Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions—the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother’s homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she’s ever dared and find the family she never knew.

In this heartwarming graphic novel debut, Nidhi Chanani weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures and two worlds.

I really enjoyed the story about the choices we make, how life may be different in different countries and the different rights women may have in different cultures. In it we follow Priyanka (or Pri) who is a normal teenager in many respects but also struggling with a number of questions she has about her mother’s past and about where she comes from. She knows little of India and as the story goes on finds that she wants to know more.

I did enjoy the touch of supernatural/magical aspects and found that it was a good plot point once it got to the resolution, but getting there was a little confusing. I would have liked a little more backstory than the brief explanation that was given towards the end. Still, I found it to be an enjoyable and touching read.

Happy reading!

Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once-prosperous world.

All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.

But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.

Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?

I had heard great things about this graphic novel, so I had to pick it up. The first thing that got me was the fact that the art style is so whimsical and colorful, it really sucks you into the world. Also, I LOVED the way Bea’s anxiety was portrayed, both in her explaining what she was feeling as well as the graphic representation. As someone who deals with pretty bad anxiety a lot of the time, it was such a perfect portrayal. I’m kind of sad that there’s no expected release date yet for the 2nd installment as by the end of it I was so invested in the story, characters and where their quest would take them.

Happy reading!

An evil spell has been cast on the Queen of Maar and her Captain of the Guard will do anything to reverse it. Their only hope lies on an island half a world away–a place known in myth as Isola, land of the dead.

First and foremost I thought the art and coloration were amazing and that’s really what piqued my interest in this series. The way the story starts you do kind of get dropped in partway, but the backstory is built well through flashbacks so that you know what has lead to the state the main characters are currently in. I really loved how the coloration changed depending on the environment or character perspective. I definitely look forward to seeing where this series goes as the first volume definitely left some things as question marks.

Happy reading!

Daphne Walters moves to Los Angeles and finds that the only ones who can help her find love and live life to the fullest are the ghosts of her new home!

In Los Angeles, finding an apartment is killer—unless you live with the dead. Daphne Walters moves to Los Angeles for her boyfriend Ronnie, ready to live her happily ever after. But when happily ever after turns into happily for a month, she’s stuck in a strange city with no friends, family, or prospects for fun. Desperate to escape the lingering ghost of Ronnie’s presence everywhere, Daphne sets out to explore the city—and ends up encountering ghosts of a more literal kind! Rycroft Manor is abandoned, beautiful, and haunted. Will the dead be able to help Daphne find the life she’s been missing in the big city? From GLAAD Award-nominated Sina Grace (Iceman) and illustrator Siobhan Keenan (Jem and the Holograms) comes a story about learning how to make friends, find love, and live life to the fullest with a little help from some friends whose lives didn’t end at death.

When I picked this one up I was pretty sure it would make me laugh and I was right. There definitely could have been more setup to the relationships that were already existing, but for the most part it is explained throughout the story. The end of the first volume definitely leaves a lot of things up in the air and questions unanswered, so it’s even more reason to pick up future volumes. I found the art style to also be very dynamic and easy to read, so it was a super fast read.

Happy reading!

Beautiful, spooky, and utterly enchanting, Vera Greentea and Yana Bogatch’s Grimoire Noir is a charming graphic novel about coming to terms with your own flaws and working past them to protect those dear to you.

Bucky Orson is a bit gloomy, but who isn’t at fifteen?

His best friend left him to hang out with way cooler friends, his dad is the town sheriff, and wait for it―he lives in Blackwell, a town where all the girls are witches. But when his little sister is kidnapped because of her extraordinary power, Bucky has to get out of his own head and go on a strange journey to investigate the small town that gives him so much grief. And in the process he uncovers the town’s painful history and a conspiracy that will change it forever.

I was intrigued by the synopsis and my initial flip through of this book so I picked it up and flew through it immediately. I loved the art style and the way it really had that Noir feel, while also being mystical and spooky in some ways. I thought the way the story was woven and the characters that were featured really added to not only the main storyline, but also to the other secrets and mysteries that were revealed. The final twist was a total surprise and not something I suspected at all, so it was really well done. If you’re looking for something spooky and full of paranormal themes, with a touch of noir, check this one out.

Happy reading!

Trapped on an island off the coast of Maine, the people of Hopeless find life a little darker and more dangerous with every day that passes. The number of orphans rises continually, but who can say what happens to their parents? Plenty of the bodies are never found. This is not the stuff of happy, careless childhoods, it is instead fertile ground for personal demons. In Hopeless, the demons are not always abstract concepts. Some of them have very real teeth, and very real horns.

The island has been isolated for a very long time. Partly because of being small and forgotten, partly because the rocks and currents do not encourage visitors, Hopeless is surrounded by fog and overrun with nightmarish creatures, from small things with tentacles to demons and vampires. It’s a peculiar place. Here, almost anything can happen, from the weird and unsettling to the darkly funny. With a cast of freaks, nutters and the odd power crazed psychopath, life in Hopeless is seldom dull.

Hopeless is also about who you choose to be. The tale is a protest against apathy, and against the small evils that everyone takes for granted. The worst monsters frequently aren’t the ones with the obvious teeth–who are merely dangerous by nature–but the apparently ordinary people who choose to do hideous things.

As soon as I saw the coloring and art style of this one I knew I wanted to pick it up, that’s what instantly sucked me in. The styling is very gothic while at the same time having some paranormal and Lovecraftian touches. I did feel like this could have used backstory, or snippets here and there giving more of an explanation as there were definitely times I was a little confused. Still, I really enjoyed the imagery and mysteries that were slowly revealing themselves as I read. It intrigued me enough that I would definitely pick up the rest of the installments in the series.

Happy reading!