This was the perfect autumn/halloween read, very atmospheric and magic.
I loved the characters, they felt very realistic despite the fantastical elements.
I appreciate the multiple representations in this graphic novel: we have an heroine who is hearing impaired and wearing hearing aids. We also have a non-binary person as a love interest. Both characters are Chinese-Americans.
I adored the romance in Mooncakes which was very sweet and pure.
The witchy aspect also gave me life as the main protagonist has fully embraced her powers and is even helping others to own their magic. The subplot was interesting and catchy. It was well developed with a satisfying ending.
The aesthetic of this graphic novel is very pleasing, the illustrations are gentle and a treat for the eyes.
I loved the feeling it procured me, it left me filled with joy and fondness for these characters and I really hope we'll be gifted a second graphic novel within the same universe.

Mooncakes was the soft pastel fantasy I needed in my life. Filled to the brim with witchy wholesomeness and found family, this graphic novel is a warm hug. It has so many of my favourite things - a second chance romance, childhood-friends-to-lovers, grandparents, werewolves, forest spirits, coffee, female friendships, cats - that combined with the adorable art style created a graphic that felt like it was written for me.

I adored all the characters. Tam with their hilarious puns. Tatyana and her science. Nova’s grandmothers - they were iconic. And the representation. It was absolutely beautiful. From the abundant queerness to Nova’s hearing aids playing an active part in her magic, Mooncakes was such a beautiful homage to all the represented marginalised identities.

… so why not five stars? I can’t say I fully understood the cult’s purpose. Why were they trying to harness Tam’s werewolf magic? The entire magic system was left mostly unexplained and sadly, I am the type of person who likes detail. The fact we were left in the dark bothered me; it just made it a tiny bit difficult to follow at points.

But overall? If you adore Katie O'Neill or Taproot, this is going to be your next favourite read.

loved the diverse representation. the side characters were lovely as well. I would recommend it for those wishing a quick and heartwarming read.

Very engaging story with representation for queer, non-binary, hearing impaired, intergenerational family. Great recommendation for a fall/ Halloween read.

Love, love, love! I adore this book. Every character is well rounded and engaging. The story line hooked me from the start, I had to know what was happening next. The art is also above and beyond! It’s simple and bright and really pleasing to look at.

I rarely read graphic novels but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read Mooncakes! The art is beautiful, the characters are delightful, and the story was so sweet and poignant. It’s a perfect read for fall, with witches, and magic, and werewolves! If you’re looking for a pleasant, seasonal read, absolutely check out Mooncakes!

A witch with hearing aids meets a werewolf in the forest one night. That's how childhood friends Nova and Tam are reunited. Together, with the help of Nova's awesome magical-bookshop-owning grandmas, they take on a demon horse and a cult that wants to harness Tam's werewolf magic for themselves. And along the way, Nova and Tam find themselves falling in love with each other.

The art style was adorable and cute. I don't think I've ever read a story that balanced action, levity (oh the puns) and romance quite so well. I also liked how Tam came out as non-binary to everyone and then everyone just adapted to using the right pronouns and that was that. No drama, no fuss, just everyone behaving like normal. To the extent that witches and werewolves can be considered normal of course! The two main characters experience significant personal growth throughout the story, strengthened by the knowledge that their (found) family will love them unconditionally.

My favourite side character has to be Isabel the cat though. Just for her reaction when Nova and Tam kiss for the first time. It literally made me step away from my desk for a minute because it was too cute to handle.

(Thank you to Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are my own) A fun witchy story, perfect for Halloween! This was a quick read, while also highlighting the importance of family, friends, and love. I'd love to have a magical woodland creature- soo cute! The story itself was short, and I wish has been developed more, but the characters really made it an enjoyable read. I do feel that the authors relied too much on creating diversity in the story just for the sake of diversity, but it didn't take too much away from my enjoyment reading it overall.

This was so magical and diverse and cute and I loved it so much. I really hope these authors write more witchy graphic novels because I want to read them all.

I really loved the diversity in this because there was just so much. Nova has hearing aids, Tam is nonbinary. I can't say if it was good or bad representation because I am neither of those things, but I really love reading books about diverse characters where the whole plot is about the way they are diverse in some way, e.g. a book about a gay main character where the whole plot of the book is them coming out or coming to terms with their identity. Obviously those books are important, but I feel like books where the diverse element isn't the whole plot are also important, and this graphic novel did that so well in my opinion.

