It's been a while since i delved into a comic and i really wanted the opportunity to try something new- when i spotted Cheer Up, i was in absolute awe and was desperate to read it as soon as possible.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for allowing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Plot summary:
Annie is a smart antisocial girl who has been pressured to be more social as it is her senior year in high school. The pressure is building for her to join the cheerleading team as it would be something that would look fantastic on her college application.

BeeBee is her former friend and a complete people pleaser- a trans girl who will do anything to make her parents, friends, teammates and teachers happy.

When social circles start changing and the girls rekindle their friendship, will this lead to more for them?

Review:
Plot wise-Absolutely adorable and had me squealing with joy at how amazing Annie and BeeBee are, and how they developed and progressed as the story went on. Its also refreshing to see the true kind of bullying and stereotypes both BeeBee and Annie had to deal with. It's something close to my heart and made me feel like there are so many people who would relate to everything they are reading and understand themselves and that they are great as they are and don't need to change. The romance was also fantastic and well built up and developed.

Also absolutely loved the representation of Annie as a Flyer in her squad- as an ex cheerleader I never personally got the opportunity so it was really touching to see someone who had a similar body shape to me when i was still a cheerleader as a flyer.

The pacing was really fast but honestly it worked well for the story and for me as a reader to keep me engaged.
The art style was absolutely delightful. Everything was well done and there were some fantastic small details i didn't notice at first glance. Very endearing and pleasant to read through.

I finished the entire thing in one sitting- I genuinely could not put it down.


Character wise- Annie is honestly so similar to me a few years ago. She is closed off, very body conscious and her development once she joins the team is heart melting.
BeeBe is a wonderfully written character and deserves happiness- shes smart, caring and always willing to go out of her way to help.
Their relationship development was spot on and worked well with the themes of the story.

All the secondary characters had some development but i am excited to see this further in a sequel.

World building- Honestly the premise was what hooked me, and the thing that has me desperate to read more.

Final Thoughts:
A beautiful look into the world of cheerleading, friendship, Queer relationships and the true struggle to be yourself. I eagerly await for the publication of volume 2.

Cheer Up! is a short but very complete story about the challenges that a girl has to deal with when in high school: body insecurities, lots of pressure from her parents, cheerleading… And, in Bebe’s case, transition. With overprotective parents and the lens of the whole school in her and her actions, she feels overwhelmed and unable of being truly herself.
And then there is Annie, who has always been herself but finds that it is not always easy to be surrounded by others. Long lost friends, they get in touch once more when Annie joins the cheerleading team.

I really liked this story, because it did an amazing job of portraying all the characters from the beginning, and the story went along with no impositions; it just felt natural and very real. The reader feels what the characters are feeling, the same dread, the same pressure. The art felt soft and warm, a great pairing with the tone of the story.
I think it will be a great addition for lovers of Fence or Heartstopper.

*I received this book thanks to Netgalley and the publisher in exchange of honest review*

Annie is an antisocial girl, lesbian and who has to fit the standard in having an extracurricular activity to share something with other people, to evaluate demonstrating that she can work as a team, especially for college questions where one of the many activities is required school.
On the other side is Beebee, a trans girl who is a cheerleader and must always try to keep a good school average, have good friends, and reassure her family who have kept her even more in control since the transition.
It is at that point that the two meet, where Annie is proposed to be a cheerleader and finds herself within the BeeBee team despite the other components being not enthusiastic.

It is through important themes that the author brings to light not only the story of a trans girl on a graphic novel, which I am very happy about, but also other important themes, such as small youth attacks, queer problems and much more. ; All that the author tries to convey in a light, simple and smooth way, transporting us inside a high school and bringing us back to the school habitat, in today's times.

I found similarities with Heartstopper or Pumpkinheads as regards social issues but above all for the sweetness and lightness with him the author shows us two authentic, credible and true characters who drag us into their hearts and manage to transmit all theirs to us. fears, insecurities, pains as well as positive values ​​as well as love, friendship, and much more.

It is a graphic novel that I really enjoyed and that I hope will also be translated in Italy, so that it reaches an even wider audience of readers. It is a story that I recommend to everyone, very sweet and that with lightness brings important themes and touches the heart.

My vote for this book is: 5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley & OniPress for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel follows Annie & BeeBee as they navigate their stressful lives through high school. Annie is antisocial and a rebel, while BeeBee is a determined people pleaser struggling with anxiety. Annie joins the cheerleading team where BeeBee is captain and sparks fly!

