This was a solid graphic novel with themes of grief and being burnt out. I enjoyed Angelica's story line through out this, and even the side characters were all very compelling. The art style was very nice as well, I do think I preferred the artistic choices of this authors first book more, but this one took a more straightforward approach!

This was a sweet story. Angelica is a typical overachieving student, who burns out. Now she's trying to slow down and enjoy life more. The Bear Prince story woven into Angelica's love story was a really interesting and cute touch. I really enjoyed the Bear Prince tale and was waiting for the ending the whole time. Angelica was a good, real character. As a mother of a teen, I could 100% see this being a real girl's story. I enjoyed both the bear prince tale and Angelica's story. I really liked the side characters as well, the best friend, the grandma, and Angelica's parents. All of the characters together made it seem like you knew the family and people involved in the telling.
The illustrations were amazing too! I loved the artistry and how well it told the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Graphic for the ARC copy of this book.

Thanks to Random House Children's Books and Netgalley for an ARC for an honest review.

Angelica and the Bear Prince finds Angelica trying to get back into the swing of things in her life after experiencing burnout. She was involved in so many activities that her body just ceased to move one day. Deciding that if she can focus on just one thing, she can give that one thing 100%, and that one thing is interning at the local theater.

This story is about loss, grief, and the general aches and pains of being a teen. It's done in a very easy manner without bogging the reader down with so much heaviness, especially since this is of young adults. The characters are all pretty fleshed out as much as they can be in 224 pages. I do wish this was a bit longer, to really show the friendship between Angelica and the Bear Prince and who is under the costume. I also would have liked to see Christine, Angelica's best friend, have a little more resolution in her storyline.

All in all, this was a very sweet story.

Angelica just feels completely overwhelmed in life. She puts too much on her plate as she wants to help everyone out. One day, she just has a meltdown and needs to take care of her mental health. She feels like no one really understands her, but she finds comfort in Per, a person in bear suit, so Angelica messages him and he actually messages her back! Angelica interns at the local theater and Per, the bear is there! One day, she musters enough courage to talk to him.

Will Angelica ever find out who Per really is under the costume?

Readers will love this if they:
* Love art
* Enjoys reading graphic novels
* Find comfort in different ways
* Are conscious of their mental health
* Love love

I'mma plagiarize myself from another review of mine I happened to re-read just before writing this one:

"I read too many books where the plot is left to sway gently in the breeze in the background while characters talk or think about their feelings ever-so-earnestly in the foreground."

Eminently likable characters emote in pretty pictures as they meander through a gentle story about coping, relationships, and grief. It's all very sweet if equally ephemeral.

A partial adaptation of the traditional Norwegian fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" is woven through the story. If you are unfamiliar with it (as I was) and want to prepare beforehand -- especially since a crucial chunk of the story is omitted before its happily ever after ending -- it is in the public domain and available at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30973/30973-h/30973-h.htm">Project Gutenberg</a>.


Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.

A sweet, light yet emotional, YA graphic novel. Angelica was someone who could do it all, until her endless responsibilities overwhelmed her, and she came crashing down. Now she just wants to find one thing to focus on and hopefully succeed at. Her new internship at the local theater could be just the thing. Plus, maybe she'll finally get to meet the person behind the mask of Per the Bear, the theater mascot she's been speaking to and opening herself up to online.

I adore this art style; it's super cute and bubbly. The story itself felt pretty lighthearted, while slso showing the depth of emotion of its characters. Angelica is the main focus of the story, but we also get glimpses of the lives of her friends and family. I quite enjoyed the read.

Sweet and wholesome! Some of the transitions felt a little abrupt like friends fight then it's resolved on the next page but you don't see the resolution. I liked the look at grief and the different ways it can manifest in different people.

