Gosh, this series keeps hitting me in the face with its utter cuteness! The short comics instantly pick-ups your mood. It’s been three volumes, but I’m not tired yet. 

 This was very cute. I loved the relationship between Robbie and his mama, and his utter competitiveness and gung-ho attitude. The artwork is uniquely stylized, but in some panels the art is too small and grainy. The rapping bits were supremely cheesy. I think it would work better animated because I was rolling my eyes. Also, who is seriously saying “fa-sho” these days? 

Toward the second half, things jump the shark a bit. It gets really dumb (sci-fi dumb), but the story is mostly wonderfully dumb. I think the outlandish-ness will definitely appeal to kids, but the latter end got too technical about coding and whatnot to the point I started skipping lines. While I lost interest there, for anyone interested in STEM that might up the cool factor. 

[rating from enjoyment] 

 I liked this. It was fairly cute and lighthearted. I understand Sam, Mia’s older sister, felt slighted with how lackadaisical their parents got when Mia was born, but she seemed a little too fixated/clingy with her sister, at times. I’m super close with my older brother, but I can’t imagine monitoring his involvement with my wedding that much. As long as you show up, that’s all I need. Maybe it’s different from an older sibling’s perspective?  Also, Black families are not a monolith, of course, but, sometimes, the way Grace be talking to her parents. Like??? Is it the Bridezilla effect? 

Anyway, the meet-cutes, while predictable were nice. You can see where the story’s heading early on, but I didn’t mind reading it. Mia is fine; she’s a nervous rambler. Mia’s friends weren’t that interesting, but, at least, they could stand up for themselves. I’m glad that friends of the MC are standing up for themselves more often now in YA novels than being mistreated. I also really liked Gavin

sometimes, I thought he got too mad too fast. He didn’t always communicate well, but I think that’s realistic for teens.

 

I would definitely be on board for this to become a Netflix series. We need some cute YA movies with black leads. 

 Rated by enjoyment. I didn’t care for this collection at first, but there were better stories toward the end in my opinion. 

An interesting take on how some people, even loved ones, may want you to conform, and when you don’t, they destroy you. Well, that’s what I got from this, anyway. 

I liked the ending. 

A story of shoulda, coulda, wouldas 

Ooh, this one had a burst of color. Reincarnated, star-crossed lovers always ending in death… But it’s meh and melancholy. 

Eh, the professor literally calls this is a “wholesome student-teacher relationship” at a women’s college. Unfortunately, they have really good chemistry, and the male lead is classy. The ending’s almost a tearjerker. I like how many mangas don’t shy away from mature subject matter. 

I liked this a lot, but y’all stay with the bs, talking about pink doesn’t go suit (Riko’s) dark complexions. Anyway, Riko is so adorable! It’s hard to see her get treated like Cinderella the whole time. 

I didn’t know where this was going, but I liked it. 

I liked the conclusion with Jayna’s dad and some Superman’s quotes, but I realize I just don’t care about the Wonder Twins. They’re too bland. 

Quirky, a little dumb, but charming, at times.

 This was a good page-turner! Sometimes, I didn’t like Daunis. She seemed a little stuck up toward the hockey girlfriends though she matures over the course of the story. YA protagonists may seem irrational at times, but it’s more realistic for teen/young adults to not have it all together. I really enjoyed the tidbits about grief, forgiveness, and family.

I LOVED the healthy ending conversation between Daunis and Jamie.

I wondered why the story was set from 2004 – 2005. 

CW: Sexual assault (not detailed), of course, references to drugs