This is a fully illustrated graphic novel about a middle school super genius who starts a lemonade stand to fund his ultimate top-secret project, only to find unexpected competition right across the street when the new kid starts a rival stand.

Robbie Reynolds isn’t just a genius. He’s a super SUPER genius! But he doesn’t have the cash to fund his ultimate (and top secret) project. That’s why he’s opening a lemonade stand. Not just any lemonade stand: this one is state of the art, and his automatista can make you any flavor of lemonade your heart desires! Bacon, salsa, potato salad, dirty diaper—anything you want.

Unfortunately, Robbie isn’t the only one in the Lemonade Hustle. Daphne Du-Ri, his new across-the-street neighbor, has her own setup going, and something about her lemonade is resonating with people in ways Robbie’s can’t. Before the week is over, Robbie and Daphne are in a full-on Lemonade War.

The premise of this one sounded fun to me, and that was exactly what I was looking for. In this story we follow Robbie, who lauds himself as a super genius, and the story is the perfect example of the responsibility that comes with power. We follow Robbie as he competes in the realm of lemonade stands, his being super futuristic and able to provide any flavor and his neighbor, Daphne’s being classic lemonade. He’s determined to find out what she’s doing to bring in customers and make them so happy, sure that something nefarious is afoot.

This was a fun adventure that was full of quirky characters, friendly rivalry and many mad scientists – it was an enjoyable and fun.

Happy reading!

Esme, a barista, feels invisible, like a ghost…. Also, when Esme drinks too much coffee she actually sees ghosts. Yara, the elegant heir to a coffee plantation, is always seen, but only has eyes for Esme.

Their world is turned upside down when the strange ghost of an old-world nobleman begs Esme to take his letter from NYC to a haunted coffee farm in Brazil, to reunite him with his lost love of a century ago. Bringing sinister tidings of unrequited love.

#1 New York Times Best-Selling cartoonist Johnnie Christmas (writer) and Prism Award Nominee Dante L. (artist) bring you a haunted tale of love, ghosts and coffee beans.

In this story we follow Esme who can see ghosts when she drinks caffeine, she has one ghost in particular that she regularly communicates with, but other than that her life is consumed with her job at a coffee shop. We don’t get a ton of information on Esme in the beginning, just a few tidbits, but it does build from there once she meets Yara and goes on a journey to find love as well as discover the truth about some characters they meet along the way. I definitely enjoyed the story itself, but it left me wanting more. I wanted more backstory and foundation on some of the characters. Overall it was a fun read and told a good story.

Happy reading!

Aggretsuko, the hit Netflix show in production for season three, stars Retsuko the Red Panda, a young office worker stuck in a thankless job, whose only stress release is singing death metal at the local karaoke joint. With the help of her friends, can she ever find the job satisfaction she craves – – not to mention adventure, the approval of her mother, and even… love?! These comics explore all these issues and more, brought to life by today’s top talent!

I haven’t yet watched the anime of Aggretsuko, but I’ve heard a ton about it and have wanted to check it out. When I saw there was going to be a comics series featuring her and her fellow characters, I had to pick it up. The art style perfectly matched what I have seen of the characters and anime and Retsuko was a great character to follow. Her bouts of using karaoke to blow off steam was hilarious and relatable at the same time. If you’re a fan of the anime or if you just want to get acquainted with the characters and feel it out, check out this one!

Happy reading!

Collecting the first four issues of Natalie Riess’s delectable series, SPACE BATTLE LUNCHTIME! Earth baker Peony gets the deal of a lifetime when she agrees to be a contestant on the Universe’s hottest reality TV show, Space Battle Lunchtime! But that was before she knew that it shoots on location… on a spaceship… and her alien competitors don’t play nice! Does Peony really have what it takes to be the best cook in the Galaxy? Tune in and find out!

I heard about this one ages ago and wanted to pick it up, so I was excited when I saw it making the rounds and had to pick it up. In it we follow Peony, who is suddenly whisked away from Earth to join an intergalactic cooking competition (similar to Chopped). She’s met by all types of creatures from different worlds, some who are ambivalent or nice, and some who aren’t so nice.

The art style is quirky, and every character is unique. It was a thoroughly enjoyable journey as we watch them all compete. There’s definitely the starting of more underhanded happenings that are hinted at, and the cliffhanger at the end makes me want to pick up the sequel.

Happy reading!

When I heard that there was a graphic novel series which was a prequel to Labyrinth, and specifically was the story of how Jareth became the Goblin King – I had to read it. So I started picking up the individual issues through on my Kindle and reading through them that way.

