thank you netgalley for an e-arc!!
i've never read this web comic in the past before, so this was a little surprise. the beginning made me a little uncertain because of how persistant and creepy carter was in the beginning, but the story does get better as it goes on. it goes into home issues and mental health. i also warmed up to the characters dynamic

This was an amazing story overall. I definitely agree with one of the primary characters that the behavior of the other character is a little problematic at the beginning, but that’s the whole point. Character growth and development as both individuals and together. And I really appreciate how well the story was illustrated and written and had beautiful sweet poignant moments as well as more down to earth numerous moments and made it believable for me. If there is another book after this, either following the same characters or other side characters, I would absolutely choose to read that as well and highly recommend this illustrated novel!

I struggled with this one. I had a hard time connecting with the characters which then made it difficult for me to care about what was going on in the story.

Arc review
A ya graphic novel centered around a sex depraved high schooler who pesters the love interest instead of just listening to no? I don’t really think young queer kids need that in romance especially not since queer people are already labeled predatory by homophobes. Other then that it was kind of just bland not much substances and the character development was more ironic then realistic. Two stars since the art was cute and unique and some moments were sweet.

I really liked this story. It was cute and goofy, making it a really fun read. I enjoyed the art style as well. This was overall just a delight to read.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Books for letting me read this early!

Teenagers trying to figure out life and being gay at the same time isn't an easy feat! In this small town romance about two boys trying to figure out their sexuality and juggling their personal lives at home.

Carter is horny. Coming out as gay a month ago and wanting to get laid in his small town is not as easy as it seems. Then he laid eyes on Adrian. Adrian is looking for a relationship after getting his heart broken by a one sided love,

This book was cute and definitely easy to read. I like the art style and the way the story flow! I hope we get more of this universe or characters in hopefully more graphic novels.

As it was described as an adaptation of a popular webcomic by the same name, I automatically checked the webcomic and what a pleasant and impressive surprise with how the art progression has been ! The art style (the look, colouring and just the overall visual) appeals to me and I think would be a hit for those that have a similar preference as mine.

Albeit I wouldn’t necessarily call it a heartfelt coming of age story, it leans more towards chaotic funny bits, familial pressure and just two dorks of polar opposite falling in love. There’re corny banter, drama, fluff, angst and friendship, overall an enjoyable read and would recommend to read it !

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of Always Raining Here by Hazel and Bell for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I chose this graphic novel because of the cute cover, the description, and the fact that webcomics that are printed and bound as graphic novels tend to be pretty popular at our high school. I was curious as to whether or not this particular title would be a good addition to our 9-12 library collection.

Carter is a single gay Canadian teen who is looking for a similarly aged gay guy to hook up with. He really doesn’t want to take his chances with Craigslist and wants to find someone, anyone who is at least cute and available in his high school. Along comes Adrian, who is also gay, is newly single, but is not in the least bit interested in a hook up. Carter sinks all he has into wooing Adrian, but it takes a long while until Adrian is able to see past the annoying, offensive, and blunt shell of Adrian. Low and behold, this story turns into a bit of an introspection into one’s self, the importance of communication in relationships (both romantic and platonic), being safe and looking out for your friends, and learning to accept oneself.

I highly recommend Always Raining Here to a more mature teen audience. Since the primary character’s main goal is to get laid, obviously the focus is more appropriate for older teens and might lend itself better to a public library audience than a high school library one. The illustrations are adorable, the topics are relatable and are about finding love (and lust), promote positive LGBTQ+ and straight relationships, and I could see it appealing to many teens. Recommend to readers who enjoyed Eunnie’s If You’ll Have Me, Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez, or Northranger by Rey Terciero.

Always Raining Here is a stand-alone graphic novel that depicts the blooming romance and friendship between two Canadian teens- Adrian and Carter - despite their differences and personal struggles. The story is set in the early 2010s and shows themes of personal identity, sexuality, and doing what’s right over what fits one’s needs. I liked the writing style! There were definitely some parts that showed the 2013 vibes and I enjoyed it, it really gave me Glee vibes! The only part that confused me was on page 38 when Carter and Adrian were in French class together just because I don’t understand French 😅 I would suggest maybe adding a small translation on the page but given that this books audience is most likely Canadian where French is often spoken, this might not be necessary. The book was a bit of a hurt/comfort, which I absolutely loved! I really did enjoy the art and the writing, it was adorable and captivating! I will say that I thought Mike and Jason (side-characters) were the same person until about half way through, but got to know the difference once Jason became more prevalent throughout the pages. My favorite character had to be Carter, because he’s such a goofy guy with a big heart, and I’m always a sucker for a fight scene! I would recommend this book to fans of all queer graphic novels, as it’s really cute and is a great example for up coming artists and writers of how to plan out a story and combining art + dialogue! I would also definitely recommend to all Gravity Falls fans as Carter and Adrian’s story gave a PG-13 achillean Wendy x Robbie feel and I absolutely loved it!

