how everything was not perfect - because that's how real life is like. It wasn't sunshine and kisses and happily ever after, and we know that the story goes on even if we can't see them anymore. The novel ended in a neutral note - neither happy nor sad - though I know that in the future there will still be a lot of happy and sad times. In that way, I think the ending was realistic.
Overall, I didn't like much about the novel because I couldn't connect with the story nor the characters. I like that it explores LGBT and cancer, but it had me confused as heck.
September 27, 2016
This is such a beautiful story of friendship, love and support between two kids who really need acceptance and understanding and find it in each other, and I liked that it showed how real, deep and close online friendships can be, but also how meeting in person can change how you perceive someone. A lovable, heart-warming read.
Read the full review at Starship Library.
Read the full review at Starship Library.
July 9, 2017
I really wanted to love this book - it had the potential to be a wonderful story, but I can't get past the romantic plot-line (a gay boy and a transgender girl falling in love). Was it a lesson on sexual fluidity? Was it a clueless author? Blatant disrespect? I'm not sure what the point of their romantic relationship was but it seemed incredibly disrespectful to both characters. The rest of the book I enjoyed I guess, but the ending was not satisfying at all. I don't really know how to rate this book.
March 31, 2019
All the stars, as many as I can give it!!
Dident expect what wonder this was. The voice, the story, the adrupt ending. The, for me, open endning. Also, the WoW references was great, I knew about the places, the meaning behind them and the jokes. It was a beautiful story.
Dident expect what wonder this was. The voice, the story, the adrupt ending. The, for me, open endning. Also, the WoW references was great, I knew about the places, the meaning behind them and the jokes. It was a beautiful story.
June 3, 2017
This story is a fabulous combination of road-trip story and geeky online gamers joking about World of Warcraft and teens figuring out themselves and their families and life and especially love. Dylan is a poor gay boy from the broken side of the tracks who has only just been given that dubiously "fabulous" designation: Cancer in Remission. Arden is a trans girl with a distant rich family, a father who still calls her David. But in the digital worlds of online gaming, they are a powerful cow-cleric and undead battle zombie and none of that real life stuff matters. When Dylan fails to register for school he decides to head to find Arden IRL and so begins an epic voyage West to find a long missing ship of pearls in the middle of the dessert by Salton Sea. They are both fighting their own internal battles but their relationship is fantastically written; the joys and heartbreaks and discoveries are heart-wrenching and fantastic.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Nothing. This story is a beauty.
To whom would you recommend this book? (Read-alikes if you can think of them) This brings to mind the beauty of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" and the fun of "Fangirl" and even a bit of the poignancy that I loved from "The Fault in Our Stars"; all while being it's own fresh story about two broken characters who find love in each other.
Who should buy this book? (Middle schools, high schools, public libraries, day-cares-) High Schools, Public Libraries, Individuals.
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? YES!
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Nothing. This story is a beauty.
To whom would you recommend this book? (Read-alikes if you can think of them) This brings to mind the beauty of "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" and the fun of "Fangirl" and even a bit of the poignancy that I loved from "The Fault in Our Stars"; all while being it's own fresh story about two broken characters who find love in each other.
Who should buy this book? (Middle schools, high schools, public libraries, day-cares-) High Schools, Public Libraries, Individuals.
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? YES!
FTC Disclosure: The Publisher provided me with a copy of this book to provide an honest review. No goody bags, sponsorship, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
March 5, 2017
TF is this book's problem though? It's as if it's picking a fight with me. *cries*
"You’re going to turn the next page, because you still have hope. You hope there’s a little something more, and it’s nothing personal. People do it at the end of every book. I think that’s why publishers put in all those extra pages. So you have a chance to shuffle and flip through them while it sinks in. It’s over. The trip is done.
You know it’s over, but you’re going to turn the page anyway."
"You’re going to turn the next page, because you still have hope. You hope there’s a little something more, and it’s nothing personal. People do it at the end of every book. I think that’s why publishers put in all those extra pages. So you have a chance to shuffle and flip through them while it sinks in. It’s over. The trip is done.
You know it’s over, but you’re going to turn the page anyway."
November 6, 2017
Sigh. I wanted to like this book a lot more. It mentions World of Warcraft which is my favorite MMO (even though I don’t play it anymore :P), and the blurb on the front flap of the book also sounded promising. Alas.
This review will most likely contain spoilers. There are a few things in terms of the plot that I don’t think I can convey properly without a spoiler warning. Please be aware as you continue. While this isn’t a spoiler, there is some misgendering and deadnaming, which, I believe, doesn’t do the trans community any justice. I can’t speak for the LGBTQIA+ rep in the book, so if I say something wrong, please correct me.
Well, I went into this thinking it was would be absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, I was incredibly let down. 😦 The plot itself is pretty good, two friends who become something more on a mission, but I soon found the writing and the format didn’t do anything for the story.
What I did enjoy were the references to World of Warcraft. While I haven’t played in years, some of the general situations (like the Barrens chat and the class characters) I remembered quite easily. I could definitely relate to Dylan using the game as an escape from his life. He’s in remission but has an addition to one of the drugs. He lives in a very run-down apartment in a rough neighborhood, with a mom who at one point, preferred her son to die from the cancer rather than having to deal with him.
His mom is seriously one of the worst parents. She doesn’t get a lot of page time, and thank goodness, because then we meet Arden’s dad, whom Dylan refers to as Concrete Block. Arden’s dad does not accept his daughter’s true gender and constantly deadnames her.
At the same time, when Dylan and Arden go on their “quest”, there are situations that Dylan misgenders her in order to “protect her.” It happens twice, and both times we see Arden visibly upset, but it’s only after the second time that she corrects Dylan and tells him how it makes her feel. Dylan feels awkward, but he doesn’t do it again.
There is one particular things that confused me. Dylan is gay. He says that from the very beginning, but he falls very much in love with Arden, a trans woman. Yet because Arden’s dad does not accept his daughter’s gender and due to Dylan’s description of Arden and even Arden’s description of herself (over six feet tall, built like a rugby player), I wondered if maybe Dylan is bi but he doesn’t realize it yet. (If I remember correctly, he thinks about this briefly, too.)
There was one person who accepted Arden and that’s her mom, but she isn’t really in the picture. Her mom fought her Arden and even offered to buy Arden hormone blockers. Unfortunately, Arden’s mom didn’t because her husband didn’t want her to. Ugh, whatever.
