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Encore!
In this queer rom-com graphic novel for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom, two ex-best childhood friends reconnect again in high school only to discover they might be something more than friends. Based on the popular Webtoon of the same name!
Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life—and his theater class—it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.
As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through?
Senior year is in full swing, and Clay’s determined to have a good year filled with friends, theater dreams, and newfound confidence. But when his ex–best friend, Aron, suddenly reappears in his life—and his theater class—it throws a wrench in all of Clay’s plans. Annoyingly, the two are paired up during an improv exercise, and being vulnerable together onstage swirls up all sorts of old, complicated feelings. Even more annoyingly, Aron is acting like there’s nothing weird or confusing about being back in each other’s orbits again. Which is ironic, since Aron was the one who ghosted Clay in the first place.
As their class assignment continues and they spend more and more time together, Clay isn’t sure he can keep his old feelings buried. But can he trust Aron again, after everything they’ve been through?
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
June 27, 2026
If you love queer joy, theatre and/or dnd… you gotta read this one!
April 8, 2026
This ended up being a really solid, quietly emotional read.
What stood out most to me was the history between Clay and Aron. Their falling out isn’t overly dramatic, but you can feel how much it still affects them. That awkwardness of being around someone who used to be important to you—but isn’t anymore—felt very real, and the story handles that tension well.
Clay was easy to connect with. His insecurities and fear of being left behind felt grounded without being overexplained. Aron’s growth also worked for me—he’s not perfect, and it takes him time to understand both himself and what he did wrong, which made things feel more believable.
The theater setting was a fun touch, especially the improv scenes. It gave them a reason to interact and be vulnerable in ways they probably wouldn’t have chosen on their own.
The art style is bright and expressive, and while it’s not anything super new, it fits the tone of the story really well.
It does feel familiar if you’ve read other queer YA graphic novels, but I don’t think that takes away from it. It’s more about how well it executes those familiar beats—and this one does that well.
Overall, it’s sweet, a little messy, and very character-driven.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What stood out most to me was the history between Clay and Aron. Their falling out isn’t overly dramatic, but you can feel how much it still affects them. That awkwardness of being around someone who used to be important to you—but isn’t anymore—felt very real, and the story handles that tension well.
Clay was easy to connect with. His insecurities and fear of being left behind felt grounded without being overexplained. Aron’s growth also worked for me—he’s not perfect, and it takes him time to understand both himself and what he did wrong, which made things feel more believable.
The theater setting was a fun touch, especially the improv scenes. It gave them a reason to interact and be vulnerable in ways they probably wouldn’t have chosen on their own.
The art style is bright and expressive, and while it’s not anything super new, it fits the tone of the story really well.
It does feel familiar if you’ve read other queer YA graphic novels, but I don’t think that takes away from it. It’s more about how well it executes those familiar beats—and this one does that well.
Overall, it’s sweet, a little messy, and very character-driven.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2026
Okay, this one actually earns the Heartstopper comparison.
May 4, 2026
A warm, swoony, and super joyful queer graphic novel dripping with heart and lovable characters. When ex-best friends Clay and Aron are paired together in theater class, the forced proximity and awkward improv exercises lead to a slow-burn rekindling of their friendship and their feelings. I loved the diverse representation, queer/trans joy, and the high school backdrop that gave the story authenticity. Also, the art was so wonderful and I can't wait to check out more content in its original location, Webtoon. If you're a fan of Heartstopper or Bloom, then make sure to check out this graphic novel as well.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperAlley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperAlley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2026
Clay and Aron used to be best friends, until Aron stopped talking to Clay - at least, that's how Clay sees it. Now, Clay is a theater kid, and Aron is on the swim team. When Aron has to join theater class to make up for missing credits, they end up becoming partners. At first, Clay is reluctant to reconnect with Aron, but more and more, he's reminded of why they used to be best friends, and their connection grows.
This is a wonderful debut graphic novel. The art drew me in first, it's so warm and cosy and adorable. But I stayed for the characters and their connection. While this is a very sweet story, it isn't overly sugary: there's hurt, conflict, mess, and the kind of growth that comes with growing pains. This made everything feel that much more believable, and it really pulled me in emotionally.
This is a wonderful debut graphic novel. The art drew me in first, it's so warm and cosy and adorable. But I stayed for the characters and their connection. While this is a very sweet story, it isn't overly sugary: there's hurt, conflict, mess, and the kind of growth that comes with growing pains. This made everything feel that much more believable, and it really pulled me in emotionally.