This book is cute and silly without being childish. The progression of Carter and Adrian's relationship is wonderful to experience and keeps you interested the entire time. The art itself is nice to look at as well. I liked the progression of the story, and would have preferred seeing more backstory with the guy who broke Adrian's heart and also Adrian's parents, but for the length I think the story handled everything it needed to to have a satisfying ending. Will certainly be recommending to people.

I heard a little bit about this graphic novel and was very excited to read it. However, after finishing the book, I was left wanting more out of the story. The plot felt lacking in emotional depth from the main characters. For a romance, maybe this comes from my own personal preference in the genre, but I would have loved more pinning from both of the characters. Right off the bat they begin a somewhat shaky relationship that didn't really feel genuine to me. Otherwise, there were way too many events happing too quickly between the panels. That's not to say that this was a bad story at all. Just not my cup of tea.

This one wasn’t a favorite of mine. I felt like it was a little choppy and I would sometimes have to go back to see if I skipped a page because I felt like I missed something. I also felt it was odd where, at the start, we have someone in high school looking to Craigslist and chatrooms for sex.
I did appreciate that consent was touched upon.
The art style also wasn’t quite for me, but it wasn’t bad.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

This is a really sweet graphic novel, but it unfortunately opens on a consentless pursuit that's really off putting until some character development begins to happen within the first quarter of the book. I could easily see Carter's introduction encouraging people to close the book. Once you move past Carter's invasiveness and boundary crossing, his story intertwining with the complicated and overworked Adrian's left me wanting more. I really loved the art style and the depth of the color palette as well. I do wish that more of the subplots were wrapped up and not just left unfinished (the theater performance, Adrian's ex, etc) and that the initial consent issues were addressed more directly instead of being dismissed as a part of character development.

Thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books for the digital ARC.

Reviewing this graphic novel is challenging because it has both strengths and weaknesses. If you're a fan of "Heartstopper" and looking for more young adult graphic novels, this book may appeal to you.

The artwork wasn't particularly appealing, and after researching the age of the series, I understand why. I believe the art could benefit from an update to better align with contemporary styles. Additionally, while the book addresses the topic of consent, I don't think it handles the subject as well as it could have.

Overall, it's a quick read but it feels like it needs more time to address some of its issues.

This was such a cute and fun read! The characters were well thought out and balanced, the story progress at the perfect pace, the visuals were adorable. Carter and Adrian were such fun leads, their personalities complimented each other and it was great watching them progress and grow as characters. I would recommend this to anyone, it was just so fun to read!

This started out a little rocky - Carter is very persistent and stalker-y and doesn't take no for an answer, so there are some definite consent issues. He comes off as a jerk. But as the story progresses, he catches feelings and turns out to be a nice guy. Adrian isn't without fault either, but they both grow over the course of the story and it turns into a really sweet romance that I wholeheartedly support.

I loved the art. The characters' faces and body language are very expressive and really add to the depth of the story. I really like the muted color palette too.

Overall it was a very enjoyable reading experience and I might even read it again.

*Thanks to First Second for providing an early copy for review.

This book probably just wasn’t for me. But the amount of times sex is mentioned in the first few pages is just super off putting and for them to go into a relationship when he legitimately only wanted him for sex is just crazy to me. I also hated how casual it was discussed to put yourself in chat rooms or online for sec with strangers. That isn’t normal nor should we act like it is.

"Always Raining Here" is a lighthearted graphic novel that captures someone chasing love in all the wrong ways. Carter is impulsive and goes for what he wants, oftentimes without considering what others might want or even if they want the same thing.

I felt like this story started a little rocky for me. I am glad I continued reading, not only because it was cute and fun at the end of the day but also because we really get to experience character growth in both Carter and Adrian. We see both of them grow into themselves and ultimately into their relationship with each other. If you were to ask me where this shines, that would be where.

If you love graphic novels and lighthearted reads that celebrate queer love and characters I Would absolutely recommend this. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 rounded up to 4/5 stars

Always Raining Here is a romance story about two people who could not be more different. Adrian is quiet and keeps to himself mostly. Carter is a little chaotic and outgoing. An awkward friendship is formed, but naturally turns into something more. Opposites truly do attract and connection is found in the most unexpected ways leading to a story full of sweet moments between two people falling in love.