Kianola
What if you could change your reality?
Kianola
Warcross on the surface, Stargirl at the heart — set inside the world of an MMO.
Praise for Kianola
“A must-read for middle-grade readers, young gamers, or anyone who has ever felt like they don’t quite fit in.”
— Literary Titan“A compelling story about finding one’s voice and learning to face life’s challenges with authenticity and bravery.”
— Readers’ Favorite“Roth does a seamless job of weaving a narrative that shows friendships and romance in the real world and the gaming universe.”
— The US Review of Books“Educational and empowerment strengths aside, Kianola is quite simply a rollicking quest through self-improvement, friendship-building, and adventure.”
— Midwest Book Review“A messy, heartfelt exploration of adolescence, identity, and the allure of online worlds.”
— Independent Book ReviewForget about want. What I need is you. All that matters is the team we make when we’re together.
— from KianolaEighth-grade Nole is invisible. Shy. Nerdy. Overlooked. The kind of boy who girls ask out on a dare. The kind who can only watch as his crushes date his peers.
Everything changes when his dad brings home a copy of Zenix. A vast online fantasy world of moonlit forests and seaside cities, of yetis in the snow and pirates on the water. The kind of place you never want to leave. But for Nole, it’s something more: a chance to be someone new.
In Zenix, he can fit in anywhere. A jack-of-all-trades. Someone with friends. Like Dapple, all sunshine and trouble. And Kia, the one who feels like home. For the first time, he belongs.
But no matter how amazing Zenix is, it’s just a game. And eventually, Nole has to log out. What happens when the life on screen starts to matter more than the one off it?
A heartfelt coming-of-age story about three kids, three screens, and three bonds made online that are just as real and fragile as anywhere else.
