This was a charming book about finding yourself as a new adult while battling your demons. Georgie quits her job as a contract journalist after discovering a love for wrestling during an undercover article assignment on her local wrestling circuit. While there, she has hookups and gets into a relationship, battles an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, and makes close friends.

My only gripe about this book was the pacing: the story had enough material to be at least 50% longer. Instead, I found myself feeling a bit of "plotline whiplash" as we're often TOLD what happens rather than it being shown. This even happened with major plot points (such as how Georgie got into wrestling in the first place) and character progressions, which took away from the believability of the story even though it's based on some of the author's true experiences in wrestling.

That being said, this is still a heartwarming story about found family! It was a very enjoyable read, even though some of the heavier topics covered could have made it something that was difficult to get through.

I was really excited for this one, but it didn’t quite meet the mark for me. The beginning of the story felt jumpy. More than once I wondered if I had skipped a page, or missed a time jump. Further into the story things slowed down and the plot and characters were given the space to develop. I felt very invested for the second half of the book, getting into the side characters, relationship dynamics, the MC’s development…and then the ending felt like it came out of nowhere. I was really drawn in by the description for this book, expecting it to be much more of a romp, but found instead that it actually deals with some pretty heavy topics, like eating disorders, mental illness, abuse, and sexism. I think it’s a really important story to tell, and a side of wrestling and women's athletics we don’t often see in the spotlight. That being said, many of these topics were never really fully addressed, and a lot of growing relationships between characters felt left in the dust, with me curious to see how things continued to develop. I saw another reviewer express that this might have worked better as a series, and I am inclined to agree. Knowing that this is based on the author’s personal experience I can see how it would be tough to find a way to balance all the details, but I do wish it had been fleshed out at least a bit more. There is a note from the author at the end that explains some of why the book ends where it does, but it didn’t really satisfy my own reading experience. At first I wanted to give this two stars for how chaotic/abrupt it felt, but the middle of the book was really engrossing and so I’ve bumped it up to three. Side note: I thought illustrator Ornella Greco’s art worked really well for the balance of wrestling action and emotional drama!

I dove into this graphic novel with no expectations, and it absolutely captivated me! The author’s personal story shines through, revealing her truth and vulnerability on every page. The narrative flows smoothly, and the main character’s growth is apparent—even if it takes a little time for her to find her stride. Also, the graphic novel’s wrestling setting evoked nostalgic memories from my childhood. My only minor gripe? I wanted more! Questions about her future, love interest and friendship with Cassidy lingered, leaving me hungry for further exploration.

Content Warning: This graphic novel delves into eating disorders and abusive relationships, so approach it with care.

The artwork is a visual delight. From clothing details to room designs, each scene is meticulously crafted. The vibrant colors leap off the page, and I especially appreciated the character sketches at the back, complete with names.

Georgie, our relatable protagonist, grapples with self-perception and her relationship with Steve. Social media’s influence on beauty standards hits close to home, and we’ve all been there—stuck in relationships that drain us. Sacrificing our happiness for someone else’s sake is a painful reality. The novel beautifully portrays this journey from beginning to end, reassuring readers that they’re not alone. Kudos to the author for tackling such sensitive topics with vulnerability.

And let’s give a shout-out to J.T., Georgie’s unwavering friend. His candid advice and genuine concern add depth to the story.

In summary, this 4.5 star-rating graphic novel is a delightful, relatable read. I devoured it in one sitting and eagerly await more from this talented author. Perhaps a sequel awaits us—a continuation of Georgie’s brave journey. Many thanks for the authors and Humanoids Inc for the arc in exchange of my opinion.

This is such a deep, challenging story and I was not expecting that. The characters are so complex and flawed, that I knew it must have been based on the author’s life. Georgie wasn’t always a very likeable character, but that just made it feel so much more real. I loved JT and wished we would have seen him more!

I feel like this story might have been better as a series, rather than a single volume. There were so many important plot points that were glossed over or not really resolved, and I would have loved for them to be expanded on more.

I loved the art style! I think the costumes and characters designs were really well done. Wrestling worked so well in graphic novel form, as the colours and costumes really popped.

Overall, I thought this was such a unique and interesting read!

3 stars

Total Suplex of the Heart was an unexpected suckerpunch right to the chest. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel covers everything from eating disorders to toxic misogyny in the wrestling community to abusive relationships. I wish that there had been a bit of a warning as the colorful art style on the cover is very much at odds with the content within, but I don't regret spending my evening with this graphic novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Life Drawn for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I feel like this would have been better if it was longer or just written as a book rather than a graphic novel. It touched on some deep/important topics but it felt like there needed to be more

About halfway through this slice-of-life graphic novel, I realized that what I was reading felt too deeply personal to be anything less than semi-autobiographical. So when I got to Joanne Starer's afterword, discussing how this story was based on her own life, I was both unsurprised and deeply moved by the grace and honesty she displays in looking back on that time and her legacy, and how she survived.

