I was absolutely blown away by this book. It was just as charming and lovely as Geekerella and I think fans of that book will gobble this one up. I loved that this was a new spin on Romeo and Juliet.

The plot wasn't the strong suit of this book. The characterization of this book was the real star. I was floored by how real and fleshed out the characters were. We saw a friend break-up and the consequences of that. We also saw Mir have to make a hard decision about what she wanted and how that would affect her family and friendships. I loved that this big issue of comic rights was so murky and real. Each side had a different story and a different view of who was right and wrong, whereas the truth lay somewhere in the middle. We got to see how this one decision, made generations ago, affected families and lives.

The parents were flawed, real people and we got a look into their lives. We saw a divorce and the nasty, lingering pain. We also saw a very healthy relationship between parents. We saw a healthy parent-child relationship and a toxic one. I think this ticks off so many of the boxes that are missing in YA books these days that people are really wanting.

It was heartwarming, swoony, and real. I think anyone who reads this book will take something away from it. They'll find themselves in one of these characters or recognize a struggle they're having. I really loved the very real problems this book tackled. It didn't really solve any of them, but these problems aren't those to be solved. They're ever changing and evolving. This book tackled a lot of complex issues that don't really have an answer and I think we need to be showing this more to teens. There's not always an answer and that's okay. Sometimes you just have to do what's best for you at the moment and that's what Mir taught me.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Roaring Book Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

As a comics writer and artist, Faith Erin Hicks knows a thing or two about the industry, which she shares in her first novel.

Comics Will Break Your Heart tells the story of Miriam Kendrick and Weldon Warrick, whose grandfathers together created a long-running comic series, The TomorrowMen. Weldon’s family is wealthy and stands to become even more so when the long-anticipated movie adaptation is finally released. In contrast, Miriam’s family doesn’t have much money because her grandfather signed over the rights to the characters he originated in his artwork for the comics, something he later sued over. So, when Weldon comes to visit family in Miriam’s small town, she’s not exactly thrilled to meet him. But as they get to know each other, both Miriam and Weldon realize that in spite of the divide between their families, they have a connection that goes beyond comics.

If you are at all interested in comics, this book is worth reading. Hicks gives some insight into how comics are created and the effects of their current popularity on the industry. She also describes ComicCon, which sounds like it would be both fun and crazy to attend.

Even though the growing feelings between Weldon and Miriam are the core of the plot, Hicks also spends time on the difficulties each of them is experiencing as individuals. In addition to coming to grips with feeling that her family has been cheated by Weldon’s, Miriam is trying to figure out whether she wants to go away to college and is navigating changing relationships with her friends. Weldon is dealing with the fallout from his parents’ divorce and feeling emotionally abandoned by them. If you are reading for the romance, be aware that Weldon and Miriam don’t even hold hands until more than halfway through the book, and kissing takes a lot longer than that.

Outside of the relatively leisurely pacing, I enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it to readers who like comics and YA contemporaries.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Mir’s grandfather sold the rights to the comic he co-created for next to nothing. Now the comic is mega popular and Mir feels cheated.

Weldon’s grandfather also co-created that comic and created Warrick Studio’s. But Weldon after some trouble at school gets shipped off to his aunt and uncles for the summer.

I really loved this one! Possibly because I’ve slowly been getting into comics and this heavily involved comics. The relationships we great in this I felt like they were very authentic. And I love that the budding relationship between MC’s went slowly.

I definitely recommend if you’re getting into comics like me or if you’re interested in a Romeo and Juliet contemporary retelling.

I love Faith Erin Hicks' graphic novel work and I've been so excited for this novel! I love the Romeo/Juliet trope and the romance in general. It's clear that Hicks has a great understanding of nerd culture, and I think my fellow nerds (and those who love comics, in particular) will greatly enjoy this read. Hope to see more YA from Hicks in the future!

Wooowie, what a cute novel! As a lover of comic books of all sorts, I was so excited to read a novel all about them, and I was not disappointed in the least!

