Tag: Nick Taylor

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2026) Featured Review: A Bite of Pepper by Balazs Lorinczi

  • A Bite of Pepper
  • by Balazs Lorinczi
  • Margaret K. McElderry Books
  • Publication Date: August 26, 2025
  • ISBN-13: 978-1665970464

Much to the disdain of her mother, young vampire Pepper Mint has not yet earned her immortality and vampire wings by settling down with a partner. To Pepper that’s not much of a problem, she’d rather grab her board and do kickflips on a halfpipe than experiencing the banality of immortality at endless dinner parties. That is, until she meets an artsy young lady named Ana at the local cafe. Now the two of them have to navigate parental expectations, gnarly skateboard tricks, and a business plan to launch a skate brand. Would you rather live forever or live it up now with your new crush? 

A Bite of Pepper is a funny, unique, fresh-feeling graphic novel. The limited but colorful palette of blacks, greys, and pinks really pop off the page. The plot has the pleasant familiarity of young romance and growing up, then takes a left turn with a surprisingly in-depth (and entertaining!) B plot about launching a skate business. It lives up to all the fun that a book about a queer skateboarding vampire promises. 

Get this in the hands of any teens who love a humorous queer love story with a little sportiness mixed in such as Heartstopper, Check, Please!, or Blades of Furry. 

–Nick Taylor

Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2026) Featured Review: Suitor Armor by Purpah

  • Suitor Armor
  • by Purpah 
  • Ten Speed Graphic 
  • Publication Date: November 12, 2024
  • ISBN-13: ‎ 9780593835654

Lucia spends her days in a fantasy world as a lady-in-waiting for Kirsi, the daughter of the lord of the castle. Lucia lives a peaceful if humble existence, hiding her fairy wings away from the world as fairies are the enemy of the humans after a deadly war. Things take a turn once Lucia meets a suit of armor magically animated by the court mage. There seems to be a connection between the two. And hey, am I imagining things, or did that suit of armor just speak?

Suitor Armor by Purpah originated as a webtoon and still possesses that “just one more page” addictive nature in the graphic novel medium. What is especially impressive about the comic is the author’s ability to explain the history of this fantasy world while keeping the pace quick and the story beats character-focused. Although the main story of this first volume revolves around Lucia and the armor, the other characters have their own small romances and arcs that bring extra charm. 

Put this graphic novel into the hands of teens whose favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast. This would satisfy readers of fantasy graphic novels like Nimona and Wynd. Fans of fantasy romances like Sleepless and manga series My Sister Took My Fiancé and Now I’m Being Courted by a Beastly Prince would also feel right at home in these pages. 

– Nick Taylor


Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2026) Featured Review: The History of Everything by Victoria Evans

  • The History of Everything
  • by Victoria Evans
  • HarperAlley / HarperCollins
  • Publication Date: February 18th, 2025
  • ISBN-13: 9780063268906

Agnes and Daisy are goth besties who do everything together: binge-watch seasons of their favorite demon-slaying heroine on TV, ride their bikes to the record store, hunker down for horror movie marathons at the movie theater. They’re about to have the best summer ever until Agnes learns she’s moving away. Now they’ve got to make the most out of their limited time together and knock out their bestie bucket list items. All they need to do is keep all distractions out of the way, even that cute guy at the record store.

History of Everything is a fun and breezy slice of life read with a little romance thrown in. The timeless snapshot of friendship, shared fandom, and coming-of-age can’t help but put a nostalgic smile on your face. Agnes and Daisy are immediately charming characters. Their breezy dialog makes their friendship believable and it takes no time to get invested in them. The art style is clean and colorful with thick black lines reminiscent of a cartoon. 

Be sure to recommend this graphic novel to fans of Wednesday who love to see a goth girl shield their eyes from the sunny styles and temperaments of their peers. Readers who appreciate a slice of life read with deep dives into relationships like Pumpkinheads and Giant Days would also love to pick this up. 

–Nick Taylor