I really enjoyed Sheets and was excited for the sequel. This touches on bullying and mental illness in high school. I love the ghosts and how it compares being a ghost and feeling like a ghost in real life. The images are lovely and it is an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot. It dragged a bit in the middle, but I felt the same way about SHEETS. Wendell is obviously my favorite character. This book talks about bullying and kids that just follow the bully because they are popular. I’m rating this 3 stars because of how I was not really invested, but I did enjoy the story.

This is one of those rare cases when the sequel is better than the original. I received an ARC of Sheets back in 2018 and still remember how beautiful the artwork was so I knew I had to request a copy of this as soon as I saw it. The color palette of these books is god-tier. Truly stunning. I don't remember the storyline of the first book all too well but Delicates will be sticking with me for a while. I don't know many people who haven't experienced being bullied at some point in their lives so I feel like most can relate to Eliza's character. This book portrays the effect bullying can have in an honest way and teaches the harm of staying silent. An important read for all ages.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5 Stars*

In Delicates, sequel to Sheets, we find Marjorie in a better place, albeit not a good one. She's not sure she fits in with her "friend" group and doesn't know where she stands with any of them. Thankfully, she still has her ghost friends at home but that's not so easy either when they are no so content since she's not home as much.
Eliza is not feeling great either. She's always been lonely, her schoolmates regularly bully her and all she wants is to photograph a ghost to prove they're real... and maybe become one? She already feels invisible anyway.

Delicates was a great addition to Sheets. I loved seeing Marjorie and her ghosts again and really enjoyed getting to know Eliza. Eliza hit hard for me. I really felt for her and saw myself in parts of her.
The real great thing about this graphic novel is how deep the connection to the characters is. I often feel when I read graphic novels that I can't connect fully with the main characters because they can be so plot driven, they gloss over the characters. That sure wasn't a problem here. I felt so much, I even teared up a couple times...
It also mentioned some very important topics and it did it so well too. And yes, standing by and letting someone bully someone else is also bullying.
Also, I really like the art. It's so unusual, in a great way.
Anyway, buy these books, read these books, and enjoy.

I've not seen this discussed anywhere, and I've looked through other reviews and can't find anything; so please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Eliza, a new protagonist added to the Sheets graphic novel duology, is autistic.

Autism can appear in a variety of ways, as it is a spectrum, and I'm by no means an expert. But, there are key behaviours which Eliza shows that makes me think she might be. The first is repetitive behaviours; she is obsessed with photography hobby of finding ghosts, to the point where she goes to the same spot every morning to take photos, and then heads to the darkroom (which has strict procedures) afterwards. Whilst she doesn't lack for intelligence, she struggles with social awareness, often talking over or interrupting conversations to suit what she wants to talk about. She doesn't openly talk about her feelings, and she struggles to make friends.

I know there has been an outcry for more Autistic Rep, and Autistic Own Voices in 2020, and I believe Thummler has done a fantastic job at showing how jarring the world can be for those on the spectrum, without laying into heavy stereotypes or generalisations.

Delicates is a charmingly sad, with a heartwarming ending, graphic novel about isolation, bullying and suicidal thoughts. The pastel artwork is stunning, and the content is handled with such care. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'll be keeping an eye out for Thummler's future works.

This was wonderful in every way, the author has done an incredible job of conveying such powerful emotions and telling such an important story.

Thank you Netgalley and Oni Press for the early copy.

This graphic novel is the second book in the series “Sheets”. I read that it could be read as a standalone and it is true, but if you want to understand everything at the beginning, I recommend reading the first book. Of course, I didn’t read the first volume so I had a few questions about the characters and about what happened to them previously.
It was a really nice story, talking a bit about grief but mostly about bullying. It is a quite important and heavy subject but it was nicely dealt with. The author managed to still make it a pleasant and easy read. I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were likeable and I am glad Marjorie followed her heart in the end. It seemed like she had to take care of many things in her household. So many responsibilities for a teenager who seemed also lost in her life, she was really brave. Eliza is also a very interesting character, courageous too. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just say that her attitude at the end was quite admirable. The drawings are gorgeous and very colourful, detailing every character differently. It was very pleasant to look at.
I really want to know the story about Wendell and the other ghosts so I am going to add Sheets to my Wishlist now. I recommend this graphic novel.
4/5

I really enjoyed this sequel to Sheets, the artwork was just as great as the previous one and I loved the storyline. It felt like the perfect depiction of what school is like, though I found it difficult to imagine the ages of the kids (I mean how difficult is it to mention their age instead of saying they're in 'eighth grade'?!) But yeah, I think I might have enjoyed this one a bit more than the previous one.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled when I found out there was another Sheets story in the making! I loved, loved, loved recommending the ghosts in the washing machine and I know the readers loved it too.

