nomefriegues's review against another edition
4.0
These were such fun and interesting ideas--I'm so frustrated that some of the stories don't have more conclusive endings! But maybe some of them will continue in later issues.
gcamelopardalis's review against another edition
4.0
Aww these were all so cute. Although the first one started off very confusing, which was maybe the point but more likely I was just confused cause everyone seemed into everyone but also jealous of everyone? It ended up being cute though.
I liked all of the vignettes, but other than the Beauty and the Beast retelling, I was left wanting an actual full story in all of the rest of them. I guess they were complete in that you could tell where they led and they were about the moment rather than the full arc, but oh well.
My favorite was the Beauty and the Beast retelling - it was so gorgeous and such a lovely take on the story.
I liked all of the vignettes, but other than the Beauty and the Beast retelling, I was left wanting an actual full story in all of the rest of them. I guess they were complete in that you could tell where they led and they were about the moment rather than the full arc, but oh well.
My favorite was the Beauty and the Beast retelling - it was so gorgeous and such a lovely take on the story.
jay_mack9712's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.25
I really liked this anthology of love stories! Each one was so diverse and unique in its story.
The first one was a beautiful love story between two sets up friends. It had a great diverse cast, lgbqt rep and magic in a modern setting! The illustrations were stunning and the story was so moving because yes there was two love stories but there was also platonic love between the friends.
The second story was this angsty victorian story with forced to marry trope and uncertainty about the two of them being able to follow in love. It had pride and prejudice vibes in the artwork and the story was wonderful... other than the fact that it is volume one and volume two has yet to be told. Be still my poor heart!
The third story was super unique with a girl using magic and math to make 'love matches' in order to full fill her orders on earth. But turns out that math isn't a good way to figure out love... and so they are going to have to find out about love on their own!
The fourth was this stunning retelling of beauty and beast! It had some cinderella vibes along with it. And just the illustrations were amazing. But how the author presented the idea of different types of love made for a moving story!
The first one was a beautiful love story between two sets up friends. It had a great diverse cast, lgbqt rep and magic in a modern setting! The illustrations were stunning and the story was so moving because yes there was two love stories but there was also platonic love between the friends.
The second story was this angsty victorian story with forced to marry trope and uncertainty about the two of them being able to follow in love. It had pride and prejudice vibes in the artwork and the story was wonderful... other than the fact that it is volume one and volume two has yet to be told. Be still my poor heart!
The third story was super unique with a girl using magic and math to make 'love matches' in order to full fill her orders on earth. But turns out that math isn't a good way to figure out love... and so they are going to have to find out about love on their own!
The fourth was this stunning retelling of beauty and beast! It had some cinderella vibes along with it. And just the illustrations were amazing. But how the author presented the idea of different types of love made for a moving story!
jena_33's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
homebodywitch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
3.0
misssusan's review against another edition
3.0
i enjoyed this! there was a nice amount of variety in the collection though quite a few of them strained at the space restraints (where is volume 2 of ruined? you hooked me, give me the continuation?)
3 stars
3 stars
snazel's review against another edition
4.0
School Spirit, by Kate Leth and Arielle Jovellanos
Two pairs of star-crossed lovers— the girls with homophobic parents, the boy whose parents want him to meet a nice girl and settle down and the magical girl who isn't allowed to date mortals— make out, get found out, and decide to seize the day with one last dance. I wish we had more in this world, cause I want to know what happens next! And I am reaffirmed as a fan of Kate Leth. Playful and fun.
Recommended
Ruined, by Sarah Vaughn and Sarah Winifred Searle
The beginning of a longer story in which a marriage of convenience (he needs her dowry, she's ruined and needs ANYBODY) starts to turn to love. It's slow moving and just beginning here. I really liked the sparse art, which fit with the restrained tone of the story.
Ruby Equation, by Sarah Kuhn and Sally Jane Thompson
I am super excited for more by Sarah Kuhn, because this was colourful and funny. An Alien being who's stationed on earth as a matchmaker really wants to move onto something BETTER, but then she finds out the power of luuuuuuve.
Recommended.
Beauties, by Marguerite Bennett and Trungles
GOOD GRIEF MARGUERITE. This is beautifully drawn (and coloured, and lettered), but the prose. The PROSE. I could eat that prose with a spoon. This is both the most unusual and I believe the best Beauty and the Beast retelling that I've ever come across.
And I just re-read it, and I think it's not just the prose, it's that the prose and the art work together so incredibly well. This is phenomenal.
Highly Recommended.
First, Last & Always, by Kieron Gillen and Christine Norrie
It's good, I guess, it just can't stand up to the fright train of the previous story.
Two pairs of star-crossed lovers— the girls with homophobic parents, the boy whose parents want him to meet a nice girl and settle down and the magical girl who isn't allowed to date mortals— make out, get found out, and decide to seize the day with one last dance. I wish we had more in this world, cause I want to know what happens next! And I am reaffirmed as a fan of Kate Leth. Playful and fun.
Recommended
Ruined, by Sarah Vaughn and Sarah Winifred Searle
The beginning of a longer story in which a marriage of convenience (he needs her dowry, she's ruined and needs ANYBODY) starts to turn to love. It's slow moving and just beginning here. I really liked the sparse art, which fit with the restrained tone of the story.
Ruby Equation, by Sarah Kuhn and Sally Jane Thompson
I am super excited for more by Sarah Kuhn, because this was colourful and funny. An Alien being who's stationed on earth as a matchmaker really wants to move onto something BETTER, but then she finds out the power of luuuuuuve.
Recommended.
Beauties, by Marguerite Bennett and Trungles
GOOD GRIEF MARGUERITE. This is beautifully drawn (and coloured, and lettered), but the prose. The PROSE. I could eat that prose with a spoon. This is both the most unusual and I believe the best Beauty and the Beast retelling that I've ever come across.
And I just re-read it, and I think it's not just the prose, it's that the prose and the art work together so incredibly well. This is phenomenal.
Highly Recommended.
First, Last & Always, by Kieron Gillen and Christine Norrie
It's good, I guess, it just can't stand up to the fright train of the previous story.
whatsmichireading's review against another edition
5.0
Picked this up because of Kate Leth, ended up loving all the stories inside. Highly recommend this anthology.
jennykeery's review against another edition
4.0
Fresh Romance is a comics anthology of romance short stories that I read mostly because Kate Leth was involved. I really enjoyed her contribution, although it took a few pages to get the complicated love square straight in my head! The real star of the collection is Ruined though, which I was devastated to discover has only one volume! It has beautifully simple, elegant illustrations and an emotionally complex narrative about marriage in the late 18th century; *chef's kiss*