4.75 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

I loved this coming of age graphic novel about female friendship, discovering what you want, and just the general angst that comes with being a teenager. Val is training to be a ballerina but lately has been questioning if she really wants to continue in such a hypercritical environment. She meets Kat randomly one day, and they quickly end up becoming close friends, with Kat introducing her to various feminist riot girl rock. From then on Val slowly comes into her own, meeting boys, attending rock concerts, discovering her style and randomly starting a band. This story can be a bit silly and out there at times but has a lot of relatable content, I was reminded of some of my own teenage experience. Feminist, fun and freaking awesome!

I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Raw, real and inspiring. A fantastic feminist graphic novel set in 1991, a look at Riot Girls, a true story of self discovery during a turbulent time. All told through fantastic illustrations that embody movement and emotion. Couldn't put it down, loved it. Highly recommend for anyone with a rebel inside them that needs that nudge to come out.

I went into this book looking for a short, enjoyable, forgettable read and it didn't take me a page to realize I was about to be amazed.
The art is absolutely perfect for this story, filled with diverse body types and each character having their own fashion sense.
I really enjoyed that this story was about more than being a teen or trying to find success or something that happened once but was immediately solved because the world is a just and fair place. This is a story about finding happiness inside yourself and feeling comfortable and satisfied in your own skin and place.
Val's coming of age is still one of the big themes, how she went from being seen as a child to reclaim her mind and body from the rest of the world and how that wasn't something that just happened one day and then it was over, the ending prettily wrapped with a bow. This is Punk, there are no pretty bows!
Val is more than a good girl confused with her changing body and mystified by boys: she has passions, she is insecure, she makes mistakes, she is callous, she feels regret, she apologizes, she empathizes, she changes, she grows.
The fact that this book so accurately portrays how it feels to be a girl and is written by a man only makes it better and goes to show that you don't have to write characters that are only like you.
The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that I wish there was more of it: I wish there was an entire series told through the viewpoint of her bandmates spanning years and years because I think there is a lot to be written about them and I would really enjoy reading about how Kat, the plus-sized drummer that didn't fit the ideals of beauty and behavior for a girl or Rude Rudie, the black butch bassist, who people continuously try to look down upon and erase from the band felt and how their experiences differed.
I adore that one of the biggest themes in this book was sisterhood and women supporting each other's art and ideas, how Punk is about more than destroying things, how fringe movements are often the only ones where ostracized people can find support and respect, how adults don't always give good advice, how sex can be used as a weapon against young women, how art is a way to bring us all closer.
Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for this DRC.

I have a soft spot for punk rock. This is a phenomenal story about a girl finding herself and embracing it. Amazing artwork, well paced writing, and dammit Val is crazy likable. I cannot wait to hold a physical copy in my hands!!

I received a e-ARC of My Riot through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW for: body issues and eating disorders.

I really didn't know what to expect when I requested My Riot I was hoping for a cool and fun 90's inspired graphic novel, and you know what that is exactly what I got and so much more! My Riot follows a girl Val while she not only tries to figure out who she is but has also started a punk band with her best friends during the height of the 90's punk rock riot grrrl movement.

I loved seeing just how much Val grew as a person through the whole story and just much punk can open up a person in to not only finding who they are but accepting it as well.

As someone who was punk in her teen years I loved this whole comic so much the story is amazing and just so relatable for girls no matter when they grew up. The art is freaking amazing, seriously it was hands down my favorite part even though I loved the story as well.

Thank you so much to both Oni Press and NetGalley for letting me read this!

I can remember the pivotal moment when I realised back in 1991 that there was more to music than cheesy yet handsome boys bands, I had stepped in to the local newspaper shop as a 13 year old looking for a copy of Smash Hits (RIP) to feed my need for all things pop.

They didn’t have it.

They did have however a copy of the Melody Maker (RIP) and on the front cover was blonde bombshell Wendy James from Transvision Vamp, I was intrigued and I bought it, then the following week another and then another.

