Delicates written by Brenna Thummler (Sheets #2)

The sequel to Sheets. Marjorie is entering 8th grade & is accepted into the popular crowd at school but she worries what people might label her if they find out about the ghosts that live in her house. Wendell, her ghost best friend starts to feel even more invisible when she starts ditching him for her new friends. Eliza Duncan is starting to feel like a ghost herself, invisible as she doesn’t have any friends & no one cares about her intense interest in photographing ghosts. As Eliza spirals into depression after a series of events that included Marjorie’s new friends taunting her and stealing her photography, she is ready to end it all. Marjorie must decide on how important it is for her to fit in. She may not have actively bullied Eliza but standing by & saying nothing also contributes to the bullying meanwhile she also casted her friendship with Wendell aside. The parallels in Wendell’s ghost identity and Eliza’s feelings gives this story depth & complexity.

This beautifully illustrated graphic novel focuses more on Eliza and the POV alternates between hers & Marjorie. The book navigates sensitive matter “delicately”: depression, suicidal ideations, loneliness, peer-pressure, and bullying. Ultimately it is a story about compassion, empathy, forgiveness and friendship. It is about figuring out who you are & speaking up for what is right & reaching out when you may need help. Lastly, Wendell is my favorite little sheet ghost.

Thank you Oni Press for this ARC! I am looking forward to seeing more of Thummler’s brilliant work.

I had a lot of fun in the first one and having the opportunity to read the second one was incredible. We follow the adventures of the characters in the previous book and the plot is further enriched. I would undoubtedly read another of the author's novels

I received a free E-ARC of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Spoilers

CW: Bullying, suicidal thoughts

This book was a nice middle grade novel that deals with themes of bullying, especially passive bullying, and suicidal thoughts. My main problem with this novel was the main character. As a sequel to sheets I understand why the main character in this novel would be Marjorie but I felt her scenes were some of the weaker parts of the novel. I really liked Eliza and I felt her friendship with Wendell was more compelling and exploring suicidal thoughts with someone who desperately longs to be alive again would have been interesting. I'm also glad there was a mention at the end of Eliza seeking help and therapy instead of her making a friend being a quick cure for mental health but I felt this could have been expanded on a bit more especially since this is aimed at a younger age group. .

2021 is the year I fell in love with Brenna Thummler‘s stories and illustrations through her graphic novels.

The sequel to Sheets, Delicates continues to follow Marjorie and Wendell and their lives at the laundromat.

Thummler developed the two protagonists superbly in Sheets and so I was excited to know how their journeys were going to progress in Delicates.

But Delicates gave me so much more than I ever imagined it could; Brenna Thummler you did not let me down.

I can easily say that Delicates is my favourite of the duo.

I loved the introduction of a second narrative perspective through the additional character of Eliza and was intrigued by her from start to finish.

Thummler addresses of difficult topics, as she did in Sheets, making them accessible to a wide audience.

Themes of depression, loss, bullying, acceptance and self discovery are explored in a unique way and Thummler doesn’t shy away from these challenging ideas.

For me, although still a YA graphic novel, it definitely felt like Delicates was aimed at a slightly older audience.

Keep in mind the following trigger warnings if you choose to pick this novel up:
Bullying, suicidal thoughts, death, loss, depression

Thank you to Net Galley and Oni Press for this copy of Delicates ebook in exchange for my honest review.

ARC kindly received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness this book warmed the cockles of my heart! 👻👻👻

This is a ghostly tale of friendship and acceptance, family and togetherness, and just how tough school can be.


First off I should admit that I have not yet read sheets (it’s predecessor) although it has been on my ‘want to read list’ for an age. However it is still possible to enjoy this as a stand alone.

(What did happen, however, was that I enjoyed this so much that about ten pages in I ended up ordering sheets 🤣)

I cannot reccomend this read enough! The storyline was beautiful, the art work was stunning, and the muted colour palette was just perfect.

5/5

The new graphic novel, “Delicates” by Brenna Thummler, is a sequel to “Sheets”. I have not read “Sheets” and it really isn’t needed to read understand or enjoy “Delicates”. Although it would provide further context on Wendell and the other ghosts.

This would be the perfect book for any middle school kid going through the tough time of growing up and fitting in. It teaches some great lessons in very subtle ways. This book is not only helpful for those that don’t feel they fit in or are “weird”/different/unique, but also for those “bullies” that make others field bad for being “weird”/different/unique. The illustrations are also very well done.

