Playing Through Every Choices Book, In Order (Part 41: HSS, Class Act 1)

Hey! Today we get a fresh start at Berry High with a brand new M/C, who has an affinity for theater. Can we handle the drama that comes with putting a bunch of theatre kids in the same room though? Let's find out...

Next time, we take a break from performing arts to do a cliche student election story, but with a twist: our close friends and our sibling are competing! That's so dramatic, it's like we never left the auditorium...

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

High School Story: Class Act, Book 1

M/C: Jake Payton

Final LI: Ajay

Favorite Chapter: Chapter 15

Favorite Character(s): Skye, Erin, Casey (I named her Leah!), Rory, Ajay

Least Favorite Character(s): Danielle, Trevor

Overall Rating: 8/10

Review:

This book was entertaining, for the most part. I like how our new M/C is far more socially awkward/introverted than HSS M/C, so he doesn’t instantly make a ton of friends and rise to the top. Erin is an amazing friend, and I wish I knew someone like her in real life. M/C’s sister/brother is a good character, but I kind of wish that both of them were gay, and not just female Casey. I mean, all they’d have to do is swap Amber and Erin’s genders if you choose female M/C, and voila! Male Casey is now gay. Danielle is a thoroughly detestable villain, and I hate how everyone except Erin and Skye believe her accusation at face value with zero proof. Like, shut the hell up Clint and Natalie, you two are literally so annoying. And who the hell even is Trevor? Why does he only become relevant to shit talk M/C and help Danielle’s flimsy accusation? Why does Ajay claim he’s not taking sides, then proceed to completely take Danielle’s side? Why does Rory completely shut himself off from M/C, the one person who could actually understand/help with his worries about his mom? Why does M/C instantly forgive everyone for treating him like shit based on a mediocre accusation? The whole thing just irks me, because it’s just handled so poorly, just to give this book some semblance of conflict in the last four chapters. I enjoyed the scene where HSS M/C and co. talk to our new M/C though, that was a fun diamond scene. I also like how the HSS cast is still there, just in more background roles than before. As for LI’s, I actually enjoy all three. Skye is uncharted territory for me, as a gay guy, but I’m sure she’s absolutely loveable, considering what a great friend she is. Male Rory is who I romanced on a previous playthrough, and he is pretty great - I love the friends to lovers trope so, so much! Ajay is weird because of how he treats you in this book after Danielle’s shenanigans. However, I can relate to him a lot as an unathletic Indian kid who isn’t good at math, and enjoys English and Fine Arts. The only thing I don’t have in common with him is that I’m not bisexual like he is (cuz of that story he tells you about the girl he liked once). All in all, this book was a fun continuation of the HSS saga, and I hope Book 2 will carry on with that!