Not only is this all about comics, but it has an underlying Romeo and Juliet aspect, with two families feuding over the rights to a popular superhero comic known as The TomorrowMen. Usually I am not a fan of the Romeo and Juliet reimagining, but this book did it so subtly, it was perfect.

Mir is the granddaughter of The TomorrowMen’s founding illustrator, while Weldon is the grandson of the founding writer. When their grandparents were alive, Mir’s grandfather was kind of duped out of his share of the comics, while Weldon’s grandfather prospered, leaving his family much more well off than Mir’s. The two meet in a comic book shop and from there, a friendship blossoms.

As stated earlier, I felt like the Romeo and Juliet trope aspect of the story was so well done. Mir’s family was always very accepting of her hanging out with Weldon and Weldon’s family was mostly the same, with just a few snide comments from his aunt. Of course there was a lot of bringing up what happened in the past from the adults, but it didn’t have much of an effect on the teens. They still choose for themselves to form a relationship, and spoiler alert, no one died in the end.

The relationship between Mir and Weldon is really sweet and also very well done. The progression of it was paced nicely throughout the story without a drop of instalove in sight. Weldon is definitely smitten with Mir after their first encounter, but more in an “I’m new in town and want to get to know you because I don’t know anyone” sense, rather than just being flat out in love with her. It felt realistic of a teenager. Mir on the other hand, takes a little while to warm up to him, and when she does, it’s cute how she realizes her feelings crept up on her seemingly out of nowhere.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was such a lovely homage to comic books and the people who love them, and would most definitely be a great, fast paced novel to pick up on Valentine’s Day, or really any day that calls for a dash of sweetness.

*Thank you to Roaring Book Press and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Comic and graphic novel writer Faith Erin Hicks makes her debut in young adult fiction with <em>Comics Will Break Your Heart</em>, and does it beautifully! In this sweet YA novel, two teens from families with a long-standing grudge meet and connect one summer in Nova Scotia. Miriam's grandfather co-created the TomorrowMen comics with Weldon's grandfather, but sold his rights to the brand for only $900 many decades earlier. Since then, TomorrowMen has blown up with a huge fandom and a blockbuster movie in the works, and while Weldon's family stands to profit hugely, Miriam's will see not a dime, despite the 20-year lawsuit waged by her grandfather to undo the shoddy deal he unwittingly agreed to.

When Miriam and Weldon meet, they each carry their families' baggage, but their mutual love of comics as well as their own personal struggles to figure out their futures draw them together and help them move past the animosity that's lingered for so long. This is a quick, fun read, with touching moments too, and has some lovely scenes that highlight the intricacies and quirks of best friendships, relationships between teens and their parents, and the heartaches and worries that come with making decisions about where to go in life.

<em>Comics Will Break Your Heart</em> is also a terrific ode to the glories of fandom, culminating in a visit to (of course) San Diego Comic-Con. I'm sure everyone with a secret geeky obsession will relate to the characters' reactions to entering geek heaven:
<blockquote>In a flash he saw everything as she saw it, the madness and energy but also the joyful heart of the convention.

"Oh, wow," she whispered. "Comics made all of this."</blockquote>

This book has a case of a great plot idea, terrible execution. When I read the synopsis, I was so in. While I’m not a comic book reader myself, I’m very much a proud member of that kind of nerd community. I think a book discussing the importance of something like a comic book and how it effects your whole life is a fascinating concept to explore. This just wasn’t it. This felt very much like a debut novel, almost as if full scenes weren’t included in the story. Time was all over the place, I kept forgetting that all the way up to more than halfway through the book, we still technically still hadn’t made it to summer break. Why were they never at school? All the characters and their backstories were just barely explored. The author would mention something as if we should have already known a specific plot or character attribute, when it was actually never told to us. I never got Romeo and Juliet dynamic that was mentioned in the synopsis.