As the story progresses, it becomes obvious that Arden most likely has suicidal thoughts and possibly depression as well. This “quest” she has with Dylan helps her–helps them both, I think, although Dylan can’t help but compare his very poor lifestyle with Arden’s rich one. However, one of the worst parts in this book that I don’t think did Arden any justice was when Dylan listened to the voicemails her father left on her phone–messages where her dad continually deadnames her while Dylan forces her to listen even though she is quite obviously distressed because of it. In the end, her dad does use his daughter’s true name, Arden, and for some reason, that makes Arden want to return.
And what does she do? She leaves Dylan with a bunch of money which he lives off of for a few weeks. He doesn’t want to return home, and it’s made quite clear in the book that his mom doesn’t really want him to come home either. She really uses him for his pills (which he later disposes) and the “sympathy points” it draws from those who know Dylan’s medical story.
Overall, I was left very unsatisfied and a bit uncomfortable. Like I said earlier, I can’t speak for the rep in the book, but I personally don’t believe it was written well. I can appreciate the rep, but still have problems with it. Arden appeared comfortable in her skin, even though she had problems with her dad. I can hope that their relationship improved because he finally acknowledged his daughter, but who knows?
This review will most likely contain spoilers. There are a few things in terms of the plot that I don’t think I can convey properly without a spoiler warning. Please be aware as you continue. While this isn’t a spoiler, there is some misgendering and deadnaming, which, I believe, doesn’t do the trans community any justice. I can’t speak for the LGBTQIA+ rep in the book, so if I say something wrong, please correct me.
Well, I went into this thinking it was would be absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, I was incredibly let down. 😦 The plot itself is pretty good, two friends who become something more on a mission, but I soon found the writing and the format didn’t do anything for the story.
What I did enjoy were the references to World of Warcraft. While I haven’t played in years, some of the general situations (like the Barrens chat and the class characters) I remembered quite easily. I could definitely relate to Dylan using the game as an escape from his life. He’s in remission but has an addition to one of the drugs. He lives in a very run-down apartment in a rough neighborhood, with a mom who at one point, preferred her son to die from the cancer rather than having to deal with him.
His mom is seriously one of the worst parents. She doesn’t get a lot of page time, and thank goodness, because then we meet Arden’s dad, whom Dylan refers to as Concrete Block. Arden’s dad does not accept his daughter’s true gender and constantly deadnames her.
At the same time, when Dylan and Arden go on their “quest”, there are situations that Dylan misgenders her in order to “protect her.” It happens twice, and both times we see Arden visibly upset, but it’s only after the second time that she corrects Dylan and tells him how it makes her feel. Dylan feels awkward, but he doesn’t do it again.
There is one particular things that confused me. Dylan is gay. He says that from the very beginning, but he falls very much in love with Arden, a trans woman. Yet because Arden’s dad does not accept his daughter’s gender and due to Dylan’s description of Arden and even Arden’s description of herself (over six feet tall, built like a rugby player), I wondered if maybe Dylan is bi but he doesn’t realize it yet. (If I remember correctly, he thinks about this briefly, too.)
There was one person who accepted Arden and that’s her mom, but she isn’t really in the picture. Her mom fought her Arden and even offered to buy Arden hormone blockers. Unfortunately, Arden’s mom didn’t because her husband didn’t want her to. Ugh, whatever.
As the story progresses, it becomes obvious that Arden most likely has suicidal thoughts and possibly depression as well. This “quest” she has with Dylan helps her–helps them both, I think, although Dylan can’t help but compare his very poor lifestyle with Arden’s rich one. However, one of the worst parts in this book that I don’t think did Arden any justice was when Dylan listened to the voicemails her father left on her phone–messages where her dad continually deadnames her while Dylan forces her to listen even though she is quite obviously distressed because of it. In the end, her dad does use his daughter’s true name, Arden, and for some reason, that makes Arden want to return.
And what does she do? She leaves Dylan with a bunch of money which he lives off of for a few weeks. He doesn’t want to return home, and it’s made quite clear in the book that his mom doesn’t really want him to come home either. She really uses him for his pills (which he later disposes) and the “sympathy points” it draws from those who know Dylan’s medical story.
Overall, I was left very unsatisfied and a bit uncomfortable. Like I said earlier, I can’t speak for the rep in the book, but I personally don’t believe it was written well. I can appreciate the rep, but still have problems with it. Arden appeared comfortable in her skin, even though she had problems with her dad. I can hope that their relationship improved because he finally acknowledged his daughter, but who knows?
April 22, 2017
This is not a romance. Anyone wanting to read this book is probably best advised to know that ahead of time. Although there are romantic elements throughout the book, this is a roadtrip of self-discovery as well as a story about friendship formed through a little online game called World of Warcraft.
Possibly the biggest thing I liked about this book was that it didn't assume that the reader would know what World of Warcraft was or, if they did, didn't assume that they would know any of the in-game content. This didn't stop the main character, Dylan, from making game references either in his head or with Arden, but every time one was made, he stopped to give a quick description of it. As a non-computer gamer myself, I really appreciated that.
Next, I can't count the times that people have talked about putting together books where the online friendship between two people is the main part of the relationship between the characters. Well, here you have it. Dylan knee jerks his way into Arden's house after shame over not being able to enrol into school because his mum wouldn't take the time to accompany him as per school rules.
This knee jerk leads him to Arden's front door and the first time these two have met each other outside of the game they play together. He sees for himself that Arden's dad is a bit of a transphobe, and suggest they go out on a road trip. Which they do. In the process, they find that they are from vastly different financial backgrounds and that there are some flaws with the ways in which Dylan views Arden in real life.
While there were some flaws with the ways that Arden being trans was handled, they were all in the first person PoV of Dylan who came to better understandings as the book progressed. I particularly loved the way that Dylan comes to understand family, and doesn't in the end tar everyone's family/parents with the same brush as his own mum. There was a truly beautiful moment at the end with Arden's dad.
And then the book ended and I was just WHAT? My main complaint was actually how fast it ended. There were far too many threads left open that I wanted to know, such as how Dylan got home again...
Inevitably, I suppose that some people will compare this book to The Fault in Our Stars because it's both YA and about a cancer surviver, but honestly I don't think that there is much in common. That said, people who enjoyed one will probably enjoy both.
Possibly the biggest thing I liked about this book was that it didn't assume that the reader would know what World of Warcraft was or, if they did, didn't assume that they would know any of the in-game content. This didn't stop the main character, Dylan, from making game references either in his head or with Arden, but every time one was made, he stopped to give a quick description of it. As a non-computer gamer myself, I really appreciated that.
