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Book Love
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2019)Bookworms rejoice! These charming comics capture exactly what it feels like to be head-over-heels for hardcovers. And paperbacks! And ebooks! And bookstores! And libraries!
Book Love is a gift book of comics tailor-made for tea-sipping, spine-sniffing, book-hoarding bibliophiles. Debbie Tung’s comics are humorous and instantly recognizable—making readers laugh while precisely conveying the thoughts and habits of book nerds. Book Love is the ideal gift to let a book lover know they’re understood and appreciated.
Book Love is a gift book of comics tailor-made for tea-sipping, spine-sniffing, book-hoarding bibliophiles. Debbie Tung’s comics are humorous and instantly recognizable—making readers laugh while precisely conveying the thoughts and habits of book nerds. Book Love is the ideal gift to let a book lover know they’re understood and appreciated.
140 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Debbie Tung
10 books1,929 followersDeborah "Debbie" Tung is a comic artist and illustrator from Birmingham, England. Her work is based on simple (and sometimes awkward) everyday life moments and her love for books and tea. She lives with her husband and son.
Follow Debbie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @debbietungart
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,477 reviews
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January 26, 2020I’m having a hard time sleeping tonight (I regret that evening coffee I had ;-;) & I saw this on my libraries app & decided to give it a go! It was a nice little read, albeit full of book lover clichés that can be found all over the internet or even in a lot of my videos (if I’m being honest here xD) I loved the illustration style & it was a nice little treat to read before I (hopefully) drift off to sleep.
December 1, 2018
Book Love by Debbie Tung is a 2019 Andrews McMeel Publishing publication.
This adorable book is about me. This is me- well with a few slight exceptions. But, basically, if your life revolves around books- If you live them, breathe them, inhale them, hug them, collect them, share them, quote from them…. Etc, Etc. - This book is for you.
This book isn’t a story, it doesn’t have a plot, per se. It is basically a special gift for book lovers, a celebration and homage to books and book nerds. The comic drawings are not overly dramatic, but the expressiveness is what jumps out at you. The passion, the defensiveness and protectiveness towards books and our obsession with them, and the familiar frustration with people who just don't 'get it', resonated with me one hundred percent. I laughed so hard at the dialogue because I’ve said or done these things- often. I have had variations of these arguments and conversations and have had the exact same reactions, thoughts and feelings, at one time or another. The only difference for me is that I've been known to hug my Kindle in the same way I hug a print copy book. This happens more and more often now that I really have come to depend on that large font size- but, I understood the sentiment, all the same.
This book is short and sweet and so easy to relate to. You will see yourself in this book and appreciate the nod to book lovers, and may even experience a feeling of vindication, knowing that you are in good company. This book soothes my introverted soul in ways that may make my eyes leak just a little.
What I can say for sure, is that Debbie Tung is my kind of people. I may not know her personally, but I think she may know me.
5 Amazing Book Nerd Stars!!!
This adorable book is about me. This is me- well with a few slight exceptions. But, basically, if your life revolves around books- If you live them, breathe them, inhale them, hug them, collect them, share them, quote from them…. Etc, Etc. - This book is for you.
This book isn’t a story, it doesn’t have a plot, per se. It is basically a special gift for book lovers, a celebration and homage to books and book nerds. The comic drawings are not overly dramatic, but the expressiveness is what jumps out at you. The passion, the defensiveness and protectiveness towards books and our obsession with them, and the familiar frustration with people who just don't 'get it', resonated with me one hundred percent. I laughed so hard at the dialogue because I’ve said or done these things- often. I have had variations of these arguments and conversations and have had the exact same reactions, thoughts and feelings, at one time or another. The only difference for me is that I've been known to hug my Kindle in the same way I hug a print copy book. This happens more and more often now that I really have come to depend on that large font size- but, I understood the sentiment, all the same.
This book is short and sweet and so easy to relate to. You will see yourself in this book and appreciate the nod to book lovers, and may even experience a feeling of vindication, knowing that you are in good company. This book soothes my introverted soul in ways that may make my eyes leak just a little.
What I can say for sure, is that Debbie Tung is my kind of people. I may not know her personally, but I think she may know me.
5 Amazing Book Nerd Stars!!!
November 25, 2024
Me at all times on Goodreads
I find storytelling to be the lifeblood of existence. It is the way we construct meaning from the chaos of our lives colliding with one other; communicate with others; rationalize decisions; make each other laugh or cry; how we empathize or soothe; how we teach, learn, and dream. I am, shamelessly, a book lover. Considering this platform, I think it’s safe to say we are all book lovers here. Book Love, is a collection of brief comics from Debbie Tung that humorously prod at book lovers to pinpoint the common personality quirks that help define us as such. I say “us” because I felt called out in many of these shorts, and if you are reading this, I suspect you will, too. It is cute, cornball humor that will make you smirk and, while there’s nothing particularly deep or overtly hilarious, it will make book lovers feel understood. While not everything applied to me, a great deal of it did and it got me thinking about my own journey through life with books. I mean, I currently work in both a library and a bookstore and find reviewing books to be nearly as rewarding a pastime as actually reading books. My arms are covered in book references tattooed into my skin (I literally have a purple line drawing of Virginia Woolf’s face staring back at me whenever I look in the mirror). But something I’ve found while reviewing is that you can’t truly capture what a book meant to you without presenting a little bit about yourself in the context of it. The journey through a book is often a journey through yourself, and if you’d like to accompany me, I’d like to look at how this book resonates with my own life as a way of appreciating these comics.
Me writing way too long of a review as always.
Basically, I love books and I just want everyone to appreciate them in their own way. I work at a library, I just want to give you free books and resources. I want to open doors into trains of thought that you can ride through your mind, or lighthouses of ideas that can guide you in your darkest, stormiest moments. Am I the sort of library book lover that owns an Arthur t-shirt with the saying “having fun isn’t hard when you have a library card”? You bet your ass I am. I give out library cards all day long and sit on a committee that discusses ways to make the library more accessible and inclusive.