The writing was very juvenile. These kids could have easily been just starting high school, not going into their senior year. I believe dialogue can make or break a piece of writing and the dialogue in this felt so forced. There was no flow between the characters. I think the author took off more than she could chew. She tried to tackle things like classism and the hate-to-love trope, but never got there. All in all, I was really disappointed with this read and it made me sad.

This book was a cute quick read that I couldn't put down. I found the relationship between Mir and Weldon to be rushed. I found myself very angry at how Miriam's grandfather was screwed out of his legacy when his comic characters he drew became popular. I felt terribly for his family. I'd recommend this as a summer read.

Thank you netgalley for providing me an e-arc of this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of Comics Will Break your Heart in exchange for an honest review.

Comics Will Break Your Heart by Faith Erin HIcks is an enjoyable contemporary YA Romance. It's small town Canadian setting along with the relevant topics covered that are applicable to all adolescents such as first love, changing friendships, forgiveness, and leaving home. The characters are likable, each with their own faults.
I recommend it for readers who love the Marvel Universe.

This was a really cute contemporary romance set in a small Canadian town. Miriam really does not want to have anything to with Weldon once she realizes that he is the heir to the TomorrowMen comic fortune that her grandfather was cheated out of. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an adorable and geeky romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for giving me the chance to read and review this book early!

Faith Erin Hicks, creator of several graphic novels, tries her hand at a contemporary ya romance in Comics Will Break Your Heart.

Part Romeo and Juliet part comic book lore, this book tells the story of Miriam and Weldon whose grandfathers worked together on the hugely popular TommorowMen comics decades prior. Miriam's grandfather was cheated out of millions by Weldon's father after a lengthy legal battle, leaving bad blood between both families. When Miriam and Weldon meet in a small town in Canada, they can't help but feel drawn to each other.

Many topics relevant to teens are discussed in Hicks' book. What to do after high school, leaving your hometown, forgiveness, first love, and changing friendships are just to name a few. Miriam and Weldon are likable characters, both with their own faults.

This was a cute, fun romance that does tackle some important issues. I'd recommend it for fans of Hicks' other work and readers who enjoy the Marvel universe.

Comics Will Break Your Heart was an enjoyable story for me, but not something that overly wowed me. Dialogue was simplistic to me and often forgettable. I loved the idea behind this story, but for some reason it just didn't click with me the way I thought it would. I think other people will really enjoy this story though.

His family has made their fortune from the TomorrowMen, while her family watches from the sidelines. Can Mir and Weldon rise above their family history and forge a relationship?

• Pro: I was actually a big Weldon fan. He had quite a bit of baggage to unpack, and I was glad Nova Scotia was a hospitable place for him to do it.

• Pro: The romance was very sweet. I liked how Mir's feelings for Weldon snuck up on her, while Weldon was sort of gooey from the start.

• Pro: The Hendricks were such a fabulous family, and Mir's household may have been physically shabby, but it was filled with love and parents, who were genuine and supportive.

• Pro: Hicks has an obvious love for comics, and some definite feelings about the comic and superhero industry. There is some intriguing commentary in the book that had me nodding my head. I really liked getting a peek at what goes into writing and illustrating a comic. We got to hear from an artist in the book, as well as tagging along as Mir and her friend attempted to write a comic script.

• Con: Don't get me wrong, I really thought the ending was nice and sweet and I was really happy with the resolutions, but it felt a little rushed to me.

• Pro: This wasn't just a romance. Both Weldon and Mir were struggling with some issues relating to letting go and moving on, which were definitely themes for several characters in this book. Mir and Weldon grew over the course of the book, and it was clear in the way their approach to this issues changed.

Overall: An adorable romance with a side of coming-of-age and geekery, which was fun and light and smile inducing.

An enjoyable light-hearted YA romance. The small Canadian town setting was a highlight. Perfect for both comic fans and those not so interested in them as well.