Next, I can't count the times that people have talked about putting together books where the online friendship between two people is the main part of the relationship between the characters. Well, here you have it. Dylan knee jerks his way into Arden's house after shame over not being able to enrol into school because his mum wouldn't take the time to accompany him as per school rules.
This knee jerk leads him to Arden's front door and the first time these two have met each other outside of the game they play together. He sees for himself that Arden's dad is a bit of a transphobe, and suggest they go out on a road trip. Which they do. In the process, they find that they are from vastly different financial backgrounds and that there are some flaws with the ways in which Dylan views Arden in real life.
While there were some flaws with the ways that Arden being trans was handled, they were all in the first person PoV of Dylan who came to better understandings as the book progressed. I particularly loved the way that Dylan comes to understand family, and doesn't in the end tar everyone's family/parents with the same brush as his own mum. There was a truly beautiful moment at the end with Arden's dad.
And then the book ended and I was just WHAT? My main complaint was actually how fast it ended. There were far too many threads left open that I wanted to know, such as how Dylan got home again...
Inevitably, I suppose that some people will compare this book to The Fault in Our Stars because it's both YA and about a cancer surviver, but honestly I don't think that there is much in common. That said, people who enjoyed one will probably enjoy both.
dnfs
April 18, 2017ARC Review (4/17/17, received from Sarah Prineas)
I'm unfortunately not feeling this one. Dylan has spent much of the 32 pages (not counting the acknowledgements that start the book off) whining about how hard his life is post remission and being judgmental towards random people and his mother, and it all reads very "woe is me" and it's getting irritating. I also feel like plot points are just being dropped randomly into the book with no explanation, like Arden and World of Warcraft were. With absolutely no talk before them and then having it all come after feels strange. We kind of need to know this info now as a reader, you know?
Speaking of abrupt, Dylan reveals he's gay in the strangest way possible. It's when he first meets Arden and finds her attractive and thinks, "I can't find her attractive, I'm gay and she's a girl." I sputtered and was so confused. Bisexuality exists? I mean, Arden is transgender, but Dylan's not going to love her because she was born in a man's body and has transitioned into a woman, right?
The format of this debut is interesting, though: there are no paragraphs but instead line breaks when new paragraphs pop up.
I'm unfortunately not feeling this one. Dylan has spent much of the 32 pages (not counting the acknowledgements that start the book off) whining about how hard his life is post remission and being judgmental towards random people and his mother, and it all reads very "woe is me" and it's getting irritating. I also feel like plot points are just being dropped randomly into the book with no explanation, like Arden and World of Warcraft were. With absolutely no talk before them and then having it all come after feels strange. We kind of need to know this info now as a reader, you know?
Speaking of abrupt, Dylan reveals he's gay in the strangest way possible. It's when he first meets Arden and finds her attractive and thinks, "I can't find her attractive, I'm gay and she's a girl." I sputtered and was so confused. Bisexuality exists? I mean, Arden is transgender, but Dylan's not going to love her because she was born in a man's body and has transitioned into a woman, right?
The format of this debut is interesting, though: there are no paragraphs but instead line breaks when new paragraphs pop up.
June 4, 2017
This came in a YA Quarterly box I impulse purchased, and I'm so very glad I did. This book hadn't been on my radar AT ALL, and I doubt I'd have picked it up even if I'd run across it because the description didn't grab me (I also don't WoW, so while I'm geeky, I am not the geeky that this book is geared to, I think). But this was such a lovely book with the message of finding your own family who will accept you as you are.
It's a coming of age story with a road trip, with two main characters who are trying to figure out who they are. Dylan is a cancer survivor who after spontaneous remission, has to learn to think about a future and accept living. Arden is transgender whose father refuses to accept her as a girl. There's a lot in this book that I still haven't fully unpacked.
Well worth a read.
Also, because I got the book through YA Quarterly, the author had annotated notes throughout the book, which I LOVED. So much fun, and it really added to the story. I am seriously considering subscribing to this box now.
It's a coming of age story with a road trip, with two main characters who are trying to figure out who they are. Dylan is a cancer survivor who after spontaneous remission, has to learn to think about a future and accept living. Arden is transgender whose father refuses to accept her as a girl. There's a lot in this book that I still haven't fully unpacked.
Well worth a read.
Also, because I got the book through YA Quarterly, the author had annotated notes throughout the book, which I LOVED. So much fun, and it really added to the story. I am seriously considering subscribing to this box now.
August 26, 2017
I'm crying in a coffee shop. This book broke my heart. ❤❤❤
November 15, 2020
For more reviews and bookish content: http://literarylion.ca/
"You know it’s over, but you’re going to turn the page anyway."
I’ve read a lot of books about road trips recently and this ain’t it fam. I don’t know what put me off about this book but it put me off hard. The writing style doesn’t flow very well. The two characters are supposedly best friends but have extremely low chemistry which makes the ensuing romance more awkward than fun. They both have tragic backstories. There’s a lot I didn’t like about this book.
I think the main thing that bothered me is that this book only references World of Warcraft here and there. This game is the foundation of their friendship. Something they’ve done every day for years…and it gets a few passing mentions here and there. It’s not nearly as woven into the fabric of the book as you would expect. This is not a WoW book. This is a road trip book with WoW seasoning.
One of the main characters is a trans girl – and representation is important. Unfortunately her love interest is a gay boy. He addresses that he shouldn’t like Arden because she’s a girl and he, Dylan, is gay. No resolution is ever made to this. Not even a throwaway line about maybe being bi. It feels icky. I’m appreciative that the book strives for diversity and representation. That it explores sexuality in a way teen books rarely do…but I don’t know if I love the way it ended up going about it. It felt problematic.
There needed to be a more clear resolution to Dylan being gay and falling for Arden who is a girl. Dylan could have been straight, bi or pan. This book didn’t need to be a romance. There were so many more appropriate routes to take and this book took none of them.
That is all beside the fact that both Dylan and Arden are poorly fleshed out with no chemistry. We’re TOLD they have fun together, but we barely see it. Mostly they fight, chat awkwardly and occasionally have some cringe-worthy joke based conversations. They don’t feel like real friends and certainly not like lovers.
The parents are also hilariously terrible. Dylan’s mom in particular who wishes her sick child would just die and spends all her money on drugs instead of his medical care. She was an awful caricature of a human being, but so few pages are spent on her existence that I have to wonder why she was included at all.
