I feel conflicted reviewing and rating this book. Maybe I am not the audience for it?

Things I loved:
* Very interesting and diverse characters
* Sweet message and ending
* Touches on a lot of important topics

Things I wish were improved:
* Longer! I wish there was more time spent on the character development, that we see the how issues are resolved.
* A little more realistic speech between teens and adults. It reads a bit like over-the-top angsty teens and feels one-dimensional

This is a sweet, feel-good graphic novel about two girls who reconnect when one of them joins the cheerleading team and then realise they're starting to have feelings for each other.

Annie is a sarcastic, tough plus size lesbian, who enjoys spending time in her own company and doesn't like many people at her school. Bee is a biracial trans girl who's captain of the cheer team and a kind, gentle soul who likes helping others. (It's a grumpy/sunshine relationship!!!)

When Annie's mom encourages her to join a club to boost her college applications, she ends up joining the cheer leading squad and begins to spend time with Bee again. I loved the scenes where the two of them hang out together and grow closer. Their friendship and burgeoning romance is so wholesome and sweet and I think this will be a lovely book for queer readers and questioning readers alike, as there are lovely, tender moments where the two main characters discuss who they're attracted to.

There are some great moments where the cheerleading team grow closer and begin to trust each other fully. I also liked the way Annie challenges some of the team members' internalised transphobia, showing them why their comments and ideas aren't helpful or well meaning, even if they meant well.

The story discusses transitioning, misgendering, and the fetishisation of trans people by cis people, and shows the negative impact transphobia has on Bee's life. We also see her struggling with overprotective parents; she knows they only want to make sure she's safe, but their overbearing nature starts to interfere with her social life and extra curricular activities until she talks to them about how their actions are affecting her.

Overall, this was a really sweet enjoyable graphic novel and definitely one to pick up if you're looking for a comfort read.

Content warnings for transphobia and misgendering, bullying, homophobia, emotional manipulation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy of this to review! One of my most anticipated releases, and I am extremely happy to say it lived up to the hype! Plus, it fills in a gap that can be found in YA graphic novels.

Let me start by saying once you start this, you won't want to put it down. Not only is the art great, but the characters grab you right from the beginning. Annie is rough around the edges, and BeeBee is incredibly sweet. I love the way their relationship grows throughout the story, and I would absolutely read more about them. Honestly, I would read a whole series about them and their cheerleading squad!

Frasier packs lot in this relatively short graphic novel. There are a lot of great discussions about trans women and the standards society holds them to. BeeBee struggles with this throughout the book, but her friends help her to find her voice. Especially Annie! They complement each other so well, and I just loved their relationship so much.

All in all, if you loved the graphic novels Fence and Check, Please, I think you will love this when it comes out in August!

This was absolutely precious and reminded me just how much I love (and really need to better prioritize!!!) reading graphic novels. We really got a great feel for both of our main characters personalities and this perfectlyyyyyy represented to grumpy/sunshine trope to a T. I will say, while this was a mostly fun and positive story, there were definitely some moments of transphobia, so if that is something you are sensitive to I would tread with caution! But if you think you can handle that, I HIGHLY recommend checking this out and I will definitely be buying a hard copy of my own when it releases!

CW: transphobia

Cheer Up is a sugary-sweet sapphic romance while still addressing the discrimination and harassment that trans girls face day-to-day. I especially love how this story shows subtler microaggressions in addition to intentional transphobia. There were a few things that seemed to resolve too quickly and conveniently-- I wish the book were a bit longer so that those plotlines could have been explored deeper. And there's clearly history between Annie and BeBe, but we never really learn anything about their past relationship. But overall, this is a fun and light-hearted graphic novel with an adorable romance! 3.5 stars

A note: the eARC I read had some misplaced speech bubbles that will hopefully be fixed in the final copy!

TW: transphobia, fatphobia, sexual harassment

One is a newly transistioned girl trying to keep low on the cheer leading squad, the other has been trouble since high school started. Together they'll learn the ropes of flying, boundaries, and love together!

Oh my god, this was adorable. A perfect tale in the span of 128 pages.

Pros: Gorgeous illustration, open and honest communications, LGBTQ positive, body positive, non toxic feminism, standing up for yourself and flirting into glorious love.

Cons: A little too short ( I could read about these two forever).

10/10 would recommend if you like cheerleading, LGBTQ rep, beautiful friendship, and love.

I absolutely loved Cheer Up! From the art style to the story, everything was just so appealing and gave me such a warm fuzzy feeling while reading it.

This book had lots of good Rep, one of the main characters was trans and another character was non binary. The main cheer squad was also full of culturally diverse characters.

Cheer Up nails the trans experience to a T. As a trans reviewer I related to Beatrice so hard, especially her struggles with getting her family to accept her.

