**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Author Rey Terciero and illustrator Bre Indigo make a winning combination in Northranger, a queer Northanger Abbey reimagining. Readers follow Cade as he works at a ranch for the summer to help his family as they struggle to make ends meet. Enter Henry, the son of the ranch owner, who just might make Cade's summer more interesting than shoveling horse poop. And maybe a few rumors about murder?

Terciero's writing is clever, presenting the horrors of being a closeted queer minority in a town where it isn't safe and juxtaposing that real life horror with the horror genre of media as an emotional outlet. This concept isn't new, but it's authentic and honest. If the resolution was a little too fast-paced, I can excuse it as being part of the difficulties of the graphic novel format. Terciero doesn't at all shy away from hard topics, but presents them in ways that are soft and accessible.

Indigo's illustrations only add to Terciero's writing. Both Cade and Henry are extremely emotive, even in panels where they are silent. Combined with a muted but warm color palette reminiscent of pastel old sepia, and how could Cade not have a summer of memory making.

I was very happy with this graphic novel and would eagerly recommend it, particularly to any queer kid who needs a reminder that they aren't alone.

This is a very sweet and timeless tale! Cade is a teenager who gets sent to work on a ranch for a summer and there he meets the son of the ranch owner, Henry. Hey originally bond over horror movies, but they have a lot more in common than they initially think....

This was fast-paced, and the art was very clean. I think that young people will really connect to Cade's story.

An adorable coming-of-age graphic novel about fear, love, mental health, and grief.

Featuring Cade, a closeted horror fan, who's sent to a ranch to work for the summer, there he meets Henry, and the two start connecting.

What I liked about Northranger was the lurking paranoia throughout the graphic novel. Though it's light and there are plenty of sweet moments, there’s tension and secrets. But besides the possible horrors, there are actual horrors, racism, homophobia, sexism— unfortunate issues people deal with day to day, and none of it water downed. It’s difficult to read but necessary.

I did quickly love Cade, his character really resonated with me. Henry was a surprise— I appreciate how often you’re unsure of him.

My only gripe is I wish this was deeper. I wanted it to be longer. I also felt this should’ve been set in the 80s/90s, the art style really lent to that era. The art style is stunning as well.

SO CUTE! I sometimes have troubles with graphic novels not feeling developed enough or feeling too short for the story, but Northranger was pretty much perfectly formatted in my eyes. Cade and Henry were both so relatable, and I also loved the side characters like Henri and Cade’s little sister. I can’t speak to how good it is as an adaptation, but I think it stands perfectly well as its own story, so you don’t have to be familiar with the source material at all. My only small problem with Northranger was that some of the speech bubbles were placed weird and it was a little hard to follow sometimes. This was a super minor issue and I only noticed it a few times, but I think it’s still worth noting.

The romance was really cute as well, and I’m pretty picky with my romances so it’s difficult to get me on board. Cade and Henry were so sweet together, and I really appreciated their connection.

5/5, an adorable and impactful story that (as a queer person from Texas) REALLY hit me in the feels. This really spoke to my experience, and I’m really glad to see that being represented so well.

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret. SO CUTE

I have never read the book this is based off, but after reading Northranger, I want to give Northanger Abbey a try!

The story follows Cade Muñoz during his summer working at a ranch with his stepfather. While there, he meets the mysterious family who own the ranch, which includes the handsome and troubled Henry, who seems to be holding onto a possibly dangerous family secret. Cade has to navigate his feelings of isolation coming from being a closeted queer Latino in Texas, but also his feelings for Henry.

Having grown up in a small town in the Bible belt, I understand a little of what some of the characters are going through. I feel the tough subjects were handled very well and offer a good picture into how it can feel growing up in a town that doesn't understand or accept you. I loved the story and the characters, and felt they were pretty well fleshed out. The character of Cade specifically resonated with me, as I am also a huge horror fan.

The art style is beautiful and expressive. The soft tones really give a warm, summery feeling to the book. The characters all have a very distinct look and feel to them.

Though I can't speak to how well of a retelling this is, I do feel that this reads more as an exploration of characters. It feels a little like the story wanders away from the mystery aspect- only for the reader and the character to be reminded of it by the ravings of one of side characters. I do wish there had been a little more exploration of some of the characters' motivations and more resolution for some of the characters, but all in all, I really enjoyed this book.

I can't wait to recommend it to the patrons that come into the library looking for a good, creepy summer read!

Horror is very queer. Cute story about finding yourself, learning to express the love that is inside you in a world that does not understand it. There are a few trigger warnings, don't want to list them because I don't want to be inaccurate but definitely take some breaks while reading some of the heavier stuff (found it to be more towards the end, but it was very lovely, imo). The one thing I absolutely loved was the Latinx representation and biracial families. Northranger is the book to read tis summer. It is funny and sweet and just as scary as those rom-coms.

