Kat and Meg Conquer the World: An Achingly Real YA Story of Social Anxiety, ADHD, and Friendship

by Anna Priemaza

For fans of Nicola Yoon’s Everything, Everything, Emery Lord’s When We Collided, and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, Anna Priemaza’s debut novel is a heartwarming and achingly real story of finding a friend, being a fan, and defining your place in a difficult world.

Kat and Meg couldn’t be more different. Kat’s anxiety makes it hard for her to talk to people. Meg hates being alone, but her ADHD keeps pushing people away. But when the two girls are thrown together for a year-long science project, they discover they do have one thing in common: They’re both obsessed with the same online gaming star and his hilarious videos.

If they can stick together, this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship—the kind Kat never knew she wanted and Meg never believed she'd find.

“Kat and Meg Conquer the World will hit home for anyone who has ever been waist-deep in fandom, doubt, or new relationships; Kat’s and Meg’s unique voices are outstanding, and their friendship brings this story to vibrant life."—Francesca Zappia, author of Made You Up and Eliza and Her Monsters

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Fiction, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Friendship

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2017

About the author

Anna Priemaza is a contemporary young adult author and a practicing family and immigration lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta, where she lives with her husband. She can never quite remember how old she is, as she knits like an old lady, practices law like an adult, fangirls over YouTubers like a teen, and dreams like a child.

*Please note that this account does not accept friend requests to prevent conflict with Amazon's review policies.*

Reviews

[Emma Giordano · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!! This was a super fun, fluffy read about friendship and I really enjoyed it! It was evenly paced and fairly lighthearted which made for a great reading experience. Thank you to Harper Teen for providing me with a copy for review!

Firstly, I loved the neurodiversity in this novel. As it features two main characters, one with anxiety & panic attacks and another with ADHD, I of course was interested from the get-go. I have to say, I agree with the author in saying that it is not specifically a “mental health novel” (as she had mentioned to me a few months ago) but it is very evident that their disorders are implemented into the story very naturally. ADHD & anxiety are not mentioned on every page, but we absolutely see how Meg’s ADHD affects her schoolwork, her family, and her friendship, whereas we see how Kat’s anxiety forms a lot of her decisions. It’s not the primary focus of the novel, but an important factor that was executed extremely well in my opinion. (As someone with anxiety, I especially loved Kat’s portrayal. It was so nice to see a character suffer from the daily weight of this illness, but also grow and start to conquer it.)

I also enjoyed that one of our main characters, Meg, is black. I hadn’t given much thought to the ethnicities of our protagonists before reading so it was nice to get some surprise representation there! I obviously can’t speak for the rep, but I will say I noticed Meg talks more about issues of being a black teen than most books with black main characters written by white authors. I can’t tell you if that’s good or not, but I did feel as if there was a strong effort to make it an accurate portrayal.

In general, I loved Kat and Meg and protagonists. They complement each other so well it’s mind boggling. It’s a total introvert/total extrovert pairing that creates a very balanced dynamic. Kat helps Meg stay focused and Meg helps Kat step outside of their comfort zone. I also felt it was a very healthy relationship so yay for supportive and fluffy girl friendships! They do have their fights like most teenage girl friendships, but they were never malicious towards each other, never betrayed one another, and always did their best to keep the other’s interests in mind.
Also side note, it’s the first book I’ve ever read that takes place in Canada, I believe! Yay for some non-American/UK YA.
Another part of the story I loved (because gosh there’s so many things!) was the fact that their friendship begins on the fact that they both love a YouTube who streams video game playthroughs. I found this concept so unique because it’s a huge part of many teens lives today. I’m not a big fan of gamers on YouTube, but the fandom culture was totally accurate. The video game/YouTube aspect was super super fun to read about.

There’s so much more that I want to talk about but I’m going to hold my tongue because I’m filming a review coming soon! The one thing I didn’t enjoy about this story was it wasn’t very plot based. There’s really no concrete storyline, it’s just the story of these two girls who are partnered up at the beginning of the year & become friends because of a shared love of a gamer on YouTube. It’s not a huge critique because I understand many YA-contemporaries aren’t very plot focused to begin with, but sometimes I wished there was just a little more driving the plot other than 1. Science fair 2. Lumberlegs/LOTS 3. Family issues. I just felt there was room for more content!

All in all, really really great read. Would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys YA contemporaries involving mental health themes, girl friendship, and videos. It was so fluffy, cute, and funny, that you can’t help but love it.

This book was sent to me for free by Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Fares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh
My
God
I'll reread this as soon as I possibly can!

The most underrated book I ever read! This is actually inspiring me to create an understated shelf, even if it has only this book.
This book has 690 ratings, 690??!!!!
Even I the dorkiest guy ever has 612 friends here.

Okay, so what's all the screaming and exclamation marks are for?
They are for the friendship, they are for the perfect sibling relationships, they are for not making your characters annoyingly perfect and they are for the awesomeness and joy of my favorite winter read.
I honestly didn't expect this to be the perfect timing to read this, I somehow thought this is going to be a summer read but it wasn't. Honestly, it's like everything came together just so I have the best time reading this.

So, Kat and Meg Conquer the World is about two girls one has anxiety and the other has ADHD. They end up pairing for a science project and unlikely friendship blossoms, nourished by their love for a video game and the youtuber that plays it.
I'm doing a terrible job explaining what's so good about this, so here's a list of the things that usually bother me with some contemporaries.
1- A love interest that steals the show from family and friends.
2- You know when the MC goes to a talent show and wins the whole thing, yeah that.
3- O the so annoyingly girl hate for a trash of a guy, why? why?!!!
4- The perfect romance, I mean these are teens there's going to a fair amount of heartbreak and not everyone is matched perfectly.

