Cheer Up is a cute LGBTQ+ graphic novel following two girls in high school, one who is an angry loner type, the other a trans girl dealing with the different way people treat her. They form a friendship when the loner joins the Cheerleading squad and the friendship blossoms to romance.

I really liked the cheer elements used, took me back to my cheer days. Was also really good to see plus size rep in Cheer.

The story was good, but it felt brief. It covered some big topics but did it quite quickly. This may have benefitted from being a longer series where these topics could be fleshed out more.

Would recommend this for anyone looking for a cute, quick, lgbtq+ Graphic novel.

Major TW for Transphobia and queerphobia! This sweet graphic novel deals with some major real world issues in such a loving way. I genuinely hope there is more to come with these characters, because even the way they grow as people in this first installment is pretty incredible. The artwork was clean and simple, while still providing enough detail to bring the story to life, and provide hints about the characters not said verbally. It's also just lovely that there's finally a sapphic couple getting a little hug of a graphic novel.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review:

Wow. This graphic novel is absolutely precious! It is a super easy read (maybe took me an hour), but with a clear voice and perspective--focused particularly on the journeys of Annie and Bebe, both of whom are exploring questions of personal identity, trust, acceptance and self-confidence while also navigating the usual perils of high school. I enjoyed the rekindled friendship turned burgeoning romance between our two protagonists and absolutely believed their shared connection. I also adored Annie's mom and actually wish we saw a little more of her throughout the course of the story; but I felt that Bebe's parents' arc maybe deserved a little more development, as it felt rather rushed and consequently, somewhat superficial in resolution. That said, there is really only so much an author and artist can portray in just 120 pages! And altogether this story is still 100% worth sharing.

Crystal Frasier's Cheer Up is a delightful and empowering tale of the magic of friendship and queer love. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Annie and BeeBee and the ways in which they both learned from each other to be the best versions of themselves while still being unapologetically themselves. From beginning to end this book was pure joy.

I absolutely adored this!! it was short but so powerful. even though the graphic novel was short, a lot happened. We follow Annie who has to join a team in order to get in to college. Not a lot of people like Annie because she is super rude to everyone and doesn't seem to give a shit. She decides to join the cheerleading team and reconnects with her old best friend Bebe, who transitioned in the last year.

I loved how Bebe and Annie reconnected. They have a great relationship and a lot of chemistry!! Also, Annie is hilarious and I laughed out loud a lot. I definitely recommend this to anyone!

This graphic novel was just so cute. We follow Annie and BeBe. BeBe recently came out as trans, and she is the captain of the cheerleading squad. Annie’s mom wants her to join more extracurriculars, so she joins cheerleading. Annie and BeBe were friends in the past but haven’t talked in a couple of years, and we get to watch them get close again. This book deals a lot with transphobia and people who have good intentions but aren’t actually helping. BeBe learns to stand up for herself and her friends learn when to back off. There’s the cutest FF romance and I just ate this up. The art is beautiful as well. If you’re a fan of graphic novels, this one is a must read!

Aside from a couple of the characters that made me feel like they saw Bebe as the token trans friend, I really loved this story. I felt like it did a good job telling a tale about coming out and being yourself. You really see a growth in Bebe and Annie, Bebe learning how to stand for herself and learning you don’t have to please everyone and Annie that you can’t bulldoze your way through life. I felt like it was a quick story, but it was still a fun read nonetheless. Thank you for giving me a chance to read this beautiful book!

Annie Ginter is a stand-out student, but her “lopsided” transcript lacks clubs, sports, and other extracurriculars. In an effort to improve Annie’s teamwork skills, her mom encourages her to go out for cheerleading. Beatrice (“Bebe”) is a very popular, people-pleasing trans girl. Her parents will only allow her to continue her transition if she maintains excellent grades. The two girls, who were close friends as children, become reluctant allies as they realize that they can help each other with their respective problems. As they spend more time together, a romance blossoms. This impressive graphic novel delivers a fresh spin on an opposites-attract story arc, and illustrator Val Wise depicts each character in the diverse ensemble cast with unique details and a distinct personality. Cheer Up also addresses issues such as consent, boundaries, agency, and microaggressions organically within the storyline. A sports angle, a very Gen Z romance, and a Homecoming Day to remember make this a widely appealing graphic novel!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc. Even though this was gifted all opinions are my own.

