This is a very sweet and very cute story about old friends, magic, family, self-discovery, demons (literally), and new relationships. I loved the artwork in this graphic novel and I felt like it added so much emotion and depth to the characters. I enjoyed seeing so many different types of representation and watching the characters learning more about themselves as the story progressed. Plus, the additions of magic and baking and her grandmothers made this an overall sweet and fun read. Definitely one that fans of Lumberjanes should check out!

A big wolf has been spotted in the woods. Suspecting witchcraft, Nova searches the forest and finds the white wolf being attacked by a gross demon horse. Turns out this wolf is an old friend of Nova’s, Tam. They haven’t seen each other in some time and Nova is radiant to learn what happened to Tam during the years they were gone but Tam has a mission. Only they can slay the demon, and Nova is ready to help.
I was not expecting to enjoy this graphic novel so much. As you start reading, you quickly get attached to the characters. From Nova’s unusual family to Nova’s non-magical friend, everything fits together. The story also pulls you in, it might be predictable sometimes but it’s still enjoyable. I started reading and couldn’t stop, ended up reading it in one sitting.
I don’t know if there’s going to be a second volume but, if it is, I would love to read it.

I spotted Mooncakes for the first time at ALA where my friend Erin told me that I absolutely HAD to read it! I missed out on grabbing an ARC of it there but thankfully received one from Netgalley later. The art style was what really made me want to pick this one up and I couldn't wait to dive in! Unfortunately, once I started reading it took me way too long to get through this relatively short graphic novel.

Mooncakes is a story about a witch named Nova and her friend Tam, who happens to be a werewolf and may also be more than a friend. First let me say there is so much amazing rep in this book! Nova wears hearing aids, Tam is non-binary, both are Chinese American, and they're in a relationship with each other.

I adored watching Nova and Tam learn about their magical sides and the friendship between these two was so cute, although their romance was a bit instalovey. I know that there was already history between them before the start of the book, but I wish there had been a bit more lead up to their romance.

While I did enjoy the art style and the story was fun, I did wish there had been a bit more depth to it. The plot was a bit generic and surface level and the villain was underwhelming. It definitely felt like younger YA than I expected. I did find myself a bit bored at times, but it was still a cute read. I'd definitely give it a try if you're in the mood for a cute, witchy, and diverse graphic novel!

This was an absolutely stunning graphic novel, full of friendship, romance, and inclusive characters.

Mooncakes is a graphic novel about magic. Not only the spellbinding magic, but the magic that touches the hearts of many.
A young witch, Nova welcomes an old friend back into her life, Tam.
Once childhood crushes, they find each other falling into each other’s lives deeper and deeper. Does the trouble of magic interfere with the life of two young women who want nothing more than to be together?
Tam realises her potential and recognises that a home extends beyond a physical place, it’s more than just a place to live.
Finding true love is a difficult one but has been so clear to Tam and Nova. Seeing a graphic novel incorporate a homosexual relationship is amazing! Recognising and adapting to the ever changing world is something that many books may fail to do, but this one did!! This graphic novel was a light-hearted read. It showed two women discovering themselves and their identity as they are involved in some deep rooted magic where toxic relationships are faced. The graphics were incredible and really engaged me in the situation. I loved learning about the different elements of magic and exploring a world that isn’t touched on in a lot of books - creativity is a tick for this book. I haven’t really seen a ‘world’ like the one created in Mooncakes. The fantasy and romance combination really gets me every time!
I did think some elements of this graphic novel were predictable. The ending for me was heartfelt although it was somewhat predictable. Is that a bad thing? You tell me.
In this circumstance, I think it fitted the novel well and gave me the happiness I wanted to see at the beginning of the graphic novel.
4/5 stars from me.

The art style was very nice but it felt like the story was lacking a bit. It might just be a preference thing for me because I've heard that other people have enjoyed the book much more.

This was such a cute novel! I really liked how incredibly diverse the cast was. The art style wasn’t my favorite, but it didn’t take away my overall enjoyment of this book.

I hadn't read any graphic novels before picking up Mooncakes and I think I chose the perfect introductions to this genre. I really like stories with magic and I am especially intrigued by witchcraft but sometimes stories with these topics are a bit too dark for me. When I spotted the beautiful cover for Mooncakes with its soft colors and cute illustrations I knew it was the perfect story for me.

I really enjoyed following Nova Huang in her magic adventures. They had the perfect amount of magic, friendship, love and darkness. The scenes with her childhood crush Tam Lang were really sweet and I was really curious to read how the whole mystery was going to unfold. There were no big secrets or shocking revelations but it left me with a big smile on my face, which made sense with the whole feel-good vibe of the story.

It was also great to read about such a diverse cast of characters. I will definitely be checking more work by these authors and more graphic novels.

Though this book looks like just another cute baking story from the outside, inside it's actually quite intense. That being said, it does still have adorable art and bright colours, and well, reading it just made me feel good. A story of long lost friends turned lovers, who have to also fight demons with magic. What more could you ask for?