I also really loved all the magical creatures, they were all so cute!

This was a super sweet book. The art style was whimsical and beautiful. The relationship between Nova and Tam so cute. I highly recommend this book!

This was the most adorable thing ever!! Such a wholesome story!! My heart was melting throughout the entire thing. It's about love, friendship and family. It has a non binary character and queer characters and a character with hearing impairment, contains magic and magical beings. It's truly the best thing one could ask for! You get so attached to the characters straight away and you just want the best for them. I want more of them!

The story was adorable. I loved the art style and all of the representation. I enjoyed how casual the grandmas changed when Tam told them they use they/them pronouns. I loved seeing two grandmas being happy with each other and showing an older f/f romance in such a casual way. As well as the main character Nova wearing hearing aids. The way family was brought in was wonderful, and discussing leaving home along with the struggle with doing so, was so great to see in fiction. My only problem is that I wish that there was more in some parts of the story. I wished we got more with Tam's background story and what was going on with the cult stuff. I can only hope that there will be more with these characters.

Cute! Aimed a little older than Witch Boy but I think it has similar appeal. Nova, a Hard of Hearing witch who lives with her grandmothers (one Jewish, one Chinese), is startled out of her daily rut when her childhood best friend Tam (a nonbinary werewolf) unexpectedly returns to town on the trail of a menacing horse-demon. With the support of Nova's grandmothers, Nova and Tam investigate how to defeat the demon, confront the traumas of their youth and fall in love along the way. It's a fluffy story that focuses more on feelings than plot, but there's nothing wrong with that! The art is lovely and very colorful. The protagonists are supposed to be in their late teens/early twenties but honestly there's nothing about the story that's inappropriate for a teen or even middle-grade audience.

This graphic novel had been on my radar for a little while, so I was very excited to be able to finally read it. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters as well as how the additional characters added to the overall plot. I had fun reading this and enjoyed the story and the character development throughout.
However on the negative side, I didn’t quite understand why part of the comic was not coloured and I found those panels harder to read and understand. Especially as the uncoloured sections covered the finale.
Overall I would say this was a fun read with great characters, plot and a good dose of magic. I would recommend you pick it up if you want something lighthearted and cute.
Thank go to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was super cute! This sweet graphic novel included loads of great representation. Both our main characters are Chinese-American and queer - Tam is a trans werewolf, and Nova a hard-of-hearing witch. I love where this sits within the urban fantasy genre, as if all of this magical stuff is happening right under our noses. I also loved the art style and the colouration, it suited the tone of the story really well.

I would have liked to have had more of the backstory. We get glimpses of it in flashbacks but I would have loved just a little bit more for character development, especially with regards to the relationship between Tam and Nova. However that is a small thing, and really all I'm saying is that I would have loved for this graphic novel to be longer!

This was adorable and sweet. I liked that there were a non-binary main character and a Chinese-American main character with hearing aids. This checks many of the diversity boxes. I have to admit it was a bit hard to get into the story. I like the ending a lot though. I feel like it could have gone a bit farther with many aspects.

Omg I cant handle the cuteness ❤❤ would definitely recommend this book to everyone. I just adore the modern witch and werewolf relationship and kudos for representing disabilities.

This graphic novel is absolutely adorable 😊
This is a 5 star from me!!! I wanted to reread this graphic novel as soon as I finished it, to head back into this lovely universe again. A lovely story, very rich, colorful and full of heart.

I read this as an ARC from Netgalley.

This was cute. I loved the art style. I loved the representation and the diversity. I love the cats and the cozy feel of the shop the grandma's run. I LOVED the grandma's. They were strong as heck. I loved Nova and Tat's friendship. I loved Nova and Tam's friendship and budding relationship. I loved Tam's cool as heck hair. I loved Nova's family.

I just didn't love the conflict too much... The secret's kept... I was just a little underwhelmed. I don't know. Maybe I read it too fast?

I do know that I could read a sequel about all of these characters just living their cozy little life. :)

This was kindly given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely precious and I want these characters to stay in a happy bubble for the rest of their days. The story wasn't anything particularly mindblowing but that's was made it absolutely perfect to get through. I loved the color schemes mixed throughout the story. It's the perfect setting for the nice fall day. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who just wants a good, heartfelt story to read.