I liked this graphic novel but I think it could have had better character building - it fell a little flat to me. I was pulled in from the beginning and I think it was a great premise and vehicle to show dealing with difficult hardships, but it felt like it needed to be another 100 pages longer. Beautiful artwork and enjoyable read.

Slip was such a fantastic graphic novel. I loved the way that the author dealt with heavy issues by using art as a way to talk about them. I think that this graphic novel would be a great addition to any school, public, or personal library. Overall, this is one of the best graphic novels that I've read all year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a beautifully illustrated, heart-wrenching story that I enjoyed a lot. I thought that a bit of the impact was lost in the choice to make the majority of the novel black and white, and while I understood why the decision was made, I think that a lot of the vibrancy of the story was dulled slightly by it. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters, especially the friends Jade made at the Art Farm, her crush on Mary, and the eventual relationship between them. The pacing was pretty well done, though it seemed a bit slow at times, and the plot, while a bit repetitive at points, was also interesting and worth reading. 4.5/5 stars from me!

Slip follows Jade's summer at an art camp immediately following her best friend's attempted suicide, and Jade must work through her own emotions and reactions to her friend's pain while also trying to earn an art school scholarship.

Overall I enjoyed the story and watching Jade work her way through her pain by working on her art. I thought the queer representation was well done but there were a few things that felt a bit flat for me. It was an extremely fast read which didn't leave a lot of time to develop Jade's relationships at camp. I would have liked to see some of those relationships developed more fully.

I loved the artwork. I think it would have worked better if the pages were in full color. I find it an odd choice to have a book all about an artist and then only have the work be in black and white. I think this could have done a lot for the book.

I felt like the take on mental health and suicide in this one was good in some sections but really harmful and triggering in others. I really wanted to love this because art and mental health are two of my favorite things so I was sure I would love this one but I just didn’t.

This was difficult to read due to formatting issues in my digital file... but what I could make out of it looked fantastic. Great artwork, dynamic actions and dialog, and an intriguing story. I just wish I could've gotten a better experience of it.

This was a heart-wrenching story about mental health, friendships and relationships and the harm that can come from carrying too much.

This graphic novel does a good job demonstrating how one can really get stuck inside their own mind when a conflict arises. When Jade’s best friend has a suicide attempt right before Jade is supposed to leave for an important art camp, she feels completely conflicted. She wants to be there for her best friend but her art is important to her. And those feelings manifest in her work. The feelings of helplessness, of anger, of betrayal, even… they get inside Jade’s head and she feels utterly lost.

Thankfully, she meets Mary, a fellow art camper. She is a bright spot in the dim that Jade feels surrounding her.

I loved the art style. I loved how art was such a big part of this graphic novel. I thought that the message was really important but I felt that the ending was just kind of lackluster.

This art and mental health focused graphic novel will really touch all who read it. Please note though that this is a more mature graphic novel than it looks because it deals with suicide but does so in a very thoughtful way.

this story is one that is hard hitting but done in such a way its respectful. the characters are ones you instantly like and the story line drags you in the more and more you read.

the only down side was reading this book on the netgalley app was hard to do but as soon as i downloaded the PDF it was easier to read

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of the "Slip" graphic novel!

I read the ebook about a month ago (and promptly forgot to review it).

It was very fun! I didn't realize it would be as fantastical as it was, and that definitely threw me. I also thought it was a bit too skippy. Scenes would fly by and it made the timeline hard to follow. I did like the idea of Jade's emotions taking physical form. I also liked her relationship with Mary. And her rival. It was an interesting story. I don't know much about pottery but I enjoyed following along.

Definitely a fun, sweet queer story! I'd recommend to any YA reader.

This is a beautiful little graphic novel. I read the whole book in one sitting without moving. It was so cute but deep and handled hard topics in lovely way.

My one critique is that it felt like the world was a little under developed. I didn't fully understand the whole fire and talking to Phoebe thing. It didn't matter as much I thought it would because I could still understand the story.

There representation was done well I think. I related deeply to the feeling of being lost when your best friend the person you share everything with gets in trouble and cuts you off. You feel helpless and I saw that in Jade. I also felt seen in the way Jade blames herself for Phoebe illness. The way she trying to think of all the things she could have done, or could have said to make Phoebe feel better but sometime it just slips through the cracks and we miss it and I saw that in Jade and it made her feel real and raw.

On a lighter note the little slivers of queer relationships were so cute and refreshing after the dark topics. The setting was cute and the camp seemed so fun even though she didn't always want to be there. 😂

To wrap it all I thought it was a well advertised short summer read. I enjoyed read this book.

This is a young adult graphic novel about a young girl who is very into making clay creations, and she gets into an art intensive retreat. Once there, her goal is to build up a portfolio so that she can apply for scholarships at art colleges. What could be better than that? Unfortunately, the night before, her beast friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide, and ends up in the hospital. This is the same best friend who helped her find the retreat.

How does one reconcile being at this fantastic retreat where you are going to learn so much about art, while your best friend is somewhere back home, trying to recover. Jade is not allowed a phone, so she has to just think about that the signs might have been. What did she miss? She takes to sketching her, and then burning the paper, to release her memories.

