As an autistic femme person this hit way too close to home. Like girl was this written about me? The exploration of digital friendships and relationships in the modern age through the lens of an autistic girl was so spot on. Ngl garlandia sounds fun as hell to play too. It’s giving lgbt twitch gamer girl and I’m not mad about it.

StreamLine is such a fun adventure to read! Not all autistic experiences are the same and this novel shows just one of them. The one thing I wanted more of was the actual gaming aspect of this novel. I know it was not the central focus but it was what captured my attention the most right away! I was concerned for a few pages there that this would not be a true LGBTQIA+ novel but do not fret if you begin to worry like me, the results are very satisfying!

Diana, an autistic online gamer, plays alongside Wally, a trans girl. Since Wally's avatar is female, Diana believes Wally is a girl. The story delves into Diana's relationship with her mother and her own sexuality. The book's extensive online interaction adds a layer of intrigue. It comes recommended for readers fascinated by online gaming.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been such a long time since I’ve read a book in a day, but this one did it for me. This book does a few good things from the get-go including amazing autism representation which I felt so seen by, the way in which she holes up in her room to game. Lune’s struggle with her mother and understanding her for who she is, not who she wants her to be, spoke to me.

The gaming/streaming aspect was a bit harder for me to grasp, as I don’t know what streaming is like. It’s cute that Lune got together with Nocht, but I can’t really see that happening in real life as she’s an up and coming streamer, while Nocht is the most popular one. If anything, I could’ve seen a potential romance with possibly Taurus, if she was queer. Besides all that, I did enjoy the aspect of Nocht exploring her gender behind closed doors. The relationship was sweet between Lune and Nocht.

All in all, this is a good book for those looking for a book about an autistic lesbian main character that is really into gaming and has a difficult relationship with her parent that gets repaired.

Such a special story

Diana has an online life as Lune, and hopes to be a successful gaming streamer one day so she can prove to her mother it is a career. She feels safe and can be someone different to who she is in the real world where she feels out of place as an autistic person. With a small fan base already supporting her dreams, Lune gets an even luckier break when she gets a change to be friends and get closer to legendary player, Nocht, than anyone else.

This was one of those stories that is an unexpected rare gem that you take a chance on and just end up totally loving. I loved the representation of someone younger, Diana is seventeen, trying to navigate the world with autism, being a lesbian, and her feelings for Nocht, even though her initial crush is just on Nocht’s avatar. Then what was lovely, was how once Lune and Nocht became friends, and feelings on both sides became involved there was even further queer representation as they learned about each other’s identities.

Lauren has created this amazing world with the gaming in Garlandía, and then this amazing real world where it felt as if it was all Lune’s and Nocht’s for the taking. It was amazing and so immersive, such a thought-provoking story, and I really don’t think me review does it the justice it deserves. This was very much about a relationship between two very unique but totally awesome people, who had the power to bring a sense of healing into one another’s live by just showing understanding and care, being kind and accepting, and just loving one another for who they really are.

The story made me empathise with both Nocht and Lune, but also smile, laugh, cry, feel happy, angry, there was just so much, and Lauren took care exploring some situations that were very sensitive but unfortunately a reality in an online world. I admired both Lune and Nocht, loved their friendship and blossoming relationship, and hope we’ll get to catch up with them again one day. Such an awesome read that I am already excited to read again.

I was granted access to an ARC in exchange for a review

4.5 Stars rounded up

From the get go we are starting out really well. As someone on the autism spectrum Diana's actions and thoughts were very relatable. From having a set routine that she doesn't want to deviate from to avoiding her mother because she just... does not understand.

I especially liked the scene in the post office because it's something everyone has done before and it shows how different it can be for someone neurodivergent to accomplish simple tasks that seem so easy to most people.

The gaming and streaming aspects aren't super realistic but that works much better for the written medium. And it still feels relatable to someone who is an avid gamer and involved in streaming spaces. Especially the dehumanizing way streamers are treated is brought across really well.

The way the plot and the characters play together in the later half of the book is very well done. Nocht and Lune are very believable and sympathetic characters. Their struggles are written so well and I was sitting on the edge of my seat hoping the best for them.

All of that was neatly packaged by a satisfying and sweet ending. While there are up and downs over the course of the book the best way to describe it would be like drinking some hot chocolate on a cold winter day. Just pure comfort and you can't help but root for a happy ending for everyone.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a shorter, sweet romance that explores queer identities and neurodivergent perspectives in a respectful, empathetic and charming way.

Sorry, I just did not like this. The lesbian representation was insulting and obnoxious, and the characters just didn't resonate with me at all. I will not be posting this review anywhere but here, to be fair.

This was an awesome immersion in gamer lore. Everything you would want in a story that pulls you in and makes you want more. It's high stakes, well built world that was amazing to read. A great first read for this author. Would live to read more in this world.

