I wasn't prepared for how this would give me all the feels. I love how the title came about. I love how the author explores the complexities of feelings, sexuality and relationships with so much nuance and care. I love the artwork and use of different colour tones to separate past and present timelines. I love the character growth. I love the themes of identity, belonging and adolescence. I love how this graphic novel made my heart ache.

Overall, a tender, beautiful and bittersweet read like no other.

In this sweet YA graphic novel, Leighton and Dylan find themselves in a camp for troubled youths after an impulsive incident. Told in a series of flashbacks, we see Dylan and Leighton’s relationship unfold with all it’s ups and downs. Discovering their identities and trying to figure out how they feel about each other, while coming from vastly different circumstances. I thought this book was really good, with really good nb and ace representation. I thought it did a great job at that really murky time in high school when people you thought would be in your life forever sometimes don’t end up that way, and as you grow and discover yourself sometimes you have to leave people behind. I really liked Cricket and Dylan’s characters, and it goes without saying the art is so, so well done. Really loved the character designs. It’s a nice, quick read that I definitely recommend.

Paper Planes is a great graphic novel with some awesome representation. I’m so happy I got approved for this one.

Dylan has my heart and I love them so much. It’s been quite awhile since I was in highschool but this took me right back. The awkwardness, the drama…:I definitely do not miss that time.

Paper Planes is a great coming of age tale (and learning consequences and boundaries)

First of all, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

“my proudest accomplishment hasn’t happened yet, and that’s okay.”

It’s a bittersweet coming of age story. Things are messy because kids don’t have it all figured out. I love the art style of this graphic novel. The tonal difference between then and now is so well done.

Leighton is not a very good friend and I don’t understand why. I get the whole “i have to fit in” agenda but you don’t get to ignore your so called bestie when they’re getting bullied and then talk to them in secret. Like bro, grow a spine or something.

Also the random racism that just hit me out nowhere was :/

And the ace rep was a bit :/. It’s a spectrum which should be respected. I feel like it wasn’t fleshed out enough to warrant the blowout it had.

AND let’s get rid of the “i like them so i’m bullying them” trope. please. we are TIYADDDD

Super cute graphic novel. The art is so well done I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the multiple time lines and the mystery of why these girls were sent to camp.

Thanks NetGalley, mad cav Studios and Maverick for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

3,5⭐
I really loved the art of this graphic novel, the ace representation was really important for me, as a Demi. See Leighton struggling with people trying to tell her that this is just a phase, that no exist such a thing as asexuality. Dylan trying to understand themself too was so Genuine.

Congrats to the autor, I'm looking forward to read more of your books.

This book was bittersweet, and heartwarming at the same time. It captures how external pressures on a friendship can create distances and misunderstandings that are difficult to bridge; and also how friendships can be built with just a little bit of empathy. I appreciate the ace and enby representation in this book. I also appreciate how the writer has explored how even seemingly "perfect" families can be dysfunctional, using privilege and power to manipulate the lives of children in those families. I actually would like a sequel to this, that picks up these characters at a later stage in their life, after they've become independent of their parents.
I loved the art style and thought that it was perfect for this graphic novel.

I received an eARC of this graphic novel via NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

This Graphic novel was precious to say the least. Two teenagers, up to trouble, sent off, communicating how? You guessed it, paper planes.
This story hurts your heart at times as well as helps mend it back together. It shows a really good look into what it was like being that age and feeling so many emotions and you just don't know how to express them sometimes.
I could see a lot of people the age of the characters resonating with this book, but as an adult its not really a book i would recommend to my friends.
Overal solid story, I just didn't LOVE it.

3.75 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

After an incident, two best friends are sent to a camp in the hopes of avoiding punishment. The tale of friendship being put to the test is compelling, especially because you sympathize with both characters as they make decisions that contradict the others'.

This was a really cute graphic novel. Im really enjoying discovering this new world of gn.

I loved the art and the story hurts but at the same time its sweet.

This is, simply put, a cute yet bittersweet graphic novel about the journey of sexuality as seen through two characters: Dylan and Leighton. These two spend the summer on a program for "troubled youth" after an unfortunate incident, where they occasionally communicate using paper planes.

Let's say that this story broke my heart and mended it all by itself. What I loved about this book is how sweet it was in its naivete and its purely innocent perception of life's dynamics that it settles the perfect tone for a story centered on two people who are so young (yet have to face quite a lot). The art style further contributes to this vibe by remaining simple yet colorful and not lacking in any sense.

I was so sad to see the two characters drift apart by the end, yet I can't deny it felt natural. It felt like exactly what had to happen. Leighton and Dylan needed to do their growing up and follow different paths. This doesn't mean, however, that I didn't instantly check Goodreads upon finishing to check if there was maybe a second part planned where they would find their way back to each other in the future.

This is a perfect read for anyone who wants a good coming-of-age story that reflects on the additional hardships an lgbtq+ teen may face. I would definitely recommend.

