This is now one of my favorite graphic novels!! The story and the art was so cute and I loved the relationships in it!. There's only one time that Tam is misgendered and it's immediately corrected with ease. I also really loved the ending, it was perfect in many many ways. I highly recommend this and I'm definitely gonna buy it when it comes out!!

The diverse rep in Mooncakes:
• Tam and Nova are both Chinese Americans
• Tam and Nova are both queer
• Tam is non-binary
• Nova is hard of hearing

I was provided this graphic novel (as an advanced reader copy) by NetGalley. All views expressed in this review are my own.

This was very cute. I was expecting that, ever since I first heard about this graphic novel's release a few months ago. I never followed this in its webcomic days, but I think it works really well in this new published form. The ARC is partially finished artwork and partially sketches and line art, which I know will be different in its finished form.

The first thing I want to comment on is the fact that when I first heard about this, people were saying it was a sapphic romance. While there is a sapphic romance between the protagonist Nova's grandmothers, Nova herself ends up in a relationship with a character who uses they/them pronouns. I don't believe their gender is specified, so I don't want to say what Tam identifies as, but while this is still a queer romance it is NOT sapphic.

This is a story about a young witch named Nova who lives with her grandmothers, who run a book shop/magic emporium of sorts. Nora's parents are dead and only visit in their ghost forms for holidays, but she has a very good relationships with both of her nanas. She stumbles across a horse demon living in the woods of her town, and while there she reconnects with her childhood best friend Tam (who just so happens to be a werewolf). They realize their feelings for each other and fall in love across days of trying to find and banish the demon from their town. The truth behind the demon threatens Tam's life and welfare, and Nova and her nanas realize that there is something sinister about other witches in town.

I know that this short summary makes this story sound dark but I promise it isn't. There are some darker elements and moments of familial discord, but overall it has a happy ending. I am planning to purchase this once it is published!

Beautiful artwork and representation, this will be a hit with reluctant and avid readers alike. Wish there had been a bit more plotting and development to the storytelling as well as a better understanding of the significance of Mooncakes. Still - these are minor critiques to an overall enjoyable story.

LOOOOOVED. Everything I wanted and needed. The representation was so full and diverse in every single aspect. This was the first book I've ever actually read with a non-binary character so it was great to see from a perspective I never have before. This had all the witchy and fall vibes I could ever ask for in a graphic novel. I can't wait until it comes out in October so I can get my hands on a finished copy and see all the lovely illustrations in full color. I can't wait!!!

I definitely recommend getting your hands on this when it comes out!

In this graphic novel Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu was an amazing read! We have a lot of diversity and a lot of ppl of color and I loved that! 5/5 stars!(:

This was so freaking cute. I loved the diversity, the vibes, the colors, the art style, the plot -- I loved the entire concept. It was just really lovely. I'm eager to see what else comes from these authors. I'd love a sequel.

I absolutely LOVED 'Mooncakes'! I love the diverse characters and the relationships between them, and the fact that the book depicts realistic body types and there were also strong female characters getting things done and supporting one another! Nova's aunt's were honestly so charming and sweet! And I can't forget that there is hard of hearing, queer, poc and non-binary representation in this book which I thought was beautiful done!
The only complaint I have was, I wish Tam and Nova's relationship wasn't so rushed. I know they were childhood friends but it would've been nice to see a bit more buildup since we only saw a glimpse of their friendship when they were kids.
The other minor setback was the artwork. I really liked the artwork but, at times it got a bit difficult to tell what exactly was being depicted in the drawings.
But other than that, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone whos into magical and young adult fiction!

Such a beautiful and colourful read, I loved the diversity and story arcs of the main characters, and the art style is beautiful. I particularly loved the use/lack of colour at different points. The swirling colours behind Nova and Tam when their minds were connected, the solid pink panels when Nova was saying bye to her parents, and the stripped back look of the final chapters (intentional or not) was perfect!

I really enjoyed how the darker aspects of the art paralleled the storyline, it was super creepy and immersive at some points.

Would love to see more by the artist/writer, and will definitely look out for more stories about these characters 👍🏼

Than you to netgalley for letting me review this graphic novel.

I really enjoyed this I loved the art style and the plot was brilliant magic, witches and same sex relationships .

I couldn't put this down.