This book has almost nothing of that! The friendship is wholesome and it's the main point of the book, there are no talent shows but there's a science fair and I loved how it was handled, I'm not spoiling you maybe they won, maybe they haven't but I loved how that helped the story. NO GIRL HATE WHATSOEVER!! And finally, there's a fair amount of heartbreak.

The characters in this book are my absolute favorite. Kat and Meg are the best but seriously everyone was great. The grandad, Kat's brother and Meg's siblings too, I loved them all.
Even their friends were amazing. The other thing I loved is how there are no bullies or your typical cheerleader divas, I mean bullying is an important issue that I like seeing discussed but tbh growing up I didn't see that, at least not in school and if anyone was going to be bullied it was me XD

I loved Meg and her hyperactivity, keeping up with her was hard and a whole lot of fun. It helped Kat get out of her comfort zone and be more social and I loved loved loved her character development. Seriously the thing that I loved about her is also what I hoped she changes, I mean this was freakin amazing to do in a small book like this.
Kat, on the other hand, was what pull Meg back down to earth and of course I mean that in the best way possible. She was her anchor, and she was always there. She was brave and I love her!

The writing in this book is great. I don't know how to explain it but it's in the small things, my attention would drift off sometimes but the book always pulled me back to focus. I forgot to highlight some of those moments but one of them is Kat being upset and she tried to bake but forgot the yeast so she dumped that dough in the trash, and the scene was so real to me, I visualized it so vividly.

I pull the white garbage bin out from under the sink, invert the silver bowl, and smack the bottom until gravity draws the mass into the garbage bag with a thump.

The thump at the end is what made it for me XD

Meg's siblings were adorable and I loved them, we didn't get much of them but I was happy with every scene we had.
Kat's relationship with her brother is phenomenal and it's a lot like mine and my sister. I absolutely adored it and it's one of the parts that made the book for me.
I mean look how cute this is.

For the rest of the school day and my entire bus ride home, I sing in my head, to the tune of “O Christmas Tree”: O Luke is home. O Luke is home. It’s Christmas break and Luke is home.

I'm dead!

Here's another thing that made the book for me.

It’s Grayson, which is, hello, amazing!
But it’s not Kat.

This is Meg wishing she could talk to her friend instead of the guy she has a crush on, enough said. Or maybe not enough because that's the damn coolest thing in a book ever!

Cons
The only thing I can think of is how Meg's relationship moved kind of fast but again that's understandable with her ADHD, and technically it took months but it just feels fast because the story needed to move on.
Maybe also that Kat's parents weren't much present. Yeah, they were very absent.

Please you guys read this book I beg of you. Pretty please with cherries on top!
I'll leave you with this quote.

That’s all it takes, apparently. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Meg gets me

[julianna ➹ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'LL BE HERE IN THE CORNER CRYING OVER HOW PRECIOUS KAT AND MEG ARE. This whole book I just wanted to hug both of them and tell them that everyone sucks.

(Also ignore the cringy cover okayyyy guys.)

And I know the synopsis compares it to Everything, Everything & Fangirl, but it was probably not that much like either. #yourlifeislies

But this was such a real book and it wasn’t like “oh, this couple is perfect for each other and they’re going to get married” because we all know that’s not true. It showed so many flaws and I FREAKING LOVED IT. Meg’s relationship with Gray was very raw and it was so… new to the both of them and awkward and messy.

I think this whole book is kind of slice-of-life (anime people say HELL YAH) and it’s a lot about life and how life! freaking!! disappoints you!!!

*gestures at the entirety of 2017*

It was so genuine and that’s what I loved about this book.

Kat and Meg are both such different characters but they’re dynamic to each other in their own ways. Kat has anxiety (& is white) while Meg has OCD (& is black). This novel also tackles the issue of race, because in the one specific scene, Meg is so extremely happy about having a game character with her skin tone. And that kind of… represents so many POC, but me personally.

The main characters of games are usually white,,,, but in the game (haha I forgot what it was called) you can choose whatever skin tone you want. This book wasn’t all about racism but it talked about it in this discreet way.

(the cover is so cringyyyyyyy but the book is so much better than what i expected)

[Chelsea Sedoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing about this book is, it was written for me.

Okay. Not really.

But it sure felt that way while I was reading. Because:

1. It has everything I want from a book.
2. I became ridiculously immersed in the story.
3. Kat is basically me.

This book is absolutely hilarious. I laughed out loud more times than I can count. But I also cried. I felt every heart-twisting thing the characters were going through like it was happening to me. And to top it off, the writing itself was absolutely beautiful.

Both Meg and Kat are wonderful and loveably flawed and real. As Kat herself describes them:

Meg is the ideas person. The brainstormer. She is watermelon thrown from roofs and speed runs for science. I am questionnaires and control factors.

Kat’s anxieties could have been pulled straight from my own brain. And Meg… Well, Meg is a force of nature. Her frantic energy leapt off the page. I could read her (often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking) rambling forever.

In fact, the only thing I disliked about the book is that it’s only a book. My life would be so much richer if Meg were my best friend.

Both Meg and Kat were such vivid characters that I really did feel like they were real. I felt like I was part of their friendship, like by reading the book I’d joined an amazingly special secret club. At a certain part it was as if I stopped observing and became an actual participant in the story.

I think there are a lot of Megs and Kats in the world. People who don’t fit in. People who look at the world around them and wonder why they’re different, why they can’t just be normal. But there’s no such thing as “normal”. And being different doesn’t mean being broken. I can’t wait for this book to get into the hands of all the Megs and Kats so they can be reminded that, like the characters, they’re actually awesome.

