I'm mad it took me so long to read this. It's so good. It's absolutely wonderful. I've been crying through half of it. I don't cry through books that much.

I'm not gonna lie, while "Fence" the graphic novel series (at least vol 1-3, which I've read), is beautifully drawn (I loved Johanna's art for years before the series began) and pretty well paced, it didn't stand out to me as much in comparison to other sports & school m/m stories I've read. I was also worried the switch from C.S. Pacat to an author I've never heard of would be an issue, given I liked the "Captive Prince" trilogy and loved "Dark Rise".

I could not have been more wrong. While the opening was a tad slow, Aiden's second POV bowled me over, and the roller coaster of emotion never stopped. It was wonderful, just wonderful. This is the best entry in the series thus far. It's been a while since I read the graphic novels, and I'm probably missing out because I didn't read at least vol 4 before this, but wow. Just wow. The pacing, the angst, the backstory development, the humor. It's wonderful and deliciously painful and honestly I'm gonna stop now so I can read the next one. I'm glad at least I don't have to wait for it to be published.

A delightful read. Absolutely. One of my favorites this year. ( )

Well that was a cute but also intensely annoying book.

I am going to put it out there that this novel could have been called 'Chess', 'Rugby', or 'Flower arranging'. I say this because there was almost no fencing in this book. The story was entirely about the boys and their relationship dramas. Don't read this if you hate miscommunication because you will, like me, want to shake everyone and shout, "Just tell them how you really feel and for Pete's sake listen to the other person without making assumptions!"...sorry...I have a lot of feelings right now. It is definitely a fun YA book that is very pointed in it's diversity. I found the characters to be quite endearing as they navigated the trials and tribulations of love and friendship.

I also didn't know it was a comic series first which, judging by some reviews, may have worked in my favour. ( )

from Amazon: The boys of Kings Row bout with drama, rivalry, and romance in this original YA novel by The New York Times bestselling author Sarah Rees Brennan - inspired by the award-nominated comic series by C.S. Pacat and Johanna The Mad.

Sixteen-year-old Nicholas Cox is the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion who dreams of getting the proper training he could never afford. After earning a place on the elite Kings Row fencing team, Nicholas must prove himself to his rival, Seiji Katayma, and navigate the clashes, friendships, and relationships between his teammates on the road to state championships - where Nicholas might finally have the chance to spar with his golden-boy half-brother. Coach Williams decides to take advantage of the boys' morale after a recent victory and assigns them a course of team building exercises to further deepen their bonds. It takes a shoplifting scandal, a couple of moonlit forest strolls, several hilariously bad dates, and a whole lot of introspection for the team to realize they are stronger together than they could ever be apart. The first installment of this enticing original YA novel series by Sarah Rees Brennan, rich with casual diversity and queer self-discovery, explores never-before-seen drama inspired by C.S. Pacat's critically acclaimed Fence comic series and boasts original cover and interior art by Johanna The Mad.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH BUT I AM SOOOO NOT OKAY WITH OUT THE ENDING INVOLVING AIDEN AND HARVARD. *incoherent screaming*

But seriously this book was amazing and funny and heartwarming and cute all at the same time. I need a sequel like now. ( )

audiosync 2022, teen fiction (8.5+ hours)

novelization of the graphic novel series - boys' prep school fencing team rom-com/friendship/team building with minimal fencing description. Super cute best friends almost-romance (popular heart-throb Aiden and his introverted roomie/bestie Harvard) and strengthening friendship between (poss. on the autism spectrum) Seiji and his (bullied scholarship student) friend Nicholas.

If you're already familiar with the graphic novels, you may find this repetitive, but if you're not, it's a charming serial narrative that you can pick up whenever you need a distraction. ( )