I loved everything about Raven! The character's voice really held its own while staying true to my previous knowledge on the character. I found it a little heartbreaking and very relatable as well. The writing and art are both gorgeous.

I'm not a huge superhero fan, so I went into this graphic novel with absolutely zero background knowledge on Teen Titans or Raven. That didn't seem to affect my enjoyment of the book at all, though: I was immediately wrapped up in the story, eager to figure out what the forces behind Raven's mysterious abilities were. The story starts when Raven is in an accident and loses her memory, so she's thrown into a situation where she has no idea that she has powers or where they come from. I spent much of the graphic novel trying to figure out if there was something truly sinister going on and if Raven (and her friends) were in danger. I won't spoil the answer to that, of course.

I found the artwork to be inviting and engaging, and the story was exciting---I easily read it in one sitting. I'm eager to see the next installment!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

It’s very unfortunate that books that are only available in PDF expire. Although I downloaded it, I can no longer access this title and can’t download again now that it’s been archived. May I respectfully request that you make your titles available for a Kindle download so they don’t expire? Thank you.

After losing her memory in a tragic accident, Raven Roth has to figure out how to navigate teenage life once more as a complete stranger to herself. Did she like that band before? Did she have any close friends that she should be missing? What was her mom like? Also... has she always been able to hear what other people are thinking or is she just going insane? Between classes and potential crushes, there is something else weighing on Raven's mind, a voice that is not her own that seems to want her to do more harm than good. Maybe it's better she doesn't remember who she was before, but how long will that last?

I grew up watching the Teen Titans show and have been a long time fan of Gabriel Picolo's artwork and Kami Garcia's "Beautiful Creatures" series, so when I found out about this collaboration, I was incredibly excited.

I did not remember much about Raven's backstory before reading this, so it was like taking the same journey that she did as she began uncovering more about herself. Her coming to terms with her loss, not just of her memories but also of herself, was something that I found to be very significant and added a sympathetic element to her character that I do not know that I saw before. "I didn't pick out any of these posters, but I like all of them. Would the old Raven have liked them? It doesn't matter. I like them. I don't know who I was before the accident, and maybe I never will. But the universe is giving me a clean slate. I get to decide who I want to be now."

I am so excited for the next volume of this Teen Titans revamp. I am eager for more of the beautiful artwork, the great characters, and the truly engaging stories.

I love Raven and I've heard nothing but good things so I knew right off the bat I'd like this gem. The plot was fast paced without feeling rushed and the artwork was beautiful. I loved all of Raven's outfits and her character development as she deals with losing her mother and her memory was very interesting to see and made this book all the more intriguing. All in all I loved this book and I hope we see more of Raven in the future.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reccomendation: ages 14 and up
FTC DISCLAIMER: I received this book in exchange for an honest review

I loved this comic so much! The story is sad, but it's also inscrutable, magical, fantastical and just amazing.
I loved all the characters, especially Max and how she acted around Raven. Their bond and friendship is so well written and I love that.
I also really, really love art style. And the story is so gripping it's impossible to stop reading it.
I wish we'll see more of Raven!

Received an e-galley of this from Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.

3.5 stars

This book was a great YA interpretation of Raven’s origin story. They kept her witchy aesthetic and powers intact while also making them into something new and different.

I really liked how the author approached developing Raven’s character. It was interesting to learn who Raven is along with her (since she cannot remember) with the help of her family. It was cool that they made her family into witchcraft/voodoo so Raven wasn’t alone with her sorceress self.

Some people are really going to enjoy the basic high school stuff that was going on in the story but I was eh about it. I enjoyed the other stuff going on a lot more. The main characters (Raven and her cousin) were relatable and likable, as was her aunt. Some of the side characters were eh but I feel that’s because they weren’t really developed other than to push the MC’s plot forward.

Hands down the star of this graphic novel is the art. Most of the background, clothes etc is highly desaturated, but they used color to emphasize important characters or to differentiate between different people thinking or speaking. This was a really smart way to use color and it went really well with the overall art style (which was great!).

