First published 2016
Jaxon has never been on a date. He spends his days blasting through galaxies and slashing through digital armies. Then he meets Serena, a real girl who laughs at his jokes and agrees to go out with him. Ten minutes later, his family commits him to video game rehab. Now Jaxon faces four days to earn one million points through real world activities. He needs to get out in time for his first date ever. Jaxon will lie, cheat, steal, and even learn to cross stitch if it means reaching Serena. But earning points through actual skills proves harder than any boss battle. The other teens in treatment force him to examine his absent mother and his isolation. Jaxon discovers that video games might not be the only thing blocking him from genuine human connection.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, young-adult
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
320 pages · Kindle Edition · Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: mental-illness