Although I liked the front cover of this graphic novel the illustrations inside weren't exactly to my taste. At their best they were competent but for the most part they seemed very amateurish. The story seemed packed of wokeness and trends. I guess that way it will appeal to a bigger audience however it felt that this 'wokeness' took over the story and its characters.

Mooncakes was such a fun read! It was fairly short and I devoured it in one sitting. The world-building was a little underdeveloped for me. But, for how quick this read was, I give it a pass. The cast of characters was so effortlessly diverse! Each of their individual differences were so intricately written into the story. I really loved how the characters’ Chinese American culture was such a prominent part of the story. With the length of the story being so short, I think the story progressed a little fast in some places and it was missing some things in others.he story also reads like a middle grade. The romance in this story was so pure and heartwarming! It was genuinely my favorite part of this story (and also Nova’s badass Grandmas)! Overall, I give this story a 4/5. It was fun and so very cute! I really hope there are sequels!

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, LGBTQIA+
Lion Forge, 2019. $12.
Language: PG (6 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
When Nova, a witch, goes to investing a tip of something strange going on in the forest, she doesn’t expect to find her old, werewolf friend, Tam. Tam is determined to defeat the demon causing mischief in the forest, and Nova won’t let them do it alone. But now they’re starting to wonder if they have taken on more than they can handle as they find out the demon isn’t acting alone.
While magic and supernatural troubles make things difficult for Nova and Tam, they also have to deal with problems we all encounter in our non-magical lives, like finding acceptance from others and ourselves. The encouraging uplifting story coupled with enchanting illustrations made this graphic novel a fun read.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I recieved an advanced review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book's planned release date is October 15, 2019 and my review does not contain any spoilers.

***

<i>Mooncakes</i> is an adorable yet impactful graphic novel which manages to take matters of identity, disability, and family trouble and weave them into the characters in a way which feels completely natural and not like an attempt to tick off inclusivity checboxes. Unlike so many works where the elements of characters' identities are used in place of personalities as if being queer, having a certain body type, or being differently-abled is some sort of caricature, <i>Mooncakes</i> makes these things elements of the characters who also have fully-formed personalities.

I was especially happy to see how well Tam's identity as nonbinary was handled and how Nova's hearing aid was more than just a prop (she takes it out to sleep and use the phone; clearly, care and attention were put into portraying this properly). Having Tatyana, who's a heavier set girl, never become a spectacle and instead just be perfectly accepted for who she is also brought such happiness to me as someone who is terribly sick of fat jokes and body shaming in media.

The art style is beautiful even if not always anatomically correct (most notable on Tam's wolf form, which occasionally has a short neck or a small head yet never truly looks off-putting) and has this cozy vibe which perfectly suits the autumn release date and witchy theme. I especially liked a moment in the beginning where, when a character muttered, her words were portrayed as the thing she said but twisted and warped so it's almost impossible to comprehend - a perfect way to show that she said actual words but wasn't understandable. I eagerly await the full publication of this book so I can see how all of the art looks when completed! This is definitely something I want to own in its full glory and experience in the final form.

As for the plot, I feel it's a little simplistic and formulaic while also maintaining intrigue. (Think: an episode of an anthology style television show.) A complete story is told within a couple hundred pages of graphic novel and that means the plot has to be rushed in places, but I love how the authors chose to give Tam and Nova a history with a mutual crush so the annoying insta-love trope could be avoided. It <i>makes sense</i> when they share affection because it was part of their lives previously and we're told in the most natural-feeling way possible; exposition feels like it <i>fits</i> and like it actually has a place in the conversation.

The story is... 'cute' doesn't feel quite right considering some of the darker elements, but in places it fits. Tam has finally returned to the one place which felt like home after living on the run from a creepy cult which wants to utilize their werewolf magic for evil purposes. They reunite with mutual crush Nova, who has spent a long time trying to find them, and the friendship rekindles into affection. Meanwhile, Nova's friend Tatyana provides a strong support as a scientifically-geared mind who's still learning to accept magic after having it proven to be real. And Nova's adorable grandmothers provide a strong backbone of heart, amusement, love, and support. Other characters with fascinating traits also appear, though to mention them in detail would be to ruin the fun of discovering them while reading... but do look out for the <i>absolutely adorable</i> cats, as they appear almost everywhere with cute and sometimes very plot-important antics.

