Kevin Panetta

"Bloom" is super sweet and soft, like a giant blueberry muffin! All the pieces fit together so well: the blue teal color palette, the coming of age/love story/family plot, and the lovable characters. Hector was by far my favorite, but nearly everyone in here (except Cameron, screw him) really lit up the pages. I also really appreciated the baking details that were included, even just simple things like mentioning laminating the croissant dough made me know that the author really knew what he show more was talking about.
Would definitely recommend "Bloom" as a tender, funny, heart-warming graphic novel! show less

Please pardon me while I squeal in delight! I've been waiting for ages for this trade to release, so that I could lovingly devour it. Wait... is it possible to devour something lovingly? No matter. That's what I did. I savored this graphic novel. See, Paulina Ganucheau's art is some of my favorite out there. It's candy colored delight, with a side of massive girl power. It's big hair, Sailor Moon type outfits, and the type of ass kicking that I can definitely get behind. It's friendship show more incarnate. In other words, Zodiac Starforce is my kind of series.

What's interesting about Kevin Panetta's story line, is that this isn't your typical "magical girl squad" lead in. Normally we'd be lead in with the girls getting their powers, learning to use them, and figuring out how to be a team. In this case, all of that has already happened. In fact, Emma and her crew have already saved the world. Or, so they think. What they're really trying to do is just reconcile their lives. What do you do after the dust has cleared, lives have been lost, and suddenly you're back in high school? Biology tests and all.

The story suffers just a little bit because of this. I knew going in that the story arc would start here, but I can see a lot of new readers feeling a bit lost at the fact that there's no solid start. Emma's world comes crashing onto the page, quite literally, out of nowhere. Her back story is partially laid out, as the story progresses. Still, there's never that super solid footing that you might normally get with a story like this. That's not to say that the story line, as it stands, isn't brilliant. It is. You just need to be prepared for it.

Again, back to the artwork, because I truly believe that's one of the biggest things Zodiac Starforce has going for it. Paulina Ganucheau is talented. Her art makes this magical squad of girls into something both real, and otherwordly at the same time. If you're debating at all about picking this up, let me tell you that the panels themselves are worth it. Watching these girls interact, watching them battle (while of course yelling their special battle powers at the top of their lungs), and watching them grow, are all worth it.

I have a soft spot in my heart for stories that feature friendship. For stories that scream GIRL POWER! to the world, and aren't the least bit sorry about it. That's why I love these ladies. If you're a fan of Sailor Moon, of candy colored worlds, and of girl squads who kick some ass, this is your kind of series. show less

Bloom – Kevin Panetta ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A cozy, heartwarming graphic novel about a boy in a band who isn’t happy with his life and dreams of leaving town to pursue music with his friends. His family owns a bakery, and his father wants him to stay and take it over—until Hector arrives, and something gentle and unexpected begins to grow between them.

I don’t read many graphic novels, but I loved this. The artwork is soft and expressive, perfectly matching the story’s warmth. After reading show more so much human darkness lately, Bloom was a true palate cleanser—comforting, tender, and quietly joyful.

The love story unfolds slowly, with small moments and shy glances doing most of the work. It’s cozy in the best way, and genuinely made my heart feel lighter. I wasn’t reading this for a complex plot or literary depth; I read it to smile, to feel warm, and it delivered exactly that.

Yes, the protagonist can be a little childish, and the plot is somewhat predictable—but honestly, I didn’t mind at all. This book knows what it wants to be: a gentle story about first love, self-discovery, and finding the courage to choose your own path.

A sweet, comforting read that left me smiling. Sometimes that’s more than enough. show less

So sweet it made my teeth ache, and not because of all the delicious-looking and sounding baked goods strewn throughout. Lots of foods I've never even heard of, but now I really want to try them!

I was a little worried that Ari was going to be far too flawed and have too many issues for things to work out with Hector...which is absolutely stupid, since the happy ending was all but inevitable, but I suppose that's good storytelling. The reader *should* forget that it's a finite story with an show more ending already in place. The illustrations were very atmospheric, conveying the change of season with total grace, and I loved how the artist worked flowers into and among the panels when romance was "blooming" in the narrative.

I am sort of disappointed that the author never managed to work in a pun about yeast also blooming, though. ;) show less