Category: graphic novel

Review: Dewdrop

DeAnneLeave a comment

Title: Dewdrop
Author and Illustrator: Katie O’Neill
Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: April 7th, 2020

Synopsis: Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends—Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook—get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop’s friends can’t help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It’s up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their own achievements.

As soon as I heard that Katie O’Neill was coming out with another book I had to read it. I absolutely love the messages she weaves into her books and her art style. The bright color palette and her adorable characters are sure to draw anyone in, but in all her works there are beautiful stories and messages that are great for all ages.

Dewdrop is an adorable little axolotl who loves being a cheerleader and encouraging his friends. As they are preparing for the sports festival each of his friends encounter setbacks with what they are trying to do, but Dewdrop is there to help them through their difficulties and offer support.

This was such as a wonderful read that will be amazing for younger children, I’ll definitely be picking up a copy for my niece once it comes out!

If it sounds like something that you or someone you know would like, be sure to pick up a copy when it comes out April 7th, 2020 from Oni Press. Happy reading!

Review: Raven the Pirate Princess Vol 1

DeAnneLeave a comment

I’ve heard of this graphic novel before, but the few things I’d heard of it didn’t tell me much about the synopsis. Still, when I saw it in my local comic shop I was intrigued enough to pick it up.

In this we follow Raven, whose been usurped by her greedy brothers and has the sole purpose of getting back what’s hers. This volume primarily focuses on her gathering a crew and starting her adventure. Though her main purpose remains the same throughout the volume we do see a lot of flashbacks that show what lead her to this place in her life. It’s also very diverse in respect to personalities, race and sexuality.

I loved the art style of this graphic novel, it was very realistic yet vibrant and dynamic. I look forward to reading more of this series and seeing where things go. It will be interesting to see if some of Raven’s motivation changes or not.

If you’re looking for a fun, feminine pirate adventure with tons of humor and a promising story line that is sure to lead to capers.

Happy reading!

Review: Unpopular and Unplugged

DeAnneLeave a comment

unpluggedThis story follows Erin Song, a girl who lives in a technology driven world and who is not popular, but is also not the most unpopular person at school. After she makes a mistake and gets in trouble, her parents ground her and take away ALL screens and technology. It’s then that the story really gets started and Erin starts to realize that some weird things are going on, things that she is only aware of now that she isn’t staring at screens all day.

This story was super fun and perfectly tells some great truths about technology and relationships. Through her adventure a lot of things come into focus for Erin and she realizes that some of the things that were super important to her aren’t really that essential or integral to life. Through her actions she learns some lessons and gets closer to deciding what type of person she wants to be. Shout out to her grandma, who was one of my favorite characters in the story.

The art style and illustrations are full of bright colors and convey a young person’s view of the world around them. It was super easy to read and understand, with humor woven in that perfectly fit the story and would definitely appeal to the audience it’s targeted for.

Unplugged and Unpopular by Mat Heagerty comes out from Oni Press on October 15th, be sure to check it out!

Happy reading!

Review: The Black Mage

DeAnneLeave a comment

the black mageWhen I first heard about this book I knew it centered around a black student going to a wizarding/magic school, but didn’t know much else. The story was fast paced and fun while also dealing with important themes of racism. There was also the inclusion of important figures from the civil war that added to the overall theme and story line.

I feel that stories like this are important, where difficult subjects are openly discussed and shown in a consumable format. While reading you don’t necessarily think about what the overarching message is because the story is a great adventure, but it’s there nonetheless.

The art style perfectly fits the story and the effects for spells were just what it needed. The colors were vibrant and were great with the fantasy aspects of the story.

The Black Mage comes out October 29th, from Oni Press, be sure to pick up a copy!

Happy Reading!

Review: Texts From Mittens by Angie Bailey

DeAnneLeave a comment

texts from mittensTexts from Mittens: The Friends and Family Edition is a great little novelty/coffee table book that would be relatable to anyone who has owned (or been owned by) a cat. Full of fun shenanigans in the form of text messages between Mittens and his mom, grandma, dog brother and other cats.

If you’re looking for a cute book that is sure to make you laugh and you understand the whims of felines, this would be right up your alley. As someone who has a cat and fully accepts that she rules the household, this 100% hit the spot. Many of the portrayed conversations perfectly show some of the more humorous aspects and motivations of cats, especially boxes.

I could probably read these and other text messages like them for days without getting bored. It would be a great book to have and pick a page at random for a quick laugh. Text from Mittens: Friends and Family Edition comes out September 3rd from Andrews McMeel publishing, be sure to check it out!

Happy reading!

Review: The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill

DeAnneLeave a comment

tea dragon festivalI cannot fully express how excited I was to get approved on NetGalley for this title, there may have been some squealing, just saying. The Tea Dragon Festival was definitely one of my most anticipated releases of the year and has fully cemented the fact that I will probably buy anything Katie O’Neill writes in the future.

This story is a prequel to The Tea Dragon Society and you do meet some characters in this story that are in that one as well, which was a great surprise. It really feels like O’Neill is building a world for these stories and I desperately hope there will be many more installments featuring tea dragons and these characters.

