Rotem is an Israeli teenager who has fallen head first into the world of her current book obsession, Sunrise, and has no desire to come back to reality. Her friends don’t get it, her family doesn’t get it, and sometimes Rotem does not even get it. Lucky for Rotem, they meet Ayala, another bibliophile who does get it. Fueled by endless discussions about Sunrise’s vampire protagonist and the upcoming film adaption of the book, their friendship quickly grows and so does Rotem’s confusion about their feelings for Ayala.

Sunhead by Alex Assan is a love letter to anybody who was obsessed with paranormal romance or really any fictional world as a kid. This deeply touching and beautiful graphic novel gave my inner child the biggest hug I didn’t know I needed. The art, the quiet confusion, the hours depicted alone only with teenage imagination captured my own youth so perfectly that it reconnected me with a bit of myself that we all forget as we grow up. I am grateful that this story exists because in more ways than I like to share, it is my story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Assan, and HarperCollins Children’s Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I very much enjoyed this graphic. It is soft and lovely in its colors and tones, like a sunrise.
I think this lends itself well to the story, which is so slow and charming. It's quiet and sweet, giving the reader lots of space to fill when the characters are shown thinking about things. I like this story talks about waiting for a book to be translated into another language before being able to read it, and how that can play a big part in how a story is told and interpreted by teens all over the world.
The main character is struggling with why she likes the books main male lead so much, and how her new female friend and crush likes the books as well. Such a cute story, it warms my heart and gives a glimpse into first loves. <3

Sunhead is an ode to the teenage obsessed vampire fandom (you know the one) and filled with a blooming romance, centering on queer love.

As a former Twihard, Sunhead is relatable, nostalgic, and cozy. I felt transported back to 2008, back to high school where I, too, was obsessed with a certain vampire, dreaming of stumbling to one and falling deeply in love with him. Rotem portrays all of us who have loved a fictional character so deeply that we long to find that connection in the real world. When Rotem shares her love of Sunrise with Ayala, she makes a new friend and slowly begins to have feelings for her. The illustrations capture the parallel romance that Rotem thinks about in Sunrise, while her own romantic feelings for Ayala bubble up to the surface.

I would have loved more character depth, especially since the novel takes place in Tel-Aviv. But I also realize that maybe that's not the point? Maybe the point is just to capture a thing we are obsessed with and show an example of queer love, one that is sweet.

For teens who are looking for sweet queer romances, they will love this one!

Really cute but overall I wish the story had been a bit more developed. That being said, as someone who grew up in Israel, I thought the art and imagery were spot on! I felt like I almost recognize the streets, the school t-shirt took me right back to high-school (which was a trip), and the feeling of being so obsessed with something that no one else seems to care about was extremely relatable.

as someone who came of age during the twilight craze, this story really hit home in terms of the nostalgia and tenderness it evokes. it's a sweet story, with a good representation of sexual confusion, but the pacing and organization was a bit off for me. i also wanted more of ayala's character. i get that this is rotem's story, but ayala was introduced as a very compelling character and a lot of her nuance was eliminated by the end of the story. the art and story were really nice, but it could have used some organizational editing and supplemental development of characters that weren't rotem.

This was a cute, cozy story! It reminded me a lot of fangirl, except with high school kids and a different fandom. The Twilight parody fandom was so clever. I love the mentions of waiting for translations and international versions that subtly build a more realistic world around the characters.

#NetGalleyArc A beautifully written and drawn story about the different relationships in our lives. The story is realistic and one that any high schooler could relate to. A definite buy for my HS library.

This was a sort of odd book. Overall it felt very melancholy but that also very relatable. As a teen I definitely remember feeling exactly like this. Everything was soooo important and pieces of media became part of me and my entire life. I also remember the strange lonely and confusing feelings of dealing with my queerness and finding my people. I don't know if I would say this was amazing but it felt very real and relatable and I liked that. Definitely one I am going to recommend.

The book was a sweet coming of age love story between a young girl who is obsessed with what is copyright free twilight, and her new friend that who she gets into it. The artist aptly captures the feeling of teenage obsession with a beautiful pink cloud motif that flows throughout the narrative. The pacing is a little off, and a good amount of character development happens in montage, which I don’t love. Overall, it was a quick read with compelling elements, but not the strongest.