Crushes are stressful. Dating is disappointing. Every relationship, you either break up or get married & then divorced. Pies can’t hurt you.

Check Please! Book 1

Series Title: Check Please!
Author: Ngozi Ukazu
Publisher: First Second
Intended Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Romance, Graphic Novel, LGBT

Title: Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (#1)
Published: September 18, 2018
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 teapots

Title: Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones (#2)
Published: April 7, 2020
Pages: 336
Rating: 4 teapots

#Hockey: Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here! Y’all… I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking. And then, there is Jack—our very attractive but moody captain.

Sticks and Scones: I’m a junior on the Samwell men’s hockey team now, and not only do I have new teammates and new responsibilities and new pies to bake… I’ve got a new beau. ( Remember me ) Believe me: Dating a professional hockey player wasn’t anything I expected to do in college. My parents don’t know; my teammates have no clue… And Jack and I aren’t sure that we want to keep it a secret.

I’m not usually a graphic novel person, but I heard great things about this series, and it was recommended to me after reading Heartstopper (which I loved), so I thought I would give it a shot. Check Please! did not disappoint, and I think I might officially be a fan of graphic novels. 

The series follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle, an openly gay blogger with a baking obsession, and his 4 years at Samwell University on the hockey team. Over his 4 years, he makes lifelong friends, bakes endless pies, and even finds love with one of his teammates. 

What I loved about this series is how much it focuses on the relationships between the characters. Hockey is a very team-oriented sport (from what I know about it), so the team dynamic is a significant part of a hockey story, and Check Please! nails it. I loved Bitty, and watching the relationship that forms between him and Jack is a delight. I really liked the art style and the pacing of the story. My only complaint is that the storyline was a little disjointed at times, but that might be because I am not quite used to reading graphic novels yet. 

Overall, this series was a quick read but absolutely adorable. It filled me with all of the warm and fuzzy feels and has definitely made its way onto my comfort reads list.