Teen Titans: Starfire

Teen Titans: Starfire

By Kami Garcia

DC Comics, 2024. 196 pages. Young Adult Comic.

When Kori Anderson, who has a connective tissue disorder, and her popular older sister, Kira, participate in a pharmaceutical company's clinical trial, she begins to discover strange powers and hopes to discover the truth about these abilities--and her sister's boyfriend.

A Teen Titans origin story, this book is the fifth in the Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia.  I was able to read and enjoy this book even though I haven't read the first four, so if Starfire is your girl and you're meh about the other Teen Titans, you can read just this one! (Although, if you like the story as much as I did, you'll probably want to read the rest of them before Teen Titans: Together releases in November of this year). The relationship between Kori and Kira was explored well, and the rest of the Teen Titans coming in near the end was a great addition the story.  Another inclusive addition to the DC comics universe!  

If you liked Teen Titans: Starfire, you may also like:

I Am Not Starfire

By Mariko Tamaki

DC Comics, 2021. 166 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Seventeen-year-old Mandy, who dyes her hair black and hates almost everyone, is not like her mother, the tall, sparkly alien superhero Starfire, so when someone from Starfire's past arrives, Mandy must make a choice about who she is and what she should risk to save her mom.

The Strange Case of Harleen and Harley

By Melissa Marr

DC Comics, 2024. 171 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Harleen Quinzel is many things, a gymnast, anxious, broke... but the last thing anyone would call her is evil. Harley Quinn on the other hand... When Harleen signs up to participate in a clinical research trial with her girlfriend, Pamela, the most she can hope for is extra cash in her wallet and a chance to get her anxiety under control. But what she gets instead are increasingly larger gaps in her memory and stolen mementos from some guy named Jack she's never met. Soon, Harleen discovers she's sharing her life with Harley - a take-no-prisoners, who-cares-about attendance, maybe-we-oughtta-save-the-bunnies kind of girl. She is the opposite of Harleen in many ways. She is anarchy in a cute dress. And although she's throwing Harleen's life completely off track, maybe she ain't so bad either...

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Hover Girls

HoverGirls
By Geneva Bowers
Bloomsbury Publishing Inc., 2024. 234 pages. Young Adult Comic

Jalissa and Kim Vasquez are cousins who move to the city of Los Aguaceros together. When a curious incident on the beach leaves them with supernatural powers and monsters start attacking the city, Kim decides that using their powers to stop them is the perfect way for them to become famous. But being heroes isn't as easy as it seems--and Los Aquaceros is in more danger than they imagine.

Fashion designer Kim and moody, troubled-kid Jalissa are trying to make it on their own in a beachside city that reads like an alternate universe Los Angeles. when an experience by the ocean gives them powers in a Spiderman-esque experience, they learn the importance of moving on from the past, communicating with each other, and being brave. Rather fast-paced with cute, full-color illustrated panels, this bubbly superhero story doesn't give you much to chew on, but is a fun, quick read!

If you liked HoverGirls, you may also like:

The History of Everything
By Victoria Evans
HarperAlley, 2025. 231 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Daisy and Agnes have always had each other. And that's all they've ever needed--or wanted, at least. So when Agnes's mom drops the bombshell that she and Agnes are moving at the end of the summer, the girls are crushed. All seems lost until the pair unearth "The History of Everything," an old friendship scrapbook with the ultimate bucket list to make their last summer together unforgettable. But when Daisy starts dating a charming drummer, her social calendar suddenly has less room for her best friend. Insecurities bubble to the surface, and Daisy and Agnes begin to question if their friendship is meant to last the summer, much less forever.

Greater Secrets
By Ananth Hirsh
RH Graphic, 2024. 211 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
A long time ago, Maya's family was given the ability to see a mysterious pillar of light in the distance, but when her sister leaves to follow her light she goes missing--and Maya soon finds herself on a surreal road trip with two people she barely knows, headed towards a ghost town where her sister was last seen.

Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story
By Nicole Maines
DC Comics, 2024. 205 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
When Nia, a trans girl, has visions of the future, she suppresses her powers in order to protect her relationship with her sister and moves to Metropolis, where, guided by her dreams, she begins to understand her abilities and is given a choice: accept her new responsibility as a Seer or give it all up for a chance at normalcy.

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Strange Bedfellows

Strange Bedfellows
By Ariel Slamet Ries
HarperAlley, 2025. 275 pages. Young Adult Comic.

In the not-too-distant future, most of humanity resides on its last-ditch effort at utopia: Meridian, a remote alien planet where you're more likely to be born superhuman than left-handed. None of that is important to Oberon Afolayan. Since his mildly public breakdown, his whole life seems to be spiraling out of control--from dropping out of university to breaking up with his boyfriend, it seems like only a karmic inevitability when he wakes up one day with the ability to conjure his dreams in the real world. Oberon's newfound powers come with a facsimile of his high school crush, Kon, who mysteriously dropped off the face of the planet almost three years ago and who is a little more infuriating (if not also infuriatingly hot) than Oberon remembers. Kon makes it his mission to turn Oberon's life around, and while they struggle to get a handle on his powers and his disastrous personal life (not to mention the appearance of strange nightmare creatures), it turns out this dream version of Kon has secrets of his own--dangerous ones. Oberon might have more on his plate than he originally thought, but is giving up his dreams--even the one he might have accidentally fallen in love with--the only way to find happiness in reality?

The title and cover of this book made me wonder if I would like this book, but I absolutely fell in love with it!  Easily my favorite graphic novel that I've read this year, Strange Bedfellows has diverse, lifelike characters, a plot that keeps the pages turning, and stunning, full-color artwork.  My first instinct after reading this was to recommend it to everyone I know!  If you like friends-to-lovers stories, science fiction, or superheroes, definitely give this one a look!  It's well-written and well-worth the reader's time.

If you liked Strange Bedfellows, you may also like:

Dreamover
By Dani Diaz
Top Shelf Productions, 2025. 308 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Amber's a headstrong goofball with a temper. Nico's a shy, self-conscious emo boy. But they've been best friends since third grade, and she can't hide her feelings for him any longer. At the end of their eighth-grade beach trip, she confesses... and the feeling is mutual! Thus begins a glorious, blissful summer of first love. But once high school starts, life gets more complicated. Faced with early mornings, bullies, homework, and other stresses, Amber and Nico cling to each other, neglecting their friends. Soon, Amber starts to wish she and Nico could escape from it all. One night, as they fall asleep playing video games, Amber gets her wish...

Every Day: The Graphic Novel
By David Levithan
Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 198 pages. Young Adult Comic.

A graphic novel adaptation of the groundbreaking, beloved New York Times' bestselling novel about a teen who wakes up in a different body each day and the love that eludes them. Every morning A wakes in a different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to never get too attached, until he wakes up in the body of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone they want to be with--day in, day out, day after day. But can Rhiannon love someone who is destined to change every day? 

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We Called Them Giants

We Called Them Giants
By Kieron Gillen
Image Comics, Inc., 2024. 104 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Lori wakes to find the streets empty. Everyone has gone. Or at least, nearly everyone. She's thrown into a world where she has to scrape by in the ruins of civilization, nearly starving, hiding from gangs when They arrive.

With stunning visuals, a moving plot, and an open ending, We Called Them Giants is such a fun graphic novel!  I liked the themes of found family, trust, and communication across barriers.  Lightly dystopian and somewhat post-apocolyptic, We Called Them Giants is a book I would recommend to everyone!
 
If you liked We Called Them Giants, you may also like:
 

I Kill Giants
By Joe Kelly
Image Comics, 2014. 232 pages. Graphic Novel.
 
