I loved this comic, it was heartwarming, sweet and the characters and art were top-notch.

There was so much filled into this comic, it was perfect.

Thank you Net-galley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I got this book as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in August. I loved this comic so much! It's a beautiful love story between two BIPOC teenagers. One of them is also disabled with Cerebral Palsy. It was so good and so wholesome but also just so genuine and perfect. It dealt with the themes of disability and anti-bi sentiment and ptsd so well. I loved the story within the story too. Go buy this comic in August.

Navigating With You jumped right up with my favorite YA graphic novels ever, such as Lumberjanes (one of the main characters reminds me of an older Ripley!) and Heartstopper (same wholesome vibes).

I usually go through graphic novels quite quickly, but this one I didn't want to rush and I'm already excited to re-read. It's such a sweet story of two seemingly very different people discovering themselves and each other and realizing how much more they deserve than their bad past experiences.

Something interesting in this book is the way the story alternates between Neesha and Gabby's tale and the obscure manga volumes they're trying to find and read. Yes, there is an actual manga sequence everytime they find and read a volume, it's not just something they refer to! That story is a bit more simplistic and reflects what's happening in their lives. It serves as a catalyst for deep conversations and moving their relationship forward. I enjoyed this unconventional way to split the story and move it forward, kind of like quotes at the start of new chapters that give you an idea of what's coming next.

Healing stories of self-acceptance like this one are my favorite. If you're looking for a tender tale about two geeky girls and like your books with plenty of LGBTQ, disability and neurodivergence representation, you'll probably enjoy this one as much as I did.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.

Review to come in July on blog/Goodreads/other places.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.

Two girls, one manga, friendship and romance (ship ship shippity) ensue and I was fully in for it!

I loved that we got to see things from both of the girls POV (and I love how each had their own colour so you would know instantly who was talking, pink for Neesha and blue for Gabby). Not just see Neesha, but also see Gabby. Learn everything about these two. Their home situation. Both settling in with their new homes far away from things. Gabby who is still mourning the loss of her mom (and seriously that part that they were in the rental for a fun weekend and she had a PTSD episode about what happened made me cry so hard), Neesha with the fact that her parents are divorced. Neesha who has Cerebral Palsy and what she encounters on her way through life (some very unfair things that just made me angry). I am happy to see more rep. I don't have Cerebral Palsy myself, but we need more rep in books.
And seeing two girls find out they like each other was just so cute and sweet! I loved seeing them go from acquaintances (and maybe in Neesha's case OMG this girl talks so much WHYYY) to friends to lovers! It was just so sweet and I loved how well they matched together and complimented each other. I also love how mature they were with their relationship, how they were able to talk about everything (OK, maybe not instantly but they definitely didn't make a drama out of things). Plus, seeing them bond over the manga + even have a little competition was just so fun.

Also, Gabby is BIIIII! And I love that as a Bi girl myself. We need more Bi girls!

I loved that we got to see the manga! Of course, probably just the shortened version, I mean, no manga is 5 pages per volume, imagine the costs! And no one would buy it then, haha. But I did appreciate it being added and I loved seeing what happened in each volume. It was a lot of fun and the story was great. Plus, I love love the direction it took and I would love to read the full thing now.

OH AND THAT CONVENTION! When they met the mangaka of the series! OMG I WAS TEARING UP AGAIN. This book!!!

The ending, or well last part, made me sad, but I am glad that these girls made the best they could, and I am sure that their relationship will survive this and they will just come out stronger and better. These two are just destined to be together.

Bonus points as well to Neesha's mom. She was so sweet, but I also loved how she was just shipping her daughter with Gabby, haha.

I really liked the art in this one! Great character designs. Lovely backgrounds. Fantastic style of art, I need more of this artist!

Oh, and I love the bonus illustrations/designs which include the manga.

And Josh needs to fuck off. Not believing his girlfriend is Bi, dismissing her when she eats a bit more, talking about her tan/colour disappearing, geez.

All in all, this is one graphic novel I would HIGHLY recommend. Cute, fun, mature, sweet, and with two fantastic characters!

I absolutely fell in love with this book & these characters! Such great disability and LGBTQ+ rep! The illustrations were so bright, diverse and joy provoking! Neesha has CP and is guarded due to past experiences when ate starts at her new school. Gabby is starting the same school after her Dad’ s job gets moved and she experiences some trauma of her own. From a forced friendship (thanks to Gabby), to inseparable best friends and finally to being together we follow these two as they collect a Manga series they both loved in the past but never finished. Bringing them together and helping them see who they truly are to each other along the way! I can’t wait to continue their story, as I hope there will be a second volume!

I loved the art style and the story was very engaging. There are a lot of moving moments as these two characters get to know each other and fall in love, something I always enjoy. They're both very different and endearing. The representation is also diverse and handled very well. Overall, a cute romance that had a lot more depth than I was expecting.

Absolute 5 out of 5 for this story! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A queer, coming of age romance that pulled at my heartstrings. Both Gabby and Neesha remind me of different aspects of myself growing up, and the idea that they were brought together by a manga series is so relatable. From the start, both characters are really well fleshed out and you get to watch them grow after they both move to a new, Southern town. The microaggressions both characters experience (abelism, racism, homophobia, and sexism) are very accurately portrayed and you can see how it affects both characters in different ways.

There are times where the more traumatic parts of the story feel like the bog things down a bit, but those moments are also very important for understanding why the characters are the way they are. Super mushy and a happy ending!

