My husband and I watched The Game Awards the other night, and I felt so sad that Sam and Sadie weren't real... They should have been there! Why can't I actually play Ichigo??

Summary: Sam and Sadie, two friends who met in a hospital during childhood, have always bonded over video games. As they grow older, they find talent and joy in creating games together, but as their relationship changes, so do their creations.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book just won the Goodreads Award for best fiction book of 2022, and it is very clear why!

Sadie and Sam's story took me on emotional, heart-wrenching twists and turns. I was surprised and impressed by the art of writing in this book. It took me longer to read than most books this year, but it's partly because I wanted to soak in every moment.

Books that span the decades are always a favorite of mine. I love watching characters grow and change over the years. This book especially handles the evolving relationships so well along with themes of grief, friendship, love, loss, success, and failure.

I'm so sad it's over but these characters will be with me for a long time.