This was super cute. I liked the characters and storyline Art was amazing I look forward to book two

What do you get when you a human ice skater joins a vampire roller derby team? A fun story about found family and discovering not only who we are, but what we really want from life. Mina Murray is a 13-year-old figure skater whose mom has big plans for her: the Olympics, the breakfast cereal boxes, all of it. Mina's not so sure about her place in this world, so when two vampires "kinda sorta" kidnap her to be part of their Paranormal Roller Derby team, the Blood City Rollers, Mina is surprisingly quick to go with the new flow. The vamps need a human jammer for their team, and they need to win the Derby so they can maintain their status and keep their home. As Mina practices and becomes a part of the team, she feels like she's finally found somewhere she belongs. A queer-friendly mashup of paranormal/horror and comedy, Blood City Rollers is for everyone who loved Roller Girl, with just a bit more spooky added in. Mina explores a crush on Val, the team captain, and skaters' pronouns are included on the rosters; the skaters are a diverse group in terms of gender identity, race, and ethnicity. This is the first in a new graphic novel series and looks like it will be a popular one.

Blood City Rollers" is a delightful middle-grade graphic novel that captivates with its wonderful and intriguing storyline. The gorgeous artwork adds depth to the narrative, immersing readers in the vibrant world of the Blood City Rollers. The story itself is a fun and lighthearted adventure that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. With its charming characters and visually appealing illustrations, "Blood City Rollers" is a must-read for fans of middle-grade graphic novels looking for an entertaining and enjoyable experience.

Love me some graphic novels and this was no different – and… it’s the start of a series about teamwork and self-confidence. After losing her passion for ice skating, she realizes roller derby is her jam. The camaraderie between the team and the chance to make friends (instead of cut throat competition) helps them fit in. Oh ya, and they’re vampires. The illustrator did a phenomenal job with bold and beautiful artwork. This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

This was such a cute middle grade graphic novel. I really liked the story and the vibrant colored artwork.

Blood City Rollers follows Mina, a 13 year old aspiring ice skater, who struggles to fit in and keep up with the demands of the competitive ice skating world. Mina ends up getting kidnapped by a vampire roller derby gang, and she’s recruited to help out the team. It’s awkward being one of the only human players on the team, but Mina soon finds a sense of belonging and freedom that she’s never experienced.

If you’re into paranormal middle grade graphic novels, definitely pick this one up! 🛼🛼

Blood City Rollers by V.P. Anderson was a fun look into the world of supernatural roller derby bouts. I loved experiencing the main character's intro into a brand new world of monsters, but also of roller skating, compared to her training as an ice skater. The art is action-packed and the story is thrilling. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the book publisher for the advanced reading copy.

Thank you to TBRBeyondTours and the publisher for letting me join the book tour and sending me an egalley.

Top 5 Reasons to read BLOOD CITY ROLLERS:

1. Intro to roller derby with a paranormal twist that adds more fun in reading more about the sport.

2. Vampires + Witches Galore. Two roller derby teams compete to win, and Anderson and Hill have created a wicked and lively cast of characters that show their teamwork and cooperation.

3. Addresses an important message about dreams. Mina has always done ice skating her whole life, yet it wasn't always a dream she could call her own. The more she bonds with the roller derby team and finds a space to be accepted and belong, the more she learns to be brave and discovers new dreams despite how scary and risky they may be.

4. The bold retro color palette POPS. From warm colors to energize the roller derby action to the cool colors that dive deep into Mina's perspective, each turn of a page is a treat.

5. A middle grade LGBTQ graphic novel. The developing relationship between human Mina and her vampire roller derby captain Val is lovely to see. One will find sweet moments with Val training Mina with the roller derby basics. But when Val's past resurfaces, what does Mina truly mean to her? This will continue in the next one!

Blood City Rollers is a fun, brightly illustrated graphic novel that is sure to entertain middle-grade readers.

The story follows a vampire roller derby team that needs a new jammer, a position that can only be filled by a human. Mia, a figure skater with dreams of competing in the Olympics, is kidnapped by the vampire squad to be their jammer. As she delves into the paranormal world of vampires, ghosts, and witches, she finds a sense of belonging that she never experienced in the human world.

✨Highlights: found family trope, queer representation, strong female friendship (human/vampire), learning self-confidence, power of teamwork, and finding your dream

Blood City Rollers ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, so hopefully, book 2 is in the works.

When I saw this Blog Tour for Blood City Rollers I knew that I wanted in as the premise sounded right up my street and I love love Graphic Novels.

VP and Tatiana really did a fab job in creating this wonderful Graphic Novel which was so well put together that the story flowed. I also loved that Mina actually grew as a person and I loved her relationship with Val and hope to see it get stronger.

Yet my favourite thing were the action scenes and seeing what the actual Roller Derby was and it's rules.

Will I be continuing on with the series? and the answer is a big fat Hell Yeah.

For all the above reasons Blood City Rollers gets 4 Stars

I received this book from TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review!

I have had my eyes on this book for a while so I was definitely excited when I could be part of the Tour and review the book! I mean, that premise! Roller derby but darker because vampires! And witches!