Tells the story of Barbara Thorson, an acerbic fifth-grader so consumed with fantasy that she doesn't just tell people that she kills giants with an ancient Norse warhammer -- she starts to believe it herself. This book reveals the reasons for Barbara's troubled behavior, as she learns to reconcile her fantasy life with the real world.

Akira Book 1
By Katsuhiro Otomo
Kodansha Comics, 2009. 363 pages. Graphic Novel.
 
In Neo-Tokyo, built on the former site of Tokyo after World War III, two teenagers are targeted by agencies after they develop paranormal abilities.

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I Shall Never Fall in Love

I Shall Never Fall in Love
By Hari Conner
HarperAlley, 2024. 288 pages. Young Adult Comic.

George has major problems: They’ve just inherited the failing family estate, and the feelings for their best friend, Eleanor, have become more complicated than ever. Not to mention, if anyone found out they were secretly dressing in men’s clothes, George is sure it would be ruination for the family name. Eleanor has always wanted to do everything "right," including falling in love—but she’s never met a boy she was interested in. She’d much rather spend time with her best friend, George, and beloved cousin Charlotte. However, when a new suitor comes to town, she finds her closest friendships threatened, forcing her to rethink what "right" means and confront feelings she never knew she had.
Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Ngozi Ukazu, I Shall Never Fall in Love shines a light on what it means to be true to yourself and rewrites the rules for what makes a happily ever after.

I Shall Never Fall in Love is a search for identity and coming-of-age story, told Jane Austen style!  Set in the Georgian era and most similar to the Austen's Emma, this full-color graphic novel explores what it meant to be queer in that time period.  Full of adventure and romantic mishaps, this graphic novel is a sweet read and I'd recommend it to lovers of historical romances!

 
If you liked I Shall Never Fall in Love, you may also like:

The Prince and the Dressmaker
By Jen Wang
First Second, 2018. 276 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride--or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia—the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian's secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances—one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone's secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend?

Heartstopper
By Alice Oseman
Graphix, 2020. 263 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance. But Nick is struggling with feelings of his own, and as the two grow closer and take on the ups and downs of high school, they come to understand the surprising and delightful ways in which love works. 

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Please Be My Star

Please Be My Star
By Victoria Grace Elliott
Graphix, 2024. 221 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Erika knows that people find her weird and off-putting. Instead of making friends, she finds solace in talking to herself and obsessing over handsome actors and pop stars. When she starts attending a new school, her loneliness takes on a life of its own and she develops a new obsession: the cutest boy in her theater class, Christian. For some reason, Christian is kind to her and even agrees to star in the play that she wrote for him, and Erika starts to find a creative voice that might lead to new friendship and romance. But the more time Erika spends with Christian, the more she wonders what he sees in a creep like her. Can Erika somehow write her way into the center of her own heartfelt love story? Or does Christian have an ending of his own in mind?

Please Be My Star is a well-written coming of age story with full-color panels that bring Erika's anxieties to life.  Literally.  Like, Erika's anxiety takes life as a shadowy version of herself that vocalizes all of her doubts and fears.  Erika's friend group is diverse in skin color, background, and personality, bringing their own stories with them without overwhelming the main storyline.  And Erika's love interest (Christian) has secrets of his own that the reader finds out along with Erika.  Overall, this is a good book for teens who like Phantom of the Opera (which this story is loosely based on), high school theater, and ones looking for ways to confront their own social anxiety.
 
If you liked Please Be My Star, you may also like:
 

True Beauty
By Yaongyi
WEBTOON Unscrolled, 2022. 283 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Once bullied for being perceived as ugly, young Jugyeong Lim uses online tutorials to transform into a beautiful popular girl. Caught in a love triangle between a mystery man and a bad boy, Jugyeong navigates high school and her personal life while her self-esteem, romantic life, and school life are constantly in flux.