June 17, 2026
3,5! no sabía si ponerlo porque lo leí para el trabajo, pero me acabo de acordar de él y fue una lectura muy mona y muy disfrutona :)
June 30, 2026
Review of ARC from NetGallery. Reviews and opinions are my own.
This book was super fun. I had a great time reading it. And the art was so beautiful. This is a fun coming of age story where two ex-best friends are forced to connect again and sparks fly. It's got great trans, gay, lesbian and ace representation. I highly recommend reading this book if you want a feel good story with great art!
This book was super fun. I had a great time reading it. And the art was so beautiful. This is a fun coming of age story where two ex-best friends are forced to connect again and sparks fly. It's got great trans, gay, lesbian and ace representation. I highly recommend reading this book if you want a feel good story with great art!
March 9, 2026
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was so cute and a little messy and absolutely perfect! I loved Clay and everything about him. I died over Aron and how he was figuring things out and how their friendship broke apart when they were in middle school because they both wanted something more from each other, but didn't entirely understand what or how.
My heart went out to them and how they were growing up and changing and how that impacted their friendship. It killed me that Clay just wanted to spend time with Aron and Aron wanted to be friends with everyone, and how they ended up hurting each other because they didn't communicate that.
But I loved how they reconnected in drama class and became friends again. I love how Clay spent more time with Aron and Aron was realizing that what he felt was more than platonic.
I loved all the side characters and the simple diversity of this story. Erica owns my entire heart and I died over her figuring out she was ace and Aron breaking up with her and them being honest with each other. I loved Hana and Alex and Quinn and Dhyana and all the friends Clay made along the way and how they all became a little group and played DnD together. This was just so cute and amazing and I loved everything about these messy kids and how they fell in love!
This was so cute and a little messy and absolutely perfect! I loved Clay and everything about him. I died over Aron and how he was figuring things out and how their friendship broke apart when they were in middle school because they both wanted something more from each other, but didn't entirely understand what or how.
My heart went out to them and how they were growing up and changing and how that impacted their friendship. It killed me that Clay just wanted to spend time with Aron and Aron wanted to be friends with everyone, and how they ended up hurting each other because they didn't communicate that.
But I loved how they reconnected in drama class and became friends again. I love how Clay spent more time with Aron and Aron was realizing that what he felt was more than platonic.
I loved all the side characters and the simple diversity of this story. Erica owns my entire heart and I died over her figuring out she was ace and Aron breaking up with her and them being honest with each other. I loved Hana and Alex and Quinn and Dhyana and all the friends Clay made along the way and how they all became a little group and played DnD together. This was just so cute and amazing and I loved everything about these messy kids and how they fell in love!
Want to Read
January 16, 2023I'm literally so in love with this Webtoon I can't wait to be able to have it on my shelf 🥺💖
July 8, 2026
Encore! is a YA graphic novel about two teens, Clay and Aron, who were best friends when they were younger but then had a falling out in middle school. Forced back together in a theater class, they have to reconcile their differences. As they become partners on a theater project and spend more time together, they start to wonder where it all went wrong, if it's too late to fix their friendship, and if what they're feeling might be more than just friends.
This is Burk's debut and you'd never know it! The characters are dynamic and well developed; even side characters have flaws and redeeming qualities and distinct personalities. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging, especially the characters' facial expressions which are detailed and make such an impression on the reader.
There were two standout features in this text: One was the conversations around sexuality. There were characters who were gay, lesbian, trans, questioning, bisexual, and more. Each one was approached with nuance rather than stereotype and as part of a character rather than the entire character. One of the main characters discovers that he's bisexual and pushes back on his friends and teammates making jokes about it, which is important representation for change in our culture. The second standout feature was the conversations around friendship. Throughout the book each character has moments of being a good friend and a bad friend, and these are discussed amongst each other. Readers will appreciate the examples of navigating difficult moments with friends and learning what it means to be a good friend. This would be a strong addition to any library serving teen readers, especially those who like graphic novels and popular reads like Heartstopper. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
This is Burk's debut and you'd never know it! The characters are dynamic and well developed; even side characters have flaws and redeeming qualities and distinct personalities. The illustrations are beautiful and engaging, especially the characters' facial expressions which are detailed and make such an impression on the reader.
