Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker & Wendy Xu

Rating: ★★★★★

"A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft."

Thank you Netgalley and Lion Forge for the e-ARC!

Mooncakes is the right amount of adorable, diverse and inclusive content we need in the book world, especially in today's society. I am such a huge fan of this! I loved the magic and mystical elements. I loved the grandmothers. I loved the relationship and how it developed. I absolutely loved everything about this! It was such a charming story and I loved how all of the different diverse aspects of this were addressed so naturally and accepted as the norm in the world of the story. Is it just me or does anyone get major Halloween Town (the movie series from Disney Channel) vibes from the beautiful background scenes in this? Fantastic book. I cannot recommend this enough!

ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!

🌟 This has been getting all the 5 stars and all the love recently and so I had to check what all of this is about! I feel like I am not fair to comics and picture books and I always give the same reason: It was just because I started those with my currently favorite comic which is Saga. The writing, characters, drawing and story-line are all perfect in that one! I am looking for something as good but it looks like I will still be doing it.

🌟 Mooncakes was not bad, the drawings were a bit meh for my own taste, the plot is a bit for younger readers with power of friendship and love... etc. It was obvious from the start where the story was going. There was diversity for sure with a disabled character wearing a hearing aid device, a non binary character and a queer relationship. So if these are things you like then I do in fact recommend this book!

🌟 I don't know if I was supposed to feel anything because I mostly did not and that usually affect my ratings of books. As usual, I am a hard to please person so there are higher chances you are going to like this if you read it so don't let this review discourage you!

This book is absolutely precious! The diversity of this book was outstanding (hard of hearing and the non-binary, as noted in the authors note). Nova reminds me so much of myself (a bit introverted, has a bit of a small group, but has the hard time with change in life) was nice to see in a semi-new adult graphic novel. The artwork in this book is also outstanding and absolutely adorable.

This book will be a great October read, especially with a story that takes place in Salem, Massachusetts (this New England girl LOVED that aspect of the book). I will most definitely will be picking up this book when it releases then.

As a thank, you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy I shall give an honest review of Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker with illustrations by Wendy Xu. Coming into this graphic novel I had heard amazing things based on reviews via book tube. The hype was not wrong! This graphic novel was able to encapsulate many aspects of diversity in a short period of time and by doing so created something wholesome and magical. It felt familiar given a brief introduction into a New England town where Witches inhabit, and magic is a reality. The story focuses on Nova, a teenage witch who works in her grandmother’s bookshop and her primary relationships. The story between these relationships and the emotional impact it has on its characters is self-sustained and felt genuine to the characters. An aspect of this would be the romantic relationship that occurs between Nova and Tam, Nova’s childhood crush who returns after many years apart. As the story continues, we are introduced to spirits, werewolves, ghosts, and demons. Accompanied illustrations by Wendy Xu added to this positive experience and enhanced the story. Overall, I give this book four out of five stars on Goodreads.

Such a lovely and diverse novel! An enjoyable concept and I was swept into the cute, magical town and the adventure of the main characters. Great art work too!

This was a fantastic book!! I cannot recommend it more. I really loved all of the representation from all of the different characters as well. We had a MC with hearing aids, an MC with them/they pronouns, and lesbian grandmas just to name a few. None of it seemed forced or like it was pandering to try and make money. It seemed very natural and I really hope that more comics and graphic novels will take a note and do more of the same.

I also really loved the story and all of the interesting things that were done with werewolves. It was a new, interesting take on that particular mythology. The artwork was also very well done and I especially loved the color palette that was used.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I really hope that the author does more after this book. I would be very interested to see more from them!

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy of this graphic novel in exchange for a review.

My decision to request this was embarrassingly superficial: a cute queer romance, with witches thrown into the mix? I was very much sold.
This did not disappoint. There were witches in abundances, but also queer relationships galore. There is obviously the central romance, between a girl and her non-binary childhood crush, but, as quite prominent secondary characters, there were also the girl's two grandmothers.
This is not where the diversity ends, however. Both main characters are also Chinese-American, one's non-binary and the other is hard of hearing. Oh, and they both have different magic (one's a witch and the other's a werewolf). Their diversity doesn't really affect who they are, though, it's just another part of their characters and I loved the fact that it was accepted as soon as it was mentioned.
Another strong part of this graphic novel are the relationships in it. Besides the two immensely cute queer romances, there are strong familial relationships and relationships between friends. The two grandmothers are so supportive of both characters, as well as the relationship, and one of the other best friends is this couple's biggest cheerleader.
It was another thing that added to an overall very cute book. I definitely smiled a lot when I read it.
The illustrations were stunning as well. They were really detailed and definitely suited the story they accompanied.

I only wish we'd get more of a backstory - both to the characters, but especially to the magic. I think the lack of backstory to the characters made the romance seem a bit sudden, but I didn't mind too much. I would have liked more of a history to the magic, however, because it felt like there was so much that could have been there with just a few more pages; it just wasn't quite complete with what was there.

I did really enjoy this book, though, and I may pick up a physical copy if I ever see it in a shop!