Did I order this in the middle of the night after several drinks? Maybe…
‘A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us,’ wrote Franz Kafka, and I believe in the power of storytelling to hack up the surface so we can dive into the waters of ourselves and society to better understand them through the telling and reading of stories. But reading can fulfill a lot of purposes for people, from entertainment and laughs to academic insight. Some people read to find themselves, some read to find other answers, some read just to escape, and all of these are valid, cool, and subjective (my favorite kind of cool). That was one thing I quickly realized in my first bookstore job at the Holland, Mi Barnes and Noble. I worked there for several years, long enough to be a department lead, have a passcode that could do whatever I wanted, and be trusted with all sorts of important responsibilities without reasonable compensation. It’s a lesson I carry with me into my current bookstore and especially the library. I just want to give you access to books, I don’t care what it is. I will get it for you. Here’s a good look at what reading can be:
Debbie Tung goes through lots of silly quirks about readers. I loved the bits about pre-ordering a favorite author’s new book without bothering to read what its about, hating movie cover editions, or loving that a book makes you sad. When people ask me for a happy book, I don’t know what to say, do I even read those? Give me your bleak novels, please, I want to hurt and think, and empathize and be horrified. If you say "this book is about how oppressive society is and a mostly plotless deep dive into struggles for agency and a voice amidst surreal social constructs," I say "PERFECT, TAKE MY DAMN MONEY."
Books have always meant a lot to me. I’ve learned so much about myself through them and found so many good friendships because of them. I can’t not mention my great goodreads friend Mike Puma who, sadly, passed away but we became a friend outside the screen and we used to trade books, meet up for concerts and museums, and even saw the play adaptation of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño—a favorite author I learned of from him. During a rough patch of my life I even started leaving favorite poem quotes on trees everywhere I went, making paintings to accompany them (not my poems, I’ve published a handful but I am probably not a poet). Find me at @poe_a_tree (GET IT!?) on instagram. Needless to say, books have an important place in my life.
So I don’t have a bookstagram (I follow several of yours), but I actually do social media for the bookstore I work at and sit on the library social media committee. So yes, this comic above hit home. Oh and her details of things book lovers all want is super true:
My bag on right
I love my bag. I love a good shoulder bag and it goes everywhere with me. I mean, I have all the things I might need, I fully endorse shoulder bags. I have too many books in there at all times but you never know which one you will need. Which is why this one is also super relevant:
I’m heading out on vacation as I type this. Do I have too many books packed? Some might say yes. Will I read them all? Definitely not. Will I buy one more during this trip? Most assuredly. But you have to be prepared!
I can’t discuss book love without shouting out to the people in our lives that make it possible. For me it was always teachers. I’m a classic example of “overeager reader kid who hung out with their English teacher” so much so that I still text with my high school English teacher every day. But shoutout to teachers and librarians for passing on the love. If Dr Robin Lucy from EMU ever see’s this: thank you, you turned my life around and I think of you every time I write. Also Mr O’Dowd in high school who first talked to me like an adult, passed me some Vonnegut, and let me do some pretty bonkers class projects. Thanks for being a real one. Thanks to all you book lovers on here as well.
There are times when this comic dips into what I like to describe as the preciousness of books. You know, like Golum in The Lord of the Rings loving “my precious!” in a way that isn’t healthy to anyone (ie. if you see a book in the library dumpster, don’t panic that we are throwing away books and bring it back in to the desk with indignation…Because that book was tossed for being covered in actual human blood and no I don’t know why. True story.) The digs at e-readers not being real books is eye rolling because, while I don’t own an e-reader, it is still the same important effect just without the aesthetics that have been a bit fetishized (this book being one of those examples of fetishization, but I totally appreciate why people love these aspects of books because I do too). People have many reasons to use e-readers, some of them are accessibility reasons such as being able to enlarge the font. Yes, I collect books and love my personal library that takes up more real estate in my home than is reasonable, but it’s also very meaningful to me. I also read digitally because Hoopla is a great library app and it is free and it’s actually WAY easier to pull quotes for a review since you can open it in your browser window. So I don’t enjoy digging at digital or audio books, which are just as valid a way to ‘read’ as any. Access to books is the most important thing, and this can mean different things to different people. Let’s just all embrace that we enjoy having a story told to us.
I was amused at the comics about not dog-earring or marking up books because I dog-ear and underline ALL DAY. I don’t care. To me, a physical book is just a possession and it’s the content that matters. Besides, I get a ton of use value from underlining and dog-earring because it makes reviewing a whole lot easier and more in depth when I can quote easily. I love looking back at my underlines and remembering what it meant to me during the time I was first reading the book. But I also appreciate people who want to keep their books as pristine as possible, and I would never mark up a borrowed copy (please don’t do this with library books). I also enjoy buying a used book that has underlines and notations though, it's like reading a book with the ghost of the former owner.
So overall this book is cute but also a bit light, more like something that is fun to give as a gift and browse through more than anything. But it is a cute coffee table book for book lovers. I do have to say that there are a lot of jokes that were also done in Sarah Andersen’s comics and I sort of preferred her versions I guess? It is fun though.
I love reading books. I love working in book world. I love going from the library to Reader’s World, the indie bookshop I also work at. I love interacting with both patrons and customers and considering the difference between both access mediums. I love hearing what people enjoy, don’t enjoy, the sort of books they want and I really love the hunt of getting them a copy (I made a “bookstore noir” video about that once, you can watch here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)I love Goodreads and rambling at you all about books I’ve enjoyed. More importantly, I love the comments thread where I can discuss with you all, share jokes, share stories, and share our lives. It’s a wonderful place to be. I am a book lover and proud.