49 days
By Agnes Lee
Levine Querido, 2024. 341 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
In Buddhist tradition, a person must travel for forty-nine days after they die, before they can fully cross over. Here in this book, readers travel with one Korean American girl, Kit, on her journey, while also spending time with her family and friends left behind.

Lunar New Year Love Story
By Gene Luen Yang
First Second, 2024. 343 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed—no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love. But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?

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The Ghostkeeper

The Ghostkeeper
By Johanna Taylor
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2024. 272 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It's a gift that's made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he's partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it's all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he's been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves. Then one day, the key to Death's Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he's only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can't move on, they'll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them. As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own...

I'm not normally one for stories about the supernatural, but I found Ghostkeeper very engaging!  The idea of a ghost therapist was intriguing and the world-building behind why ghosts would need a therapist was done very well.  With full color illustration, and a blue and pale green color palate for the ghosts with warmer browns and greens reserved for the living world, this book is a very lovely read.  Themes of found family, setting boundaries, and letting go are creatively explored.
 
If you liked The Ghostkeeper, you may also like:
 

Confetti Realms
By Nadia Shammas
Mad Cave Studios, Inc., 2023. 196 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
On Halloween night, when the moon is full, teenagers get up to mischief. But when an encounter with a giant, sentient puppet in a graveyard sends five teens to a mysterious dimension called the Confetti Realms, they must overcome obstacles in their own friendships-and collect the debted teeth owed to the puppet-in order to make their way home. But the allure of staying in a fantasy world is a hard one to beat, and going home to their normal lives is starting to sound less and less appealing for some. Will these friends return home?

The Glass Scientists
By S. H. Cotugno
Razorbill, 2023. 240 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Dr. Henry Jekyll believes mad scientists would do well to fix their public image, so he starts the Society for Arcane Sciences, but when a mysterious stranger aims to take the Society in a radical new direction, Jekyll's life starts to spiral out of control, threatening to expose his darkest secret.

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Navigating With You

Navigating with You
By Jeremy Whitley
Maverick, 2024. 220 pages. Young Adult Comics.

When new students Neesha Sparks and Gabby Graciana discover they like the same obscure manga series, they become friends and set out on a mission to find the remaining books in the series.

This graphic novel was so sweet! I was expecting it to be more informational about the struggles someone exploring their gender identity or experiencing ableism, but was pleasantly surprised to have the author include these elements while still focusing on the plot of the novel. The author hints at many of the answers as to why the girls are struggling early-on in the novel, however, leaves the reveal of how these things happened until near the end, creating a lovely story with beautiful character arcs.  It has full-color illustrations for the main story and black and white illustrations for the manga inserts, I would recommend this to anyone who is searching for a somewhat laid-back coming-of-age story with plenty of romance!
 
If you liked Navigating with You, you may also like:
 

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
By Deya Muniz
Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 235 pages. YA Comics.
 
Cam disguises herself as a man to inherit her father's money and estate, and though she tries to keep a low profile, she ends up falling for Crown Princess Brie.

Ready or Not
By Andi Porretta
Atheneum, 2024. 329 pages. YA Comics.
 
With senior year finally behind them, Cassie and her three best friends are on their way to what's next. Like their parents, the crew has always been inseparable. This summer is their last chance to make memories together in New York City before everyone but Cassie scatters across the globe for college--and she's determined to make the most of it. Her plan? They'll spend August playing the game of dares and risks they invented as kids! From adventurous to outrageous, these dares will definitely make for an unforgettable summer. Even better, Cassie is hopeful they'll help the group stay friends no matter what . . . because she is not ready for a future without them.

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Barda

Barda

By Ngozi Ukazu

DC Comics, 2024. 191 pages. Young Adult Comic.

When Granny Goodness decides her champion, Barda, is becoming too soft, she assigns her the task of breaking the seemingly unbreakable Scott Free, but as Barda questions Granny's motives she finds herself drawn to Scott in a way she never expected.