Total Suplex Of The Heart is based on the author's experiences in the world of professional wrestling. Our heroine Georgie is a freelance writer pursuing a story when she gets invited to work on the local wrestling circuit. She's hired to be "just" a valet who escorts the actual wrestlers out to the ring but the rush of applause becomes an endorphin hit that's amplified when she becomes a bigger part of the performance. Soon, instead of working on her story, she's hanging out at the ring and making friends and lovers, even as she's trying to rebuild her self-esteem from the beating it keeps taking from her abusive mom.

Once Georgie settles into a relationship with a nice, dorky wrestler, they move out to Pennsylvania and start working on a wrestling school of their own. But the longer they stay together, the more obvious it becomes that her boyfriend isn't the decent guy he seems, even as Georgie's struggles to found an all-women's company come up against unexpected obstacles. What will Georgie do when everything seems lost? Will she be able to find her way through while figuring out who her real friends are?

Woooof, this book reminded me so much of my own twenties (only amped up to eleven) that it was genuinely hard at times to look away. My mom wasn't as batshit as Georgie's, my boyfriends not as terrible, and my grimiest time in the spotlight was both shorter and in the rock band circuit. That said the emotional touchstones felt very raw and relatable, as Georgie is genuinely doing her best with the inadequate set of tools she has for coping with relationships. As the reader, you know she's making poor choices, but it's hard not to feel compassion towards someone who is not only genuinely trying to do no harm to others but is also striving to make others' lives better. It helps too that she never wallows in self-pity, even as she very much acknowledges her own flaws and insecurities.

Ms Starer also perfectly depicts the struggle to belong, to make friends, to know that excellent advice can come from the worst people, and that sometimes it's the ones you love the most who will betray you the most deeply. It's a wonderful coming-of-age story that absolutely works as the beacon of hope and courage she wants it to, a sort of message in a bottle for other young women who might be stuck in similar emotional circumstances. You don't have to stay stuck. It's hard, but keep doing your best. Courage will find you.

Ornella Greco's art is perfect for this tale of real and mostly young people basically turning themselves into cartoonish entertainers. The cuteness of the art goes quite a way to lightening the heaviness of the themes. My only criticism of the art is that I occasionally had to backtrack to get the correct flow of the word bubbles, which is a very, very minor criticism of any graphic novel but especially one where the expressiveness of the characters' faces does so much already.

I hadn't been familiar with either creator before this book but I've definitely taken note of their talents now. This is a fantastic book for anyone who's ever had a turbulent twenties or ever loved someone going through the same.

Total Suplex Of The Heart by Joanne Starer & Ornella Greco was published June 18 2024 by Life Drawn and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781643379562">Bookshop!</a>

I'm rating up on this one because I love how honest Starer's story feels. It's somewhat based on her personal experience and you can feel that coming through on the page, it just feels like we're missing parts of the story, which is a little silly because there's only so much you can fit into a graphic novel.

There are so many elements to explore: the misogyny and bizarro world of wrestling, Georgie’s mental health struggles and the trauma from her awful mother, and awful relationships that Georgie is convinced are all she deserves. You spend so much time wanting to yell at her for the decisions she makes over the course of the story, but the more you learn about her, the more you just want to hug her and help her find people that are actually supportive of her.

Overall, I didn't find it particularly entertaining, but I loved the story it tells.

Happy thanks to NetGalley, Humanoids Inc., and Life Drawn for the read!

Oh boy, this was...intense. It discusses a lot of complex topics including eating disorders, the cycle of domestic abuse, sexism, homophobia, and mental illness, but I felt as though it didn't give enough air to any of these topics for them to feel fully explored. The main plot jumps around quite a bit, and there are several time skips that occur seemingly at random. Overall it feels like the author has a very interesting story to tell, but wasn't able to focus on a concise enough track for the story to feel satisfying.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review from the publisher. Content warning for eating disorders, OCD, child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual harassment and assault.)

Working as a freelance journalist, Georgie decides to go undercover in the local wrestling circuit - both in pursuit of a good story, and to prove to her overbearing mother that she does, in point of fact, have a "real" job. Navigating the male-dominated world of wrestling is hard enough; doubly so when you're grappling with an eating disorder and are prone to toxic relationships. Georgie quickly gets swept up in the drama of it all, both in and out of the ring, and before she knows it, this simple story has changed her life: she quits her job, enrolls in online college, and relocates to suburban Pennsylvania to be closer to her new boyfriend, Steve. But when he proves to be the biggest mistake of all, can Georgie pick up the pieces of her life and move on?

I really wanted to like TOTAL SUPLEX OF THE HEART - I mean, that premise! the title! - but it's not without its flaws. Chief among them: the story feels really disjointed, like we're skipping from one moment in Georgie's life to another, without any transition. One minute an untrained Georgie is trying to get a job at the local ring; the next, she's actually performing with other wrestlers. She and Steve are maybe dating, then - bam! - she's joining him in PA. Georgie is sexually harassed and even assaulted at multiple points in the story, and then the issue is just kind of ... dropped? Even Georgie's recovery from an eating disorder feels a little too easy; anticlimactic, even. Maybe it's because I read the ARC, but the story felt a little unpolished.

On the plus side, the artwork is lovely, and there are enough PARKS AND REC references to satisfy the poetic, noble land mermaid in all of us. I also loved the scenes with JT and his mom - I wish we'd seen more of those two.