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4.61 AVERAGE
4.61 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I adore this series so much. The art is simply breathtaking thanks to the stunning character designs and use of color, and it truly makes you feel like you're seeing the story unfold in motion like it was a cartoon and not a graphic novel. Can't wait for the third installment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia
This was such a great story and really dug into some things I was hoping it would, like Penny’s origins and Kat’s family. All with a dash of acceptance and belonging.
There were a couple things I wish were more clear, but I’m hoping some questions get answered in the next book!
OOF ok it took me a long time to get to this one because I named my cat Beetle after the first book and she died last October really suddenly, and I was (still am, honestly) really devastated for a long time. But I'm glad I finally got around to it, because this book is genuinely so cute and delightful and adorable.
Starting with the summary: Beetle and co. are very excited because of the Chimera Festival, which is when all the dragons show up and everyone has a great time and it's very fun. But for some reason the dragons are late this year, and also Kat's parents are visiting, and Beetle may or may not be undergoing Goblin Transformation for the first time, so suffice to say a lot is happening very quickly.
I was a little worried going in that I'd be disappointed in this somehow or I wouldn't like it as much as I liked the first one, but fortunately those concerns were quickly dispelled. This book is incredibly charming, the characters are hilarious and adorable, and I think the reveal came at exactly the right time. I liked the pacing and I LOVE the art style. The colors are gorgeous, the characters and designs are so fun, it's just so beautiful to look at. I also really enjoy the sense of humor here; there were many moment that made me giggle to myself. Like I said, it's all very charming.
I'm also just gonna add here- there's a note at the end which mentions what to do if you're picking at your skin or something like that, "make sure to ask for an adult to help you if you feel like you want to pick at your skin and it hurts", and it's very obviously meant for children so perhaps this is a little silly and also kind of gross so deepest apologies but. I have a big pimple that's been driving me nuts the last few days and I keep catching myself picking at the scab, but it's one of those ones that hurts whenever you poke at it, and the more I pick at it the longer it takes to heal, and it's just very annoying. So the idea to like, just get a fidget toy or something? I felt so silly because it legitimately never occurred to me to just... find something else to do with my hands. The concept of "this is a problem I can solve, actually" just feels so obvious but also was not something I had thought of before. Anyway, I'm well aware that little note was meant for children but it is still good advice nonetheless and I think I'm probably gonna be using it going forward.
Honestly I don't have a lot else to say besides that. It's just a delightfully charming and wonderful book and I enjoyed it very much. It's colorful and fun to look at and fun to read and made me very happy. Anyway happy lesbian
Starting with the summary: Beetle and co. are very excited because of the Chimera Festival, which is when all the dragons show up and everyone has a great time and it's very fun. But for some reason the dragons are late this year, and also Kat's parents are visiting, and Beetle may or may not be undergoing Goblin Transformation for the first time, so suffice to say a lot is happening very quickly.
I was a little worried going in that I'd be disappointed in this somehow or I wouldn't like it as much as I liked the first one, but fortunately those concerns were quickly dispelled. This book is incredibly charming, the characters are hilarious and adorable, and I think the reveal came at exactly the right time. I liked the pacing and I LOVE the art style. The colors are gorgeous, the characters and designs are so fun, it's just so beautiful to look at. I also really enjoy the sense of humor here; there were many moment that made me giggle to myself. Like I said, it's all very charming.
I'm also just gonna add here- there's a note at the end which mentions what to do if you're picking at your skin or something like that, "make sure to ask for an adult to help you if you feel like you want to pick at your skin and it hurts", and it's very obviously meant for children so perhaps this is a little silly and also kind of gross so deepest apologies but. I have a big pimple that's been driving me nuts the last few days and I keep catching myself picking at the scab, but it's one of those ones that hurts whenever you poke at it, and the more I pick at it the longer it takes to heal, and it's just very annoying. So the idea to like, just get a fidget toy or something? I felt so silly because it legitimately never occurred to me to just... find something else to do with my hands. The concept of "this is a problem I can solve, actually" just feels so obvious but also was not something I had thought of before. Anyway, I'm well aware that little note was meant for children but it is still good advice nonetheless and I think I'm probably gonna be using it going forward.
Honestly I don't have a lot else to say besides that. It's just a delightfully charming and wonderful book and I enjoyed it very much. It's colorful and fun to look at and fun to read and made me very happy. Anyway happy lesbian
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
funny
Loveable characters:
Yes
great sequel - diverse - perfect amount of magic & relationship issues - coming out - amazing illustrations
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Clever way if bringing up self harm in an age-appropriate way that doesn't feel preachy or pull the reader out of the narrative.
Thank you so much NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, & Aliza Layne for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I loved the magical coziness of the first book, Beetle & the Hollowbones, so I was so excited to hear there was going to be a sequel. I actually loved Beetle & The Chimera Carnival even MORE than the first book. I think the added character development and an overall plot with more stakes made this one such a fun read. It was so nice to see Beetle and Kat in an established relationship from their beginnings in book 1. I also adored all the illustrations and coloring! I hope this series continues as I'd love to see more of Beetle and her friends!
.
I loved the magical coziness of the first book, Beetle & the Hollowbones, so I was so excited to hear there was going to be a sequel. I actually loved Beetle & The Chimera Carnival even MORE than the first book. I think the added character development and an overall plot with more stakes made this one such a fun read. It was so nice to see Beetle and Kat in an established relationship from their beginnings in book 1. I also adored all the illustrations and coloring! I hope this series continues as I'd love to see more of Beetle and her friends!
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes