I've been on a geeky YA kick lately, and this was just what I needed. In All the Feels, Stone shows the power of fandom as community and a support network. I loved how the author showed fandom as empowering, both individually and as a collective.

I loved that this story was inspired by the #CoulsonLives movement. I definitely saw the real world connections coming through in the made-up SF series and convention life. (Side note: Never been to DragonCon; probably never will because whoa boy, too many people!) I love the shout-outs to various parts of geek culture, and the acknowledgement that while we all are fans of different things and have our own sub-communities, we are all part of this larger family that is (usually) very welcoming and accepting.

I started this book late at night knowing that I probably wouldn't get much sleep. I was right. I sped through this in one reading and loved it. ( )

OMG so cute and very relatable. ( )

All the Feels is young adult fiction done right, with all the jagged emotions of love and rebellion, the thrills of obsession and furious fandom, the skills of a girl who really can make it and just needs the world to see who she really is, and the kindness of genuine people, friends and family, helping each other. There’s a college freshman daughter who’d rather work on videos than study, a mother who doesn’t understand but desperately longs for her child’s success, a friend who hides behind clothing and fancy, a clique watching movies and obsessing over plots, and an interconnected internet world where no one is quite what they seem. But this story is so powerfully not what the adult reader might expect. Not a tale of internet danger or familial despair, it’s the story of a girl whose rebellion is very human, a mother whose care is built on genuine love, a friend who hides behind the character he’s built, and a world-wide group of strangers who share a happy cause. There’s romance as well, but romance that draws from a complex love that’s deeper than dance and obsession, and as hard to see as the face behind the mask—the sort of book every daughter should love and every mother should share.

Plus there’s the vivid excitement of a real-world sci fi convention. Author Danika Stone brings dizzying crowds to life, lets readers hide for a moment’s respite, then plunges us back inside. Cosplay, internet identities, obsession, movie stars, and dreams come true all blend in an exciting story where romance is a vital thread, well-balanced against the moviemaker’s machinations and lies.

The writing is a great blend too, with good storytelling, fun dialog (I love the “Englishness” of Xander’s pretensions), and well-written, well-presented internet chat. All the Feels are there too, from great humor, agonizing despair, unrequited affections and desperate longing, all the way to sweet romance. It’s a great combination and I love it.

Disclosure: I was given an advance reader’s edition and I offer my honest review. ( )