Nova is seemingly an average girl who works at her grandmothers' bookstore, and although she's happy to be that person, she's anything but. Sporting bright blue hearing aids, she's more than she seems, and is also a witch who knows many crazy spells. One day a woman buys a book, just another normal day, until her friend stops by and tells her that there's a white wolf staring at her. This changes everything.

Before she can give it another thought, she heads into the forest. Turns out, the wolf is her old friend Tam, who's a werewolf. She's been trying to take down a demon by herself, but cant access her wolf magic, and has been stuck as a wolf for the last month. Isn't that exciting?

This story is a little more different than most, with the main characters being a witch who's hard of hearing, and the other a non-binary werewolf. Everyone has their own quirks after all, and it really lead for an interesting story. I especially liked how those things weren't any kind of big deal for the people around them, especially the magic parts.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this, and I'm glad I got the chance to check it out. It was a fast read, and a sweet one at that, and I would love to have a copy for my collection. Definitely check it out if you get the chance, even if you're not into stories like these! I think this could change your mind, with how cute it is.

Thanks for reading!
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

So you guys all know that warm and fuzzy feeling that you get when you’re reading a cute YA romance? Yep. That was EXACTLY how I felt reading this!

The novel revolves around Nova, a teen witch & employee of her mother’s company. Everything is going as usual until one day, she hears rumors about a white wolf wandering through the woods. Nova immediately associates it with Tam, her childhood friend/werewolf that she hasn’t seen in years.

Without out getting into too many spoilers, this leads to them getting tangled up in a magical conspiracy, and (to nobody’s surprise!) even rekindling their old friendship. It’s no secret that I’m a total sucker for slowburn romances, and this one

One thing that I would like to comment on is the diversity. Nova is queer, and Tam is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. This was my first time reading about a nonbinary character, and it felt really special for me to finally see this kind of representation in YA literature. Wendy and Suzanne (the authors) get into this a lot in a letter they crafted to the readers, and I’ve attached in the gallery below.

As for the graphics, they were BEYOND adorable! I’ve also included a slideshow below of a few screenshots I took while reading it on my computer so you can see exactly what I mean 😉

Overall, this was exactly what I was hoping it would be and more. Since there were no visible problems that I had with it, I’m gonna go ahead and give this one a full five stars. Definitely a new favorite that I’ll be rereading in the future!

This enchanting graphic novel about a witch and a werewolf who battle a demon and fall in love was the perfect spooky season read. Nonbinary werewolf Tam returns to town and reunites with their childhood friend Nova, a witch who uses hearing aids and lives with her grandmothers. Tam doesn’t want to bring danger into Nova’s life, but they eventually confess that they’ve been battling a demon in the forest. Nova, who is dealing with some troubles of her own, vows to help Tam do whatever it takes to defeat it. The growing love between them is sweet, soft, and will delight readers. The art is colorful, engaging, and perfectly matched with this magical story. Plus Nova’s wardrobe is absolutely fantastic–and I wish I could raid her closet. I hope to see more from this writing duo in the future! And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Wendy Xu’s work in Dream Daddy, an adorable graphic novel anthology that also stole my heart this month.

Thank you so much to Lion Forge and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first graphic novel I've ever read and I loved it so much that I'm now hooked on them. The illustrations were amazing and the storyline was so good. It was the perfect amount of witchy and whimsical and I read it in one sitting. The characters were amazing, the plot was crazy, and I honestly couldn't get enough of this book. This is definitely one I will reread over and over again.

I had really high hopes going into MOONCAKES - it looked like a very cute, inclusive love story with a good amount of witchy magic and Halloween feels. I planned to read it ON Halloween but got sidetracked with finishing some other books for the end of the month, so I read it over the course of one night (the next day). I received an egalley for review but ended up purchasing the paperback after my review copy expired (whoops!).

This graphic novel is about Nova, a hearing-impaired witch, who lives with her two grandmothers. Her parents passed away but do appear in the story. When a wolf is discovered in the nearby woods, Nova goes to investigate. It turns out to be her childhood friend, Tam, a non-binary werewolf. The two, along with the Nanas, work to remove a demon from their town. Lots of family feels and little touches of side-stories that I'd love to read more about. An old flame reignites between Nova and Tam and it's THE CUTEST. I love childhood-BFFs-to-more storylines.

I have to say, a higher rating could very well have happened here but I seriously struggle with rating graphic novels. I know that they're just as good as reading a novel, obviously, but I personally rush through them. It's like I have a timer in my head saying I NEED to finish a comic in one sitting, just because I know I can. I blaze through them and it results in lessened enjoyment. Completely my fault. I still REALLY recommend this one. So cute.