Oh man, I really enjoyed this graphic novel! The artwork is stunning and soft, the best part was the body diversity in all the characters, even the background ones. Everyone felt honest and real in their dialogue and actions, you could easily understand why the characters were acting the way they did. Beautiful romance as well, I love the friendship foundation built first, and then the relationship developed on top of it.

Great story, I hope we can see more from this series!

Absolutely loved this. Non-cliched cheerleaders, a gorgeous developed romance and some important thoughts on friendship and support. Beautifully written and drawn, I'll look out for more from these!

I truly do not know what to say about this comic other than that it made me happy and teary-eyed and left me longing for something that I didn't have. I thought it wonderful. I want everyone to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC - I hope that the comic will reach the audience it was meant to and the one it wasn't.

I loved everything about this graphic novel. The novel touches on so many different important topics and the author handles each with care and ease. The author skillfully balances these serious topics with moments of comedy throughout.

As a plus-size woman myself, I loved that the novel was size-inclusive and body positive. In media, we see the portrayal of cheerleaders as often tall and slim, which does not reflect reality. It was a breath of fresh air to see different body sizes and shapes represented.

Reading about Bebe's experience as a trans girl is very insightful to the everyday struggles of young trans people. Understanding that while they have to contend with those who are overtly transphobic and aggressive towards them, they also contend with the less obvious transphobic behaviour of their peers and even their own family.

The novel is a heartwarming story about friendship, love and also personal growth.

I would love to see more of Bebe and Annie. As well as the rest of the characters in the book.

So many important messages and lessons wrapped into a brilliant graphic novel!
Kindness, acceptance, love, self love, consent, supporting those around you.
I really loved this. It was so cute.

I received a free e-ARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Review will be posted on my blog on 10 August 2021]

Cheer Up!: Love & Pom Poms was such a delightful graphic novel. I'd describe it as a YA contemporary queer romance.

We follow two main characters - Annie and Bebe. Annie is super smart, but kind of acerbic. She doesn't really have friends, and she doesn't get involved with groups. Her mom encourages her to join the cheer squad, because not only will it look good on her college applications, but it might be a good social outlet for her.
Bebe, however, is the real star of the story. She's a trans-girl who loves cheer, but whose parents put pressure on her to keep her grades up in order to continue her transition.

The plot focuses on the relationship between the two girls, but also with their squad, and society at large. It's all about identity, and being comfortable in your own skin. They have to deal with other people's opinions and impressions of them. Bebe in particular has to cope with not only transphobia, but also her over-supportive teammates, who end up taking over her, instead of stepping back and being true allies.

I really liked that there was so much representation - there were characters of all different races and body types. I appreciated that it wasn't just the stereotyped views of cheerleaders.
I also really liked the overall arc of the story, and how everyone, even the side characters (primarily the cheer squad and Bebe's parents), have growth throughout the book.

I thought the art was great, and the colours were fantastic.

Overall, this was a heartwarming story, and I can't recommend it enough.

I really loved this comic book!

First, I have to talk about the art style. It's absolutely stunning and it was what caught my eye in the first place. From the colors to the lineart, everything is absolutely beautiful.

The story in itself it's also very unique. The two main characters, Annie and Bebe, are adorable and very three-dimensional. It’s easy to connect and sympathize with them and their struggles - especially if you have gone through some similar situations as them.

The cast of characters is diverse and lovable. All the members from the cheer squad were funny and it was very lovely to see how supportive they were of each other, even on times they didn’t know any better.

Another important thing to mention: it's interesting how, although it brings up a few sensitive and difficult topics, such as transphobia, self-esteem and harassment, the comic still manages to keep a light-hearted tone of narrative.

As for the things I did not like about this comic: Well, to put it simply, it was too short - to the point where some things felt a little rushed and others felt like they were left unanswered. I understand part of that happens due to the comic book format of the story, but I think I would have loved it even more if it was a little bit longer.

Still. It’s a five star read from start to finish. Definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sooo cute! I love the positive message, the real-feeling (and diverse) characters, and the romance. Plus, the art is really fun. Totally recommend, especially for fans of Fence or The Avant-Guards.

This is absolutely perfect for fans of Hearstopper and Check Please.
SUCH A LOVELY STORY! I adored every last moment of it; this was so poignant and funny and wholesome. CHEER UP is the kind of book that is bound to fill everyone's heart with the warm fuzzies. and bring some much needed joy. I loved all the characters and found myself compelled by all the relationships established between them - the tender romance, the complicated family bonds, the team loyalty. Additionally, the illustrations were stunning and truly helped bring this to life.
CANNOT RECOMMEND HIGHLY ENOUGH!