The plot is just a meandering road trip through a few quirky roadside attractions. Dylan and Arden bicker and miscommunication the whole way and then fall in love for some reason. I did like that the ending wasn’t some grand happily ever after and instead was bittersweet – so that, at least, is a point in Looking For Groups favour.
Also the chapter titles were weird. Either go with the distance away theme or actual titles. The mash up between the two was confusing.
"You know it’s over, but you’re going to turn the page anyway."
I’ve read a lot of books about road trips recently and this ain’t it fam. I don’t know what put me off about this book but it put me off hard. The writing style doesn’t flow very well. The two characters are supposedly best friends but have extremely low chemistry which makes the ensuing romance more awkward than fun. They both have tragic backstories. There’s a lot I didn’t like about this book.
I think the main thing that bothered me is that this book only references World of Warcraft here and there. This game is the foundation of their friendship. Something they’ve done every day for years…and it gets a few passing mentions here and there. It’s not nearly as woven into the fabric of the book as you would expect. This is not a WoW book. This is a road trip book with WoW seasoning.
One of the main characters is a trans girl – and representation is important. Unfortunately her love interest is a gay boy. He addresses that he shouldn’t like Arden because she’s a girl and he, Dylan, is gay. No resolution is ever made to this. Not even a throwaway line about maybe being bi. It feels icky. I’m appreciative that the book strives for diversity and representation. That it explores sexuality in a way teen books rarely do…but I don’t know if I love the way it ended up going about it. It felt problematic.
There needed to be a more clear resolution to Dylan being gay and falling for Arden who is a girl. Dylan could have been straight, bi or pan. This book didn’t need to be a romance. There were so many more appropriate routes to take and this book took none of them.
That is all beside the fact that both Dylan and Arden are poorly fleshed out with no chemistry. We’re TOLD they have fun together, but we barely see it. Mostly they fight, chat awkwardly and occasionally have some cringe-worthy joke based conversations. They don’t feel like real friends and certainly not like lovers.
The parents are also hilariously terrible. Dylan’s mom in particular who wishes her sick child would just die and spends all her money on drugs instead of his medical care. She was an awful caricature of a human being, but so few pages are spent on her existence that I have to wonder why she was included at all.
The plot is just a meandering road trip through a few quirky roadside attractions. Dylan and Arden bicker and miscommunication the whole way and then fall in love for some reason. I did like that the ending wasn’t some grand happily ever after and instead was bittersweet – so that, at least, is a point in Looking For Groups favour.
Also the chapter titles were weird. Either go with the distance away theme or actual titles. The mash up between the two was confusing.
July 17, 2017
I have to admit, I don't ever read the synopses for any of the books I read. I like going into books without knowing anything about them. That way, I can't get spoiled for the plot. Due to that, I thought this book was something completely different when I requested it. There's a web-comic called Looking For Group, and I thought this book was a novelization of that. It wasn't. The two have nothing to do with each other. That being said, once I started to read the book, and got over my initial disappointment about it not being what I thought it was, I did find it enjoyable.
Typically, I'm not a big fan of the road road trip sub genre in young adult books. I find them silly, nonsensical, and unrealistic. For a book about a road trip, Looking For Group wasn't too bad. There were parts (mostly when they were going through the Midwest) where I was so bored that it was hard to concentrate. I had to force myself to push through it. Otherwise, I enjoyed the road trip, which is unusual for me.
I did love the LGBTQ+ representation in Looking For Group. I thought that Rory Harrison did a great job of writing a transgender character. She also did a great job of explaining what it means to be transgender, for those that might not know much about it. I learned a lot about transgender people from this book. I think that others will too.
Once I got past the boring parts of Looking For Group, I found myself really enjoying the book. I will probably read more of Rory Harrison's future books when they are released. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, geeky read with diverse representation. I also recommend this book to anyone who plays online mmos, like World or Warcraft, or League of Legends.
Typically, I'm not a big fan of the road road trip sub genre in young adult books. I find them silly, nonsensical, and unrealistic. For a book about a road trip, Looking For Group wasn't too bad. There were parts (mostly when they were going through the Midwest) where I was so bored that it was hard to concentrate. I had to force myself to push through it. Otherwise, I enjoyed the road trip, which is unusual for me.
I did love the LGBTQ+ representation in Looking For Group. I thought that Rory Harrison did a great job of writing a transgender character. She also did a great job of explaining what it means to be transgender, for those that might not know much about it. I learned a lot about transgender people from this book. I think that others will too.
Once I got past the boring parts of Looking For Group, I found myself really enjoying the book. I will probably read more of Rory Harrison's future books when they are released. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, geeky read with diverse representation. I also recommend this book to anyone who plays online mmos, like World or Warcraft, or League of Legends.
August 26, 2016
online friends who meet up and go on an adventure to California. they have been flirty over a game. boy has some health issues and girl has some family issues too. great story . I liked the mention the game and looking for others to help on their quest.
January 25, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I accidentally found this book when I was doing some research for a reading challenge I am participating in (let me know if you want to join!). I am not generally a fan of books about MtF characters as I have gotten generally bored of most of the media being about MtF and very little being about FtM. It feels unfair and like I will never see myself in a book (or movie or song or anything). Generally the MtF characters are all really pretty and put together. The books tend to focus on the cis people around them. I did not read the description very well or I may have skipped over this book because of my issues with those books.
I am glad I didn’t. Arden is a wonderful character. She is insecure, intense, nerdy, and does not pass 99% of the time. That last point is HUGE to me. There is finally a trans woman character who doesn’t look gorgeous and pass all the time. Finally someone real. Finally someone who’s dysphoria is less about others and more about herself. Finally a MtF character I can relate to and one that reads like a real person. Arden has issues with her family (both because she is trans and for other reasons). Arden talks about how she almost went on hormone blockers (which is HUGE), but how she has come to terms with how tall and broad she is, how it makes her visible to others. ARDEN IS MY LOVE. She is everything I wish I had seen in the MtF characters that came before her. She is complex, moody, self-reflective, and just a character that I would actually see myself caring about if I really met her.
Dylan is another story. He is a whiny, pain killer addicted, gay mess. He has a lot of issues with himself, the world, and his mother. He hoards pain killers and it is mentioned that he is an addict, but none of the actual plot is devoted to that. Instead it is mostly told to you. There is little to make me like Dylan. It got to the point where I almost put the book down because I was tired of hearing about his brain cancer. I was just annoyed. Get through the first hundred pages and that calms down to being more of a character trait instead of being bashed over the head with it. He mentions side effects of chemo and things like that, but it is no longer EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE OMG. My main issue with the Dylan character is he has been flirting with Arden for a long time, knows she is female, but they instantly starts to misgender her IN FRONT OF HER and has a crisis about liking her.
