I think that this was personally not for me. The character attachment was not there, where I felt invested in the people and therefore the plot. I also think I am so far removed from this world that a lot of the terminology and lingo was jarring and didn’t vibe well with me. Overall I enjoyed my time but didn’t leave with any significant feelings.

This was an interesting one. I will say it’s not my normal cup of tea but I’ve been wanting to branch out so thought I’d give it a go. I have come to understand that it’s a biographical graphic novel (something I’ve never seen before) and as cool of a concept as that is I don’t know if it’s something I’d read again. Props to both the author and artist though, very well put together.

I was really excited for this book, the description was really interesting and I adore the art style, but it unfortunately fell very flat for me. As I'm writing this review, I can barely remember anything about the story except for the fact that I wasn't overly interested and I didn't like the main character very much. That being said, this book might just not have been for me and I am 100% willing to check out some of the authors other work!

This was a fun and interesting graphic novel! I really liked the art style.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Total Suplex of the Heart is an autobiographical graphic novel by Joanne Starer that kicks off with a fun and intriguing premise. The art style is really beautiful and brings a vibrant energy to the story, making the early parts feel playful and engaging. However, as the narrative progresses, things get confusing and it seems like parts between the chapters are missing, which leaves the overall execution lacking. I truly liked the idea behind it but was disappointed by how it all came together.

This is a brilliant graphic novel and highly engaging. The story is about a young woman called Georgie who is freelancing as a journalist. She decides to write an article about the wrestling scene but the intrigue and drama of wrestling draw her in. She makes friends, enemies, lovers and makes a life of her own in the wrestling scene over the years.

The story is a coming of age story but unusual because how many women come of age through wrestling? The story is humorous, painful in places and full of drama and the reader is drawn into the world of wrestling.

It is a really engaging graphic novel with colourful artwork which makes it a pleasure to read. The story also draws on the life of the author who has real pro-wrestling experiences.

An excellent story about an unusual coming of age. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Copy provided by Humanoids Inc via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review

Definitely a unique graphic novel. A really quick but interesting read, with a great visual style. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy.

This wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it was told in a way that was easy to follow and relate to. I wanted so much more for Georgie from the beginning and I’m glad she finally came into her own.

Wow, that read was an adventure. I can't help but feel for the main character, Georgie, and all she had to go through. As the reader, we can see the red flags before the characters in the comic can, but it doesn't mean we don't get surprised constantly by the turn of events. I highly appreciate the writing and visual representations of body dysmorphia and eating disorders, I think it well illustrates and conveys the feeling of spiraling and helplessness while conversely wrestling with what one can and can't control. I appreciate that this story doesn't wrap up perfectly in a pretty bow, but is more real and impactful in that it doesn't.
Speaking of wrestling, the action was interesting to follow along with and I couldn't help but root for the wrestling, especially as the story progressed. I love the balance of real fighting and choreography, and truly view this story as not just physical wrestling, but emotional, mental, and somewhat spiritual wrestling as well.
Thank you Joanne Starer, Humanoids Inc | Life Drawn, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Beautifully drawn. I loved the main character and the moral of the story, but there were parts to it that was weird paced and had weird choices (the author acknowledged this, and apparently it’s a biography).

A story about love, pain and overcoming abuse illustrated beautifully and altogether a quick read that was impossible to put down.

Total Suplex of the Heart starts as the story of a journalist covering independent wrestling but quickly evolves into something much deeper. What begins as an assignment turns into full immersion in the world of pro wrestling, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at an industry that can be both thrilling and deeply flawed.

The book doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of wrestling, including its often misogynistic culture and the struggles women face in the business. At the same time, it’s a deeply personal story of a woman confronting the emotional scars left by a controlling mother while navigating friendships and romantic relationships. These elements add depth and emotional weight to the narrative.

While I found the premise intriguing, the execution didn’t fully meet my expectations. The frequent jumps in the timeline were disorienting and made it difficult to stay fully engaged. However, one aspect that truly stood out was the artwork—rich in detail, from intricate clothing designs to immersive settings, making each scene visually compelling.

