This was such a sweet story with great diversity and representation from family dynamics, to disabilities to sexual & gender orientation. The story was cute, spooky and everything in between. My only wish was that we could be given more backstory into Tam and Nova relationship as children, I think it would have added a depth to the narrative. I loved the art style and coloring and can't wait to see the full graphic novel when it comes out.

This was so sweet and I really enjoyed it. It was diverse, cute and a fun read. I highly recommend checking it out when it comes out in October.

I've been trying to read more graphic novels for work, so I can know what themes are present in certain series, what different authors usually focus on, etc. And I've been astonished by the last few I've picked up just for the amount of diversity in these stories! There have been deaf characters, queer characters, racially diverse characters, and so much so that I can't remember the last straight white character that was a main protagonist in one of these graphic novels.

This book delighted me. The hints of magic and love between the families makes my heart warm. I was dancing on my toes when I learned that one of the characters was transgender and that it wasn't the only part of their plot!

The plot had a nice arc, leaving it open ended for more adventures, but with closure for the characters so that you're not left at a cliffhanger.

I loved this so much.

Stunning art, magic, and heartwarming romance. What else could a girl ask for?

Many authors have explored the idea of a romance between a witch and a werewolf, but Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu bring something to the table that I haven't read before. They bring this romance to the LGBTQIA+ community by introducing readers to a nonbinary werewolf, Tam, and a witch, Nova, who Suzanne describes as queer. They are childhood friends that are separated and find each other again due to some complicated circumstances, which allows for them to really connect with each other romantically.

Along side the romance, is also a story line filled with betrayal and self discovery. The surprises along the way and the occasional suspense made me want to read as fast as I could to see what was going to happen next.

I can not get over how much diversity exists in this graphic novel, in a good way. Beyond the LGBTQIA+ aspect, the level of diversity is even more expansive. Nova has a hearing impairment that requires hearing aids and Tam is Chinese American. The family structures that are represented are also very diverse. Nova lives with her two grandmothers and Tam reveals that their parents are no longer together.

In a world that seems to be crying out for greater representation of marginalized groups, this graphic novel delivers just that. I would recommend this graphic novel to lovers of magic, fantasy, romance, or are just craving something different.

I have really mixed feelings about Mooncakes. I really loved the style of the artwork and there was a ton of great representation. We had a pair of Grandmas, a nonbinary character, and an MC who wears hearing aids. I loved all of this representation and what it brought to the story.

I wanted more from the couple's backstory. They were really great friends as a kid but Tam had to move away. Why were they always moving around? What happened to their dad? I just didn't believe in their relationship as much as I could have if I had gotten to know Tam's backstory more. There was also a lot missing from Nova's story. What happened to her parents? Why does she live with her Grandmas?

I thought this was a really cute, diversity filled story but it was all surface level. I hope there will be more volumes of this story so that I can truly start to understand who these characters are.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lion Forge through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

July isn't even over and I've been in such a fall mindset that I've been seeking out anything and everything to keep me in that feeling of craving and wanting fall. This was perfect for that.

Everything about this was perfect. The family dynamic was beautiful. The representation in this was beautiful. The story and the art were beautiful. I fell in love with it so hard.

I loved this! such a fun, quirky, spooky graphic novel. the art style is beautiful, I loved the overall plot and the REP! one MC is a queer witch with hearing aids with two queer af witchy grandmas (!!! I love queer witchy grandmas apparently) and the other MC is a non-binary, queer werewolf! this just made me smile and gave me major butterflies and I would highly recommend. <3

I got an ARC of this book.

I am not really a fan of magic, but I am a big fan of werewolves and queer love so I  gave this a shot. The love was pretty insta-love which I wasn't a fan of. I understand that they had a thing for each other as kids, but it has been long enough that they are different people now. I wanted a bit more of a build up to the first kiss. Though I really did like them together. They were supportive and kind. They graduated from sleeping apart, to holding hands while apart, to together. That growth together helped me accept that they were new to the relationship and it wasn't as insta-love as it felt. Those small details sold me on the relationship. 

The grandmothers! That is all. Once you read the book, you will understand.