Barda was such a fun read!  The panels are in full color, and there are phrases repeated throughout the book which really drive home both Barda's backstory and the book's setting. While Barda is a character from the DC universe, which I know almost nothing about, I was still able to enjoy the book even if I couldn't catch all the references. The characters are well fleshed-out and diverse, both in design and personality, and Barda herself is very likeable and relatable.  The book has a nice mix of action and introspection, and I'd recommend this to people looking for superhero books or coming-of-age stories!

 

If you liked Barda, you may also like:

 

Static: Up All Night

By Lamar Giles

DC Comics, 2023. 200 pages. Young Adult Comic.

 

After Virgil Hawkins reveals his secret identity as Static to his girlfriend, Daisy, she breaks up with him, leaving him free to go to a big music festival with his best friend Richie Foley (also known as superhero Gear), but they soon run into girls who have secret identities of their own.

Hotelitor: luxury-class defense and hospitality unit

By Josh Hicks

Graphic Universe, 2024. 137 pages. Young Adult Comic.

 

Luxury ship Hotelitor is equipped with a hyperspace engine and single, double, and adjoining rooms. When an alien attack strands the craft in deep space, 18-year-old intern Anne Greene must save its guests from chaos.

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Maelstrom: a Prince of Evil

Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil

By Lorian Merriman

Henry Holt and Company, 2024. 236 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Maelstrom is a half-demon prince pining for a place in history. (Honestly, he's just bored and searching for a way to pass the time.) Twigs is the young, prophesized Hero of Virtue fated to face him--or so we've been told... But Maelstrom's mother, regent to the throne and a powerful necromancer, is determined to keep an iron grip on her domain. Bemoaning his lost destiny, Maelstrom teams up with the Hero to stop his mother and forge a new destiny for himself. What Twigs doesn't know is that Maelstrom has a cunning plan to build his own epic legend and double-cross Twigs at the perfect moment...

I was a little hesitant when I first picked up this book because I wasn't sure if it would be an enjoyable book.  I'm very happy to report that I was wrong!  The vibrant color scheme changed slightly throughout to match the mood of the fast-paced plot, and the well-developed characters gave the book a life of its own.  With gentle and subtle life-lessons and an engaging storyline, Maelstrom is a fun coming-of-age story you'll want to read in one sitting!

If you liked Maelstrom: A Prince of Evil, you may also like:

 

Nothing Special

By Katie Cook

Ten Speed Graphic, 2024. 399 pages. Young Adult Comic.

 

In the grand scheme of the worlds at large, Callie thinks she's nothing special. Sure, she's friends with the ghost of a radish and her dad owns a magical antique shop--but she's spent her life in the human world. Her dad won't let her join him on his collection trips in the magical realm "for her own protection", so she's only caught glimpses of that world through the gates of the town where her father's store is. On her seventeenth birthday, Callie goes home with her friend Declan to find her home in disarray and her dad missing. Signs of a struggle point to the portal to the magical realm and when there are signs, you follow them. Now it's up to Callie, Declan, and Radish to band together and bring him home. As they face creatures good and bad, and all sorts of adventure, Callie and Declan may just find out that they are both special in their own ways after all.

DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test

By Hamish Steele

Union Square & Co., 2023. 203 pages. Young Adult Comic.

 

Follows the lives of Barney, his best friend Norma, and a diverse group of employees at the Dead End theme park as they deal with demonic forces, time-traveling wizards, and scariest of all--their love lives.

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Shower Thoughts

Shower Thoughts

By David H. Pyle

David H. Pyle, 2024. Unpaged. Nonfiction.

Do crabs think fish can fly? Have you almost died without knowing it? Does a straw have one hole or two? From the thought-provoking, to the disturbing, to the downright ridiculous, this compilation of deep thoughts will have you pondering life's most profound and meaningless questions for hours at a time. Each turn of the page will bring a new revelation of the obvious truths you have never thought about before.

