Hello my lovely readers, it’s a hot one in the UK at the moment, wish this weather was around when I had my summer holidays and not when I’m back at work, starting a new academic year. That the British weather for you. Ha.

Today I’m bring you a review of my last read of August and that of my summer holidays and what a cracker it was. It was such a good book so let me tell you a bit more.

Overemotional by David Fenne
Published by Ink Road on July 6, 2023
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, LGBTQ+, Love & Romance, Magical Realism
Amazon | Waterstones
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Sometimes, emotions can be a little too powerful...
Seventeen-year-old Steven has a big problem... Whenever he feels intense emotions, weird things happen. Like when he kissed a boy for the first time, and the boy's head literally exploded.
Fleeing to the miserable town of Grunsby-on-Sea, Steven is determined to not hurt anyone else - but he doesn't count on his best friend Freya, her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy following him. And when agents from the mysterious DEMA organisation show up talking about "neutralisation", Steven realises that Grunsby-on-Sea might not be the safe haven he'd hoped for...

I knew I needed this book when I went to CampYA at the beginning of the summer and David was on the When Worlds Collide panel with Amy McCaw and Ann Sei Lin. Then Ink Road very kindly sent me a Heartstopper inspired book package including this book. Bottom line is, I loved it, I devoured it, and there was so many laugh-out-loud moments from page 1.

Our MC, Steven was at a party kissing some random guy when his head explodes. Literally. That certainly not the way to have your first kiss… Since he was 11, he’s been able to do magic, powers, based on his emotions. His superhero name is an Ecomancer. His powers they are bit wacky, his emotions correspond to the opposite effects. Lately it’s become unpredictable, uncontrollable so he moves away to protect his family and friends. But loveable Freya won’t have none of it, alongside her boyfriend Marcus and American friend Troy follow him down in miserable Grunsby-on-Sea to bring him back. Little did he know that there are more like him, secret agencies that want to ‘neutralise’, and throw in some emotion sucking zombies and a sinister yet handsome ecomancer that wants to teach him for his own means.

This book is literally packed with everything. I loved the modern magic system woven through the book, full of mystery and secrets. It felt real and imaginative. I love the thrilling chase and uncovering the history behind being an ecomancer. It’s funny and different and I couldn’t help but laugh and smile throughout the whole book.

Overmotional is fuelled on found friendship, this is one of my favourite book tropes. You want to hug the book, you’re attached to the characters and I just want to be friends with them all. Freya is possibly my favourite, independent young woman who had buckets of gumption and curiosity that will probably lead her into some trouble. Bless, Steven our MC though, he’s somewhat humorously oblivious to world around him. I kinda loved that about him, his powers guarded who he was, fear of being who he wants to be even coming-out, in fear of hurting someone else. What I really appreciated and loved about the book, was that the character art on the front is on point especially Freya, her facial expression is just how I picture her in the book.

David has written a unique yet heartfelt queer sci-fi, fantasy adventure romance novel that you won’t be able to put down. This is a one-sitting sort of book believe me. If you love Heartstopper then you will definitely love this.

Thank you to Ink Road Books for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.