I enjoyed this. The main character was likeable and I was engaged enough to want to see where her story was going. The setting and coming of age storyline was cool and interesting. The feminist themes were well done. Her story arc was cute. I enjoyed the side characters and their interactions.
Unfortunately, I also thought there were a lot of problems. The idea that a police shooting/riot is what started this story, really made me uncomfortable. It was basically just a footnote to start this girls discovery of her "punk" self. A riot should not be used as a white girls catalyst for starting a band. It's kinds gross. Also, the comic felt like it was dealing with too many things at once and not doing any of them justice. They start an eating disorder storyline that is barely touched on later. It just doesn't feel well done. The pacing is also extremely off. The rush to the end was frustrating.

2.5 stars.

4.5 stars
"My Riot" is a coming of age story set in the 90's following a group of girls who start a band and make it big in the Riot Girl scene.
I loved this graphic novel!! I didn't know what to expect going into "My Riot" but it did not disappoint! Val as a main character was super relatable and empowering and watching her navigate being a teenager and then a young adult really struck a cord with me. You get to watch Val have to make tough decisions, disappoint some people, and really go after her dreams. I loved the incorporation of the Riot Girl movement of the 90's and the art style was fantastic. The colour palette and the art style complimented the story really well and elevated to overall story.
This was a fantastic stand-alone graphic novel that I honestly can not wait to add to my collection!


Thank you to NetGally & Oni Press for providing me an e-arc of "My Riot" in exchange for an honest review.

I really wasn't sure what to expect just from the description but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this graphic novel. I think I read it at the right time and I am the perfect audience for this book. I am my most happiest when at a concert for a band I love. There's something about the energy in the room that I can't get enough of. I I loved seeing Val explore a different part of herself and falling in love with music. As a concert goer, I loved seeing things from the perspective of the band. I enjoyed seeing how the scale of the shows progressed and how they treated other bands in the community. It was very encouraging to see that even though her parents were tough, they supported her and her dreams. The 90s vibes were also fantastic. The only things I can really critique were that the side characters were just side characters. I would have loved to see more about their lives and backgrounds. There should be trigger warnings somewhere in this book and I hope that gets added before publication. I will definitely be checking out more by this author!

ARC recieved from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was completely different from what I expected. It was serious and gut punching, with hard hitting messages. I definitely didn't expect it to be so serious and I feel like the main characters didn't get the resolution to their problems, they just continued so I'm a little put off about the lack of resolution there. The art took a few panels to get used to, but by the end I loved it. I actually have no idea whether i'd recommend it or not, It was very powerful but I do wish there were some problem solving mixed to help the characters figure things out a bit more.

"I'm not a lot of things, but I'm happy."
I liked that this covered so many topics about growing up and learning who you are, including standing up for yourself and learning to love yourself for all of your flaws and insecurities. I really liked the art and the aesthetic of it all, and the music scenes really resonated with me even though I wasn't alive during the punk/rock/grunge era. This story show cases teenage frustration and rage so well, and ends with an inspiring twist.

It's 1991 and Valerie is sick of following the rules. She teams up with two girls to form a punk-rock band and through feminist Riot Grrl anthems they challenge who society says they should be.

This read brought back all the nostalgia of going out and moshing at punk and hardcore shows back in the pre-digital age. When fliers, word-of-mouth, and music venues reigned along with the confusion of those menacing teenage years that are crucial to finding out who you're meant to be. This was a really great, empowering read. My favorite parts were the raging song lyrics and the way the color palette changed with Val's mood. The art style had a cool, raw edge to it that felt like something you'd find in the back of a scene zine. Awesome read, I'd highly recommend for anyone who enjoys coming of age stories and the punk rock music scene.

Trigger Warning for body issues and eating disorder.

I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. The art style was amazing, as was the underlying message of female empowerment and not changing yourself to fit the standards of others. Would recommend for readers who like Moxie.

So I started this book on high expectations because I seem to be reading a lot of good graphic novels lately and this book was good but I felt like it was a bit too drawn out and I lost interest halfway into the story. Let me explain
The first half was fantastic, we got to know Val as a character and I love the diversity of the characters and the representations. However, Val wasn't a character that I necessarily enjoyed. She is a teenage girl who just got her first job and she also has a love-hate relationship with ballet. as her teacher is always on her case about her weight and she advised her to start smoking because it would curb her hunger (I mean, an unhealthy way to curb your hunger). So she starts smoking and she also develops an eating disorder.
Then we have her mother who is a conservative mom and she freaks out when she finds Condoms in Val's bag and I remember thinking that 'this is not the right way to handle finding condoms in your teenage daughter or son's bag'. Her mother slut-shames her even though we know that Val isn't having sex.
Then riots begin around the state with everything being destroyed and there is one line that stood out to me "Last night's riot was the release of pent-up racial tension" which explains what is happening today. Val and her family seemed very removed from the situation as they enjoy their suburban life until her workplace is smashed by a brick during the riot. A statement she made, "I never saw the brick until it was part of my life" made me realize how much she didn't recognize her privilege. Anyways she makes a friend on the same day and through her friend, Val's love for punk rock began.

There were so many hilarious moments in the story and I love the art style although the absence of color in the book made it hard for me to read. The facial expressions were just so hilarious.

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.

CW: eating disorder, body dysmorphia

I loved this so much! The premise is of teenage Val discovering punk music and deciding she wants more than to constantly have to live with putting herself down because of the expectations placed on her by her community and her ballet classes. So she starts a punk band and finds a truer version of herself, along with friends and passion for a lifetime.

