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lighthearted
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
Surprisingly different to the webcomic/original. Some strips have been reordered, with all Hockey Shit moved to an end section and select tweets reprinted in a final segment.
Maybe it’s just the difference between a single read and regular instalments, but it felt like there was less info. May just be the consequence of no churning fandom hivemind analysing each strip, though.
Still a fabulous story, if jarring to only get half (runs through until the real goodbye at the end of Jack & Shitty’s graduating year).
Maybe it’s just the difference between a single read and regular instalments, but it felt like there was less info. May just be the consequence of no churning fandom hivemind analysing each strip, though.
Still a fabulous story, if jarring to only get half (runs through until the real goodbye at the end of Jack & Shitty’s graduating year).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
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:
No
Fun, lighthearted read (there are suggestions of heavier topics relating to character story arcs)
Sweet boys just want to play ice hockey and bake pies
Sweet boys just want to play ice hockey and bake pies
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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:
Yes
I liked this book but unlike the Heartstopper series I felt like it shied away from difficult topics almost immediately which is what I think failed the story from progressing in a more meaningful way. Even the romance felt forced due to the characters not being open with each other about issues that were brought up but quickly moved on from.
I would continue in this series but hope that that changes in the sequel at least a little bit because I like the characters and the found family aspect of the team but it feels negligent to bring up mental health issues, self-harm, and even dealing with a homophobic teammate and then to not address them in a meaningful way. Every issue seems very easily glossed over by the way of them just being friends and that solving everything which doesn’t really work. I also hated how hazing was discussed so trivially in this book.
I would continue in this series but hope that that changes in the sequel at least a little bit because I like the characters and the found family aspect of the team but it feels negligent to bring up mental health issues, self-harm, and even dealing with a homophobic teammate and then to not address them in a meaningful way. Every issue seems very easily glossed over by the way of them just being friends and that solving everything which doesn’t really work. I also hated how hazing was discussed so trivially in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This graphic novel was super cute and heartwarming. It kept me engaged the whole way through (except for the tweets at the end). The romance was a very slow burn and was not really the main focus of this graphic novel. Sometimes the plot jumped ahead too quickly for me (stuff got left out that I wanted to read). I look forward to reading the sequel!
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Alcohol
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Such a cute starting college graphic novel. It follows Bitty and his hockey team through this first two years of college. It is gay and comes out to his friends and gets better at hockey. The group of friends are so lovable and cute. It’s cool how the author had it play out much of the book from vlog posts and tweets.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt
funny
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I never read the original webcomic this book was created from, but I've been going through a graphic novel phase and, based on the recommendation of someone I met on Discord, I decided to give this a shot and rent it from the library.
The freshman year portion was pretty magnificent. I didn't really likehow the hazing went uncritiqued but other than that I thought it was a very sweet story of an awkward freshman not sure how he fits on this team full of super buff (and loud) upperclassmen and ultimately finding acceptance and brotherhood amoung them.
I would have given this a full 4 stars (maybe even 4.5 stars) but then the sophomore year portion happened. Now don't get me wrong, there were still a lot of very cute moments between Bitty and his teammates; we can see how Bitty is growing in confidence and welcoming the new freshmen in, as well as being sad about his teammates who are graduating. However, there were also a lot of strings that the author started and then left disconnected - and something tells me the ones that bothered me won't get resolved in the junior/senior book.For example, an entire chapter is devoted to Dex and Nursey not getting along and arguing to the point it is messing up the team, but then that is never discussed again and a few chapters later they are hugging for no explicable reason?? And also, when it's announced that Sh**ty got into Harvard, Lardo leaves the building crying - but we never get any resolution for that either. Not even two chapters later, Lardo is fine and we have no clue whether the two of them talked it out or not. There is no acknowledgement she even cried.
Despite these issues I had, the characters' relationships with each other were wholesome enough to make me immediately put Book #2 on hold in the library. I am excited to pick it up and I am hoping that the Junior/Senior stories will do a better job of tying up loose ends before each story is done and I will get to give them a full and honest 4 stars. In any case, I thought it was very cute and do not regret reading it.
The freshman year portion was pretty magnificent. I didn't really like
I would have given this a full 4 stars (maybe even 4.5 stars) but then the sophomore year portion happened. Now don't get me wrong, there were still a lot of very cute moments between Bitty and his teammates; we can see how Bitty is growing in confidence and welcoming the new freshmen in, as well as being sad about his teammates who are graduating. However, there were also a lot of strings that the author started and then left disconnected - and something tells me the ones that bothered me won't get resolved in the junior/senior book.
Despite these issues I had, the characters' relationships with each other were wholesome enough to make me immediately put Book #2 on hold in the library. I am excited to pick it up and I am hoping that the Junior/Senior stories will do a better job of tying up loose ends before each story is done and I will get to give them a full and honest 4 stars. In any case, I thought it was very cute and do not regret reading it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness
Hazing
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Heartwarming and funny, told in kind of a slice of life style. Made me nostaligic for my small new england college. Also, you will learn a lot about hockey. And very gay.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Both of the main characters struggle with anxiety and depression. The main character might have panic attacks - it's unclear if that's what's happening but it's a main part of the story. There's also a flashback of one character needing to be hospitalized due to a severe mental illness episode. One of the characters also struggles with coming out to his family.