There are no spoilers in this review.
Verona Comics, Jennifer Dugan
Publishing on April 21st, 2020 by G.P Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.
Buy Verona Comics on Amazon – Book Depository – Indiebound – Barnes & Noble .
Jubilee has it all together. She’s an elite cellist, and when she’s not working in her stepmom’s indie comic shop, she’s prepping for the biggest audition of her life.
Ridley is barely holding it together. His parents own the biggest comic-store chain in the country, and Ridley can’t stop disappointing them—that is, when they’re even paying attention.
They meet one fateful night at a comic convention prom, and the two can’t help falling for each other. Too bad their parents are at each other’s throats every chance they get, making a relationship between them nearly impossible…unless they manage to keep it a secret.
Then again, the feud between their families may be the least of their problems. As Ridley’s anxiety spirals, Jubilee tries to help but finds her focus torn between her fast-approaching audition and their intensifying relationship. What if love can’t conquer all? What if each of them needs more than the other can give?
☂️ TRIGGER WARNINGS: click here to see them.
anxiety and multiple descriptions of panic attacks, depression, talk about a previous suicide attempt, suicide idealisation, car accident, codependency, abusive parent (verbal and emotional neglect).
☂️ DIVERSITY: main character with social anxiety and clinical depression, bisexual main characters, queer main character, POC side character, adopted and Korean side character, gay side characters, f/f relationship.
I ENJOYED…
☂️
- Verona Comics is told through two different point of views and I appreciated both very much.
- Jubilee is such a passionate, determined musician and I loved that about her so much. She’s trying to get out of her comfort zone a little bit, she’s a chronic overachiever and worrier, she’s caring and I just really cared for her.
- Ridley was, oh, Ridley. I just grew really fond of Ridley, could relate to him on some aspects. Ridley just wants to meet his impossible father expectations and is struggling for his acceptance and I just want to hug him.
- The anxiety representation was incredibly well done. From the social anxiety to Ridley’s way of thinking, to the panic attacks descriptions, it was just incredibly well done and, well, you know I’m all here for books with anxiety rep and I was so, so glad to read and deeply relate to this and to Ridley’s anxiety.
- I really enjoyed the characters’ relationships.
- I liked the romance, I liked how it grew slowly over texting and how complex and messy it got once reality got into the whole thing. I liked the idea of opposite families and yet the characters falling in love anyway, a sort of Romeo & Juliet kind of thing.
- I really enjoyed the friendships, too! I loved how Jayla, Jubilee’s friend, was such a warm, wonderful, strong and protective presence in the story, especially.
- I think Verona Comics has one of the most realistic romances with one of the characters struggling with his mental health. I was a little surprised, to be honest, because I didn’t expected it to be so intense and so… well, hard to read, at times and please be careful and mind the trigger warnings before heading into this. That being said, the author managed to depict a wonderful romance, yet also managed to make it all realistic, not to spoil anything. I really appreciated that.
I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
☂️
- There are a lot of things I appreciated in Verona Comics, but I think I personally felt a little threw by just how intense of a read this could be, something I didn’t really expect while getting into this. It’s not really a criticism, just something that threw me off while I read and, maybe, something I wasn’t entirely in the mood for at the time of my reading. It’s a personal experience though!
OVERALL
☂️
If you’re looking for a realistic romance, a contemporary dealing with mental health and a little side of comics, you should pick up Verona Comics. With wonderful characters you’ll want to root for, it is a book I’d definitely recommend giving a try!
Final rating: 4 drops!
Thank you so, so much to Penguin Random House International & NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts and rating.
Did you read Verona Comics? Do you want to?
Do you have any recommendations of ya books dealing with mental health? Let me know in comments!
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Great review! I’m really looking forward to this one!
(www.evelynreads.com)
Thakn you so much!! I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Wow, this book didn’t strike me as intense at all!! Good to know before I dive into it– I was kind of expecting a You’ve Got Mail scenario with comics….
Great review!!
YES, me neither! I was a bit surprised to see how intense the story was and how focused on mental health it was, too. It was good though, we need more stories like this one and I loved it! 🙂
I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Great review ♥️
Thank you! 🙂
Great review! I already loved Hot Dog Girl, and I’m quite sure I’ll like this one as well. I’m quite excited to read it!
Ahhh yay! I hope you will enjoy it 😀 Thank you! <3
Wonderful review! Like you, I’m very sensitive when it comes to anxiety in books, so I’m glad it was well-handled here! xxx
Thank you so much my sweechie <3 <3 I hope you're doing okay <3
I’m good. How are you? Xxxx
I’m okay, hanging in there <3 take care of yourself my sweechie <3
I thought this was just a light book as well. I was surprised by how deep and intense the topics were. But I really enjoyed it. Great review! ?
I’m happy you enjoyed it as well! 🙂 Thank you so much <3
I read very few YA that deals with mental health- Fractalistic by Gerardo Delgadillo and The Space Between Time by Charlie Laidlaw
Ohh well thank you for the recommendations 😀
oh, this flew completely under my radar!! adding it to my tbr right now, you made it sound so good <3 i wasn't a complete fan of hot dog girl, but the mental health rep in this one sounds just up my alley. can't wait to read it, and i loved your review!! ?
Ahh, I’m happy to hear that! I really hope you’ll end up enjoying this one 🙂
Thank you so much! <3
Ah this sounds pretty good! I’m certainly looking forward to this one now. Great review! I’m happy you enjoyed it <3
Ahh thank you so much!! 🙂
Oh my gosh, I’m so excited by this book??? It sounds AWESOME. Diversity, a play on Romeo and Juliet, realistic romance, discussions on mental health?? It’s going STRAIGHT to the TOP of my TBR! Thank you for the great review, as always <3
AHH yay this makes me so happy! I hope you’ll love this book 😀
Thank you so much! <3
Ooh, this sounds so good! But I’m glad you mentioned that it’s a more difficult read than you expected, because the cover had me believe that this would be cutesy and fun. I’m glad to know how it is going into it. 🙂 I’ve recently finished The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim, and I adored that book. The love interest struggled with depression, and the main character’s mother was struggling as well, although I don’t think a proper diagnosis was given in her case, as they were figuring it out. (Bipolar was mentioned, though, as a possibility. And she had psychosis, that was diagnosed.) I really appreciated how raw and honest the novel was, even if it was a very difficult read. 🙂
I’m happy I could warn you! It was really a great read, but I guess I expected something a little more fluffy just like you at first ahah 🙂
Ohhh! That’s so, so good to hear, I NEED this book on my TBR now, you make it sound so good. Thank you!! <3
Great review as always ❤️
This absolutely sounds like something I’d enjoyed and I have added to my TBR immediately. I love that you liked the romantic relationship and that you felt the anxiety representation was well done.
Despite the heavy themes that you’ve mentioned this sounds really cute and definitely something I’d enjoy reading x
Ahh thank you Michelle, I hope you’ll love this book! <3
Wow, this sounds like a surprisingly hard-hitting read! I love that there’s good anxiety rep, that’s something that I’d love to see more of in books. Glad you enjoyed the romance, and lovely review!
It really was a surprising read, but I loved it! Thank you! 😀
This book sounds so fantastic! I was excited for it when I heard the premise because it sounds so cute, but I didn’t even know about the rep and that makes it sounds even better! Wonderful review Marie ??
Ahhh this makes me so, so happy! I hope you’ll love it! <3
How interesting that there is a side of comcis to this story. I suspected the entire thing to be that way! Thanks for your review, Marie. ♡
Thank you for reading!! <3