Title: Check, Please!: #Hockey, Vol. 1
Series: Check, Please!
Author: Ngozi Ukazu
Published: September 18, 2018
Genre: graphic novel, YA, LGBT, sports, comics
Pages: 288
My Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars
Goodreads page
This review is short and spoiler free!
Synopsis
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.
A collection of the first half of the megapopular webcomic series of the same name, Check, Please!: #Hockey is the first book of a hilarious and stirring two-volume coming-of-age story about hockey, bros, and trying to find yourself during the best four years of your life
(This synopsis is from Goodreads.)
Thoughts
TL;DR – THIS BOOK IS SO FREAKING CUTE MY HEART CAN’T TAKE IT. PLEASE READ IT! IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT!
Ok, now that I got that off my chest, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
First of all, the artwork in this book is so cute. It’s cartoon-ish, and it fits the vibe of the whole story perfectly. It’s lighthearted, easy on the eye, and you will consume this story is record time. Believe me. It’s that good.
I love Eric (who his whole team calls Bitty). He’s a friendly hockey player teen who is just starting college, and is learning to navigate this whole new world around him. He loves playing hockey and being on the ice, but he hates getting hit despite hockey being a contact sport. Bittle has such a friendly exposition that jumps off the page that it feel like I’m friends with him, even though I’m just a reader.
It’s clear throughout the story that Bittle is comfortable with his sexuality, but is hesitant to open up to his teammates and friends in fear that they would judge him. Hockey is perceived as a generally masculine sport, so he delayed opening up to his friends.
I can’t really say more without ruining the story, so just know that it’s super cute, super fun, and easy to read even if you know nothing about hockey (like myself). I loved this book and I absolutely can’t wait for the next volume to come out. The second volume doesn’t have an exact publishing date (other than 2019), and although I don’t want to wait for it, I’m excited to see what’s going to happen next!
If you want something wholesome and easy to read, this book is for you. You can’t help but smile at Bittle and his stories because of how cute they are. If you need something to cheer you up and warm your heart, this book is also for you. Basically, if you need some cuteness in your life then read this book. In fact, even if you don’t need everything that I have already listed, read the book. Please. It will not disappoint.
Characters
Eric Bittle
I have a friend crush on this dude. I think he would be fun to hang out with. Bittle seems pretty chill and is down to just chat and hang out.
Jack Zimmermann
He reminds me of an all American sweetheart. He works hard, plays hard, his dad was a famous hockey player, and he has baby blue eyes. If that isn’t a classic example of an American jock heart-throb then I don’t know what is.
Shitty
(Yes, that is seriously one of the character’s last name.) I don’t remember what this dude’s first name is, but it doesn’t matter because he was my favorite teammate out of all the guys on the team. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind the other guys, but Shitty was my fav. He seems so down-to-Earth and someone you could confide to. He made Bittle feel welcome since day 1, and he just seems like a jolly person to be around.
Conclusion
I give this book 4.5 out of 5 unicorn horns. I need more of these comics, stat!
Until next time….
The Awkward Book Blogger 
love the review! I’ve been a Check Please fan for ages and seeing it get published was amazing and of course more people are reading it! I laughed at Shitty’s character write up though, Shitty’s name is legally B. Knight (we never do get a first name) but he goes by Shitty 🙂
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I wish I discovered Check Please sooner! It’s such a great story (it makes me smile every time I think about it) and I’m definitely going to keep up with it now that I know it exists!
Ah yes! B. Knight! I remember they mentioned it once in the book but I couldn’t find where they talked about it. I thought was hilarious that the whole team didn’t know what Shitty’s first name is. 😄
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Haha yep! It’s a running joke well into year 4. Btw all of year 3 and part of year 4 is already online, if you want more!
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I’m going to have to check them out! I’m not sure I can wait long enough for the second volume to be published XD
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I also loved Shitty :]
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He’s honestly the best 😄
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I don’t know if you know, but if you really can’t wait to read what happens next, you can! The whole series is posted online because it was a web comic before it got bound up. I started to read it but ultimately decided to just wait for the book 🙂
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I might have to go check out the rest of the story online because I can’t wait to see what happens next after the events during Bittle’s sophomore year… thanks for letting me know! 😁
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Okay, I’m dyin’! Hello, I’m new here. When I read that opening paragraph, I thought your blogger nickname was Bitty and that you skate and had just entered college and that’s why you were reviewing a book about hockey. OMG. So, I reoriented when I got to your review, of course.
I feel like you sold me on the fact that there’s Bitty and Shitty and they play hockey. I don’t really need more convincing!
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I just checked and my library has a copy! Definitely going to get on that this weekend! ❤ Thank you for your lovely review!
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Ooh you have to tell me what you think of it once you read it. I hope you like it as much as I did! 😃
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