I absolutely loved reading this book! The 'thoughts' are in no particular order, so you can read it straight through, or just pick it up, flip to a random page, and prepare to think deeply about something you didn't even realize deserved a second thought! Each 'thought' in the book has its own page, which gives you the space to think about each one individually, instead of being bombarded by too many truths all at the same time. Almost every 'thought' in here would make a great conversation starter, as well. I highly recommend giving this one a look!

 

If you liked Shower Thoughts, you may also like:

All My Friends are Dead

By Avery Monson

Chronicle, 2010. Unpaged. Nonfiction.

All My Friends Are Dead is both the saddest funny book and the funniest sad book you'll ever read. Here, in accessible cartoon form are the amusing existential predicaments of clowns, cassette tapes, dinosaurs, zombies, snowmen, houseplants, and others as they each face the inevitable.

Strange Planet

By Nathan Pyle

Morrow Gift, 2019. Unpaged. Graphic Novel.

 

Strange Planet covers a full life cycle of the planet's inhabitants, including milestones such as: The emergence day, Being gains a sibling, the Being family attains a beast, and more. With dozens of never-before-seen illustrations to addition to old favorites, this book offers a sweet and hilarious look at a distant world not all that unlike our own.

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Lulu's Crochet Dolls

Lulu's Crochet Dolls: 8 adorable dolls and accessories to crochet
Search Press Limited, 2024. 111 pages. Craft Books.

Step into the enchanting world of Lulu Compotine! Journey through the seasons with 8 charming amigurumi dolls. Each has a lovable animal friend, and perfect seasonal outfits and accessories. From Charlotte and Caroline's blooming spring flowers to Celia and Zoé's wintertime treats, you'll fall in love with these adorable 23 cm (9 in) dolls and their crochet accoutrements. For beginners and beyond!

If you're anything like me and love making cute crochet projects, this is the book for you!  The dolls in this book are adorable, and their accessories even more so!  The instructions are easy to understand and follow, and each doll has its own personality already built in.  These particular dolls are not built to play dress-up, as the clothing is sewn and/or crocheted into the body, but they are oh so lovely and worth the time and effort it will take to make them! Some accessories are repeated from doll to doll, also, which makes it easier to make multiples.  You won't regret giving these patterns a try!

If you liked Lulu's Crochet Dolls, you may also like:

My Crochet Doll : a fabulous crochet doll pattern with over 50 cute crochet doll clothes and accessories

By Isabelle Kessedjian
David & Charles (imprint of F&W Media International), 2013. 95 pages. Craft Books.

Discover how to crochet your doll and then personalize her with your choice of hair, clothing and accessories. Patterns with "sc" in them can be identified as American patterns. All crochet patterns in this book are written in UK and European terms.

Crochet Cafe : recipes for amigurumi crochet patterns
By Lauren Espy
Paige Tate & Co., 2020. 213 pages. Craft Books.

Whip up a fresh batch of amigurumi! Crochet Cafe features over 30 adorable and appetizing food-inspired amigurumi patterns. Lauren Espy, author of 2019's No. 1 best-selling amigurumi book in the United States, Whimsical Stitches, gives you the ingredients and recipes you need to crochet your favorite meals and treats. Easy-to-follow patterns, detailed photographs, and helpful tips make this book perfect for novice and experienced crocheters alike. These simple and darling patterns are sure to bring a smile to your face. So, pick up a hook and have fun playing with your food! 

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Nothing Special

Nothing Special Volume 1: Through the Elder Woods
By Katie Cook
Ten Speed Press, 2024. 399 pages. Young Adult Comic.

In the grand scheme of the worlds at large, Callie thinks she's nothing special. Sure, she's friends with the ghost of a radish and her dad owns a magical antique shop--but she's spent her life in the human world. Her dad won't let her join him on his collection trips in the magical realm "for her own protection", so she's only caught glimpses of that world through the gates of the town where her father's store is. On her seventeenth birthday, Callie goes home with her friend Declan to find her home in disarray and her dad missing. Signs of a struggle point to the portal to the magical realm and when there are signs, you follow them. Now it's up to Callie, Declan, and Radish to band together and bring him home. As they face creatures good and bad, and all sorts of adventure, Callie and Declan may just find out that they are both special in their own ways after all.