Overall, Total Suplex of the Heart is an insightful read with powerful themes and stunning visuals, but the scattered timeline kept me from loving it as much as I had hoped.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Humanoids Inc | Life Drawn for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not really at all what I expected. It took a much more serious turn, and I wasn't aware that it was inspired by the author's real life. I did like the illustrations, and I thought overall the book was very empowering, it simply wasn't what I signed up for originally.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I am disappointed. The arstyle in this book was beautiful but the plot did not reflect the same.

We keep jumping form one plot point to the next, it felt like the author had a bunch of bullet points to tick so they threw away the entire plot. Nothing that was mentioned had enough build up for me to care. Many imporant topics and conversations were thrown out of the wingdow for the next jawdropping thing. The wasnt even an attempt to tackle important issues. This book is autobiographical so it is hard for me to write anything about the contents.

I stopped reading this book at page 22.

First of all, I understand that this graphic novel is autobiographical and I would never negatively review somebody's life and choices. That is ultimately their business. However, this graphic novel did not work out for me. It wasn't done well and I ended up not finishing it.

I loved the art style in this. It was very well done. Beyond that, I found the story lacking. It was all over the place, skipping plot lines and mentioning some pretty serious topics without going into any detail on their importance, or the characters' growth from those experiences. There was hardly an attempt to even try to tackle most of the serious topics. I also disliked all of the characters. A lot of them made me feel uncomfortable/or were completely trashy toxic humans, but there was hardly any character growth from what I noticed.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me to give this a chance!

This will be added to my Goodreads, but out of respect to the author I will not be putting this on any major websites that are selling this.

This graphic novel is really captivating. Our narrator isn't perfect, but she is lovable and you can understand her motives for venturing into the world of wrestling. As we follow her life, putting away her passions for who she thought was a good guy (relatable), and finding her own groove. I think this is an honest way to speak about female empowerment, we are not perfect, we can be flawed and messy, but we deserve respect and autonomy over our lives. Bonus, the art is really fun.

Total Suplex of the heart tells the story of Georgie and her start in wrestling league. Georgie begins by writing a piece for her online journalism job but quickly gets swept away and develops a love for it. This book deals with themes of child abuse, eating disorders, and physical and mental abuse by a romantic partner. These themes are not given enough time to develop and felt rushed as did the ending. The art was amazing and you could really feel the movement of the wrestlers.

Thank you to netgalley and the Humanoids Inc for the e-ARC.

The art for this book was truly lovely but the plot and pacing were inconsistent and what is described as an "unflinching" narrative is just one full of sudden depictions of eating disorders, various forms of abuse, and mentally ill people portrayed as abusive and toxic. TSotH is inspired by the author's own experiences, but they came across as jarring and unpleasant from start to finish, making characters unlikeable and unrelatable.

2.5 / 5 ⭐

Total Suplex of the Heart was such an interesting comic, partially because of how different it is from what I'm used to reading, but I just couldn't connect with it.

It felt like the protagonist went through so much in just 160 pages, all of them coming from the same place but not justified enough to be able to connect with the character. Maybe if it had been a small saga, even if it were 2-3 issues, I would've felt closer to her.

Total Suplex of the Heart is a mostly true story about a time in the authors life where she participated in the world of wrestling. Cassidy is messy and she has a tendency to like men who are not good for her. Throughout the story she ends up dating and hooking up with guys who never have her best interests at heart. For the most part, Cassidy seems ok with that. Ultimately though, the story is one of self discovery and how Cassidy built her own female wrestling group and made something of the passion she found for herself.

The art in Total Suplex of the Heart is colorful and fun to look at. Every page is eye catching and beautifully drawn. It all comes together to give a snippet of a woman’s life struggling with who she is, who is really there for her, and doing something she loves vs. what is expected of her.

If you love sports stories with some romance and mishaps you’ll love “Total Suplex of the Heart”.