Before we get into the nitty gritty of the story itself, let's talk about the presentation. Maybe it's because I'm not a graphic novel girl, but as soon as I opened Pumpkinheads, the fan blew the glorious smell straight into my face. Oh. My. God. [Insert Janis laugh here.] I immediately brought the book up to my nose and inhaled as deeply as I could. I've never smelled such a scent come from a book before... I think it's all the colored ink?

Anyway, in addition to the smell, it's a beautiful book. It definitely puts you into the fall mood. The cover is gorgeous (as is all of the artwork throughout) with a raised title. You open the front cover and find a map of the pumpkin patch. It's amazing. I was juiced to read this when I initially pre-ordered it, but that excitement multiplied the minute I held it in my hands.

The only reason I pre-ordered and read this book is because of Rainbow Rowell. I'm a die-hard fan of hers and will read anything she writes. As before mentioned, I am not a graphic novel fan--just a Rainbow one. So, I didn't really know what to expect. The two big things I love about Rainbow's writing are her pop-culture references and her humor. You will not be disappointed. Even in graphic novel form, she's hilarious. The artwork is full of humorous signs and references that you have to hunt for.

To be honest, I was really disappointed by the start of her plot. Boy sees pretty girl. Boy never talks referenced pretty girl, but makes a friend instead. Boy continues to not talk to pretty girl (for 3 YEARS, by the way). The book is about these friends going on a wild goose chase to locate this pretty girl for the boy to talk to. It was a pretty weak plot, in my opinion. However, it gets better! It's a Rainbow book, so we'll have authentic plot twists. There are lots of those that deepen the plot.

My favorite thing about this book is the subtext. There is so much about this story that goes unsaid; you see it in the artwork. You see the looks one friend gives another. You see aspects of the book that are never talked about, but are huge parts of the story. It's amazing. Bravo! Oh, and I like that it has chapters.

There was one question I had throughout the entire book. What the hell is succotash? I looked it up. Just in case you're wondering, it's a dish that consists of corn, lima beans, okra, green or red peppers, and tomatoes. Who knew?