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Shattered Warrior Cover
Title: Shattered Warrior
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: graphic novel straight sci-fi fantasy character of color bisexual character
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Order from your local bookstore!

Synopsis from the Creator:

Colleen Cavanaugh’s home world is ruled by Derichets, a tyrannical alien race bent on exploiting the planet’s mineral resources. Most of her family died in the war, and she now lives alone in the city. Aside from her acquaintances at the factory where she toils for the Derichets, Colleen makes a single friend in Jann, a member of the violent group of rebels known as the Chromatti. One day Colleen receives shocking news: her niece Lucy is alive and in need of her help. Shattered Warrior is a gripping science fiction adventure with a sweeping romance at its heart.

Love In Panels' Review:

SHATTERED WARRIOR is a solidly YA graphic novel, but with lots of violence and, in Matt's words "an attempted rape scene and a boob." So, trigger warning for sexual assault and violence. (The breast in question is visible after a very subtle and consensual interlude.) All this has led to my R-rating, but I think it's totally appropriate for teens.

On to an actual review! SHATTERED WARRIOR is a modern take on classic themes of invasion, colonization, rebellion, and hope. The book includes a diverse cast, a bisexual hero, and acknowledgment of the ways in which privilege impacts our relationships and our approach to the world. Contains people doing awful things for the greater good, a good guy/bad guy in the Derichet establishment, and a heroine terrified of loving anyone (because they all die).

I picked up the book at least 90% because I love Molly Ostertag's art, so you can be sure that I found the artwork compelling. Because of the dirty, war-torn state of the humans and their environs, entire pages are rendered in shades of brown and gray. It's lovely and evocative. In her first graphic novel, writer Sharon Shinn has taken a step back and allowed panels to speak for themselves, not inserting dialogue or exposition where the setting can tell the story. It's a partnership I'd like to see more of.

Speaking of wanting more... My biggest gripe with the book is that it's one 246-page volume. The story is one of an epic struggle, and (spoiler?) ends with the beginning of a new war. I don't often say this, but I wish this was a duology or a trilogy. There aren't gaping plot holes, but certain plot points feel rushed, as does some emotional development.

Should you read it? If you want sci-fi with romantic elements and some people making hard choices and holding onto their humanity... yep. If not, I guess don't read it. I'm not really a sci-fi fan and I really enjoyed the book, however.

If anyone from First Second reads this - I would like a sequel with Lucy's story, please.


Something New - Tales From a Makeshift Bride Cover
Title: Something New - Tales From a Makeshift Bride
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: PG13
Tags: straight memoir graphic novel
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

Buy it at your local bookshop!

Synopsis from the Creator:

In 2010, Lucy and her long-term boyfriend John broke up. Three long, lonely years later, John returned to New York, walked into Lucy's apartment, and proposed. This is not that story. It is the story of what came after: The Wedding.

DIY maven Lucy Knisley was fascinated by American wedding culture . . . but also sort of horrified by it. So she set out to plan and execute the adorable DIY wedding to end all adorable DIY weddings. And she succeeded. This graphic novel, Something New--clocking in at almost 300 pages of humor, despair, and eternal love--is the story of how Lucy built a barn, invented a whole new kind of photo booth, and managed to turn an outdoor wedding on a rainy day into a joyous (though muddy) triumph.

Love In Panels' Review:

SOMETHING NEW, Lucy Knisley's autobiographical graphic novel about her wedding, hits that indefinable spot somewhere between memoir and how-to. If you've read RELISH or any of her travelogues, you'll know what to expect from this one: humor, lots of internal dialogue, and a level of detail that makes you feel like you just might be Lucy's friend.

The narrative brings us through the early stages of Lucy and her now-husband John's relationship, a winding journey that includes a three year (!) break and a lot of back and forth regarding career, children, and life goals. As a bisexual woman, Lucy has complicated feelings on the institution of marriage, and she doesn't shy away from talking about them. John has complicated feelings about having children, and Lucy doesn't shy away from talking about those either. It's an honest, considerate depiction of the types of conversations I had with my own husband before our marriage. (Of course, I'm viewing this all through the lens of a married bisexual white woman, so Lucy's story probably has a lot more resonance for me than it would for others.)