#Northranger #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel. A good graphic novel with a horror backdrop.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The characters were all fleshed out and multifaceted, There was also a good look into mental illness and a bit of mystery. I will say that there was a lot of miscommunication, but personally, I think that's just part of growing up and being a teenager.

I would highly recommend.

My students are CLAMORING for LGBTQ+ graphic novels--especially those that have a little romance in them...and this one certainly fits the bill. It's romance, horror, and coming-of-age all rolled into one inspired-by-Northanger Abbey story.

I loved the story progression and the illustrations are absolutely ADORABLE. Tercerieo manages to address messy family issues, grief, and the many challenges LGBTQ+ young people face (particularly in not-so-friendly areas) without it feeling like all those things overwhelmed the story. I also really loved the parallels drawn here between horror movies and the LGBTQ+ experience.

Great for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom...as long as you like them a little spooky.

First of all, shout out to NetGalley for making it possible for me to read an ARC of this book, and thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for auto-approving me so that I could read this awesome graphic novel. I honestly didn't realize this was a Northanger Abbey retelling when I first requested the book; I just new it was a graphic novel set on a Texas ranch and that it was a romance. I just thought it sounded fun! It wasn't until I started reading that I started seeing some connections to the Jane Austen book, and I thought "maybe it's not coincidence" because of the title Northranger. So, I went back to the synopsis and sure enough -- "inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey." Suddenly a book I was already enjoying became all that much better. There's just something about retellings that are so cool to me. I think there's an incredible amount of skill that goes into writing a story that is explicitly inspired by another but you're still able to make it your own. Rey Terciero is definitely able to take Northanger Abbey and make it something completely new, but still an homage to Jane Austen's first book.

Northranger has everything Northanger Abbey has--crippling second hand embarrassment from watching the main character do something so dumb, characters who are a little to obsessed with fiction and let its tropes invade their lives, a pretty sweet romance, and a trip to a house that is too creepy for its own good. It also has things Northanger Abbey doesn't--Latino representation, an honest look at what it's like to be queer in a small town, someone who's afraid of horses... The wonderful story Terciero gives us is just further heightened by Bre Indigo's incredible artwork. They do such beautiful work, and I especially loved their use of color. I will definitely be looking for both of these creator's names as I choose things to read going forward!

Fans of graphic novels, retellings, queer representation, and slow and sweet summer romance will enjoy Northranger, especially if they want a helping of second hand embarrassment on the side.

Yeehaw but make it gay. Brokeback Mountain for teens. The Horse Whisperer. I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Northranger is apparently a retelling of *gasp* a book I've never heard of (Northanger Abbey) by Jane Austen. I have no idea what the reference to it is other than the title and the author's note at the end of the book. But I did enjoy Northranger despite my lack of knowledge of it's inspiration ancestor.

Northranger is a coming of age lowkey thriller teen summer romance set on a Texas ranch. Cade and his stepdad are working on the ranch for some extra cash for their family. Cade also starts falling for the ranch owner's mysterious and handsome son, Henry. They bond over their love of horror movies. Cade forgets he's not actually living in a horror movie. Henry does his hot and cold thing. Miscommunication happens. Chaos ensues.

Northranger has some beautiful artwork. It's a quick read. The pacing is a little wonky. It does touch on some important topics. [ homophobia, alcoholism, breast cancer, physical and emotional abuse, suicide attempt, grief] But that's all it does. Nothing is explored. And everyone basically victim blames everyone. The little sister, Alice, is probably my favorite. Still, it's mostly cute and worth a read if you've got the time.


***Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing me with a review copy.***

A Northanger Abbey queer Texas retelling in graphic novel form? YES!
In the age of retellings we are experiencing, I can safely say this is very much a loose adaptation but still is recognizable as the Jane Austen classic. Instead of a satire of gothic novels, set in modern Texas, our main characters relate over horror movies. I was happily surprised with this retelling, going in skeptical. I think many teens will enjoy this and find it necessary. Fun at times, but ultimately a deeply emotional story. This story explores grief, racism, homophobia, and coming into your own. Thank you NetGalley for a free review copy!

Biggest thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of ‘Northranger’! This review is my full, honest opinion.

'Northranger' is a graphic novel about Cade, a closeted gay teen growing up in rural Texas with a big love for scary movies. To earn some money, Cade ends up working as a ranch hand for a summer. There he meets Henry, the ranch owner's son, and he and Henry have a lot more in common than the other realizes. While things develop between Cade and Henry, a chilling and mysterious past seems to surround Northranger.