LOVED THIS! Want to play the game, want to hug the characters. I felt the autism rep was good, the topics were relevant, and the game world felt real. The relationship dynamics between the friends and the love interests and the mother-daughter were all really well done

This was an amazing book on diversity in people, from our autistic MC to their internet crush who we discover is trans there is a variety of inclusion throughout this book.

Although potentially too descriptive at points, it was a heartwarming world of gaming and the friendships that can develop through it as well as addressing the harms of the internet with cyber bullying and stalking.
Overall, its a great diverse read and a short but creative shelf filler, as well as a great way to support a diverse book written by an own voices author.

⭐ 4.75

"When I’m in the online world, everything is okay. I hate it offline."

This book is wonderful!

It’s always so cool for me to see characters go through similar things that I do because that means I’m not alone. I can really relate to Lune because all of my friends are online as well, and it always feels so much easier than trying to make friends in person.

One thing I couldn’t quite wrap my head around was the “StreamLine” platform. I’m very active on Twitch, so having this whole new platform felt foreign. Mainly getting caught up on the monetization of it & the mindset Lune has of streamer interactions catches me off guard (Lune & Taurus become “equals” and that automatically means Taurus should sub to Lune because Lune subs to Taurus), but these are relatively small issues in the grand scheme of the story.

I love to see queer NDs win!

In *StreamLine*, Lauren Melissa Ellzey deftly explores the complexities of identity and belonging in the digital age through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Diana. Confined to her home and labeled as autistic by society, Diana finds solace and a sense of purpose in Garlandía, an immersive online multiplayer game. As Lune, her online persona, she is a burgeoning video game streamer with aspirations of becoming a professional gamer. With the milestone of one thousand subscribers within reach, Lune is on the brink of turning her passion into a viable career.

The narrative takes a transformative turn when Lune encounters Nocht, a legendary figure in the gaming world. Nocht challenges Lune's perceptions of gaming, friendship, and love, pushing Diana to reconsider her isolated existence and venture beyond her digital comfort zone. Ellzey's portrayal of Diana's journey is both poignant and empowering, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of navigating life with autism. *StreamLine* is a compelling story about the courage to embrace one's true self and the power of forging genuine connections both online and offline.

I liked bits of this book but tired of others. It was a cute romance, though I'll admit it was because I 100% assumed the whole time that this was a romance with a trans lesbian. The warmth and good feelings from the later parts definitely made that part the highlight of the book, but the build-up was disappointing in comparison.

I really liked the way autism was written about in this book - it was easily the strongest part of the way the story was conveyed. I also really liked the importance of friendships and family relationships alongside the romance aspects.

However, the rest of the book was lacking in several aspects. The editing especially could have done with some work - there were a handful of continuity errors that occasionally pulled me out of the story when I noticed them, and I sometimes lost the thread of what was going on. I also didn't quite click with the actual MMORPG setting or the rules of the streaming platform, though especially the former - there were parts that felt a little like the author had adapted prose from other writing from the perspective of a character within the game's setting rather than it being about playing a video game, and that didn't work for me.

Overall, while I wish a greater portion of the novel was more openly featuring a trans woman, this was a pretty cute read. Not super my thing, but it might work better for fans of gaming-based romances.

StreamLine is about self-discovery, family, friendships, heartbreak, love, pure autistic joy & everything in between. The way Lauren addresses, frankly, some tough topics in this book is beautifully done. I don't want to give spoilers, but the LGBTQ+ storyline especially was incredible to read.

Even though I don't game, I have never had an interest in it personally but when I say I related to Lune soooo much throughout this book, her way in which she regulates from overstimulation, her meltdowns & internal struggles...I am pretty sure tears were shed at some points. Lauren has really shared how it feels to be autistic through Lune & I think it's a great way for people to understand.

Lunes & Nochts story is one of the realist love stories I have ever read. I admired Lune showing her pure autistic side, to Nocht facing their personal identity struggles. I have never read fiction with an autistic MC before & this definitely won't be my last.

You definitely do not have to be autistic to read this, I would recommend everyone to pick this up!

I LOVED this book. Where do I begin? first I absolutely loved the representation in this book. The main character felt very relatable. The pacing was perfect and I love how this book explored relationships in real life as well as online. This was a very heartwarming and enjoyable read. Anyone who is a gamer or who is simply in the mood for a nice heartfelt book would enjoy this novel.

Lauren Melissa Ellzey's queer Autistic gamer novel, StreamLine, takes online relationships and gives them the respect and dignity they deserve providing receipts that the online world IS real world too.

The story:
Diana is a recent high school graduate without any solid plans for the immediate future though she's thinking about taking a social media certificate course. Instead of going to college, she wakes up every evening and logs on to StreamLine where she streams herself in the multi play role playing game Garlandia most of the night as her avatar, Lune. Here, she seeks adventures and finds friendship and community from the comfort of her gaming chair. Diana is an Autistic teen who was diagnosed just a couple of years before. She hasn't left the house in over a month. Things like running errands are an extreme challenge, but building a following online and designing her world within a world come easier. Diana (and Lune) is a lesbian with a string of girl crushes IRL and in the game. None greater than the enigmatic dark mage, Nocht, who is a Streamline superstar. Nocht taps Lune for a mission and together they unlock something more.