There were two standout features in this text: One was the conversations around sexuality. There were characters who were gay, lesbian, trans, questioning, bisexual, and more. Each one was approached with nuance rather than stereotype and as part of a character rather than the entire character. One of the main characters discovers that he's bisexual and pushes back on his friends and teammates making jokes about it, which is important representation for change in our culture. The second standout feature was the conversations around friendship. Throughout the book each character has moments of being a good friend and a bad friend, and these are discussed amongst each other. Readers will appreciate the examples of navigating difficult moments with friends and learning what it means to be a good friend. This would be a strong addition to any library serving teen readers, especially those who like graphic novels and popular reads like Heartstopper. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
July 22, 2026
There are a lot of graphic novels out there that people compare to heartstopper and I almost never think that they compare either in quality or in artistry or content or whatever. This is one of those books that I would personally say if you like heartstopper you MUST read this.
I loved this so much. Clay and Aron used to be best friends and they just grew apart, stopped talking to each other and now it's their senior year of high school and they're both having some revelations they need to deal with.
When Aron has to take an arts class and ends up enrolling in theater, the two of them reconnect and through ups and downs and a little bit of hurt they find their way back to each other.
Something this book really excels at is the artwork and the diversity in the characters. There are characters of all shapes and sizes throughout the book within our main character group but also just in the background characters. There are multiple queer identities as well and I just loved genuinely everything about it. I hope the author writes more because I would read volumes about these two.
Trans gay MC, gay MC, trans femme sapphic SC, fat sapphic SC, asexual SC and many more.
I loved this so much. Clay and Aron used to be best friends and they just grew apart, stopped talking to each other and now it's their senior year of high school and they're both having some revelations they need to deal with.
When Aron has to take an arts class and ends up enrolling in theater, the two of them reconnect and through ups and downs and a little bit of hurt they find their way back to each other.
Something this book really excels at is the artwork and the diversity in the characters. There are characters of all shapes and sizes throughout the book within our main character group but also just in the background characters. There are multiple queer identities as well and I just loved genuinely everything about it. I hope the author writes more because I would read volumes about these two.
Trans gay MC, gay MC, trans femme sapphic SC, fat sapphic SC, asexual SC and many more.
February 22, 2026
Thank you HarperAlley for the ARC.
This was an absolutely adorable graphic novel! Perfect for fans of heart stopper it was giving queer high school musical vibes!!
Aron and Clay used to be close but now they aren’t. When all star popular swimmer Aron is forced to take a theater class they are brought back together and suddenly it’s more then friendship in the air!
I loved how age appropriate this felt. I loved the trans rep and though some anxiety from Clay was shown, no one ever made it into a problem. I loved the group of friends around clay and the clear communication to resolve problems.
The art style was also very enjoyable and easy to follow along to. Stunning work! Perfect for heart stopper lovers who are going to be sad once the last book comes out!
This was an absolutely adorable graphic novel! Perfect for fans of heart stopper it was giving queer high school musical vibes!!
Aron and Clay used to be close but now they aren’t. When all star popular swimmer Aron is forced to take a theater class they are brought back together and suddenly it’s more then friendship in the air!
I loved how age appropriate this felt. I loved the trans rep and though some anxiety from Clay was shown, no one ever made it into a problem. I loved the group of friends around clay and the clear communication to resolve problems.
The art style was also very enjoyable and easy to follow along to. Stunning work! Perfect for heart stopper lovers who are going to be sad once the last book comes out!
June 11, 2026
ahem *Stefan voice* This graphic novel has everything: trans and ace representation, Shakespeare, improv, a friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance, dungeons and dragons - what more could you ask for?
Seriously though, I loved this one so much! I really like the art style, and the story beautifully captured the difficulties of discovering who you are and maintaining friendships through the horror that is middle school and high school. Clay and Aron felt like real people, and I was fully invested in their story. Such a great debut from Miles Toriko Burks!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Seriously though, I loved this one so much! I really like the art style, and the story beautifully captured the difficulties of discovering who you are and maintaining friendships through the horror that is middle school and high school. Clay and Aron felt like real people, and I was fully invested in their story. Such a great debut from Miles Toriko Burks!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Verlag
Thank you so much to the publishers for the ARC!!
Sometimes a graphic novel finds you at just the right time when life feels overwhelming and you just need a cute fluffy heartfelt comic about the most adorable set of queer characters to warm your heart. I loved every bit of this!