It somehow manages to deal with deep issues while still being a light hearted story about broadening your horizons and accepting everyone for who they are

Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was so ridiculously cute it's not fair.

Cheer Up is a graphic novel about Annie--a grumpy overacheiving nerd with no extracirruculars--and Beatrice--a transgirl on the cheerleading team. Annie's mom wants only the best for her and encourages her to try out for the Cheerleading team in order to learn to work well with others. Beatrice is trying to keep her grades up and just be herself.

I really loved this. Annie and Beatrice used to be friends but drifted apart. When Annie shows up at tryouts, Bebe makes the team give her a chance. I loved seeing the friendship and more grow between these two. They were so stinking cute. I wasn't expecting anything more than friendship so this was a delightful surprise.

There's so many good conversations in this about boundaries, safety and learning when to enforce your boundaries. I loved that Annie was ready to stand up for Bebe any time, and when she over stepped she apologized. I loved seeing the cheer team go from being performative allies to actually having Bebe's back and being true friends.

This was just so freaking cute. Cannot recommend enough.

Hello! Hi! Welcome Back!

Recently I decided I wanted to pick up a graphic novel to read, something to just chill with for an hour or two before bed after a long day. I decided after browsing my bookshelf and Hoopla to look over the graphic novels I had available to me on Netgalley. I had a few on there but this one really popped out to me based on the cover alone (like I knew nothing about the book going into it and the cover just made me think it might be something I would enjoy). So I downloaded the graphic novel off of Netgalley and got ready for bed, then settled in with a hot tea to enjoy this new story!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Annie is super smart and has some big goals for her future but let's just say she is not a team player. She does not participate in any clubs, sports, or school activities nor does she really care to be super friendly with many people at school. But one day she is called into the office with her mom, where she is told that she needs to change her ways a little bit in order to get into some of the schools she would like to attend. Annie is really upset about this and really resistant but her mother suggests she should join the cheer team, she was on cheer when she was in high school and Annie does have a gymnastics background. Annie decides to go to the cheer team try outs where no one really wants her to join but the cheer team captain speaks up for her and she gets to join on kind of a trail basis with the trail piece being she has to be nice to the other people on the team. Can Annie stay on the team and make friends? Will Annie be able to achieve all of her dreams and become a team player?

I loved this graphic novel so so much! Annie and her journey to become a cheer team member is such a great story! I also loved BeeBee the cheer team captain. Both of their stories intertwine in this graphic novel and I absolutely enjoyed my time with both characters. Additionally, I loved the art style in this book! The colors were sharp and the lines stood out to make things look clean, bright, and amazing in every panel. This graphic novel is coming out in August and I can not wait to own a copy and reread it! I would also love to see more adventures or BeeBee and Annie in the future!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

This was so delightful. A graphic novel about queer girls on a cheerleading team, finding each other and finding themselves. It's so warm and funny and beautiful and important. It has some really safe, really thoughtful conversations about transitioning, friendship, and gender expression. The illustrations are really captivating, and the writing is funny and compelling. This book is very accessible and deeply enjoyable. I absolutely recommend this book for teens and adults alike!

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC.

CW: transphobia, sexual harassment.

(4.5/5) Full of expressive, adorable artwork with lovable characters and insightful messages, 'Cheer Up' was a really hyped read for me and it definitely delivered. Bonus points because I started this on a whim the night before I got my first COVID vaccine (I'm mildly terrified of needles), and it made me feel so much calmer!

Let's just let the minuscule problems out of the way first. One of the main reasons why I wanted to read this was for the romance, but when they first got together it felt a little sudden (though still really cute!). I was thinking 'Wait, what?', flipping back wondering if I'd missed a few pages because I'd been expecting more buildup! The animosity that Bebe's dad's has towards cheer 'team' (as opposed to calling it cheer 'squad') didn't get resolved either, and it had stuck out a lot at the beginning so I thought this would crop up as a plot point later on. I think it might have been to do with Bebe's transition but I was a bit confused. (I thought many sports men's teams are called 'squads' too?) I also would have loved to know more about why Annie and Bebe stopped being friends - if there's a sequel (please let there be one!) it'd be really interesting to explore that!

Now! Onto the things I loved (there are many)!

First off, the personalities of Annie and Bebe just leap off of the page! They also have a wonderful grumpy X sunshine dynamic which is one of my favourite energy pairings to read/watch. I especially loved Bebe, she's such a cinnamon roll, strong and gentle and it's impossible not to want the best for her! The side characters all stand out too, like Mrs Ginter (Annie's mum), Katrina, Edie, etc. I also adored the variety shown in body shapes, sizes, skin colour and culture within the cheer team and the wider school community. It was really fun too to learn a bit more about cheerleading and the different roles - there's not a huge focus on cheer by itself but there are meets and practices that ensure the cheer aspect is definitely more than just part of the 'setting'.

