e-book, 352 pages
Release Date: January 9, 2024
Published by: First Second
Read from: January 13-14, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
TW: Gaslighting, Abandonment, Grief, Alcoholism
For Readers Interested In: Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Holidays, Racial/Ethnic Diversity (Vietnamese and some Korean is also represented), Magical Realism, YAGraphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, forgiveness, and lion dancing.
Valentina Tran was named after Valentine’s Day, which used to be her favorite holiday. But when Val learns the truth behind what happened with her parents and why she’s being raised by a single father, she realizes true love is a lie. This is reinforced when she meets the spirit of Saint Valentine, who tells her she and her family are cursed to always be unlucky in love. Val is ready to give into her fate, until one Lunar New Year festival, where a mysterious lion dancer hands her a paper heart, and ZING. Val becomes determined to change her destiny, prove Saint Valentine wrong, and give her heart to the right person.
Meanwhile, lion dancing is the only thing that has given Jae peace after his dad passed away. It’s also what keeps him connected to his father’s side of the family. Both Jae and his cousin Leslie notice Val at the Lunar New Year festival, and for some inexplicable reason, Jae hands Val a paper heart. But it’s Leslie, with his K-Pop good looks, who starts to date Val. Jae still feels this connection with Val and feels it’s somehow tied to how he feels about losing his father.
Both Val and Jae struggle with the spirits who haunt them as they are inextricably brought together in a love story that is satisfying, sweet, and moving.
*MY THOUGHTS*
When I saw that Yang had another book coming out, I was so excited! His basketball graphic novel is STILL one of my favorites! I love it so much! So when I heard this was coming out I knew I had to get my hands on this one. As much as I don’t like saying that cliche ass phrase lol But it’s the truth
The art in this is so amazing! Red is the prominent color and it ties in with Valentine’s Day and it means “celebrations and prosperity” in most Asian cultures. Sometimes it can be perceived as an angry color, but in this book is represented love, and luck, and good fortune. But the drawing is also amazing. I spent a lot of time just staring at some of the pages in the graphic novel because they looked so good. And idk what it is, but those full page spreads look BOMB on my iPad. Like even better than on actual paper. Reading graphic novels on my iPad is like the only way I can read them now thanks to this book lol
The story itself was good. It had some romance and some paranormal aspects to it. And that made me like it even more because I wasn’t expecting it. And the way the paranormal aspect is snuck in there is also pretty cool. Although the way she comes upon it is pretty sad. I don’t think I’ve cried from reading a graphic novel since I read The Prince and the Dressmaker. So when I felt myself getting teary when I read this, I knew that this was going to be a winner. And it was. I couldn’t stop reading this.
The writing in this was really good too. Normally when I read a graphic novel or a novel in verse I always feel like I’ve missed something or I feel a bit detached in some way. But I didn’t feel that at all with this one. I cried, I laughed, I swooned, and so much more. This book was nothing like I was expecting, and for that I loved it. I knew where it was going from the beginning, but the journey of how you get there is super cute.
Also, don’t go into this hungry…. The amount of pho they eat in this can only be rivaled by one thing….. The amount of pho I eat when it’s cold lol And they also brought up banh mi and I have never wanted to put fictional food in my face until that point. So now, I need some Vietnamese because just talking about it made me hungry.
This graphic novel was a lot of fun! I really hope you all pick this up. Not only will you get a great romance, you’ll also get some phenomenal art, and some knowledge about the Asian diaspora and how they celebrate things differently. This book is one of my favorite books of 2024 already!
Overall, I give this
