pretty good! i liked the plot, the costumes, and i would read it again. the only thing was on one or two of the pages the text came out of the white boxes, but i assume they will fix that before publishing.

thanks to netgalley for letting me read it in advance!

This was a super cute read with a really important message. I liked the art style as well.

Tabi is a curvy black young woman (18ish) who grew up in love with Sommerland (I am taking this as a Disney equivalent). They gave her hope and made her believe in true love, even after her parent's divorce, so naturally she has always wanted to work in the theme park (Disney World). She finally gets the chance and tries out to be a Royal, but doesn't make the cut. However, she perseveres and tries again and also doesn't let other people get her down too much. This is a book about acceptance of who you are and how who you are is enough. Just because she doesn't fit the social mold doesn't mean she should change, but that the mold should.

I cannot rave about this book enough! It was so adorable and inspiring. The main characters were easy to get attached to and super fun to read! The story was light and fun, but also touched on some important topics, especially for young people. The art was very bright and cheery, with rich colors and cute characters. This is a graphic novel that I would definitely recommend!

I've been a fan of Meyer's work since <i>Cinder</i>, so I had high expectations for this book--expectations that were met and then blown away in the beautiful firework display of summertime magic that makes up this book.

From the charming characters to the tightly woven plot, this book sings of Meyer's talent while offering an approachable and heartwarming story that will have girls, boys, and everyone in between whispering, "We could be magic." Because it's true that all of us have that spark inside, that ability to bring light and hope and <i>wonder</i> to those around us whether it's through a gentle word, a kind action...or a big smile.

Fantastic! Wonderful story with wonderful messages. Tabi is positive, determined, and an all-around great character. We need more people like her in the world. She understands that hard work is necessary to reach your goals, any disappointment or setback is an opportunity to keep trying. Loved James--he's so sweet and genuine. Beautiful artwork. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Tabi has dreamed of being a cast member at Sommerland since she was a little girl, and now she has the chance thanks to Sommerland’s summer program! All she has to do is ace the auditions to be one of the princesses. Unfortunately, there seems to be a certain look the judges are expecting and Tabi has to wonder whether there’s a place for her after all.

***

The short of it: an incredibly endearing story about a young lady trying to achieve her dream, set against a Disney-like magical backdrop, complete with a Prince Charming!

We Could Be Magic was such a lovely surprise! I found the storyline to be incredibly charming, as well as inspiring and even emotional. Tabi is such a lovable character and I found myself rooting for her from the start! I loved the amusement park setting, and thought that Sommerland was both unique and nostalgic. I thought that the romantic subplot was adorable!

The overall message of the story is so important, and I can definitely recommend this to both YA and Adult readers! This is easily one of the best YA graphic novels I’ve read, and I suspect it will become an all time favorite.

As for the art, Joelle Murray did an incredible job of brining to life the magic of Sommerland!

This might be the cutest/most heartfelt thing I've read this year. I absolutely loved it, it made me feel so fuzzy and good. I loved watching our main character go after her dreams and grow into herself.

Tabi is working at the theme park of her dreams, and while she is stoked to just be there she longs to play the character of her favorite princess. We get to watch as she works hard to get a character position at the park. We also get to see her and her friends push back on what are assumed body types for princesses.

The art style in this was beautiful. The bright colors and characters were brought to life by all the fun details. I highly recommend you all pick this up! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Rounded up to 5 Stars

We Could Be Magic was such a sweet read!

The full-color artwork was gorgeous! I loved the setting of Sommerland, a sort of stand-in for Disneyland. It was interesting how in a short read, Sommerland, its characters, and the lore were very fleshed out! Kitty Wise was also adorable!
The characters were also perfect—no one seemed overplayed or underdone. I loved Tabi’s character. She was the perfect princess, kind, sweet, brave, and chasing her dreams. She was so optimistic, never giving up until she reached her dream.
James also fit the role of the prince, and made the perfect love interest and friend for Tabi. Their dynamic was a nice, fun bright spot.

