All Grace Mendes wants is to blend into the scenery. From a young age, all being noticed got her was bullying, body shaming, and a loss of self-worth. When her best friend, Callie, drags Grace to a Pillow Fight Association (PFF) match, Grace is swept up in the confident, larger than life people in the ring. Seeing them owning their strength and oozing fierceness and confidence has Grace immediately enraptured—so much so she decides to try out with little hesitation. It soon becomes apparent that when Grace becomes Cinderhella, she’s a force to be reckoned with. Her skills quickly gain her attention and she catapults through the ranks. As Grace begins to incorporate the confidence of her persona, she becomes self-assured and happier. Unfortunately, the toxicity present on social media is even more intense for those in marginalized groups, and with Grace’s intersectional identity, there are many ways bad actors can denigrate her. Will the voices on the internet destroy her hard earned courage or will Grace finally claim her right to live comfortably in her own skin?

Pillow Talk is a really sweet and affirming coming-of-age story. It’s a very quick read full of friendship, solidarity, and overcoming fear. Grace is filled with self-doubt and anxieties from her intense body-image issues. Because of bullying and an acrimonious relationship with her stepmother, Grace struggles to believe that random strangers and people she meets don’t hate her. Callie is there to coax her out of her shell, but only Grace can take the steps needed to be her best self. Though the PFF is a rough and tumble sport that’s a cross between roller derby and wrestling, all the people are giving and welcoming. They embrace Grace immediately and help her quiet the self-hatred she projects onto others. Plus, with the league populated with fighters of different body types, identities, etc., Grace doesn’t have cause to focus on her “deficiencies and differences.” Between the group’s acceptance and Cinderhella allowing Grace to tap into her inner strength, she begins to stop thinking the worse about herself and others.

The illustrations in the graphic novel complement Grace’s journey well. Vargas does a good job conveying emotions and Grace’s inner turmoil without words. The color palette features warm analogous colors with schemes that function not only as indicators of time of day, but that highlight Grace’s bruised sense of identity and Callie’s sunshiny nature. The colors on most of the pages have a matte-like appearance; however, scenes involving the matches/Cinderhella and Grace gaining some clarity and perspective are sharper and more focused—like Grace herself in her Cinderhella persona. The pillow fights are also dynamic enough to convey the participants’ intensity and the rough contact of the sport. My main issue is that neither the narrative nor illustrations show the supposed conflict growing in Grace.

As her first official fight performing as newly crafted alter-ego/ring persona Cinderhella looms on the horizon, the real battle taking place is between Grace and her growing insecurities. What if people laugh or make fun of her? Why did she think she could pillow fight in the first place when she doesn’t look like your “typical” athlete?

This “looming” fight and her growing insecurities are not portrayed as the story goes along. The story begins by showing how insecure Grace is. The illustrations do a good job displaying her tendency to shrink in on herself and that the only times she’s at ease is with Callie. She is self-conscious going into tryouts and worries people will laugh at her before her first two fights, but these are fleeting moments quickly overpowered by her knockout skills in the ring. Her thoughts seem like the normal ones anyone would have about competing in front of others. Additionally, there are quite a few other fighters who don’t look like “typical” athletes, and the montage of panels after Grace’s successful fights shows her growing confidence, not growing insecurities. I was just primed for a different narrative progression based on the blurb.

To be fair, most of the book *is* Grace’s journey to self-confidence. The conflict happens in approximately the last quarter of the story, and the resolution is very fast. However, it’s such an affirming “We Are Family” ending, it’s lovely to see. It helps that the inciting event triggers all her insecurities, so her rapid downward spiraling makes sense for Grace, and the self-worth and support system she’s gained makes her regaining her equilibrium so quickly believable as well. However, I’ve seen the target audience for this story listed on average as 9-13, so the quick pace and rushed ending probably won’t be an issue for them. The younger demographic also probably explains why the characters’ discussions about the state of the world—diversity, economic prospects, etc. are very blatant. However, they are incorporated into the conversations well enough to not be overly distracting.

Most of my issues with the story stem from not being the target demographic. I think Pillow Talk will speak to younger audiences, as well as the piece of almost everyone filled with self-doubt, and make those who share marginalized identities feel seen. I think it’s a very empowering and lovely story of self-worth and friendship many will enjoy.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Pros:
-Cute artwork
-Diverse cast
-Powerful message

It's a cute story about a couple of college girls who get involved in Professional Pillow Fighting. It has a great message about self-expression and overcoming anxiety. The target audience is probably more geared toward high school and up.

Grace is dragged to a pillow fight match by her roommate. She immediately falls in love with the sports and joins the PFF and competes as Cinderhella.

This was so fun. I think fans of sports anime and roller derby are the perfect audience for this graphic novel. I think my favorite part was all of the colors. Each page was so vibrant.