[Emily Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. book.

I want everyone in the world to read this book.

Where to even begin?

KAT AND MEG wove its way into my heart and then set it on fire. I cannot get over how brilliant this book is, on so many different levels. The dual POV voices of Kat and Meg are so genuine and specific to them. Their dialogue is clever and spot-on. The relationships in this book develop like real-life people's do. The way Kat and Meg come to care about one another--and the way that I came to care about them--felt like such a rare treat, in a way that reminded me of Rainbow Rowell's ELEANOR & PARK. These two characters are both so charming, so flawed, so achingly lonely, and they are the most perfect, heartwarming fit for one another. Over the course of the story they grow and change and come to life so fully that I actually felt them walk around making imprints on my heart.

The whole book is full of characters to fall in love with--online friends and love interests and family members. The whole time I was reading I sort of just wanted to give the book itself, and everyone inside of it, a massive hug. Because KAT AND MEG bursts with warmth. It's fresh and unique. It's adorable and unabashedly nerdy, and surprisingly hysterical.

And, also, sometimes it will shatter your heart.

But then it will put it back together again piece by piece, and you'll find that by the end, somehow the whole is bigger than it was before.

[Leah Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

KAT AND MEG CONQUER THE WORLD is so much more than you ever think it could possibly be. Upon meeting Kat you might bristle at some of her thoughts, including most that escape her lips. Then you meet Meg, a tidal wave of personality that can't quite be contained. Video games are eased in the mix and you wonder, how, oh how will this all work?

That is when you have to tip your hat to Anna Priemaza, who makes this imperfect friendship one of the most perfect that I have read in a long time. These characters (including Grandpa) and the Legend of the Stone video game have stayed with me long after I turned the last page. A page I kept turning back and forth, hoping more would appear to their story. As a reader, I became so invested in their lives that I almost believed I might see them again at their school lockers in Edmonton.

This is the kind of book you shout about from the rooftops and hope everyone is lucky enough to read it!

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate people.
"Even me?" Meg asks, which could mean she's a mind reader, but probably just means I accidentally said that out loud.
"You're not people. You're Meg."
And something about the way she grins at that makes me feel the tiniest bit better.

Give me every book about friendship ever written. No lie but stories with strong friendships are some of my favorites. Kat and Meg Conquer the World is an incredible story of friendship and connection. Kat suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and she prefers peace and order, while Meg’s ADHD leads her to a life enjoying serendipitous surprises and thriving moment to moment. When these opposites are partnered for a semester long science project, they begin to bond over their shared love of a video game and a famous gamer. What develops is a beautifully realistic friendship that transcends the page and hooks into your heart.

Things I Liked
Kat and Meg’s friendship is the absolute greatest! I love every single things about it. It’s a truly wonderful pairing of opposites attract! Kat has anxiety and panic attacks that keeps her isolated and lonely. But Kat is such a resilient character and actively makes an effort to push herself. Not because she’s shamed into, but because she doesn’t want her anxiety to control her. Helping her along the entire time is the wonderful and amazing Meg. Meg has ADHD and trouble focusing. She feels like her flighty disposition is the reason everyone leaves her and that’s she’s unworthy of sticking around for. (I also LOVE that we get a black character with ADHD!) With the help of Kat, and Legends of the Sword, Meg is able to focus and start setting small goals for herself and work toward them. Meg is also incredibly brave and fearless. I admire her. They have such a beautiful and full friendship filled with incredible amounts of love, support, and understanding.

I really loved the role that Legends of the Sword played for each girl. Not only does the game serve as the thing that initially draws them together, but it plays a role in each of their lives. We see Kat’s confidence because she knows who she is in the game. The game helps center Meg and helps her focus. I also really liked that the way each girl plays the game is very indicative of their character. Meg randomized her character and rushes in with little thought; Kat is a planner and plotter, and likes being prepared for all situations.

Describing leaves changing in the fall as “a slow, colorful striptease” is the greatest thing ever and it made me laugh.

I really liked all of the romances in the story. They were adorable and perfect for the contemporary, but they didn’t detract from either character or their growing friendship which I greatly appreciated.

Meg’s little brother Nolan is the most adorable child ever.

Things I Didn’t Like
In the beginning of the story, I had some trouble remembering who was who between Kat and Meg. The girls personalities were distinct and they felt like individuals, but it took me a few chapters to be able to instantly differentiate who was speaking when.

This is completely a personal issue, but I had trouble visualizing Legends of the Sword, the video game that Meg and Kat bond over. I don’t play videogames, so I don’t really have a reference point for the world and rules of games. I liked the camaraderie, but I didn’t really get what they were doing or working towards.

I would have liked to see more from Luke, Kat’s brother. He was a very important person to Kat, but I felt like I didn’t really get to know him or see their relationship.

I’m just so incredibly happy after reading this, and it put me in a fantastic reading mood. Kat and Meg are amazing complex characters who compliment and uplift one another creating a friendship for the ages. I’m serious, I need all the books about friendship. Kat and Meg Conquer the World is a story of bravery and resilience and finding the perfect person to help you along the way.

I received a copy of the book from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Katelyn Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! I LOVE this book.

I won't lie, I finished reading it a few weeks ago and I have spent every day since trying to figure out how to encapsulate just how much I love it. It hit absolutely every one of my soft spots. Wonderful friendships. Complex families. Adorable old men. Fun and realistic romance. VIDEO GAMES.