After the engagement, Lucy employs self-deprecating humor and pointed social commentary as she guides readers through the long and tedious process of planning "the event of a lifetime." An entire chapter is devoted to finding "the dress," an experience that is supposed to be fun, but usually causes undue amounts of stress.

Chapters on food, money, pre-wedding parties, and "emotional sickness," cover most of the wedding bases, though the book clearly can't be a "how-to" because every couple, every venue, every family is different. For example, Knisley married at her mother's rural home, but that's not an option or a preference for many couples.

The end result is a book that's part critique of the wedding industry and societal expectations, part tribute to the love and support she received throughout the process, and part funny retelling of all the things not to do.


The Infinite Loop Cover
Title: The Infinite Loop
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Black and White
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: NSFW
Tags: lesbian graphic novel time travel
Where to Buy or Read:

Amazon

IDW

Synopsis from the Creator:

A science-fiction series that asks the age-old question, "What would you risk for a chance at true love?" Meet Teddy, a young woman who lives in a faraway future where time traveling is a common practice and her job is to maintain the status quo by correcting time paradoxes. But when she meets Ano, "a time paradox" and the girl of her dreams, Teddy must decide between fixing the time stream or the love of her life, both of which have unique consequences.

Love In Panels' Review:

THE INFINITE LOOP is a stand-alone graphic novel featuring time traveling lesbians. Also included? A T-Rex, rule breaking, and a lot of romance. I've given this as a gift twice, to positive feedback. The art is beautiful, with varied composition that fits the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey story The message is heavy-handed at times, telling readers to go their own way, let people be who they are, love is love, etc. It's a great message, but the story arc was a bit uneven while getting us from time paradox police officer following the law to renegade burning everything down for love.


Verona Cover
Title: Verona
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Definitely a Romance
Heat: R
Tags: graphic novel assassins straight character of color adaptation
Where to Buy or Read:

Emet Comics

Amazon

Synopsis from the Creator:

Written by director and screenwriter Emily Dell, Verona is a story of violence, passion, and young love. Set in modern-day Verona, the Montoyas and Capulets are warring assassin clans, serving contracts for Henrys, Hamlets, and MacBeths. When Jo Capulet and Roman Montoya are thrown together after a mission gone wrong, they see in each other a chance for a new life, even if it means destroying everyone in their path.

Love In Panels' Review:

VERONA is a modern-day, diverse retelling of Romeo & Juliet. Juliet Onishi Capulet is from a powerful family that produces munitions and assassinates people. Roman Montoya is from a more obviously criminal family of drug dealers and assassins. (One thread running throughout the book is the idea that sometimes the legal business owners are actually far shadier.) Anyway, both of them are assassins and they're pitted against each other so... of course they fall in love.

The book is 168 pages, which is enough to lay a great foundation for the story, but I would have loved more character development and a slower build for the central romance. That said, the original was pretty much insta-love, so this is a definite improvement!

This book is a lot of fun, with something for everyone. Explosions! Romance! Bad guys getting what they deserve! Best of all, Roman and Juliet don't die. There's enough here to give you that R&J feel, (Tybalt and other family members, poison/drugs, an apothecary-type person, etc.) but it feels fresh and original. The supporting cast alone makes this worth a read.


Yes, Roya Cover
Title: Yes, Roya
Creators: Format: EBook Print
Color: Color
Romanciness: Romantic Elements
Heat: R
Tags: graphic novel gay straight bdsm poly menage character of color creator of color
Synopsis from the Creator:

Wylie Kogan is an aspiring artist, stumping for work in 1963 California. When a fawning fan letter grants him access to his cartoonist hero, the wealthy and celebrated Joseph Ahlstrom, he's quick to take advantage of a proffered portfolio review . . . but winds up learning more than he ever wanted to about Joe when he stumbles across some of his idol's illicit fetish art. His hasty, ill-considered theft of a drawing triggers a series of events he never planned on . . . most of which involve Joseph's imposing and resolute partner, Roya.


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