The misgendering plot is very minor in the scope of the book, but is handled so well. Arden’s character stays true through it and it reads wonderfully. I have never read a misgendering plot that read so smooth and so perfect. I would love to read more of Arden’s character.
Another issue I had was during a scene that discussed Arden’s genitalia. It was made pretty clear throughout the book that she had not even started hormones yet. That she was physically still appearing male to people who didn’t know her. During that scene her genitalia is called a “sac” and is pushed out of the way. It felt like the language wasn’t quiet there and came from a very gay male perspective and then Arden was not given any pleasure. It felt less powerful than it could have been. I would have loved if Arden and her partner had talked things through. That would be been better to me. They could have joked, they could have been awkward. There would have been a deeper connection for them.
Last problem, the ending. Like seriously? I understand ending things when the main plot is wrapped up, but I also don’t understand just dropping it seconds later with no real ending. It felt too sudden and like a slap in the face.
For all of my complaining, I was giggling wildly through it and read it in a single sitting. I LOVED this book. I want others to read this book so I can talk about Arden some more.
I accidentally found this book when I was doing some research for a reading challenge I am participating in (let me know if you want to join!). I am not generally a fan of books about MtF characters as I have gotten generally bored of most of the media being about MtF and very little being about FtM. It feels unfair and like I will never see myself in a book (or movie or song or anything). Generally the MtF characters are all really pretty and put together. The books tend to focus on the cis people around them. I did not read the description very well or I may have skipped over this book because of my issues with those books.
I am glad I didn’t. Arden is a wonderful character. She is insecure, intense, nerdy, and does not pass 99% of the time. That last point is HUGE to me. There is finally a trans woman character who doesn’t look gorgeous and pass all the time. Finally someone real. Finally someone who’s dysphoria is less about others and more about herself. Finally a MtF character I can relate to and one that reads like a real person. Arden has issues with her family (both because she is trans and for other reasons). Arden talks about how she almost went on hormone blockers (which is HUGE), but how she has come to terms with how tall and broad she is, how it makes her visible to others. ARDEN IS MY LOVE. She is everything I wish I had seen in the MtF characters that came before her. She is complex, moody, self-reflective, and just a character that I would actually see myself caring about if I really met her.
Dylan is another story. He is a whiny, pain killer addicted, gay mess. He has a lot of issues with himself, the world, and his mother. He hoards pain killers and it is mentioned that he is an addict, but none of the actual plot is devoted to that. Instead it is mostly told to you. There is little to make me like Dylan. It got to the point where I almost put the book down because I was tired of hearing about his brain cancer. I was just annoyed. Get through the first hundred pages and that calms down to being more of a character trait instead of being bashed over the head with it. He mentions side effects of chemo and things like that, but it is no longer EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE OMG. My main issue with the Dylan character is he has been flirting with Arden for a long time, knows she is female, but they instantly starts to misgender her IN FRONT OF HER and has a crisis about liking her.
The misgendering plot is very minor in the scope of the book, but is handled so well. Arden’s character stays true through it and it reads wonderfully. I have never read a misgendering plot that read so smooth and so perfect. I would love to read more of Arden’s character.
Another issue I had was during a scene that discussed Arden’s genitalia. It was made pretty clear throughout the book that she had not even started hormones yet. That she was physically still appearing male to people who didn’t know her. During that scene her genitalia is called a “sac” and is pushed out of the way. It felt like the language wasn’t quiet there and came from a very gay male perspective and then Arden was not given any pleasure. It felt less powerful than it could have been. I would have loved if Arden and her partner had talked things through. That would be been better to me. They could have joked, they could have been awkward. There would have been a deeper connection for them.
Last problem, the ending. Like seriously? I understand ending things when the main plot is wrapped up, but I also don’t understand just dropping it seconds later with no real ending. It felt too sudden and like a slap in the face.
For all of my complaining, I was giggling wildly through it and read it in a single sitting. I LOVED this book. I want others to read this book so I can talk about Arden some more.
July 5, 2017
So, let's start with some positives.
One. I'm thrilled to be seeing more inclusion of LGBT youth in YA fiction. And, even more impressed when the story doesn't revolve around them being so. (Although, I guess that's only partially true for this book for one of the characters...but still, this is far more than the usual "I'm in the closet and need help coming out" or "I'm in the closet and have been forcibly outed" trope I've seen time and time again. Not that I'm against those sorts of stories, by any stretch of the imagination. I've just read a lot of them! And, while one of the characters is sort of experiencing a journey of acceptance, they are pretty comfortable in their own skin and their issues aren't a driving force behind the plot itself!)
Two. It's a quick read. The writing style sucks you in and before you know it, 350ish pages have disappeared! The story is addicting and you NEED to know what happens to Dylan and Arden on their quest.
But, y'all, this book's got some issues. First of all being, I can't really believe half of the stuff going on. If my car gets stolen, and it's my dad's Mercedes....I don't think I would be as nonchalant as Arden. Especially given her father's attitude that has been established. It seemed kind of unrealistic that they would just keep going forward with no effort to find the vehicle or at least report it stolen! The fact that these two are able to make it as far as they do, with relatively no trouble....I just can't fully buy into that and it seemed to convenient throughout. So that sort of took me out of the story. As a matter of fact, a lot of the events in this book are just so far fetched that I cannot imagine them happening in real life.
Also, in reference to the pills, I appreciate the fact that Dylan disposed of them later on...and I guess I can understand why he would need to hold on to them psychologically....but the fact that at one point he sells them for cash just put a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like it's promoting the idea that selling prescription medication is okay as long as you don't need it. And there's already enough of that going on in the world. Honestly, I'd rather have seen someone dealing with addiction than just using them to sell. I don't know why it bothers me so much, because I'm far from a teetotaler, but it did for some reason so I'm including it in my review. Feel free to disagree, because I'm aware it's an odd observation.
Finally, I guess the book kind of ended? But the ending that was there seemed so rushed. And then the narrator telling us that there isn't going to be more written on the next page kind of seems like a cop-out. But, maybe that's just me. Once again, I have a really difficult time buying the ending or having any hope that things turn out well for Dylan once the book ends...but maybe that's the point?
