Ghoul ~ Graphic Novel Book Review

 

GHOUL

by Kasey Iris

Graphic Novel / Middle Grade + / Supernatural / Coming of Age / Grief

Publisher: Top Shelf Productions

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Page Count: 292 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Be careful what you wish for! This graphic novel about a lonely Filipino American teen and her ghoulish companion puts a spooky twist on the imaginary friend.

When they were little, Lyn and Meg promised to be friends forever…but now Meg is dead, and Lyn is 15 and miserable. Moving into a new condo with her family doesn’t help, especially given the gossipy neighbors. But just when Lyn needs a friend the most, a monstrous cartoon ghoul climbs out of the pages of a comic book and into her life! The bizarre duo will soon discover just how many secrets lie within the walls of Forest Court Apartments.

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Kindle  **  Paperback

HALL WAYS REVIEW: It had been a while since I read a graphic novel, and I must say that jumping back in with Kasey Iris’s Ghoul was a delight. Iris is both author and illustrator and excels on both fronts. 

The color scheme in GHOUL (mauve/rose) was a great choice for conveying the often-melancholy storyline of a teenager Lyn’s grief in losing her best friend to suicide. Her parents recognize a change is needed and move the family overseas, to the US, in hopes that Lyn can get a fresh start. 

In their new apartment building, Lyn not only finds a new friend (Imaginary? Real?) and a bit of intrigue in the rumors surrounding a neighbor who may—or may not—have killed his wife and son. (Interesting side note from this reader who’s considerably older than the target audience: apparently, we don’t say “killed” or “dead;” we say “unalived” or “unalive.”)

Being out of practice with graphic novels, I had a little difficulty following the flow of the text bubbles, especially with the Tagalog translations sprinkled throughout. But kudos to the author for corralling all those terms in a glossary of terms at the end. Fortunately, the expressive and evocative illustrations assure that readers are never lost or confused. And the spooky, spiritual, mysterious plot is sure to keep them fully engaged and turning pages. 

There are surprises and plot twists that both charm and satisfy, and the bonus materials at the end are a real plus.  Included at the end are a fab playlist, a mini-graphic novel that the author created nearly ten years ago, and some character sketches the artist created for GHOUL.

GHOUL is a truly entertaining and thoughtful book that belongs in school libraries and counselors’ offices. It leaves readers hopeful and happy. I look forward to what’s next from this talented author/illustrator.

Thank you to the publisher, Top Shelf Productions, for providing me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review--the only kind I give.

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Sublime Karma Promo Tour, Excerpt, & Giveaway!

SUBLIME KARMA

by Peyton Garver

Bleed

Varley, D. (2015). Bleed. Missouri City, TX: Garden Gate Press.

Young Adult / Horror / Paranormal 

 I gave this book 4 of 5 Stars

eBOOK ON SALE NOW FOR JUST $0.99! Click to buy!

BLURB (from author's website)  LIFE IS A NIGHTMARE FOR Miranda Murphy. Without knowing when or why, blood oozes from her palms—an anomaly that makes her feel like a freak. But her abnormality is now the least of her worries. She’s just enrolled at “Suicide High.” Three deaths in three months—one occurring just days before her arrival.

When she bumps into a cute boy named Jake, things don’t appear so glum. Especially since Jake’s a psychic who can predict the immediate future. But his gift of sight can’t prepare her for the horrors that await.

Through Jake, Miranda meets three other extraordinary students:

Topher – who can heal by touch.
Sam – who eats the sins of the dead.
And Xyan – who speaks and understands all languages.

It’s then that Miranda learns the secret behind why she bleeds.

When it becomes evident that supernatural forces are at play, the five determined friends team up. Now it’s up to them to destroy the evil infecting their school.

==================================== 

Though I had my misgivings about the cover on this one (not a fan AT ALL), I trusted the author to keep me sufficiently creeped-out and amused -- and I was right. Dax Varley's books are just so fun to read. What makes this book really great are the five main characters, all teenagers in the seventeen-ish range.  They are each so wonderfully unique and fleshed-out, but most importantly, they are believable. Their dialogue, their humor, their fears, and their responses are spot-on and don't feel contrived or cheesy at all. Readers will find themselves relating and thinking, "I know a kid like that!" -- minus the stigmatic/psychic/healing/xenoglossia/sin eating stuff, of course. 

Especially interesting is the evil character in this story and the many ways it manifests itself. The parts written from the "evil one's" point-of-view are really excellent, and Varley does a great job of misdirecting readers over and over in revealing the "evil one's" identity.  Readers, be prepared -- this "evil one" doesn't kid around and as such, the body count is high and the deaths and tortures are gruesome.  

Some of the story is predictable (DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR! YOU KNOW WHAT'S IN THERE! ), but it absolutely works. The ending of this book is pretty satisfying and the book can stand alone, but rumor has it that another book (companion? sequel?) is in the making. Hooray! I am IN. There were more typos than I was accustomed to seeing in Varley's books, so I inquired about it with the author. Because she's a rock star professional, Varley was super appreciative of the feedback and since the print copies haven't published yet, those errors will disappear. (And to be honest, I doubt most people would notice that "laisse pomber" should have been "laisse tomber," but as anyone who reads my reviews knows, I am a freak.)