In this one we start with Mina going to an audition/competition and things go all the way wrong (poor Mina, I just felt for her and I wish her mom would see that what she is doing is not OK) and then go even more wrong when Mina gets kidnapped! Yes! To vampires! Who apparently run a roller derby team to survive and need humans to complete their team (which I still don’t entirely get, but hey I will roll with it). I loved seeing how well Mina fitted with the team and how hard she worked to get over her fear of falling, getting kick-ass with each new page, getting more stamina (because roller derby is way more intense than ice skating it seems), befriend people in her team (not just the human player but also the vampires). Plus, I loved seeing Mina grow in other parts as well. We see her think back to how she started ice skating, how big her dreams were, but were they entirely her dreams? I loved seeing her discover a new love that still involves the skating that she likes but just without a lot of pressure and parenting hovering. Mina was really a fun character and I was just rooting for her to discover a new side of hers and to feel free after so many years of being thrown into practices, competitions, and more.

The roller derby was such a thrill! It is a sport I would definitely kinda like to check out. Not sure if it is as big as it is in the US, but who knows. Maybe I should check things out. Though without the vampires please. Haha.

I liked to meet all the teens on the roller derby and see their pronouns + so many being LGBT.

Oh, and I just love the dash of romance between Mina and Val! I loved seeing them get closer. They really were cute together and I found myself rooting for these two to get together!

Bonus points as well to the ending (which made me smile and now I need another book, I am happy that Mina decided for this, it fits so well with her and the development she went through in this book), the cute doggo (Bruise Wayne who was just the sweetest and well just a dash bit demonic, teehee), what happens before the ending and which was just drawn so epically, Val saying a Dutch saying/proverb just made me smile so much, oh and the referee ghosts at the derby were just fantastic and I love the diversity not just your normal standard ghost but even one with a hijab.

And of course, all the points to the art! I just love how the vampires were drawn and how the colours used fitted the right scenes and the vampires stuff so perfectly.

HOWEVER, I did NOT like how humans were kidnapped for the roller derby team. It just felt off/weird and not OK. I would have rather have them go to kids who are good at skating (either roller or ice) if they wanted to join a superduper fun team with danger and excitement. Let these kids themselves choose if they want to be part or not. Because hey, the roller derby team does contact the parents with some make-up excuse so I just don’t get why the kidnapping. I am sure there are kids enough who would LOVE to be part of something like this.

Oh, and I was so confused when Mina at one point had way shorter hair yet I didn’t see her doing any cutting of it. I think that would have been such a cool moment to add. See her cut it off, celebrate her freedom/celebrate that she found something new to love.

But all in all, I really enjoyed this one! There is action, excitement, great character development, a dash of romance, fab art, and roller derby!

This was so good! We have vampire roller derby, witches, ghost referees, queer characters, and so much more! We follow Mina who is an ice skater with Olympic dreams. But those dreams aren't really hers. After a pretty bad injury she is kidnapped by the vampire roller derby team, the Blood City Rollers, to jam for them. I loved the plot of this and I really enjoyed the artwork. I will 100% be reading the second book in this series as soon as it's released! I can't wait!

🖤 This was absolutely fangtastic! 🖤

Blood City Rollers is a wonderful journey of growing up, loosing your way, finding yourself and the power of friendship - all wrapped up in a mysterious undead roller derby competition!

🛼 Roller Derby
🧛🏻‍♀️ Vampires
🛍️ Abandoned Mall
🗺️ Finding Your Way
🫶 Friendship
👻 Paranormal
🐾 Adorable Companion
🥇 Competition
🔍 Mystery

From the amazing artwork to the compelling storyline, Blood City Rollers was a 🦇 bat-tastic 🦇 good time! I absolutely loved this graphic novel and can’t wait to see what happens in Vol. 2!

Thank you so much to @tbrbeyondtours for the advanced copy!

Mina has always had one goal: qualifying for the Olympics ice-skating team. During a big competition, she falls and seems to lose her big chance to move closer to her dream. Mina did not know she has been being watched, and after her epic fail, she is kidnapped by a vampire roller derby team looking to fill the requirement of a having one human on their team.

Good graphic novel edition to middle school collections; could be appropriate for upper elementary, but does contain some more mature themes.

Ok, this was super creative, fun to read, with awesome characters and the theme is a great niche. I was always in love with roller skating and ice skating competitions, and I love that the character loves it too. She doesn't feel happy in the ice skating world, the competition and the lack of friends make her feel unwelcome, but it's not the case among vampires who compete in Roller Derby. We're introduced to their rules and it's fun. The team is awesome and I love all the side stories as well. My favorite character is Val Halla the captain of the Vamps team, and my favorite human is Mina.
Very cool colors and artwork for this story. Congrats to the author and illustrator.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc.

