This book kind of reminded me of Inception, in a way, though set in an alternate version of the 80s. It's a little distopian-esque, with people all around the world in danger of losing their memories. So, the government invites a group of teenagers to a school to basically test a new technology to help combat the memory loss.

There are quite a few 80s pop culture references in here, partially to help world build, I think. For the most part, I don't think it was needed, especially becuase this is sort of supposed to be an alternate version of the 80s. But they could be fun for some!

The last third of the book is the best, as they're going on a sort of memory heist to potentially stop a terrorist. This is the part that feels like Inception, and I actually really enjoyed that! Since there's going to be a second book, I hope it builds more on that particular part of the story.

The characters are pretty well developed, despite there being multiple narrators. They all felt like they got an equal amount of time to tell their story, and gave us a rounded view of what was actually going on. It's quite a fun group of friends to read about.

All in all, an enjoyable read, and probably enough to make me pick up the second book when it comes out in 2023!

What I loved the most about this was the art, to be honest, though YA graphic novels seem to be slaying with the art lately. There are some really excellent panels throughout this book, helping to build the witchy community that Emsy finds herself in when her parents move her back to the east from California.

For the most part, the characters were well-developed, and we get a lot of diversity that's just there. Some of the side characters blend a little into the background, but the main characters do get chances to shine, even if they are teenagers who don't make the best choices. We've all been there.

The plot of the story was fairly easy to predict; the "twist" is pretty easy to see coming. I also kind of wished that we got a little more backstory from the coven. Emsy's parents were like, we had to leave for safety reasons, but the stakes didn't feel high enough for me? Besides the fact that the bad guys had killed an entire family. I wanted that aspect to be a little more fleshed out, to help add more of an urgency to the plot.

Despite that, I'm all for all of the queer witchy graphic novels currently coming out, so keep them coming! I will absolutely keep reading them.

Apparently I'm basically reading my way through all of the graphic novels/comics nominated in the 2022 Goodreads awards, and I'm okay with that. The premise of this one is the goddess of death is fired after a baby is born who is supposed to invent immortality. So, she is sent into the body of Laila Starr, and embarks on a journey learning about mortality and death.

There are some absolutely beautiful illustrations in this. The opening panel of Mumbai--stunning. I loved the color palette used throughout, bringing to life a lot of beautiful landscapes. And also adding a sort of mythological quality to the story itself.

The story reads kind of like a fable, and I think if you like Good Omens, you will definitely enjoy this book. It's got a bit of humor, a bit of philosophical discussion, and a little bit of magic. The art was still my favorite thing about it.

With the comparison to Stranger Things, I think I wanted more out of this book than I actually got. Yes, it does fit in with the a Stranger Things vibe: something strange happens in the 80s, it's up to a group of teens to set things right. For me, it didn't push the envelope enough. it has a spooky factor, but it could have been pushed even more, I think. 

As someone who definitely reads for character, there also could have been more character development. We did get some, but the flipping between timelines took a little away from the development of the characters. I didn't necessarily feel a connection to any of them, which took away from the story for me.

I did appreciate the discussions about sexuality, especially set in the context of the early 90s. I've seen more books set in this time period focusing on sexuality, which I think is great for YA. It shows things have both changed and not changed at the same time.

All in all, I wanted a little more from this, but it will still make an enjoyable read for spooky season!

Fans of Miyazaki are sure to love this; it reads very much like one of his movies, with a lot of narration, quite a few wordless panels, and very little dialogue. The artwork is, of course, beautiful, with many sweeping landscapes throughout the book. 

It's an unusual little story, but enjoyable to read. I also recommend reading the afterward, because it gives historical and mythological context, as well as a little history on Miyazaki himself. This book was written just two years before Studio Ghibli became a thing, and I enjoyed reading some of the history behind it. Anyone who is a fan of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki will love every moment of this book!

Studying at Fox Glacier High School for the Magically Adept, Tim Te Maro and Elliott Parker have never gotten along. Not that their paths have crossed all that much. But when Tim's girlfriend dumps him for Elliott's boyfriend, Elliott devises a plan to get revenge. They'll partner up for the baby egg project, and do it better than their exes.