All in all, though. It was an enjoyable reading experience with two characters that it is difficult not to become enamored with, despite some far fetched plot points and an ending that left me not-quite-satisfied.
One. I'm thrilled to be seeing more inclusion of LGBT youth in YA fiction. And, even more impressed when the story doesn't revolve around them being so. (Although, I guess that's only partially true for this book for one of the characters...but still, this is far more than the usual "I'm in the closet and need help coming out" or "I'm in the closet and have been forcibly outed" trope I've seen time and time again. Not that I'm against those sorts of stories, by any stretch of the imagination. I've just read a lot of them! And, while one of the characters is sort of experiencing a journey of acceptance, they are pretty comfortable in their own skin and their issues aren't a driving force behind the plot itself!)
Two. It's a quick read. The writing style sucks you in and before you know it, 350ish pages have disappeared! The story is addicting and you NEED to know what happens to Dylan and Arden on their quest.
But, y'all, this book's got some issues. First of all being, I can't really believe half of the stuff going on. If my car gets stolen, and it's my dad's Mercedes....I don't think I would be as nonchalant as Arden. Especially given her father's attitude that has been established. It seemed kind of unrealistic that they would just keep going forward with no effort to find the vehicle or at least report it stolen! The fact that these two are able to make it as far as they do, with relatively no trouble....I just can't fully buy into that and it seemed to convenient throughout. So that sort of took me out of the story. As a matter of fact, a lot of the events in this book are just so far fetched that I cannot imagine them happening in real life.
Also, in reference to the pills, I appreciate the fact that Dylan disposed of them later on...and I guess I can understand why he would need to hold on to them psychologically....but the fact that at one point he sells them for cash just put a bad taste in my mouth. I feel like it's promoting the idea that selling prescription medication is okay as long as you don't need it. And there's already enough of that going on in the world. Honestly, I'd rather have seen someone dealing with addiction than just using them to sell. I don't know why it bothers me so much, because I'm far from a teetotaler, but it did for some reason so I'm including it in my review. Feel free to disagree, because I'm aware it's an odd observation.
Finally, I guess the book kind of ended? But the ending that was there seemed so rushed. And then the narrator telling us that there isn't going to be more written on the next page kind of seems like a cop-out. But, maybe that's just me. Once again, I have a really difficult time buying the ending or having any hope that things turn out well for Dylan once the book ends...but maybe that's the point?
All in all, though. It was an enjoyable reading experience with two characters that it is difficult not to become enamored with, despite some far fetched plot points and an ending that left me not-quite-satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2017
This book is difficult for me to rate, and difficult for me to review. There are so many things going on in this book: online gaming, LGBTQIA+ relationships, discussions of class/socio-economic differences, neglectful and abusive parents...plus the main character is a cancer survivor. And it's a road trip book. It was a lot, and at times it was pretty intense. This is not a light and fluffy read. However, there was something compelling about this book that kept me hooked.
I can't speak to the LBGTQIA+ representation, but it did seem to be handled in a respectful and not exploitative or patronizing way. I've read reviews from people who identify as LBGTQIA+ and they seem to be mostly positive about the way the author wrote these diverse characters. Also, I believe this is an own voices novel, so I would hope that the representation would be good.
One aspect I thought was really interesting and something that many can relate to is the difference between being friends with someone strictly in an online fashion as opposed to actually knowing a person in the context of the real world. Arden and Dylan have 'known' each other for years, through their mutual love for World of Warcraft. They've spent countless hours playing and talking with only the other person. But then they meet in real life and it's awkward. There are long, drawn-out silences that wouldn't happen online. It's very interesting, and it rings authentic to me.
One minor annoyance for me was the visual structure of this book. Instead of being written in a traditional format with indented paragraphs flowing from one thought/comment to the next in the course of a scene, every paragraph is followed by a kind of line break. Now, these are common at the end of scenes within the same chapter, but this was every single paragraph, which took some getting used to, as I'm accustomed to a break in text signifying the end of a scene. I guess it just messed with the pacing a bit for me. Again, this is minor, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.
I'm curious to check out more from this author. This book was unlike any YA I've ever read. It was sarcastic, funny, sad, uncomfortable, and bittersweet.
I can't speak to the LBGTQIA+ representation, but it did seem to be handled in a respectful and not exploitative or patronizing way. I've read reviews from people who identify as LBGTQIA+ and they seem to be mostly positive about the way the author wrote these diverse characters. Also, I believe this is an own voices novel, so I would hope that the representation would be good.
One aspect I thought was really interesting and something that many can relate to is the difference between being friends with someone strictly in an online fashion as opposed to actually knowing a person in the context of the real world. Arden and Dylan have 'known' each other for years, through their mutual love for World of Warcraft. They've spent countless hours playing and talking with only the other person. But then they meet in real life and it's awkward. There are long, drawn-out silences that wouldn't happen online. It's very interesting, and it rings authentic to me.
One minor annoyance for me was the visual structure of this book. Instead of being written in a traditional format with indented paragraphs flowing from one thought/comment to the next in the course of a scene, every paragraph is followed by a kind of line break. Now, these are common at the end of scenes within the same chapter, but this was every single paragraph, which took some getting used to, as I'm accustomed to a break in text signifying the end of a scene. I guess it just messed with the pacing a bit for me. Again, this is minor, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.
I'm curious to check out more from this author. This book was unlike any YA I've ever read. It was sarcastic, funny, sad, uncomfortable, and bittersweet.
May 25, 2017
I started out completely excited about what seemed like a fresh concept for a book about two teens that form a friendship playing video games online.
See Dylan is in remission from cancer, but may have a slight addiction to the drugs prescribed to him while he was indeed so very sick and literally on the brink of death. He also has some issues with his mom, who honestly couldn’t care less about him. She saw his illness as a means to an end. Now that he is recovered, his mom honestly couldn’t be bothered with him. Just truly sad mother and son relationship.
While Arden is dealing with her own issues including being a rich kid who just happens to be transgendered. Even though she clearly has all the money in the world to buy and get whatever she wants, she is dealing with an absentee mom, as well as a father, who can’t come to grips with her gender identity.
The two kids finally meet in real life. It is at this point that that they decide to run away together.
The story is not only supposed to be about their cross country journey, but also about their emotional one, as well.
While the concept was definitely intriguing, the writing just sometimes seemed rather forced to me. I even found myself struggling to finish this one. But I did and as many others have stated, I also felt unsure about this ending. On one hand I like that it was left open-ended, but the other I was conflicted that the two kids seemed to find one another only to let go altogether.
