Can't finish off the year without a little romance and graphic novel goodness. Luckily, today's read combines both into one (what a time-saving niceness!) This is the first in a brand new, graphic novel series for young adult readers and slides into the romcom category with promises of situation humor and tons of swoon-worthy moments. Let's find out already if it fulfills all that it promises!
THE KISS BET
Vol. 1
by Ingrid Ochoa
WEBTOON Unscrolled
YA Romance / Graphic Novel
288 pages
COMING...
FEBRUARY 25th!!!
In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Faith Erin Hicks and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.
In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Faith Erin Hicks and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.
It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She’s got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.
But that’s all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment…or maybe all three.
Sara Lin understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special–true love’s kiss–and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.
Along the way, as Sarah explores her relationship options with three different boys...she discovers that life isn't a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It's messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.
In this adorable coming-of-age comic for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Faith Erin Hicks and Rainbow Rowell’s Pumpkinheads, Sara Lin has decided now is the time: she’s going to make her first kiss, something special and magical, happen.
It’s senior year and Sara Lin just turned eighteen. She’s got great friends, a cool dad (or so he thinks), and a whole lot ahead of her. The last thing she needs is to worry about having her first kiss.
But that’s all about to change because her good pal Patrick just challenged her to a bet that will either lead to love, heartbreak, or embarrassment…or maybe all three.
Sara Lin understands that her first kiss is a rite of passage, one that she takes very seriously, even if everyone around her doesn’t. She wants it to be special–true love’s kiss–and wants to fall for someone she really cares about, not just get it over with.
Along the way, as Sarah explores her relationship options with three different boys...she discovers that life isn't a fairytale and romance is inherently complex. It's messy and complicated, but boy, it sure can be fun.
MY TIDBITS
Cute moments meet angst and hesitation as a teen tries to deal with peer pressure surrounding a first kiss.
It's Sara Lin's birthday, and she's now eighteen. While that ranks her as a full-fledged adult, her friends tease her that she's still a child, considering she hasn't even experienced her first kiss. So, she takes on a bet that she can convince a guy at the subway to kiss her...and it bombs terribly. Brushing off the embarrassment as best she can, Sara Lin heads to school and discovers that a new, cute boy has joined the class. This is a guy, which has her truly dreaming of a first kiss. The dreaming, however, doesn't help her already sinking grades, which land her in after-school tutoring hours. But when she opens the door, Mr. Subway is sitting there as her tutor. The only way Sara Lin thinks she can save herself from ultra embarrassment is to disguise her appearance, but this might not be the best plan, especially when things start running amok in several areas at once.
This is the first volume in a brand new graphic novel series, which takes a girl on her first ride through crushes and kisses. Sara Lin is a ball of positive energy (with a touch of anxiety), who is satisfied in her own skin until her friends start pressuring her. She wants to keep everyone happy but doesn't know how to deal with her own awkwardness and embarrassment. Add quirky characters, a little jealousy, and unexpected situations at all the wrong (or right) times, and it's a read with lots of good feelings, smiles, and laughs.
The author brings across the emotions with a lovely sense of naivety and lets those most touching and awkward situations come across loud and clear. It makes Sara Lin very easy to empathize with and root for as she steers through each moment with lacking finesse. The pacing is slower because of this, which means there isn't a congested or heavy plot. Rather, it's a simple, fun read to dive into and get lost in each sweet moment.
The illustrations fit the atmosphere very nicely and offer a sense of pastels and cuteness, while dipping in clashing shades to add bite when required. The frame number stays more relaxed, allowing readers to soak up each scene. There are several small jumps in time with several flashbacks tossed in, which came unannounced (except for twice(?)), and this added enough confusion that I had to go back and check to see if I caught things right.
Fans of super-sweet romcoms with school drama and a touch of triangular relationships with hesitation, uncertainty, and even a sprinkle of enemies to lovers are sure to enjoy this one quite a bit.
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