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in an exchange for an honest review!</i>

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker is a delightfully beautiful, diverse, and magical graphic novel about badass, QUEER witches. The art style is gorgeous, it's incredibly inclusive, and it features a wonderful magic system and plot! While I considered giving this one a four star rating, I did have a few complaints that ultimately knocked my rating down a star. Those being: 1) By the end of the book, I felt like I still had a lot of questions about the characters' back stories and 2) The romance felt very forced to me. This could be, in part, due to my first point, however. All in all, while it didn't necessarily hit all of the marks for me, that doesn't mean it won't for you! Mooncakes is still an incredibly fun time, and I still think it's worth the read!

Really cute graphic novel. I loved the art work, but it was a shame that the last couple of pages weren't colored in, the colors really added to the story.

I liked the f/f romance and the fact that they/them pronouns were used. I've yet to read a book in which it's acknowledged.

A super cute graphic novel with an interesting plot. Personally loved the illustration style way more than other graphic novels I've recently read. Great diversity and representation in the characters, great inclusion and general acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. It did feel a little predictable and cringey at times and I wish I could've seen Huang and Tam's relationship develop a little more with - I guess more time and maybe more backstory than the fact that they were previous friends. The witchy vibes were great and this book feels like the perfect contender for an adorable witchy middle-grade cartoon tv show someday since I personally don't think there was enough complexity and development for it to target young adults. Overall a great quick graphic novel read!

This is so lovely. I adored the use of they/them pronouns, the lovely relationship, and the exploration of supportive/unsupportive families and social networks. The magical elements were quite interesting, and occasionally I felt like I was reading/watching a new episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
While I did love the characters and story, I didn't find that I connected strongly to the art style, and I ended up feeling satisfied at the end, but not super impacted. I definitely hope that Suzanne Walker continues to create such wonderful books, and I will definitely read them.
A sweet and action-filled story, with queer romance and magic - I highly recommend if any of that appeals to you.

I wasn’t going to read "Mooncakes." I really wasn’t.

But then I just kept hearing about it and hearing about it (and hearing about it and hearing about it).

I’m glad I finally gave into the hype.

"Mooncakes" is a graphic novel following Nova (a witch) Tam (a werewolf) and...a horse demon. 

The best way to describe this story, however, is as a queer, Chinese-American, Sabrina. 

Part of the hype for this book, I believe, comes from its representation. Nova is Chinese-American, hard of hearing, and queer. The relationship which blooms in this story is with her childhood crush, Tam, who is nonbinary. There are approximately 0 men in this story (and no one missed them at all! Bechdel test rates A++). This is witchy, fantastically feminist, secret New England town territory. 

Not only is there quite a bit of rep in such a small book, but it’s presented as being no big deal and none of it is actually central to the plot, which is so dang refreshing. There’s never a big coming-out or an important talk about a character’s sexuality or gender or anything like that. At one point Tam is misgendered by someone, who they correct quickly, and then said character says “of course,” apologizes, and moves on without ever making the mistake again. Slow clap for showing how its done. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

What I loved about this story is simply that it brought me a lot of joy. I couldn’t stop reading, not because I was intent on knowing what would happen or because there was a lot of tension, but because it made me feel warm and fuzzy and because I just wanted to spend more time with Tam and Nova and the Nanas. (The dang Nanas steal the show! I love them.) Tam was an especially adorable character in my opinion, maybe due in majority to the way their ‘lil fangs stick out of their mouth when they smile. Eek. So cute.

This book is said to be a ‘romance’ but I wouldn’t really call it that. Tam and Nova get together quickly and without much fanfare, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and they had been waiting for it all along. I almost wished we had seen their relationship build, but, at the same time, it was refreshing to have it just be so that we could move on to the main conflict of the story and focus more on seeing them together as a horse-demon-fighting badass pair. No need to waste time on will-they-won’t-they when there are demons to fight, am I right?

The characters and their relationships definitely drive the story. Or dare I say, carry it. The central plot is somewhat simplistic, the resolution a little lackluster and certainly predictable. I honestly didn’t really care if they beat the demon or not. It never really seemed like a major threat to them, after all. I had full faith that the Nanas would figure out how to take care of it, if Tam and Nova didn’t.

The conflicts I cared more about were tied to the relationships we get glimpses of throughout. Deeper, darker, and more intricate facets are brought up over the course of the novel and brushed by. I wondered about Nova’s relationship with her family and Tam’s relationship with theirs. I wanted to know more about Tatyana and the Nanas. I cared about seeing everyone together and spending time with them.  

The fast-paced and somewhat surface-level view of the world and characters in this story created a feeling that it was episodic. Which, is not a problem in itself. I would love to see this turn into a series where we get to know Nova and Tam and the Nanas more as, in every issue, we see them overcome some magical foe in badass "Buffy"-style. There is certainly more room to explore both the setting and characters. And, even when looking at early feedback, it’s clear that readers would love to revisit the "Mooncakes" world. I know I would. 