In Delicates, we meet again with Marjorie and Wendell. Our girl is now "friends" with Tessi, meaning she basically does whatever Tessi asks her too, even if this means she's got less time to spend with her ghostly friends. She has also a crush in one of her friends, Colton, whose attitude does not entirely understand. But that's eight grade, isn't it?

And finally, we also meet Eliza, a young girl with a passion for ghost-photography, who is being bullied by Tessi and the others because she feels different to the rest of them in an age when everybody wants to blend in and be almost invisible. The problem comes one this desire pushes one too far.

I really enjoyed Delicates, because I think it understand all the topics that need to be touched. The tone for this is amazing, the conclussion feels both realistic and earned, and all the ghostly conflicts get to the heart of the reader.

I'm so impatient for March 2021, because I just need to start recommending this book. I know it's going to be a huge success and that is going to be what some people really need, whether they are in the eighth grade or not.

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

Wow! This was way deeper than I thought it was going to be. Really good middle grade graphic novel that covers social issues like bullying and suicidal thoughts.

How crazy rare is it to find a book that is exactly what you want so many books to be? One that not only exceeds your expectations, but turns out to be exactly what you've been looking for? This was that book for me.

Delicates takes the opportunity of a sequel to delve deeper into the world, characters, and themes of the original Sheets. This book was certainly darker than the first, and it also felt much more realistic and even better at capturing the very real anxieties of teenagers.

This book reminded me of the film Eighth Grade (which, yes, I also loved) in that it addresses some serious issues children and teens face that their media often seem to ignore. Sometimes you don't just feel bad at school-- you feel awful. You don't know whether it's worse to have bad friends or none. How do you get out of that horrifying, empty space where you're branded cringy, awkward, a social pariah because of some unknowable thing in how you act?

This book sees Marjorie suddenly not just friends with the popular girl who previously degraded her but also a potential girlfriend to a popular guy! Or is she? It seems like they're together sometimes, and other times he's flirting with everybody else. And there's this girl, Eliza, who takes ghost photography--whatever THAT is. And Marjorie, obviously, can't let this girl blow her cover. Of being a normal person who doesn't believe in ghosts. But how can she walk that line of not letting her friends bully Eliza... and not being a social pariah herself?

Delicates handled this with immense grace. Marjorie isn't always perfect, and Eliza is the best example of someone who is hated 'for no reason'-- she's a black, neurodivergent teenager who singlemindedly believes in things others don't and doesn't know how to moderate that to interact with others. She also, notably, 'doesn't care what guys think about her', according to some other students. Twenty years on this Earth and I have never seen someone capture so easily why some people are 'randomly' chosen to be bullied. It's not random. It's targeted, and it's often predictable. And how long has it taken for me to read a warm, empathetic portrayal of a teenager who's been held back a grade?

Marjorie and Eliza's relationship isn't explicitly romantic or platonic, and I LOVE that. You can read it either way, and it's great either way. Women ought to be able to stick together and rise above their differences in all circumstances-- again, how many times have we all said we want more women supporting each other in fiction? And here it is, not just for adults, but in a book for teens. I needed this so much as a teenager.

I'm struggling to describe the whole book because EVERYTHING was on point. Plot, characters, art style, everything. Some of these panel layouts are just so inspired I had to take a moment to take them in. Thummler improved immeasurably since her last book and I am so excited for the next one! Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

<b> ** TRIGGER WARNINGS: BULLYING, DEPRESSION, RACISM, MENTION OF SUICIDE ** </b>

What a beautifully illustrated story.

Delicates navigates sensitive topics with tact and discernment, carefully stringed together and brought to life through the lives of Marjorie, Wendell and Eliza.

Too bad this is the last installment, I would've really love to keeping coming back to this universe with the ghost on the Human World.

<I> thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! </I>

Delicates is the second part of the graphic novel Sheets, which I read earlier this year and I thoroughly enjoyed. This novel was amazing! I liked it even more than the first one, probably because I was already familiar with the characters, and it went straight into the point, rather than having a lot of introduction about the ghosts and the land of the dead.

