A Match Made in Heaven (My Boyfriend is a Monster 8)

Title: A Match Made in Heaven (My Boyfriend is a Monster #8)
Author: Trina Robbins
Illustrator: Xian Nu Studio (and others)
Publisher: Graphic Universe (imprint of Lerner)
Copyright: 2013
Price: $29.27
ISBN: 978-0761368571 (library bound)
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Summary and Quick Thoughts: Morning Glory Conroy is a social outcast at her San Francisco high school. Everyone is in a clique and everyone has to come up with some spin on her name. If she had her way, she’d call her parents “mom” and “dad” and stay home to work on her manga. She is an aspiring manga artist. Someday, she’ll show off her work. Maybe at the upcoming comic-con.

Gabriel is a new student who walked out of who-knows-where. Glory and her only friend decide to help him because he is cute and so obviously confused about life. As Glory and Gabriel fall for each other, they meet opposition first from his unseen uncle and then from his cousin, Luci (with a heart over the ‘i’) who is determined to destroy what Gabriel loves. Amongst all of this drama, Glory’s best friend is having problems with her step-father. Oh, and Gabriel turns out to be an angel.
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Recommended Audience: high school
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Things to be aware of: mild violence, crude humor
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Further Thoughts: Something about this volume did not sit well with me. After I read it, I was like “huh.” I enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong, but something about it was…off and I think it was something to do with the angel portion (mind you, my knowledge of angels is limited so I might have missed a lot) or how Gabriel acted.

Glory is a typical teenager in that she believes the world is against her and everyone, but her best friend, hates her (which annoyed me at first, but thinking on it is a very teen thing to do). She lets herself get trampled on by everyone and teased. She comes to terms with it by the end of the book, but possibly not in the best manner (is snapping back really the answer?). Glory is definitely still a “go-getter” in many ways, but not in the ones that matter to her. She’s afraid to share her manga, but it is ultimately Gabriel who helps her out. Thanks to him, her dreams come true. (While his support is nice, should the actual legwork be done by him? Um…)

The side story in this is with Glory’s best friend and her family drama. Her step-dad has crossed a line and her mother has kicked him out. He wants his biological daughter back, but is forced to stay away. This is what causes the drama in the book. It is also this that gives Glory the opportunity to chase after Gabriel and ultimately fall for him. He’s sweet in his naïveté, in a way, but…there is something not quite right here.

Barry and James are back and it is Barry’s reaction to Gabriel that makes me really want to know what is ultimately going on. Mr. James is back to his grouchy self and we hardly see anything of them later in the book. Bummer after how volume 7 went.

Basically, get this to keep the series going. I suspect teens would relate to this (I know I would have hooked into Glory’s view, but maybe not go for Gabriel), but overall, it left me feeling “meh.”
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Bonus: Ok, here’s another publication date issue (number 7 was just as confusing). Netgalley says May 1st and so does Kirkus, but Amazon says the paperback, at least, is available now. What?

Source: Netgalley Request.