I've stopped reading this at just a third of the way through. Although I really appreciate being sent a digital copy to review, this is one I would like to save finishing reading for a physical copy. The illustrations and colours (so 80s!) are so beautiful, that I'd like to be able to pour over the pages in a way that you just cant when reading on a screen.

The story so far has touched on bereavement, high school relationships & not fitting in AND having a ghost who, along with others, inhabits your family run launderette for your best mate (!).

I have, this morning, ordered Sheets (the first book in this series) and pre-ordered Delicates. I cant wait to enjoy them both. I will be popping them away for when my daughter starts high school in the not so distant future.

I received a copy of this book from Oni Press and Netgalley.

Oh, I did not expect this book to make me cry! My heart ached for Marjorie Wendell, and Eliza..

The themes of trying to fit in and grief are exactly what I needed as a kid..

This book is so wonderful.

I LOVE a tender ghost story. Is it the ghost or the story that’s tender? Yes.

Marjorie is coping with the loss of her mum, making new friends at school, asking herself whether they are friends, and she’s also dealing with the thirty ghosts living in her laundry basement - particularly little Wendell, who just wishes he could’ve had the chance to dance at a ball and wants to go out to make friends. And then there’s Eliza, who’s trying to capture ghosts with her grandfather’s camera, and who keeps being laughed at at school.

In terms of the story this one’s a pretty straightforward and juvenile “Being Different Isn’t Bad” and that’s fine. It’s a good message! I would’ve liked to see it go in a bit more depth, but I think the execution and art style also kind of made up for it. I did love some smaller moments in particular, such as Marjorie conversation with her little brother.

I just... really loved the ghosts. I love all of them dearly, but especially Wendell. I want to see more of them and more of their ghostly laundry. I wanted to hear more about the ghost world, and their lives before they were ghosts. But I loved their presence in general and their curiosity and eagerness for life. I thought the moments between Eliza and Wendell were particularly touching and beautifully shown.

And absolute kudos to the art. The colours are gorgeous and vibrant and Very 80s. The way the ghosts move and fall apart and come back together I thought was great. It made this a delight to read and look at.

Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for providing me with a free arc of this book!

This was just an absolutely beautiful read, both visually and emotionally. Very touching and heartwrenching, navigating tough topics and painful situations with grace. I read Sheets, the first work in this series, a couple years ago for Halloween season. I was concerned that I wouldn't connect with this as much reading out of season, but nope. This is such a wonderful read for any time of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me with the ARC to Delicates!

Delicates is the sequel to Sheets. I enjoyed Sheets but I loved Delicates. Marjorie has befriended the popular girls but does not really have a lot in common with them. Eliza is into ghost photography and although people make fun of her, she is determined to capture a ghost on film.

I loved the message on bullying and the calling out of being a bystander when it happens. Wendell is as adorable as ever. And the art is absolutely gorgeous. I really recommend Delicates to anyone, especially if you like Sheets.

CW: bullying

I enjoyed this book even more than the first book, Sheets! The art style and colours are beautiful as always, in particular the numerous double page illustrations and landscapes. (The only thing that bothers me about the illustration are the characters noses, which I know is petty but they consistently bothered me!) The story had similar themes to the first graphic novel, but with added themes of loyalty, friendship, and the impact we have on others. I'm glad we didn't have a cartoonist villain like in the first book, but a complicated group of antagonists who had their own issues, or simply failed to do the right thing. This would be a fantastic graphic novel to recommend to those just getting into reading them, and would be fantastic to read and discuss in middle schools/high schools - I know I would have identified with and loved the themes of this story when I was 12/13. I can't wait to purchase a physical copy!

What an absolute delight. Brenna Thummler has somehow managed to improve her storytelling ability in this sequel to Sheets, which is no easy feat. Marjorie and Wendell are as adorable as ever (seriously, how is Wendell the cutest thing ever drawn when he's just a simple sheet ghost?), but it's new character Eliza who shines brightest here.

I tend to be fairly apprehensive about picking up middle grade for fear of resenting a lack of complex ideas, doing well to remember that I am way out of the intended age range for the genre. But there's so much going on here.

Firstly, we see Marjorie's flaws in a new light; she has grown from her grief and tribulations in the first installment, but she also isn't the greatest friend to Eliza or Wendell most of the time. She has fallen into the same pitfalls many junior high schoolers have — so desperate to be a part of a crew and therefore prone to overlooking her friends' terrible behavior. She's easily embarrassed, scared to speak up for herself, and above all, just wants to be liked. She's a good person, but often makes mistakes — which is so nice to see, given the pitch perfect protagonists I remember from my middle grade days.

