whatsinapage

[whatsinapage]

Check, Please!: The Last Slice to a Perfect Pie

I know I said I would be starting this off with an in depth look and review, and I promise that is still to come! But this seemed a little more important at the current moment.

4 years ago I was in 8th grade learning things about myself I thought were terrifying. I was developing a crush on my best friend, I was jumping into the world of books head first and I was applying to one of the most competitive high schools in my state. One night on Tumblr, though, I saw a hashtag trending called #OMGCP and had no clue what it was, but after about a minute of looking around I found out it was an online comic. 

Little did I know, this wasn’t just any comic. This would become one of the most personal stories in my life to date and 4 years later, I’m reading and reviewing the ending.

This is my review (and love letter) of both “Check Please!: Sticks and Scones” and the comic as a whole.

A Queer, Hockey, Baking story

“Check Please!” follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle through his 4 years at Samwell, a fictional college in Massachusetts, while playing on the hockey team. While on this team he meets and grows close relationships with various members of the hockey team including, but not limited to, Shitty, Lardo, Ransom, Holster, and perhaps the most important of them all—Jack Zimmermann.

The story is not just about hockey though, as the story is in part told through Bitty’s blog where he also talks about baking and what it’s like at Samwell. The story, over the course of 4 years of college, deals with Bitty falling in love, coming out to the people around him, dealing with college stresses and even more stresses as the characters grow, and also some family drama about jams and baking.

It’s About the Filling

What I personally love so much about “Check Please!” is its heartfelt storylines and characters and the uplifting feeling I get after reading each update. It’s not just a story about a gay kid from Georgia finally being able to be out and free up in the North. It’s a story about inner struggle and coming to terms accepting yourself while also reminding yourself that there is a good ending to things in life.

As Bitty grows throughout his years at Samwell, you see someone who was scared of physical contact on the ice and had multiple mental blocks that discouraged him in both hockey and his social life, and overcame them as time went on. Through friendships, coming out to his teammates, falling in love, coming out to his family and growing to eventually be Samwell’s captain, you gain a sense of pride and hope that no matter what situation you’re in, you can overcome whatever is in your way.

Bitty and Jack both represent these challenges and capability to overcome them as the comic reveals both characters' back stories. Jack, the son of infamous hockey star Bad Bob Zimmermann, has both huge shoes to fill and is out of rehab after an accidental overdose incident right before he starts at Samwell. His story is just as interesting as Bitty’s and provides more depth to the inner workings of their relationships that grows over the 4 years.

Saying Goodbye

“Check Please!: Sticks and Scones” is the second printed volume of the comic and is years 3 and 4 of Bitty’s time at Samwell, and it’s extremely bittersweet to say the least.

On the one hand, it has been some of the best 4 years of my life getting to read this comic and watch not only Bitty and the rest of the characters grow, but Ngozi’s art style as well. Seeing the characters finally get their happy ending, their firsts and some of their lasts is like sitting down with a piece of pie. Though every pie has its last bite.

On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking to see these characters for the last time. The comic ends almost as perfect as you could ask it to, and while it makes it easier, it still hurts. Once you grow close to these characters and see how much they grow, you never want it to end. At times I’ll think to myself, I wonder what they’re doing, in their fictional version of the world we live in, and while to some it may seem stupid or child like, it means the world to me to think those characters are off being happy even if we are no longer being updated about their day to day. 

Saying goodbye to these characters feels like closing a chapter of my life in many ways. A lot has happened in my personal life since that night 4 years ago and to be holding the book with the last comics doesn’t seem real. To Ngozi, thank you for a life changing story I will never forget. Jack and Bitty will have a place in my heart forever.

If you’ve never read “Check Please!” I recommend it as much as I can. You can click here to start from the beginning.

[whatsinapage]

Meet Me!

Dear Reader,

I wish I had something better to call you, but that might come with time.

Hello! My name is May and I’m finally doing what I’ve wanted to do forever, and it’s create a book social media/blog account! I have no idea what I’m doing, but that’s the fun of this.

A lot of book blogs and social media accounts exist, but this is going to be heavy on the writing. I love writing about books on Goodreads and texting out points to my friends, but I’ve always wanted a more formal space to do it, and I don’t just want to write book reviews. While I certainly have many books I’ve recently finished, and plan on writing reviews on those as a whole, I want to dive into the deeper aspects less talked about.

I want to go deep into side characters and their role in the plot. I want to write about the underlying themes of books and how they’re just as important sometimes. I want to write about how authors manage to hit you in the feels and you don’t know why. I want to talk about everything, whether it’s the most obvious aspect of the book or the smallest detail.

That’s what this is for! Here, and especially on instagram and twitter, I hope to host read alongs and post about exciting events for authors and books!

So what can you expect if you’re looking into following me along? Here’s what you should know about me!

I primarily read LGBT+ novels. I am LGBT+ myself, so many of the books featured will include LGBT+ themes and have those characters. Not every book I read will be LGBT+ but be prepared.

Occasionally I will read classics! I love reading them, but I really have to be in the mood for it.

Most of the time I read fiction. I love action and adventure, historical fiction, fantasy, etc. A lot of things along those lines, you’ll find me checking them out at least.

I’m open to many suggestions! If you think I might like it, don’t hesitate to send it my way.

As of now, there isn’t much I can think of to write! I will have my first actual post go up very soon, and spoilers, it’s a book review and an in-depth look at a minor theme! Be on the lookout for those! If you have any questions or recommendations, please send them my way! My instagram and twitter should be up and running soon, so stay tuned!

Thank you so much and I will be back again soon.

Thankfully yours,

May