Graphic Novel – Page 4 – Jill's Book Blog

Blog Tour Review and Q&A: The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon

Title: The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon
Author: Svetlana Chmakova
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: JY
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 15, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the Night Realm, shifters, vampires, weirns (a particular kind of witch), and other night things passing for human may prowl the streets, but school is still in session—and you still have to do your homework!

In The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods (released June 2020), Ailis and Na’ya are pretty average students, but when a shadow starts looming and a classmate gets all weird, they’re the first to notice. It gets personal, though, when Na’ya’s little brother D’esh disappears. To get him back, she has no choice but to confront the secrets of the forbidden mansion in the Silent Woods!

Just in time for Halloween, The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon (released October 15, 2024) takes readers back to Chmakova’s supernatural world full of magic, adventure, and… dragons! After her terrible adventures in the Silent Woods, Na’ya’s world seems to have returned to normal… that is, except for the nightmares that keep haunting her. What she needs is the power to protect everyone, and she has the perfect solution—she’ll turn into a dragon, once and for all! With help from Ailis and Jasper, everything seems to be going according to plan. But what’s that dark shadow slithering around the spell-casting range?

Review:

Ailis and Na’ya think their lives have returned to normal after defeating The Headmistress in the woods. Na’ya is going to focus on her goal of becoming a dragon. When a spell she casts goes horribly wrong, she accidentally summons a dragon to their town instead. Then, they discover a dark shadow sneaking around their school, so the evil Headmistress may not be gone after all.

This was a great sequel! The story was fast paced and action packed. There was more danger and intensity throughout the story than in the first book. It ended with such a good cliffhanger! I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.

The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon is a great middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Publicity Prose and Yen Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods

Author Q&A:

Q: What draws you to your signature manga- and anime-influenced art style?

A: It’s just what I love and where I feel most comfortable as a creative, where I can express the widest range with my art—the silly, the profound, the funny, the dramatic, the beautiful, the ridiculous, the horrifying, etc. That whole branch of comics is an incredibly versatile approach to cartooning. Manga was a bedrock formative artistic experience for me, those random issues and volumes I managed to get my hands on were the first comics that made me go ‘this is so cool, I want to do something like that!’ The other formative artistic influence was ElfQuest by Richard and Wendy Pini, reading the first issue of that and then furiously creating something resembling a comics narrative for 4 pages/3 solid hours was the first memorable step in my comics-making journey.

Q: What is your creative process like? Which comes to you first — the story or the visuals?

A: My creative process is pretty messy and it starts with both writing and images—I’ll write down and sketch scenes or character interactions, locations, try to flesh out events with both words and drawings. Once I have enough notes I would start crafting a written script with many visual notes, followed by roughly sketched storyboards/page layouts for the entire narrative. My editor is a very big part of that process—she is my first line of defense against bad story and pacing choices; when I am writing without a proper break it is very difficult to maintain perspective and see what I wrote instead of what I wanted to write, so it’s invaluable to have a fresh set of eyes with the knowledge to recognize the rough spots that need fixing. Once both my editor and I agree that the storyboarded book reads well, I start finishing the designs for places/characters and final page art production starts.

Blog Tour Schedule:

October 28 — Book-Keeping Blog
October 29 — Shooting Stars Mag
October 30 — Jill’s Book Blog
October 31 — Twirling Book Princess
November 1 — Dana Loves Books

Giveaway:

Five (5) winners will receive a paperback set of The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods and The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon!
US only
Ends November 10, 2024 at 11:59pm ET

Enter to Win via Rafflecopter

Have you read The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon? What did you think of it?

Review: Taxi Ghost

Title: Taxi Ghost
Author: Sophie Escabasse
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Paranormal
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

At a certain age, every kid expects growth spurts and puberty…but no one mentioned the ability to see ghosts?! This hilarious and heart warming graphic novel about family secrets and the importance of community is great for fans of Witches of Brooklyn and Katie the Catsitter.

Adèle just wants to spend her winter break at the library, cozied up with her favorite books, and completely forgetting abut her friends who are all traveling to warmer climates. Unfortunately life has other plans…not only does Adèle get her first period…but she learns she comes from a long line of mediums!

