One month of reading is COMPLETE! My 2022 reading goal is off to a good start as I made a decent dent in my TBR pile. It’s a good mix of graphic novels and prose, and as usual, I included mini-reviews of the books. If you’re so inclined, clicking on the title of the book will take you to Bookshop where you can purchase a copy for yourself. So let’s dive in!
- Die Vol. 2: Split the Party by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Clayton Cowles – The art in Die is incredible; it’s just next-level gorgeous between the one art itself and the stunning palette of colours used to draw the eye around the page. It’s probably my favourite thing about this series. I love Kieron Gillen’s ideas. Like, I don’t think there’s a single thing he’s concocted that I’m not 100% on board for, in theory. Everything he puts into the world feels like something I should wholeheartedly enjoy. And yet, I find myself struggling to really get into his stories—for me, they suffer from being too big, with too much going on. In the case of Die Vol. 2, I remember really enjoying the first volume and I wonder if it was just that too much time passed between me reading them and I didn’t remember all the bits and bobbles to make the second volume epic too. I love the concept, the characters, designs, etc. though.
- Fence Vol. 3-4 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad, Joana LaFuente, and Jim Campbell – It’s been a long time since I’ve felt invested in an ongoing series like this. Fence is a true joy to read from the complex characters and diversity in each of them and their personalities to the engaging story of zeroes to heroes—or at least that’s where I assume this is all going to—but even if that’s not the case, this loveable group of fencing misfits is enough to keep me coming back. I really, really love this book.
- Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Asiah Fulmore – Shannon and Dean Hale are no strangers to adapting comic characters and producing fun original stories for people of all-ages, but especially kids. This is a fun exploration of the character Amethyst that requires no prior knowledge of her storylines; it reimagines her origin and gives life to her childhood. Art and colours feel reminiscent of Agnes Garbowska’s work mixed with a little bit of manga flavour. This will surely be a hit for young people who enjoy She-Ra and My Little Pony.
- I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki and Yoshi Yoshitani – A heartfelt exploration of awkward teenage life from the lens of a young woman in the shadow of her mother…a superhero! Fighting against expectations, peer pressure, and hormones, I Am Not Starfire is a great coming-of-age story for the modern young person.
- Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long – A debut that takes a Viking priestess with the powers of her god and puts her at the center of a vast shift in the world as the old gods rise up against the new. Hessa has to follow the bidding of fate or risk everything she has ever known coming to an end. While I did ultimately enjoy the story, I will say that it was a bit of a slog at times and I struggled with finishing it. But it did come together in a satisfying way and I loved the lore and mythology within. For fans of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.
- Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire – I went into this mostly blind and didn’t realize that at the heart of it, it’s a pretty dark murder mystery. I kind of thought it would be a Miss Peregrin’s style story for an older audience and I guess it sort of is? Loved it though; the concept of people finding magical doors all over the place and needing a place to go to process when they return home is nothing short of brilliant.
- The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – What an incredibly captivating book! Although I left it with many more questions (that I’m sure are addressed later in the series), I was deeply enthralled by this multi-POV story filled with magic, mysticism, and mythology. The characters were compelling and unique! And again, I have questions (so many questions!!!) but this is one of those books that draws you in and leaves you wanting more.
- You Brought Me The Ocean by Alex Sanchez and Julie Maroh – A poignant and beautiful coming-of-age story revolving around identity and sexuality. The fact that it uses characters from DC Comics and has references scattered throughout is really minor in the grand scheme of things here. It’s a very different graphic novel than the other YA and MG comics from DC and it stands out in a fantastic way. This is one of those books that will absolutely help a young person understand and accept their own identity.
- Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo – The DC graphic novels for MG and YA audiences have quickly become faves for me. I haven’t been able to keep up with monthly books for a long time now but these graphic novels explore exciting characters outside of the exhausting canon and continuity. Beast Boy has so much heart to it and you can really tell that Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo understand each other in a creative relationship that comes through on the page.
- Extasia by Claire Legrand – The best way that I can quickly summarize Extasia is by comparison. It’s kind of The Handmaid’s Tale x The Grace Year and maybe a bit The Village x The VVitch. The story revolves around a young woman in a puritanical village in the years after the world is destroyed in some sort of catastrophic event. Girls are anointed as saints and meant to help absorb the sins of the town, allowing everyone to be saved and live peacefully. But men are being murdered and eyes turn to Amity, the eldest daughter of the family of the High Elder, who lives in the shadow of a sin her mother committed. I’m not sure how I ultimately felt about this book, to be honest. It felt like a bit of a tough read due to the themes and sometimes heavy content. Things only really picked up for me in Part IV of the book, which is nearly 400 pages in. The ending is definitely the best part of it as things finally come together. An intriguing concept—and I do love me a book about horrible people getting exactly what they deserve—but it didn’t resonate with me overall. – OUT ON FEBRUARY 22, 2022!
