This collection of cartoons would be an ideal gift for the book lover(s) in your life, including yourself. I don't read a lot of comics these days, but when a friend told me about this title I just had to check it out for myself! And I am so glad that I did, because I really enjoyed flipping through and seeing some of my own personal bookish quirks immortalized. Tung's artistic style is lovely as well, and you can tell that the author has captured what it is like to be a bookworm because she is one of us.

This is one that I'm sure every book lover will adore. Book Love is a collection of comics that depict what it is like to be a book lover - from incognitio sniffing a new book to being beckoned by your TBR when you are trying to work to going into the bookshop for ONE book and being sidelined by the sale display. Honestly, every page brought a smile to my face at how relatable the comics are. Honestly I was having a bad day and reading this made my day a little brighter, so thank you for that. This is a love story to and for book lovers, and I highly recommend it!

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that is definitely right up the alley of any bibliophile (and would make an excellent gift for any book lover in your life).

However, even as someone who both loves nothing more to curl up in a corner with a good read and is also a professional librarian, I will say that I don't think this is a comics collection that should be read all the way through at once. There is only so much humorous praise for books that I could take before it honestly ended up being too much for me, and I actually ended up reading "Book Love" in three installments over the course of two days. This book is probably best utilized as a nice break for when one is working their way through heavier reads.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this comic eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

book love (Debbie Tung)

Title: book love

Author: Debbie Tung

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date: January 1, 2019! (hardback)

ISBN: 978-1449494285

Source: NetGalley



Okay so Andrews McMeel Publishing is make me happy again.  Last week I reviewed loading penguin hugs which I got because I needed a pick-me-up.  I still be feeling a bit under the weather and so when I saw comics about book lovers, I had to immediately read them.

Debbie Tung is definitely one of me crew (even if she has no idea who I be).  She be me guru and spirit animal.  Her comics perfectly reflect book love, introversion, and habits that arise from the two.  An example of her comics (from her website):



This adorable collection is 144 pages of book fun.  All the crew should read it.  Ye can pre-order now.  Don't worry I will also remind the crew closer to publication day if ye currently be short of gold.  I just know that I am glad I found this author to brighten me windy and stormy nights.  Arrr!

Side note: Check out her website.  It be awesome!

So lastly . . .

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing!

Goodread's website has this to say about the novel:

Bookworms rejoice! These charming comics capture exactly what it feels like to be head-over-heels for hardcovers.

Book Love is a gift book of comics tailor-made for tea-sipping, spine-sniffing, book-hoarding bibliophiles. Debbie Tung’s comics are humorous and instantly recognizable—making readers laugh while precisely conveying the thoughts and habits of book nerds. Book Love is the ideal gift to let a book lover know they’re understood and appreciated. 

To visit the author’s website go to:

Debbie Tung – Author

To buy the novel go to:

book love - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

I absolutely fell in love with this book and like many other book lovers I felt as if it was written about me. It is full of humour and a deep affection for the book. Some of the situations may seem a little extreme to those who are less fixated by the book, but for may people it will have them sighing with a contented "me to" as they remember that there are many other people who share their love of the written word. What a fantastic present for the book lover in your life, or maybe just another one for your own collection

4★
"The book I'm reading is about a magical world of dragons and wizards! They go on adventures and explore unknown places! And then at the mansion in Hertfordshire, a wealthy man and Mr. Darcy...Oh, wait...that's a different story."

"You're reading two books at the same time again, huh?"

GUILTY! But it does make for some wonderfully imaginative what-ifs! This little book of simple drawings of a young woman wearing a hoodie, happiest with a book and a mug of tea (with teabag) at her side, is a delight for booklovers.

Some are funny, some are poignant, and some hit so close to home that you DO feel like shouting GUILTY! [Some are a bit repetitious, but really, who cares?"

I'll share a few pages to give you an idea. It is being published in January 2019 and is currently a Read Now at NetGalley by Andrew McMeet Publishing for NetGalley reviewers (all of whom will relate to this charming little reader).

These are all me (well, a lot younger). It will make a great gift for readers.

[I included a few pictures in my Goodreads review.]

I am a fan of Debbie Tung's work and this particular title, Book Love, spoke directly to me as a book lover. Not just a voracious reader but a lover of books, the physical objects themselves.

Most book lovers, as described above, will see themselves in many of these comics. People who are mostly readers while liking books won't be left out since the comics span the range of definitions of book love. In fact, friends and relatives of readers and book lovers will get a kick out of these since it lets them know that their loved ones aren't strange, well, aren't alone in their strangeness.

I also admit that books like this will usually get 5 stars from me for a couple reasons (and if they don't get 5 stars they will likely get 1 or 2). The main reason, and the only one that I will mention, is that they are usually straightforward about what they are and they deliver it. If a reader looks at a couple of comics, or is familiar with the author, then they will be satisfied with the book. My ratings are only part whether I like or dislike a book. It is also about whether I think the book delivers on what it promises. Collections of comics by known writers/illustrators rarely have a disconnect between promise and what is delivered, so 5 stars for most.

This book will especially speak to readers and book lovers, we have some of the same idiosyncrasies and are also aware of how many people look at us. So when these comics poke fun at both ourselves and those looking at us like we're nuts, we can't help but nod and laugh. And share them with everyone we know.

Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

OMG!!!!!!!

I haven't even read it yet and already I NEED TO BUY THIS!!!!!

*****************************************************

*thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

5 stars.

How could this book be anything less than 5 stars! Debbie Tung has yet again produced another amazing little graphic novel, and just like her first book, this too is just pure love! Every single page of this was so identifiable. Bibliophiles around the world will laugh, smile, nod in agreement with each page of this book, as it accurately shows just what the true love for a book is all about.