I read band interviews, gig reviews and blow by blow accounts of their latest EP’s and LP’s, I longed for a jangly Rickenbacker guitar (despite not being able to play) and when female bands from the States popped up, I wanted to be Kat Bjelland from Babes in Toyland, Courtney Love, (I still cry at Miss World) and Kristin or Tanya from Throwing Muses. Their music was so raw and they where singing about angsty shit, they had guitars and wore babydoll dresses, I was hooked.

I grew older and my love of all things Indie never went away, it just downloaded itself on to iPods and iPhones, my taste in music did widen but play me Gigantic by the Pixies and I am transported back to a time when I longed to be a rock star. Now I am a 41 year old mother of two daughters who love K-Pop and J-Pop.

When I saw the synopsis for the graphic novel My Riot I knew I had to read it. It follows a trio of young misfit girls as they try and find their way in the nineties world. The main character is Val, a would be ballerina who finds herself deemed too heavy to perform, she starts smoking, barely eating and making herself sick when she does, changing herself into something that someone else wants.

She cracks, she rebels and she finds herself in the company of Kat and Rudie, two kick ass girls who don’t conform, she is smitten with her new friends and along the way she picks up a guitar and music is made. Bad music! They get better, they call themselves the Proper Ladies and they slowly build up a fan base, they go from being the support to being the headline act, they don’t sing about fluffy unicorns and rainbows they sing about the pill, they sing about fucking, they sing about everything they love and hate, they rock.

These girls are part of a movement, they are riot grrls and they speak volumes.

My Riot really transported me back to the halcyon days of the early nineties, I remember how awe inspiring the riot grrl movement was. It was empowering to see so many strong women kicking ass and My Riot really does embrace this in every page. Yes they are girls, they have feelings, they fall in love, they fall out of love, they argue, they make up but my god they are powerful.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think the first thing that has to be said about "My Riot" is that it is exactly what I wanted it to be.
"My Riot" is the coming-of-age Riot Grrrl graphic novel that we all need. Set in the 90s it covers the transition of the ballerina Val struggling with the weight loss culture of the sport to a badass Riot Grrrl frontwoman, who writes body-positive songs instead of fasting to reach her ideal ballet weight.
The art and story are equally amazing and Rick Spears and Emmett Helen deserve equal praise for this.
Reading "My Riot" has the side effect that you really want to start your own band and write brutally honest lyrics to scream at an audience.

A hell of a punk rock coming of age story! I absolutely loved this! The struggles she dealt with, trying to fit in and finding herself was so relatable. I loved the bad ass take no shit attitude and I really had so much fun with these ladies and their band journey!

I love this brilliantly told and drawn story! I love the way the quiet narrative is set against the strong imagery to tell a story about how a young woman fights to achieve independence through her band.

It is thoughtful and deep and gives an insight into the thoughts and feelings of the heroine, who is unable any longer to be what others want her to be, and just wants to find out who she is.

She meets a rebellious friend, they both get caught on the edges of a riot, and this creates a trigger for them to form a band. She becomes a riot grrl and decides to take on the world on her own terms.

It is excellently written and has something for everyone to take away.

The narrative, is cleverly understated, and the graphics and the story are beautifully woven together. So for example, in one scene she is going through some angst trying to understand why she is putting on weight, when it is obvious from the image in the mirror that she is maturing beyond a ballerina’s figure, whilst in the background her friend is secretly becoming bulimic to try to stay in trim for the ballet recital.

The imagery is subtle and cleverly drawn, with intentionally rough edges, and a clever use of colour and
negative space to show isolation, self acceptance, self confidence, anger, angst, unhappiness, strength, and a number of other emotions.

Brilliant. The book can deservedly be called a work of art.