November 14, 2019
oooh, goodreads choice awards semifinalist for BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS 2019! what will happen?
photos are of the digital netgalley ARC: an aging camera photographing an aging monitor in the hands of an aging lady. all apologies for the quality of the images.
i fear that i am going to have my booklover card revoked for not loving this book enough.
i’m not saying i didn’t like it - it’s a sweet little book that is being marketed as a collection of “charming comics,” and that is exactly what it is: page after page of booknerd bait; a (presumably) autobiographical celebration of all the feels that come from buying books, talking about books, reading books, rereading books, etc etc.
the situations it references are familiar:
it’s the perfect gift book for a bookfriend you know superficially; a well-intentioned “more than a greeting card” level gift, and actually - any of these panels would sell well on a greeting card, or shirt. book lovers be shopping.
i’m coming across sniffier than i mean to. this book is fine, it just feels a little too expected to me; all of the obvious low-hanging fruit of the booknerd tree.
and there's a lot that feels as though it is geared towards a younger, sweeter audience than me.
unless this is just reading rainbow-nostalgia, i don't feel particularly targeted by this:
there's just a lot of... whimsy. it's book-whimsy, which trumps most other whimsies, but it often reads like a children's picture book, which was not what i'd been expecting. i'm just too old and crusty to take delight in some of these panels.
not
for
me
my attitude towards this book is like these cutesy little pins:
as a booknerd, they are instantly appealing and make my heart smile with recognition, but what am i supposed to do with them, really?
Seeing a room full of books/sends chills down my spine/ makes my head giddy with excitement/ just thinking about all the possibilities
agreed, but the impact of that observation is fleeting, superficial.
a lot of it feels like i’ve seen it before - and i have, via Sarah Andersen’s work. the two cover the exact same ground:
I SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON BOOKS:
I AM GOOD AT WALKING WHILE READING, I SMELL BOOKS, I BUILD BOOKFORTS:
I STAY UP TOO LATE READING:
and i love Sarah Andersen, so i should love this book even when it covers the same ground*. maybe i’m just more responsive to andersen’s wonky messy yelly art style, or the fact that bookfeels are just one of her themes, so there’s more variety to her books. i meant to like this book more than i did, and i hope i can recover my lost booknerd cred.
* oh, and obviously i’m not saying tung is in any way derivative of andersen - she’s a booknerd and these are booknerd universals/realities. although i don’t personally have the same book-huffing response as these two ladies. some books smell good, sure, but i have never felt this need. particularly the ‘gotta hide it’ attitude. sniff without shame, booknerds, if that's your thing!
come to my blog!
photos are of the digital netgalley ARC: an aging camera photographing an aging monitor in the hands of an aging lady. all apologies for the quality of the images.
i fear that i am going to have my booklover card revoked for not loving this book enough.
i’m not saying i didn’t like it - it’s a sweet little book that is being marketed as a collection of “charming comics,” and that is exactly what it is: page after page of booknerd bait; a (presumably) autobiographical celebration of all the feels that come from buying books, talking about books, reading books, rereading books, etc etc.
the situations it references are familiar:
it’s the perfect gift book for a bookfriend you know superficially; a well-intentioned “more than a greeting card” level gift, and actually - any of these panels would sell well on a greeting card, or shirt. book lovers be shopping.
i’m coming across sniffier than i mean to. this book is fine, it just feels a little too expected to me; all of the obvious low-hanging fruit of the booknerd tree.
and there's a lot that feels as though it is geared towards a younger, sweeter audience than me.
unless this is just reading rainbow-nostalgia, i don't feel particularly targeted by this:
there's just a lot of... whimsy. it's book-whimsy, which trumps most other whimsies, but it often reads like a children's picture book, which was not what i'd been expecting. i'm just too old and crusty to take delight in some of these panels.
not
for
me
my attitude towards this book is like these cutesy little pins:
as a booknerd, they are instantly appealing and make my heart smile with recognition, but what am i supposed to do with them, really?
Seeing a room full of books/sends chills down my spine/ makes my head giddy with excitement/ just thinking about all the possibilities
agreed, but the impact of that observation is fleeting, superficial.
a lot of it feels like i’ve seen it before - and i have, via Sarah Andersen’s work. the two cover the exact same ground:
I SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON BOOKS:
I AM GOOD AT WALKING WHILE READING, I SMELL BOOKS, I BUILD BOOKFORTS:
I STAY UP TOO LATE READING:
and i love Sarah Andersen, so i should love this book even when it covers the same ground*. maybe i’m just more responsive to andersen’s wonky messy yelly art style, or the fact that bookfeels are just one of her themes, so there’s more variety to her books. i meant to like this book more than i did, and i hope i can recover my lost booknerd cred.
* oh, and obviously i’m not saying tung is in any way derivative of andersen - she’s a booknerd and these are booknerd universals/realities. although i don’t personally have the same book-huffing response as these two ladies. some books smell good, sure, but i have never felt this need. particularly the ‘gotta hide it’ attitude. sniff without shame, booknerds, if that's your thing!
October 20, 2018
Debbie Tung is a cartoonist and illustrator who shares her love of reading in this delightful collection of cartoons that would be a perfect gift for any book lover, including yourself. In page after page of drawings and dialogue, I got everything she depicts from not being able to resist a bookstore you walk by to times when you’d just rather stay home and read. She even gives advice on how to read more and shares some of her favorite books, some of which are mine too. I just have to share the bubble dialogue from two of my favorites.
Girl: “Excuse me. I’d like to exchange this book you sent me for this one instead.”
Guy(store clerk): “Oh, yours has an updated cover with the movie poster. But really, they’re the exact same books.”
Girl: “No...No they’re not.”
***************************************
Guy: “You finished reading your book ?”
Girl: “Yeah.”
Guy: “How was it ?”
Girl: “It was really sad.”
Guy: “Oh no. I guess you didn’t like it ?”
Girl: “Are you kidding ? I LOVED IT !”
********************************
This one wasn’t sad, but I LOVED IT !
I received an advanced copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing through NetGalley.
