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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I saw this book and didn’t think anything of it. It didn’t look anything special at first. Now that I have read it I see so many details on the cover that are just so important to the story. The art fits the story so well and the cover is just one example of how well the artist was able to capture the story. The art was one of my favorite parts of this story.
The story itself was complicated. There was the Catholic school girl plot, there was the plot of attempting to date, the plots of coming to terms with being gay, and more. The idea that got under my skin was the big mystery that was not what I was expecting at all. I will just have to leave the twist alone so not to spoil it.
While I loved that there were openly trans characters, I was not impressed with how the tranpshobia was handled in the book. The characters CONSTANTLY misgendering the main trans character got on my nerves real quick. There was no punishment, no sense that misgendering is wrong or dangerous. It just stunk of cis authors trying to be diverse, but not quite getting it as much as they thought they did. There were some amazing scenes like when a character comes out as trans and doesn’t immediately reveal his birth name/dead name. That was a big bonus for me. The fact that the trans guy’s plot wasn’t coming out or not passing was also wonderful. It was like the author understood trans 101 by the end of the book, but not in the beginning or the middle. It was so close, SO CLOSE.
Bisexuality was a thing in this book. OH BOY WAS IT A THING! I am going to be clear, I am adding labels to this character because his sexuality was not discussed at length. So few labels were used, instead characters were just characters. So for lack of having the words of the character, I will go with bisexual. He had been with boys and girls. Its the closest word I have unless I grill the authors for the label. I am so happy when I see positive bi/pan/poly representation in media. It is so rare that it is anything but “that person is a slut, gross” that when I see something wholesome like this I just want to hug the authors and thank them.
Overall, this story was more complicated than just coming out. There were more complex characters than I was expecting. If the transphobia wasn’t such a central plot that just went unresolved for me this would have been a five star graphic novel.
I saw this book and didn’t think anything of it. It didn’t look anything special at first. Now that I have read it I see so many details on the cover that are just so important to the story. The art fits the story so well and the cover is just one example of how well the artist was able to capture the story. The art was one of my favorite parts of this story.
The story itself was complicated. There was the Catholic school girl plot, there was the plot of attempting to date, the plots of coming to terms with being gay, and more. The idea that got under my skin was the big mystery that was not what I was expecting at all. I will just have to leave the twist alone so not to spoil it.
While I loved that there were openly trans characters, I was not impressed with how the tranpshobia was handled in the book. The characters CONSTANTLY misgendering the main trans character got on my nerves real quick. There was no punishment, no sense that misgendering is wrong or dangerous. It just stunk of cis authors trying to be diverse, but not quite getting it as much as they thought they did. There were some amazing scenes like when a character comes out as trans and doesn’t immediately reveal his birth name/dead name. That was a big bonus for me. The fact that the trans guy’s plot wasn’t coming out or not passing was also wonderful. It was like the author understood trans 101 by the end of the book, but not in the beginning or the middle. It was so close, SO CLOSE.
Bisexuality was a thing in this book. OH BOY WAS IT A THING! I am going to be clear, I am adding labels to this character because his sexuality was not discussed at length. So few labels were used, instead characters were just characters. So for lack of having the words of the character, I will go with bisexual. He had been with boys and girls. Its the closest word I have unless I grill the authors for the label. I am so happy when I see positive bi/pan/poly representation in media. It is so rare that it is anything but “that person is a slut, gross” that when I see something wholesome like this I just want to hug the authors and thank them.
Overall, this story was more complicated than just coming out. There were more complex characters than I was expecting. If the transphobia wasn’t such a central plot that just went unresolved for me this would have been a five star graphic novel.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia
Moderate: Outing, Toxic friendship
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A great coming of age story. The way the art sometimes reflected what people were saying was untrue or misremembered was really moving
Reading 2020
Book 34: Kiss Number 8 by Colleen A.F. Venable
Woo Hoo, a graphic novel review coming at you. This one is a YA selection for grades 9 and higher.
Hmmm. it is hard to give a short synopsis of this book, there are so many things happening to Mads, the main character. Mads talks about her different kisses as they happen in her life and even has a wall of all of her "kiss companions". There is drama with her best friend, and a dark secret that must be revealed at some point. Mads is a teenager trying to figure out life, and that tends to be complicated.
This book had lots of layers, and some comical moments, especially when Mads talks about her kisses. I enjoyed this graphic novel, definitely for high school readers and older. My rating 4⭐️.
Book 34: Kiss Number 8 by Colleen A.F. Venable
Woo Hoo, a graphic novel review coming at you. This one is a YA selection for grades 9 and higher.
Hmmm. it is hard to give a short synopsis of this book, there are so many things happening to Mads, the main character. Mads talks about her different kisses as they happen in her life and even has a wall of all of her "kiss companions". There is drama with her best friend, and a dark secret that must be revealed at some point. Mads is a teenager trying to figure out life, and that tends to be complicated.
This book had lots of layers, and some comical moments, especially when Mads talks about her kisses. I enjoyed this graphic novel, definitely for high school readers and older. My rating 4⭐️.
A strong debut. Venable delivers a thoughtful coming-of-age novel about a young woman in the mid-2000s who is uncovering family secrets, negotiating friendships, and figuring out her own sexuality.
The art is gorgeous—Ellen T. Crenshaw's pages are beautiful, hand-inked and expressive as an old-school New Yorker cartoon. In my uninformed opinion, she's every bit as good as seasoned graphic novelists such as Craig Thompson and Jessica Abel. I hope she keeps illustrating graphic novels because I want to read all of them.
Didn't get five stars because I was meh about the end - I was absolutely satisfied with the story, but it felt overlong and I did not think there was enough resolution for Amanda's friendships. The narrative is right to be gentle with Amanda, but she is an ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE FRIEND and I don't think the book fully reckons with the pain she inflicts on herself and others.
Still, on the whole, I really liked it.
The art is gorgeous—Ellen T. Crenshaw's pages are beautiful, hand-inked and expressive as an old-school New Yorker cartoon. In my uninformed opinion, she's every bit as good as seasoned graphic novelists such as Craig Thompson and Jessica Abel. I hope she keeps illustrating graphic novels because I want to read all of them.
Didn't get five stars because I was meh about the end - I was absolutely satisfied with the story, but it felt overlong and I did not think there was enough resolution for Amanda's friendships. The narrative is right to be gentle with Amanda, but she is an ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE FRIEND and I don't think the book fully reckons with the pain she inflicts on herself and others.
Still, on the whole, I really liked it.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Send my precious belongings to my family & donate the rest, this book has murdered me with feelings.
I have never seen a book handle realistic religious belief in teens without sounding preachy or gross, but this book handles it beautifully. Add in the amazing coming of age/coming out story, a family mystery, & realistic high school friend dynamics, and you have yourself an amazing story that made me cry a whole whole bunch. Seriously, my feeling's death is mostly dehydration based.
Recommended for everyone, but especially fans of realistic YA & graphic novels (the art is quite lovely too & deserves it's own gushing but I, alas, am dead)
I have never seen a book handle realistic religious belief in teens without sounding preachy or gross, but this book handles it beautifully. Add in the amazing coming of age/coming out story, a family mystery, & realistic high school friend dynamics, and you have yourself an amazing story that made me cry a whole whole bunch. Seriously, my feeling's death is mostly dehydration based.
Recommended for everyone, but especially fans of realistic YA & graphic novels (the art is quite lovely too & deserves it's own gushing but I, alas, am dead)