There's an air of hope and whimsy throughout despite the tensions and fears and looming dangers. <i>Mooncakes</i> is overall very uplifting and heart warming and seems like it'd be a great companion for a cup of pumpkin spice tea and a snuggly blanket on a chilly October night.

This was an beautiful tale of witches, werewolves, queer love and the magic of friendship. The art is gorgeous, the plot is exciting and the characters are relatable. I'd been looking forward to reading it for a long time and I wasn't disappointed!

This was the cutest most magical and adorable graphic novel ever. The art, the story, the characters. They were all so amazing.

The story picks up almost immediately in a bookshop, a magical bookshop, so I was immediately hooked. We have our family of witches, they are funny, loving, and so diverse. (wlw = witches loving witches) Then Tam, our local enby werewolf, comes back into their lives and things start to happen. I loved loved loved how pronouns were discussed in this story. It just flowed so nicely.

The actual plot of this graphic novel was also done really well. The story continued to progress nicely at a good pace, and I was aware of where the plot was going, but I was still thrown back by the twist. This is probably one of the best endings to a graphic novel I have ever read, because everything was addressed and it in no way felt rushed.

Really, I just loved this a lot and I really hope we get more stories from these characters. (I'm begging for a Nanas prequel.)

The ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This book! This book guys I have no words for quite how much I loved it. It has all of my favourite things from queer rep to found family to witchcraft it feels like it was tailored with me in mind. This has just the right balance between the action packed plot and the cute romance which develops over the course of the book, with neither of them overpowering the other!

I cannot wait to get my hands of a finished physical copy of this in October and force it on everyone I know.

This was the cutest thing I've read in a really long time. I loved all the characters and the diversity of them! There's a hard of hearing MC, a non-binary MC, and LGBTQ+ romance in it.

Thank you netgalley for letting me read this ahead of time and giving my honest review.

A young witch and a werewolf rediscover each other and their love for each other enables them to combat a common enemy.

I enjoyed reading this. The artwork is bright and blends in nicely with the supporting text. The story combines magic, adventure and love in a hopeful way and the main characters have a challenge before them which they respond to together.

The characters in the story are diverse which is refreshing and actually enhances the storytelling. Tam is a werewolf and Nova a witch and they were childhood friends. When Tam left their home town Nova tried to find them but she couldn't and she has missed her friend.

When Nova finds a white werewolf in the nearby forest she realises it is Tam, and all the feelings she once had return. Tam has never felt at home since leaving their hometown and they are grateful for the welcome given by Nova and her grandmothers, but there is darkness afoot and a demon on the loose. Nova, Tam and the grandmothers must work together to defeat this danger and the people behind it.

This is a lovely story, beautifully told with lovely artwork.

Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I don't read graphic novels often, but I'm so glad I gave this one a chance!
Firstly, the art style of this is insanely cute and gave me a whole lot of warm, fuzzy feelings. I was in awe of the obvious talent shown throughout the whole story. There was also so much diverse character design and each character looked like someone you could imagine passing in the street. You can tell that lots of readers will be able to find something of themselves in this comic.
The plot is another thing that gave me fuzzy feelings. For my personal taste, it had a perfect balance of romance, family life, and action. I adored the relationships that the characters had with each other. The romance was lovely to read and the relationships with family and friends were heartwarming and humorous.
Also, can I just say that the forest spirit animals in this book stole my heart. The amount of adorableness is unreal. I want them all as pets.
In all honesty, I genuinely cannot think of anything that I disliked about Mooncakes, so I'll definitely be wanting to get my hands on a physical copy when I can.

Mooncakes is a cute and witchy graphic novel that follows main characters, Nova and Tam, as they work together to defeat evil in their hometown. It touches on a lot of themes of the hardships of growing up, actually finding home, and tough family dynamics.

The illustrations are gorgeous, the colors are vibrant and really evokes feelings of fall. They're whimsical and there are a few pages that I would love to hang up on my walls as posters. I can't wait to see the final physical product in October!

I found some of the dialogue quite juvenile, however, and there were a lot of aspects to the story that I felt were underdeveloped. The characters really liked to just not talk about things that they found were tough to talk about and that kept me from learning almost any backstory about who they really were. I would definitely like to see more stories within this world, though, as it was a very captivating story.