Review: Whistle

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the publishers (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun origin story for a new superhero!

First off, the art in this is amazing. I loved the color palette of blue, orange, and green. It made for a striking combination. The art style reminded me of the old school cartoons I used to read in the newspaper as a kid. 

The storyline is interesting. Many reviewers mention the ending, in which things are not wrapped up completely. Things are left in a morally gray area so it may leave some readers unsatisfied. Personally, I was fine with the ending because it leaves open the possibility of more installments. Also, the morally gray ending was thought-provoking so I appreciated that aspect. 

Whistle’s powers were intriguing. Her dog-like powers and ability to communicate with dogs reminded me of Marvel’s Squirrel Girl and her squirrel-like powers. However, I would have liked more story development on her powers. There wasn’t a lot of exploration on them, and since this is a new character, it would have been helpful to see the full extent of what she could do. 

I loved the subtle cameos/references to other DC characters. For example, Black Canary makes a brief musical appearance (pg. 135), Willow wears a Flash tee shirt (pg. 139), and there is Harley Quinn graffiti (pg. 142). 

Overall, this was a solid start to a new superhero story. I am curious to see where it goes next. 

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Review: Cute Mutants Vol 1 (Cute Mutants #1)

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free as part of an Instagram book tour (MTMC Tours specifically) I did to promote the book. 

Omg this book!

First off, I loved all the characters. They were each so unique and I loved seeing them come together as a team. My favorite was Alyse (aka Moodring). I loved how supportive she was of Dylan and the whole team. 

The story was well thought out in terms of both the external (dangerous villain on the loose) and internal (identity, friendship, love). There was a good balance between the two. 

I also really loved all the geeky references thrown in. Since this is a book about mutants, there are numerous references to X-Men. But there were also references to other geeky things. For example, there were a couple of references to Avatar: The Last Airbender (one of my favorite shows). 

Lastly, you gotta love all the queer representation in this book. Dylan is pansexual. Dylan’s parent is non-binary and goes by the name Pear (such a clever name!). Lou is transgender. The list goes on and on. In general, it’s rare to find queer representation in superhero stories ,so the fact that there is so much in this book means a lot. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this fun and queer superhero story with a lot of heart. 

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Review: Beast Boy

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review. 

I’m not super familiar with the Teen Titans so going in I knew very little about Beast Boy. Because of this, I didn’t have any particular expectations going into it. I ended up enjoying learning the origin story of Beast Boy. 

As a whole, the plot is fairly basic. There really isn’t anything super exciting going on since this is just the first part of his story. It basically him navigating high school while also discovering who he is and his powers. I am very intrigued to see how the rest unfolds. The book did a good job setting up things to come. 

The artwork was amazing. It worked really well with the overall vibe of the book and I liked how shades of green were featured and incorporated. 

Overall, this was a great start to Beast Boy’s story and I look forward to reading more of his adventures (especially with Raven)! 

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Review: You Brought Me The Ocean

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Rating: ★★★★½

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review.  

This was a heartfelt origin story that tackles identity and sexuality. 

Prior to reading this, I had no idea who Jake Hyde (aka Aqualad) was so I had no expectations going in about his origin story. I was pleasantly surprised. The superhero element was a lot more subtle than I thought it would be. Jake trying to figure out the mystery behind his powers and coming to terms with his sexuality were both given equal weight. I liked that the book didn’t go too overboard with the superhero aspect because that could have easily overshadowed the coming-out story. 

The plot is very basic (it’s not the most exciting superhero comic you will read), but it works well for what the story was trying to accomplish. Sometimes less is more, and this book proves that. 

As for the characters, I loved Kenny. He was hands down my favorite character. I also loved the diversity in the characters. Jake is black. His best friend, Maria, is Latina. Kenny is Asian. The teacher, Mrs. Archer, is Native American. 

At first I wasn’t a fan of the artwork. I saw a sneak peek of this in another DC Comic and I was a little hesitant. The artwork seemed a little incomplete. But as I started the book and kept reading, I grew to love and appreciate it. There was actually a lot of detail in the sketches. I loved that at the end of the book there was sketches from the illustrator explaining the thought process behind them. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful superhero comic and its coming-out storyline! #RepresentationMatters 

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Review: Wonder Woman Tempest Tossed

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Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (DC Comics) in exchange for an honest review. 

