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Lonely in Happy Town by Kristopher Mielke

Lonely in Happy Town

Kristopher Mielke

James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers · Paperback · May 20, 2025

A Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book for Kids & Teens, starred selection In Kristopher Mielke’s romance set in the world of gaming, a lonely teen works nights at a convenience store, only coming alive in the game Happy Town — but he soon finds himself crushing on the same girl in both places.

Coming of AgeContemporary YA RomanceYA Tech & Digital Liferomance
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Who it’s for
A teen’s crush on one girl spans his convenience-store job and Happy Town.
Themes
Identity and self-discovery, Fantasy and reality
Genres
Contemporary YA Romance, YA Tech & Digital Life, Coming of Age

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About this book

A Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Book for Kids & Teens, starred selection In Kristopher Mielke’s romance set in the world of gaming, a lonely teen works nights at a convenience store, only coming alive in the game Happy Town — but he soon finds himself crushing on the same girl in both places. Juggling the complexities of his feelings, he must confront the blurred lines between fantasy and reality while navigating his own identity.

Continue reading

As he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, he faces the challenge of bridging the gap between his two worlds.

Happy Town’s Two Worlds

A teen’s crush on one girl spans his convenience-store job and Happy Town.

Come here for

  • A convenience-store job after dark
  • A crush spanning work and Happy Town

Expect

  • Tension between gaming fantasy and everyday life
  • A teen’s search for identity and self-discovery

Where it sits

YA Tech & Digital Life69%
Contemporary YA Romance65%
Coming of Age43%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Tech & Digital Life
  • YA Transgender
  • Dating & Sex for Teens
  • Emotions & Feelings for Teens
Authors
Kristopher Mielke
Publisher
James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
Published
May 20, 2025
Format
Paperback
Theme
Identity and self-discovery · Fantasy and reality
Reading lane
YA Tech & Digital Life