This graphic novel follows two main characters- Nova, a queer witch that is hard-of-hearing and Tam, a nonbinary werewolf. Tam returns in the city that they lived and together, with Nova, they try to save the city from a horse demon. I loved this book! It was amazing! This was a wonderful story of friendship, love, and magic. I liked very much the plot, the characters, the illustrations, the diversity, and the representations. I recommend this book to everyone!
Thank you, NetGalley for providing me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this story was super cute! I loved the supernatural elements and the idea of childhood crushes coming back together. The only downsides were that the art style wasn't really for me and I wished I'd had a little more backstory into Nova and Tam's childhood friendship/relationship.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, cute YA graphic novel.

This was such a cute comic. Some parts felt like they moved a little fast, I just wanted more about Nova and Tam and the rest of the cast. I felt this story could have been told over multiple trades and I think would have only made us more invested in the characters. I look forward to seeing where this goes next.

Mooncakes was absolutely adorable! I loved every second of it. Sometimes I wish graphic novels were much much longer. Mooncakes is one of those times for sure. Witches and werewolves are some of my favourite subjects to read about and then lately I've been obsessed with reading graphic novels and mangas, this book was a perfect fill for those loves in my reading life right now. The relationship between Nova and Tam is amazing and shows that not everyone needs to be the same. I give this 5 stars, I would give more if I could.

This was sweet, queer and witchy, all things I like in a graphic novel. I wish there was more, I felt like some of it could’ve been delved into deeper and maybe have been part of an amazing series, as a stand-alone, though, it could’ve used more.

Such a lovely graphic novel with interesting characters that I fell in love with! I've loved everything from the dialogues to the drawings and I can't wait to actually buy it to see the stunning art!

4.5⭐
I received an early copy from Netgalley for review.

I absolutely loved this, it was cute and action-packed - not generally descriptions that I would use on the same book, but it works in this case.

The characters are well fleshed out and the romance is absolutely adorable. I love the diversity within this book and the illustrations are absolutely stunning!


I would highly recommend this graphic novel! Definitely a must-read!!

I received an eARC of this graphic novel through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review.

First thing first, the art work is gorgeous!! The way the artist portrayed the forest is beautiful and the little fairy spirits are sooo cute!!

I loved the story, I could read about witches and werewolves and supernatural in general forever. Why was this one special? Because of the unique diversity in the characters. We have Nova, who`s a half Chinese–half American queer witch with hearing deficiencies. Tam, a non-binary werewolf. The two nicest grandmas ever, that are also in a relationship and the nerdy best friend, skeptic about magic but supportive and helpful nontheless.

It feels more like a chapter then a whole story, as we don`t get a lot of information about the past of the characters and we`re only presented with what it seems to be one of their many adventures. That being said, it`s a lovely story, full of magic and adventure.

We get really strong family relationship, based on trust, understanding, respect and lots of love. We get great friendships, like I said before, we have Nova`s best friend, which is a science nerd who tries to explain everything with science, but who`s very understanding about the magic and all the events and tries her best to help them figure things out, and is also supportive about the whole thing.

I loved how in a world full of magic, werewolves, ghosts and pigeon-mans everything seemed ordinary, no one`s being bullied because they`re weird, or called out for their sexuality (which seems to be a preferred topic nowadays) it feels like a breath of fresh air that all this things are accepted and respected .

I would definitely recommend this book, just to bring a little cuteness in your day.

4.5 stars

I'm here for all these cute and diverse graphic novels!!!

Seriously, this is probably one of the cutest graphic novels ever. I loved the story, the art is so cute and it has the cutest queer couple ever. If you like the 'friends turn to lovers' trope, you will seriously love this!!

Moreover, it's witchy but set in the real world and I seriously love books where magic is somehow part of the real world, but not everyone knows that it exists. It makes my heart happy, not gonna lie.

Mooncakes is also the perfect graphic novel for spooky month, if you don't really like horror (like me). It has witches, werewolves, demon hunting, but in a pretty cute graphic novel format. What's not to love?

I received an ARC for #mooncakes and it was the cutest thing ever ! Everything about this graphic novel was perfect, and the themes mentioned were very important! I loved the family emphasis, everyone automatically using the correct pronouns (even when they’re evil) and the cute love story 💕 If I had to describe it in one word: Soft. This graphic novel was the perfect little soft thing ever! I loved the F/NB love, the witchy themes, the books, the science friend,m. I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The relationship between Nova and Tam and how it progressed was perfect!