Being a teen IS rough man and juggling all the new desires of your heart for the first time is ever tougher! So glad I could spend time with these absolute cuties and I will recommend this to absolutely everyone!!
Sometimes a graphic novel finds you at just the right time when life feels overwhelming and you just need a cute fluffy heartfelt comic about the most adorable set of queer characters to warm your heart. I loved every bit of this!
Being a teen IS rough man and juggling all the new desires of your heart for the first time is ever tougher! So glad I could spend time with these absolute cuties and I will recommend this to absolutely everyone!!
April 21, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
Encore! is full of heart, humor, and mermaids! If you were a fan of Heartstopper then you’ll love Encore! I loved both Clay and Aron, independently and together. The novel balances friendship issues, anxiety, budding romance, and flashbacks so well. The art style is full of color and adds to the story. I would love to see this on the screen one day! An adorable, warm and fuzzy, and witty story.
Encore! is full of heart, humor, and mermaids! If you were a fan of Heartstopper then you’ll love Encore! I loved both Clay and Aron, independently and together. The novel balances friendship issues, anxiety, budding romance, and flashbacks so well. The art style is full of color and adds to the story. I would love to see this on the screen one day! An adorable, warm and fuzzy, and witty story.
June 9, 2026
I read the og comic as it was coming out and have been hyped for the graphic novel adaptation since it was announced! I think I like the depth of the comic more, it had more time to go into detail on all the characters. There was also a lot that didn’t make it from the comic into this book (scenes, character details, plotlines, etc). It stands on its own though! I’m so glad to have it in my hands almost six years later
June 7, 2026
This comic was very cute! The teenage angst could be a bit much at times though. A lot of this book was just Clay and Aron being dumb teenagers and it could be rough to read. I feel like I probably wouldn't have been able to handle it had this been a novel instead of a comic. But it was a comic, so it made the teenagers more bearable.
June 13, 2026
this was RIDICULOUSLY CUTE. i was grinning EAR TO EAR most of it. I LOVE GRAPHIC NOVELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in a way, the storyline hit a lot of “basic” YA notes and maybe if it’d been a solely words novel it wouldn’t have hit so hard but i loved the execution of it, the characters, their DYNAMIC. AND THE ART WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. I JUST CANT GUYS. IT WAS TOO CUTE.
excited for more from this author :)))
in a way, the storyline hit a lot of “basic” YA notes and maybe if it’d been a solely words novel it wouldn’t have hit so hard but i loved the execution of it, the characters, their DYNAMIC. AND THE ART WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. I JUST CANT GUYS. IT WAS TOO CUTE.
excited for more from this author :)))
July 30, 2026
I loved the representation (in terms of race and sexual orientation wise) in this graphic novel and the characters, however, I felt that the last arc of the story was rushed and it tied everything up in a bow too quickly. I would have loved Erica to be fleshed out and her relationship with Aro end naturally without the tinge of emotional cheating.
June 21, 2026
Perfect heartstopper readalike
July 15, 2026
soooooooooooooo stinking cute! and really nuanced & complex character relationships, even within the limited page space of a graphic novel.
July 26, 2026
Grade school ex-best friends are partnered up for a high school project in this cute graphic novel. Tropes include grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers. There's plenty of queer representation, plus lots of theatre, improv, and D&D.
July 16, 2026
i'm REALLY hoping the author decides to make a sequel. i need so much more of these idiots.
July 18, 2026
So cute! A very realistic depiction of friendships and how they evolve through adolescence. Super diverse and touches on some deep emotional stuff but overall lighthearted and wholesome.
August 5, 2026
This occupies a similar spot in my mind as Girlmode, which is to say that it's a very generic and by-the-numbers YA friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers rom-com about a nerd and a jock, but with a majority queer POC cast and a trans boy as the lead. I understand the comparisons to Heartstopper and Bloom, because like Heartstopper it has a cute friends-to-lovers plotline, and like Bloom, the main characters frequently got on my nerves. I am perhaps too similar in background to the author as I also did Shakespeare in high school and so the improv scenes hit a bit too hard in the cringing way. The supporting cast was a bit undercooked and kind of just felt like they were there because Clay needed SOME kind of support network, but I'm not sure if I could tell you any distinguishing personality trait between Hana and Alex. All that being said, it's fun to read a gay rom-com with a trans lead where there isn't any transphobia--I love an angsty queer story, but it's nice to have escapism too. Clay is cast as Lysander without any controversy, he's accepted by everyone, and Aron's gay awakening never had a "well, am I really gay if I'm into a trans man?" tint to it--nothing would have changed if Clay was cis, and I think that's cool. At the end of the day, I am probably six years too old to get much out of this, but if you're a queer teen looking for a post-Heartstopper kick, give this a try.