And if seeing ghosts wasn’t enough of a surprise, Adèle learns that not only can she interact with them, but apparently they’ve been using her sister’s car to get around the city for years! These annoying ghosts won’t leave Adèle alone but maybe they will be exactly what Adèle needs for an exciting winter!

From Sophie Escabasse, the author of the beloved Witches of Brooklyn, comes a brilliant graphic novel that explores growing up and the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

Review:

Preteen Adèle wants to spend her winter break cozy at home with her books, but she gets her first period and discovers that she has inherited her grandmother’s talent of seeing ghosts. Her grandmother hates ghosts and does everything she can to stay away from them, but Adèle embraces her new skill and wants to help the ghosts move on to what’s next.

I love stories with ghosts. This was a great coming of age story. I liked that it started with Adèle getting her first period. Her family treated it as a celebration. There aren’t many middle grade books that talk about that, even though almost all preteen girls experience it. This was a fun read!

Taxi Ghost is a great middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Have you read Taxi Ghost? What did you think of it?

Review: Pablo and Splash

Title: Pablo and Splash
Author: Sheena Dempsey
Genre: Graphic Novel, Children’s
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

‘Irresistibly funny’ Guardian

Join time-travelling penguins Pablo and Splash on an unexpected adventure to the time of the dinosaurs in this brilliantly funny full-colour graphic novel. Perfect for fans of Bunny vs Monkey or Bumble and Snug.

Antarctic penguins Pablo and Splash are polar opposites and besties for life. Pablo is a home-bird and a careful planner. Splash is easily bored and hungry for adventure. Sick to her flippers of the harsh, freezing weather, Splash persuades Pablo to go on a holiday with her. But far from the luxury beach destination that Splash has in mind, the pair end up in a time-travel machine that takes them back to the age of the dinosaurs! Suddenly their icy homeland doesn’t seem so dull …

‘Joyful, fun and very silly indeed’ Louie Stowell, author of A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good

This is the first book in a series and further time-travel adventures await for Pablo and Splash.

Review:

Pablo and Splash are two penguins who live in Antarctica. Pablo likes his life on the ice, but Splash wants to go on an adventure somewhere hot. They end up escaping to a scientist’s lab and jump in a time machine that takes them to a beach. However, they have gone back in time to the age of dinosaurs. Pablo and Splash must find their way back to their safe, comfortable home.

This was such a cute graphic novel. I liked how Pablo and Splash were best friends but they were opposites in many ways, which gives two perspectives. This story taught them to love their home.

Pablo and Splash is a cute children’s graphic novel!

Thank you Bloomsbury Children’s Books for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Pablo and Splash? What did you think of it?

Review: The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods

Title: The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods
Author: Svetlana Chmakova
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Yen Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 16, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the Night Realm, vampires, shifters, weirns, and other night things passing for human prowl the streets… but they still have to go to school! Ailis and Na’ya are pretty average students (NOT losers), but when a shadow starts looming and a classmate gets all weird, they are the first to notice. It gets personal, though, when Na’ya’s little brother D’esh disappears-It’s time to confront the secrets of the forbidden mansion in the Silent Woods!

Review:

Ailis and her cousin Na’ya are weirns, witches born with a demon guardian spirit who is bound to them for life. While they’re walking to school through the woods, Ailis sees a mysterious figure. After seeing the figure again, Na’ya’s little brother disappears. Ailis, Na’ya and their friends must go into the forbidden house in the woods to save Na’ya’s brother and the rest of their magic world.

This was a great magical world. It was well developed right from the beginning. Though Ailis and Na’ya went to a magic school where all the other students also had magic, they were bullied by the popular girl. Their bully actually had secrets and insecurities of her own that they discovered in the house in the woods.

Be Wary of the Woods is a great spooky middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Publicity Prose and Yen Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon

Have you read Be Wary of the Silent Woods? What did you think of it?

Review: Your Throne, Vol. 1

Title: Your Throne, Vol. 1
Author: Sam
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Webtoon
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A powerful noblewoman has to rewrite her entire revenge plan when she wakes up in the body of her sworn rival. Your Throne Vol. 1 collects the first 12 episodes of the stunning fantasy WEBTOON comic by SAM, which has over 830 million reads worldwide.