Genre: YA Contemporary

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Originally I requested this book from the publisher directly but I was accepted on Netgalley instead. I was drawn in to this book by the cover. I love this cover so much and I’m a sucker for anything comics. Thanks Marvel! Anyway this book was about to teens who come from families that hate each other. Romeo and Juliet anyone? The book its self disappointed me.

I didn’t care for the main character, Miriam I thought she was kinda a flat character and found myself liking the boy she likes instead. But I did have some issues with his character as well. Weldon is a troubled rich kid. He’s the typical one you see in all young adult books. He gets kicked out of school and steals cars only to try to get the attention from his parents who are never around and sent him to live with his aunt and uncle.

Overall the plot didn’t really draw me in. It’s a cute modern twist on Romeo and Juliet without the death. It has a bit of insta love almost. It seems like they barley know each other and they already are wanting to date each other. I did however get bored and almost didn’t finish the book.

Two houses, each alike in dignity... and with surnames that have great meaning to the geeks of the world.

This is a story about growing up, finding your place, and following your heart. The story begins with Mir, who lives in the small town of Sandford in Nova Scotia, Canada; she is diligent and hard working, doing her best to get into university, putting every cent into a savings account. Then enters Weldon Warrick into her life. Yeah, that Warrick. As in the Warricks who run Warrick Studios. The Warrick Studios that publish the Tomorrowmen comics. The Warrick Studios that is debuting the trailer for the Tomorrowmen movie at Comic Con.

The Tomorrowmen that Mir's grandfather co-created with Weldon Warrick's grandfather.

Wealthy Weldon represents everything that Mir's family lost and doesn't have and she is resentful for that. But, as she soon learns, she and her family represent everything that money can't buy and all that Weldon wants. It'll be more than Skylord that flies this summer...

I really enjoyed this novel, and loved both narrators, who have great voices. Neither are perfect, making them all the more real and makes you want to root for them even more. There's no insta-love, but there is definitely insta-curiosity, which leads both Mir and Weldon to seek the other out and learn more, developing feelings slowly, which I love.

I think I first heard about this book last summer, and I immediately put it on my TBR. As a huge fan of comics and geek culture in general, this seemed like a book that was right up my alley. I also LOVE ya contemporary novels that are heavy on two characters falling in love. It's kind of my jam. So I have to say that this one did not disappoint me!


If you know anything about Marvel comics or the relationship between Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, then the conflict between Mir and Weldon's families in this story might sound very familiar. Although, I do find it interesting in the world of this book, the big two of comics, Marvel and DC also exist. Just the TomorrowMen franchise and the publisher they are from are also a big deal.

I really liked Weldon and I really felt for him. His parents just seemed like the typical absent YA parents, but I think that is kind of the point here. I honestly didn't like either of his parents. His dad just cared about his business, and his mom seemed really sad, but I also couldn't stand how she keep talking about "fake geeks". I think the intention is that she is joking, but there were a couple time in this book that I felt like she was a real gate-keeper when it came to comics and geek culture. I don't think Weldon ever calls her on this, but there is a point at the end of the book where he comments on the idea of a "fake geek" to a stranger. I just really wished he would have called his mom on her BS.

I was really glad to see Mir's parents so involved in her life. I did think it was odd that she refers to her parents by their first names, but I think that might just be how her parents are. They are a little odd, but definitely interesting characters on their own. A lot of the conflict in the novel are because of her mom settling the court case between the Warricks and the Kendricks. I think Stella was just tired of it and wanted to move on to do her own art. I also liked that she calls Mir out for being so angry with Weldon just because of his last name. It feels like the Warricks have way more animosity about it than the Kendricks do, so it made me really not like any of Weldon's family, except his Uncle. Mostly because his Uncle is over it and wants everyone else to just move on too.

I really liked that this book also discusses the pressures of what to do after high school, and really hammers in the problems with college and both the emotional and financial strain it puts on kids. There is also a little bit of side-plot in this novel about how this affect Mir's friendship. While also dealing with how dating someone can also affect your friendships.