This was a great YA interpretation of Wonder Woman! 

The book was very appropriate for the young adult age range. This focuses on a teenage Diana and she is portrayed exactly like that. Diana is frustrated with her changing body and is unsure of her place in the world. A lot of teenagers will be able to relate to her and her struggles of growing up.

The book also touches upon the refugee experience which is such an important topic. Additionally, is features child trafficking which is another tough topic. All of this was well executed. 

At one point Diana wears a hoodie that says, “Seeking Asylum Is A Human Right,” and her friend wears one that says, “Immigration Built This Nation.” This was a subtle, but powerful touch. 

My one critique is that the book went by so fast. Since this is an origin story, there was a lot of stuff that happened and it all happened at lightning speed. I wished it would have went a little more slowly. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this new take on the Wonder Woman origin story and its message! If you love YA and Wonder Woman, read this! 

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Review: Gotham High

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Rating: ★★★½

I received a copy of this book for free from DC Comics.

This graphic novel takes the iconic Batman characters and puts them in a high school setting. It reminded me a lot of the show, Riverdale. There’s mystery and lots of high school drama. 

What I really loved was the diversity. Bruce Wayne’s mom is from Hong Kong, which makes him half Asian. I found that so refreshing. There’s been so many versions of Bruce Wayne over the years and they are always white. It was cool seeing a Bruce Wayne that was different. Now I really want to see an Asian Bruce Wayne on tv or in a movie. I also loved that Alfred is now Uncle Alfred, Bruce’s gay Asian uncle (he even has a husband). 

The storyline wasn’t mind blowing in any way. It’s fairly simple and straightforward. It went by really fast and could have used a little bit more of development towards the end. 

The artwork, on the other hand, was amazing. It really popped and worked well with the young adult vibe of the book. 

Overall, this was a quick and entertaining graphic novel with beautiful artwork. If you are open to a different interpretation of Batman, give this one a try! 

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Review: Day (Hero Society #2)

Rating: ★★★★★

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit, at first I wasn’t loving Leon and Lilith. Leon was a jerk and Lilith was a bit too crazy. However, after getting to know them and their stories, I loved them. Lilith ended up being a total bad ass and Leon just needed a wake up call. I don’t know if I love them as much as Rose and Draco (because they are the cutest couple on the planet) but I still liked them together. They brought out the best in each other and their personalities worked well.

AJ continues to one of my favorites. We’re slowly learning more about him and his history and all I can say is, I need more! He’s such a precious little cinnamon roll.

In terms of the overarching storyline, things are definitely getting interesting! I’m really curious to see how everything all plays out because it seems like we’re only just getting started and that everyone is all connected in some way. There’s definitely something big coming for sure!

Once again, the playlist was on point. Two of my favorite songs at the moment (“Havana by Camila Cabello and “Whatever it Takes” by Imagine Dragons) were on it, so of course I loved it.

Overall, this was a superb installment to the Hero Society series. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Review: Dawn (Hero Society #1)

Rating: ★★★★★

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this but that’s not surprise considering that I love superheroes and I love romance. Give me a book with both and of course I’ll love it!

This was a really good start to the series. I always love the whole concept of heroes getting together to fight the bad guys. I will never not love that.

The two main characters, Draco and Rose, were amazing. They had a ton of chemistry and overall made a really cute couple. Draco reminded me a bit of the Wolverine because he was such a recluse. He was so manly, like damn, I want a piece of that too. Rose, looks-wise, reminded me of Dove Cameron (who I have a massive celebrity crush on). I loved that despite being a virgin, Rose was very open and comfortable about her sexuality, because not all virgins are clueless about sex.

The supporting characters were great as well, especially AJ. I can’t wait to see more of his character.

Story-wise, this book was incredibly fast paced, I had a hard time putting it down!

Additionally, I loved that it included a playlist. I love it when books include playlists because I like matching up songs to different parts of the books. Some of the songs on the playlist are some of my favorites like “Believer” by Imagine Dragons and “Wings” by Birdy.

Overall, if you love superheroes and romance, you’ll definitely love this! I can’t wait to start reading the next one!

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