Clay gets points for me for having a Henry V quote as his senior quote, and also for being a trans guy named Clayton but going by Clay, since I have an OC who's a trans guy named Clayton who goes by Clay.
Side note: I had mixed feelings on how Erica's plotline went. I went into it really worried it'd have a cheating plotline, and while there isn't physical cheating, I do think Aron should've broken up with her way sooner. Burks avoided having her be a jealous ex-girlfriend, which I appreciated, but I wasn't a huge fan of how her realization that she's asexual played out. She never even SAYS the word asexual (you get a brief panel of her googling "am I asexual") but all that's said in-text is that she "doesn't want sex"--which isn't the exact definition but close enough I guess--but Aron gets to come out as gay and not just say "I like boys/I don't like girls". Idk, I just wish we'd at least gotten to see her use the word "asexual" in relation to herself, since it ended up feeling a bit like when fandoms will headcanon a woman "in the way" of their favorite gay ship as a lesbian or ace to get her out of the way.
Clay gets points for me for having a Henry V quote as his senior quote, and also for being a trans guy named Clayton but going by Clay, since I have an OC who's a trans guy named Clayton who goes by Clay.
Side note: I had mixed feelings on how Erica's plotline went. I went into it really worried it'd have a cheating plotline, and while there isn't physical cheating, I do think Aron should've broken up with her way sooner. Burks avoided having her be a jealous ex-girlfriend, which I appreciated, but I wasn't a huge fan of how her realization that she's asexual played out. She never even SAYS the word asexual (you get a brief panel of her googling "am I asexual") but all that's said in-text is that she "doesn't want sex"--which isn't the exact definition but close enough I guess--but Aron gets to come out as gay and not just say "I like boys/I don't like girls". Idk, I just wish we'd at least gotten to see her use the word "asexual" in relation to herself, since it ended up feeling a bit like when fandoms will headcanon a woman "in the way" of their favorite gay ship as a lesbian or ace to get her out of the way.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was excited going into this graphic novel, but it left me disappointed. Encore! follows Clay during his senior year of high school as he focuses on theatre, until his former best friend Aron suddenly tries to befriend him again after ghosting him years earlier. Being forced to work together in drama class brings all their unresolved history back to the surface.
Unfortunately, even though I liked parts of the setup and the representation, the story itself ended up frustrating me more than anything else. One of the biggest issues for me was Aron as a character. Even though he didn’t cheat on his girlfriend, he was emotionally somewhere else (Clay), and she really didn’t deserve that. It made the situation uncomfortable for me. Instead of rooting for Aron and Clay, I mostly just felt bad for both Clay and Erica. It was difficult for me to get into their relationship.
I also struggled with how the characters interacted with each other throughout the story. A lot of their communication felt immature, which made their dynamic frustrating. Since the romance depends so heavily on their shared history and unresolved feelings, I really needed stronger conversations between the main characters—but instead, many of their issues stayed vague or unaddressed for too long. I never fully connected with either of them or their relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy the representation. I especially appreciated the inclusion of asexual representation, which still doesn’t appear often enough in queer YA stories, and I liked seeing such a diverse friend group. I surprisingly liked Erica a lot, and she was my favourite character.
Overall, this was a graphic novel where I really liked the idea and the representation more than the execution. I wanted to connect with Clay and Aron’s story, especially since I love forced proximity and childhood friends to lovers, but I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I hoped I would.
This book comes out on June 2nd, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, even though I liked parts of the setup and the representation, the story itself ended up frustrating me more than anything else. One of the biggest issues for me was Aron as a character. Even though he didn’t cheat on his girlfriend, he was emotionally somewhere else (Clay), and she really didn’t deserve that. It made the situation uncomfortable for me. Instead of rooting for Aron and Clay, I mostly just felt bad for both Clay and Erica. It was difficult for me to get into their relationship.
