Books

Book 1,035: Bloom – Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau

I forgot how beautiful the graphics are and how sparse and yet well written the story is in this graphic novel. I read Bloom back in 2019 and adored it, but re-reading it this time and knowing the gist of the story allowed me to truly luxuriate in the graphics and the relationship of Ari and Hector.

As part of my graphic novel/manga binge I was always going to revisit this, but when Panetta and Ganucheau announced there was going to be a follow up, I 100% knew I was going to reread this at least once—if not multiple times—in the lead up to its release, which was originally projected for Fall 2023 but is still TBD.

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Books

Books 1,033 & 1,034: #Hockey & Sticks and Scones (Check, Please! 1 & 2) – Ngozi Ukazu

Toward the end of January 2024, I was coming out of an intense January term course and entering my final semester of grad school and I needed a break so I leaned HEAVILY into graphic novels. It started a random evening when I passed the bookshelf in our bedroom where my graphic novels live on the top shelf. I was like “OH I could read all of #Hockey! tonight as a palate cleanser.”

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Books

Book 711: Sticks & Scones (Check, Please! #2) – Ngozi Ukazu

I’m so sad this is over. I waited a full year for it, and it was wonderful, but I’m still sad. I re-read each of the two books twice this time to really soak them in and make sure I looked at the artwork and appreciated the dialogue.

I’ll be frank and say that I’m not sure I enjoyed this as much as the first one. I don’t think it was anyone thing and I don’t think that should detract anyone else from reading it, but for me it didn’t have the perfection or the je ne sais quoi (that’s a nod to Jack ;-D) the first book did. There are spoilers after the jump, so don’t read ahead unless you want to know where #Hockey ended.

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Books

Book 710: #Hockey (Check, Please! #1) – Ngozi Ukazu

After reading this last January, I knew I would revisit it. And thanks to a gift card for Christmas to Barnes and Noble, where I don’t usually shop, I ordered a copy of this and the follow up Sticks & Scones. This was all before coronavirus, and I had Sticks & Scones shipped to my office, where I hadn’t been able to get to it for almost a month after it was delivered 🙁

But when I got it, you know I had to re-read this one. And I loved it as mush as my first read. This time around I spent more time luxuriating in the artwork since I’d read the story previously and didn’t need to focus so much on who’s who and it was worth it.

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Books

Book 669: Are You Listening? – Tillie Walden

When I picked this up from the library, I had some preconceived notion that it would be more along the lines of Bloom than what it ended up being. I’m not sure why I thought this. They did often appear on Best (LGBT+) Graphic Novels of 2019 lists together, but that shouldn’t really have made me think they’d be as similar as I thought they would be.

I was drawn to the illustration style on the cover as the limited use of colors reminded me of Bloom and the illustration style reminded me of Alison Bechdel’s style in Fun Home (or maybe it’s just the glasses on Lou?). Walden’s story follows Bea as she’s running away from home, we’re not told why at the beginning and Lou, a distant family friend doesn’t ask any questions. A random cat shows up (Diamond) and then the story gets really weird, like magical realism weird. [SPOILERS after the jump, including the recommendation.]

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