A side note this is also my second time reading a book from Quarterly YA Box. I truly loved the extras (the sticky notes) from the author. Just wish I could say the same about the overall story and plot line here when all was said and done.
Therefore, I just can’t give this book more than 3 stars in the end.
See Dylan is in remission from cancer, but may have a slight addiction to the drugs prescribed to him while he was indeed so very sick and literally on the brink of death. He also has some issues with his mom, who honestly couldn’t care less about him. She saw his illness as a means to an end. Now that he is recovered, his mom honestly couldn’t be bothered with him. Just truly sad mother and son relationship.
While Arden is dealing with her own issues including being a rich kid who just happens to be transgendered. Even though she clearly has all the money in the world to buy and get whatever she wants, she is dealing with an absentee mom, as well as a father, who can’t come to grips with her gender identity.
The two kids finally meet in real life. It is at this point that that they decide to run away together.
The story is not only supposed to be about their cross country journey, but also about their emotional one, as well.
While the concept was definitely intriguing, the writing just sometimes seemed rather forced to me. I even found myself struggling to finish this one. But I did and as many others have stated, I also felt unsure about this ending. On one hand I like that it was left open-ended, but the other I was conflicted that the two kids seemed to find one another only to let go altogether.
A side note this is also my second time reading a book from Quarterly YA Box. I truly loved the extras (the sticky notes) from the author. Just wish I could say the same about the overall story and plot line here when all was said and done.
Therefore, I just can’t give this book more than 3 stars in the end.
May 21, 2018
The book Looking for Group by Rory Harrison was entertaining and heartfelt, but was at times rather cliché. It focuses on Dylan, a gay teen who has miraculously had his cancer disappear, and his friend Arden, a transgender girl who he met online while playing the game World of Warcraft, as they set off on a quest to see the Ship of Pearls in California. Their road trip details many philosophical conversations, a budding romance, and the overall contemplation of life.
The book was good, but it seemed very complicated. There were so many stereotypical John Green archetypes throughout the novel. The road trip aspect was good, but overdone. The quirks and eccentricities did remind me of the typical young adult characters I've read before. Overall, though it was cliché at times, I enjoyed the book. The road trip was interesting less in the sights seen, but more of the characters reactions to those sights. I did not like the ending, but it did seem rather realistic. I thought the character duo was fascinating and I appreciated both of their interesting, yet complicated, backgrounds.
In summary, it was good. Not great, but good. I had seen some of its elements before, but I still enjoyed some of the new aspects the author added. It did seem rather convoluted. Sometimes less is more and I think this novel is an excellent example. The cancer element could've been removed from the novel and I think the story would have still worked. However, I am not the author and I did appreciate the story they did offer me. The book is definitely geared towards high school and young adult ages. It has many mature elements that wouldn't be suggested for youngins. I would suggest the book for anyone interested in story involving video games, sexual identities, road trips, and more. It was good, but is not one of my favorites.
The book was good, but it seemed very complicated. There were so many stereotypical John Green archetypes throughout the novel. The road trip aspect was good, but overdone. The quirks and eccentricities did remind me of the typical young adult characters I've read before. Overall, though it was cliché at times, I enjoyed the book. The road trip was interesting less in the sights seen, but more of the characters reactions to those sights. I did not like the ending, but it did seem rather realistic. I thought the character duo was fascinating and I appreciated both of their interesting, yet complicated, backgrounds.
In summary, it was good. Not great, but good. I had seen some of its elements before, but I still enjoyed some of the new aspects the author added. It did seem rather convoluted. Sometimes less is more and I think this novel is an excellent example. The cancer element could've been removed from the novel and I think the story would have still worked. However, I am not the author and I did appreciate the story they did offer me. The book is definitely geared towards high school and young adult ages. It has many mature elements that wouldn't be suggested for youngins. I would suggest the book for anyone interested in story involving video games, sexual identities, road trips, and more. It was good, but is not one of my favorites.
July 15, 2017
Dylan may have survived cancer, but surviving his mom is another matter. With a run-down home, his mother bored after taking advantage of his time sick, and unable to register for school, Dylan starts to drive. He finds himself at the home of Arden, the girl he’s been playing World of Warcraft with for years but never met in person. He proposes an epic, real-life quest, and before they know it, they’re on the road. But running away from problems doesn’t erase them, and as something blooms between Dylan and Arden, they both must face what they left behind if they want a future.
What I Loved:
Though the writing style may not work for some, I enjoyed the short, quick paragraphs and chapters. The page count is on the longer side, but the style made it all too easy to say “Just one more chapter,” and end up reading at least 5 more.
My favorite part of LOOKING FOR GROUP is the relationship between Arden and Dylan. Both are discovering new sides of themselves, the good and the not so good. Neither character lets the other get away with mistakes, and I love the way they stand up to each other while still showing how much they care. This is one couple with high ship-ability.
What Left Me Wanting More:
While the writing style is great and I love the relationship between Arden and Dylan, the plot fell a bit flat for me. I wasn’t particularly invested in the storyline, and even though there was a clear goal in mind for their quest, it lacked strong enough tension to make me eager to keep reading.
Final Verdict:
Though the plot didn’t keep me fully engaged, readers who love road trip stories and slow-building romances will likely find LOOKING FOR A GROUP a solid choice.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
What I Loved:
Though the writing style may not work for some, I enjoyed the short, quick paragraphs and chapters. The page count is on the longer side, but the style made it all too easy to say “Just one more chapter,” and end up reading at least 5 more.
My favorite part of LOOKING FOR GROUP is the relationship between Arden and Dylan. Both are discovering new sides of themselves, the good and the not so good. Neither character lets the other get away with mistakes, and I love the way they stand up to each other while still showing how much they care. This is one couple with high ship-ability.
What Left Me Wanting More:
While the writing style is great and I love the relationship between Arden and Dylan, the plot fell a bit flat for me. I wasn’t particularly invested in the storyline, and even though there was a clear goal in mind for their quest, it lacked strong enough tension to make me eager to keep reading.
Final Verdict:
Though the plot didn’t keep me fully engaged, readers who love road trip stories and slow-building romances will likely find LOOKING FOR A GROUP a solid choice.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaficti...
August 18, 2018
As insightful, raw, and, even at times lyrical Dylan's narration is, it can't save the story from its warped worldview and can only to do so much to bolster the limp plot. I listened to the audiobook (the narrator does an incredible job) while on a (not much fun at all) road trip, which is probably why I made it all the way through.