And all of it delivered through two amazing, unique girls who simply jump off the page. Kat IS teenage me, and her thoughts and fears and triumphs spoke to me as clearly as if Anna had read my journals while writing. I'd be Kat's best friend in a heartbeat.

But thankfully I don't have to be, because she already has Meg--fierce, excitable Meg who I want nothing more than to wrap into the snuggest, warmest hug of my life. These girls feel so real, and their friendship is one that had me rooting for it from the first page they shared together.

Another confession: I cried four times while reading. The emotions packed in these pages--happy, sad, and everything between--are rendered so beautifully. The moment I finished reading, I already began flipping back to find my favorite scenes. I'll be returning to them again and again. I'm quite sure that once I have this in hard copy, I'll wear the binding thin with my rereads.

If for nothing else, read this book for the writing. Anna captures the most complex emotions in heartbreakingly relatable terms. I can't count the number of times I stopped to read a paragraph aloud and revel in its beauty.

This is the book I spent my teen years searching for. It's a book about finding forever friendships. It's a book about being geeky and vulnerable and different and coming out on the other side.

Pick up this book. Full stop. No ifs, ands, or buts. You won't regret it.

[Aimee Hyndman · Rating 5 out of 5]

BUT REALLY GUYS THIS IS THE BEST BOOK!

So I got to read this as part of our critique group and I've seen this book from early stages but even before editing I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. And it all comes down to the characters.

Kat and Meg are two of the most relatable protagonists I've read in young adult fiction. They both have their problems, flaws and crippling self doubts, but they also have their talents and their larger than life personalities. Kat struggles with anxiety and has trouble stepping out of her comfort zone. Meg has ADHD and her wandering mind and loud personality often seem to push people away from her. But when the two are paired up on a science fair project and bond over their love of the same youtube gamer, their friendship is what really makes the book.

There aren't enough books out there focusing on female friendships. While there is a spot of romance in this one, Kat and Meg are the stars and its their relationship that drives the plot. They're just the perfect compliments to each other, even if they sometimes get on each other's nerves. Its a funny, heart warming, and very real book and definitely contains one of the best portrayals of anxiety I've ever seen. So what I'm saying is YOU SHOULD ADD THIS BOOK TO YOUR TO READ LIST AND BUY IT AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

Please and thank you,
Aimee

[Cale Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

TO THE RIFT!!!

Okay, that reference will only make sense to people who have already read the book, but I wanted to put it there because a) it’s fun to write, and b) I think it shows the cool and **gloriously** nerdy feel of this book. Because seriously, this book is so nerdy and SO GOOD.



My geeky heart loved the smart and funny references to all my faves (any book that references Harry Potter is instantly special to me), but this book is WAY more than just a collection of funny lines and geek culture references.

This is a really great and thoughtful book about friendship, a topic that is hugely important to everyone but doesn’t seem to be explored in media as much as, say, romantic or family relationships are. I just love that this book takes the time to explore the complexities and difficulties of friendship, and really shows how valuable it is to our lives. So yeah, this book gets major points for that.

And the characters! Ahh, I just love them all, but especially the two protagonists. Kat and Meg both get their own POV, and I thought this was done really well. Both have distinct voices, and both are so so lovable. And they're just so great as friends, as they just fit together so well. Pizza/candy/streaming parties for life!

Basically, I adored this book. It's really smart, super funny, and explores friendship in an amazing and unique way. After I finished reading it, my reaction was this:

I feel like I just ate bacon.

(seriously, that’s a line from the book. If that doesn’t convince you that this book needs to be on your TBR, I don’t know what will).

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed:)

Really enjoyed this story. Watching Kat and Meg becoming friends and facing their fears, wonderful to see/watch. Didn't want it to end:).

Laughed, teared up a few times, and gave out lots of hugs <3

[Ruth Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this dear, sweet, funny, awesome book and am now thinking about how well it does two distinct PoV, how endearing and relatable they both were whilst being completely different and yet the perfect fit for each other, and how cool it is to read about female friendship and neurodiversity and also many, many snacks. I appreciate the hell out of all of these things.

[Enne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I don’t want to be left behind and forgotten about. Don’t want to never leave the house because I’m too afraid. Don’t want to fail our science project because I can’t talk to people.”

5 stars!!
read full review here

This book follows two girls, one named Kat and one named Meg, who are paired together for their science project. Kat has social anxiety, which makes it difficult for her to interact with people, which is as different from Meg as anyone could be. Meg cannot stand being alone, but her ADHD keeps pushing everyone away. What could the two possibly have in common, right? Well, it turns out, there is one thing that they are both obsessed with – a gaming youtuber and his hilarious videos. Could this evolve into a friendship or are they going to kill each other first before that even happens?
If you are still not interested in this book, then I don’t know what I can say to you, but maybe my review will convince you otherwise.
I would just also like to add a little note here, saying that Meg is actually black, so there’s that, too. AND this book is set in Canada!!
Three cheers for diversity!!

