Eh, this was fine. I quite liked this graphic novel though. I think it touched on some interesting themes. I just think this was very surface level. It never really went into depth on things, and I just would have liked a little bit more. By the end I also felt like I was missing something from this. So yeah, this wasn't bad at all, it just wasn't 100% for me. I did really like the art style though.

Firebird is a very grounded and honest story that is more about thoughts and feelings rather than maverick plot devices. Our protagonists grapple with so many of the issues prevalent in teens today as well as the added pressures of being distinctly different from peers. The artwork is freeform and loose, monochromatic, but suits the story well.

Caroline Kim is shy and grappling with issues of honoring her Korean heritage in America, discovering her own self, and school. When she takes on a tutoring volunteer work to bolster her college application, she meets Kimberly Park-Ocampo. Kim is easy going, extraverted, friends to everyone, and falling behind in school. To Caroline, Kim is fascinating but someone to keep at a distance. Kim has her own issues she is dealing with yet she finds Caroline cute and asks her on a date. As the young women get to know each other, they soon discover similarities in their lives beyond just being of Korean descent. In many ways they are opposite but in others they are perfectly aligned.

I liked that there are many nuances to the story: the issues of the families being in South Korea, both women having absentee fathers, the ways each of their mothers tackle life in California, and how they have learned to deal with life as teens. Caroline seems closed off - but in reality she has retreated due to body image issues and not feeling or wanting to be girly. Kim, meanwhile, is everyone's friend but that means in addition to caring for her brother and sister and working at her Uncle's repair shop, she is constantly helping out friends. As a result, she never has time for herself and very little ability (or interest) to actually concentrate on school.

This is an engaging story with a good ending. It's not about melodrama or tensions; rather, this is a nice slice-of-life slow burn where we get to learn more and more about the two protagonists but also understand why they are attracted to each other and why they make a good couple. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. The colors are vibrant and the characters feel alive. Getting to see both a plus size character and queer characters and Asian characters in the same graphic novel was fantastic also. When the ending comes, nothing feels quite wrapped up, which is reminiscent of life.

This feels like one of those quietly powerful books that so many readers are going to see themselves in. At its core, Caroline's conflict with their mother is one that is familiar for so many immigrant children - the desire to ensure that your children are better off than you are, combined with a limited idea of what success is. Although this issue isn't necessarily resolved, the way it played out felt incredibly realistic. So often we push things down until they explode and after the fallout there's a quiet agreement to cede a little ground on both sides. Caroline's feeling of being untethered, of having friends but feeling like everyone else is closer to each other than they are to you felt so so real. While they never fully explore those feelings on the page, it was wonderful to see Caroline feel supported by friends and reconnect with an old one. Similarly, at school Kim is freewheeling and wild, connected to everyone but still floating in and out of friend groups. I enjoyed learning more about her home life and all she does for her family and friends, including bringing Caroline out of their shell and making them feel more at home in their body. At its close, it felt like there was still more to tell in the best way possible, that while the book is ending, Caroline and Kim's story is only just beginning.

This book does contain body image issues and negative self-talk, so take care of yourself when reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Firebird was a solid four out of five stars. The art was lovely and the story was emotional. I caught myself tearing up a couple of times. Firebird captured the feeling of being a teenager perfectly, with the conflicting emotions and what feels like the weight of the world on your shoulders.

The ending felt slightly rushed and incomplete, but overall Firebird was a cute story. I would definitely recommend this to those looking for an honest, coming of age, and queer romance that will melt your heart.

A sweet story with cute characters, but it could have used a little more development to address issues more deeply and build more in depth interactions between characters.

The perspective of being an Asian-American teen girl figuring out your identity is new and fascinating. The main character and the girl she may or may not like are both Asian and neither of their dads are in the home. One is in South Korea and the other one is taking care of his sick mother in another state. This leaves these teen girls with their mothers who are both working extra to take care of their families. The expectations placed on Asian girls are often at odds with what American culture expects from teens. I wish there had been a little bit more at the end. I felt like it just kind of stopped. Several story threads were left unfinished.

actual rating: 4.5/5
i loved this so much! its about two teens, caroline & kim. caroline starts tutoring kim, which leads to them meeting up outside of that and starting to get closer and closer throughout the course of the graphic novel. i also really liked the art style, and especially the flashback parts. other than the cute sapphic romance, my favorite topic discussed in the novel has to be caroline's difficult relationship with her mother, i felt like it was so so close to my own and i loved getting to see it done so well. i also loved both caroline's and kim's different personalities and their relationship! this is definitely one of my new favorite graphic novels ever, and i think it will be one thats really loved by lots of people as well. im excited to read more by sunmi in the future. overall, i would really recommend this!
thank you to the publisher harperalley and netgalley for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I jumped into this one not knowing much about it, and I liked it that way. So no summary this time around.

I liked this graphic novel. I loved the illustrations and really enjoyed the story. The two main characters were interesting and flawed which isn't always easy to do in a graphic novel. I really liked the friendships and the family relationships, they were layered and I loved seeing them evolve throughout the book.
I did feel like the end was a little abrupt and I wold have liked just a little more to properly tie it up. I also liked the romance in this. It truly talked of first crushes and first butterflies and it was pretty adorable.
Above all though, the illustrations are what completely drew me in. I liked the penmanship and the rare use of color. Simply beautiful.
I'm really looking forward to more by this author/illustrator.