Regarding the series as a whole, I really enjoyed it. It was told in two timelines, one being following Maria as she tried to save her baby who had been stolen, and the other following Jareth’s perspective while Sarah was making her way through the labyrinth to save Toby. It was really interesting seeing the two storylines and their similarities, as well as which characters were present in both timelines.

The art style was amazing and perfectly fit the Labyrinth aesthetic created by Jim Henson all those years ago. If I had to give the story a star rating overall, I would probably go with a strong four stars, but my breakdown by issue is below.

Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #1 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #2 – 3 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #3 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #4 – 3 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #5 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #6 – 3 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #7 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #8 – 3 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #9 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #10 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #11 – 4 stars
Labyrinth: Coronation Issue #12 – 3 stars

There were definitely parts of the series that I didn’t love, but I would definitely recommend any Labyrinth fan picking this up as it is a solid prequel and does help to fill in some holes here and there.

Happy reading!

Collecting every (terrible) Grumpy Cat comic book story ever — in one giant (overhyped) comics collection!

The World’s Grumpiest Cat — and the world’s most adorable internet sensation — continues to delight fans of all ages. With her ever-present pout and sassy disposition, Grumpy Cat has won the hearts of people everywhere. Now, her unbearable cuteness and infectious sourpuss are featured in a collection of comic stories. If you love the memes, the videos, and that irresistible scowl, then get ready for the wildly fun antics of Grumpy Cat. Her comic book escapades are guaranteed to make you smile… even if she’s scowling!

I had no idea that there were Grumpy Cat comics, so when I saw this on NetGalley I had to pick it up. In the comics we follow Grumpy Cat of course, but also her brother Pokey and their friends. It has a lot of great humorous references and the opposite personalities of Grumpy verses Pokey makes for fun romps that Grumpy refuses to enjoy. It was a really fun read and great for fans of not only Grumpy cat, but cats in general.

Happy (or grumpy) reading!

Trev, Kent, and Brian are allegedly friends, but are best known as the backbiting hosts of the popular ghost hunting show, Ghost Bros. With ratings falling and competition rising, they gamble it all on the Chernobyl of haunted locations: Edgeway Penitentiary.

Armed only with a bag of cameras, some sick tattoos and absolutely zero scientific knowledge, the Ghostbros find conclusive proof of the afterlife at Edgeway… After they die and come back as ghosts themselves, trapped there with the angry ghosts who killed them!

A year later, as film crews arrive for an anniversary memorial special hosted by their most hated rivals, the Ghostbros have to be the best DEAD DUDES they can be, in order to prove to the world that ghosts exist (Oh yeah—and to save the living from a ghostly armageddon, but whatever).

I won’t lie, I’ve been guilty of watching some of the various paranormal ghost hunting shows – so when I saw the premise of this one I had to pick it up. I immediately enjoyed the cheeky fun that was poked at some of the current and past shows, as well as the shenanigans that follows when the Ghost Bros find themselves on the other side of the veil. This story is full of humor, fun capers and a hilarious battle at the end.

Happy reading!

Being sisters is never easy. But when you’re as different as Sarah, Cassiopeia, and Lucille, it’s even harder! The first is haunted by recurring dreams, the second lives with her head in the clouds, and the last spends most of her time with her cat. Then one day they discover a mysterious photo of their mother pregnant. Where was it taken, and who is the baby? And most importantly, why was this photo hidden away in the depths of the attic? To find out, they’ll have to venture into the tangled forest of the Grémillet family secrets!

First things first, the art style of this graphic novel is absolutely breathtaking. It is full of whimsy, vibrant colors and depth. I was instantly drawn into the story on that alone. The story is centered around three sisters who are very different and have different talents. They do show some of the common insecurities that siblings have based on their place in the family, but also band together to try and discover what their mother may be hiding. They each try to process and discover things in their own ways, which leads to both self discoveries, blowups and some hurt feelings, but they come back together because they are family. It was a sweet story with just the right touch of whimsy and I really loved it.

Happy reading!

This third collection from The Onion and the New Yorker contributor John McNamee features his most absurdly relatable comics on our futile attempts to seem “normal,” and why that’s hilarious.

Pie Comics began as a college comic strip way back in the mid ’00s, when flip phones roamed the earth. But after a shoulder injury forced cartoonist John McNamee to simplify his drawing style and improvise comics, Pie Comics evolved into the beloved strip it is today!

I won’t lie, when I see something described as being dry or sarcastic humor, I will definitely want to check it out. I really enjoyed this collection of comics as they perfectly suited my sense of humor. They took a real look at many of the cliches of growing up, as well as real situations that a lot of people face, with a sarcastic twist. I feel the simpler art style really lends to the quick jokes and humor of each comic and thoroughly enjoyed the read.

Happy reading!