The Writing
The writing in this definitely felt simple and was pretty easy to read, which is why I got through the book so quickly. This was also the thing that satisfied the contemporary craving that I had been getting while reading tons of high fantasy/ historical fiction. I also loved how different the writing style for Meg and Kat was and how you could really tell how their mental illness affected their thought process, and, through that, their actions and the people around them. Just something I really loved seeing in there and made the book a lot more atmospheric.
The Pacing/Plot
Ahem, needless to say, I loved all of the decisions that the author made regarding the plot of the story. And because this is a contemporary, this book did feel like it went a little too fast and ended on a cliffhanger, but nothing ever felt rushed and I loved that about this book – the author let things simmer and develop themselves, rather than pushing the plot on our characters – very much character and not plot driven.
The Characters
So, in case you haven’t guessed yet, I do love these characters! I love them so much it hurts sometimes to even think about it. I love them almost as much as I love my Raven Cycle babies, and that’s saying a lot if you know the obsession I have with the Raven Cycle. I would also just like to add that Kat’s plane anxiety is the most relatable thing I had ever seen and I loved the fact that it made in there because it just made me feel so much better.
To Conclude
This book is wonderful. Go read it! I love everything about it and I cannot recommend it enough! Seriously, though, we really need more contemporaries like this!!
~~~
Okay, well, you know, I didn't need a heart anyways...
Also where is my sequel? My companion? Anything else about Kat and Meg? I need more, this can't be the end!!
RTC when I have calmed down and completed all my other RTCs.
~~~~
NEED BOOK NOW CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NOV 7TH....





Can I have this now, please?

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★✬☆ 3.5 stars
Okay, so despite the pretty bad cover, this was a great book! If you enjoy YA, you should really pick it up – this was one of those honest-tone, diverse, true to the world and not far-fetched YAs that you know you are just going to enjoy.

So why 3.5 stars then, Evelina?..

The only drawback was that the writing style was slightly hard to follow. It kept throwing me off – it's just not a very fluently written book. But! I still feel that the contents are worth your attention, so in this review I'm going to dwell on the positive.



#1. It's About Friendship



Essentially, this book is about an unlikely friendship between two girls – Kat, who is extremely introverted and suffers anxiety, and Meg, who is quite an oddball and has ADHD, and also happens to be the only black girl in pretty much the whole neighbourhood. These girls chance into being friends through a science project in high school and... end up conquering the world :D (no spoilers.) The thing about this friendship though, as you'll find me saying about many other things in the book too, is that it's not far-fetched at all. It will remind you some of your own teenage or childhood friends, especially if you're female. I was so happy about this friendship... We'd all be lucky to have a friend like Meg and Kat were to each other.

#2. It Has Realistic Parents

How many YA books have realistic parents?? That are not evil, deranged or absent? Or just unrealistically Stepford perfect? Yep. Not that many. But this one does! Meg's parents are divorced, in fact, her dad isn't ever her dad – he's her stepdad, as Meg lost her own dad when she was little. She loves her second dad, but she thinks that when he and her mom got divorced, he divorced her too. Because he still keeps inviting her two little siblings to hang out, who are actually his children, but he doesn't invite her. It's a big source of pain for Meg, and this problem is an important theme in the book. Her step-dad isn't evil either, by the way. All of this is resolved very realistically.

3. Realistic Girlfriend-Boyfriend Situations



How I wish I had books like this when growing up. Books that show relationships the way they are. Books that don't make you believe the boyfriend is supposed to be your savior (like most books I grew up with??) Books that don't sell you the stuff that your first boyfriend will be your husband, or that it should be that way. Kat And Meg Conquer The World has a very realistic depiction of a real-life teen relationship, problematic and awkward, and genuine. I loved this book for it.

4. Introversion And Anxiety

Kat suffers terrible anxiety fits. And on top of that, she's introverted, so she already doesn't like dealing with people too much. But when she does? She basically implodes. Reading about this has been personally very helpful for me, because although I have anxiety myself, I teeter on the edge of introversion and extroversion, but I am close to someone pretty damn introverted, so it has helped me make sense of some of the things I experience in my relationship with that person. It has helped me react in more healthy ways and understand them more.

5. Meg's Oddball Ways + She's Curly!


(I know I've used this GIF before. But it's just so cool!)

First of all, I could count curly haired heroines on my fingers. There is no love for curls in the world! I mean, alright, Meg is black, so there's still no love for white curly haired girls (as if that's not a thing??), but I'll take what I can get. Personally, what I loved the most was that it wasn't straightened hair. It was not called frizz. It did not 'need to be tamed'. I hate it when books have that, and they have that wayyyyyy too much. But even aside from the hair bit, Meg's such an amazing character! Her life truly is affected by her ADHD, but she deals with it well in terms of daily stuff, even though she blames herself of driving everyone away because being who she is. Her journey in the book teaches her that it's okay to be the way she is. And I especially loved her being so different! She's loud, she's quick to say things, she's, well, basically hyper. But she's so genuine and so true! I would love to be Meg's friend. And it definitely IS okay to be like her!
So it looks like I've run out of numbers here (the post says only 5!!), but I don't feel like I've said it all. It's probably obvious that the book is very diverse, so I won't even make it into one of the points. But basically, even if this isn't quite a 4 star read for me writing-wise, I still wish I'd grown up with books like that. I would have grown up to be more healthy inside, I think. Recommended to any teens! And to you all, really.
I thank HarperTeen and Anna Priemaza for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest review.

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[Jilly Gagnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books where you desperately wish the MC was real because you know--KNOW--s/he should be your IRL best friend?

This book had TWO OF THOSE.

Kat and Meg are both such full, flawed, rounded, achingly real characters. I loved that this story focused on their friendship more than anything--the intensity and importance of that when you're in high school is immeasurable, and it always seems to get shunted aside by romance.

Better yet, Kat's sometimes paralyzing OCD/anxiety and Meg's ADHD are portrayed so well, and so sympathetically, something that's incredibly rare and special (especially when you're talking about two female main characters). They aren't let off the hook--the challenges their conditions pose are things each girl needs to overcome--but they also aren't depicted as lacking, or failing, and that warmed my heart. The world NEEDS more books like this.

This is on my "you MUST read it" shelf of 2017 books. Put it on yours!!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down. The characters were so relatable, and I just had to see how it would end. Can't wait to read the print version!

[Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Kat and Meg Conquer the Universe.

Sometimes opposites truly attract.  And it's not just for romantic relationships.  Kat and Meg couldn't be more different, but I adored their friendship.  Both characters are flawed and have issues, but you can tell that they genuinely support and help each other become stronger.

I related so much to Kat.  She is shy and has bad anxiety.  Having to move and change schools was difficult for Kat.  She doesn't know how to approach people and is really only herself with her online gaming friends.  But even then, she won't use voice to speak with them.  Only typing online.  Kat has panic attacks, but has been able to control them more often because of counting.  

Meg is super hyper with ADHD.  It was fun to read her parts, but kind of exhausting, too. The girl made me tired.  Meg is fun and outgoing, but she does have some issues with people leaving her. The main one was her stepdad, Stephen the leaver, and it makes it harder for her with everyone. She does everything she can think of to please her new boyfriend, even when she shouldn't.  She has a hard time keeping friends for more than a couple months.  But all that changes when she and Kat are paired up for a science project.

I'm not sure why they work out so well, but they do.  Kat is uptight, but Meg helps calm her.  Meg can be insecure and scattered, but Kat figures out ways to make things better. They fit so well together as friends, even though they didn't have much in common.

The way they really connected was because of a fandom for a video game and a youtuber.  A big part of their story revolves around this game and Meg even comes up with a plan for their science project that involves it.

All the extra characters in the book add a lot to the story.  Meg's siblings were adorable and Kat's grandpa really added another great relationship.

I liked that the story did have some romance, but it was mostly about Kat and Meg's friendship.  It's refreshing to read stories like this one and it was a super fun read.



I received a digital copy for review from Edelweiss.  This did not sway my thoughts in any way.

5 stars from me for this one.

[Jake Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was, at some point, a transition in the literature we read growing up. I think most of us experience it - an indefinable moment when books stopped being "fun" and started being "poignant." It went from Sideways Stories and Fourth Grade Nothings and Holes to, "They're all dying...WHY ARE ALL THE CHARACTERS DYING?"

Now, don't get me wrong; poignant is important, and wonderful, and beautiful. I just wish that, more frequently, it could be fun, too.

Enter Kat and Meg. Nothing spoilery is going to happen in this review (the summary included above is more than adequate for a plot skeleton), but I will say that Kat and Meg experience their fair share of poignancy in Anna Priemaza's debut novel; their lives are as fraught with drama as any YA protagonists', in their own way. But there is a lightness of heart here (lit and carried, at least for this reader, by the charming and celebratory ebullience of Meg, one half of the first-person-present narrating duo) that makes this an easy read. A breath-of-fresh-air read.

A fun read.

YA needs its poignancy, for sure; teen readers need to know that they can and do matter, and the weight of the world (of worlds, in some fantasy and YA) can hinge upon their choices. I'm just glad we have books like KAT AND MEG CONQUER THE WORLD; after all, someone should tell them that while saving the world, it's okay to enjoy the ride.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"He never leaves. Unlike every other jerk guy in the world, he's always there when we need him."

"I don’t want to be left behind and forgotten about. Don’t want to never leave the house because I’m too afraid."

"So just figure out what you're passionate about. Something you can do because you love it, not because you expect someone to pay you for it."

Soundtrack: Life Is Rosy by Jess Penner

[Carlie Sorosiak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, you all. THIS BOOK. I'm convinced that I've just made two very best friends, and we will skateboard together (even though I'm bad at it) and will drink hot chocolate with mini marshmallows while watching video game walkthroughs and making each other laugh.

Reading Kat and Meg Conquer the World is like wrapping yourself up in a warm, fuzzy, cosy blanket. That's really the only way to describe it. This is a book that cloaks you in its warmth, and leaves you extremely content with everything in the world. The heart of this book is ten miles wide.

I'm going to make a bold statement: Kat and Meg has the truest, most nuanced portrayal of female friendship that I've ever seen in a YA novel. These are girls who put each other first (even above boys) and have so, so much fun with each other - and the result is an incredibly fun read. It's whip smart and clever, and the humor is ridiculously on point. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion.

I love, love, love the granddad. Anyone who knows me is aware of my fondness for elderly people in YA (and in real life), so I must say that Granddad was a personal favorite. First, this line: "Well you're grinnin' like a raccoon on garbage day." Everything he says is pure gold. The juxtaposition between youth and old age adds an extra wonderful dimension to this book that I was not expecting, and that I am very grateful for.

Beyond that, Priemaza is a fantastic wordsmith. In the space of a page, she can make you ugly laugh, cry, get angry, and have all the smiles. I mean, it's almost witchcraft.

I would recommend Kat and Meg to anyone who has had a great friendship, or for anyone who wants one. Really, it has something in it for everybody.

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how, when people ask agents and editors what they look for in a book, they say "Voice," and it's always kind of this nebulous (and maybe slightly frustrating) thing?

This book is what they're talking about.

Kat and Meg are both similar, yet distinct. They have their strengths, their weaknesses, and their quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them feel fleshed out and real and like I would totally have been best friends with those delightful nerds in high school.

They are such nerds. I say that with all the love in my nerd-loving heart. It was absolutely delightful to read such unabashed fan girls. The game and gamer world Priemaza created was so fun and hilarious (seriously, so, so funny). It was, in a word, awesome.

But part of what made it so awesome was the depth. The struggles of both girls absolutely tugged at my heart. Seeing Kat trying to handle her panic disorder and Meg come to terms with accepting herself--ADHD and all--was endearing and, better yet, empowering. They grew individually and together, and seeing their paths diverge and converge again was just lovely. Their friendship was a reminder that, while high school loves come and go, few things are as powerful as a great best friend.

