Playing Through Every Choices Book, In Order (Part 31: The Sophomore 1)

Hey! Today, we begin our sophomore year at Hartfeld and see if it will somehow make up for the travesty that was freshman year!

Next time, we wrap up our sophomore year, and we also near the end of this incredibly long series!

Link to previous reviews: https://www.reddit.com/user/stresseatingdog/comments/sj3s3m/all_choices_reviews_megapost/

SPOILER WARNING, AS ALWAYS!

The Sophomore, Book 1

M/C: Stella

Final LI: Zig

Favorite Chapter: Chapter 17

Favorite Character(s): Zig, Becca, Zach, Amara, Annisa, Rachel, Chris

Least Favorite Character(s): Abbie, Tyler, Manny

Overall Rating: 6/10

Review:

Is it weird to say that I have no concrete opinion on this book? Like, I enjoyed some bits, but for the most part, I was just kind of bored. The whole living in a house together thing is fun, I suppose, but it's just an excuse to keep all the characters in the same space lol. Tyler and Abbie are pretty annoying in this book. Like, why is the game forcing me to care about their shitty relationship? They have no sense of communication or anything with each other, and yet decided to move in together? Sebastian rearing his head in again was also odd, but he’s a little more tolerable now I guess. The Manny storyline with Zig is interesting, and I guess we’ll have to see where Book 2 takes it. Zig, btw, is still amazing, and I still love him, and I still desperately wish this series wasn’t genderlocked so I could date him as a dude. Annisa is a fun new character - I really love her sprite. Reyna’s alright I suppose. I find it kind of odd that Kaitlyn and James are the only two LI’s you can pair off with an alternate partner. Why don’t Becca, Chris, and Zig have alternates? Zig’s could be that roommate of his, Aaron, and Becca’s could be…Chelsea or something? Or maybe Chris? And Chris’s could be Becca or…Rachel? Idk, just throwing ideas out. It’s just weird that only two LI’s get alternates. I heard Zack is annoying if you’re playing a single route, which sucks. I really liked Zack in the first three books, and he was kind of irrelevant in this book if you’re dating someone, so it’s sad to hear that he’s not that likable if you’re playing as single. The toxicity in this book is definitely down compared to the first three though, so that’s good. All in all, a somewhat-boring book, but still palatable.

On a side note, Zig's bisexuality is brought up for the last (?) time in this book, and is left to be forgotten after this (at least from what I could tell as I'm playing Sophomore 2 currently). That's honestly really sad. Why make him bi, then have him only romanceable as a woman, and then on top of that have no alternate male LI for him to make up for the genderlock? I much prefer bi characters like Lucas from It Lives In The Woods, who is in a GOC book as a LI, or Kendrick from Distant Shores, who isn't a LI at all, and as such is just good rep. Zig's bisexuality seems more of a character trait than a genuine part of him, used only to propel the Manny storyline (which ends in Book 2), and that's pretty sad for what is supposed to be good rep. Hell, Zack, who is literally the GBF stereotype incarnate, is better rep, and he's neither a LI nor someone whose final relationship/LI you can control.

I just realized I typed up a whole paragraph on a fictional character's sexuality and how underutlized it is, and you know what? I'm not that ashamed of myself lol. I've been doing this series for 31 parts already, so I think I'm allowed to become overly invested/care too much about these characters.

I am rambling way too much today...anyways, peace out y'all, and I'll see you tomorrow for Book 2!