A happy book about making friends and being who you are. This one makes you feel a bit gooey inside with awesomeness.

'Cheer Up' is a cute and quirky coming-of-age rom-com with plenty of girl power. First, we meet Annie, a smart and tough girl on a one-way track to college, the only problem is that she's a loner who has zero extracurricular activities. To help beef up her college applications, Annie is pushed to join the cheerleading squad. Bebe is a sweet and quiet trans-girl and the new captain of the cheerleading team. Bebe already has a lot on her plate, and on top of that, she has to keep her grades up in order for her to continue transitioning. Despite their different personalities, Annie and Bebe are able to rekindle their lost friends and romance quickly blooms. I really loved the diverse set of characters on the cheer team. Definitely a must-read.

This was such a super fun and cute read!

Cheer Up was a fast read, but full of perfectly romantic scenes! I totally enjoyed reading every single page and I wish there was more!

I love the banter between Bebe and Annie, as well as the others. It was quite the ride to see how the story breaks every single stereotype there is, especially about cheerleaders.

I also love how it didn't shy away in tackling societal problems when it comes to LGBTQ issues, sexism and toxic masculinity. How the story navigated through these issues with such insight and care was a great thing to see. I also like how realistic the overbearing parents were in the story heh!

I definitely recommend this short yet sweet sapphic graphic novel!

I really enjoyed this!! It was super cute, feel-good, and all around a great light read. I love the difference in personalities between the girls. I think rep of more mass girls is super underrepresented and needs much more rep, so I love that this story does it!

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Okay, this is SO CUTE! Like, cute and realistic girls, discussing consent, body-type positivity AND diversity, queer romance, double standards and a trans main character????? Like, WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE???? It is so cute, wholesome and lighthearted, while also dealing with some difficult and heavy topics, but still keeping the good vibes! This balance can be so hard to deal with, and I'm so happy that this managed to do so! I'm giving it all the stars!

I'm guessing this will probably stay as a one-off, but honestly if they ever come out with more with these characters I'm DOWN! Brb, just ordering a physical copy of this!

Cheer Up was such a sweet, wholesome comic, and I really enjoyed it! There are so many cute dynamics and tropes here that I just adored: childhood friends to estranged back to friends to lovers (!!!!), aggressive short gf with tall sunshine gf, sapphics, sports, supportive friends, and more all wrapped up in the cutest art style! I loved the diversity and rep in this comic, and I really hope there's a sequel because if so, I need it now.

I especially loved Bebe's storyline, and I appreciated how the comic showed her dealing with her too-supportive friends and dealing with her overprotective parents. I wish some things had been more directly addressed, such as a few specific comments and her parent's proposed punishment for getting average grades in her history class, but overall I like how her story ended up with both her parents and her friend groups.

The moments with the squad and Annie and Bebe together were so fluffy and sweet, and overall the conversations about support, expectations, and relationships were really important and heartwarming. I also loved how diverse the bodies of everyone in the novel were! There was such a wide variety in size, height, and fashion sense that really warmed my heart. I can't wait to see more from all of the creators involved. This has quickly become one of my favorite graphic novels, and it will be perfect for fans of books like Check Please!

This is a beautiful story!!! Both the art and the actual writing! I can't stress how much I loved this book, ugh! All the feels!!! For fans of Fence. With gorgeous, bright artwork, and a fun, relatable storyline, this is such a great book. I caught myself getting choked up several times throughout, with just how beautifully portrayed certain scenes were. A wonderful representation of young adulthood, navigating gender norms, building friendships, and what it means to find yourself.

Annie is an antisocial high school senior who is strong-armed into joining the cheerleading squad. She is extremely resistant until her former BFF, who is the new cheer captain, Beatrice encourages both the current team and Annie to give a shot. What makes this story a Story, though, is that Beatrice is trans; she came out last year. Cheer Up is the intersection of how to be a good friend to a trans person, how to be accepting of trans people, how to be a good friend in general, and how to encourage trust in people. It's a super sweet story that has similar vibes to Check, Please! #Hockey. And all the stereotypes you have in your head about cheerleading-- expunge them right now, because Annie and co. won't put up with that crap!

Diverse reads:
- While Annie and Beatrice are both lighter skinned, there are several cheerleaders on the squad who are darker skinned, and there are many and various background characters in the illustrations that indicate minority cultures and ethnicities (i.e. one girl is wearing a hijab at the homecoming dance).

LGBTQIA+:
- Beatrice is trans (mtf).
- Another cheerleader comes out as nonbinary (even though that isn't the term that's used).