Bye Forever, I Guess
Bye Forever, I Guess by Jodi Meadows is a middle-grade novel published by Holiday House, Incorporated on September 9, 2025. This 288-page book follows thirteen-year-old Ingrid, who navigates the complexities of school life while maintaining a vibrant online presence as a gamer and social media enthusiast. Struggling with her identity as the “Girl With Dead Parents,” Ingrid finds solace in her favorite MMORPG and the fantasy worlds she loves, but real-life challenges begin to surface when she confronts her popular friend Rachel.
Readers will discover Ingrid’s journey as she grapples with friendship, love, and the desire for genuine connections. The story explores themes of social dynamics, the impact of grief, and the challenges of middle-school relationships. As Ingrid receives a wrong-number text from a boy at her school, she embarks on a quest to understand whether their online bond can translate into real life. Bye Forever, I Guess presents a humorous and heartfelt look at the messiness of growing up, the power of friendship, and the healing nature of fantasy.
Official synopsis Publisher
Can a guarded gamer girl lower her shield for a new friend… or more-than-friend?
“EARNEST AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD… PITCH PERFECT.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
Thirteen-year-old Ingrid’s been living a double life. At school, she’s the Girl With Dead Parents, her popular friend Rachel’s charity case. Online, things are different: she crushes it in her favorite MMORPG, geeks out in her favorite fantasy fandom, and runs a popular social media account. If only real life were that easy.
But when Ingrid finally stands up to Rachel and “starts drama,” it suddenly feels like she has no life at all . . . and nowhere to sit at lunch.
Until she gets a supersweet wrong-number text from a mystery boy at her school, and everything starts to go right. Spending time together playing Ancient Tomes Online as “Stitches” and “Traveler” makes her feel like she’s really connecting with someone. But when she begins to suspect that Traveler may be a popular classmate who is WAY above her in the cool-kid food chain–and whose original text was actually intended for Rachel–she faces a difficult choice. Can they be friends IRL? She wants to open up, but getting close to people has hurt her before.
Is making real friends only fantasy after all?
Bye Forever, I Guess is the fresh, funny, and deeply sweet middle-grade debut of New York Times bestselling author Jodi Meadows (MY LADY JANE). Speaking to the messiness of middle-school friendships (and first loves), this is a warm, witty, enormously entertaining book–and a love letter to geek culture, gaming, and the healing power of fantasy.
“HILARIOUS… Charming, funny, and endearing.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The most DELIGHTFUL middle-grade romcom I’ve ever read!”–Ellen Oh, award-winning author of Finding Junie Kim
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