The biggest flaw with this book is that the ending doesn’t match the pacing of the rest of the book. She spends most of the book trying to figure stuff out then boom she has powers and suddenly knows how to use them. It wasn’t bad but it messed up what I thought the author was building too. Not a deal-breaker but it does make me lower my personal rating for it.

While the overall story didn’t totally blow me away I am really intrigued by the end of the story and want to read more. There was a clear ending to this story (not a cliffhanger) but it left room for the continuation of what was built up in this one.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, DC Entertainment, and Kami Garcia for the early e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved reading about Raven’s story and understanding a little bit more about how she got her powers. The illustrations in this book are amazing! Raven’s and Maxine’s relationship was very well written. It was cool to see Maxine step up and help her foster sister try to get away from her father! I really enjoyed reading this book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series! If you are a fan of Teen Titans, I definitely recommend reading this book!

I've been a fan of Gabriel's work for a long time, but unfortunately I found this work lacking in the coloring and attention to detail that usually makes his work so special.

Raven is also one of my favorite characters in the DC universe but I found this story incredibly flat and uninteresting. It lacked all the angst and dry humor that marks Raven for who she is, especially in the teen era.

Such a cute comic. The art work was amazing!!!
Looking forward to reading more by this author and seeing more art work from this artist.

I really enjoyed this story! I will be interested to see where they go from here. I loved the colors and the illustrations so much!

I very much enjoyed the illustrations in this book and I think this was a great starter story to another Teen Titan. That being said, though, it wasn't the most original of story lines. Raven loses her foster mother and her memory after an MVA. She then moves in with her aunt and cousin, and it is then that she begins to come into and explore her powers. Between losing her mother, moving in with her voodoo priestess aunt/cousin, building up a relationship at school, and finding out who her father is...there is a LOT jam-packed into this one book. I'm looking forward to the release of book 2!

An mid-to-older-teen graphic novel exploring the superhero character Raven. Quality writing by Garcia means this graphic novel has real-life teens, realistic dialogue and engaging characters. The art is simple by graphic-novel standards yet appealing.

I was completely blown away by Raven’s story and the art. I’ve been a long time fan of Picolo’s and I’ve enjoyed watching him grow from a few thousand followers to the large fan base and recognition he deserves. I also love Kami Garcia. Her Beautiful Creatures books are one of the series that got me back into reading in college. Put the two together though? You create a masterpiece! This story tells the beginning of Raven as we know her. After she loses her memory we are left in the dark about most things and learn them along the way just as she does which I really enjoyed. I can see some people being confused and wanting answers asap but that isn’t what this story is about. It’s about Raven’s journey to accepting herself and her powers. I won’t go into detail because the story is pretty fast paced which is why my review is shorter than average but just know that if you LOVE Teen Titans (like I did, bc I was seriously obsessed with the original cartoon) you will LOVE this book.

Would I buy this book? YES

Would I recommend it? YES!

Would I re-read it? UHM HELLO? YESSSSSSSS

Raven Roth doesn't know how she got here. She wakes up from a car accident to discover that her only family, her soon-to-be adopted mother has passed. Worse, she doesn't remember anything about her life before. To add another layer to this horror, strange things keep happening. Why can she hear everyone's thoughts? Why do the things she thinks about keep happening? And what's with the bird shadow following her around?

Raven wrestles with these questions, supported by her foster mother's sister and niece. Bonus: there's a cute boy hanging around (and, because it's Kami Garcia, it's <em>complicated</em>).

Kami Garcia's experience writing teenage Gothic horror is a great fit for this origin story that kicks off DC's new young adult line, DC Ink. Raven's teenage turmoil and search for self-discovery work well in parallel with her emerging superpowers. It's not a new device, but it is still effective here.

Gabriel Picolo's clear, bold lines stand out and work well with Garcia's prose.

