The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic

My video review is on Vimeo at Straight Girl Goes Gay, and both written and video reviews contain spoilers! 4.5 STARS Cover ⬡ Well-done Grammar ⬡ No typos Engagement ⬡ Read all at once (riveted) Likes ⬡ The book started off well - the blue door scene was hilarious and terrible at the same time ⬡ Bridger was an interesting name I hadn't seen before ⬡ Leo came out at school and no big deal was made about it…^ ⬡ How Leo and Bridger started dating was really cute ⬡ I'm glad Bridger didn't have to go through everything alone and in secret, in the end Dislikes ⬡ The fact that Bridger didn't yet know himself, but still dated Leo; perhaps he should have just left him alone for a bit until he figured things out, rather than taking Leo along for a ride ⬡ I wish this book was longer ⬡ ^…but is that realistic? I'm not sure Sex Scenes ⬡ Scene-free Character Depth ⬡ Chest deep Emotional Depth ⬡ Moderately emotional* Mood Upon Completion ⬡ Happy ⬡ Hoping for a sequel Content Warnings ⬡ None Notes *almost the full gamut, but not quite The Straight Girl Goes Gay website contains a ratings legend and brief reviews on hundreds of books.

Bridger is a high school senior who knows his life is going to take a turn…hopefully for the better. He’s recently come to understand that he’s likely bisexual–prompted to his attraction to his gorgeous new neighbor, Leo, who has a habit of moving the lawn in only his shorts… Bridger is scared of what this means for him, as he lives in what he considers to be a small, conservative, hometown: Midden, Michigan. In order to explore this facet of his being, Bridger believes he must go away to college so he can experiment far away where his mother, a nurse who’s working as many double shifts as possible to support them, won’t hear about it and be upset with him. So, he tries to get an assistant job for a local nutty professor, or so he thinks. The first test is entering the house where the professor works–and it’s high stakes. Bridger bests the suit-clad fellow applicants by sheer grit and ingenuity, and that’s the beginning of his new weird life. Pavel Chudinov, his new boss, has a house filled with intrigues, from the stunning Elena who nearly bewitches Bridger, to the caustic gunk that pretty much dissolved Bridger’s new tennis shoes, Bridger knows lots of strange is happening all around him. He brushes it aside, though, because his mission of away-college-funding is all the more important as Leo begins to shine his popular glow all over Bridger and Astrid, his best friend. This leads to a beach party invite that ends with mermaids trying to kill Bridger. And, later, a unicorn attack. Oh, and learning that Elena is a werewolf. Bridger takes all this info in with aplomb, and minor freak outs. The pay is good, and Pavel is kind, as are his house pixies who assist with the work of mediating between the human and myth worlds. People, Bridger comes to realize, will find any implausible reason they can to explain the unexplainable. But Bridger’s hours on the job mean secrecy between him and Astrid, and the time he spends with Leo also strains their relationship. Especially as Bridger isn’t sure if Leo is being friendly out of sheer friendliness, or mutual attraction. What if Bridger’s misunderstood, and makes a mistake that could get him bashed? As the story unfolds, Bridger pieces together the unlikeliest of circumstances: the recent convergence of myth in Midden, Michigan is due to the presence of a hero myth…and that might cause some cramps in his high school if that hero goes the way most of them do: death in glory. Bridger, allied with Pavel, his pixies, and eventually Astrid, are set on dissipating the magic, but Bridger wants it done with the least amount of bloodshed–and heart ache. He’s a sweet guy with real issues happening beyond the magic. I loved how he and his mom got along, and also his tight friendship with Astrid. There are so many fabulous characters here, including Pavel and Leo, who teach Bridger that coming out isn’t the end of the world, and that he’s loved right where he is. The magic is fun, and poor Bridger is a bit downhearted that the unicorn hates him. I was enchanted by the myth-weaving, and the resolution made my heart race. I so wanted Bridger to solve the problem without losing himself in the process, and I was rewarded with the best possible outcome. Bridger finds both love and acceptance in places he never expected. It’s a sweet and happy ending that felt like a beginning–because the book ends but new adventures may arise that he needs to tackle. That blue door was left open to the possibilities...

(I received an advance reading e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review) While the book struggles to find its footing with some awkward and clichéd writing at first, the humor and relatable diversity of Rules & Regulations eventually won me over. I wish the ending was stronger, which is what makes this more a 3.5 rating than a full 4, but the middle portion is filled with sarcastic humor, realistic friendship and an emotional journey with regards to Bridger coming out as bisexual.

A voicey, heartfelt, charming YA with a cast of relatable and realistic characters. For fans of Carry On and Simon VS, Rules & Regs takes readers for a romp filled with laughs, drama, family and friends. Bridger is a great MC who will resonate with any teen who struggled to come out - especially if they were wrangling rampant unicorns as well. Cute romance, smart plotting and an overall lovely read.