The takeaway:
Ellzey's Diana/Lune is a highly relatable character especially if you're an Autistic femme and the portrayal of her as Autistic is written in the way only an Autistic femme could bring to life. Ellzey is a bit of a superstar herself as an influencer. Her experience and personality shine throughout the story, which feels authentic. Garlandia is an engaging background for the story that is welcoming even if you aren't a gamer. It feels like reading a fantasy story weaved into daily life. This book explores the life of a person who prefers not to live in the "real world," and demonstrates clearly that this is a life worth living. It explores queer relationships and online friendships. As someone who lives in the real world way too much, this read was a perfect, joyful read that felt better than the real thing. Major kudos to Ellzey for: 1. bringing a realistic depiction of an Autistic girl to life without writing a solomn tear-jerker, 2. making a story that mainly takes place online completely interesting and one-more-chapterable, and 3. for delicately exploring romantic relationships with so much tenderness. Loved this read.

This book centres around a queer, neurodivergent teenager, recently graduated from high school, who is hoping to pursue a gaming career.

I have to say, the author does an absolutely brilliant job of portraying an autistic, queer, gamer main character! Firstly, the pacing is good from the get go. I have not read a book which focuses so heavily on the daily life of a serious gamer but this was done extremely well. The descriptions of in-game adventure feels like a fantasy novel, but without becoming too lost within this. All of these elements had bigger meanings which were often character-driven and impactful for the story itself.

Diana, or Lune, is a wonderful and lovable main character. She is autistic and highly masking. Her struggles and thoughts are very relatable to me and I feel that this neurodivergent portrayal was well written and is fantastic representation.

Without giving any specific storyline spoilers, there is another significant character in this novel who is a trans woman, and the portrayal of her character is also well written, in my opinion.

This is a heartwarming story, with diverse and well-developed characters, and is the perfect story for anyone who enjoys gaming, queer storylines, or just wants to diversify their reading and branch out. I have never read a book quite like this, in the best of ways!

Thank you to Bold Strokes Publishing who gave me an advance copy of this book in exchange for a thoughtful review.
StreamLine is realistic fiction and the story is overall more character-driven, focusing on Lune’s interactions and conflicts with popular gaming streamer Nocht, her gaming friends, and her mom, and her personal growth over time. Nevertheless, the descriptions of gameplay added some action and adventure elements, which I wasn’t expecting based on the synopsis, but I still enjoyed reading them. I found this book to be a realistic portrayal of a high-masking autistic person and their experience, and it was satisfying to see Lune gradually expand her comfort zone and work out her relationships with others throughout the book.
I liked how many characters in the book were more complex than it seems at first glance, not just Lune. A major theme focuses on how people get pigeonholed and reduced to the assumptions other people place on them. Furthermore, people have the capacity to grow and change their attitude and behavior, although not everyone ultimately does. As an autistic person, Lune suffers from other people’s assumptions of who she is and who she should be, especially in the beginning of the book. At the same time, Lune’s perceptions of other characters are filtered through her assumptions, which are proven wrong multiple times in the novel. Several other characters evolve over time alongside Lune’s character arc.
The main issue that I had with this book is that sometimes, the pace felt too slow, and it felt like the story was dragging. This doesn’t apply to the whole book, and there were multiple parts where I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. However, it was noticeable enough in certain parts to me to take off 1 star.
If you like fiction with autistic or neurodivergent characters, character-driven stories, and/or coming-of-age stories, I’d recommend StreamLine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

17 year old Diana has finished school, and has built a life around her routine - wake up in the evening, get ready, and play Garlandia. There, she streams as Lune, where she can be who she wants in this fantasy world. When she meets the legendary gamer Nocht, everything she has built starts to change both online and IRL.

With an autistic main character, I found this story extremely relatable. The descriptions of sensory overwhelm and joy took me deep into Diana's world. It was also very reminiscent of a time when I built friendships and community through online gaming. Throughout the book I felt anxiety and stress and hope.

I truly loved the experience of reading this novel. Lauren Melissa Ellzey has made a wonderful story that I definitely recommend.

Also, it has left me with an extremely strong compulsion to find an RPG to play.

This book is set within the world of game streamers. But covers so many more current issues for teens, YA and adults. Diana, or as she prefers, Lune, is high functioning (in some things) autistic. Ignored or ridiculed in school in real life; she is able to be someone different on line. As she presents her streams we see her struggle with her mum, friendships, anxiety, trolling, relationships, feelings for others and her questions about who she is. LBGTIQA themes run through the story as she becomes friends with Nocht on line and in real life. Because gaming on a computer behind an avatar is much easier than showing who you are face to face. Thank you to Bold Stroke Books, Inc and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.