The idea that werewolves can be used to house demons is a pretty Patricia Briggs idea (though she did vampire). It makes a lot of sense and hasn't been done to death yet. The world building of magic and supernatural didn't build enough to explain how the ending really worked, but if there are future volumes I think the story would start to explain more. It felt incomplete, but more like it is a first volume than it is missing, if that makes sense. 

The bad guy was clearly a bad guy. The face, the communication style, everything. It felt a bit flat. There was an attempt at making the character more 3-D, but it just fell flat too. If this was addressed more in the story or in a later book, I will come back and change this to 5 stars. 

The art was overall a bit cartoony, but in that way that added cuteness to the story and kept it from being scary. The demon could have been horrifying, but it was manageable due to the art style. It lowered the age level I would recommend the book for in a pleasant way. It made the book more approachable.

The art was fantastic! I loved how Nova was so kind to Tam and when I read it, I felt warm and cosy. I hope there will be more books like this soon.

ARC provided by Net Galley and the publishing house in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

5 stars.
This is one of the best graphic novels I’ve ever read. The art style, the colours,the characters complimented each other perfectly and contributed into this amazing book.

Definitely will purchase this
on release day

This was a very cute and wholesome graphic novel. The story isn't the most interesting thing I've read this year but it fit the art style. But it did not charm me as much as I had hoped.

I loved the magical world created and the way magic was illustrated and highlighted throughout; it felt like a part of their lives and not just an add-on. The characters were all well rounded and I loved the general focus on family and upbringing, it added an element to the mystery going on on the side.

The panels were too crowded in my opinion, the background almost overwhelmed its characters due to its vibrant colours and details. Most of the panels are drawn from a simple straightforward point of view which makes the story seem monotone and boring. I would have loved more closeups of the facial expressions and movements to convey the emotions clearer.

That was so cute and included so many things that I adored!

This had everything for a great graphic novel- witches, demons, werewolves, friendship, family and love. It also included cults, sadistic plans and occult rituals.

Nova is a witch, working with her two Nana’s (both witches) in their rather unique bookstore. They procure certain books that help with spell research and work; from curses to potions to igniting magic. The family also do a little witchcraft on the side to help with neighbourhood issues from the supernatural.

One day Nova hears of a white wolf roaming the forest, a demon prowling in the area, and flashing lights occurring at random times. The white wolf reminds her of a friend from childhood, a friend she was in love with, and so she sets out to investigate the mysterious happenings in the forest.

Here she encounters not only an unexpected demon, but also her old best friend and crush, Tam... who also happens to be a werewolf. Soon Nova discovers there are more sinister forces at work, posing danger to her family and to Tam.

This book explored and incorporated inclusivity very well! There is a F/NB relationship, a plus-sized character, and disability representation. While these were all made apparent of the character (either through drawings or phrases), the character’s were never solely that one thing, and were made 3D with human emotions and interactions (or witches and werewolves of course!).

Nova also had such an interesting family in terms of ghosts and seeing how the consequences of magic can go wrong!

There were some amazing moments in the novel where love, family and friendship provided such a supportive, and non-judgmental, zone.

This was not what I was expecting or not. It was highly requested and looked like a fun story, but I found it boring and not a consistent storyline.

Mooncakes is an adorable comic where a young witch and werewolf fight a dark force. It's full of diverse characters that anyone can relate to, The artwork is charming, and I can't wait to see what the authors come up with next. I hope this isn't the last time we've seen Tam and Nova.

“The next full moon snuck on me.”

This was an absolute delight to read and I’m glad I chose to request it as somebody who doesn’t read graphic novels anymore. It has everything I love and more. Magic, werewolves, cute vibrant colors, and LOVE.

Our main characters are Nova and Tam. Nova is a young witch I believe who lives with her grandparents and helps out in their magical store. She comes across her long lost friend/crush Tam in the woods and helps them heal from their injuries. Oh yeah, forgot to mention Tam in a shapeshifting werewolf.

This was a cute graphic novel that in my opinion was too short for my liking!!! I wanted more, I’m greedy! I loved the inclusivity of it. Nova wears hearing aids, Tam uses they/them pronouns and I believe Nova’s grandmothers are lesbians.
Everyone is asian and the food...the food looks amazing.

