FICTION

How We Play the Game

Bloomsbury. Nov. 2025. 304p. Tr $20.99. ISBN 9781547605057. Gr 8 Up
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Gr 8 Up–Zora Lyon’s dream is to tell stories through video games—and what better way to do that than being mentored by the creator of her favorite game? Zora devises a plan: use her gaming skills to win one of Wizzard Gaming’s battle royale competitions, become one of the 50 players chosen for an exclusive summer academy, then rise to the top and secure that dream mentorship. Of course, things don’t go as expected; Zora, who is Black and autistic, wants to focus on the game, but Wizzard is also looking for all-star influencers. When Zora falls victim to sensory overload and is cast as the academy’s villain, she needs a new plan fast. Enter Ivan, a disgraced fan favorite and thorn in Zora’s side who agrees to a fake dating scheme to help them both move up in the academy’s rankings. Things start looking up, especially with the help of a loyal squad of actual influencers at Zora’s side, but when Zora realizes that her dream mentor may me shady and the person she hated is kind of amazing, she’ll have to figure out what the future holds for gaming and for love. This enemies-to-lovers rom-com thoughtfully delves into the topic of being a member of a marginalized community in the gaming space. While the story has a bit of an abrupt ending, it weaves gaming, friendship, and romance in a cohesive way and provides an interesting look at the world of esports.
VERDICT Gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy this one; hand to those who enjoy Brittney Morris’s Slay and Eric Smith’s Don’t Read the Comments.

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