I also struggled with how the characters interacted with each other throughout the story. A lot of their communication felt immature, which made their dynamic frustrating. Since the romance depends so heavily on their shared history and unresolved feelings, I really needed stronger conversations between the main characters—but instead, many of their issues stayed vague or unaddressed for too long. I never fully connected with either of them or their relationship.
That being said, I did enjoy the representation. I especially appreciated the inclusion of asexual representation, which still doesn’t appear often enough in queer YA stories, and I liked seeing such a diverse friend group. I surprisingly liked Erica a lot, and she was my favourite character.
Overall, this was a graphic novel where I really liked the idea and the representation more than the execution. I wanted to connect with Clay and Aron’s story, especially since I love forced proximity and childhood friends to lovers, but I didn’t enjoy the romance as much as I hoped I would.
This book comes out on June 2nd, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After a string of heavy or frustrating reads, Encore! was exactly the palate cleanser I needed. It’s an incredibly sweet story that is perfectly pitched for its target audience - it’s simple enough for younger readers to follow, but it has enough emotional depth that it never feels superficial.
I was honestly surprised by both the art and the plot. The cover didn't necessarily promise a lot, but the interior art is actually much better; it’s simple, clean, and has a nice cartoony style that makes the story very easy to follow.
The characterizations are what really sold it for me. I loved that the conflict felt realistic rather than leaning on tired tropes. Clay pushing his friends away because he’s afraid they’ll drop him first felt like a very authentic defense mechanism. On the other side, Aron’s struggle with comphet was handled so well. Even with an accepting family, that internal pressure to fit in and follow a specific mindset is a real hurdle, and seeing him work through that was really touching.
The representation here is also delightful. It strikes a great balance where the story is about being queer (like Aron's journey with his sexuality), but it’s also just part of the world-building. You have trans characters like Clay and his best friend where their identity isn't the "conflict," plus non-binary and asexual representation, which I appreciated. Queerness is both the subject and the conflict, but it's not all it is for every character.
The book ends right as the main pair gets together, and while it's a satisfying conclusion, I would honestly love a sequel following them as adults. Between the glimpse we get of Aron finally embracing himself (wearing makeup and flashy clothes at the winter formal) and the fact that they both still have growing to do, I’d love to see them more settled and established in their relationship.
A really lovely, surprisingly deep story that I’d highly recommend.
I was honestly surprised by both the art and the plot. The cover didn't necessarily promise a lot, but the interior art is actually much better; it’s simple, clean, and has a nice cartoony style that makes the story very easy to follow.
The characterizations are what really sold it for me. I loved that the conflict felt realistic rather than leaning on tired tropes. Clay pushing his friends away because he’s afraid they’ll drop him first felt like a very authentic defense mechanism. On the other side, Aron’s struggle with comphet was handled so well. Even with an accepting family, that internal pressure to fit in and follow a specific mindset is a real hurdle, and seeing him work through that was really touching.
The representation here is also delightful. It strikes a great balance where the story is about being queer (like Aron's journey with his sexuality), but it’s also just part of the world-building. You have trans characters like Clay and his best friend where their identity isn't the "conflict," plus non-binary and asexual representation, which I appreciated. Queerness is both the subject and the conflict, but it's not all it is for every character.
The book ends right as the main pair gets together, and while it's a satisfying conclusion, I would honestly love a sequel following them as adults. Between the glimpse we get of Aron finally embracing himself (wearing makeup and flashy clothes at the winter formal) and the fact that they both still have growing to do, I’d love to see them more settled and established in their relationship.
A really lovely, surprisingly deep story that I’d highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
There's something about a queer YA graphic novel that just hits me right in the heart every time.
Encore follows Clay, a queer trans boy navigating his senior year of high school, as he reconnects with his childhood best friend, Aron. The two boys drifted apart in middle school, with both of them having different interpretations of why that happened. When Aron suddenly has to join Clay's theatre class to ensure he has the necessary credits to graduate on time, they're thrust back into one another's orbits. Over time, as they're reminded of all the ways they fit together, it becomes clear to both Clay and Aron that their feelings for one another aren't just platonic anymore.
This book is bursting at the seams with queer joy, found family, teenage angst, and a very sweet romance. Clay's struggles with self-esteem and fearing he'll be left behind by the people he cares about felt so true to his stage of life. I loved Aron's journey to realizing—and accepting—that he's gay, and I found it really charming that it went hand in hand with his girlfriend, Erica, coming to terms with her own asexuality. They were able to offer love and support to one another at the end of their relationship, and I think that's what everyone needs when they're going through a period of such important self-realization. The cast of side characters is incredibly diverse, with so many different queer and trans identities, races, and body types represented on the page. And, of course, it's worth mentioning that the illustrations are bright and colorful and beautiful, a perfect complement to the lovely, warm story being told.