Girl: “Excuse me. I’d like to exchange this book you sent me for this one instead.”
Guy(store clerk): “Oh, yours has an updated cover with the movie poster. But really, they’re the exact same books.”
Girl: “No...No they’re not.”
***************************************
Guy: “You finished reading your book ?”
Girl: “Yeah.”
Guy: “How was it ?”
Girl: “It was really sad.”
Guy: “Oh no. I guess you didn’t like it ?”
Girl: “Are you kidding ? I LOVED IT !”
********************************
This one wasn’t sad, but I LOVED IT !
I received an advanced copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing through NetGalley.
December 3, 2022
This book is adorable and counts on us, bookworms, happily recognizing ourselves in all the nerdy bookworm stereotypes it so lovingly portrays. I mean, they are stereotypes for a reason. And I happily identify with quite a bunch of those. Except for e-reader disdain — I love my ebooks, I love the easiness of having my entire library in my tablet, and being able to flip between books instantly, and read after dark without disturbing the sleeping one, and highlighting away without leaving a permanent mark.
Oh, and I don’t do book sniffing. Never have, never will. That’s just *not* my book kink. (Oh yeah, but I can totally dog-ear books, but my own. Never library books or borrowed books, there’s a special place in hell for those that do that to others’ books). And my physical books are arranged by the timeless principle of “whatever and however fits, as long as books by the same author are close-ish together”. Oh, and I’ve never social-media-posed my books because I don’t see the point (I’m a dinosaur, apparently).
I’ve been reading since age three or so, and my idea of a fun weekend will always be with a book, anywhere. Beach, campsite, comfy chair, sports game, bathroom at a family gathering…
I stay up way too late reading although I know of the bloodshot red-eyes consequences that no amount of cold-brew coffee can cure. I glare daggers at strangers that try to strike up a conversation on a plane or in a waiting room while I’m *clearly* engrossed in a book.
I have a terrible habit of reading multiple books at the same time, but despite that book scatterbraining I’m yet to confuse plots (thats right, Debbie Tung, do you take me for an amateur? Pfffffft!). And I find it almost physically impossible to DNF a book, but hey — it’s a problem only if I admit it’s a problem, right?
I’m incapable of saying no to a buddy read, and actually will happily browbeat my friends into unmanageable numbers of them. But hey, good books need company, and bad books are more fun with a friend (and monster-erotica apparently *requires* a friend, trust me).
——————
I found this very adorable, even if a bit superficial and stereotypical and having a bit of a cute greeting card appeal. It’s made to feel universal by hitting as many bookworm commonalities as it is possible, and by such a broad aim it does lose some originality and spark. And yet I don’t regret a single minute flipping through the pages and going — “Huh, that’s me! And that’s me! And that, too!”
3.5 bookmarky stars.
—————
Thanks to my GR friend s.penkevich, whose wonderful book-essay review Put this book on my radar.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
January 15, 2019
A wonderful homage to BOOK LOVERS everywhere!
What a treat this was for my bibliophile heart! It's not a book in the usual sense as there is not one story arc or developed plot. Rather it's a celebration of book lover scenarios. There is much here to warm your heart and find relatable. I found myself smiling at each illustration, thinking of the time when I had felt the same, did the same, etc. Each page in this unique book has a special way of making readers feel understood.
Thank you Debbie Tung for sharing this amazing celebration of what it means to be a book lover!
Special thanks to Debbie Tung, Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
What a treat this was for my bibliophile heart! It's not a book in the usual sense as there is not one story arc or developed plot. Rather it's a celebration of book lover scenarios. There is much here to warm your heart and find relatable. I found myself smiling at each illustration, thinking of the time when I had felt the same, did the same, etc. Each page in this unique book has a special way of making readers feel understood.
Thank you Debbie Tung for sharing this amazing celebration of what it means to be a book lover!
Special thanks to Debbie Tung, Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
November 14, 2019
I think this should have been named Book Life. I found this book in the Goodreads Choice Awards and I immediately knew I had to read it.
While reading this I was like, "yep; I did this; that's so me..."
Very relatable and at least I know I'm not the only one.
I was not familiar with the artist before reading this which also helped with the enjoyment.
While reading this I was like, "yep; I did this; that's so me..."
Very relatable and at least I know I'm not the only one.
I was not familiar with the artist before reading this which also helped with the enjoyment.
September 15, 2019
Loved it!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 16, 2023
چند وقت پیش یکی داشت میگفت که کتاب خوندن برای همه نیست. همه نمیتونن ازش لذت ببرن. اصن قرار نیست شما کتابخونا فکر کنین خیلی خاص و با کمالات هستین و هرکسی که کتاب نمیخونه یه چیزی توی زندگیش کم داره!
(سکوت)!
من هیچوقت برای "یادگرفتن" کتاب نخوندم، یعنی اصن مقاومت میکنم که از کتاب یاد بگیرم (ولی ناگزیره). فقط میخونم که کیف کنم، خودمو فراموش کنم و احساس تنهایی نکنم. و میدونم خیلی های دیگه هم همین دلیلو برای خوندن دارن.
و اینکه اصن برای خیلیامون دلیل نمیخواد، یه فرآیندیه که فکر کردن لازم نداره، یه کتاب رو تموم میکنیم و یکی دیگه رو شروع میکنیم، ناخودآگاه همش دنبال کتابیم، هر کی توی مترو داره کتاب میخونه رو دوست داریم(مگر اینکه ملت عشق دستش باشه). از جسم کتاب، نگه داشتنش توی دستامون و دنبال کردن خطوط با چشمهامون خوشمون میاد.
it comes naturally...
و بنظرم هیچ اشکالی نداره که همش بخوایم این کتاب خوندنمون رو رمنتیسایز کنیم. مثل کسایی که فوتبال یا گیم دوست دارن و
Are always rubbing it in our face!
(سکوت)!