Secondly, so many facets of Eliza's struggles are explored. This is a graphic novel about bullying, at face value, but it can also be deeper than that. It's also about how adults fail children, and how it is occasionally necessary to challenge their preconceived notions and assert your certainties. It's about how friends can fail friends, and also how friends can fix some really brutal errors. It's about how much value we each offer the world. And it's about ghosts! Precious, precious ghosts! Wendell plays in beautifully here, as a ghost with many wishes and regrets who sees Eliza for the gem she is from the very start.

Thummler's cool tones really lend themselves to this often moody but ultimately hopeful story. Her color palettes are absolutely exquisite. I also appreciate that she thanked her sensitivity reader, Jasmine Walls, in her acknowledgments. Given that this novel centers on the experiences of a Black girl, I'm relieved to know she did the necessary reach-outs to ensure that her writing and art were appropriate.

I'm hoping Thummler changes her mind and the story doesn't end here; I for one would love to see an installment focused on Wendell's past. Is this because I pout and coo at him every time he pops up and need that joy in my life once again, but tenfold? Perhaps, perhaps.

If you loved the first Sheets book, you might look at this and say, it is nothing like the first. Marjorie is not the same. She is trying to be popular, and that is fitting her like a bad glove. And then there is Eliza who doesn't fit in, and doesn't know what she can do to fit in. She photographs ghosts, and you would think with Marjorie's relationship with ghosts that would work out well, but it doesn't.

There is bullying. There is contemplating of suicide. It is a much grimmer book than the first.

Deep, and sad, but a good read none the less.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

While Sheets was good, Delicates was great. The characters were more mature and so was the story. Even if folks have not read the first one, they should read this. I would suggest that this be required reading for all middle schoolers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this ARC.

Delicates is the sequel to the graphic novel ‘Sheets’. The story is about Marjorie, who is about to start eighth grade, a year after losing her mother. Her best friend is a sheet ghost called Wendell. The story focuses heavily on the impact and implications of bullying. There is a particularly pertinent message that if you stand by and watch as someone is being bullied then that makes you as bad as the bully. The story is fast paced and perfect for reluctant readers. I think this should be essential reading for all tweens and I will definitely be recommending it to the children I work with.

Another perfect installment of this series! Delicates is just as touching and beautiful as Sheets and I can’t want to run out and buy the physical copy so I can hold onto it always.

Read this is one sitting and really enjoyed it. I haven't read Sheets which I realise is the first in the series -I will now seek it out, but this book stands on its own.

Following the death of her mother, Marjorie is struggling to cope with a depressed father, a brother who has chosen to lose himself in video games and school (plus the group of ghosts living in her family's laundromat). School is a believable tension of mean girls, bullying and machinations about the school dance. Eliza is re-taking 8th grade (admittedly a slightly odd concept for UK readers where this wouldn't happen) and is finding it hard to fit in or ask for help. Eliza's one passion is photography and specifically, photographing ghosts.

Fitting in (or learning that you don't have to) is the main theme of the book and is a concern that will resonate with its target audience. It is compassionate and funny and works well as a graphic novel using a distinctive palette of colours and accessible style.. No spoilers, but I did shed a tear at the end.

First unexpected 2021 gem!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Oni Press for sending an advanced proof my way for review and promotional purposes.

Delicates is the second installment on Brenna Thummler's successful graphic novel, Sheets, and expected to be released March 23.

In this sequel, we follow Marjorie's story who is now transitioning to 8th grade, with ghost friends interacting with her in their laundy place.

The graphics in this one remains outstanding and I am still in love with the color dynamics by Brenna.

This amazing execution was not wasted as the story within is in a similar tier of brilliance.

A new character, Eliza, is introduced and her story tackled within highlights conversation about bullying, racism, friendship, passion, and what it feels like to have someone who will listen to you when you feel like a ghost.

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!

Solid 5stars

I had stumbled onto the first book in this series, Sheets, through my library and loved the art and the unique characters in the story. It told a little bit of a dark story, but in an approachable way so kids could learn how to deal with more serious topics.
I was really excited to see there was a second book and immediately requested a copy! I felt like the story was a bit confusing in the beginning because it didn't really explain how our main character had wound up with her new friends. But beyond then it was a solid story that once again tackled darker subjects. This is certainly a good book to show the consequences of your actions and also let them know you can always talk to someone.
A serious but amazing book to read. As before, the art and coloring was still fun and captivating to look at.