I just wish this was available to buy now as I NEED to add it to my collection.

Well done Debbie! Again another marvelous book! Keep them coming!

What a sweet love letter to reading this book turned out to be. I loved the art style too. Now to decide which book-loving friends to give this title to.

Debbie Tung is a cartoonist and illustrator who shares her love of reading in this delightful collection of cartoons that would be a perfect gift for any book lover, including yourself. In page after page of drawings and dialogue, I got everything she depicts from not being able to resist a bookstore you walk by to times when you’d just rather stay home and read. She even gives advice on how to read more and shares some of her favorite books, some of which are mine too. I just have to share the bubble dialogue from two of my favorites.

Girl: “Excuse me. I’d like to exchange this book you sent me for this one instead.”
Guy(store clerk): “Oh, yours has an updated cover with the movie poster. But really, they’re the exact same books.”
Girl: “No...No they’re not.”
***************************************

Guy: “You finished reading your book ?”
Girl: “Yeah.”
Guy: “How was it ?”
Girl: “It was really sad.”
Guy : “Oh no. I guess you didn’t like it ?”
Girl: “Are you kidding ? I LOVED IT !”
********************************

This one wasn’t sad, but I LOVED IT !

I received an advanced copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing through NetGalley.

If you are reading this, you love books. So welcome! This is a story about you.

Get yourself a nice cup of tea, maybe your favourite blanket and get comfortable as Debbie Tung proceeds to open your mind and use its contents into this little comic book.

With a simplistic but effective art style and as few words as possible this charming book brings onto the pages the quirks and mannerisms of that strange creature that it is the book lover. From the insatiable need for new reads, the search for that perfect reading pose or to the extends we push ourselves to insert reading time on our ever busy schedules, this books touches upon it all.

A must have for that moments when we just need something funny to warm up the soul.

''When i open a book, I open a window into another person's world. It becomes a truly magical experience. There's nothing else quite like it''. This quote sums up how every reader feels about reading. Every book lover can relate to each page and illustration about how much we love reading and all the things we think when it comes about books. Funny and sweet, this book is really enjoyable if you love books so much.

Well... I can’t view this because it won’t download to my kindle..

I wish we would be warned about this before we chose to take it!

Book Love, unfortunately, did not arrive in my download. I would be glad to review the book in full either in hard copy or on Kindle. I recommend the books I've read by this publisher.

Book nerds rejoice! Debbie Tung doesn’t just understand us; she’s one of us! Debbie first drew scenes from my life in her debut ‘Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story’ and now she’s gained access to the bookish part of me which, let’s face it, is pretty much all that’s left once you take away the introvert part.

This is my second (but not final) read of this graphic novel and once again Debbie’s nailed it. Her illustrations perfectly capture the bliss of escaping into a book, the allure of a book sale, the horror of finishing a book and knowing you have to wait a whole year before you can dive into the sequel, and the special kind of magic you experience when your book order arrives. Debbie explores bookish nightmare of a favourite book being massacred by its film, the horror of price sticker residue and the devastation you feel when someone ruins the end of the book you’re reading.

Debbie talks about how we read, where we read, why we read, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so understood. Every turn of the page resulted in validation of my bookish experiences. There was only one page I was glad I couldn’t relate to - when you have to choose between books because you’ve reached the maximum amount you can have on loan at any one time from the library. Thankfully my wonderful librarians consider the loan limit a suggestion, not a strict rule, where I’m involved; just one more reason why my library is the best in the world!

I cannot get enough of this book and only wish it had been several hundred pages longer. I wonder what part of my life Debbie is going to tackle next… Whatever it is, I need to read it immediately!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for introducing me to Debbie with ‘Quiet Girl’ and giving me the opportunity to remember why I need every book she ever publishes.

Book Love is perfect for any book lovers out there. Debbie Tung is a girl after my own heart – using comics to talk about her obsessive book buying habits, sorting shelves, the protectiveness over a well loved book, and all the other quirks well known to us that adore our books. It was almost painful how accurate some of her illustrations were. Though they’re still incredibly funny!
You may recognize some of the images – Debbie Tung’s work have been known to go viral. Or at least, they have in the book communities I’m in (and that’s what really counts here, right?). She has a website that you should check out if you enjoyed this book (with more comics on it!).
This would make a really cute gift to a book loving friend, or you could just buy it for yourself and add it to your book hoard. I won’t judge.

A fun collection of comics for the most hardcore of book lovers. It definitely showed quite a few scenarios that I have a hard time finding others that relate to me on, which was a lot of fun.

Thank you very much for making this volume available for my review. The appeal of this particular book was not evident to me, and if I cannot file a generally positive review I prefer simply to advise the publisher to that effect and file no review at all.

I knew already Debbie Tung because I have read "Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story " so I picked this up immediately on Netgalley and it was even better because.....BOOKS! A great strip where introverts, cat lovers and of course books fans will find a real satisfaction!

Conoscevo giá questa disegnatrice perché avevo letto "Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story " e mi era piaciuto molto, quindi quando ho visto questo suo nuovo volume su Netgalley l'ho richiesto subito ed era addirittura migliore del precedente, anche perché, ovviamente, parlava di libri. Quindi la striscia perfetta per qualsiasi introverso, amante di gatti e soprattutto libromane folle é questa qui.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

A collection of comics every book lover will relate to. Cute, funny, and perfect for book nerds. Recommended.

I feel attacked by this book with how relatable absolutely everything in it is, like, am I secretly the main character?? Feels like it. Any bookworm would LOVE this book (I mean, it's a book, so obviously, but it's also the story of our lives!!). Would recommend everyone I know (aka, my family, friends, neighbors, friends of friends, family's friends, EVERYONE) to read it.