This was a really fun and body positive book. I loved the art work and the story was fun. I would love to see a PPF match myself. This was also very diverse and had some great messages without pounding these ideas into your head. The just makes her points as if its totally obvious and I loved that. This is definitely one to check out!

Grace, a college freshman, reluctantly attends a PFF fight (pillow fight federation -- think roller derby combined with wrestling) with her best friend but soon falls in love with the sport. She signs up to compete as ‘Cinderhella’ while battling her own inner thoughts and insecurities.

This was such a fun and heartwarming graphic novel! Despite being shown the PFF through Callie (Grace’s best friend), Grace decides on her own to join and is met with nothing but support from Callie. Slowly, Grace comes out of her introverted shell and gains confidence in herself and her skills.

A big part of Grace’s journey was dealing with anxieties, insecurities, past bullying, and deep rooted body image issues. I liked that her story didn’t involve a romantic plotline though we do see some romantic side plots along with the use of pronouns and exploration of sexuality / bisexuality, etc.

As for the fights - wow! (Especially with the vibrant colors) I loved seeing the different types of moves and personas each fighter put on. There were essentially two types of personas -- heroes vs heels (aka good vs bad) and though Grace is put off by being a heel, she comes to embrace it positively.

I absolutely LOVED the amount of diversity in this book -- everything ranging from varying backgrounds, skin tones, body sizes, and more. Seeing so many different types of people, specifically women, felt empowering, body positive, and honestly healing?? Each character was distinctly unique, but seeing them together was even better -- basically everyone is a ‘girl’s girl’ (or people’s person??) and I’M HERE FOR IT!! Overall, I highly recommend this!

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Alley for my arc!

This book was so fun, the pillow fighting was kind of like wrestling but with females and with pillows involved. The concept was really exciting to read; it empowered females as well as mental health; it was so refreshing. The colours and artwork were the perfect accompaniment to this story and I highly recommend it for anyone that enjoyed Heartstopper or looking to read graphic novels for the first time. It's definitely one of those books that I could read over and over again.

Graphic novel with stunning colors and a heartwarming message about the drive of girl power and coming into oneself. Grace and her best friend Callie stumbler upon a flyer for the PFF, and Grace immediately falls in love with the idea of being in the ring. She creates a tough identity and is skyrocketed in to being successful with her friends standing behind her.
Pillow Talk is an incredibly queer story that takes on some elements of roller derby with the bold names and personas, and brings in deconstructing the sexiness of pillow fights and using it as a medium for being strong and confident.

The college-aged protagonist of this YA graphic novel discovers herself as she becomes famous on social media for pillow fighting. The narrative touches on themes of self-love, body diversity and acceptance. I wish some of the themes had come on the scene more explicitly earlier, but the foreshadowing was there. The friendships were established a little too quickly for me, considering the first third of the book feels like build-up. I wish the author would have chosen to focus on the body positivity aspect or the sport, instead of using one to bolster the other. It didn't quite work for me.

This is a great coming of age story. We follow Grace, who's very anxious and doesn't have many friends. Her best friend and roommate drags her to PFF (Pillow Fight Federation), which is roller derby combined with wrestling, where they use a pillow to fight. She thinks everyone is so badass, but there's no one who looks like her so she feels like she wouldn't fit in. Then someone else enters the ring, and she's also fat, like Grace, so Grace suddenly feels confident enough to join. This changes a lot for her: she gains friends and confidence, which was so great to follow along with.

For me, graphic novels is my go-to slump-buster.

I decided to pick it up after feeling not well because I just had an action-packed day but I need to read something from my phone while dozing off.

Pillow Talk is a coming-of-age YA graphic novel that follows Grace, an introvert student, and how she was able to find her passion upon watching her first professional pillow fight (PFF) game.

The premise is really fun because imagine wrestlers but instead the core of the game is pillow fighting!

Storyline, I enjoyed the adventure of Grace and her unexpected love at first sight with PFF. Love how the book also delivered a powerful message about women empowerment, self development, and making the best in every moment as if it's your last.

Illustration, the colors are visually appealing and the characters were developed with their own personalities on and off the ring.

I'm always on how graphic novelist and author was able to deliver a finish product and I'm really curious about the thought process of doing one.

Overall, such an amazing read. Thank you again for busting my slump!!

This book was great and I can already tell it would be super popular at my library. I want this book on my bookshelf now!

The introverted Grace Mendes joins the PFF (pillow fight federation). The PFF is some sort of wrestling competition where girls reclaim pillow fights as a non sexual activity that actually portrays women as powerful beings. By becoming the character Cinderhella, Grace is able to slowly crawl out of her shell, but being in the spotlight does come with difficulties.

This story has such a unique concept! I absolutely loved reading about Cinderhella, Rapunchel, and the other female pillow fighters. Next to the unique storyline and the theme of female empowerment, it also includes women of different sizes and colors, and a few people using they/them pronouns. My only small “issue” with this book is the ending that felt a bit rushed. Grace faces some difficulties throughout the book, especially in the last 50 pages, and I would’ve liked it if the book had used more pages to address this issue. All in all, I very much recommend this one!

Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me an e-ARC <3

I really enjoyed this very fun read! The premise of pillow fighting is so cool and creative. I am obsessed with roller derby and professional wrestling so this was a perfect fit for me. I love the perspectives on body positivity and the overall self confidence aspect. I do think there might have been a little too much going on. There were a lot of storylines going on at the same time and a lot of things were brought up and never revisited. I really wouldn't mind reading this again and I can really see a lot of teens totally enjoying this one. I got very caught up in the rise of Cinderhella!

Pillow Talk is a delightful, offbeat coming of age story with a large cast of well-developed characters. The graphic novel follows college freshman Grace Mendes' as she joins the pillow fight federation (roller derby meets pro-wrestling) and dons the alias Cinderhella. Grace's new hobby helps her appreciate her body, allows her to tackle some of her family frustrations, and gives her the opportunity to define herself on her terms. When a clip of her at a match goes viral, the spotlight makes Grace question the confidence she's gained in the ring.

I appreciated the depth of other characters like best friend Callie (who realizes she's attracted to more than just guys) and Kat Atonic (who seems mean, but really just has a lot going on). As an ex-derby girl, I found this an especially fun read and I loved the accurate representations of the comradery between the PFFers outside of the rink and the diverse cast. Great LGBTQIA+ representation, racial diversity and body positive!

What a fun graphic novel! It deals with a Pillow Fight Federation (the PFF) which is like roller derby slash wrestling.
It's coming of age, it's confidence building, it's beautiful friendship and found family, it's finding where you belong, and so much more!

I really liked and felt for Grace. She was an amazing natural at this sport. She had to deal with social media hate comments and had a great best friend by her side to help her navigate everything.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

This title was a really good "finding myself" book. The main character, Grace, is a college student who just wants to take her classes, but her best friend, Callie, is very outgoing. One day Callie drags Grace to a Pillow Fighting Federation match and the rest is history.

When Grace’s roommate takes her to her first pillow fight match, she immediately falls in love. Typically introverted, she’ll have to step outside her comfort zone to become a part of the Pillow Fight Federation. Encouraged by her roommate and other members of the Federation, she joins and almost immediately becomes a hit.

Though her insecurities make her worried that people will make fun of her, when she makes her debut as Cinderhella, she gets thrown into the spotlight. Will she be able to become an icon for others like her or will she cave under the pressure?

Thanks to HarperAlley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Pillow Talk by Stephanie Cooke to review! Always a fan of new teen graphic novels, and this one had such a unique premise! It also led me to learn that a pillow fighting league actually exists, if it looks fun and you’re interested in possibly joining in the future!

The message of this book, accepting yourself and gaining confidence, is perfect for the targeted age group. Especially for those teens that might be graduating high school soon and going to college. Finding a place where you feel like you can be yourself and be supported, like Grace, does great things for your confidence.

At times, the writing did feel a little bit clunky to me, and some of the scenes with the pillow fights were difficult to follow. Though to be fair, that can’t have been the easiest thing to draw. The overall art style wasn’t quite my favorite, as some of the panels and scenes felt like they didn’t have enough detail in them.

Apart from those few things, this was still an entertaining read! There’s great representation in this book, and the core cast of characters is just a delight to read about. Definitely keep this one on your radar when it comes out this April!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed "Pillow Talk," a cool graphic novel where a young woman boosts her confidence by joining a WWE-style pillow fight group. The characters are fun, the art is lovely, and the whole story carries a great message. It's set in the early college years, focusing on the new sport of pillow fighting. The main character, Grace, deals with society's views on body image, which I found relatable. The story is action-packed, featuring sweet characters and an awesome theme. As a fan of roller derby, this graphic novel felt just right for me. I'd totally watch a pillow fight match if they had one in my area. Overall, "Pillow Talk" is not only entertaining but also has a meaningful message about self-discovery and challenging societal expectations.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy of "Pillow Talk" through Netgalley!

"Pillow Talk" is a very diverse, body positive and empowering graphic novel that centers around Grace Mendes (aka Cinderhella) and the fictional sports world of PFF (Pillow Fight Federation"). Plus size Grace finds friendship and new-found confidence in herself in this sports world, whereas before then she was quiet, unassuming, and struggling with body image. Through this fun sport that is a mix between wrestling and roller derby, Grace's true personality shines through, surrounded by friends who are encouraging and empowering.
This was a very enjoyable quick read, and we can always use more body positive and empowerment in the book world!

Pillow Talk is perfect for fans of roller derby. It's set set in the early years of college and revolves around the new sport of pillow fighting. Throughout the graphic novel, it explores what roles we have in society specifically for Grace as she struggles with the connection in our society between fat people and the villains. Pillow Talk was action packed, grounded in sweet characters - both main and side characters - and with a great theme.