The title and opening chapters play up the "geek appeal" aspect of the story, but beyond the very detailed WoW references, there wasn't actually any other geeky content. Both Dylan and Arden mention liking books, but we don't even get any title drops. They mention the Evil Dead franchise at times, and "it is not safe to go alone," but I expected a lot more. The whole WoW thing honestly seemed like a cheap way for Dylan and Arden to have this pre-existing amazing connection without having ever interacted in person (and so not dealt with attraction, class differences, etc. ) before.
The conflicts between Dylan and Arden (and how every problem they ran into got resolved) seemed so repetitive it grew very dull. On the other hand, the larger issues, the "what happens when this is over?" questions did not seem to receive NEARLY enough attention or resolution. The very end left me extremely confused.
The title and opening chapters play up the "geek appeal" aspect of the story, but beyond the very detailed WoW references, there wasn't actually any other geeky content. Both Dylan and Arden mention liking books, but we don't even get any title drops. They mention the Evil Dead franchise at times, and "it is not safe to go alone," but I expected a lot more. The whole WoW thing honestly seemed like a cheap way for Dylan and Arden to have this pre-existing amazing connection without having ever interacted in person (and so not dealt with attraction, class differences, etc. ) before.
The conflicts between Dylan and Arden (and how every problem they ran into got resolved) seemed so repetitive it grew very dull. On the other hand, the larger issues, the "what happens when this is over?" questions did not seem to receive NEARLY enough attention or resolution. The very end left me extremely confused.
November 12, 2017
I sorta remember I picked this book up because of Zac Brewer's blurb on the cover, because as far as I know, Zac Brewer almost never blurbs books, and he's one of a few authors whom I would absolutely LOVE to see blurb for mine someday. Suffice it to say I was actually extremely disappointed in what I read. I mean, it should've been pretty well tailor-made for me, this book, with its strong queer rep - Dylan being gay, Arden being trans. And I totally see why Uncle Z blurbed this one, because like his own books, this one offers a few lessons on fluidity of sexuality and blurring the label lines (though it's also backfired somewhat; I've peeked at other reviews and found a lot of people, including trans women, either confused or dismayed or outraged or some combination thereof).
Me, though, my problem with this book wasn't rooted in its queer rep in any way. No, it was a combination of unusual formatting (when was the last time I saw a book where all the paragraphs were unindented with breaks between each one?) and a storyline that mashed up a bunch of John Green books at once. TFIOS for Dylan being a cancer survivor, Paper Towns for the road-trip elements, Turtles for the extremely rambling narrative style hiding a surprisingly paper-thin plot, and pretty much all the other John Green books for its (admittedly unique) spin on the manic pixie dream girl trope. So, while this book does get credit where credit's due, it's not enough for me to recommend it, I'm afraid. Shame, I had high hopes.
Me, though, my problem with this book wasn't rooted in its queer rep in any way. No, it was a combination of unusual formatting (when was the last time I saw a book where all the paragraphs were unindented with breaks between each one?) and a storyline that mashed up a bunch of John Green books at once. TFIOS for Dylan being a cancer survivor, Paper Towns for the road-trip elements, Turtles for the extremely rambling narrative style hiding a surprisingly paper-thin plot, and pretty much all the other John Green books for its (admittedly unique) spin on the manic pixie dream girl trope. So, while this book does get credit where credit's due, it's not enough for me to recommend it, I'm afraid. Shame, I had high hopes.
June 6, 2017
Member of "quarterly" which sends 3 books quarterly to members. had no choice but to pick YA because literary had a wait list. An author is chosen and one receives annotated copy of author's book along with 2 other books in same genre and other gifts the featured author might send.
I guess I just wasn't into this book. I had a LOT of questions while reading the book and maybe I am looking at it from an adult's perspective as well as looking at my childhood and I found this unbelievable and boring. The posted notes inside giving some insight by the author were interesting but overall: I didn't like this book.
One I wouldn't have been allowed to go cross country with any one who wasn't a family member and that too would have been a selective number. Plus once again, the parent is ALWAYs clueless. ( Not my parents.. they were always one step in front of me plus I was terrified if my parents said they would kill me if I did something crazy.. I believed them cause they were crazy enough to carry out the threat. I hate books that make the kids so much smarter than the parents and they do adult activities but have no job to back up what they are spending or doing and still relying on their parents to provide but don't want to tell the parents what is going on. the YA books I have read lately I just don't get and I really want to learn from this genre. maybe I am picking the wrong books but this one I a no.
I guess I just wasn't into this book. I had a LOT of questions while reading the book and maybe I am looking at it from an adult's perspective as well as looking at my childhood and I found this unbelievable and boring. The posted notes inside giving some insight by the author were interesting but overall: I didn't like this book.
One I wouldn't have been allowed to go cross country with any one who wasn't a family member and that too would have been a selective number. Plus once again, the parent is ALWAYs clueless. ( Not my parents.. they were always one step in front of me plus I was terrified if my parents said they would kill me if I did something crazy.. I believed them cause they were crazy enough to carry out the threat. I hate books that make the kids so much smarter than the parents and they do adult activities but have no job to back up what they are spending or doing and still relying on their parents to provide but don't want to tell the parents what is going on. the YA books I have read lately I just don't get and I really want to learn from this genre. maybe I am picking the wrong books but this one I a no.
June 9, 2017
I'm generally not a massive fan of teen road trip books (I loathed Paper Towns by John Green), but despite my initial misgivings I found myself liking this book. There's a little romance, a lot of self-discovery, resilience, and oodles geek love (tons of World of Warcraft terminology and asides, but everything is explained for non-gamers). While trying to register for school (after a lengthy absence from battling cancer), Dylan snaps. They're not letting him register without his mom and his mom can't be bothered to come help him so he decides to take the car and just keep driving. Unsure of where he's going he finally settles for meeting his online gaming friend, Arden, a few hours away. He has no other friends to speak of, so meeting Arden sounds better than nothing. Plus maybe they can go on a quest together. Together they decide to go on a crazy road-trip to California to find a lost ship of pearls. It's not really the destination that matters though, it's the journey. Arden and Dylan are getting used to seeing each other IRL (in real life) and they have some issues to work out. Dylan is a gay boy and Arden is a trans girl. Will all the flirting they do in World of Warcraft surface on their road trip? What do they make of it? Also what impact will their living situations and money situations have on their situation? A great book for gamers and LGBTQ teens. It's nice to see some diversity in YA books for a change.
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