DNF 40%

I know this is more of a “it’s me, not you” situation.
I did find the graphic novel cute like everyone says, but that was not enough to hold my attention. Almost halfway through the plot is still not clear and frankly I’m bored.
So sad I didn’t enjoy this.

This was adorable! I really enjoyed the drawings as well as the representation through the characters - non-binary, lesbian, deaf, it’s amazing! The story was cute and magical but felt a bit too simple for me.

Cute story with nice illustration style. Diversity in the characters (lgbtq, disability, ethnicity etc) without making them a big deal- as the foreword says 'But these aspects of their identity don't make the story'.
The main characters are reunited after loosing touch in childhood, they are also a witch and a werewolf. Also, there's something nasty lurking in the woods...
I haven't rated this higher because it felt a little thin on the backstory - I needed more details on some of the people, the shady organisation and the relationships between the characters.
Overall, an enjoyable quick read with a quirky cast of characters - I just wanted to know more about everything!

I really enjoyed this book. You have witches, werewolves, and lots of magic. I liked the artwork a lot and the story was action-packed, I would recommend this to 10 and up.

I want to give this book 5 stars I really do. It is adorable and there is so much diversity here. Physical disabilities, so much queerness it was easy to love. But as this is a standalone, there is so much backstory and character development that fell short. What happened to Nova’s parents? What is this cult? Who is Tam’s mother? I loved it and highly recommend it, but it isn’t perfect.

Nova and Tam were the best of friends until Tam moved away. Years passed and Tam returned. Now she has a secret. After losing her parents, Nova decided to stay with her Nanas to complete her apprenticeship. When Nova discovers a demon-possessed horse in the forest, she reunites with Tam’s wolf form. As the two work to figure out how to harness Tam’s magic and defeat the demon, romantic feelings develop between them. Meanwhile, someone from town is trying to prevent them from stopping the demon. Can they figure out how to defeat the demon? What is Tam hiding? The characters are easy to empathize with. The romantic subplot fits well into the story. The engaging, imaginative illustrations further develop the text. Teens who enjoy fantasy, adventure, and LGBTQ romance will want to pick up this book.

The artwork was stunning and fun, the characters were easy to love, the plot was kind of hard to follow at first. But, if you keep with it you will be rewarded with a very fun, cozy, magical experience.

Nova and Tam were best friends as kids until Tam moved away. Now as teens they meet again when Tam comes back to their small town to defeat a mysterious demon in the forest. As both of them learn to use their powers (Nova is a witch, Tam a werewolf) and work together to make things right again, they grow closer finally acknowledging some long held feelings for one another.

The first thing I noticed about Mooncakes is the art. It is stunning and gives a real sense of warmth and home. I want to curl up in the scenery Xu creates in her drawings. The colors evoke autumn and comfort. It's all so cozy. The other thing that stood out is the strength of the cast of characters. It's diverse in several ways, most notably with Tam who is nonbinary, Tam and Nova being queer, and Nova being hard of hearing. There is also so much support among all of them, including Nova's nanas and her best friend. It is an all female cast, too.

This is a cute, fantasy love story that is cozy and beautiful. I look forward to more from Walker and Xu.

**I received an e-ARC from Netgalley**

"Mooncakes" was a lovely book full of magic and mystery. As I went in completely blind it was hard to understand the storyline at first but as the plot went on it got more and more interesting making you forget the real world entirely. It was a really fast and fun read, definitely recommend to anyone looking for some little extra magic in their lives.

I loved everything about the setting of this graphic novel: the lush and woodsy new England backdrop, the complex characters, the themes of change and growing into your own skin and abilities. The illustrations and color palette are soft and breezy and perfectly support Mooncakes' witchy, ethereal vibe. The direction of the plot, however, fell short for me. The villains didn't feel particularly scary or threatening. They were defeated without too much effort; I found myself caring much more about the characters' backstories than whether or not they would take down the evil cult. I look forward to future installations of Mooncakes and hopefully learning more about why Tam ran away from home, what her parents are up to, and their future with Nova!