What starts as an innocent project shows Tim and Elliott that they might be more compatible than they thought. What starts as a friendship evolves into no-strings-attached hookups. But when feelings start to spark between them, they realize that emotions can start to get messy. Especially when they don't know if the other person also feels them, too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Independent Publisher's Group for an advanced copy of Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues by HS Valley to review! I heard a pitch for this as a mini book conference I went to last fall, and it sounded right up my alley. And I was right! Plus, one of the comp titles was Red, White, & Royal Blue, so you know I had to read it.

Outside of having a really long title, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Tim and Elliott have excellent chemistry, right from the beginning. The way their relationship evolves throughout the book feels realistic, and you'll come to love these two goofballs by the end. And the magical baby egg assignment is such a fun concept! I don't know why someone hasn't included that in a book before. It made their whole relationship even more fun.

While the comp titles are Red, White, & Royal Blue and The Magicians, I think a more fitting comparison is Carry On. You've got magic, rivals to lovers, and a magical school. Sure, neither of them is a vampire, but the overall tone and story felt similar to me. So, if you love Carry On, you'll probably enjoy this!

My only qualm is that I wish the world building had been made a bit clearer. The whole magical school thing was cool, but I still wasn't quite clear on the magical system and how it worked. A few more details in that regard would have been helpful.

Outside of that, this is a super fun, light read, and it'll be a great one to add to your romance TBR!

This book was just an all around treat, from the art to the story to the characters to the world. Much of the artwork reminded me of a Ghibli movie, with magic inbedded in almost all parts of the land. Jo just wants to figure out to save her town from the chaos that has descended; Orla reluctantly decides to help her, since it seems to be her grandmother that caused it in the first place.

I can't get over the artwork in this book. It makes you want to travel to this little town, whip up magic and spells and just have a cup of tea. Like, I am seriously considering buying it because I loved it just that much and I want to have it on my shelf just to look at from time to time.

The relationship between Jo and Orla was also adorable. I just loved them together. If you're looking for a cute, magical, beautiful graphic novel to round out your 2022 reading list, I highly recommend this!

 Thanks to Bloomsbury YA and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Afterglow by Phil Stamper to review! This is the sequel to Golden Boys, which came out last year. And yes, you definitely need to read that one first because you will miss a lot of character development that is very important in this one!

I actually enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed Golden Boys. The story goes in a bit of a different direction than I was expecting, and we get to see more of the four friends interacting. We didn't get a lot of that in the first book because they all went different places for the summer. Overall, this book felt like a more cohesive story, even though it still had four different narrators. You'd think you'd get overwhelmed by that, but you don't really in this book.

A lot of teens will relate to the boys' fear that after they all graduate, they're going to lose touch with their high school friends. They'll relate to the anxieties of graduating high school, of feeling like you have to have it all figured out. Stamper hits the tone just right in this book, and with the four strong main characters, you'll be sucked right into each of their lives.

I did think that maybe the book was a tad longer than it needed to be, but other than that, this is a great follow up to the first book. If you enjoy Stamper's writing, you'll want to pick this one up! 

Quite honestly, an absolute delight of a middle grade graphic novel. Not only does it have a great diverse cast, but the story is just so wholesome. A girl loses her parents, and goes to live with her ecletic aunt, who is cursed to be a monster from an adventure gone wrong years ago. Now, they're all going on a new adventure to stop it from happening to someone else.

The cast of characters in this is just a fun bunch of people (and a person cursed as a monster). I think middle grade readers are going to eat this up, especially with the adventuring point of view. It's just such a fun story all around.

The main reason this isn't getting 5 stars is the plot gets a little chaotic by the end of the book. Some of the pieces are a bit difficult to follow, but that didn't take away too much from my enjoyment. Such an overall fantastic book!

Beautifully drawn and colored, this the mysterious magical school book you didn't know you needed. There's something to be said about purple/pinkish color palettes, and it might actually be my favorite for graphic novels. Book renders the school in this so beautifully that you'll want to go to it. Especially that witchy library.

The plot wasn't necessarily the strongest aspect of this book, but the characters are what really stand out. Sometimes characters in graphic novels can blend into the background, but that isn't the case here. Boo does a great job making them all unique and stand on their own, outside of this magical world that she has created. Thoroughly impressed by this, and I will keep a lookout for other things Boo writes because this is lovely!