If you like awesomeness, this really is your book.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two girls who are freshmen in high school become friends. Kat suffers from anxiety and has a lot of social issues. Meg has ADHD and is constantly a bundle of energy. The two of them meet when they start doing a science project together and bond over their love of Legs, a gamer who posts Youtube videos of himself playing video games. The book is very well written and has some memorable and lovable characters. Both of the main characters are well depicted and makes this quick, fun and bubbly read.

[kory. · Rating 1 out of 5]

yet another portrayal of anxiety that just does not work for me.

content/trigger warnings; panic attacks, ableism, racism, injured grandparent, mentions of parental abandonment, mentions of death of father, kissing, fatphobia, stroke, sex, blood, body shaming, mentions of vomiting,

rep; kat (mc) has anxiety (not specified, but reads as social anxiety) and panic attacks. meg (mc) is black and has adhd.

i don’t really have any positives about this book, so let’s get ranting!

kat’s anxiety;

while there are parts of kat’s anxiety that i relate to, i do not like when anxious characters are forced or pushed to do things that give them anxiety even if they have no genuine interest in doing those things in order to fit other people’s idea of “normal” or “acceptable” behavior because they were shamed or judged by people without anxiety. and i especially do not like when the anxious character suddenly overcomes their anxiety at just the right time for a feel good moment. this book has both of those tired, ableist tropes.

beyond it being ableist, i personally hate it because i always see myself in the “before” of those anxious characters, but then by the end or the “after,” what i related to is gone and it’s treated as inevitable growth. for once i want to see an anxious character start and end a book being introverted and shy and not wanting to be some social butterfly, but rather just wanting to be able to do necessary everyday things with some of the ease non-anxious people.

less “i can’t go to a high school party because anxiety” and “i can’t do this ridiculously huge public social thing that i don’t want to do anyways because anxiety” and maybe more “i struggle to go grocery shopping or make/attend doctor’s appointments because anxiety” and “my anxiety affects my school attendance and grades.” ya books with anxiety rep always leans toward the former. this isn’t to say that the former doesn’t happen, but it’s shallow as fuck to only ever show that. even in teens, anxiety affects more than high school social reputation. i was a teen with social anxiety and i had friends and i went out all the time, but i dreaded school, barely showed up and was late when i did, skipped presentation days, and was constantly in my head, freaking out about every little thing.

again, of course there are people who will see themselves in this rep and find it accurate and relatable (and honestly, the rep itself isn’t the problem, the narrative/arc surrounding it is), but considering that the only anxiety rep i seem to find is one where someone like me is portrayed as inevitably going to be improved upon to fit into some bullshit, ableist idea of normal/acceptable, i don’t feel bad about labeling this rep as bad or inconsiderate or stereotypical or ableist.

meg’s adhd;

i don’t have adhd, and while i saw some positive ownvoices reviews about it, i did see some negative ones that i’d like to acknowledge. one person said, “meg is a hyperactive stereotype, so far she’s skipped burnout, emotional dysregulation and executive dysfunction and straight to being an energetic extrovert.” and another person said, “meg’s thought processes weren’t scattered--they were illogical, fantastical, and alarming.” and i gotta say, i share those opinions. really, the only thing to meg’s adhd is that she’s pretty much always bouncing off the walls. nothing else. and similar to my comment about the anxiety, that seems a bit shallow.

i also don’t like how kat worked on pushing through her anxiety, while meg went without introspection or development or any kind of fucking serious thought about managing her adhd. kat actually worked on herself, but meg just stewed in her feelings of victimhood.

other;

meg has sex for the first time and mentions how much it hurt and that there was so much bleeding she needed to wear a pad after, and it’s never addressed as not being normal??? sure, there’s a passing comment about how a guy she fantasizes about would probably know what to do so she wouldn’t bleed, but i’m just so tired of books perpetuating the myth that first time penis-in-vagina sex is inherently painful and bloody.

related to above, meg uses sex to prevent her boyfriend from breaking up with her. and it’s never portrayed as wrong or anything. him still breaking up with her after they have sex is not how that is portrayed as wrong, because that’s more “don’t try to use sex to save a relationship because it will end anyways” rather than “don’t use sex as a bargaining chip or to manipulate a situation in your favor because that’s gross and fucked up.” especially in ya, these things can’t go unaddressed.

meg muses about using someone’s allergen against them, which is never funny or okay in any context ever. it’s something that happens in real life, with serious, life threatening consequences. fucking stop being ableist garbage.

meg says, “i leave my suitcase on the porch for him to carry - screw feminism” which begs the question, what the fuck does that have to do with feminism?

the science fair, fandom convention, and romances did absolutely nothing for me.

i saw some people complaining about how young the characters read, but uh....they’re legit 15. they aren’t 17 and act or read 15. they actually are 15. lower ya books are still ya. they aren’t mg pretending to be ya or whatever. (but speaking of age, what parents would let their 15 year old severely anxious kid get on a plane to go to a convention alone, all on a last minute whim? what parents?)

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much—the characters (hi, Grandpa!), the two perspective narration, the video game element, which was done with realism and interest.

A book, at its heart, about the friendship of two girls who find and buoy each other up, with some pitfalls along the way. Beautiful.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Anxiety/ADHD rep, female friendship, and Gamer appreciation. So good!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat and Meg Conquer the World is a standalone Young Adult contemporary novel.

This book is mainly about friendship.