The characters are authentic teens, so there are authentic teen elements including crassness, profanity, underage drinking, sexual situations (not too graphic) and sexual references.  And if the name and cover aren't warning enough, there's a lot of blood, violence, and death in this story -- skip it if any of these are triggers or upsetting. 

This book was a "just for me" read because I have really enjoyed several other books by Dax Varley, so I bought it as soon as I heard about it.

 Check out these cool memes (created by Dax Varley) for the characters!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Dax Varley writes the kind of young adult novels she wishes were around when she was a teen. She's a lover of humor, horror and all things paranormal.
When Dax isn't writing, she's collecting odd photos online, reading recaps of her favorite shows or kicked back with a good book. She lives in Richmond, Texas with her husband, a shelf full of action figures and about a dozen imaginary friends.
Real or imaginary, you can find her at the following locations: 
WEBSITE, TWITTER, FACEBOOK

ALSO BY DAX VARLEY: 

Click for Hall Ways Review

Click for Hall Ways Review

Click for Hall Ways Review

 

Homeroom Diaries

Patterson, J. and Papademetriou, L. (2014). Homeroom Diaries. Blackstone Audiobooks.

YA / Realistic Fiction / Humor

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars

NOTE: Sadly, my audio review copy didn't include the PDF of art and illustrations, so I am reviewing solely on the audiobook content. This is a very quick listen at just four hours playing on normal speed.

In Homeroom Diaries, authors James Patterson and Lisa Papademetriou cover some heavy material in the very believable voice of main character, Maggie Clarke. It's junior year of high school, and Maggie "Cuckoo" Clarke has chosen optimism as her modus operandi. It doesn't matter that she had a mental breakdown after her mother abandoned her (hence the nickname, Cuckoo), that the school counselor anxiously and almost enthusiastically awaits a relapse, that she and her "Freak Show" friends are bullied by the school's haters, or that even those who seem to have it together are teetering on the edge. Oh, and she may have a crush on her teacher and the feeling might be mutual.  Despite the odds, Cuckoo and the Freak Show friends will choose happiness for not only themselves, but for the entire school -- come hell or high water.

"Even trees go through sad times, but then they burst back to life. That will be me. THAT will be me." Cuckoo Clarke, as she prefers to be called, is an amazing narrator. (And on that note, Lauren Fortgang does an excellent job of reading, though as is often the case, her male voices sound a lot like Rudolph with his fake nose on his face.)  Through Cuck's diary entries, readers are taken straight into the battlefields of high school, where even the teachers and school staff can be the enemy.  Cuckoo navigates it all and strives to accept herself, faults and all, embracing what makes her unique, in part because she has the support of an incredible foster mother, Mrs. Morris. Patterson & Papademetriou quickly establish the deep love and respect between Cuckoo and Mrs. Morris, setting the stage for even more heartache. 

There are definitely a few parts that are unrealistic -- two quick examples are a seventeen-year-old protégé being hired as a high school teacher and a student who attempted suicide being right back in school just days later -- but the writing is vivid ("Marjorie's car is a vintage Buick and it still smells like an old man.") and the messages are powerful. Cuckoo Clarke reminds readers that the bad doesn't have to define who you are, and that happiness -- even if you have to rewrite endings to find it -- is a life choice. 

This book was reviewed for Readers' Favorite, who provided me a free CD audiobook in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.

Thirteen Reasons Why

Asher, J. (2007). Thirteen Reasons Why. NY: Penguin Group.
YA Lit / Realistic Fiction

I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads

The premise of this story is that a teenager, Hannah, creates thirteen recordings, each made for someone who had something to do with why she commits suicide, and sends the tapes to each of the subjects after Hannah's death.

  

This story will stay with me a long time and definitely made me think about many different things, but primarily, it reminds us that no action goes without a reaction.  It reminds us that what is inconsequential to some can be insurmountable to others.  It reminds us that cruelty is common in the life of a teenager.  It reminds us that there is pain and suffering everywhere if we'll just open our eyes to it. 

Once we open our eyes to the suffering of others, then there is a moral obligation to do something about it.  Most of the subjects of Hannah's recordings had no idea their actions were affecting Hannah or didn't care. Most didn't take the time to open their eyes or ignored what they saw.

The one who did pay attention is the co-narrator of the story, Clay, and part of why I like the book is the format in which the story is told.   We start with Clay, who is the 9th recipient and  subject of the  recordings.  We "hear" Hannah's voice,  but it is interrupted by Clay's reactions to Hannah's words, and Clay's recollection of the events Hannah brings to light.   The distinction in voices is made by a change in font, and it's unbelievable how much emotion I felt via this technique.

Before I read this book, I read a few reviews that didn't give the story a high rating.  They said they couldn't "buy" that the reasons Hannah committed suicide would be enough for her to do it.   THAT, my friends, is part of the problem with bullying and all the misconceptions about kids who take their own lives.  No one can truly understand the depression and depths of despair someone else is experiencing.

What I would hope for is that anyone who reads the book would become more sympathetic, empathetic, and kind towards others and that when there are signs that someone is hurting, they are not ignored.  And finally, Clay is a reminder that we should follow our hearts and question what's not known first hand, even when these are scary propositions.  

My Clean-O-Meter rating on this one is a 3 out of 5 (5 is squeaky clean).  There is mild language, some sexual situations and references, and underage drinking.  There is not any explicit violence, and the suicide itself isn't really discussed or even the focus of the story.

You can listen to the tapes on Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why website, but here is the first tape.