I received this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
A wonderful, angsty graphic novel about the pressure to conform, be, and act a certain way. It shows the difficulties of having an identity crisis after feeling one way your entire life and pushing through to become the true you even when everyone hates it. The overall ending message was also nice! I feel like stories like these often end with: "I ended up married, very successful and rich.", but this is not like this at all! It rather focuses on happiness and enjoying life!
The story and themes in this were amazing to see, and I loved every second reading it! I could really relate to Val's struggles, and the way it is portrayed makes it feel very real and authentic. The art, use of colors and also using the song lyrics they write to tell the story were interesting to see too! Would really recommend this to anyone, and will buy my own copy!

I really connected with this story and the characters. The story and illustration felt so real. For a debut novel, Emmett Helen kicked so much ass (I would apologize for language, but this book got me fired up in a great way). I don't buy a lot of books for my personal collection. I keep it small and mobile. I have this on my to-purchase list.

Would love to have a soundtrack to go along with the book. Would be a fun title to focus on for a music or zine program as well.

Review to come August 28th on blog/goodreads.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Something attracted me to this book, I just love graphic novels and this seemed so interesting. A ballerina who falls in love with punk and starts her own band. OMG.

Since I am dead tired at this moment (and some other stuff) I will write a review.. but it will be a bit chaotic as I write while reading with some addings to parts as I read further. :P

Well, given the beginning I can imagine this girl goes to punk/falls in love with something else. Dear lord, she is 115 pounds, 52 fucking kilo. That is NOTHING. How the fuck do you dare to make suggestions she is fat? How dare you suggest she goes smoking or losing weight? This girl is 17, she is still growing. She is developing. Fuck you dance instructor. :| I hope one day you realise the shit you said and maybe discover you have throw a lot of kids into eating disorders or lung cancer.
I did like the ballet parts, despite the whole you are fat despite not being fat stuff. I have always been a fan of ballet stories.
Also what the fuck is up with that guy she dances with. How is he able to judge that she never has been in love? I also never heard a dude of his age say swollen heart, so that had me in stitches next to wanting to punch him for saying stuff like: "I make no promises but I will do my best to help her.".
I am glad that eventually she decided to fuck it, and I was just applauding and cheering for her because hot dang this was about time. You shouldn't be forced to smoke a pack a day, puke out your guts, not eat anything because you are afraid of being weighed, of being too fat. WHICH SHE ISN'T. I was so proud of my girl. Good job girl! Fuck ballet, fuck that lady and her constant whining about weight and how a ballerina should be. That isn't healthy and someone should talk to that lady.

While I never agree of riots and destroying property, no matter what anyone's cause is, this was a change for Valerie. She made a new friend (who is showing her new things and giving her new music). And slowly she is changing to who she really wants to be. And what she wants to be. And I was so happy for her.

I loved her first experience with seeing a band (guessing punk/rock) live. How she immediately jumped and danced no matter that she got a nosebleed. And OMG, those sweet moments with that guy, I was just swooning and hoping these two would get together. Though Jake was just a bit of a dick at times. I am sorry, but really? He got upset over that? She never said she never had x... And why does it matter that she had x? Also later he started to get really pissy about the band and such and I just wanted to throw him in a cold river so he could freaking cool down.

Though there is also the guy she dances with. I do hope sincerely that this isn't going to be a freaking love triangle or I may just drop the book. While dancer dude has gained a bit more of my liking, I still don't like him fully. Oh dear, it became a slight love triangle and I guess Valerie was too absorbed in everything to notice. I actually feel sorry for that guy. While he was a bit of a dick at the beginning I really started to like him.

Haha, her playing the guitar.. or trying and saying this: "Yeah, I need some backup, or maybe an exorcism." Sounds fair, given what I know about guitar playing and how it can mess your fingers.
I loved seeing her play and Jake/Jack helping her along the way. I loved her proud moments and how she eagerly shared them with her dog or with Jake/Jack. I loved that the two girls formed a band over a phone, and practised that way. Though I can only imagine the phone bill. :P

I loved their first concert and how they stumbled through it, but still seemed to do fairly well for beginners. OK, they still hurt people's ears, but they were trying their best and it is amazing what they learned in 2 months.