Tensions are brewing under the seemingly calm surface of the Vasilios Empire, a kingdom ruled by the Imperial Family and the Temple. Lady Medea Solon has lost her place next to Crown Prince Eros but resolves to do whatever it takes to win back what’s rightfully hers. However, she’ll have to rewrite her entire revenge plan when she wakes up in the body of her sworn rival.

Review:

Lady Medea lost the Crown Prince’s hand in marriage to Lady Psyche. Medea vows to get her revenge, but after a chance encounter, she wakes up in Psyche’s body. They have traded bodies, but that becomes a challenge since they have such different personalities and lifestyles. Lady Medea sees this as her chance to marry the Crown Prince, as long as she can keep her real identity a secret.

I loved the premise of this story. Stories about people swapping bodies and lives are so interesting. The story was a little confusing at times, since Medea and Psyche were in each other’s bodies and some people had figured it out but were keeping it a secret. I really enjoyed this story!

Your Throne is a great fantasy graphic novel!

Thank you Wattpad Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, parental neglect

Have you read Your Throne? What did you think of it?

Review: Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1

Title: Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1
Author: Miyuli
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

What happens when a struggling witch meets an angsty vampire? Either love or war.

Morgana belongs to a long line of witches, and Oz to the rival vampire clan. After a chance encounter . . . and maybe a few stray spells . . . these two need to find a way to work together, or risk all-out war between coven and clan.

It’s a Romeo and Juliet story where a boy and a girl from two rival clans, one a vampire and one a witch, meet cute, like each other, but then the girl makes a serious mistake and turns the boy into a cute kitty.

Collecting episodes 1-19 of the hit fantasy WEBTOON series.

Review:

Morgana is a teenage witch who is struggling to control her powers. Her spells always seem to go wrong. Her family wants to make peace with their rival vampire clan, but after a dinner party leaves the vampires ill, they’re ready to go to war. While everyone else was at the dinner, Morgana finds a vampire named Oz behind her house. She accidentally turns Oz into a white cat. Morgana needs to find the way to reverse the spell, but she doesn’t want to admit her mistake to her family, so she sneaks around with her new vampire cat friend.

This was such a fun graphic novel! It’s the perfect paranormal read for this fall. It was so fast paced and exciting. This book ended on a huge cliffhanger, so I can’t wait until volume 2 comes out!

Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1 is a great graphic novel for spooky season!

Thank you Webtoon for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Morgana and Oz, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?

Review: HoverGirls

Title: HoverGirls
Author: Geneva Bowers
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The web comic sensation about magical girls by acclaimed illustrator Geneva Bowers, now in a beautiful print edition, featuring an expanded storyline and revised art!

Jalissa and Kim Vasquez are cousins who move to the city of Los Aguaceros together. Kim dreams of becoming a famous model and fashion designer, while Jalissa is just trying to hold herself together after a breakdown the year before.

When a curious incident on the beach leaves them with supernatural powers and monsters start attacking the city, Kim decides that using their powers to stop them is the perfect way for them to become famous. But being heroes isn’t as easy as it seems–and Los Aquaceros is in more danger than they imagine.

This beautifully illustrated and hilarious YA graphic novel began as a web comic and quickly became a WEBTOON sensation. This print edition features an expanded story and updated art, offering something for new and old fans alike!

Review:

Jalissa and Kim Vasquez are cousins who move to the city of Los Aguaceros together to start new lives. Kim wants to be a famous fashion designer and model, while Jalissa wants to escape her problems at home. An incident on the beach leaves them with magic powers and strange fish-like monsters in the city. Kim decides the way to get famous is to defeat these monsters and save the city. However, there is something out of this world behind the cause of their powers and the monsters, which they must defeat to survive.

This story had a lot of potential. I loved the vibrant illustrations. Kim and Jalissa had opposite personalities. Kim was excited and eager but forgetful. Jalissa kept to herself and seemed angry most of the time. I didn’t feel a connection to either of the characters because they both had unlikeable traits.

Unfortunately HoverGirls wasn’t for me.