✨ Review ✨ Blood City Rollers by V.P. Anderson; illustrated by Tatiana Hill

Thanks to TBR and Beyond, Random House Children's, Labyrinth Road and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

✅ Middle Grades graphic novel with strong female characters
✅ Queer representation via diverse pronouns and f/f crushes
✅ Vampires
✅ Roller Derby

This was such a fun mix of elements as 13-year-old Mina is swept up by a team a vampire roller derby to be their jammer (which has to be held by a human). She goes to live with them in an old abandoned mall, while the team helps her convert her ice skating skills into roller derby skills.

I loved the boldly colorful illustrations, the human-vampire friendships/found family elements, and the subtle but present queer representation. All-in-all this was a super fun middle grades graphic novel that preteens through adults can enjoy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: middle grades graphic novel
Pub Date: April 9, 2024

✨Playlist for Blood City Rollers✨
1. Flowers by Miley Cyrus
2. Maneater by Lady Gaga
3. Independent Women by Destiny’s Child
4. Blank Space by Taylor Swift
5. Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé
6. Vampire by Olivia Rodrigo

I think students will like the paranormal aspects of the story. I like the premise and messaging and the artwork is very appealing--the plot has a few holes and confusing instances that unfortunately would need to be remedied before I considered purchasing.

One thing that confused me was if Mina bitten or not. This part was very unclear--while there is a panel that shows Mina's arm against the mouth of the monster that grabs her, It's still not quite clear who or what the monster is. Is it a vampire? Or some other monster? She falls and Val seems to save her, but then has to bite her? That part isn't clear--obviously they wiped her mind in some way, yet she still remembers her time with the team. The story as a whole feels unfinished and could benefit from filling in some gaps. I hope that there is a second volume that fills in information about the Blood City Rollers and their abilities.

This was a decent first book in a series. I think that there is more that can be answered and explored in the later issues and I can not wait for that. I think that this has the potential to be a favorite of all time.

I think that the characters had flaws but that is what made them feel real because of their flaws and that were showcased throughout this book. I do love the potential that the characters have to grow. Especially the main character. I really enjoyed her story the most of all and where it is going. I just wanted to know what was going to happen next with the story.

I enjoyed the non binary rep in this story and think that it was something that I enjoy reading about. Especially when it seems like it is represented accurately. I do think that is what I enjoy reading books by author(s) that are non-binary because of the fact that the community can have an accurate representation of what non binary is even if its not the same for everyone who is non binary. Non Binaries can read this and possibly feel seen.

Wasnt the biggest fan of vampires kidnapping humans but I think that they were just trying to do what was best for them so that way they wouldnt get caught by the humans.

Oh my goodness, this graphic novel is so fun!!! When an injury crushes Mina’s hard work ice-skating and her Olympic sized goals, she is kidnapped by a Vampire gang of roller derby gals (who identify with their proper pronouns, nice job)! Amidst the normal middle school pressures, Mina pushes her strength and herself in this paranormal league to learn a new sport with new friends. The graphics are stellar and so bright!!! The story is one that will captivate readers of all ages!

Review is posted on Goodreads. Instagram post is scheduled for April 12th with a mood board for book tour with tbr and beyond.

I feel bad giving this one 3 stars because at the end of the day it just wasn’t meant for me. I enjoy middle grade books, I enjoy graphic novels, but maybe middle grade graphic novels just aren’t for me. The writing and humor were super juvenile (which hello, that’s the point of middle grade) but not in a way that was enjoyable for me as an adult reader. I think this would obviously be better for an actual middle grade reader. The art was beautiful though and I appreciate the diverse cast of characters.

3.5 for the writing, 5 for the COLORS & some killer panels

Mina (I see you, Dracula reference) gets plucked from the dismal death of her ice skating career dreams to be the human jammer on a paranormal roller derby team of femme and nonbinary vampires. Why is she picked as “the one”, after two paranormal scouts saw her ice routine? We have no idea, and it’s not terribly convincing. But, as Mina thinks in one panel, “So…when life gives you vampire roller derby…I guess…roll with it?” I got hung up on some of the plot holes (or lack of explanations) the first time through and appreciated it more the second, for things like

*the abandoned Romania Mall where the team lives, for having stores named ‘Cots, Clocks, and Socks’, ‘Shoe Canoe’, and ‘Big Fuss’

*player derby names Val Halla, Lilith Fair, Meta Fizzick, Queen of Wands. Player pronouns listed on their lineup

*queer aesthetic; something feels queer about the camaraderie and way the players care for each other. Representation of different kinds of bodies. And haircuts.

*the COLORS; they will drench you

*the practical description of how roller derby works, moves, positions, almost manual-like in the midst of the action

*the chemistry between Val Halla and Mina, as told by the illustrations and not the text

*some real talk about belonging, confidence, living out someone else’s dream for you and leaving it

————————interestingly, this is (at least) the third middlegrade graphic novel out this spring with a girl protagonist who cracks under and breaks free of the yoke of her mother’s career ambitions for her (Curveball, Prodigy Camp) I enjoyed this far more than the other two, but it’s still not one I’ll go out of my way to recommend (outside of to fellow queers who might be able to overlook its shortcomings for the queer treats)

Thanks due to #netgalley for the digital ARC.

(Also posted to Goodreads)