Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/01/2025 *Starred Review* In this fantastic collection, a star-studded lineup of contemporary queer YA authors write with all the emotional depth and inclusive warmth they are known for while exhibiting the cathartic ability of role-playing games in allowing teens to explore identity outside of societal expectations. The life-changing power of camp, with all the fear and discomfort it can bring, is palpable whether it’s in an Earth-bound summer camp (“Camp I,” by Jamie Pacton) or interstellar youth camp (“Camp II,” by Rebecca Podos). Characters wrestle with awakening to their own identities (“Captain’s Log,” by M. K. England) and the trickiness of coming out (“Oathbreaker,” by Andrew Joseph White). White’s “Oathbreaker” also examines how a parent and child can work out fraught personal issues through their understanding of each other’s gameplay. Sisters begin to repair their relationship in Margaret Owen’s “Five Times the Wizard Almost Died and One Time She Did,” and Alisha finds more than just a friend when her nemesis Stevie joins the party in DeAndra Davis’ “Haunts for Heathens.” The 12 stories are longer than some anthology fare, giving readers time to sink into the context of each game’s complexity, suspense, and well-rounded characterization. Though queer TTRPG stories may seem niche in scope, this collection is expansive in genre, tone, and identity; many young, contemporary RPG players will see themselves lovingly represented. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.