No advanced knowledge of Raven or the Teen Titans is needed to enjoy the story, so it should work well for any audience.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I'm a huge fan of Raven - her character never disappoints me! The art is FANTASTIC throughout and completely helped me connect with the story more. For the first book it was a strong plot, there are a few things I would've liked to flow better but it didn't ruin my reading experience. Fans of Raven definitely check this one out. <3

I'm not normally a huge DC fan but I LOVED this story. It was everything you could want in a graphic novel. The art was amazing. I loved the colors. The story was great. It was a great introduction to those who are new the character and excitement to keep old fans entertained.

4.5 stars.
I've had mixed feelings about DC properties in the past. With this year's DC Ink releases, I enjoyed Mera: Tidebreaker. I DNF'd the new Catwoman story, Under the Moon (too dark and crude and violent for me). This third DC Ink title was a winner for me! I loved the art, the color scheme, the characters and the engrossing story with this one. It's an introduction for certain - I was left wanting so much more. I know there is going to be a Beast Boy book, but I hope there are going to be more stories just about Raven and Max.

Raven has been one of my favorite DC characters, and this book cemented that fact. Her origin story is dark and won't be a good fit for everyone. In this book there are references to voodoo, astral projection, demons, tarot, etc. But I knew enough of the character's origin story to not be surprised by those pieces.

If you are a fan of the character, or a fan of superhero graphic novels, don't miss this one! I loved it.

Teen Titans: Raven

By: Kami Garcia

Art By: Gabriel Picolo

So, growing up it was my brother who was more of a Teen Titans fan than I was. As we’d watch it together though, I always gravitated towards the character Raven. She has been my favorite since I could remember first sitting down and watching an episode. So, when I saw that this grpahic novel was going to be published, my nostalgia went through the roof. Over the years I have gravitated more towards the women heroes I used to grow up with because it seems that they all seem to be making an epic comeback into pop culture. So, without further ado, lets get on with this.

Let me just start by saying that the art in this was absolutely gorgeous and it wasn’t even finished yet. So if you don’t care much for graphic novels, I’m sure you could at least appreciate the art. GORGEOUS.

This was a great little retelling of Raven’s past and how she grew to know what her powers are. Tragedy struck when she was just a teenager, taking the only person who knew the truth away form her. She was left with amnesia and was struggling as a teenager to discover herself all over again.

She goes through some new friends and evolves herself into what she was born to be without even knowing what it was at the time.

Truly I didn’t want this one to end, but that just means I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Until Next Time,

DauntlessReading

Kami Garcia puts a fresh twist on the Raven origin story by throwing Raven into Louisiana to mingle with voodoo and spirits.

We are dropped into the life of Raven just as her soon-to-be adopted mother is killed in an accident. Raven is left without any of her memories and goes to live with her adopted aunt and cousin. Here we see her re-entry into high school while she adjusts to her new life, all while trying to remember who she used to be and also discovering who she is now.

This graphic novel does an excellent job of balancing back story and the self-discovery of who Raven is. Raven’s emotions feel authentic of a teen girl even while she is experiencing her powers for the first time again. Raven as a character is compelling in this story and I was interested to find out where her character was headed, it did not wane it was consistently interesting throughout.

While this is a super hero origin, I was impressed by the amount of normal teenage activity that mixed in with her supernatural abilities. We see Raven make friends, fall in love, and attend prom. The mix was very even and it did not feel like a typical young adult graphic novel. I found that it would be interesting to even the older comic book junkie.

My single issue with this graphic novel was how the dialogue was executed. The thought/speech bubbles changed color to indicate if something was verbal or in Raven’s head. This was a little hard to interpret at first because I was having a hard time discerning who was talking/thinking. After the first couple chapters I adjusted but I did find myself having to reread the beginning to understand exactly what was happening.

One thing that really stood out to me was the art style. The illustrations are gorgeous. The illustrator Gabriel Picolo did a fantastic job making the art style really stand out. The characters were gorgeous and so was the setting. You could really see Louisiana in the illustrations.

I give this graphic novel a 4/5. It was entertaining, the plot felt fresh, and the illustrations were beautiful. Aside from the one hiccup mentioned this graphic novel is amazing.