When I tell you I love this comic, I mean that I absolutely adore it!  So much so that when I saw it was finally going to be printed after being only in digital format for so long, I knew I couldn't wait to own it!  This book is full of references to modern pop-culture and fun jokes and easter eggs hidden on signs in Callie's dad's shop and is in full color with beautifully rendered characters and intricate backdrops.  The characters were extremely well-developed, and the plot brought you along at just the right speed.  Don't miss out on this fun, fantastical adventure, and stay tuned for volumes two and three!

If you liked Nothing Special, you may also like:

Cursed Princess Club
By LambCat
Webtoon Unscrolled, 2023. 273 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Gwendolyn, the youngest of the King's three daughters, is living proof that princesses don't always have it all. She isn't like a typical fairy-tale princess, or other princesses in the Pastel Kingdom. Gwendolyn, with her big heart and love of baking, isn't particularly attractive. Unlike her sisters who have woodland creatures do their hair and makeup, or have flowers blossom wherever they sleep, Gwendolyn is a bit ... different. So when her father proposes marriage for her and her sisters to make an alliance with the Plaid Kingdom, it breaks Gwendolyn's heart to hear that Prince Fredrick thinks she's "really ugly." Overwhelmed and ashamed, she runs away into the forest and encounters the twisted world of the Cursed Princess Club, where her life will never be the same.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
By Deya Muniz
Little, Brown and Company, 2023. 235 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Cam disguises herself as a man to inherit her father's money and estate, and though she tries to keep a low profile, she ends up falling for Crown Princess Brie.

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Voyage de Gourmet

Voyage de Gourmet
By Paul Tobin
Mad Cave Studios, 2023. 248 pages. Young Adult Comic.

Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?

This comic book was a culinary delight!  I've found that many graphic novels with cooking themes are harder for me to get into because it ends up explaining everything about the cooking techniques which are going into the food.  Unlike other cooking-themed graphic novels I've read, Voyage de Gourmet doesn't emphasize the techniques the cooks are using to make their dishes.  This makes the book feel much more accessible, as it instead emphasizes the book's plot and the relationships between the characters.  There's all the drama, backstabbing, and high-stakes adventure you'd expect from a graphic novel centered around a reality show about culinary adventuring, and is mixed with some important talks about what it means to be a good person.  From its 'bon appetit' beginning to the finger-licking ending, this book is sure to satisfy! 
 
If you liked Voyage de Gourmet, you may also like:
 

Cooking with Monsters: the Beginner's Guide to Culinary Combat
By Jordan Alasaqa
IDW Publishing, 2023. 256 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Hana Ozawa is the newest face at the Gourmand Academy of Culinary Combat, a school that will teach her how to fight monsters AND how to turn them into delicious meals. Hana is a natural, but so are her classmates, and she struggles to keep up--she's gotta stand out, especially if she wants to impress the warrior chef who saved her life as a child. Throw in a crush on a formidable lady rival and a dash of multicultural cuisine, and this unique and hilarious story is sure to hit the spot!

Where There's a Whisk
By Sarah J Schmitt
Running Press Teens, 2021. 396 pages. Young Adult Fiction.
 
Life is what you bake it. Peyton Sinclaire wants nothing more than to escape her life as a diner waitress in her small, North Florida town and attend culinary school. Top Teen Chef, Food TV's new show that pairs reality TV drama with a fast-paced culinary competition, is her ticket out of her boring future. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make her dreams come true and Peyton is determined to prove to herself, and the world, that where you're born does not determine where you can go. However, once on the show, Peyton quickly discovers that there is more to the competition than just a well-seasoned dish.