Might be late to the party but I absolutely adored this book.
Once you start to explore this graphic novel, you find yourself immersed in a wonderful world of magic.
I particularly appreciated the representation of love,friendship and family’s ties, so inclusive and diverse.
The illustrations and the colours used are really amazing and would love to see a sequel to this first boon of adventures!

The first thing to note is that the illustrations are so adorable and striking. Which, combined with the colour palette and slightly spooky themed – it was a perfect mix. Halloween can be cute and enjoyable with a little thrill.

There is a whole heap of diverse representation in here, which is so good. Our main character Nova is hearing impaired and wears hearing aids, Tam prefers the pronouns ‘they’, and we have f/f relationship Nanna’s. The scene where Tam asks if they can used their preferred pronouns was so heartwarming to read, I really hope we start seeing more of this in books.

We also need to discuss the Nanna’s. They are my favourite characters in the book (except maybe Terry) and they were always so loving, caring, and the kind of people that restore faith in humanity. One of them literally turns around to a scary horse demon and says, “you picked the wrong town to haunt, dear“.

There are definitely scenes which are going to give you all the feels, whilst also being lighthearted and having jokes. It really is a great read for any mood because of this. It definitely captures your attention with both the plot and the illustrations.

Why only 3 stars? Whilst I did enjoy reading it, I also felt like there was something lacking from the overall narrative. I wished it had felt more ‘high stakes’, and once things were quickly revealed it felt as if it was rushed through and then ended. I also wished we had delved more into the witch community, how the magic system works and a little deeper into our characters.

Mooncakes perfectly fuses the importance of different types of love and friendships, with adorable graphics and heart-warming moments. It was a perfect read for the Halloween season, under a blanket and with a warm drink in hand. It was made for when it’s getting dark and you want a spooky vibe but still want to sleep!

I can't tell you how delightfully unexpected this story and art was. I have been reading a lot more graphic novels of late, so when the opportunity to read and review a graphic novel containing magic, books, and self discovery, I was completely taken in and lucky to be given the opportunity to read and review it. The art within the book combines with the story perfectly to weave a whimsical and spellbinding story of family, friendship, and magic.

The witchcraft and magic within the graphic novel was rich and warm in all of the best ways. Stemming from the delightful witches/grandmothers that feature within the story, the Walker and Xu have imbued all aspects of this tale with a power that literally jumps from the page. The magic that the witches instil in Nova and their bookshop is powerful and enjoyable and forms the basis of a great magical story and world.

The inclusion of Tam and her shapeshifting abilities added another level to the story that was really welcome. Her inclusion added more literal magic, yes, but it also added an extra level of love and warmth in the form of relationship and friendship. There is literal magic abound in this book, from spells to witches to werewolves, but the real power is found in the strength of the relationships between Nova and her grandmothers, and between Nova and Tam. Nova looks up to, learns from, and has a beautifully loving relationship with her Grandmothers. Her relationship with Tam is full of wonderment and self discovery that was stunningly written and beautifully played out and had all the tact and rawness of the characters ages and learning experiences.

The artwork in this is equally as entertaining as the story itself. The words and pictures coalesce to create a rich and warm tapestry of belief, love, and magic, and really underpins the magical tale that the story is telling. The colours and style are fitting and toe the line of simplistic genius, much like the story itself.

Simply put, this story of self discovery, love, and magic was a warm and beautiful delight.

I absolute loved this story! The magic was great,the art was amazing, the characters were adorable. I loved the family dynamic and the trans rep. I would love to see a follow up story in this world. Quick that I can see myself rereading every fall.

I received a copy of Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker from Lion Forge and Netgalley in exchange for and honest review. Thank you!

I give this 2 stars! Definitely creative and artistic graphically speaking, but the story was ....... I'm at a loss.

Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog or welcome if you are new here.

Today, I am here to talk about a graphic novel that has been hyped up by many trusted reviewers in the book community- and for good reason!

Mooncakes is about two Chinese-American teens: we have Nova Huang, who is a witch and she lives with her two grandmothers after the death of her parents. Nova helps put her grandmothers run their bookshop while dealing with any potential magical happenings in the town.

One day, Nova is in the woods as a towns member mentioned a wolf sighting and she reunites with her old childhood friend, Tam Lang. Tam is fighting a demon horse and Nova helps them out. They moved away from town when they were young and Tam actually ran away from their mother and stepfather.

Tam asks Nova and her grandmas to help them figure out who has been attacking Tam. While this is happening, we see Tam & Nova’s relationship go from friendship to something more.

I absolutely adored this; the art is beautiful, the characters are so much fun to read and the story was so cute!

I gave this a 4.5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend you all check it out!

I thought the pacing and writing could have used a little work, but nevertheless I enjoyed reading this. I loved the diversity of the characters and how they had intersecting identities; they seemed like real people with complex aspects to them. I also enjoyed that these various elements were simply part of the story but not the focus, and not the source of the conflict. Overall, this is a fun and fluffy comic with fantasy elements that I would be interested in reading more of.