I also really liked how this book handled its conflicts. It quietly commented on the diversity of Disney princesses, the total lack of body diversity of the Disney princesses, and of course, the controversy of actresses playing the roles of animated characters with a different physical appearance in live action movies. It seemed to acknowledge that we need to change and adapt, yes, but also, we need to make some room and create the spaces and roles for everyone.
My only complaint is that while I did like that it was handled in a quiet way, I think it was maybe a bit too quiet in that it wasn’t always clear where we were going with that. I also would have liked to see Tabi stick up for herself a bit more too, especially when one character very clearly insults her. Give her a bit more strength. If you’re going to make her the princess archetype, don’t forget that part.

In the end, this book was sweet and fun, and handled some important modern topics! I would definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the eARC!

We Could Be Magic is solidly one of the cutest books I have read in a long time. As someone who did a similar program in college, and a long time appreciater of Marissa Meyer, I have not laughed at a book this much in a long time. I would 100% recommend this to students and families! I love the diversity present--especially hijabi women. I am so excited to recommend this to friends and loved ones with children.

I loved this SO MUCH! It was absolutely adorable - the art, the story, the characters! I really felt the influence of a certain real life magical place, but Sommerland really felt like it had a magic of its own! I can’t wait to show this one off and recommend it!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read the ARC, and admire the fantastic art in this graphic novel!

i wanted to receive this arc so bad and happy i did! i enjoyed this one and the magical moments within the story and i love tabitha so much, and that she wanted to live her dreams.

I fell in love with this graphic novel! It is very sweet and shows the main character going through some struggles, but there were fairly light. The characters and the locations were beautifully drawn. As a theme park lover, everything stated felt very accurate. I felt immersed in the world, it was gorgeous!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC.

This was a cute and quick story about following your dreams and finding your happily ever after whatever that may be! It is about not letting anyone tell you how to live your life and not listening to those who do not support your dreams! I thought it was an uplifting story! Never stop dreaming and when your dreams come true, it is time to dream up more dreams!

I loved this story so much. I feel like this is obvious commentary on Disney - where are all the plus-sized Princesses? I definitely teared up at moments since I saw some of my childhood wants and adult mentality regarding magic reflected back to me. Great art work.

The story had realistic situations that Tabitha needed to overcome to accomplish her goals. It was not a straight forward path which I enjoyed. The art style for the whimsy of the Sommerland.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This super cute story is Marissa Meyer’s first graphic novel, and it was adorable. Tabitha has always dreamed of being an actor at Sommerland, the theme park that saved her belief in true love as a child. Now, she’s finally landed a job there! She just has to audition for the role of Princess Madeline, and everything will be perfect! Except, she doesn’t get the role of Madeline. She doesn’t get any role. Tabi is now stuck serving nachos at the park instead of being one of the princesses. It’s not a bad job, but not what she was hoping for. On the bright side, she meets James, her cute coworker who knows all the park’s secrets. Will Tabi manage to make her dream come true, or will she be stuck serving nachos forever? This was super cute and lighthearted, and if you want a quick escape read, this is perfect.

Absolutely loved this book! Very cute and wholesome! The perfect light read when you want something uplifting. The art in this graphic novel is beautiful.
As a "disney adult" I loved all the parallels to the disney parks with the books fictional location Sommerland. The romance was very natural feeling, and it was nice that while it was very present it wasn't the main focus of the main characters development.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

i’ve missed marissa meyer’s writing style, and i really enjoyed joelle murray’s art style!

this was a sweet, wholesome, and inspiring graphic novel about a fictional theme park based off of disneyland, and it was interesting to see the behind the scenes/innerworkings of the cast and characters you see throughout the park.

i really enjoyed the message meyer/murray put forth: work hard, and never let the magic of your dreams dim ✨

This was such an incredibly cute graphic novel. The female lead Tabitha was so easy to root for. I found myself invested in her story from the start. I like watching the sweet romance blossom between her and James. Lastly, the art style was equally as cute as the story.

This is such a sweet read! It has a lot of Disney nostalgia. It pushes you to look at your dreams and follow them through. It has great character development and is great for early teens who want to grow up and be that prince or princess!