First off, I greatly appreciated the content warning at the start of the graphic novel. It is something that I've noticed stories and novels have started incorporating in publishing and I'm glad this feature is being normalized. It mentioned moments of homophobia, misogyny, racism, domestic violence, animal cruelty, and confronting death take place in the story, but nothing is dwelled on too long and too severely, but still, take care of yourself when reading.

I will admit I had not read Jane Austen's Northranger Abbey yet, which this is inspired by, but I absolutely love the connection of horror with the reality of life Cade walks through in this graphic novel. The story had a great balance between what is being given to the reader and how to see it based on the shift in its perspective and tone. I think a huge hand in this is also done by the art style being in sepia tone and its particular shading in certain panels. Shout out to Bre Indigo!

This was a great and quick read. The only thing that prevented it from being five stars was the quick pacing of events, along with the ending, but that is on me. I can't wait to have a physical copy in hand when it is out in June!

I DNF'd at about 20% due to triggering content, however, I wanted to share that this book is a cute retelling of Northanger Abbey. Northanger Abbey is my favorite Jane Austen book so I take retellings very seriously. I love that the main character in this is creeped out by scary movies, its such a perfect translation. As someone who also grew up in Texas, the setting of this scene felt familiar but also haunting due to the time period. I would recommend this to those who read Aristotle and Dante and of course Jane Austen fans. Seems like a sweet graphic novel, but just not for me right now.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I was expecting it to be more in the horror genre, but I would say it fell more into suspense. Cade is a queer kid from nowhere Texas who finds himself working on a ranch with his step-dad. What starts out as an obligation to his family for the summer slowly unfolds into a mystery that has Cade concerned for his safety.

The family that owns the ranch are keeping secrets, secrets that have been keeping Cade up at night. But when Henry, the owners son, and Cade begin to grow closer it becomes harder, and harder to ignore all the mysterious happenings surrounding the family and their lake house, Northranger. As Cade tries to unravel all the secrets he begins to question Henry and what his true intentions are. Mystery and possible murder lead Cade on an unexpected journey that may cost him his new-found happiness, and possibly his very life.

Northranger was an interesting, queer story focusing on two teens who feel out of place in their daily lives. They find solace in each other, which leads to romantic feelings between the two. They want to be together, but the past and their own personal issues continue to try and tear them apart. The two boys need to figure out what is most important to them and what they are willing to sacrifice in order to be together. An interesting story with sweet characters and a bit of mystery added into the mix. An overall enjoyable, and quick, read!

Very cute Austen retelling and done in a meaningful believable way. I really enjoyed the art in this as well.

Northranger is simultaneously a story about summer romance and finding a balance between real life and fiction. The characters are charming and fun, given depth with a family mystery that locals spin out of proportion out of jealousy.

This was a solid graphic novel that is a queer retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. I wasn't sure what to expect, going in, but I did enjoy it. The art is very engaging and draws you in. The tone of it felt a bit disjointed. At one moment it was sweet and on the next page it gets dark. I wasn't sure where the horror label came from. This wasn't a horror novel. I did very much enjoy it and seeing the author's insights at the end of the novel.

3.5 / 5

Northranger is a queer, coming of age YA graphic novel set in the rural south, following Cade, a Latinx teen. Cade's step-dad works on a ranch in the summers, making a little bit of extra money for the family, and Cade's mom thinks it would be a great idea for Cade to tag along to make some money of his own. Reluctantly, he agrees, and they set off to the extremely rural farm where Cade is sure he will stick out like a sore thumb... and he's right - Cade is miserable. That is, until he starts getting closer to the cute farmer's son, a boy who thrives on the farm but has a soft side that Cade sees more of as time goes on.

First and foremost: I thought this was pretty cute. The art style is wonderful, and I enjoyed a lot of the little shenanigans that Cade gets into. Cade's sister is hilarious. I think this book also showcases a lot of important and realistic struggles a teen like Cade faces. Cade is still in the closet, and he is exposed to a lot of casual homophobia around town and with certain family members, and he struggles with the expectations that are placed on him to be masculine. He also has blatant racism thrown his way by a handful of characters.

While I appreciated the realistic portrayals of Cade's experience as an intersectional teenager, I feel like this book couldn't decide on a tone. One moment it's extremely lighthearted, the next there's on page slurs, then we're deep in a murder plot... I feel like a lot of the homophobia and racism that happens to Cade, by both family and strangers, gets forgotten or swept under the rug too quickly. Same with a few side characters exposed to sexist remarks from their family - they seem to be forgiven too fast for my liking. Perhaps that could be explored in later books.

Overall, I did enjoy Northranger. I think the art is wonderful and I'd pick up any sequels that explored more of these characters in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.