Author Luke Palmer introduces his new book, Play (Firefly Press) about four boys growing up together, the challenges, the friendships, and what hap... I'm literally so attached to all the characters, these people are my new obsession and book one hasn't even come out yet. I NEED BOOKS 2 AND 3 IMMEDIATLEY. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. I NEED MORE OF THESE AMAZING CHARACTERS. I can not believe this is a debut novel :0 All the characters were developed, particularly Marcus and Troy became much more likeable characters Usually, I read Adult Fantasy, but I decided to take a break from this genre and read something different. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to come across this book from this young author and once again to convince myself that the imagination of young people is truly unique. The book is a debut and it's definitely a great start.

Overemotional - David Fenne | Readers First

David Fenne’s debut novel was intriguing, I was not sure what to expect with that title and the cover art. It was a book about feelings, friendship and love, made into a science fiction capturing the target audience of young adult reader. This book touches on LGBTQ+ very early on and continued til the end of the book, I like that it is open. I think the author draws a lot of parallel with exploration of feelings of the main character, feelings for his friends, romantic or otherwise to the science fiction power of his. There’s certainly the mystery of how these power come about, the investigations of missing persons and the history, those kept me interested and going. Edit: I haven't stopped thinking about this book so it's gone up .5 a star to perfection :) stay mad I guess certain things bind you to someone for life. And, apparently, running around the playground pretending to be alien butterflies with freezing breath is one of them." Steven is a genuinely relatable average sixth former who is full of all the angsty and turbulent emotions we all recognise, but with a dangerous twist. Whenever he feels a strong emotion, weird things happen and when he kisses a boy for the first time, the boy’s head explodes! He flees the scene and hides in the miserable town of Grunsby -on-Sea, so that his wittily self- named ‘emomancy’ will not harm anyone else. But best friend Freya won’t let him disappear and she is worried about a mysterious organisation called DEMA, who is asking questions about him.However, having said all that, I realised while reading the book that it had very little uniqueness to it and that kinda took away from the reading experience for me personally. If I put aside the similarities for a second, it is a pretty decent book! The stakes were also higher than the other books and kept me hooked to the story, which was a very interesting aspect, considering it's a YA book. And a DEBUT 😮 Fenne is an author, actor and improviser based in south-east London. He came to London in 2012 for drama school, studying American Theatre Arts at Rose Bruford College. He trained abroad for half a year at Syracuse University in New York. He is also an improv comedian, running a long-form improv theatre company, Pinch Punch. A little too lightweight in parts and suffering from some problems in setting up a new series, with some characters (such as Marcus) feeling a bit sketched thin as a result, Overemotional is still an enjoyable, breezy and joyously queer adventure into YA urban fantasy, anchored by a core cast of likeable leads and palatable plot. Hopefully the next instalments of the series will dive deeper into the world created, as Fenne has set the foundations of what could be the next big queer series out of the UK, and deserves to be a homegrown hit.

OVEREMOTIONAL: your new queer YA obsession! eBook : Fenne

I believe that starting the story with Steven at the party and exploring his reasons for leaving would have enhanced the overall reading experience. I feel that It would have allowed for a more engaging introduction to the characters and their relationships, as well as built anticipation and suspense leading up to Steven's disappearance. Everyone loves a wholesome queer romantic comedy, especially one set in the UK, but what makes this sparkling debut unique, is embedding all that in a brilliantly exciting sci-fi plot. Secondly: it was just kind of unentertaining to read? If I was like 13 then maybe I would have enjoyed it, but at 24 all I can see are the flaws (and yes I Know it's a YA book and 13 is probably the correct age to enjoy it, but giving teens the above dialogue from the book to base their ideas of queerness in friendship on makes me want to scream).