Thank you Bloomsbury for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read HoverGirls? What did you think of it?

Review: The Night Librarian

Title: The Night Librarian
Author: Christopher Lincoln
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Dial Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A graphic novel adventure in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library

Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work. But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction.

Review:

Twins Page and Turner Reed feel neglected by their parents who are always traveling for work. Their father’s most prized possession is a first edition of Dracula. When their parents are away, they take the book to the New York Public Library to try to find out what it’s worth, but the book disappears while they’re there. They meet the Night Librarian, who looks after the library during the night when the books come to life. Page and Turner must work with some of their favourite book characters to find Dracula and save the library from being destroyed.

This was such a fun graphic novel! I think many kids dream of entering their favourite stories or becoming friends with their favourite characters. Page and Turner met Alice in Wonderland, Tinkerbell, and Jack from Jack in the Beanstalk. Meeting these characters in this contemporary story is a great way to introduce young readers to classic stories.

The Night Librarian is a fun middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a copy of this book!

Have you read The Night Librarian? What did you think of it?

Review: The Ghostkeeper

Title: The Ghostkeeper
Author: Johanna Taylor
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of everything from Lockwood & Co to The Haunting of Hill House, this gothic graphic novel follows a young medium with the gift—or curse, as some might say—to communicate with the dead.

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It’s a gift that’s made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he’s partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it’s all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he’s been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves.

Then one day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he’s only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can’t move on, they’ll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them.

As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own….

Review:

After a brush with death as a child, Dorian Leith could see and speak to ghosts. He listens to their problems and helps send them to the afterlife. However, this gift has made him an outcast in town. There are plague doctors who want to get rid of the ghosts using potions, rather than helping them find peace like Dorian does. The local bookshop owner is the only person in town willing to help Dorian. One day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen by the ghost of a young girl, which prevents any ghosts from passing through to the afterlife. Dorian must find a way to retrieve the key before the ghosts rise up and destroy everyone in town.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I love stories about people who can communicate with ghosts. This story had a Victorian style setting, which is one of my favourite book settings. There was a lot of tension and heartbreak around the ghosts. Some had quite tragic endings, such as the little girl who stole the key. There were some positives with the ghosts, though, like Dorian spending time with his grandmother’s ghost since he didn’t know her when she was alive.

The Ghostkeeper is a great paranormal graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a digital copy of this book.

Content warnings: death, death of child, death of parent

Have you read The Ghostkeeper? What did you think of it?

Review: PetWizards

Title: PetWizards
Author: Kirk Scroggs
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for animal lovers and fans of Lumberjanes, here is a hilarious graphic novel about a boy named Finch with the not-so-secret ability to control animals, and his mission to save the school musical and win the heart of his crush. Finch Eaglehawk may seem like an average oddball with a taste for the dramatic and glam-rock musical numbers, but he has a secret. Finch is a PetWizard, with the ability to control the animal kingdom—well, the “et cetera” category of the animal kingdom. Though he loves his naked mole rats, bearded dragons, and boa constrictors, Finch yearns for more. With the help of his best friend, Aberdeen, a mysterious new kid named Erica, and an ancient PetMaster manual, Finch tries to learn how to own his powers and use them to help those in need, protect the vulnerable, and, most important, impress his crush, Ken Chu, the star of the upcoming school musical.

Review:

Seventh grader Finch Eaglehawk is a petwizard, which means he can control animals. The group of animals he can control is referred to as “etcetera,” which includes naked mole rats, boa constrictors, and bats. When Finch is asked to provide a grand finale of the school play with birds, he agrees to impress his crush, Ken Chu. However, Finch can’t control birds. Along with he’s sidekick Aberdeen and the new girl Erica, Finch must figure out a way to fulfill his promise of birds at the play.

This was such a fun graphic novel. I laughed out loud a few times while I was reading it. I loved the quirky characters. They had to do some creative problem solving to try to give Finch the ability to control birds. Aberdeen was my favourite character. She was funny and adorable. I hope there will be a sequel because I would love to see these characters again!

Petwizards is a great middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Union Square and Co. for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read PetWizards? What did you think of it?