A bittersweet young adult story about all the messiness of the intersections of identities and untangling them while growing up. Dylan and Leighton are former best friends at a camp for troubled youth, and we spend a lot of time with them in the present interspersed with flashbacks to understand how and why they got where they are now. The art is lovely and the friendships and romances feel real. I'd love to see this world explored further.

Paper Planes is a story about growing up, about friendships, figuring out who you are - your gender, sexuality, what you want and enjoy in life. About expectations and prejudice.

I liked this graphic novel. I liked the subtle colours and the art. I liked that the story wasn’t simple, but also not twisting and turning. We very clearly were heading towards the ending that we got and I loved that.

Also, I always love and appreciate asexual rep and liked how it was explored here.

/ Denise

4.5. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this wonderful graphic novel. It’s a beautiful story about friendship, love, and how it can be bad for us, even when you don’t see it. The two MCs are great. They’re complicated, they each have their problems. But I really loved Dylan. They deserve a lot, and they are ready to do everything to protect the one they love.
Also Leighton and her journey to discover her asexuality was touching because her best friend is in love with her.
Good story. Really

I just loved this book, and I will definitely buy it for myself, and some friends. Everyone should read it. It's wonderful and beautiful, and emotional

TW: Misgendering, transphobia, Homophobia, Bullying, underage drinking, Acephobia

Thank you NeyGalley for the advance copy for review.

Paper Planes is a story about the struggles of self discovery and friendship. Leighton and Dylan have been friends since they were very young. Dylan is nonbinary and comes from a single parent working class home. They are living as they are without worrying about anyone's expectations. Leighton, who identifies as asexual, on the other hand comes from a wealthy two parent household and is trying to live up to her mothers high expectations. This puts a strain on their friendship at times. After an incident occurs at school they are sent to a camp for troubled youth. There they both have to reflect on the "incident", their friendship, and their lives.

This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated. I like how the flashbacks are represented in a different color scheme. The characters internal thoughts were a great addition to the story as a lot of graphic novels do not let us seen the internal struggles. I do feel like the story ending was rushed and it left me wanting more. There were some things that could have been explained in more detail. But overall a great coming-of-age story for the YA audience.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, the LGBTQ+ themes are always great to see in a YA novel. The more people learn, the better and it's awesome to see representation. The graphics are very well done, I loved the characters and how they grew so much by the end! Look forward to more from Jennie Wood.

Manga/graphic novels are not always my thing, but this was such a wonderful change of pace! So grateful to see characters from the LGBTQIA+ community—particularly asexual and non-binary representation. This is a lovely, quick YA read. Read it! You’ll love it!

Paper Planes is a graphic novel about Dylan and Leighton who are sent to a summer camp for troubled youth, who then determine if they have progressed enough in personal growth to return to their regular schools, or if they have failed and will need to be sent to an "alternative" school.

The complex dynamics between these characters was amazing to see and I loved to see how these 2 found each other and how their relationship went through its highs and lows. Both Dylan and Leighton had a lot of issues they were dealing with in order to feel comfortable in their own skin, and how this also affected their relationship to each other, and also with their family and friends was very interesting to see. Leighton was dealing with her feelings about being both asexual, as well as biracial with a grandfather she had never met and was being forbidden to see, as well as her parents trying to decide who should and shouldn't be in her life. Dylan was dealing with being from a family struggling to make ends meet, as well as being nonbinary and how that affected how they fit in with their peers and with Leighton. Dylan had to come to an understanding with Leighton on why Leighton did not have reciprocating feelings, and this struggle was very compelling to see.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I thought a graphic novel was the perfect vehicle for this story. The artwork was great and the use of color to show the timeline changes was great as well. Really a great LGBTQIA+ YA graphic novel that I still thoroughly enjoyed as an adult.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Maverick, and Mad Cave Studios for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC!

This is a beautiful graphic novel about learning one's sexuality and how hard adolescence can be. Non-binary rep, ACE rep, diverse cast, this was so cute/gave me the warm fuzzies. I loved the art style and Dylan and Cricket were everything!! This is one I will want to physically buy once it is released because I know I will want to re-read time and again. Love, love, loved the setting of the summer camp for troubled youth. Highly recommend!!

Dylan and Leighton have been friends ever since the disastrous roller rink party despite being from two very different worlds. During their last year of middle school, friendship transforms into something else, but an incident gets in the way, and the two find themselves at a summer camp for troubled youth trying to clear their names and stay out of juvie. Dylan can't figure out why Leighton won't be their friend anymore, but Leighton is stuck trying to find the right words to explain her feelings and asexuality.

This graphic novel was silly at times but tear-jerking at others. We get to look at why people are treated differently and what influences a person to make "bad" decisions. It's hard watching the two friends struggle to understand and express who they are and what they're feeling, but in the end, we all have to decide what's most important on our own. Really a clever book that I'll be thinking about for a long time.