I love how seamlessly she works diversity and inclusiveness into her stories, it isn’t there as any kind of novelty or anything, it’s there because these things are part of everday life and part of people’s worlds. This book specifically features a non-binary character and also highlights the use of sign language. Along with that it featured information at the beginning and end for resources regarding sign language, which I thought was a great way to provide information for anyone who is curious after reading.

I will also forever love O’Neill’s art style, she has the perfect balance of simplicity and detail and the color are so vivid that the scenes easily come to life. These stories are whimsical and full of fantasy, but still grounded and full of important messages.

The Tea Dragon Festival is coming out on September 17th from Oni Press, make sure that you check it out and also check out The Tea Dragon Society while you’re at it!

Happy reading!

Review: Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu

DeAnneLeave a comment

mooncakesOh my heart! Mooncakes was such a fun and enjoyable read and was a perfect title to break up my reading. This story follows Nova (a witch) and Tam (a werewolf) as they reunite and face a danger while also exploring their feelings for each other. It was a beautiful story that put a smile on my face, seeing friendship and love blossom between all the characters.

This story discusses so much in the way of real life issues such as family, love, diversity, etc while also seamlessly blending in the supernatural aspects and the mystery they must solve. I would definitely love if there were more stories following these characters, but this also stands well on its own. The art style and color palette are beautiful and fit the tone of the story perfectly. It leans earth tone, but that is perfect for the setting and feel of the story.

Overall, Mooncakes is a beautiful story full of magic and the strength of friendship and love. I’m very interested in seeing more from both the author and the illustrator as their collaboration produced such an amazing tale.

I definitely recommend picking up a copy.  Mooncakes comes out October 15th from Lion Forge.  I know I’ll be adding it to my shelf!

Happy reading!

Review: Under the Moon by Lauren Myracle

DeAnneLeave a comment

under the moonI wasn’t sure what to expect going into this, but was intrigued and wanted to check it out since one of my favorite characters from the Batman universe was Catwoman. This was an interesting take on her younger years and the events that lead up to her being who she was. I did feel like some points were a little too overemphasized, but overall the story was interesting and enjoyable.

This story begins when Selina as a child and discusses her adolescent life into high school. We are shown struggles she goes through both at home and at school and there are certainly a number of pivotal moments that lead her to her journey to becoming Catwoman. I’m not sure if this follows canon at all since I’m not super familiar with the original comics, but you can definitely see some of the things that could have led to her later beliefs and actions in this story. This story is definitely more modernized in the technology shown, which I believe is a benefit for younger audiences that may not be super familiar with the original genesis/backstory of the character.

I loved the art style and the more monochromatic theme, especially when past and present had different color schemes. The characters are richly done and easily recognizable once they are introduced.  I have to wonder if this will be a story that will be continued as it would be interesting to see where else Lauren Myracle could take the character.

Under The Moon: A Catwoman Tale is out now, be sure to grab a copy if you want to add it to your collection!

Happy Reading!

Review: Nanami vol 1 by Eric Corbeyran & Amélie Sarn

DeAnneLeave a comment

nanamiNanami is a story about a teenager who seems adrift in her life, who is dealing with a number of different issues that a teenager would (and often do) deal with. It isn’t hugely apparent just what factors are contributing to her listlessness (there are small signs, but no clear situations presented as to the original cause). One day she finds a strange book and decides to return it, which kicks off her journey.

I love the colors and art style used in this comic. They are really dynamic and quickly draw in the reader. The different scenes and locations are easily discerned. I applaud the artist in creating individuals and settings that will stand out. The concept also sounded amazing when I first heard about it, it definitely had Neverending Story vibes.

My only real issue with this is that I wish more attention was paid to the backstory. Why is Nanami struggling so much? Why does she only have one friend (who honestly doesn’t seem like the best of friends to me, but she tries)? I’m assuming and hoping that this is expanded upon in future issues/volumes, which I would definitely check out.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that has portal fantasy and Neverending Story vibes, then check this one out! It comes out today, April 17th, in the United States from Europe Comics.

Happy Reading!

Review: Haphaven by Norm Harper

DeAnneLeave a comment

haphavenWhen I initially read the description of Haphaven I was intrigued. Haphaven is a graphic novel by Norm Harper and illustrated by Louie Joyce that follows a young teen named Alex as she goes on a quest to save her mother. She has to use all of the superstitions she has learned throughout her life to aid her in a magical world called Haphaven.

I really enjoyed the story in this graphic novel and was surprised by it. It had depth to it that was well developed. The layers to the story lined up beautifully and you find yourself going on this journey with Alex, understanding her hurts and her thoughts. The backstory that was created explained her motivation as well as her character and why she believes the things she does.

Overall this was a really fun story that was full of laughs as well as a daring adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think anyone who likes stories with fantastical elements would also enjoy it.

Haphaven comes out on March 19th from Lion Forge.  Be sure to check it out if it sounds like something you would like.

Happy Reading!