- Secrets of Camp Whatever by Chris Grine – Delightfully fun and endearing! I love a good coming-of-age story and when it’s set at camp? It’s usually a recipe for goodness. I have fond memories of my own camp days and reading about adventures, friendship, and discovering cryptids is my idea of a fun time. Very fun Gravity Falls vibes.
- Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – I could not put this book down. I was worried over it being overhyped but I think that this was such a specific intersection of what I am into—written in such a compelling way—that there was no way I wasn’t going to be all in. There’s not much else to say about this book that hasn’t been said by countless others so I’ll simply say that I loved it entirely.
- PTSD by Guillaume Singelin – This is an absolutely stunning book. The art, the incredible detail, and the colours are just beautiful. I was floored trying to take everything in on every single panel! The skill level here is top-notch. The book is heavy and deals with war and what comes after for the soldiers and all affected. The title very literally tells you what’s at the core of this book and that’s a complex protagonist suffering from PTSD, unable to return to a normal life after fighting for her people a decade earlier. But this isn’t just a story about the pain, it’s also about redemption and a journey to recovery…or what that could look like for an individual. This book definitely won’t be for everyone with its darker themes and story. But at the very least, it’s a stunning graphic novel with art that can be appreciated by anyone.
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – I’ve embraced romance novels in my life and am a much happier person because of it. Ali Hazelwood leans into tropes, even while poking fun at them throughout. And yet, they’re all so satisfyingly pulled off and come together in the end for a delightful love story that will genuinely hug at your heartstrings. Plus consent is at the forefront of all physical contact, wonderful queer and BIPOC supporting characters, AND asexuality representation?? Yessssss!
- My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix – This is one of those books where the title pretty much tells you exactly what it’s about: a young woman’s best friend winds up possessed by a demon and goes on a mission to save her. I had a huge review written up for this based on quite a few issues I had with this book (sexual assault, fatphobia, diet culture, racism, etc.—all things I felt could’ve easily been left out of this story without changing it drastically). But I’ve ultimately decided to not share them since I somehow seem to be in the extreme minority of people who were bothered? Anyways, issues aside, I liked the horror aspect of the book and the general concept of the book.
- The Montague Twins: The Devil’s Music by Drew Shannon and Nathan Page – What a fantastic series! I loved the first book and the sequel is just as great, continuing the magical adventures of the Montague Twins! This is very much like a YA modern Hardy Boys but with magic! And also by modern, I mean it’s set in the past. The story is great as is the art and the colours and I REALLY loved the lettering, especially when it came to the music. This story revolves around a mysterious rare record that seems to be causing people to harm themselves after they listen to it. Some people are even calling it the “devil’s music!” And it just so happens that a former semi-famous musician has arrived in town. Coincidence? Probably not. This is a great graphic novel sequel, one of those books that’s just as good as the first in the series! And you should check it out…and of course, the first book if you haven’t already read it!
- Cat Ninja: Wanted by Matthew Cody and Chad Thomas – A delightful continuation of a series that’s right up my alley, featuring cats, ninjas, and other critters – OUT APRIL 12, 2022!
- Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas – Johnnie Christmas is a master storyteller who knows how to get you invested in a character and bring you on a journey with them. In Swim Team, young Bree is in a brand-new city, state, and school. She has to make all-new friends and figure things out from scratch. She wrestles with anxiety and self-doubt that’s displayed brilliantly in the story as dark, cloudy word balloons that gather around her, sometimes becoming overwhelming. And to make matters worse, the only elective that’s left for Bree involves something that she’s very afraid of: the water and learning how to swim…and at a school that is deeply invested in its swim team! What a brilliant story that effortlessly navigates the hardships that young people face and have to overcome, especially Black children. Johnnie is in his element with this graphic novel, quickly earning a spot amongst contemporary creators such as Raina Telgemeier, Jerry Craft, and more. Kids are sure to find this story relatable, heartfelt, and delightful – OUT ON MAY 17, 2022!
Once again I read a lot this month? 18 TITLES??? It was a pretty big mix though, with lots of graphic novels and a few prose novels mixed in there too. 7 of the titles were books and the rest were graphic novels. What did you read this month?