Although I found this story to be somewhat too simplistic in its plot, I adored how soft it was and how wonderful it made me feel. For the characters alone, and the feeling it creates, it's definitely worth the read and I would highly recommend it to all, but especially to fans of "Sabrina." I rated "Mooncakes" 4 out of 5 stars although I’d rate it 5 out of 5 feel-good. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Lion Forge for the opportunity to read a digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

While it's a very interesting overall premise, the story just felt flat to me. It seemed more like a romantic slice of life with magic just thrown in as an afterthought to try and make it more appealing. The conflict almost felt forced. The magic was never really delved into or any meaningful backstory of it explained. The author seemed more focused on the relationships, puns, and normal day to day events in the character's lives. That would have fine if that had been the theme of the book, but then with magic and paranormal and hints to backstory events that never unfolded, it was too much that never went anywhere. I just think it could have been done better, with the magic folded into the story in a more natural way. The depth wasn't there either. It felt like fluff. But at least it was cute fluff.

Witchy magic, family and friendship love, and a wholesome cute queer love story! Mooncakes has them all.

I truly enjoy reading this graphic novel. The story is about Nova, a witch, and Tam, a werewolf, who are chased by atrocious forces who want to use magic in the most vicious way. To stop them, Nova and Tam explore inexperient magic and dangerous rituals while also slowly developing their hidden feelings for each other. With a fast-pacing plot, this comic got me hooked from the start to the end. There are a lot of magical moments that made me swoon all over them.

What truly drew me in this book is the characters. Nova is a witch who works for her grandmother’s library where rare spellbooks can be found. She hides her sadness and worries behind her cheerful facade. She lost her parents and this cause quite a lot of conflicts and issues. On the other hand, Tam is a Chinese-American and a nonbinary werewolf who is Nova’s childhood friend. She left her home after learning a dark secret that could cause big trouble. Despite this, both of them wholeheartedly support each other. Most of the time, the characters in this story show understanding and encouragement and respect to each other.

The only reason I didn’t give this a 5-star rating is I guessed what would happen at the end. I also wish to know more about the characters’ past.

Overall, Mooncakes is a charming and magical story about finding your home. I recommend this book!

4.5/5 stars!

This cute and sweet graphic novel is a lovely book to get you into the Halloween spirit without the scariness that can sometimes come with it. Not only do we have witches, werewolves, and magic, we also have family, romance, self discovery, and supportive friends. Nova and Tam are easy to root for as friends and as a couple, and I loved seeing Nova's personal journey to becoming the best witch she can be, and to finding the strength within herself that others see in her. This story does have some predictable elements, and sometimes I did feel like the magical systems were rushed or took a back seat to other themes, but there were many positive aspects that solidly outweighed the bad. The biggest was that Walker and Xu were so intent on bringing in so many aspects of diversity to the page. Nova has Chinese heritage, and she has hearing aids, and Tam is non binary, and all of these things are matter of fact aspects of their characters and aren't used in any of the main conflicts.

MOONCAKES is a sweet story that could be a good choice for the upcoming Hallowen season if you don't want to delve into anything too scary!

3.5 stars.

An adorable graphic novel, packed full to the brim with diversity, that demonstrates the power of love against adversity.

I really enjoyed Mooncakes. I thought the characters were lovely and the art-style suited the story perfectly. My only complaint is that it wasn't any longer! If it had been, I think I would've felt it to be a lot more fleshed-out and to have carried a bit more substance. However, for what it is, it shines.

Thank you so much to Lion Forge and NetGalley for granting me this e-ARC.

I can't pinpoint what wasn't for me about this graphic novel. I guess I just didn't connect with the art style, or the story, or the characters. They had so much going on that I wish I could've met them in a book, with more room to get to know them. The story felt rushed because of the format.

But nevertheless, the diversity in this novel was so naturalized and cute and well done. PoC, lgbt+ characters, disabled characters, you name it, this has it. I'm so glad that I got to read another story that prioritizes and cherishes diversity this much!!

Gosh, this was just a delight from start to finish! If you like magic, a fantastic diverse cast of characters (bonus for the story not being *about* their diversity iykwim), adorable grandmas, and helpful cats, put this book on your TBR immediately! Witches + Werewolves 4va!

Wow! I was totally taken by surprise by Mooncakes. I expected a nice, soft story about two friends reuniting, but I feel like it was so much more than that. Packed with healthy relationships (familial, romantic, and platonic), great representation, wonderful characters, and a great plot, Mooncakes was an absolute delight to read and put a smile on my face.

Mooncakes is portrait of real people in a fictional mystical setting. Nova is a young witch who is reunited with her werewolf friend, Tan. Each character from her best friend to her grandmas are unique individuals with real life characteristics. Not only does the plot and storyline draw the reader into this simple adventure, but the illustrations capture expressions and body language which portrayed their personalities and traits. The authors usage of gender roles and pronouns brings a layer to the story where a young reader can learn from Nova and her family by accepting everyone's differences for who they are. I highly recommend this for any young reader to adult.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy.