I really wanted to like this, but unfortunately this book just didn't work for me. It felt like this book was trying to include too many things, be it tropes, plot points, topics, etc... I did not find Jelly very enjoyable as a main character. Many of her reactions felt forced and/or not earned. We were told about her past but to me some of her reactions still seemed out of left field. That goes for a couple other characters as well. The only part of the book that I really enjoyed, and wished there was more of, was the best friend, Chrissy's, side plot. Chrissy and Jelly's father were my favorite characters.

I did absolutely love the illustrations though. I just wish that some of the side characters' stories and some of the plot points were removed so that we could have delved deeper into others. Overall, I'm sure this book will works for other people, but to me it was just too surface level to really appreciate the messages the author was trying to get across.

I loved the parallel aspect of Jelly's homelife with the Bear Prince story. Despite the warning from the author in the front and back, this was a great story and I loved how everyone found their way at the end.

Angelica has burned out. One day, she just breaks down and that's that. With the help of her family, she works to come back out of that burnout. With no activities lined up, she finds a way into the local theater. There, she meets The Bear Prince. The Bear Prince is online and one night, she reaches out.

Once again, Trung Le Nguyen delivers a book at the perfect time. Angelica's burnout is relatable to teens and adults. Her wish to stop grieving years after the loss is true. So much of this work is true. Astute readers will notice a thread and wonder what that connection is about. If they noticed, they will be rewarded in the end. This book also is perfectly in tune with the intended audience.

As usual, the artwork is glorious and beautiful. Le Nguyen has a way with artwork that sucks you in and twirls around you as he weaves the story. It is always sad to finish the book because of how his works pull you in.

A must have! This book covers burnout, mental health, grief and so much more as well as relating to it's intended audience. Amazing. Just amazing. I was very moved by this book.

This story was absolutely stunningly written. As someone who has also dealt with depression and burn out, the sincerity and considerate way the characters all interacted with each other and resolved differences in who they were and how they communicated was a very heartwarming experience. I especially appreciated that while conflict might arise, at no point was the miscommunication the comedic value and have continued strings of miscommunication. Thank you for sharing this beautiful artwork and wonderful story.

Cute! Characters could have been more developed, for sure. I liked how burnout was tackled; the rest of the plotlines were a bit of a mixed bag.

Thank you @NetGalley and @@RHCBEducators for the ARC. This was such a good story about teen bunout. Angelica was busy all the time with no time to relax. One day it becomes too much and depression sets in. She thinks interning at the theater where she had the best day watching the Princess and the Bear Prince will help find her joy. Angelica becomes a online friend to the Bear Prince in the play online and feels free to share her true feelings about her life. Can they help each other to find joy with each other?

I give this book 4/5 stars. I was getting sucked into the book, I quite literally didn't want it to end. I related to Angelica so much, mainly because I'm also a teenager, and I feel connected to her because of her mental health. Everything she was feeling mentally really put it into perspective on how mental health is delicate and how it can genuinely affect so many people in what they do or are interested in. She is like the book version of me, and I can't wait for people to be able to get to know her and relate to her as well. This is going to become one of my favorite comic books I've read in a while; it has emotion and things I wish some comic books had. It talks about multiple topics in a discreet way, and I find that very fascinating and just cool. The drawings were amazing and very colorful. It was just overall amazing, like I can't say any more than that.
Thank you to the author, Trung Le Nguyen, for being able to come up with this creative piece of literature, and a big thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!!!

Angelica and the Bear Prince is a stunningly illustrated graphic novel that conveys a meaningful message. It explores themes of grief and the diverse ways people cope with it, as well as the importance of friendship and family. I appreciate how Trung Le Nguyen weaves together deep narratives with a blend of fairytale elements and whimsical visuals.

OMG I LOVEEEEEED THIS!!

I just fell in love with Trung Le Nguyen's writing back when I read 'The Magic Fish' a few years back. He has such a beautiful gift for storytelling!
I adored the characters so much I saw a lot of myself in Angelica which is I think why this book now has such a special place in my heart. At it's core this GN is about grief and acceptance and it was just soooo incredibly well done. I was fighting tears during some scenes while also holding back laughter in some parts, just incredible.

The art was stunning, it was perfect for the story-tale vibe. The colours were all chosen so well. I honestly can't praise this book enough.

This was so cute! I loved the artwork and the story that was a mix of a modern day YA story and a fairytale woven together.

It’s about grief, growing up, burnout, relationships with your friends and with your family and processing emotions. Graphic novels get so deep sometimes and they’re beautiful when they do it 😂.

This was a quick read, if you love graphic novels I recommend this one.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was an emotional gut punch in the best way. I’m a little older than the intended audience but that didn’t stop me from weeping. I love that

<spoiler>Gable being trans is just accepted. There’s no inner turmoil. I also love that while it is a story of grief there is also joy embedded deeply.</spoiler>

A stunning story.

The way that I was so excited to see a new book by Trung Le Nguyen - The Magic Fish is truly one of the best graphic novels I have ever read in my life!

The art in this one is absolutely gorgeous and tells such a good story. Angelica is a 17yr old girl that has started an internship at a theater - she's a reformed people pleaser and a chronic overachiever which is easy to relate to! This story was so heartwarmingly beautiful - the way that she finds comfort in the theater and in the story of a bear prince. That tale sounded a bit familiar to me but I wasn't able to place it. The entire theater portion was really a bit more in the background than I initially thought it would be, but I really loved the storytelling and the entire atmosphere of this story.

The themes that were mentioned - especially the mental health representation, is truly an issue that I love to see represented in books.

This would be such a fantastic novel to give to teens and I will be doing so once this book is released!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, and Random House Graphic for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Angelica is struggling to find her happiness and herself after suffering serious burnout. She decides to rejoin the world by working for a historic theater and its production of one of her favorite fairy tales. While she is trying to re-find herself, her friends and family are struggling to understand what she went through. She does find a listening ear, in a mysterious social media account of the historic bear costume at the center of the play she is working on. She finds new friendship with this mysterious actor and starts to find confidence and understanding in herself.

First off, I was a very big fan of The Magic Fish, so I was thrilled to hear a new title was coming from Trung Le Nguyen. This books did not disappoint. While it provided some substantive message about stress management, advocating for yourself and taking responsibility for your own actions, it was wrapped up in a sweet story with lovely illustrations. It was not too heavy or onerous for the reader. The humor and heart made this an enjoyable read. Once again, the story within the story element helped give elevation to the narration and added whimsy to some heavier moments. The romantic plot was obvious, but well-intentioned and adorable. Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I will share with others.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of Angelica and the Bear Prince!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
👯‍♀️ have a long lost friend
👑 are searching for Prince Charming
🏳️‍⚧️ enjoy trans rep in your books
🗣️ just want someone to listen

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Angelica was the girl who could do it all—until suddenly, she couldn’t. Burnout hit hard.  Now, after some very low moments, she’s ready to get her life back together, thanks to her friends, and one very surprising source of comfort. 

A bear.

Peri is the mascot of the local theater. He’s been sending Angelica supportive messages from his social. They’ve become friends, and Angelica might even have . . . a crush?

Determined to find the human behind the bear costume, Angelica gets a summer job interning at the theater. She might never go back to being the girl who can do everything, but perhaps she is becoming the girl who can magically have it all.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a really cute and colorful graphic novel. I enjoyed the pretty pictures throughout the story, especially the ones featuring the bear prince story. I wanted just a bit more of it, but I also enjoyed the true story of Angelica, aka Jelly, and her friend. The story brings a lot to the table, with a cheating boyfriend, a secret penpal, and reuniting long lost friends. I loved the mystery of the bear and how willing everyone was to help hide the identity of the person until they were ready to meet Jelly. While these are teenage characters, I enjoyed the fact that the dialogue was so mature for its age. I think that can be helpful for kids because I know that I didn’t think the way some of them were at that age!

"Angelia and the Bear Prince" by Trung Le Nguyen was genuinely such a joy to read. from the very beginning of the story i was completely enraptured by Angelica, or Jelly, and her overall sweet nature as a whole. as someone who also finds that she takes on way too many tasks/responsibilities than i should, i found myself really relating to who she is and how her thought process works. the way Nguyen discusses grief and the different ways individuals process such a hard emotion was truly heartwarming and made me tear up numerous times.

love love LOVED the overall art style, all the characters, and the sweet little love stories littered throughout the book so much! <3

This was absolutely beautiful. It’s my first experience with the creator’s work, but everything from the storytelling and character development to the artwork is a joy.

Angelica is a 17 year old over-achiever recovering from burnout when she’s accepted as an intern at the local theatre. She also has a penpal, an anonymous friend using the pseudonym Per the Bear, the costumed lead from the theatre.

The story is a glimpse into the lives of Angelica, her friends and her family over a few weeks in winter with occasional flashbacks. Mostly, it’s a story of grief. Grief over losing a loved one or losing a relationship and how you handle it. The cast of supporting characters was wonderful, including Jelly’s parents, best friend and neighbors and the graphic novel medium truly brought the story to full life.

I especially loved the mental health rep, the diverse cast, and the glorious winter festival art.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Random House and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was really cute! It's a quick and cozy read that centers around grief and connection. The artwork is beautiful, the prose impactful, and the cast diverse and endearing. What's not to love?

This would be a perfect read in the wintertime while swaddled in thick blankets and accompanied by hot chocolate or tea.

"East of the Wind, West of the Moon" has long been a favorite fairy tale of mine, so I'm always excited to see new adaptions of it. This adorably sweet tale shares a simplified version of it alongside a more poignant tale of loss, grief, and personal discovery. Angelica--or Jellybean--finds an unexpected connection with the Bear Prince as she tries to navigate her life after hitting her limit--and burning out--a year ago. But the Bear Prince is hiding a secret...

I loved how real each of the characters felt as their stories were shown alongside Angelica's, and although predictable, the plot was a fun and cozy afternoon read. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings!

Angelica and the Bear Prince is a stunningly magical story navigating the complexities of familial relationships, grief, and friendship.

Nguyen knocks it out of the park again with a fantastical retelling immersed in the ordinary realities of being a teenager who is struggling with loss both from a death in the family and the metaphor of losing one self. We truly get to know Angelica and her loved ones, from her family, neighbors, and friends all in the span of a couple of hundred of pages with intimacy, care, and wonder. It's magical. I also loved how some of our older side characters interconnected in a shared journey that felt like kismet, and I loved how effortlessly intergenerational friendships were portrayed. Lastly, the sprinkle of romance is *chef's kiss* It's so wholesome and sweet it will give you a toothache.

The art style is beautiful with panels that pop with color and flow effortlessly on page. The cast is diverse with a POC fmc in Angelica and a trans mmc in Gable (which I love so much it's like a nod to Clark Gable, the actor, and his grandfather Gabe).

Teens who are looking for a bit of sweetness in their life will love Angelica and the Bear Prince.

Angelica and the Bear Prince is a visually stunning graphic novel from Trung Le Nguyen, whose signature art style once again captivates with its dreamy lines and vibrant storytelling. Every panel is a piece of art, pulling readers into a fairytale world that feels both whimsical and deeply personal.

At the heart of the story is the complex relationship between Angelica and her mother, one that many young adult readers will find relatable. Nguyen handles themes of grief, identity, and familial tension with tenderness. The emotional depth, especially surrounding the fear of losing someone twice, once in reality and again in memory, is both heartbreaking and profound.

While the plot occasionally meanders, the emotional beats are strong, and the narrative's heart shines through. This is a story that lingers after the last page, not just because of its beauty, but because of the truths it tells about love, loss, and growing up.