It was the cover that hooked me. I was so excited to have access to this story and it did not disappoint. I loved both characters pretty much from the beginning. I also liked how the comic within a story was woven in. The story flowed well and felt authentic. Both characters were developed and easy to connect with so it wasn’t hard to root for them. The story kept a good pace and had me all the way to the end. Honestly, I didn’t want it to end. I hope more of this story is made or more like it. It was such a cute read that I urge others to check out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

My heart just can't take it! Navigating With You is the cutest queer romance GN since Heartstopper, and I absolutely LOVED it.

The art is adorable and I really enjoyed the slow burn of friends > crushes > girlfriends in this book, and that it all started over a manga - ugh! Too perfect. If you want the feeling of a high school 'idk what I am' girl crush without all the internal angst and turmoil, I highly recommend this one.

There was a lot of exposition along the way which was really well done, it felt like you got to know the characters alongside each of them getting to know each other as well. I thought the handling of Neesha's disability was *chef's kiss* and seeing her slowly open up to Gabby was so sweet. Neesha's mom is incredible, coaching her along into getting more vulnerable.

I realllllly hope they make another book, it would be so awesome to see the characters together at college!

Best line of the whole thing for me was "No guns, no drugs, no burritos made by white people".

Thanks to Netgalley and Maverick for the arc! :)

I was absolutely in love with this whole book! To see such good representation of disabilities and the lgbtq+ community is honestly amazing! But to also see diverse cultures being represented too is beyond amazing!
The way the story just works 😩 and the way it all interlinks is amazing 👏
Also, the links of the graphic novels to manga are amazing and work so well with the full storyline of the book. I'm not one to usually get emotional over books, but the ending of this book nearly had me crying. I need more stories from Gabs and Neesha!
I'm not too sure how much I can say about this book but if you're into teen romance, lqbgt+ romance, strangers - friends - lovers, school romances, manga references etc you'll definitely love reading this book!
Do keep in mind this is a graphic novel, but don't let that fool you! Definitely consider looking into this book when it's available to the public!
I'm absolutely stoked for this book to release to the public and hit shelves. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC of Navigating With You.
Ohhh.... this book's an absolute gem. I really loved reading it. I liked the way the story was told. And the characters were amazing. I loved the romance that was forming between Neesha and Gabby. They were so cute together. And I loved the way they supported each other.

4,5⭐️

Really cute and heartwarming story, tho I might have shed some tears along the way.

Looking for a comic series out of print two girls are also finding themselves and comfort in each other's arms. Definitely would recommend to everyone!

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

This graphic novel in an absolute gem. In this story about finding oneself, the two main characters who go from friends to girlfriends exist outside of their relationship, they are never defined only by the fact that they are POCs, queer or disabled, yet everything is tackled with care. This is representation at its finest. The book also touches on subjects like mental health and abusive relationships.
Although they bond through their love of a manga, Gabby and Neesha have many different interests and we get to know them at the same time as they get to know each other and each other’s cultures. They are complex and interesting characters that you can’t help but find endearing and root for.
I can’t wait for this graphic novel to be released so I can recommend it to everyone.

Navigating with you definitely had so many elements that I loved. Many that I could recall experiencing myself all while adding an extra element of searching for the last manga in a series. The fact that it touched on how many people are discriminated against for not looking disabled all the time, as many conditions occur or are portrayed differently, was important.

While I know that I cried a lot and was mad a lot as a teen, and these experiences are realistic, it did slow the story a bit - I'm excluding the traumatic/processing moments.

This book had a few additional serious topics that I actually didn't expect, but I think they were handled and portrayed very well: loss of parents and PTSD. Plus, exploring your boundaries and more.
This was a lovely book, and I know it will be perfect for recommendation with the upcoming summer. Young readers (and older readers) will be looking for new books/ new exposure.

First off thanking the publisher for a copy to review, I’m so excited to get to try new voices and stories due to it.

This is such a wonderful story of learning and discovering yourself.
It touches the topics of disability, bisexuality, a bit into race, ptsd and it’s sooo wholesome. Easily should be for readers in middle/highschool, heck even adults will learn a thing or two for compassion. The artwork is super cute and lovely color palettes, easily reader friendly for ebook.
I adored our main ladies and the parents of them for being so in tune and supportive.Easily is a novel by itself, however there is room if one were to add to it.

Navigating With You is a POC-led WLW romance about two high school girls that bond over their favorite manga. I loved the way each character was drawn, particularly the expressiveness of their faces. Neesha and Gabby were both well-developed characters with difficult backstories, but I rooted for them throughout the journey. Gabby was my favorite character, her energy jumped off of the page and I could clearly see her story.

I think Jeremey Whitley did a particularly good job in portraying a main character with a disability, and the challenge of maintaining your independence & asking for help when you need it.

My only minor complaint is that mixed throughout the story were portions of the fictional manga story that the girls were so excited about. This was kind of cute, but I felt like there were too many of these interludes & I did not love the style of the manga.

Thanks to Mad Cave Studios, Net Galley, and Jeremy Whitley for the chance to review!

A sweet LGBTQ romance between two high schoolers who bond over an obscure manga? Yes, please! I very much enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story. The romance was sweet and I really love how the story and characters were fleshed out.

A charming and sweet story about two girls who find friendship and romance when they try and find the missing volumes of their favorite manga. Neesha Sparks is a disabled community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is a optimistic surfer, and both girls are new kids at school. When they both discover that they like the same manga series, Navigator Nozomi, they become friends. Neither of them has actually finished reading the series and decide to track down the remaining books together... and along the way find romance and friendship in each other. This was a really sweet read and the story was touching, I love the emphasis on friendship and the slice of life aspect of the story was great. I would absolutely recommend this book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Mad Cave Studios | Maverick for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*