I liked the romance in this one a lot because it didn't feel insta-love to me, but rather a slow burn. Weldon and Mir just start hanging out with each other, and it takes them awhile to figure out if they actually like each other. I really liked that about this one.

I do think that the conflict between the two families is not really resolved at the end of the book, and it did feel a little bit rushed. I do think it's still a cute YA romance book, so I would still recommend it. I think it you like Geekerealla or Chaotic Good, this is a book for you.

*I received an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When I realized this book was going to be a kind of modern version of Romeo Juliet with conflict centering on comic book copyrights, I was thrilled. Who doesn’t enjoy a well done enemies to lovers story. This one turned out to be an okay experience though, enjoyable enough but not very remarkable or maybe I just hoped for too much.

The writing was simple enough that I finished it pretty quickly. However, the conversations between the characters didn’t always feel realistic. It’s probably the first time I actually liked the characters’ internal monologues more than the dialogues because it helped me get to know them better. It was also quite unique to see this book set in rural Canada, which I know nothing about. The small town feel, the contrast between the rich and not so rich part of the town, the helplessness of living in a place where there are not many opportunities - all of this is captured quite well. I also liked the idea of so many people, both old and young finding such joy and contentment with comics. However, the main conflict of the book is supposed to be about the TomorrowMen comics and how Mir’s grandfather was not given his due by Weldon’s and I think the whole past issue was not really explored at all. We only get small glimpses from both the families but we never get the full story and I kinda felt cheated because of that.

Miriam was not an easy character to like initially. I thought she was being difficult, but it took some time for me to understand her perspective and struggles. She was just being a very confused teenager, unsure about what to do after graduation, how she would pay for university and if leaving her small town meant losing all her friendships. I obviously didn’t realize her obsession and anger about the comics, considering she never even met her grandfather, but it was nice to see her slowly realize the futility of it and let it all go.

In the beginning, Weldon seemed like a spoiled teenager just doing bad things for the fun of it, but soon it was clear he wanted to be noticed and not feel so invisible in his own family. However, he too slowly realizes that isn’t the way to go and becomes slightly more responsible and confident about what he wants for his future. I also enjoyed his changing relationship with his mother and the possibility of them being closer again.

There was only a slight conflict between the two of them and I thought it was resolved fairly quickly. There wasn’t much angst and perhaps I was expecting more of it. The development and progression of their friendship was very cute but I truly didn’t feel the chemistry, especially not enough to warrant the decisions towards the end of the book. Everything seemed to resolve fairly quickly and easily too, neatly wrapped up in a bow, which was okay I guess but also made me feel like the stakes were never too high.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a cute high school contemporary with nerdy characters, some fun moments and not much angst. I would suggest not going into it with too much expectations, specifically for the enemies to lovers trope. It was entertaining while I was reading it and left me feeling pleasant.

I felt ehhh about this book. It was entertaining enough that I finished it, but that's about all I can say. I wasn't particulary interested in the characters. The plot was, to me, a bit confusing with what happened between the two families and the ownership of the characters. It never seemed full explained, esp at the end when the aunt is mad about it.

I loved the premise of this book: two teens from warring comic book families who fall in love. But... the premise was really the only enticing part of this book for me, unfortunately. There was absolutely nothing WRONG with it per se, but it was just very meh for me. The small-town vibe was cute, and I loved that it was set in Canada which is pretty rare in YA, but not vibrant or unique enough to draw me in. The romance was sweet, but not really captivating or feels-inducing. The questions of friendship were important, but not explored in-depth. And the big premise, of the warring comic book families? Not explained fully enough for the reader still not to feel a bit "huh?" about the whole situation, and it just never really went anywhere? Minimal plot but not enough of a character study to warrant it. A book that comic readers may enjoy, but that voracious contemporary readers may feel a bit let down by.