Wow is not a strong enough word. This graphic novel was amazing. The art style and story were brilliantly executed. This story will stay with me for some time to come and will definitely be reread in the future. The romance and friendships are done brilliantly.

Hopefully, we get more and Annie, BeeBee and the squad in the future.

When this book is released I will be buying a physical copy for my shelves.

CW: Transphobia

This book has been popping up EVERYWHERE for me. Reviews, ads, the works! I could hardly believe how much one book popped up so much, and I work in Marketing - I know how that stuff works. I saw it on NetGalley and decided... Why not? I love cheerleading, graphic novels and fun! So it was time for me to venture into a quirky adventure!

My Notes:

1. The illustrations are on point! I seriously dig the fun and quirky vibe they give off. It makes the book very engaging, fun and colourful. Props to the illustrators!

2. The first few pages along sum up how I felt about high school: Why did it matter if you could throw a ball good or be super popular? Extracurriculars are great, but sometimes I think colleges need to consider the mental health and overall well being of their students. And anyways, how does being a good basketball player say you'll be a good community member or team player? Most of the people I went to high school with who were in sports were absolute terrors in the post-secondary careers. Something to chew on, I guess.

3. Cheerleading tryout flyer with a pigeon dressed up as a cheerleader - This is my new standard. Good luck meeting it marketing teams. This high school gets it.

4. LGBT representation. We meet a cheer team's 1st transgender cheerleader. I wasn't aware at first, and then it made me proud.

5. Beatrice makes me even more proud with how she stands up for others. I wish we had more strong people like Beatrice around. Gold stars for Beatrice.

6. There are so many good quotes in here. Seriously, these writers also deserve some gold stars. Beatrice can share.

7. Can I smack Beatrice's parents? Transitioning is not "a luxury". Geez Louise. And the other parents who don't treat her well? Seriously, give this girl her rights and stop acting like you're the centre of the universe. This book shows the awful side of humanity really well.

8. There are some super cute and sweet moments that I won't spoil... BUT OMG THIS BOOK. My heart! It feels so real and reminds me of high school, but with some more current issues.

9. I NEED A FOLLOW-UP THIS IS SO SWEET HOLY MOLY.

Anywho, I highly recommend this book. LGBT awareness, high school romance, cheerleading and fun! It's a fast read with lots of spunky high school drama.

Five out of five stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

A very sweet and fun read that goes by a bit too quickly. While I wish there was more of it, reading Cheer up is an extremely pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Despite being a lighthearted read, Cheer Up manages to cover some heavy topics including transphobia and fatphobia in a very effective way.

This was a super cool book ! All subject are andle vert well, that’s awesome. This is such a cute story, I really loved it

First, thank you to Netgalley (@netgalley) and Oni Press (@onipress) for the early release copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Cheer Up!: Love and Pom Poms is a graphic novel which follows two LGBTQIA character, a lesbian and a transgender woman. Annie and BeeBee couldn’t be more different personality wise, but somehow they both connect and fit together. Ironically, both girls end up on the cheer squad, which I think would be the last place you would think these girls would be. This book is definitely about breaking barriers and looking beyond stereotypes.
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I loved this little graphic novel! I enjoyed both Bebe and Annie as characters. I also enjoyed thought the author did a great job of looking at stereotypes of different individuals and shattering that. You can’t always judge a book by its cover and I think the author did a good job of teaching that lesson. I would definitely recommend this one!
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Publication Date: August 10, 2021

Thank you to NetGallery for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

(⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑) I am a big BIG fan of Graphic Novels and Comics, especially queer comics. Cheer Up is the story of Annie and Bebe, our adorable protagonists.
Annie is not a people person, and her mother is worried she might need to round out her college applications by joining a team or a club. Like the cheerleaders' team.
Bebe, Annie's friend and a people-pleaser. She is the state's first trans cheerleader, and she feels she needs to make everyone happy so they support her transition.
Let me say first: The art is SO CUTE. I love the illustrator's work and every character's design.
The characters were adorable, and I felt like they have decent growth even though this is not a very long graphic novel.
The thing I enjoyed the most is our main character, Bebe. I wanted to read more books with transgender representation, and this was perfect. This comic talked about struggles I didn't even think trans girls might be struggling with. And I love how the author made a point of importance is to listen to trans people (and any other minorities really). We might try to help the best we can, but maybe we are putting this person in an awkward position.
Even though it was short, the pace was perfect and didn't felt rushed. The writing and the dialogues were great, and I really like the background, the clothes, the colours, etc.
Overall, this was adorable and I will be checking these author and illustrator for sure!

4.5 stars. Loved this graphic novel! When does the next one come out? Super cute. Great art. Lovable and relatable characters. My only wish was that it was longer. Some of the storytelling felt a little rushed which just left me wanting more. The each of the characters are fantastic and I would love stories from all of the members of the cheer team.

This wonderful team of cheerleading ladies was exactly what I didn't know I needed! From old friends reuniting, to fighting off assholes (aka Jonah, the actual worst), this was a fun ride right from the start. I loved that even in such a short graphic novel we saw so much characters development and growth.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy ❤

I feel conflicted reviewing and rating this book. Maybe I am not the audience for it?

Things I loved:
* Very interesting and diverse characters
* Sweet message and ending
* Touches on a lot of important topics

Things I wish were improved:
* Longer! I wish there was more time spent on the character development, that we see the how issues are resolved.
* A little more realistic speech between teens and adults. It reads a bit like over-the-top angsty teens and feels one-dimensional

This is a sweet, feel-good graphic novel about two girls who reconnect when one of them joins the cheerleading team and then realise they're starting to have feelings for each other.

Annie is a sarcastic, tough plus size lesbian, who enjoys spending time in her own company and doesn't like many people at her school. Bee is a biracial trans girl who's captain of the cheer team and a kind, gentle soul who likes helping others. (It's a grumpy/sunshine relationship!!!)

When Annie's mom encourages her to join a club to boost her college applications, she ends up joining the cheer leading squad and begins to spend time with Bee again. I loved the scenes where the two of them hang out together and grow closer. Their friendship and burgeoning romance is so wholesome and sweet and I think this will be a lovely book for queer readers and questioning readers alike, as there are lovely, tender moments where the two main characters discuss who they're attracted to.

There are some great moments where the cheerleading team grow closer and begin to trust each other fully. I also liked the way Annie challenges some of the team members' internalised transphobia, showing them why their comments and ideas aren't helpful or well meaning, even if they meant well.

The story discusses transitioning, misgendering, and the fetishisation of trans people by cis people, and shows the negative impact transphobia has on Bee's life. We also see her struggling with overprotective parents; she knows they only want to make sure she's safe, but their overbearing nature starts to interfere with her social life and extra curricular activities until she talks to them about how their actions are affecting her.

Overall, this was a really sweet enjoyable graphic novel and definitely one to pick up if you're looking for a comfort read.

Content warnings for transphobia and misgendering, bullying, homophobia, emotional manipulation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy of this to review! One of my most anticipated releases, and I am extremely happy to say it lived up to the hype! Plus, it fills in a gap that can be found in YA graphic novels.

Let me start by saying once you start this, you won't want to put it down. Not only is the art great, but the characters grab you right from the beginning. Annie is rough around the edges, and BeeBee is incredibly sweet. I love the way their relationship grows throughout the story, and I would absolutely read more about them. Honestly, I would read a whole series about them and their cheerleading squad!

Frasier packs lot in this relatively short graphic novel. There are a lot of great discussions about trans women and the standards society holds them to. BeeBee struggles with this throughout the book, but her friends help her to find her voice. Especially Annie! They complement each other so well, and I just loved their relationship so much.

All in all, if you loved the graphic novels Fence and Check, Please, I think you will love this when it comes out in August!

This was absolutely precious and reminded me just how much I love (and really need to better prioritize!!!) reading graphic novels. We really got a great feel for both of our main characters personalities and this perfectlyyyyyy represented to grumpy/sunshine trope to a T. I will say, while this was a mostly fun and positive story, there were definitely some moments of transphobia, so if that is something you are sensitive to I would tread with caution! But if you think you can handle that, I HIGHLY recommend checking this out and I will definitely be buying a hard copy of my own when it releases!

CW: transphobia