Well, this one got kind of dark! Might be the best of the entire Gauntlet batch, honestly. The storyline felt more cohesive and it felt like it was working towards something. Plus, there were some really great layouts in this particular volume! It drove home the action, and the character work was excellent. 

It's kind of odd that they included an old Juggernaut story in this collection. It honestly seemed out of place? The whole arc of this particular volume was kind of messy and a bit difficult to follow because of it. I wish they would have just focused on what was actually going on and tied in a bit more of that story. Overall, I just kind of felt eh about this particular volume.

The first couple of issues in this I really enjoyed, the one with Morbius and the one with Flash. The kind of tied into the overall story arc happening at this time, but not totally. Which is fine with me! The issues with the Vulture weren't necessarily my favorite, but the ending with the Rhino hit right at the heart. An overall mixed compilation, but still enjoyable nonetheless!

Another haunted house book! Been on a roll with that lately, I guess. Sambury also examines some pretty complex monther/daughter relationships in this book, in both points of view. Not going to lie, I didn't really appreciate the entire thing with the maggots, but other than that, this is a horror I enjoyed!

The way that Sambury weaves these two different storylines is masterful. They take place about 10 years apart, but using these two different stories helps to create suspense in the overall book. Brittany is a part of a show that investigates haunted houses, and they're on their way to investigate Daisy's. Both narratives kind of build up to the same point, and I think it creates an excellent flow for the plot.

The cast of characters is also well developed, even if they're not particularly likeable. They all have stories that are complex and interesting and engaging. Bonus: the audiobook narrator was also great!

 Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy of Northranger by Rey Terciero to review! Always down for a good queer graphic novel, so I was excited to pick this one up. From the art to the writing, I am happy to say that this one didn’t disappoint!

This is a loose retelling of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, which Terciero talks about in the afterward. I haven’t read that particular Jane Austen book, so I didn’t realize that until the end! What I liked about the story was the way that horror movie elements were infused throughout, from the layout of some panels to the story with Henry’s family. It made the writing engaging, and paralleled what was happening in Cade’s own life.

The romance between Cade and Henry is sweet, but it also deals with difficult issues like mental illness and family acceptance. As we know from the current state of book challenges in Texas, being a queer teen there isn’t always easy. I appreciated the way this was acknowledged, and the ways that Henry and Cade dealt with it in different ways. There’s a little something for everyone there.

With a great cast of side characters as well, I think this will make a great summer read when it comes out in June. If you’re a fan of queer YA graphic novels, this one should definitely be on your radar. 

 Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of Time Out to review! Not going to lie, the cover made me think this was a graphic novel for some reason. Which it is not! But honestly, it could potentially make a great graphic novel anyway.

Even though I thought this was a graphic novel, I did enjoy it once I got into it. The subject matter is right up my alley, and I appreciated the ways that the issues were explored. Being set in small town Georgia affects a lot of the story, so be prepared for quite a bit of homophobia and bullying; if you’re not in the right headspace for that, I’d skip this one for now.

One of the comp titles for this book is Heartstopper, which I get, a little. I would more accurately compare this to High School Musical, but if Troy Bolton came out as gay instead of just wanting to sing. Like spot on, those are the vibes this story gives off. Not to mention the basketball team mascot is the Wildcats. 

The writing overall wasn’t the best writing I’ve seen, but it’s a quick and easy read, and I do see a lot of teens being able to relate to Barclay. I also appreciated that this is a coming out story, but it’s not about Barclay necessarily finding the confidence to be himself. He has confidence from the beginning. It’s about him finding a way to use that confidence outside of basketball.

All in all, this is a quick read that is sure to find its audience among teens. 

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for an advanced copy of Tegan and Sara: Junior High Ilby Tegan and Sara Quin to review! Illustrated by Tillie Walden, I knew I had to pick this one up. Tillie Walden is one of my favorite graphic novel creators. Love some queer middle grade graphic novels, too!

The art: phenomenal. Of course, we wouldn't expect anything less from Walden. I just love her art style, and this one incorporates what looks like watercolor. The layouts and the illustrations lend themselves well to this particular story, and the use of color for the different sisters helps show who is speaking.

However, the writing felt a little all over the place to me. Some of the storylines were a bit difficult to follow, and some of the pages felt a little to wordy. The themes hit on classic middle school themes, with the added context of them being twins. I was also confused as to why they decided to change the story to present day? The story might have worked better if they would have kept it set in the 90s. Kids would still dig that! The 90s are in, apparently. I think it would have helped make the writing feel less like it was all over the place.

All in all, loved this for the illustrations, just wish the writing would have been a little tighter. 

Always love a good Mysterio story because you know it's going to be a wild ride. And this one was no different. Bringing back a bunch of people from the dead, making it seem like Spider-Man is killing people. It was a captivating story and I really enjoyed it!

The Rhino story was pretty good too, protecting the old Rhino from the new. The art really varies between these two stories, but I wasn't necessarily mad about it. We have some loose ends throughout, but that's to be expected with a longer storyline like this one. Hopefully they figure out what's going on with Aunt May!

I liked the Electro story in this, but the Sandman story was a bit strange. I also definitely liked the art in the Electro issues more. The art in the Sandman issues felt a little too sketchy to me. Like they almost weren't completely finished. There's also a random Black Cat issue thrown in this collected volume that overall felt out of place with the rest of the story that was happening here.

But, it's a good set up for the larger event that's just starting, so I did appreciate it for that.