I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 by Okura

Translated by Leighann Harvey 5 stars Absolute perfection. This is such a wonderful, wholesome series. This volume focuses on friendships growing apart, stereotypical assumptions and society’s conditions on acceptance, body image, and gender norms. I love how much Tomoko has developed and learned through her interactions with Hiroki as well as her coworkers. We also…

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I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 by Okura

Translated by Leighann Harvey 5 stars Another fantastic collection of comics. There are so many interesting interactions at play in this volume from secret crushes to coworkers, parents and siblings to friends. We see more dynamics between Hiroki and his father in this volume, which were well done. I loved how the family countered Akiyoshi’s…

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The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

2.5 stars An interesting dive into the world of Norse mythology. I loved the idea of a novel following Angrboda and tying together some stories of witches, giantesses, and other mysterious women. For me, the first part of the book really dragged. I liked the second half more as things picked up, but that whole…

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Our Dining Table by Mita Ori

Translated by Amber Tamosaitis 5 stars Absolutely adorable. A nice, slow-paced story exploring human connections and overcoming past trauma. Yutaka has a hard time eating with other people. He isn’t close with his family and he finds it difficult to connect with others. But after a chance meeting with two brothers, their cooking sessions soon…

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Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel

Written by Jason Reynolds Art by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I loved Reynolds’ original novel-in-verse and was a little nervous about this graphic adaptation. But it really delivered. Reynolds’ words and messages shine through accompanied by Novgorodoff’s haunting artwork and stunning visuals. The watercolors perfectly capture the essence of Reynolds’ words. Absolutely stunning. A fantastic…

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Cursed Princess Club Volume One by LambCat

5 stars Such a fun read! I initially started reading this on Webtoon. While I miss the awesome soundtrack from the digital version, it was nice to read it as a full-sized book to really get swept up in the storytelling and visuals. The artwork is wonderful. Humorous, glamorous, sweet, adorable, with excellent creepiness splashed…

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The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy

Illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng 4 stars A beautiful reimagining of the Han tale of The Seven Brothers. This serves as a nice alternative to The Five Chinese Brothers with detailed illustrations and a full color pallet. In this version, the seven brothers learn that Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang is making people work day and night…

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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

5 stars A powerful novel-in-verse that takes on the cycle of violence and vengeance. A non-traditional ghost story that follows Will who seeks revenge after his brother’s murder. The majority of the story takes place in the 16 seconds it takes to ride the elevator to the lobby. In that time, Reynolds grabs the reader’s…

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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

5 stars A fantastic autobiographical novel-in-verse that beautifully showcases Woodson’s voice. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, Woodson shares stories from her life living in Ohio, South Carolina, and New York. Woodson tackles so many themes in this book. From family upheaval to moving to a new place, experiencing death of family members to standing…

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