ERB

Confetti Realms

Confetti Realms
By Nadia Shammas
Maverick, 2023. 196 pages. Young Adult Comic.

On Halloween night, when the moon is full, teenagers get up to mischief. But when an encounter with a giant, sentient puppet in a graveyard sends four teens to a mysterious dimension called the Confetti Realms, they must overcome obstacles in their own friendships and collect the debted teeth owed to the puppet in order to make their way home. But the allure of staying in a fantasy world is a hard one to beat, and going home to their normal lives is starting to sound less and less appealing for some. Will these friends return home?

I know what you're thinking.  A Halloween book at this time of year?  But to anyone looking for something mildly spooky to make their spring a little bit more interesting, I'd definitely recommend giving Confetti Realms a try!  As the characters complete their quests for teeth they find out more about themselves, each other, and the weird and whimsical Confetti Realms they've been transported to.  The book has a color scheme and creatures that reminded me of Studio Ghibli movies, and many of the questions asked are left for the reader to answer, giving the book a generally eerie vibe without being so Halloween-y that readers can't enjoy it outside the month of October.  It has a fast plot and an open ending that leaves the reader wondering about the characters' true fate. All-in-all, a somewhat spooky and very interesting read!

If you liked Confetti Realms, you may also like: 
 

Spirited Away
By Hayao Miyazaki
Viz, 2002. 171 pages. Young Adult Comic.
 
Ten-year-old Chihiro and her family are on their way to their new home. Dad takes a wrong turn, though, and they become lost in a forest. Eventually they find their way to a strange abandoned amusement park. Chihiro wanders off. As night falls, Chihiro finds out she's in a world of ghosts, demons, and strange gods. A mysterious boy, Haku, tells her that to survive Chihiro must find work. She must go down to the boiler room and seek out an old man named Kamaji.

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor
By Shaenon Garrity
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2021. 224 pages. Young Adult Comics.
 
After she saves a man from drowning, Haley wakes up in a pocket universe that appears as a gothic estate and helps three brothers whose job it is to protect her world against a penultimate evil.

ERB

Prince of Song and Sea

Prince of Song and Sea
By Linsey Miller

Disney Press, 2022. 345 pages. Young Adult.

Before Prince Eric's mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart, or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place. Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric's heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn't something that can be decided by magic.

This book is based off of the Disney 1989 animated feature "The Little Mermaid," even containing scenes in which the dialog is word-for-word from the movie!  I enjoyed this expanded retelling of a Disney classic from Prince Eric's point of view.  While the movie scenes felt a little bit disjointed from the characters' overall development, the intriguing addition of Prince Eric's curse and fast-paced nature of the plot kept the pages turning.  I definitely recommend this book to my fellow Disney-ophiles and to readers who enjoy fractured fairytales!

 

If you liked Prince of Song and Sea, you may also like: 

 

Midnight Pearls
By Debbie Viguié

Simon Pulse, 2003. 197 pages. Young Adult.

 

A woven tapestry of magic, adventure, and romance tells the tale of a stunning mermaid, a horrible curse, and the power of love in the Kingdom of Aster, a place where legends are born.

The Wicked Ones
By Robin Benway

Disney Press, 2023. 315 pages. Young Adult.

 

Drizella and Anastasia only know one thing for certain: they will never end up like their mother, Lady Tremaine. When their father left them as young girls, he took what was left of their family's fortune and their mother's dignity with him. A few years and one deceased stepfather later, the only version of Lady Tremaine that Drizella and Anastasia know is a bitter and cruel head of house. Anastasia and Drizella have promised themselves-- and each other--that they'll be different. They'll find love, see the world, and never let their hearts go cold. But both sisters are all too aware of what it can mean when cast into disfavor with their mother, and fueled by Lady Tremaine's tendencies to pit the daughters against one another, Drizella and Anastasia are locked into a complicated waltz of tenuous sisterhood.