And then they became super awesome and I just ADORED their lyrics, their energy, everything. I would love to be there just like those are women and rock my socks off. I loved their tour during the summer, it was just perfection.

The ending just had me smiling and I am glad that the author ended the GN with this. I would have still liked to see what happened to Kat, but I am happy we get to see most of the characters or learn about them and what happened after.

Can I say that I really appreciate the parents? Like so much? They were a bit strict at times (like with the condoms stuff), but they really seemed to be open to what their kid wanted, and eventually also become more open to what she wants. They supported her. They saw that she was happy with her singing, and that she was good at it.

I am also a big fan of the art. It is just so fun and punk!

All in all, I loved this book so much. Sorry for my chaotic review, but I am sure it still conveys my feelings just right. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you for giving me a copy of this book to review, I flew through this book and I really enjoyed it. It is about a trio of three girls forming a band and their journey. The main character has struggles and she tries to lose weight to be a better ballet dancer but quits when it all gets too much. The band becomes her freedom and her way out. This is set in the 90s and there are plenty of cliches in the comic but it didn’t stop my enjoyment. I enjoyed the story but the main character annoyed me a little, the other two girls were great though.
I really liked the art style and how it used a simple colour palette. It flowed really well and the art conveyed the story.
Overall it was a quick fun read!

I didn't know what to expect going into this one, and if I had to use one word to sum it up I would say it was very raw. It really tackles a lot of things mirrored in today's society and does not shy away from it. We follow Val who isn't quite sure what she wants in life, she just knows that something is missing and she transforms as she goes on her journey to find out who she really wants to be. It's something everyone goes through, but in their own way and it was great to see her victories, missteps and heartbreaks along the way.

I really enjoyed the reading experience of this one, especially watching Val grow and define herself, while battling her own internal demons. The art style perfectly fit the feel of the story and changed to fit the mood perfectly.

"My Riot" is a must read graphic novel. It's a startlingly intense coming of age story that many 90s kids will deeply identify with, especially if they grew up loving the punk music scene. Val's transformation will have readers cheering her on as she asserts her own independence and discovers her true self. The ending is particularly wholesome. Highly recommended for all collections aimed at teens and up.

I just loved this
Probably as a woman who’s a mom of a preteen. It’s scary but beautiful to see Val struggled ,learned and finally find herself thru the exhausting journey of young adult life. Live your passions and be happy with it.
Wonderful books for girls.. feminist but for the good reasons. Raw truth sometimes but still truth

This was delightful. I think it's definitely one of my favorite graphic novels. I love dance and punk music, so this was definitely my style. I liked how it read like a memoir, it really felt like Val was talking to me. I loved her transformation and how supportive her mom was after some bumps in the road. I'm looking forward to seeing this one in stores.

this was SUCH a cool book and i love the art style and colour palette so much. it's essentially a love letter to punk music, the scene, and forging your own identity. i loved this comic and really felt the passion that went into its creation

This comic was great. It is about a teenage girl finding her way to herself, through music and friendship and hard times. It's an ode to riot grrl and the punk rock scene. I could smell the shitty clubs and sweaty pits just by looking at the pages. I was instantly transported back to my days at house shows and all ages venues and 924 Gilman and dive bars. Now my punk rock ethos is expressed via my work and my parenting and activism but I'm imagining the day I watch my kid, currently four, explore all this stuff herself. I'm terrified and I can't wait. And if a book brought all that up for me in one reading? It's a good book.

(I'd love follow-up books from Kat and Rudie's POVs, please!)

I received a free electronic ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. But I probably would have bought it anyway.

Outside of my normal genre but I loved the feminism of this book. I devoured it in a day. A nice reminder that doing what you love is enough.

What a beautiful book to portray the rage of teenage years. I loved this story, the journey, the characters, and everything tying together so true to life.