It took a minute to get used to the different POVs, especially when they changed in the middle of the chapter, however it was effective in showing each character's thoughts and positions within the narrative To avoid hurting anyone else, Steven runs away from school to hide in the miserable town of Grunsby-on-Sea. But all that changes when his friends turn up on his doorstep, determined to bring him home. Not to mention the secretive agency that seems to be following him wherever he goes.” With a best friend as determined as Freya, it is impossible to stay hidden for long though, especially when she realises Steven might be in danger after a mysterious organisation called DEMA start asking questions about him. Where Freya goes, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy soon follow. Together, they are determined to find out more about this organisation and what “neutralising” someone like Steven might mean.

OVEREMOTIONAL by David Fenne | Waterstones OVEREMOTIONAL by David Fenne | Waterstones

This book had a brilliant start – some great characters to get to know, it slowed down around chapter 3 and 4, but then it became unputadownable around chapter 8 – and I literally read the second half of the book in an afternoon. A very intense read. Steven moves alone to a new town after a life-changing event happens due to his superpowers. However, his friends Troy and Freya along with Freya's boyfriend, Marcus follow him.

It is a brilliant adventure, with some huge plot twists … and oh, by the way, the main character is gay! I love that this is a queer teen fiction novel, where the characters sexuality is not the main story line and there is no neon beacon over his head, forcing him to come out. This story is different, it is inclusive, funny, thrilling and (despite it being about a kid with superpowers) it’s so very real … but my goodness, it is also so refreshing to see characters from all walks of life who interact together, for no other reason, than the fact that they are all human and they like each other’s company (well most of them do!). This book is advertised as "wholesome", and has no content warnings. Yet this book covers topics such as illegal experimentation on pregnant women, eugenics, creatures and gore fit for horror stories, kidnapping and drugging, sexual assault of a minor, and whatever else is in the part of the book I didn't read. When seventeen year old Steven’s kisses a boy for the first time, the boy’s head explodes. Not the most romantic first kiss. He flees his town and runs to a boring dead end town named Grunsby-on-Sea to make sure he never harms anyone again with his emotional powers. I do find the descriptions a little much, however that’s probably because the author needs to illustrate the layout of his story. I tend to not read the synopsis before I read a book, however I found the last chapter just about wrap it up and thought to myself whether David was giving himself room for a sequel. Then I read the blurb and found out this is the 1st of a trilogy. Have you thought about what Steven & his friends do next? Or have you finished with their story and moved on to something else?

Overemotional by David Fenne - The School Reading List

In my opinion, this book was written with some good character development. The author has done an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and creating a vivid sense of place throughout the story. I liked the inclusion of a cheat sheet within the book that outlines the various effects experienced by the protagonist, Steven, when he undergoes different emotional states. This cheat sheet not only added an extra layer of depth to the story but also serves as a helpful guide for readers to understand the intricate connection between Steven's emotions and the extraordinary superpowers that manifest as a result.There's a main thread of self acceptance which I think is perfect for the target age range. I can see this positively impacting older teens and young adults. However, there are some intense and surprising topics discussed during the latter half of the book especially and caution should be taken when reading. Pitched to prospective punters as Heartstopper meets Stranger Things, Overemotional follows Stephen, a closeted teenage boy who’s dealing with several major issues in his life – he’s hiding his sexuality, he’s dealing with turbulent emotion-based powers, and he’s just kissed his first boy, resulting in the boy’s head literally detonating due to the aforementioned powers running in reverse (e.g. Stephen destroys when he feels joy, fixes when he feels sadness etc.). As a result of the latter, Stephen flees to the sleepy town of Grunsby-on-sea, pursued by his best mate Freya, herself followed by her boyfriend Marcus and their American classmate Troy, in time for the four to uncover a sinister plot brewing in the depths of the seaside town. The winners of The Farshore Reading for Pleasure Teacher Awards 2023, highlighting the work schools are doing to encourage a love of reading, have... Where Freya goes, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy soon follow. Together, they are determined to find out more about this organisation and what "neutralising" someone like Steven might mean. By chance, Steven meets a handsome stranger who claims to share his powers and who offers to teach Steven how to control them.