2 September 2023

Graphic Novels (part 2)

There are some really great graphic novels out there and I think they just don't get the love they deserve! I can't get enough of all the beautiful art styles and interesting fast-paced stories. So here are a few of the gorgeous books I've enjoyed this year.

But first things first, let's start with The Seventh Art cocktail. This one sounded amazing so I'm glad I got an excuse to try it out.

Muddle half a cup of popcorn (I used sweet) in a shaker, add 50ml white rum, 10ml yellow chartreuse, 20ml lemon juice and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake with ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass. Once you've got your refreshment ready, on to the books!

Frontera by Julio Anta, Jacoby Salcedo

Mateo is making the dangerous journey through the desert, from Mexico to America. Luckily for him, he makes a helpful friend who just happens to be a ghost.

Between running from boarder patrol and running out of supplies, Mateo comes across many different challenges, finding help in unexpected places and even helping others. Guillermo's story is also really interesting, I feel like he could have his own series where he saves unsuspecting travellers. This was completely action packed but somehow also managed to be very touching, I had tears at the end! The art and colours are really vibrant, I'm sure the finished version will be gorgeous.

The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin

Kat receives word of mysterious devil lights floating above the hills in a small town and decides investigating the phenomenon is the perfect thing for her spooky podcast. Of course she finds a lot more than she was expecting, including a cute girl who used to be local but now feels just as out of place as Kat.

I'm not usually one for romance in books but these two are just so cute! I loved the will they/won't they through the book and how they kept getting all embarrassed every time they accidentally touched. However, my favourite character was probably Ana, she really needed a bigger part. She always had this shrewd look on her face and seemed to notice everything. They'd have solved the mysteries a lot quicker if she was in charge.

There were a lot of characters which I found a bit hard to follow and I was slightly confused with the ending but I still really enjoyed it and wonder if there will be more books to follow.

My Heart in Braille by Joris Chamblain, Anne-Lise Nalin

Victor likes to mess around, playing in the band with his friends and always getting things wrong at school. Striking up an unlikely friendship with Marie-Jo, they find they can actually help each-other out.

This was such a sweet story, I had a tear or two by the end. Victor was a really honest character. So cheeky but all he truly wanted was to do well and make people proud. Meeting Marie-Jo opened up his world a bit and got him trying new things and making a huge effort to learn. The way they got on together was lovely to see and I think they both learned from each other.

The art was delightfully soft and had a beautiful colour palette.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu

I finally got to read the book so many people have recommended over the years and it did not disappoint at all! Nova is a young witch who discovers dark forces in the woods and realises she has to find a way to fight them to save her childhood friend who pops up after being gone for years.

The spirits were just TOO adorable. And I loved how the Nanas just trusted Nova to get on with things, even when it could be dangerous. They were like mischievous children! Wonderful characters and a great art style. I want more!

20km by Woshibai

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it caught my eye and I had to give it a try. It was like lots of little stories. Some were really clever, a few made me smile and some were a little sad. I can't say I understood them all but it was amazing the amount of emotion that even such simple pictures could elicit.