A graphic novel is a perfect medium for this. I think younger girls will enjoy the wonderful illustrations with diverse body types and the punk edge, while older audiences will still feel a connection to the story and the struggles with body image. The art style was perfect for the content and it really felt like a collaboration between artist and writer. I could have read many, many more chapters of this. Overall, just a really fun, really great comic on girls in punk that reminds us that the most punk rock thing is being youself.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a great read!

I enjoyed the art and the story. We follow Val as she meets Kat and finds herself through music. We see the toxic world of ballerinas and Val trying to find herself. This book does such a great job of capturing the 90s vibe and the growth of the Riot Grrrl movement.

I love the feminist story, how real the heartbreak and confusion Val experiences feels, and how beautifully the story comes together.

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.

This comic truly embodies the phrase "Riots not Diets." A teenage ballerina is finding that she no longer fits into the world she has created for herself. When she gets grounded, she decides to learn how to play the guitar. With her friend's enthusiasm, they form an all girl band. The story follows the girls as they learn to lash out against the norm with all the best Riot Grrrl vibes. The artwork is wonderful with a mix of light colors and a grungy background. Highly recommend.

This is the first comic style book i have read. It is a coming of age story about a girl named Valerie. She is a dancer who tries to be perfect for her instructor and parents. Through the stress of it all she meets a girl and they become friends and form a band.
Over all it was cute, but i don't think comic style books are for me. Im sure others would enjoy it.

“1991—Val, a teenager from a conservative family, has grown up dreaming of becoming a ballerina, but recently something has changed. She’s begun feeling pressure to conform to a specific idea of beauty, body type, and a personality that just doesn’t fit.

Val meets Kat, a smart, witty girl that doesn’t take any crap off anyone. Kat introduces Val to punk rock. Along with Rudie, another new friend, the three form an all-girl punk band they ironically name The Proper Ladies.

Soon Val and her friends find themselves caught up in a movement with other girls also starting bands—also finding their voice. Collectively, these “riot grrrls” discover that their songs ring out loud and powerful, and for Val, there’s no going back.“

I really loved this. As a punk rock person and a fan of riot grrrl music and the movement, this spoke to my spirit and soul. The message that we do not have to conform to societal standards is such an important message today, for all persons.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone, but especially those who are struggling to find their place, like Val.

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!

My Riot by Rick Spears is coming of age graphic novel set in early 90's. It narrates the story of a teenage girl Val. She is enrolled into Ballerina from very young age. She do enjoy dancing hence she didn't mind continuing.

After the puberty hit, her body undergoes some obvious changes like rest of the girls in the world go through. But suddenly she becomes self-conscious of her weight gain after her mentor asked her to bring it down. She gets anxious about it and get addicted to smoking.

She befriends Kat, in kind of very odd circumstances but immediately they become best friends. Through Kat, Val gets to attend a Band performance. All of a sudden she feels dance is no more appealing and jump right into forming her own Band.

How did she pull of this Band idea and how she tackles her parents and love life is shown in rest of the novel. Overall the entire story felt clichéd but not in the right side. Every turn of the events seemed very forced upon and not at all relatable.

I didn't get any satisfaction or anything by the end of this book. But the artwork is very beautiful! It was not very structured but clumsy and I really liked that. Its just an hour read so no harm in giving a try! I will rate it with ⭐⭐⭐

Read this in just one sitting. I think mainly what made this happen was that from page one the characters were engaging and charming. Plus, the art style really went along with the feel of the story. Emmett Helen's illustrations really made this novel amazing for me. It was fun and impactful at the same time. It had a heart, a beating and rebellious one. The overall tone of the story is what I appreciated the most.
Although I loved the first portion and really connected to it, I left the ending of this book feeling a bit confused. I think even though the characters were lovable some relationships weren't explored to the fullest, and their arcs didn't quite round up. In my opinion, the story wasn't as fleshed out as it could've been. Maybe it's because stuff kept happening that wasn't adressed in the end, when I expected it to be (perhaps this was because I related a lot to the main character). I wish we the readers just could've seen more.
Don't get me wrong, I liked it very much while reading it, but the more I think about it, the more mixed feelings I get. I think I'd give it 3.6 stars rating. I would recommend it but with several TWs (it contains a graphic depiction of an ed).

It's the early 90's and teenaged Val feels the pressure from her ballet instructor to lose those final 5 or so pounds to get under 110 pounds. She is starting to feel dissatisfied with her life. Then she meets Kat, a girl with a wild streak, who quickly becomes her best friend. The two teach themselves to play instruments and form a punk band. This is during the height of the Riot Girl scene.

This was a fun, well-written graphic novel full of 90's teen girl angst. There was great character development so I feel like I really grew to understand Val. She was a complex character and the author & artist did a good job of getting that across. It was cool to see Val's sense of self AND her relationship with her mother evolve as the story progressed.

What to listen to while reading this: Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill, Siouxsie and the Banshees. Plus: The Ramones & The Cramps.

Riot grrrls, black lipstick, xeroxed zines — My Riot is a love letter to the 90's and to everyone who still has a pair of docs in their closet. Emmett Helen knocks the art out of the park. Line work in My Riot is absolutely luscious, and Helen knows when to keep style tight and when to go off model for beautiful pages that are a joy to pour over. Color is lovely too. I returned to the early pages to check something mid-read and was shocked by how the palette had expanded without my noticing. Spears' maintains a tight script that pushes the story along at a clip., and a few lines resonate long after you've left the page. This book is nearly five stars. While the first five chapters are neatly paced, the sixth pivots abruptly at the end into an epilogue. A slightly stronger punch at the end would help tie up the story, but the last page, and the last panel in particular, are an excellent cap.