This coming of age, sapphic graphic novel follows Asian American teens Caroline and Kim. The girls connects when Caroline begins tutoring Kim at the start of the school year. The book delves into questions of sexuality (and even gender) as Caroline gets to know Kim who is openly out as a lesbian and begins feelings things for the other girl. But the two connect on an even deeper level over the expectations of their parents, families and even friends. Together they both must learn that they don't have to sacrifice their own desires to please everyone in their lives. I really enjoyed that part of the story. The art was beautifully done as well. Overall it was a really good graphic novel!

A lesbian romance set in the united states between two high school students. It really is just a generic sort of love story, rather than a statement piece. Illustrations appear to be black and white only in a wispy sort of style that sometimes makes it hard to easily identify who is who. Primarily (entirely?) BIPOC cast of characters, which seems rare for teen romances these days so a possible top pic for teens who are looking for a light romance.

This debut graphic novel was a heartfelt opposites attract Sapphic YA romance between two Asian American teens who bond as Caroline helps tutor Kim in math. I loved these characters and the drawings! All the angst and pain of growing up queer, struggling with body image issues, having absentee fathers, parental pressures, etc. Highly recommended especially for fans of Hungry ghost by Victoria Ying. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This book fell really flat for me. The story telling was clunky, I didnt love the art style, and the charactrers felt under developed

There were a lot of strong themes and elements here, but it didn't quite work for me. At times I was a bit confused as well.
I've read other books where a character's queer identity isn't fully realized by the end, but it felt more inconclusive here than I wanted it to. Some of the English dialog was a little clunky.
I did like how the Korean was shown, though.

I adore the dreaminess of this graphic novel. The two-color art is so loose, and the story is so focused and interior! It's a quiet haven of sweet blushing and communication through uncertainty and blossoming growth. And at the same time, it confronts the loneliness of two Asian teens who feel unheard; the struggles of their immigrant single mothers; the different ways they approach the world and their identities, their bodies, their emotions, even as they're slowly coming together. Just lovely!

I felt, particularly powerfully, the critical gaze of Caroline's mother--how her picking at Caroline, at her appearance and her grades and her behavior, could come from a place of wanting a good life for her, even though it was so clearly damaging. Watching Caroline begin to push back and discover her own selfhood made me insanely happy! And Kim was just so very charming and good-hearted, going with every flow, occasionally to her detriment but mostly to her benefit. They made a sweet pair!

Slice of life, realistic fiction, romance... this book is not my typical fare. But I'm so glad it was recommended to me.

The story is solid. It feels very grounded and authentic. I can not speak to the immigrant/2nd gen experience. But still, I could relate to the home lives of our mcs. The romance is... I don't want to say its a slow burn cause I'm not sure I felt the simmering... BUT I've been there. When all the signs were there and then suddenly you realize Yeah. Yeah this is it, this is right. I love the personal growth we see throughout the book, and how open the ending is.

The art work is next level. There is so much texture (makes me think of old manga with text plates). The line work is so clean and yet breezey. And the occasional use of color... It's amazing.

I'll be sure to look for more of Sunmi's future work!

It’s sophomore year and Caroline Kim is already feeling the pressure of graduation. Of deciding what to do after high school. To help pad her resume, she’s decided to start tutoring. When she’s assigned to senior Kimberly Park-Ocampo, an out lesbian who’s friends with everyone, she’s not sure what to think. But she does know she’s intrigued.

When the two start hanging out outside of tutoring, a friendship quickly sparks. They bond over shared desires, over music, and over the stars. But will their friendship survive outside of their nightly adventures? Or will it disappear before it even has a chance to begin?

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy of Firebird by Sunmi to review! I am always intrigued by new graphic novels, so I was excited to pick this one up. The art style is definitely reminiscent of manga, and I think a lot of teens will enjoy it for that.

This is a bit of a slow moving graphic novel, focusing a lot on the characters and their emotional journeys. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! However, it is heavy on the dialogue and moments where the characters turn to their inner emotions. This leads to some great, well-rounded characters, but it also makes the plot overall drag a bit.

The ending of the story also felt a bit rushed for this reason, almost making it feel like maybe there will be more coming in the future? It's not pitched as a current series, but I see potential. I could definitely see getting more of Caroline’s life in high school, especially as she gets to know herself a little bit more. Caroline is such an intriguing character, and I would for sure read more about her.

Even though this does feel a bit unfinished at the end, it was still an enjoyable read. I think a lot of teens will relate to Caroline’s overall storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a graphic novel I was excited about. I thought the concept was good, and the art had some charm to it. However the plot fell flat for me. The character development was not deep enough for me to get attached to any of them. It was a charming and sweet story that I think will look good in a final copy. I just wish the topics and character were explored more.

Fantastic graphic novel about finding who you truly are and having the courage to embrace it. This book will mean a lot to young readers who are struggling with the same.

Thank you to Sunmi and to Netgalley for letting me read this arc. I loved this graphic novel so much! Caroline and Kim were such amazing characters in their own ways. I wanted to protect Caroline immediately. I loved seeing her and Kim's relationship develop. I love how they make each other better people. Kim was so encouraging to Caroline. I was rooting for them the whole time. I hope there will be more of this story on the way. If anyone of the friends wants a good graphic novel I will be recommending this one to them.