من هیچوقت برای "یادگرفتن" کتاب نخوندم، یعنی اصن مقاومت میکنم که از کتاب یاد بگیرم (ولی ناگزیره). فقط میخونم که کیف کنم، خودمو فراموش کنم و احساس تنهایی نکنم. و میدونم خیلی های دیگه هم همین دلیلو برای خوندن دارن.
و اینکه اصن برای خیلیامون دلیل نمیخواد، یه فرآیندیه که فکر کردن لازم نداره، یه کتاب رو تموم میکنیم و یکی دیگه رو شروع میکنیم، ناخودآگاه همش دنبال کتابیم، هر کی توی مترو داره کتاب میخونه رو دوست داریم(مگر اینکه ملت عشق دستش باشه). از جسم کتاب، نگه داشتنش توی دستامون و دنبال کردن خطوط با چشمهامون خوشمون میاد.
it comes naturally...
و بنظرم هیچ اشکالی نداره که همش بخوایم این کتاب خوندنمون رو رمنتیسایز کنیم. مثل کسایی که فوتبال یا گیم دوست دارن و
Are always rubbing it in our face!
December 2, 2018
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
This is a book laid out in black and white comic book format depicting the many ways book lovers experience joy with their books. It's as simple as that! Each page has it's own example and message and if you're an avid reader you will relate. Some of the scenarios will cause you to laugh out loud in recognition and some will make your heart swell with joy, as you recognize all the ways in which you love your books. You like the feel of them, the cover art, you inhale that wonderful book smell, and when you walk into a library or book store you feel that euphoric thrill of expectation.
I saw myself in so many of these pages! Carrying a book around with me at all times (now it's thousands on a kindle), curling up with a book and a hot beverage in a comfortable chair or bed, preferring to read a book rather than converse or interact with people. One concept I really identified with is the feeling of travelling in a limitless fashion all over the world through reading. Also, walking into a library and thinking of the millions of stories mined within the treasured binding of beloved books.
When I was reading this, I would periodically laugh out loud and nod my head. It caught the attention of my husband, who never reads books. He asked me what I was laughing about and I told him it was a book that only book lovers would understand. As expected, he walked away in a disinterested fashion. In fact, when I write my reviews for arc's he can't understand why I'm doing it if I'm not getting paid for it monetarily. Then I tell him I AM getting paid for it...in the exchange of my pleasure for just reading the book. Well, he wouldn't understand...but, that's the point of this book, isn't it? If you're a book lover, you will see yourself in this book, and it will make you smile. I especially loved the full-page drawings, and imagined how nice one of them would look hanging on my wall.
Thank you to my Goodreads friends Julie and Angela M for turning me on to this cute and special book.
This is a book laid out in black and white comic book format depicting the many ways book lovers experience joy with their books. It's as simple as that! Each page has it's own example and message and if you're an avid reader you will relate. Some of the scenarios will cause you to laugh out loud in recognition and some will make your heart swell with joy, as you recognize all the ways in which you love your books. You like the feel of them, the cover art, you inhale that wonderful book smell, and when you walk into a library or book store you feel that euphoric thrill of expectation.
I saw myself in so many of these pages! Carrying a book around with me at all times (now it's thousands on a kindle), curling up with a book and a hot beverage in a comfortable chair or bed, preferring to read a book rather than converse or interact with people. One concept I really identified with is the feeling of travelling in a limitless fashion all over the world through reading. Also, walking into a library and thinking of the millions of stories mined within the treasured binding of beloved books.
When I was reading this, I would periodically laugh out loud and nod my head. It caught the attention of my husband, who never reads books. He asked me what I was laughing about and I told him it was a book that only book lovers would understand. As expected, he walked away in a disinterested fashion. In fact, when I write my reviews for arc's he can't understand why I'm doing it if I'm not getting paid for it monetarily. Then I tell him I AM getting paid for it...in the exchange of my pleasure for just reading the book. Well, he wouldn't understand...but, that's the point of this book, isn't it? If you're a book lover, you will see yourself in this book, and it will make you smile. I especially loved the full-page drawings, and imagined how nice one of them would look hanging on my wall.
Thank you to my Goodreads friends Julie and Angela M for turning me on to this cute and special book.
December 2, 2018
I’ve never read a graphic book before. But how could I resist a book called Book Love? It’s perfect. Anyone that loves books will totally relate to it. It will make you smile, as each page is spot on. Because “every day is a good day for books.” And yes, this is meant for those that read print books. But those of us addicted to our kindles still find plenty to love. Plus, if you’re of a “certain age” you will well remember the years before we had our kindles and the love of entering a book store of a second hand book sale or not having enough shelf space to deal with all the hundreds of books owned.
My thanks to netgalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
February 7, 2019
An entertaining and highly relatable celebration of reading, books, and bibliophiles!
January 27, 2022
Debbie Tung's graphic books are my new addiction ❤️
December 12, 2018
What to say about this book, other than it’s a must read for all book lovers! It would make the most thoughtful gift for any book lover. Book Love allows every book fan to feel validated and warmhearted about our beloved pastime. Beautifully done and this author gets it! Don’t miss the chance to read this one!
January 5, 2019
OKAY....NOW this is the PERFECT book for us diehard book readers, lovers, addicts....and saviors of the written word! We should shelve this as non-fiction!
OMGOSH....I laughed. So much of it I've experienced. So much All is absolutely true....AND those stars of love in our book-reader's eyes. Oh Yes!
I LOVE....graphic novels and try to read several each year, (am picky) but this one by cartoonist and illustrator Debbie Tung is just the bees knees!
DO NOT MISS IT!
*So appreciate the ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for review* (Was unable to download bc of my 3'rd world generation iPad so I bought it, but they were so helpful.)
February 7, 2019
Debbie Tung’s charmingly illustrated “Book Love” will have book lovers thinking “how did she get in my head?” Her observations about the importance of and obsession with books was spot-on for me and I suspect it will be for lots of other readers! I wish the book had been published in December because it would have made a great Christmas gift for my bookish friends. But there are lots of birthdays coming up!