This novel touches very important topics; death, friendship, suicidal thoughts, bulling and how being an accomplice of a bully makes you one yourself, but it does it so effortlessly. It was great to see the development of Marj; I wanted to scream at her at some points, but it was nice to see her improvement. The ghosts were cute as ever I want them to be my friends.

As for the illustrations, they are some of my favourites ever; the style is gorgeous and the colour palette is just *chef’s kiss*. I can’t recommend this book enough, but read the trigger warnings first! Can’t wait to read every other novel that Brenna publishes.

I made a blog review you can read here: https://thereadermoon.wordpress.com/2020/12/10/l-delicates-arc-review/

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have a confession to make: I joined NetGalley because of this graphic novel. I really liked Sheets and couldn't wait till March to read Delicates. So, I joined NetGalley, requested a copy, got accepted for a copy, read it and loved all in one day.
I loved Delicates even more than Sheets. I still adore the art style and color scheme. I appreciate the take of heavy subjects in this on. I even got teary-eyed near the end.

I'm now officially a new fan of Brenna Thummler and I'll be reading everything she publishes.

i'm so happy i got to read this graphic novel early. i hadn't read sheets before reading this, but it didn't matter. the art style is beautiful, and the story is both sweet and deep.

This has more heart than spook and that you should go read it. It's so tender in the way it unravels the loneliness that exists in all of us, no matter what age or whatever the circumstance, and how we human beings are built to connect with each other - and, in this case, even with ghosts - to manage and move forward, if not overcome. Splendid art, too.

Delicates was an absolutely wonderful follow up to Sheets, Brenna Thummler's first book. Marjorie and Wendell are back but this time Marjorie has friends and seems to be leaving Wendell behind for them. Meanwhile Eliza, an young socially awkward photographer is on the loose trying to catch photos of ghosts as part of her final photography class project. Filled with heart and hurt from isolation and bullying, Thummler knocks it out of the park again. Her clean lines and subtle color palette perfectly capture the feelings of Eliza, Marjorie, and Wendell without even needing the dialogue. Perfect for middle school and high school readers I would advocate this be a part of any graphic collection for youth.

<i><b>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

TW: Depression, Suicidal thoughts, bullying, loss of a loved one/grief. </b></i>

Delicates is the second graphic novel in the Sheets series by Brenna Thummler. While the last book focussed on Marj trying to fit in after her mother's death, this one takes off after she's found a group that sort of accepts her, but not really. Marj is now joining eight grade, and she's friends with people who see her, but don't really see her. She feels like she fits in, but she's changing herself and losing herself in the process of trying to and it's kind of heartbreaking to watch.

On the other hand, we are now introduced to Eliza Duncan, Coach Duncan's daughter who is a bit odd and she's obsessed with ghosts and everyone thinks she's weird and they bully her and it's also kind of her story, because she doesn't say anything, but she feels like she's a ghost in the world. Like everyone sees her, but they deliberately watch her because they want her to not exist the way she is, because they hate her for who she is. She feels like a ghost who isn't invisible and that's also heartbreaking.

Most of this book was just incredibly sad. I really liked how Eliza's depression is depicted and I like how realistic it is, but that's STILL SAD. The ending was really beautiful, and I loved how all the conflict was resolved, but I really hated the beginning. I didn't like how Marj was acting and I didn't like how she ignored those around her like she was being ignored not too long ago. And I know that's kind of the point of the story. Because you lose yourself when you get caught up in...this charade of trying to fit in with the wrong kind of people. But it still bugged me a lot so I knocked off a star suE ME.

Anyway, this is absolutely beautiful. The art was beautiful, the story, while pretty standard for a YA coming of age kind of thing, was also lovely! Would 100% recommend!

I was so excited to get a copy of this book early! I loved Sheets so much and Delicates really delivered the same quality I loved in Sheets. Thummler does an excellent job handling grief and depression.

CW: depression/themes of suicide

DELICATES is a wonderful follow up to SHEETS. In this graphic novel, Marjorie begins school in the 8th grade. Just like all middle school students, she has a difficult time making friends. She struggles with finding friends and being herself. She and her little brother, Owen, are still mourning the death of their mother. Marjorie tries to befriend the "popular" group at school, only to find out that she is not like them and does not fit in. She struggles with trying to be herself. Marjorie makes a friend in Eliza, who shares a common interest. It takes Wendell to help Marjorie see the true value of friendship and how to help others around you.

As an educator, I would highly recommend this book to young adults to read. Not only would the students enjoy the illustrations in the book, the theme of the book is appropriate for young adults.