OVEREMOTIONAL: your new queer YA obsession!

Product Information

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. This book is like "Carry On" meets "The Extraordinaries" meets "The Infinite Noise", and I am not complaining. The close-knit friendship between Freya and Steven and the setting reminded me of Carry On (since both books are set in the UK), the emotional manifestations were similar to those in The Infinite Noise, whereas the awkward/uncertain moments in Steven's life and the overall twists were a lot like The Extraordinaries. These similarities just made me want to re-read all of those books again 😭 It's most comparable to Carry On, not only in terms of that British humour (which I loved), but the fact that it's going to be a trilogy like Simon Snow, and the resemblance to its UK cover is uncanny! Edit: I haven't stopped thinking about this book so it's gone up .5 a star to perfection :) stay mad

Overemotional by David Fenne | Goodreads

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. An epically exciting, utterly unique debut. Not to be missed. - William Hussey, author of Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts Summary: Steven, an unfortunate and secretive sixth former who possesses a unique and dangerous ability. Whenever he experiences intense emotions, whether they be joy or sorrow, inexplicable and potentially perilous events occur. After one such incident took place he is filled with guilt and fear of causing harm to others, seeking refuge in the desolate town of Grunsby-on-Sea, determined to protect those around him from the destructive power of his Emomancy. With a best friend as determined as Freya, it is impossible to stay hidden for long, 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. In a serendipitous encounter, Steven crosses paths with an alluring enigma who not only professes to possess the same extraordinary abilities as him but also extends an enticing proposition to guide Steven in mastering his latent powers. Our guide on how to run a school book club, which covers both primary school book clubs and secondary school book clubs. 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 :0I loved the superpowers/ fantasy element. It's reminiscent in parts to the Simon Snow trilogy but this definitely stands alone and in its own right as a unique book. 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... All in all, I could tell these characters are very important to the author and feel very personal and I loved it.

Overemotional by David Fenne (9781785304729/Paperback

This was an enjoyable read and definitely one I would recommend to younger teenagers. Because I was anticipating something slightly more mature in tone, it didn’t quite meet my expectations, but this is more of a fault on my part for not doing my research. Nevertheless, I think the “wholesome” marketing should definitely come with a few content warnings, especially with regards to the initial relationship (the age gap is concerning when considering the impressionable age of the target audience) and horror content. Though more characteristic of upper YA, I thought the SFF elements were really well executed and perfectly complimented by the light, humorous tone any time they started getting a bit heavy. The characters and setting are so quintessentially British (Grunsby-on-Sea is perfectly reminiscent of how I feel returning to Skegness as an adult) and made even more hilarious by the American POV who is understandably confused by it all. Even when I thought some of the five POVs felt slightly unnecessary, this book was a lot of fun and definitely a “true” YA. An epically exciting, utterly unique debut. Not to be missed.” - William Hussey (author of Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts)

July 2023 book club recommendations

The concept of the powers came first. I had been rolling the idea around in my head based on conversations I’d had with my husband about how his anxiety manifests. I thought emotion-based powers were an interesting concept to explore, but they would just result in someone just trying to be happy. So I thought, “What if it were reversed?” What would the pursuit of misery do to a person? Almost immediately, Steven’s voice began to form in my head. I searched ahead to find out if and how Steven comes out to Freya. Freya catches him kissing a guy and then makes him give her a label, even after Steven says he doesn't really know. 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).