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 15, 2020
This is a cute little graphic novel book. It would make the perfect gift for yourself or for the book lover in your life. It’s very funny and relatable and I recognized myself in many of the illustrations. It's obvious the author is a certified book nerd like myself and I loved it!
I received this book from Netgalley but "lost" it so I checked it out of the library. I do think this book works best in book form.
I received this book from Netgalley but "lost" it so I checked it out of the library. I do think this book works best in book form.
December 27, 2023
THIS IS US - thank you Debbie Tung - love Book Love. Really hits home if you are a book lover (which I strongly suspect if you are reading this) - the 'book towers' that just seem to grow all over your house; misplacing a book and not being able to find it; the need to buy new books even though you know you have not even gone through the last bunch of books you bought - it is all here!
November 26, 2019
Enjoyed this one very much!
Quick and funny read... Book lovers are gonna recognize themselves in a lot of these pages!
My top 3 favorites :
*Bringing too many books (according to my boyfriend) because one is almost finished and we're not sure wich one we're gonna read after.
*The fear of having free time but no book with us (so frustrating!).
*Finishing a library book and going to the bookshop to buy it because it was too good (yeah, Debbie Tung, you leave me no choice but doing this with yours now!).
Quick and funny read... Book lovers are gonna recognize themselves in a lot of these pages!
My top 3 favorites :
*Bringing too many books (according to my boyfriend) because one is almost finished and we're not sure wich one we're gonna read after.
*The fear of having free time but no book with us (so frustrating!).
*Finishing a library book and going to the bookshop to buy it because it was too good (yeah, Debbie Tung, you leave me no choice but doing this with yours now!).
October 19, 2018
What a wonderful book for readers! I related to every single page!
These are illustrations about the author’s love of books. It depicts anything from book recommendations (Harry Potter, Maus, Little Women, Persepolis, etc) to ways to arrange books (on my bookshelf is grouped by genre and then ordered by color).
It also has suggestions on how to get out of a book slump, different types of libraries, book formats, and much more.
It was an absolute delight to read and I had a smile on every page. Highly recommend it to all book lovers.
Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
These are illustrations about the author’s love of books. It depicts anything from book recommendations (Harry Potter, Maus, Little Women, Persepolis, etc) to ways to arrange books (on my bookshelf is grouped by genre and then ordered by color).
It also has suggestions on how to get out of a book slump, different types of libraries, book formats, and much more.
It was an absolute delight to read and I had a smile on every page. Highly recommend it to all book lovers.
Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley
January 6, 2019
Book Love is a collection any goodreads user will enjoy. I was amazed at how many times her comics echoed my life. Like when we travel:
You don't know how many times my wife has yelled at me for bringing too many books on vacation.
Or the disappointment of getting a new book and it's the stupid movie poster on the cover instead of the original.
The strips can get a bit repetitive, especially having to do with her smelling books. But all in all, a very enjoyable read for any book lover. This would make the perfect gift for those readers in your life.
P.S. - From the amount of giggles coming out of the other room, my wife really enjoys it too.
Received a review copy from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
You don't know how many times my wife has yelled at me for bringing too many books on vacation.
Or the disappointment of getting a new book and it's the stupid movie poster on the cover instead of the original.
The strips can get a bit repetitive, especially having to do with her smelling books. But all in all, a very enjoyable read for any book lover. This would make the perfect gift for those readers in your life.
P.S. - From the amount of giggles coming out of the other room, my wife really enjoys it too.
Received a review copy from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
April 2, 2020
This is a book I'll be flicking through every time I'm in need of something warm and cosy.
Read for the OWLs Readathon.
Subject: Potion.
Read for the OWLs Readathon.
Subject: Potion.
October 22, 2018
Like me, Debbie Tung loves books and reading, as I’m sure you do too given that you���re reading a book review on a books site! Book Love collects Tung’s many strips on the subject and it’s an ok read.
A lot of the full page cartoons read like greeting cards, which is a feature in a number of Andrews McMeel books. “By living a reading life… I live many lives at once” she says in one and “Every day is a good day for books” and she’s sitting reading in a book-shaped tent in another. Woah, what deep, original thoughts. And that’s another thing - she says the same vapid things over and over which makes for repetitive reading.
The black and white art’s nothing special and I didn’t laugh at any of the, ahem, jokes? She likes to smell books, she points out when she sees a kid reading a book she read as a kid, she prioritises books over practically everything, she loves physical books as much as she enjoys reading them… har… har…
But I also can’t dislike the book too much as I found myself identifying with most of the stuff she’s into. I tend to prefer a night in reading over going to a dinner party or socialising in general; I love book shopping too, particularly for secondhand books; I also wig out when I notice the title of the book in the story; and I fully agree to abandoning books you’re not enjoying reading - there are far, far too many books out there to try to stick it out with something like Anna Karenina just ‘cos habit!
I’m also not a fan of publishers putting movie posters on books when they’re filmed (and I agree that most films do a piss-poor job of adapting the source material), and used to hate when there was sticker residue left on the covers after peeling them off. That was when I collected books, which is where Tung and I differ greatly. She’s really into the physicality of books whereas I moved past that a long time ago and prefer to read a book and then either return it to the library or donate it to charity - I don’t hoard the things anymore. And I actually prefer e-books as they’re easier to carry around, the devices I read on are lighter than the books and there’s never an issue with the lighting.
Anyhoo. Book Love is a mildly amusing read that most anyone who reads will see something of themselves in, though there’s as much nodding in agreement at some of the observations as there is nodding off at the banality of the others. Sarah Andersen fans will probably love this.
A lot of the full page cartoons read like greeting cards, which is a feature in a number of Andrews McMeel books. “By living a reading life… I live many lives at once” she says in one and “Every day is a good day for books” and she’s sitting reading in a book-shaped tent in another. Woah, what deep, original thoughts. And that’s another thing - she says the same vapid things over and over which makes for repetitive reading.