This graphic novel was so cute! I really enjoyed it, the only reason why I gave it four stars was because it wasn't longer! This graphic novel was about a girl who is a junior in high school and she is burn out from all the extra curricular activities that she was apart of. She gets through it and gets an internship at a theatre. If you like retellings of fairytales, especially "East of the sun and west of the moon," you will enjoy this graphic novel! I just wish that Chrissy (the main character Angelica's best friend) got a better ending! Very cute illustrations and it had such a nice color palette as well.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy for review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel. This is a beautiful profound graphic novel that discusses mental health in an accessible way. The art is also beautiful. I think this is a perfect coming of age story for high school students suffering burnout. I think I just wanted more from the ending. Because of these points, I have to give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Angelica and the Bear Prince is a sweet, nostalgic graphic novel with a lot to teach about friendship and grief. The storyline in regard to overworking and experiencing burnout will resonate with so many of today's teenagers. They're always doing or on their to do something. The main characters and the main supporting characters all have lessons to teach, rather than just being foils or filler.
My only complaint is with the big reveal. I feel it could have, and should have, been bigger.
I would recommend this graphic novel to any teenager dealing with overwork, maintaining friendships, or struggling with grief.
This book was provided to me at not cost by the publisher and NetGalley. My opinions are honestly and freely given.

This was an absolutely adorable story with an important deeper meaning: everyone grieves differently. The flashbacks add to the depth of the story and the development of the characters, and the prose is beautiful and flows well. One of my favorite lines is "And in that space between "almost" and "everything, " a little seed of doubt was planted." *Chef's kiss* The tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon was told brilliantly within Jelly's story, so it almost felt like getting two stories at once. The art style is truly wonderful.

I loved the way the story was written. It was such a beautiful novel. The story line was absolutely beautiful. It was flawlessly written. I loved that the pace was slow yet fast enough to keep you engaged in the story. The way the characters interact with each other and all come together is the kind of energy I love to see in a story. I would have liked to see a little more about the MMC and his side of the story however. I think a sequel from his POV would be amazing.

Angelica and The Bear Prince is a sweet story that follows a group of theater loving, high school students as they figure out all things about themselves.
I LOVE the LGBTQIA and plus sized rep in here!! Done perfectly!!!

"Angelica and the Bear Prince" by Trung Le Nguyen is a truly delightful Young Adult graphic novel that stands out for its captivating visuals. I was thoroughly enchanted by the illustrations – they are wonderfully colorful and fun, bringing every panel to life. The storyline, while not my absolute favorite, was genuinely enjoyable, particularly its fantastic, modern-day fairytale charm. I loved how the narrative explores themes of growth and healing, showing characters supporting each other through their journeys. This is a graphic novel I would highly recommend for high school-aged readers; they will undoubtedly enjoy and benefit from its unique blend of contemporary issues and magical realism.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!!

I dnf'd this at 20%. Idk why but I thought this was going to be a romantasy. I was okay that it wasn't, but then it gave me the ick.

This was such a cute graphic novel! I think it did a great job of showing different ways that people can grieve, and the story itself was adorable. I will definitely be recommending it to patrons, friends, and colleagues. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Graphic for this ARC!

Angelica and the Bear Prince deals with grief and burnout, two very relatable things. The story is not super complex so easy to follow. I would say this is great for upper teens since there is a little language. The art is cute and colorful and adds to the story.

I loved Trung’s debut graphic novel, and was very excited to see he had a new one coming out. I didn’t really have any expectations beyond the synopsis and knowing the art was going to be stunning - suffice to say, Angelica and the Bear Prince did not disappoint! This is a very sweet, almost soft story that delves into different experiences of grief as well as connections and community. I especially loved how Gable’s story was handled because their name growing up is never shared and the way they are shown to be nonbinary is them telling people that knew them in elementary that they’re Gable now and they named themself after their grandfather. I love Trung’s art style and hope we get more stories from him, especially as he handles so many sensitive topics with such care and gentleness.

Such an enjoyable teen graphic novel that includes an adaptation of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Heartwarming

When I was growing up, every Christmas we would have a baked good and tea while opening our presents. This book captures that cozy feeling and then some. It's beautifully illustrated, wonderfully composed, and downright adorable. It's perfect for any teens book shelf, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I usually get nervous reviewing sophomore projects, but this one knocks it out the park. Mark my words, this one is going to be a fave at the book fairs and award seasons.