This story was so cute. The art was adorable and I really really loved the plot. Not going to lie, at one point I was really hoping that all three girls would find themselves in a relationship together but the way it ended was still really sweet.

The story follows Hawkins who was childhood friends with the jock, Chloe. Hawkins has a huge crush on Chloe's now girlfriend Regina and ends up asking Regina to the school dance but gets turned down. The three get tangled together when Regina asks Hawkins to tutor Chole in English (her grades need to get boosted or she is going to get booted from the team). Chloe realizes Hawkins is actually Belle, her dress wearing best friend and crush from grade school. After this things get complicated. Regina likes Chloe, Chloe likes Regina but also likes Hawkins, and Hawkins who used to like Regina now likes Chloe...what will happen??? Who will end up together? Will drama hit the fan? Read Belle of the Ball to find out.

10/10

It is not even halfway through 2022 and I just know this is going to be the best graphic novel of 2023 for sure. The characters were all so loveable, and the story made it impossible to put down. March feels so far away, everyone preorder this now.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

Wonderful queer coming of age story about three high school lesbians dealing with expectations, finding their true self, and charting the paths they truly want to take. Genuinely sweet and charming!

This sweet queer love story unfolded in a really natural (if slightly confusing) manner and I was in for all of it. Couldn't wait to read what happened next.

This is an absolutely lovely graphic novel that flies by, despite its fairly long length. As with 'Life of Melody,' Mari Costa manages to keep things sweet and hopeful despite exploring emotional, fraught territory. This queer-normative world is so wonderful, and the art style that brings it to life is just stunning. While I would've loved the book slightly more if Regina had to deal with her behavior a bit more, this was still so enchanting and fun--like a warm hug and a romp through your favorite place, all at once.

Belle of the Ball is a YA graphic novel about a high school sapphic love triangle. Hawkins asks Gina to the dance, but Gina's dating Chloe, who needs a tutor for English. As it happens, Hawkins is an English tutor, and she and Chloe have history...

There is so much good in this graphic novel - the art style, the pacing, the way the panels flow into each other effortlessly. Costa takes time to show a character's thoughts rather than just telling the reader outright, and it makes for a greater depth of understanding their motives and feelings. The plot is a little cliched, but the way Costa handles it makes this forgivable. You know what's going to inevitably happen, but it's exactly what you want, and it's done so beautifully that it's worth the read. I can see this being a comfort reread for a lot of people - myself included!

Thank you to First Second and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.