This is How We Roll
edited by Rosiee Thor
PageStreet YA
Published September 16, 2025

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About This is How We Roll

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.

My Review

My last DnD campaign (and my first as DM) fizzled out as the holidays hit and players got busy with other adventures. Reading this book made me remember all the reasons I love playing Tabletop Role Playing Games (TTRPGs) to begin with.

First off, the stories are all super entertaining. Most balance the in-game storytelling and at-the-table experience of the players perfectly. There are a couple that really only show one side of the experience, and those are so creative. They all fit perfectly into the collection.

The stories also encapsulate a wide variety of gaming experiences, from playing with longtime friends to a new group playing for the first time, or a new player joining an established group. Sometimes the story is from the perspective of a new player, and at other times, we follow the experienced player as they navigate feelings about the newbie at their table. Some groups play the game in person, while others play online. Some homebrew the experience, while others meticulously follow the rules of the game.

The players represent an inclusive group, too. In the opening story, the point-of-view character uses a wheelchair (from an injury). Some stories center queer identity and/or neurodivergence and show how creating a game character free to interact with the world sans the expectations of the people who “know” us can help people recognize truths about themselves and others.

I also like that the stories include the interpersonal challenges that can come from playing the game. In one story, a player’s character makes unwelcome romantic advances at another player’s character. It’s handled safely, but shows the discomfort and the anxiety the player feels about how to resolve the situation. In another story, a group welcomes one player’s rival as a new player at the table. One story shows a DM whose behavior threatens to extinguish the campaign, and how the players respond.

The authors also explore the circumstances surrounding the gameplay creatively, too. One of my favorite stories takes place in the far distant future in space, where a group of kids uses a “prespace” artifact (a DnD player handbook) to try out what they rightly assume was a popular game on earth. That was such a fun take.

In one story in which the characters play the game online with separate chat logs from in-game dialogue and secret character identitites, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who at first. I’m still not sure I understand all of the connections between the players. I like that the collection showcased that style of gameplay and the development of relationships between players, though.

All in all, this is a fabulous tribute to TTRPGs and people who love them. I think both people familiar with the games and those with a passing interest will enjoy this collection. It’s so much fun.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Stories include descriptions of characters’ TTRPG sessions fighting mythical creatures, using magic, etc. A couple stories include characters from Christian families with religious objections to DnD in particular, referring to the game as leading players astray from their faith.

Violent Content
Descriptions of situations of peril. One story includes a wild animal accidentally trapped indoors and the attempt to get it outside without putting the characters at risk for disease or harming the animal. References to homophobia, transphobia, and prejudicial comments about ace identity.

Drug Content
None.

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