The black and white art’s nothing special and I didn’t laugh at any of the, ahem, jokes? She likes to smell books, she points out when she sees a kid reading a book she read as a kid, she prioritises books over practically everything, she loves physical books as much as she enjoys reading them… har… har…
But I also can’t dislike the book too much as I found myself identifying with most of the stuff she’s into. I tend to prefer a night in reading over going to a dinner party or socialising in general; I love book shopping too, particularly for secondhand books; I also wig out when I notice the title of the book in the story; and I fully agree to abandoning books you’re not enjoying reading - there are far, far too many books out there to try to stick it out with something like Anna Karenina just ‘cos habit!
I’m also not a fan of publishers putting movie posters on books when they’re filmed (and I agree that most films do a piss-poor job of adapting the source material), and used to hate when there was sticker residue left on the covers after peeling them off. That was when I collected books, which is where Tung and I differ greatly. She’s really into the physicality of books whereas I moved past that a long time ago and prefer to read a book and then either return it to the library or donate it to charity - I don’t hoard the things anymore. And I actually prefer e-books as they’re easier to carry around, the devices I read on are lighter than the books and there’s never an issue with the lighting.
Anyhoo. Book Love is a mildly amusing read that most anyone who reads will see something of themselves in, though there’s as much nodding in agreement at some of the observations as there is nodding off at the banality of the others. Sarah Andersen fans will probably love this.
January 19, 2020
Gasp!!
I think I am being followed!!
126 page comic book, in a hard cover format, about a true “book lover” and the guy who loves her enough to tolerate her!
I dare you not to smile!!
Thanks to JanB for putting this on my radar! I had to purchase a copy!!
I think I am being followed!!
126 page comic book, in a hard cover format, about a true “book lover” and the guy who loves her enough to tolerate her!
I dare you not to smile!!
Thanks to JanB for putting this on my radar! I had to purchase a copy!!
Read
December 8, 2018My sincere gratitude is extended to Andrews McMeel Publishing, Author, Debbie Tung, and Edelweiss for the privilege to read an ARC of Book Love to be published January 1, 2019.
Any avid reader should find a sense of delight in Book Love. Many bibliophiles are introverts by nature. We seek out our tribe and hope for the commonality that is found in our passion for books. Our desire is for friends to understand how we can't find the cash for a new, fill in the blank, but can easily spend that non-existent extra money on another book. For those of us whose life's breath is quickened by the rustle of pages turning, Book Love is for us. Debbie Tung deftly illustrates the perplexity of book mania, that we, the book collectors, can relate to easily. We shake our heads up and down in acceptance of the images and murmur sounds of contentment as we read. If I could draw just one example of my own excitement at the prospect of adding to my shelves it would be me with a book in my hands, lounging in a comfy chair, feet propped up with holes in my socks, warm, and contented with my friends, the books, surrounding me.
As 2019 begins, Book Love is just the right book to start a new year of reading.
Any avid reader should find a sense of delight in Book Love. Many bibliophiles are introverts by nature. We seek out our tribe and hope for the commonality that is found in our passion for books. Our desire is for friends to understand how we can't find the cash for a new, fill in the blank, but can easily spend that non-existent extra money on another book. For those of us whose life's breath is quickened by the rustle of pages turning, Book Love is for us. Debbie Tung deftly illustrates the perplexity of book mania, that we, the book collectors, can relate to easily. We shake our heads up and down in acceptance of the images and murmur sounds of contentment as we read. If I could draw just one example of my own excitement at the prospect of adding to my shelves it would be me with a book in my hands, lounging in a comfy chair, feet propped up with holes in my socks, warm, and contented with my friends, the books, surrounding me.
As 2019 begins, Book Love is just the right book to start a new year of reading.
November 15, 2022
Debbie Tung is a very gifted artist, illustrator / graphic artist from Birmingham, England whose exceptional gifts are shared in her book of comics, Book Love. This book is sure to appeal to those who love to read. Her illustrations are charming, without being too simplistic or ornate, appealing to all age groups.
For many of us, reading is an essential part of our lives, like eating, sleeping, and Tung shows how well she understands and relates to those feelings in these wonderful little peeks into the life of another book lover. The way you feel pulled into a bookstore that you are walking past, the way a book calls to you when you are tending to real-life things, the way a book can make you feel seen.
This conversation was one of my favourites:
Him: Didn’t you finish reading that book a week ago?
Her: Yeah, I did.
Him: Then why are you still carrying it around?
Her: Um… I don’t know.
Her: I just feel like I’ve bonded with this book so much.
Her: Now that it’s over, I’m finding it hard to let go.
Who doesn’t love to feel understood?
Highly recommend it to all book lovers.
Pub Date: 1 JAN 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing
November 24, 2018
My Rating: 5 stars
I absolutely loved this collection of comics about the joys of reading and being a book lover! Every single page resonated with me – as a bookworm, reading this was pure bliss! The illustrations were beautiful and the ones with dialogue were so spot-on to the point that I almost got a neck cramp from nodding my head so often, lol.
This is a book that anyone who loves books absolutely has to read! With the holidays around the corner, this book would make a great gift for the booklover in your life (the minute I finished reading this, I immediately went online and ordered a physical copy for myself).
With all that said, it’s hard for me to pick a favorite comic from this book because I loved all of them alot, so I’m not going to torture myself. All I’m going to say is: READ THIS BOOK…you definitely won’t regret it!
Received ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley
I absolutely loved this collection of comics about the joys of reading and being a book lover! Every single page resonated with me – as a bookworm, reading this was pure bliss! The illustrations were beautiful and the ones with dialogue were so spot-on to the point that I almost got a neck cramp from nodding my head so often, lol.
