I don't know why I didn't expect this to take a dark  turn. Especially when I think back to being in eighth grade... this story is depressingly spot on.

I loved the exchange where Eliza tells her mom Tommy Prickle calls her a weirdo, and her mom says "would you rather be a weirdo or Tommy Prickle?"

And Eliza's poor dad. I guess I empathize a hell of a lot with the parents here, which I guess shows my age a bit. ( )

This has a very different feel from the first book.

A new main character is introduced and it took me a long time to warm up to them but once I did they kind of made the book for me.

This book seems more ya vs. straight children’s because of its subject matter including a character with suicidal ideation. It also has a lot of typical content about young teen friendships, bullying, etc.

It has less humor than the first book but I appreciated that the characters have made some adaptations to the loss they suffered. It was also easier to accept the ghosts in the story because I knew they’d be there. On the second reading I gave the first book 4 stars but it was really 3-3/4 stars. Even though the novelty has worn off and it doesn’t have all the charm of the first book for me this was a solid 4 star book.

I like this quote: “Humans are delicate too. The teensiest mistake can ruin them, even if you do everything else right. Just because mistakes seem small and insignificant doesn’t mean they are.“
I like the dedication. “For anyone who feels lost, hurt, or alone. You matter.”
I’m looking forward to reading the third book in the trilogy. ( )

I failed to realise that this was a graphic novel, which I don't normally read, and the second book in a series, although that didn't make much difference - but I loved the story! Super cute and touching in places, Delicates follows on from Sheets with Marjorie Glatt, who lives with her widowed father and younger brother and works in the family laundromat. Marjorie, who was a 'ghost' in the first novel, is now in with the popular crowd at school, but is still friends with Wendell the ghost - complete with sheet - and the other spirits who haunt the laundromat. We also meet Eliza, a neurodivergent young girl whose father is Coach Duncan, the lifeguard/swimming teacher at school. Eliza loves photography and is obsessed with capturing evidence of ghosts on film but gets called a weirdo and is desperately lonely.

After adjusting my Kindle to read the small text - although the artwork is still in black and white, and I'm now tempted to buy a copy of the book - I really enjoyed reading this one. The characters are easy to relate to and the dialogue feels natural. Also, I didn't really need to read the first instalment to understand what was going on, but I still might! Wendell and the other ghosts are sweet and I appreciate the (slightly heavy-handed) message about being invisible in your own life.

The perfect read to step into Autumn! ( )

(Content warning for bullying and suicide.)

Things have gotten weird for Marjorie since Wendell and his ghost friends helped her save her family's laundry. Over the summer, she and Colton went out on a few maybe-dates, and "Marjie May" eventually got absorbed into his friend group - led by none other than Tessi, her one-time nemesis. Now that she's part of the in crowd, Marjorie is extra-intent on keeping her secret - if anyone finds out that she can see ghosts, her high school rep will implode just as it's getting off the ground. The only problem? Even though she's surrounded by people, Marjorie still feels alone.

With his mortal bestie starting eighth grade, Wendell feels left behind. Desperate not to lose his connection to the "real" world, he starts venturing outside the laundromat. This is how he and Marjorie meet Eliza: Mr. Duncan's daughter and ghost hunter/photographer extraordinaire, who was held back last year despite her obvious intelligence. Eliza embraces her morbid, spooky side as enthusiastically as Marjorie tries to blend in. Unsurprisingly, Tessi and her clique descend on Eliza like sharks on a blood trail. Whereas Marjorie felt invisible last year, Eliza feels a little too raw and exposed - she longs for the anonymity of a sheet. When she's pushed to the breaking point, can Wendell and Marjorie come to the rescue in time?

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed DELICATES even more than its predecessor, SHEETS. Thummler adeptly captures the ups and downs of middle school (and beyond: not all of these quandaries are exclusive to teenagers!), demonstrating empathy and compassion. I especially wanted to give Wendell a hug (ALL the hugs!), and I thought the ghost dance a brilliant idea. Much as with SHEETS, DELICATES is a celebration of weirdness, in all its forms.

My only complaint is the same with SHEETS: while I mostly found the artwork delightful - beautiful and sometimes a little melancholy - I really don't like how Thummler draws humans. Everyone has the same peculiar piggy nose. Maybe that's why I like Wendell so much - he has no face or body! ( )

Well that was a lot of emotions to feel in one book. I love all of the lessons Marjorie learned in this book and that she put those lessons to use immediately to repair harm she had done, her friendships and relationships. I cannot wait to read Lights next. ( )