My Top 5 Reasons to Read "This Is How We Roll" - Edited by Rosiee Thor
- Kim Bartosch
- Sep 20
- 5 min read
Let’s be real—tabletop games and coming-of-age queer stories? That’s a combo I didn’t know I needed until I read This Is How We Roll. Edited by Rosiee Thor and published by Page Street YA, this anthology rolls deep with 14 short stories from powerhouse authors (hello, Marieke Nijkamp and Anna Meriano!) that fuse fantasy, identity, and friendship into something unforgettable. Whether you're here for the emotional punch or the geeky joy of character sheets and perception checks, this book has something for every reader.
Thank you to the editor and publisher for the book and my honest review. Toppling Stacks Tours sponsors this book tour. Here are my Top 5 Reasons to Pick Up This Anthology:
🎲 1. It’s Queer Joy + Gaming Nerdiness at Its Best
This anthology is a love letter to both tabletop RPGs and queer self-discovery. Every story features characters diving into fantastical adventures while navigating real-life identities, crushes, losses, and friendships. There’s something magical about watching characters use gaming to explore gender, love, and self-worth—and even more magical when it feels this authentic.
And yes, I absolutely got Breakfast Club vibes in one story… but with dice rolls, a rogue bat in a classroom, and Tabletop Game Club hijinks. Perfect? Perfect.
🐉 2. “Gathering the Party” by Anna Meriano is Pure Gold
One of my absolute favorites, Gathering the Party is a laugh-out-loud tale that perfectly balances humor, chaos, and heart. A group of misfits comes together not in detention, but in a makeshift TTRPG club they sneak past the school as “Tabletop Game Club.” It starts with rolling characters—and ends with them banding together to chase a rogue bat out of their classroom. Yes, really.
But beneath the bat-chasing chaos is something deeper: the way each character builds an avatar that mirrors who they are or who they want to be. It’s a beautifully subtle exploration of identity, queerness, and chosen family, wrapped up in hilarious moments and heartfelt friendships.
🧩 3. “Pippin and Genie’s Grand Adventure” is a Masterpiece of Neurodivergent Representation
Marieke Nijkamp’s story Pippin and Genie’s Grand Adventure, hit me straight in the heart. Pippin is a teen with ASD navigating grief and social expectations after their mother passes away. Enrolled in a program called Aspire (which strongly echoes ABA-style therapy), Pippin is encouraged to develop social skills—but it’s through a game, not therapy, that they truly begin to connect.
Enter Genie, a fellow gamer who introduces them to Rune & Lore, a game where everything has rules, structure, and clarity—just like Pippin has been searching for in real life. The parallels between gaming and life, and how those blurred lines help Pippin cope and grow, were so real and raw. As someone familiar with ASD, I have to say—this story was spot on in its emotional depth and portrayal.
Two quotes from this story stayed with me:
“We simply want to give you tools so you feel more equipped to handle a world that plays by different rules.”
And about the game Rune & Lore…
“All the rules are clear. How to act in certain situations. How to behave in social settings... I wish I had a rulebook like that for real life.”
I mean… 😭💜
✏️ 4. The Writing Is Smart, Funny, and Relatable
Each author brings their unique voice and vision to the table—literally—and the result is a beautifully diverse collection that doesn’t just entertain, but connects. From fantasy battles to emotional journaling, these stories reflect the full spectrum of teenhood, queerness, and geekiness.
You don’t have to be a tabletop expert to enjoy it, either. Whether you've never rolled a D20 in your life or you have a stack of character sheets ready to go, these stories speak to something universal: the need to belong, to play, to imagine a better world, and to find our people.
🧙 5. It's a Love Letter to Chosen Families and Finding Your Party
Ultimately, This Is How We Roll is about finding your people—the ones who see you, celebrate you, and help you grow. Every story is a different flavor of that experience: making new friends, grappling with identity, confronting grief, or learning to trust others (and yourself). Just like a great TTRPG campaign, it’s not about the dragons you slay—it’s about who’s sitting at the table with you.
Final Thoughts 🎉
This Is How We Roll is joyful, emotional, clever, and important. It shows how something as simple as a game can unlock real-world confidence, connection, and healing. Whether you're reading it for the incredible queer rep, the found family feels, or the geeky TTRPG goodness, it’s absolutely worth your time.
💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
🎲 Perfect for fans of:
Role-playing games, queer YA, and emotionally intelligent storytelling
📚 Add to your shelf if you love:
Spellhacker, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Geek Love, or Heartstopper with dice.
About the book:
Publisher: Page Street YA
Genre: YA Fantasy, Anthology
Publishing date: September 16, 2025
Rep: Queer, LGBT+
Synopsis:
The magic of tabletop RPGs lives in the creativity of the players. Given the chance to explore gender, relationships, and queer existence across vast worlds with completely different sets of rules, queer players throughout the years have found acceptance, camaraderie, and joy by rolling the dice and kicking ass. This anthology celebrates that TTRPG rite of passage with a diverse lineup of queer authors who are just as mighty with their pens as with swords? and shields? and spells! This collection of fourteen stories includes critically acclaimed authors such as New York Times Bestseller Marieke Nijkamp, New York Times Bestseller Andrew Joseph White, Pura Belpré Honor winner Jonny Garza Villa, LAMBDA Literary Award winner Rebecca Podos, LAMBDA Award finalist Linsey Miller, Indie Bestseller Margaret Owen, and Morris Award finalist Akemi Dawn Bowman.
About the editor:
Rosiee Thor began their career as a storyteller by demanding to tell their mother bedtime stories instead of the other way around. They spent their childhood reading by flashlight in the closet until they came out as queer. Now, they write stories for all ages, including young adult novels Tarnished Are The Stars (a Pacific Northwest Indie Bestseller) and Fire Becomes Her, the picture book The Meaning of Pride, and tie-in novels for franchises like Life is Strange and Firefly. Their short fiction appears in anthologies including the Lambda award-nominated Being Ace, and they are the editor of Why On Earth: An Alien Invasion Anthology and This is How We Roll. Their debut cozy mystery, Dead & Breakfast, is forthcoming from Berkley Press. Rosiee lives in Oregon with a dog, two cats, and an abundance of plants.
This looks like an awesome. Thanks for sharing.