This is a book that anyone who loves books absolutely has to read! With the holidays around the corner, this book would make a great gift for the booklover in your life (the minute I finished reading this, I immediately went online and ordered a physical copy for myself).
With all that said, it’s hard for me to pick a favorite comic from this book because I loved all of them alot, so I’m not going to torture myself. All I’m going to say is: READ THIS BOOK…you definitely won’t regret it!
Received ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley
December 13, 2018
I've never related to a comic/cartoon book so completely - ever. This would make a great gift for every nerdy book lover. As a book lover I related to nearly every scenario in the book. The illustrations are adorable too and they are all in black and white. Debbie Tung shows how book lovers can't pass a book store without drooling and buying something; would rather stay home and read than go to a party; would rather lose sleep and finish a book than go to sleep not knowing the ending; and so much more. Lots of fun to read!
Most of the pages hit home and I could see myself doing many of the things the booklover in the comic strip did. I think everyone who loves books would see themselves in the pages.
Thanks to Debbie Tung and Andrews Mcmeel Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy!
Most of the pages hit home and I could see myself doing many of the things the booklover in the comic strip did. I think everyone who loves books would see themselves in the pages.
Thanks to Debbie Tung and Andrews Mcmeel Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy!
August 11, 2019
What a sweet little collection of comics celebrating books and book nerds everywhere! Debbie Tung is the author/artist of “Where’s My Bubble?” which can be found on various social media platforms. She illustrates snippets of her life as an introvert, a reader, and a new mother.
This book primarily focuses on the life of a bookworm. Hello! That’s me, and probably you, too. Some of her comics really spoke to me and my own particular bookish quirks:
• Yes, I run my fingers over the spines of books at bookstores and libraries….”hello, lover!”
• I pick up books in my hands to feel the heft, admire the covers, riffle and sniff the pages.
• I have a virtual pile of books in my Amazon shopping cart as “Saved for Later” because someday I hope to click BUY for all these favorites.
• I am always snooping on what other people are reading in public.
• When people post pictures on social media that have books on shelves in the background, I try to enlarge the background so I can see the titles on their shelves.
• I loathe movie covers on books.
• On a related note, movie adaptations of books are almost always a disappointment, if not an outright betrayal.
• The question “Can I borrow your book” causes me great anxiety. Are you willing to sign a detailed contract on the terms of use?
• Price stickers on books and price sticker residue……a great, great evil in this world that must be eradicated.
• Related to the above, discount books with magic marker circles or slashes on the top or bottom. Grrr! Book defacement!
• The question “What is your favorite book?” confounds me. I don’t know, who’s your favorite child? I love them all equally and differently!
• “Yes, honey, I know I just read that book I got for free from the library, but I bought it because I liked it so much I had to own a copy for myself!” or “The cover is just so incredibly beautiful!”
• Before airlines started to charge for extra or overweight luggage, I hoarded numerous hardcopy books by my favorite authors to read on vacation. And no, I did NOT leave them behind!
• The library (okay, libraries) are my second home. My local librarians know me by name. I visit local libraries wherever I travel to check them out, especially the Friends of the Library used book sale shelves. ❤️
I have always loved to read. When I was seven, my mother found me curled up with her 1957 autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee, a famous burlesque stripper. Not age appropriate perhaps, but I loved it. That, in a nutshell, is why I love reading. I get to live other lives, experience other perspectives, nurture greater empathy and work hard on keeping an open and curious mind. Reading is in my soul, it’s the very air I breathe. I can’t imagine a life without books. Oh, the places I’ve seen and the people I have been!
If you feel even a little bit of this passionate weirdness, this brief little gem might be for you. It would be an EXCELLENT gift for a book lover!
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an ARC of this graphic novel. My review, however, is based on the hardcover edition.
This book primarily focuses on the life of a bookworm. Hello! That’s me, and probably you, too. Some of her comics really spoke to me and my own particular bookish quirks:
• Yes, I run my fingers over the spines of books at bookstores and libraries….”hello, lover!”
• I pick up books in my hands to feel the heft, admire the covers, riffle and sniff the pages.
• I have a virtual pile of books in my Amazon shopping cart as “Saved for Later” because someday I hope to click BUY for all these favorites.
• I am always snooping on what other people are reading in public.
• When people post pictures on social media that have books on shelves in the background, I try to enlarge the background so I can see the titles on their shelves.
• I loathe movie covers on books.
• On a related note, movie adaptations of books are almost always a disappointment, if not an outright betrayal.
• The question “Can I borrow your book” causes me great anxiety. Are you willing to sign a detailed contract on the terms of use?
• Price stickers on books and price sticker residue……a great, great evil in this world that must be eradicated.
• Related to the above, discount books with magic marker circles or slashes on the top or bottom. Grrr! Book defacement!
• The question “What is your favorite book?” confounds me. I don’t know, who’s your favorite child? I love them all equally and differently!
• “Yes, honey, I know I just read that book I got for free from the library, but I bought it because I liked it so much I had to own a copy for myself!” or “The cover is just so incredibly beautiful!”
• Before airlines started to charge for extra or overweight luggage, I hoarded numerous hardcopy books by my favorite authors to read on vacation. And no, I did NOT leave them behind!
• The library (okay, libraries) are my second home. My local librarians know me by name. I visit local libraries wherever I travel to check them out, especially the Friends of the Library used book sale shelves. ❤️
I have always loved to read. When I was seven, my mother found me curled up with her 1957 autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee, a famous burlesque stripper. Not age appropriate perhaps, but I loved it. That, in a nutshell, is why I love reading. I get to live other lives, experience other perspectives, nurture greater empathy and work hard on keeping an open and curious mind. Reading is in my soul, it’s the very air I breathe. I can’t imagine a life without books. Oh, the places I’ve seen and the people I have been!
If you feel even a little bit of this passionate weirdness, this brief little gem might be for you. It would be an EXCELLENT gift for a book lover!
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an ARC of this graphic novel. My review, however, is based on the hardcover edition.
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