The plot was well done and the art is so great. I loved the magical aspect as well. NOVA’S WAND IS SO CUTE. I feel like a lot of the backstory was just thrown at us so that’s the only downside so I’m hoping for another book soon. I greatly enjoyed this however and I know a lot of other people will as well.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. Please check out my blog for more reviews.
https://aelilyreads.home.blog/

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy if this book in exchange for an honest review. 

When I first saw this graphic novel I was very much on the fence about requesting it. After listening and reading other peoples reviews I decided to give it a go and I'm honestly so glad that I did. 

This is such a diverse novel with amazing characters and a magical storyline. Whilst it was an incredibly quick read I was completely hooked into the world that Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu have created.

I loved the family dynamic and I have to admit that Nova's Gandmas were definitely my favourite characters! I loved how accepting,understanding and badass they were!

I would like to have seen more of how Nova and Tam's friendship began as it did feel like we were jumping into the middle of their story.

Overall this was a super cute and fun to read and I cannot wait to get the final copy in October.

Disclaimer: I have voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley, thank you!

I’ve seen a lot of Mooncakes around booktube and in overall graphic novel recs and I was very hyped to read it. Sadly, I have to say it did not live up to my expectations.

It was an absolutely sweet, diverse and queer read including gay people, nb people, biracial people, people with disabilities and cute romance. However, the plot seemed like just a background for tons of fluff and some angst. I wasn’t also that into the romance. It was cute but for some reason felt kind of rushed to me. Maybe because I’m not too into childhood friends to lover trope and I like to see the romance develop from the beginning. It was still really sweet and wholesome, though, just not what I’m personally into.

The characters were really pleasant to read about and super diverse (gotta love badass grandmas), but I didn’t feel really connected to them. They were a part of a sweet story with a ton of representation but quite a forgettable plot.

The art style was really cute and very colorful. The characters’ faces were cute and I loved the way magic was drawn. Some of the pages at the end were not colored, but that’s understandable in an early version and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the comic.

All in all, Mooncakes is a sweet, short graphic novel with a diverse cast of characters. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes witches and magic but doesn’t mind only a few action scenes and plot that’s more of a background to the relationships.

Everything about this was adorable and I am so pleased about nonbinary inclusion in comics. Excellent art, and the story, while a bit predictable, was so sweet that this could likely be recommended to much younger readers than the target audience.

What we have here is an incredible cute story that stands out for many different reasons, from the characters to the incredible representation that portrays. I’m honestly in awe at how the author manages to include so many things and being constant with those details throughout the story.

For example, one of the main characters wears hearing aids, and she wears them constantly and there are multiple references to how she deals with them in different situations such as when flying on her broomstick. It’s not mentioned once so the book can be credited for the representation and then it’s never mentioned again. Nope, that’s not the case with this story, and that’s awesome.

A few of the points making this graphic novel so diverse and inclusive:
•Chinese-American main characters
•All kind of representation when it comes to queer and non-binary characters, and also two grandmothers in a relationship. Awesome.
•One of the characters is hard of hearing.
•Consistent use of they/them pronouns when it comes to Tam and total acceptance and respect from the other characters.
•Healthy friendship relationship between Nova and her bestie, a skeptical and scientific true friend to a witch nonetheless (also fat rep here).
•WITCHES AND WEREWOLVES (and in a relationship!)
•All of the above tòpics are handled in a really natural way.
•Talk of sensitive topics such as the loss of loved ones, captivity and abusive parents.

All in all, a sweet, magical, quick read that will melt your heart. I only wish we knew more about the characters backstories and past, because that would have made them more fleshed-out, but this is just the way it is with stand-alone graphic novels.

Also, would definitely recommend it as a seasonal read for autumn, because all these witches and werewolf stuff, plus the way the art is done, it just gives you the vibes.

It's a super cute story and the relationship between Tam and Nova is adorable. If you like a story full of magic, werewolves and demons, this might be the one for you. The romance is youthful and sweet and the main characters are well-rounded and make mistakes, like they should. Mooncakes reminded me a little of another graphic novel I read this year called The Witch Boy. The art style of both books is cute and quirky, which I adore.
I recommend anyone who is looking for a quick summer read to pick up Mooncakes, I'm sure you won't regret it.