If you love Heartstopper or any other queer coming-of-age stories, I think this will be right up your alley, too.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Encore follows Clay, a queer trans boy navigating his senior year of high school, as he reconnects with his childhood best friend, Aron. The two boys drifted apart in middle school, with both of them having different interpretations of why that happened. When Aron suddenly has to join Clay's theatre class to ensure he has the necessary credits to graduate on time, they're thrust back into one another's orbits. Over time, as they're reminded of all the ways they fit together, it becomes clear to both Clay and Aron that their feelings for one another aren't just platonic anymore.
This book is bursting at the seams with queer joy, found family, teenage angst, and a very sweet romance. Clay's struggles with self-esteem and fearing he'll be left behind by the people he cares about felt so true to his stage of life. I loved Aron's journey to realizing—and accepting—that he's gay, and I found it really charming that it went hand in hand with his girlfriend, Erica, coming to terms with her own asexuality. They were able to offer love and support to one another at the end of their relationship, and I think that's what everyone needs when they're going through a period of such important self-realization. The cast of side characters is incredibly diverse, with so many different queer and trans identities, races, and body types represented on the page. And, of course, it's worth mentioning that the illustrations are bright and colorful and beautiful, a perfect complement to the lovely, warm story being told.
If you love Heartstopper or any other queer coming-of-age stories, I think this will be right up your alley, too.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAlley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Alley, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this advanced copy! You can pick up Encore! on June 2, 2026.
I love a delightful, fun, emotional graphic novel, and Encore! hit on all counts! The art style was so cute and fit the characters really well. It felt seamless transitioning back and forth between past and present, and I felt totally immersed in the story the whole time.
Encore! follows Clay, a trans high school student whose ex-best friend, Aron, reenters his life when they're stuck as partners in theater class. Performing scenes together brings back childhood memories of when they would playact imaginary stories, and Clay tries to keep his distance so the hurt of their friendship breakup doesn't affect him. But Aron misses Clay and the bond they shared, so he starts breaking down Clayton's walls bit by bit.
Their dynamic is a bit similar to Charlie and Nick from Heartstoppers, mainly in that Aron is caught between the heteronormative/toxic masculine world of his sport (and its insensitive teammates) and his desire to be himself around Clay. Of course, he can't balance everything, and we watch his internal struggle between what he wants and what he thinks he wants.
Similarly, for Clay, we see him cling to his fear of being abandoned by Aron once again, and, in turn, abandon his current friend group to spend more time with Aron. For such a short graphic novel, we really get great glimpses into both Clay and Aron's character growth. I really loved how Clay and Aron resolved their issues by the end of the story, and I can't wait to see where their journey goes next!
All in all, if you love a queer second-chance friends-to-lovers YA romance, this is your book!
I love a delightful, fun, emotional graphic novel, and Encore! hit on all counts! The art style was so cute and fit the characters really well. It felt seamless transitioning back and forth between past and present, and I felt totally immersed in the story the whole time.
Encore! follows Clay, a trans high school student whose ex-best friend, Aron, reenters his life when they're stuck as partners in theater class. Performing scenes together brings back childhood memories of when they would playact imaginary stories, and Clay tries to keep his distance so the hurt of their friendship breakup doesn't affect him. But Aron misses Clay and the bond they shared, so he starts breaking down Clayton's walls bit by bit.
Their dynamic is a bit similar to Charlie and Nick from Heartstoppers, mainly in that Aron is caught between the heteronormative/toxic masculine world of his sport (and its insensitive teammates) and his desire to be himself around Clay. Of course, he can't balance everything, and we watch his internal struggle between what he wants and what he thinks he wants.
Similarly, for Clay, we see him cling to his fear of being abandoned by Aron once again, and, in turn, abandon his current friend group to spend more time with Aron. For such a short graphic novel, we really get great glimpses into both Clay and Aron's character growth. I really loved how Clay and Aron resolved their issues by the end of the story, and I can't wait to see where their journey goes next!
All in all, if you love a queer second-chance friends-to-lovers YA romance, this is your book!
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