Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of this graphic novel exploring Filipino folklore and grief, this edition of Lola: A Ghost Story ("Lola" meaning "grandmother" in Tagalog) releases March 24th and is the story of a young boy named Jesse whose only memory of his grandmother - a woman who, supposedly, saw visions and even fought off demons and monsters while she was alive - is of when she tried to drown him as a baby. With his family as they gather together at Lola's old home, Jesse finds himself now seeing visions, only he can't figure out whether they are good ones or monsters in disguise, and more than ever he wishes Lola were around to guide him. While the artwork and writing both take on a dreamlike, hazy quality that perfectly embodies the spirit (no pun intended) of this simple yet effective story, ultimately Lola is a tale of grief and being able to move forward beyond it; of family, and of learning that in helping others we often also help ourselves. Charming and sweet. 4/5 stars

This was spooky, creepy and fun, but also such an important story. I love how it highlights Filipino culture and how it deals with a difficult subject like grief. It’s a bold, brave and necessary book.

Now here’s the deal: I LOVE all the lore and cultural references to Philippines. The ghost stories were superb. The art is beautiful. My only issue? The whole graphic novel reads like a prologue to the real story. There’s so much potential that’ll be wasted if there’s no follow up and I feel like I NEED to know what happens next.

If this ends up being just the first volume of a series, I’ll probably go back and bump my rating to five stars (because it’s an AMAZING way to set up a new story). If there’s no sequel, I’ll most likely lower my rating to three stars (because it feels incomplete). As for now, I’ll just go with 4/5 stars and we’ll see what happens.

I loved this graphic novel. I'm excited for the patrons at my library to discover these characters.

This story is visually beautiful. If you're going to take anything away from my review, let it be that. I'm stunned and awed at how the story pulled me in by visuals alone (and of course, later with the words. Those are important too!).

About the story:
Our lead, Jesse's Lola (Grandmother) scares them - she's quite odd yet everyone seemed to love her. The family travels back to the Phillipines and things seem different and scarier. After a scary story, a rumour is spread that Lola had visions... And Jesse might too.

My positives:
1. I did not know Lola meant Grandmother in Tagalog. I love learning new things, so that was a bonus for me.

2. The visuals and illustrations are just magical. They're soft in colour but so fulfilling. Honestly, that was one of my favourite parts of this book. I think the pictures suited the story very well.

3. This is a story of loss and grief but also supernatural ties. I think it had a very good mix of showing emotion and weaving in a narrative. I applaud J. Torres. I was truly hooked to this story.

My negative:
1. I really enjoyed this little story, but it was just too short. I wanted more! It's not short in a bad way - the narrative finishes and feels final. I just truly wanted more. This story was magical.

All of that being said, I definitely want to read more by J. Torres. I'm truly intrigued with this story and art style. With such a lovely story behind it, this graphic novel is sure to be a smash.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me access to this book.

Jesse, on his way to his family's ancestral land to attend the funeral of his Lola (grandmother), has a lot of fears. He remembers only scary things about Lola, including a time that he believed she tried to drown him. The trip ends up being a realization that he has inherited the visions and strange talents made Lola "unique." He ignores this at first, but is coaxed into the realization by a cousin who hopes he'll embrace what she calls a "gift." (SPOILERS ahead). Jesse sees and is given a mission by a recently decreased young cousin and eventually completes what the ghost is asking him to do, much to the tears of the boy's still grieving parents. The book ends abruptly, with Jesse seeing a "vision" of a crashed plane at the airport. Not sure if there will be a follow up or if it's left open-ended on purpose, for the reader to decide what happens next.

What a pleasure to read a book outside my own understanding that touches on some universal themes around family, grief and a child’s understanding growing up.
Returning from their new home in Canada, Jesse’s family go back to the Philippines for his Grandma (Lola is the original Tagalog word) funeral.
It is both a joyous and sound occasional with the adults, parents, and aunts and uncles and many cousins coming to terms with her passing.
She was a special person strong in her Catholic faith but steeped in Filipina Folklore.
Jesse gets teased about the different beliefs in his late Grandma’s culture, ghosts, spirits and demons that would frighten any kid. He is more sensitive as he seems to have “inherited” some of Lola’s unusual gifts and powers.
This is a rewarding read and speaks to the heart of growing up and the importance of family. Jesse has to wrestle with his own experience and the new twist on his experiences through learning about his heritage and that Lola may have blessed or cursed him.
In a clear two tone graphic novel presentation of a seminal moment in Jesse’s life this is a wonderful insight into another country and how we can all n afraid of the dark and the unexplained. The story is a journey to faith and renewal which will encourage while perhaps scaring you along the way.

This was a cute graphic novel. I wanted a little bit more from it but it was still enjoyable. I'm super excited to be helping celebrate the 10th anniversary of its publication.

Jesse sees things. Ghosts, monsters, and demons. When he goes back to the Philippines for his grandmother's (Lola) funeral, he realizes that the stories she used to tell were more than that. They both shared a gift and his Lola used hers for the good of her community.

I hadn't been aware of this book until I came across it on Netgalley. I'm really happy that I did end up requesting it. I loved the story. It was so cute. I also loved learning about the Philippines and the legends that have been passed down. I love learning about different cultures and this one made it super fun. I enjoyed the characters and the different stories. The only thing I was missing was that it was too short. I definitely wanted more!

*eARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

I'm a really big fan of ghost stories and this one didn't disappoint! If you liked Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol or Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks, I think you will like Lola! It gave me Coco vibes. Yes, the Disney animated film, because Lola is Jesse's grandmother who passes away. Jesse is dealing with the grief of losing a loved one at a young age and I could relate to him on that level since I lost my grandmother at the age of 11 however, I couldn't see/talk to ghosts which is what differs me from Jesse's character. The illustrations and color scheme was interesting as all of the comic strips are black, orange and sepia. This kind of threw me off of the story and I wasn't sure why the author chose this color as opposed to purple or blue or a traditional color scheme. The story could've been more fleshed out because I felt confused until the last act. Overall, I would recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for giving me an eARC to read in exchange for an honest review. I was initially drawn to this book because it is a graphic novel and a ghost story-two things my sixth grade students love. I was amazed at the illustrations, they were simple in color but showed so much emotion and detail. I liked the backstory that was at the beginning of the book and also the mythology/folklore attached. This was a good read.

This book is a soft, sad, yet mysterious read behind the death of Jesse's Lola, how the family celebrates her life, and in which the gift (or perhaps curse to Jesse) Jesse has allows for him to see creatures that no one else can with the exception of his now deceased Lola. It frightens him, what he sees and what he knows, as he can't tell others of it in fear of what they will think of him.

Jesse, like his grandma ("Lola" in Tagalog), can see spirits, but Jesse doesn't see it as a blessing that his Lola did. He sees it as something scary and shame-filled.

When Jesse returns to the Philippines with his parents after Lola's death, he visits with relatives who have also lost their son, JonJon. Jesse struggles with coming to terms with his powers and how he can use them to heal.

I really enjoyed this story... and what a cliffhanger at the end. (No spoilers!)

I also loved learning about Filipino ghost lore. J. Torres has a whole index at the end of the book dedicated to the various spirits.

I really enjoyed the short story. I liked the drawings and how the author presented the Filipino folklore. At the end you can find a glossary about every creature that is in the story and so much more. Unfortunately it has a cliffhanger ending that makes you to wonder what it's going to happen.

Thank you NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for a review.

Interesting comic with culture that was fun to learn about. My only complaint is the open-ended ending. Wish it was a bit more obvious with what choice gets made, but otherwise cute little storyline I enjoyed.

Dealing with death right, so this graphic novel was appropriate to read.

The story is of a boy of filipino decent, who goes back to his grandmother Lola's house, after she dies.

But the house is not being haunted by his recently dead grandmother, but by a cousin who died, that Jessie was friends with, the last time he came to visit.

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-15-at-9.21.08-PM.png" alt="lola" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5542" />

<img src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-15-at-9.11.29-PM.png" alt="lola" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5543" />

Gramma Lola had the gift, as does Jessie, but he doesn't want it, like his cousin does. But nothing he can do about it.

Interesting story, learning about Filipino folklore.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review..

This sweet graphic novel draws heavily on Filipino folklore and is a cute story of acceptance and grief. The sepia toned illustrations provide a sense of nostalgia and the illustrations themselves feel very fluid.

Unfortunately I did get confused between characters at points but overall this was a quick read and I think a perfect graphic novel for a younger reader.

3 out of 5 stars!

The premise of this was interesting but, unfortunately, the execution was a let down. There wasn't enough background for my liking, and it was so short that the story seemed a little too rushed for me to really become invested in any of the characters. Hopefully a further edition will be a little more captivating now that a base has been established.

i know very little about Phillipine culture, so this was a very interesting read for me. I really enjoyed this story, and I think my patrons will like it too.

Review to come on March 2020 on blog/goodreads.

I received this graphic novel from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

This is a book about a boy who can see ghosts, a boy who has lost his grandma and who along with his father and mother go back to their home country to say their last respects to grandma.

It was very interesting and at times very spooky. I can tell you that I flew through this book, before I knew it the book was over and I was left wanting more (and also feeling confused due to those last panels, don't get on the plane I guess?).

There is a lot of folklore in this book. We read about various things that haunt the country, from a being that looks like a baby but is something evil to a cousin of our MC who died when he was a kid. But he is not willing to go on, he still needs something he lost on that fateful day. It was quite creepy to see him pop up, I instantly knew he wasn't there at all. Not just because only the MC seemed to see him, but also because no one reacted to the kid. I did feel sorry for the parents, their kid is in a way still there with them, but they cannot see him. :(
I loved the folklore, I loved all the things we saw in this book, and I loved how much we learn (in a fun way) about them.

I do hope that our MC is able to tell someone about all he sees and that someone for once believes him. Just like his niece does. She believes him. She understands. But she also wants him to tell someone, there must be someone who believes him other than her. And given that it causes him some problems and stress, I think it would be best if he could find someone to talk to.

I am not sure how I felt about the grandma. We don't get to know a lot about her, but one thing stayed with me, and that was the fact she tried to drown the MC when he was a baby. Citing he had evil in him (which I am guessing is his monster/ghost seeing eyes).

The illustrations were really well done and I love that the whole book is in one colour, namely sepia. It gave the book something special and also made it stand out more, for me at least.

All in all, I do hope that we will get more books about this MC as I am sure there are more travels for him to have. Plus, I just want more. I love supernatural books and this one was too much fun (and sure, also sad) to read.

Very decent, literary graphic novel, done out in rich sepia, of a Canadian lad back at his ancestral Filipino home. He's concerned the place is haunted by the boogie-men and monsters he's been told about, while the book is also concerned about what else haunts the family – all those that they've had to say goodbye to, both young and old. It's a book about tradition, family legend, and whether it's always right to fill your kids' head with 'stuff' when you've long since moved country. Light on script, but quite heavy on impact, this is certainly work a look.