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bookishval's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
Omg this was so adorable and wholesome!!
This is what I want from a graphic novel. From the start I loved the art style. It was so cute and unique. All of the characters are so expressive and I just adored everything about it. The colors, drawings, expressions. I instantly fell in love from the first page.
Now to the story. I'm not a fan of love triangles (though why I keep reading them I have no idea), but this was incredibly well done. We have three main characters: Belle the wallflower, Chloe the jock, and Gina the popular overachiever. It's interesting how Mari Costa gave these tropes a unique approach. These three characters don't really stay in their box the whole time. Gina can come across as mean and rude, and at first she's definitely taking advantage of Belle's crush on her. The story sets for Gina to be an unlikeable character, but as it progresses we can see that it's much more than that.
Chloe is Gina's girlfriend, but by the time the book begins it's clear they don't really love each other. Being together is comfortable and both benefit from the status. Gina has the image of the perfect couple and Chloe likes to be boss around by her. I'm sure they're great friends and care for each other, but the love is no longer there.
Then we have Belle. Even though she used to go to school wearing dresses and was overall and extroverted child, once she got to high school Belle abandoned all of it. She dresses simple and because of her shyness doesn't have any friends. But she still managed to work up the courage to ask Gina to prom, thinking she's single. But Gina and Chloe are still a couple, which creates issues between Chloe and Belle.
However it's once Chloe and Belle start to spend time together because of tutoring that Chloe realizes what her relationship with Gina has developed into. They're no longer happy, and despite Belle having a crush on Gina, the ones with chemistry are her and Chloe!
I think the plot was perfectly done in a way no one was wronged. Gina feels like a bully at first, but she warms up to Belle and the three of them become actual friends. And it's not like Belle wasn't aware of Gina's intentions. The way Chloe and Gina realized they're no longer compatible was really good. I love that the book never had Chloe and Belle getting together behind Gina's back. Despite their feelings for each other they showed that Gina's friendship was more important and they weren't willing to jeopardize it.
I love how even if graphic novels are normaly short, Mari Costa balanced everything out to truly develop each girl's arc. Belle got out of her shell and found herself again. Chloe got out of her comfortable zone to finally acknowledge what her passion really is. And then Gina, who didn't really need to find herself or her goals (both were always clear to her). But she did have learn to be a better friend, and she did. Neither of these girls had to change to "be better" or be happier. It's really common in stories with the jock and the shy girl trope to have a whole makeover scene, so I really liked how this book didn't go for that.
This is what I want from a graphic novel. From the start I loved the art style. It was so cute and unique. All of the characters are so expressive and I just adored everything about it. The colors, drawings, expressions. I instantly fell in love from the first page.
Now to the story. I'm not a fan of love triangles (though why I keep reading them I have no idea), but this was incredibly well done. We have three main characters: Belle the wallflower, Chloe the jock, and Gina the popular overachiever. It's interesting how Mari Costa gave these tropes a unique approach. These three characters don't really stay in their box the whole time. Gina can come across as mean and rude, and at first she's definitely taking advantage of Belle's crush on her. The story sets for Gina to be an unlikeable character, but as it progresses we can see that it's much more than that.
Chloe is Gina's girlfriend, but by the time the book begins it's clear they don't really love each other. Being together is comfortable and both benefit from the status. Gina has the image of the perfect couple and Chloe likes to be boss around by her. I'm sure they're great friends and care for each other, but the love is no longer there.
Then we have Belle. Even though she used to go to school wearing dresses and was overall and extroverted child, once she got to high school Belle abandoned all of it. She dresses simple and because of her shyness doesn't have any friends. But she still managed to work up the courage to ask Gina to prom, thinking she's single. But Gina and Chloe are still a couple, which creates issues between Chloe and Belle.
However it's once Chloe and Belle start to spend time together because of tutoring that Chloe realizes what her relationship with Gina has developed into. They're no longer happy, and despite Belle having a crush on Gina, the ones with chemistry are her and Chloe!
I think the plot was perfectly done in a way no one was wronged. Gina feels like a bully at first, but she warms up to Belle and the three of them become actual friends. And it's not like Belle wasn't aware of Gina's intentions. The way Chloe and Gina realized they're no longer compatible was really good. I love that the book never had Chloe and Belle getting together behind Gina's back. Despite their feelings for each other they showed that Gina's friendship was more important and they weren't willing to jeopardize it.
I love how even if graphic novels are normaly short, Mari Costa balanced everything out to truly develop each girl's arc. Belle got out of her shell and found herself again. Chloe got out of her comfortable zone to finally acknowledge what her passion really is. And then Gina, who didn't really need to find herself or her goals (both were always clear to her). But she did have learn to be a better friend, and she did. Neither of these girls had to change to "be better" or be happier. It's really common in stories with the jock and the shy girl trope to have a whole makeover scene, so I really liked how this book didn't go for that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Vomit and Alcohol
robinks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m not really sure what to make of this graphic novel. There were a lot of plot devices that felt unnecessary, and a lot of behaviors and conversations between the characters that made me uncomfortable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Deadnaming, Infidelity, Vomit, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault
growintogardens's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.25
Super cute book with nice art.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Super fun and a bit cheesy but I loved it! The dedication definitely set the tone well ("To all the gays who were obsessed with High School Musical in middle school")
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
mizreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.5
ughhhhh i want to have a sapphic masc childhood friend bring me to a ren faire and buy me an elf princess costume 🥺💙
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
uneyreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
mxlou's review against another edition
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Deadnaming, Infidelity, and Alcohol
mabellene's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
whatisjordyreading's review against another edition
4.0
love the plot, but the ending felt a lil simple, and regina never apologizes for being so rude, selfish and demanding.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol
emily_mh's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book was initially going to be a five star read for me but its rating was ultimately brought down by the ending’s inability to properly resolve each storyline.
The romance was SO cute at first. Like, I was enjoying the romance so much it was giving me comfort on the level of Heartstopper. Belle and Chloe fit together like puzzle pieces. The second chance romance aspect and their history gave depth to their connection, and they had some great interactions. But about halfway through the book the love triangle aspect still hadn’t been addressed and I started to stress about whether it would be concluded well…and it wasn’t. It’s only RIGHT at the very end (like, final five pages) that it’s finally sorted out. I also feel so bad for Regina because she only broke it off with Chloe because she felt in the way of her and Belle, not because she realised that her relationship with Chloe was toxic, so she was upset and everything. Also, the last-minute resolution made me question the depth of Chloe’s feelings, because SHE didn’t choose to break it off with Regina first.
The character development was similarly half-baked. The characters are set up in the beginning for development in the following areas: Chloe in learning what she wants and how to assert that, Belle in embracing femininity, and Regina in learning school/life balance OR finding friends who support her drive to do well in school. However, we don’t see Chloe actually assert what she wants (either with Belle or college), we don’t find out why Belle rejected femininity in the first place, and Regina neither finds balance nor people who support her drive. They kind of remain the same people throughout.
Even though there were these negatives that dropped my star rating so suddnely at the end, the art style was always fantastic. The pink monotone palette was such a good choice for the tone of the book.
Rep: lesbian Jewish MC, lesbian Japanese-American MC, lesbian Brazilian-American MC
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, and Alcohol