Queens of Geek: A review

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Queens of Geek: A review
By Jenna (~Abibliophobe~ )

The novel Queens of Geek by Jenn Wilde focuses on two characters named Taylor and Charlie. They are best friends but they have very different personalities. Taylor is quiet, shy and deals with things like social anxiety and generalized anxiety. These things make it hard for her to speak her mind and be herself. Charlie is outgoing; working to become an actress and is a YouTube sensation. Charlie, Taylor and their friend Jamie end up going to Supacon. Charlie has a very public break up with her boyfriend and ends up realizing that Alyssa Huntington, who is a very famous YouTuber, might have a thing for her but she is still dealing with the breakup. Taylor has feelings for Jamie but is hesitant to pursue it due to a number of reasons. The story focuses on both of these characters and how things unfold for them in regards to love.

I admit that this isn't my normal genre. I am not a huge fan of contemporary because it has such a heavy focus on romance. However, this novel has bi representation, as well as having characters who are people of color, and Taylor can probably be classed as plus-sized. These are things that I look for in novels for a number of different reasons. I caved in and checked it out at my library and loved it.

The author handled Taylor's social and generalized anxiety quite well. A lot of the time mental health representation is done terribly but it seemed as though the author had knowledge about the different anxieties Taylor dealt with which led to her being able to depict those issues in an accurate way. I think I connected the most with Taylor since I struggle with anxiety and social anxiety and I am also plus-size and have dealt with a number of the feelings that Taylor dealt with throughout the book. I think I really related to her fears regarding being in a relationship. She was worried about it because she had never been in one and had no idea what to do. I had those same exact fears when I met my boyfriend.

Even though I connected with Taylor the most I really appreciated Charlie's story. She is similar to me in that she knows she is bi but has never been in a relationship with woman. I could relate to her feelings regarding that and I loved how the author explored her relationship with Alyssa.

The novel is quite short but it felt like everything wrapped up nicely. I do have a desire to know what happens next but not because I was unsatisfied with the ending. I want to know what happens next because I absolutely loved the characters and the ending and I want to know how everything works out for them. The novel isn't exceptionally well written. There was nothing about the writing that impressed me but the plot and characters made up for that and I was still able to enjoy the novel. There are a few times when the author discusses panic attacks in great detail and I think there are some people who might be triggered by that. However, I don't think there was anything else discussed in the novel that was triggering.

I really enjoyed this novel and think that others should consider giving it a chance.