And throw in a little flirting, from Mary, one of the other artists there, all while Jade is worrying about her best friend. Can she fall in love, and still help Phoebe?
The author apparently based the retreat on one she attended.

Very intense graphic novel. The art is amazing, as well. Not sure if it will be in color when it comes out or not.

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

Jade did it. She got into art camp and now has a chance of winning a scholarship for art school. It should be the happiest summer of her life except right before she leaves for camp, her best friend tries to complete suicide and is hospitalized.

SLIP is Jade's story as she tries to cope with nearly losing her friend, navigating a relationship, and discovering who she truly is as an artist.

I loved that this was depicted as a graphic novel and feel no other form would have done it justice. I understand why the start of this is in black and white, but I wish there was more color as Jade started excelling with her art and relationships, discovering herself. I also wish Jade and Mary were more rounded characters. I appreciated the LGBTQ representation but was hoping for more. To me, the storyline also just fell short. I also am confused about the characters' age. I thought these were middle school kids and then realized they were older teens, but their actions, thoughts, and feelings seemed more MG to me. Then there were instances of mature language, which confirmed this would be for more mature teens, but again, the characters didn't feel old enough to me.

Overall, it was a fun read, but not a text I would use in my classroom.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was a tough one to read. Jade finds out her friend Phoebe has attempted to take her own life. There is nothing Jade can do as she is on her way to a summer art intensive. The story takes place over a short period of time as Jade tries to make sense of Phoebe's attempt all while trying to focus on her art in preparation for art school. Serious topics covered in an authentic way with real emotions.

When Jade is about to leave for a competitive art camp, her best friend Phoebe tries to take her own life. Jade still goes to camp, but struggles with guilt and grief as she tried to continue living her life, making friends, falling in love. This was a really heavy but beautiful graphic novel. It showed really well the complicated emotions and thoughts that friends and loved ones might feel when someone they know struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts/actions. The characters are so well developed, and the plot development is perfectly paced. I highly recommend this graphic novel.

I was not a fan of this book. I didn't care for the art style, the story, or the lack of color in a book set at art camp. There are so many wonderful graphic novels out there, but this one didn't stand out to me.

Any excellent exploration of the global impact of suicide and the demons that live deep within every person. A must read.

I enjoyed the artwork in the book and the small pops of color against the mainly grayscale images. The story was....weird...depressing...I'm not really sure. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting. It was a complete story and may be great for some people, but just not my thing.

This was such a delight to read but also full of so many raw emotions. While the initial focus seems to be on suicide attempts and both the guilt we can feel for not spotting signs to anger towards the person for not having said anything, there is also a lot more happening, mainly, life continues and Jade, while trying to heal her own wounds, also deals with finding her own path in the art world and creating meaningful relationships with those around her. Nothing ever exists in a bubble and we see how this presses down on Jade during her time at camp.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Slip is a such a gem of a YA graphic novel. It's poignant, warm, and a honest look at how suicide affects those beyond the victim. With touches of magical realism, romance, and a simple style of illustration, I found it to be a really immersive read.

Jade is on the verge of attending a competitive art camp that offers the opportunity for scholarships and more for high school students interested in art school. However, shortly before she leaves, her best friend Phoebe attempts suicide. Feeling conflicted and confused, Jade goes to camp but struggles with her ability to focus and dedicate energy to creating a series of ceramics worthy of a show. While at camp she juggles her anger and sadness, making new friends, her lack of self-worth, the criticism from the instructors and classmates, and a budding romance.

The confusing mush of feelings Jade endures is really relatable to anyone who has have a loved one suffer from serious mental health issues. She understandably doesn't know how to to process Phoebe's actions and wants to be there for them, but is unable to reach out for a variety of reasons. As a person who has been on the other side of the coin, having had suicidal ideation myself, it's really easy for me to witness Jade's slurry of hurt towards Phoebe but also understand how a character Jade idealizes as happy, supportive, and untroubled, kept the darker parts of herself hidden.

I appreciate the energy around the other characters - most of them feel unique, easy to picture. The art references that crop up are also a great touch. I was delighted to see one of the characters expose Jade to The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago. And the explanations around some of the fine points of ceramics were super helpful to a person who has never been within a hundred feet of a kiln.

The only element that felt a little disconcerting to me was illustrator Aatmaja Pandya's styling of the teen protagonists. When I picked Slip up I assumed it was a book featuring characters who were in late elementary or middle school and was stunned to learn that Jade was supposed to be teen. The limbs of the students are really undefined, giving them a child-like quality. I totally get that it's a stylistic choice, but it was distracting that I kept having to remind myself that the kids who are kissing are like, 16 and not 10. Jade in particular, with the way her hair is styled, just feels much younger than she's supposed to be.

That being said, Pandya's straightforward style is otherwise really clean and approachable. I love the palette, which is primarily a monotone of light purple, but gives readers a pop of red in significant moments. It's very well done.

This was a really sweet read that does a great job to handling a serious topic in a way that feels approachable, but not sugarcoated. A perfect graphic novel for an older middle grade reader to a young adult. I'm so glad I had the chance to pick it up!