The cheer team dynamic evolved into something lovely, and while there are some very sweet moments it's not cheesy - everyone felt realistic, with mistakes made on learning curves that I'm sure many of us can relate to. I also really appreciated the nuanced and complex depiction of Bebe's experience, with her identity, parents, friends, teammates. It made me consider things I hadn't thought so much about before, and I really liked the message that above all of our pre-conceptions of 'how to be an ally', it's most important to listen to the person that you want to ally with in the first place.

'Cheer Up' illustrates both commonplace and more specific (but no less important) teen issues, ranging from crushes and college applications to micro- and macroaggressions, tokenisation (even when unaware) fetishisation and sexual harassment. While the topics got quite serious at times, it also shows a lot of hope and support, so overall I still left the book feeling happier - especially when I think about others who will get to see, learn and love more from reading this lovely book!

Oh my God I loved this. Cheer Up is such a cute, sweet, diverse graphic novel with romance, lgbt+ representation that encourages everyone to be themselves and to not be scared of what people think of you.

The only reason why I give it 4 stars is because it was too short, I needed more! and that's probably why the romance felt pretty rushed, but I loved it and cried anyway.

So very recommended, thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Annie has trouble fitting in in school, her grades are great but she lacks extra curriculars. Her mom convinces her to try out for the cheerleading team, to hopefully help her make more friends and bulk out her college applications. Bebe has recently transitioned and is being forced into the spotlight. She is being made cheerleading captain for the seemingly wrong reasons. But she takes a chance on Annie and backs her up when the team turns against her. The two who used to be friends, grow closer. Annie makes new friends and Bebe realizes that it's okay to stand up for herself. What follows is a sweet story of two friends that might turn into something more.

I really enjoyed this story. It was well written interesting and entertaining. My only wish was more information on the two's past, even if it was just a comment about why they stopped being friends. I would highly recommend this to my teens and will be buying a copy for the library.

This was such a fun, sweet graphic novel about finding yourself, finding friends, and what it means to be who you are meant to be.

I really loved the art throughout this graphic novel as well as the characters as they felt so real to me and I was immediately drawn in.

My only wish is that it was longer as it went by too quickly.

This was absolutely adorable! The story was so cute and engaging and both Bebe and Annie were relatable likable characters.

The plot was incredibly sweet and the dialogue was snappy and flowed exceedingly well. The artwork was gorgeous and not at all fussy, it worked super well with the story.

I really really enjoyed this one and would love to read more about these cheerleaders. This was such a great little novella that was an absolute joy to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I really liked Cheer Up! I loved seeing both a plus-sized main character and a biracial, trans main character and thought that the representation in the book was great,

I cried like a little baby reading this book, not in the "oh my god this is so sad" way but because it was so sugary sweet, and heartfelt that it was a struggle NOT to tear up a little. Cheer Up is such a sweet short little graphic novel that made my queer little heart just ache for these two girls. It tells the story of a young plus-sized lesbian girl who was forced to join her school's cheer team to beef up her college applications. It's there where she reconnects with her old friend Bebe who has since come out as trans since their friendship fell apart. There are some heated words, awkward private moments, and the beginnings of a new romance in the midst of them both grappling with their identities while they transition into adulthood.

I was initially interested in this book because at first glance it seemed to give off Check Please! vibes. I will say I was not wrong with that connection. Like the aforementioned popular queer sports graphic novel, Cheer Up, is a very tender and wholesome tale about a plus-sized lesbian and a trans girl finding love and belonging through their sport. My one complaint really is that this book isn't longer. I could read about 5 more volumes with these girls at center stage. I could not put this book down and absolutely demolished it in less than an hour while I was on break at work. If you like Check Please!, Fence, or Heartstopper, Cheer up by Crystal Frasier is an absolute must-read!

Thank you so much to Oni Press and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an ARC! I hope other readers will love this graphic novel as much as I have.

5/5 Stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me early access to this book. This in no way influences my thoughts or opinions

CW: transphobia; fat shaming; non consensual touching (minor)

This was one of the cutest graphic novels I've read this year. I loved the relationship dynamics and the discussion of transgender experiences as well as gender identity and sexual orientation.

If you're looking for a short and sweet story that will make you feel good and empowered, I truly think this is one you should pick up.

I do think it was a bit rushed and that the story could have had a lot more development and detail overall. Other than that, I have nothing bad to say about this book and I hope to see it take off and gain some traction.

I looved this so much! The concept was heartwarming and brilliant. As well as the art being picture perfect. It's now one of my favorite sapphic graphic novels. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I absolutely loved this. A love story about a transgender girl and plus-size girl, the representation is so beautiful.
The friendship in this story is beautiful, I love that the cheerleading squad is like a family to Bebe and are willing to go the extra mile to defend her.
Annie is my spirit animal, her feisty spirit and brutal honestly makes me happy. She's perfect for Bebe.