Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for an advanced copy of We Could be Magic by Marissa Meyer to review! This is Meyer’s first contemporary graphic novel, and I’d say that she hit it out of the park. The story lends itself well to the magic of the graphic novel illustrations from Joelle Murray. 

Sommerland in this book sort of functions like Disney World, so if you’re a Disney Fan, you’ll probably love this book! From the beginning, Tabi is determined to fulfill her goal of becoming a princess, despite the comments she gets from other people. I loved her as a main character, and she has great chemistry with her crush. Getting to see how she interacted with the magic of the park, even when it wasn't exactly how she pictured, was so wholesome and lovely.

My only qualm is that I wish some of the side characters could have had a bit more room to breath. Other than that, this is a delightful graphic novel romance you should definitely check out this summer! 
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Review to come!

Ohhh this one ends on kind of a major cliffhanger. Luckily the next bound volume comes out soon, so I won't have to wait too long! We're getting into the trial of Persephone in this one, and all of the truth is coming out. We've got courtroom relationship drama in Greek mythology style, and I'm enjoying it! As always, especially the art style.

 A delightful middle grade graphic novel set at a summer camp about theater, managing expectations, and friendship. There's a lot here that middle school readers will definitely relate to, from figuring out how to express your feelings for a crush to how your friendships might change moving into high school. The art worked well for the subject matter, and I think a lot of kids will like the focus on theater. If you enjoy queer middle grade graphic novels, definitely check this one out! 

This is such an excellent way to introduce different aspects of the creation of comics to kids. The story is engaging and relatable, and both Telgemeier and McCloud play with the form in a way that makes it fun for kids. There's also backmatter that explains different aspects of the comics industry, and both of their creation process. It'd be a great starter book for anyone running a comic club for kids!

I don't think this is my favorite book from Kyle Lukoff, but it has some really stellar moments throughout the book. Lukoff doesn't shy away from the difficult stuff for a middle grade audience, and I appreciate that. Especially for an audience that is familiar with how dark the world can be. At the end, A emphasizes that he really just wants to be able to be himself, and even if he changes his mind in the future, that's what being a teenager is. All teenagers are just trying to figure out who they are, and trans teens are no different.

Some of the dialogue does feel a bit clunky at times in this, which is why I didn't give it a full five stars. But all of the Jewish mythology included was really interesting, and I definitely recommend reading Lukoff's letter at the end of the book. 

This book is going to be really important for a lot of teenagers, especially in a climate where their identity is constantly being targeted. I hope it finds its way into the hands of those that need it.

Thanks to Roaring Brook and NetGalley for an advanced copy of And They Were Roommates by Page Powars! I loved Borrow a Boyfriend Club when I read it last year, so I was excited to pick this one up. The premise also sounded like it made for a particularly interesting romance, and I was correct on that front. Especially as Charlie realizes he might not quite be over his feelings for Jasper. 

Powars excels at writing a cast of characters that you’ll care about from the beginning (even if they’re a little off-putting at first like Jasper). Charlie forms a little group of friends at Valentine Academy for Boys, who all eventually want to fight for a different future at the school. They all support each other, and I appreciated their little found family.

Jasper and Charlie also had great chemistry from the beginning, even when Charlie was putting up a front of not liking Jasper. To be fair, Jasper grows on you the more you get to know him, so it made sense where Charlie was coming from. All of the events in the story lead to a satisfying ending with hope that the future at the school will be better.

If you like boarding school romances, definitely check this out when it comes out at the end of the month! 
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Review to come!

Always on the hunt for good heist novels, especially since Six of Crows is one of my absolute favorite books. This doesn't live up to that, but there's plenty of twists and turns, with main characters who are definitely morally grey. There is also some great romantic tension between Kane and Zaria, spurred on by the fact that they don't quite trust each other. And they're both planning on double crossing each other. Makes the plot move along at a good clip.

This does end on a cliffhanger, as a warning. I also couldn't help but think about Marvel's Kingpin every time he was mentioned, which creates an interesting picture in the context of this world. But if you like interesting magic systems, reluctant allies, and heists, definitely pick this one up!

I was definitely blown away by the first book in this duology, and I think more people need to read it! This is a nice follow up to the first book, starting about 6 months after the first book ends (but filling in the gaps throughout the story). It took me a little bit to get into it at the beginning because there was a lot that I forgot from the first book, but my gaps in memory were eventually filled in as I kept reading.

What I liked so much about this duology was the magic system and the characters. The magic that Kochin and Nhika have is so interesting, and we get to see more of that in this installment. They also have great chemistry, and you'll be rooting for them until the very end.

A lot of the time, I struggle with fantasy novels in verse because I don't think they give enough room for world building or character building. While I loved the concept of this book, there were some points where the story was a bit difficult to follow because it was told in verse. There are some lyrical, wonderful moments, and the story itself wrestles with some dark, important subject matter. While the book wasn't a hit for me, I can see it connecting with other people.

Thanks to Quill Tree Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of In Case You Read This by Edward Underhill to review! Underhill has been on my radar ever since Always the Almost, which was a delight to read. This is a missed connection kind of story, and while the two main characters aren’t together for most of the book, they still have a cute relationship. It was fun getting to see the connections made between them, despite the distance. A lot of serendipity for them to eventually meet again, which was fun!

I will say, I do wish the two boys had more distinct voices because they sort of blended together by the end of the book. Sometimes I would forget which point of view I was in, especially when the friends sort of started mixing. There was a fun group of secondary characters, though, that really helped to set the scene. I appreciated that both Gabe and Arden have sort of similar experiences, despite moving to different sized towns. They both move through finding community, and it just shows that you can find community anywhere.

Overall, this is a feel good story that will definitely make for fun reading this summer! 
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Review to come!