The narrators are Kat and Meg, grade 10 students in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). Kat has just moved from Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). She arrives at a new school.

The book deals with mental health, but in a very interesting way. Kat suffers from panic attacks. And Meg has ADHD.

It was so interesting to see how Meg's issues affected her relationships and how she did at school. And it was interesting to see how Kat would freak out about getting on planes or going to parties. These are issues that teens are dealing with. So it was really good to see characters in books representing real issues.

Kat and Meg are complete opposites. Kat likes to be alone and she needs to have a schedule. Meg is very outgoing and says whatever is on her mind. I adored Meg's little sister. And I adored Kat's grandfather.

The girls end up bonding over the Legends of the Stone video game and online gaming star LumberLegs who posts funny videos.

I really had no idea what to expect from this book other than it was YA and there were two girls named Kat and Meg. This book was interesting. And I really liked how the mental health aspects were incorporated into the story. I also really enjoyed seeing a friendship between two complete opposites.

The book is serious, It is important. It is funny. There is some romance (for each girl). But it isn't the primary focus of the story. I really enjoyed this book!




Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.

[Kristine]

Reading Kat and Meg is like meeting up with new friends, realizing you might as well be old friends because you get along so well, and ending up with forever best friends. Going into the book, I knew it was exactly the kind of friendship book I wanted--I've been around the block with Youtube fandom, watching vloggers (which I still do regularly), and never really finding other people IRL who could share in my enthusiasm of this form of entertainment that is still not quite mainstream. It's wonderful to find a book that understands the sense of community and personal connection that comes with watching and interacting with an online personality and their other fans. The friendship that comes from that sort of shared experience--not to mention the fact that so much of this friendship is ONLINE (yay, internet friends!!!)--is one-of-a-kind. And Anna Priemaza absolutely captures that.

Kat and Meg are so good together, it makes me wish they could hop out of the page and hang out with me IRL so we could watch some video games (and maybe even play some) together. Their relationship is heartfelt and full, the kind of friendship that Anne of Green Gables would dub as "bosom friends" (can you tell what I've been reading lately?). Kat and Meg are there for each other, they love each other, they hurt together. They're laugh-out-loud funny, and in the next sentence, they are devastating in their quiet observations of their fractured circumstances.

They know exactly what to say to each other--especially after they've said something wrong.

This is the friendship book you've been looking for. The one of lonely souls finding each other and holding on. The one where you find friends who are truly and loudly and quietly themselves in all their best ways, and who let you be fully yourself, in turn. Kat and Meg don't just conquer the world--they'll conquer your heart.

TO THE RIFT!

[Nara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat and Meg Conquer the World was probably the first book that I've read that touches on the growing internet culture of gaming (there may have been others that I've just forgotten about, if so, my bad). From actually playing an online MMO to watching Let's Plays on Youtube, there's certainly a thriving community online who like to game and watch others game together. I personally also quite like watching other people play games- not sure why but there's this odd satisfaction when they do something really well, and there's always entertainment when things go not-so-well.

The two main characters of the novel are excellently developed. Their two voices are quite distinct and unique, and it's great to see how the two help each other grow as the book goes on. Meg was quite annoying at first, but as the story went on, you began to see that there was more to her than meets the eye. I'm not sure how much of her being slightly annoying you can attribute to her ADHD, and how much you can simply put down to personality (she was almost a bit intrusive at times), but as you got to know her a bit better, you could understand the reasoning behind why she acted as she did.

Kat suffers from anxiety and so is Meg's opposite in many ways. She moves to Meg's school at the start of the novel, and goes through that classic phase of struggling to make friends, eating in the bathroom and seeking sanctuary in the library. The two characters end up needing to partner together for the big yearly science fair project, and develop a friendship in the process. I felt that Kat's evolutionary arc was a bit more satisfying that Meg's, especially because it also included such a cute romance haha.

Overall, an excellently written novel with two memorable and relateable protagonists. Would recommend it to fans of contemporary novels and fans of internet culture.

Ratings
Overall: 8/10
Plot:4 /5
Romance: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 1/5

[Katie Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pitch-perfect story about friendship, fandom, and finding the courage to do hard things!

Kat and Meg couldn't be more different. After Kat moves to help take care of her aging grandfather, she finds herself in a new school, new town, newly on her own now that her brother is off at college. When Meg's so-called-friends ditch her again, she partners with Kat for a science project and the two become unlikely friends. With a shared love of a video game, the girls bond over their favorite YouTube personality, but come to discover that their differences just might be what makes their friendship so powerful.

This is a book that made my heart happy. There were so many fun moments and beautiful descriptions. Both characters were awkward but so adorable, and I loved watching them grow and challenge each other and themselves. Even if you aren't a gamer, you will love being in Meg and Kat's world. Priemaza is a gifted writer and I can't recommend this enough!

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two opposites must work together for a year long science project discover they aren’t as different as they originally assumed.

Anxieties hold Kat back. She’s between shyness, social anxiety, phobias and a OCD tendencies, her life is limited. Extroverted Meg has ADHD, poor boundaries and doesn’t read people well and is immature.

Meg was one of the most annoying YA characters I’ve read in recent memory. If I had ADHD I wouldn’t like the representation, although for some kids with the disorder, it’s fairly accurate. If I had been partnered with her on a project, I’d beg the teacher to go it alone after the first time she flaked out. Kat was much more sympathetic, she worked hard to overcome her challenges, while Meg seemed to do nothing to work on the project or improve her attention skills.

The moral of the story Kat and Meg learn from each other’s strengths. KAT AND MEG CONQUER THE WORLD has some mature themes, but reads more like a middle grade book than a YA.