Thanks to Mad Cave Studios and Nadia Shammas for the complimentary copy through Netgalley! This doesn’t affect my review in any way.

Confetti Realms is a story about four teenagers in New Jersey who went out on halloween night who then finds themselves transported to a fantastical world with strange creatures after making a wish with an automaton named Tom.

First of all, this graphic novel has an incredibly colorful and captivating art style. I totally LOVE it! If you’re looking for an adventurous story with queer heroes, Confetti Realms is perfect for you. I love how it just takes us through comical, murderous frogs, and missing teeth, but it heavily emphasizes communication, self-reflection, and friendship. It was very open-ended and I find it beautiful how it’s left to the reader to interpret the cracks that the characters tried to mend throughout the story.

This book is suitable for the upper middle age groups and YA.
A group of 4 friends find themselves in another realm during Halloween. While they want to just have fun and seek ghost adventures, they are thrown into confetti realm where they have to find teeth so they can be freed from that realm.

In the quest to find these, they meet strange and weird creatures and also try to resolve the differences between them.

This graphic novel captures the various problems or issue that teenagers face, specially when they are queer. It deals with adolescent friendships and relationships too.

A nice read overall, I did feel it would have been better if the adventure took place over various other realms too.

Also, I received this book as an arc of Confetti Realms by Nadia Shammas from Publishers and NetGalley

i wanted to like this graphic novel, because i love anything Halloween, but this missed the mark for me. the plot felt rushed – it reads more like a bunch of scenes thrown together rather than a cohesive story. i didn’t like any of the characters, but i especially hated one of them – the redhead. the miscommunication didn’t get me to root for them, it just felt annoying to me. there’s no build-up for the random tid-bits of “trauma” the characters share at times, so it feel disjuncted. i also think it needs a bit more editing as i noticed a copy-pasted panel with a change in a character’s emotions and pose, but because the pose was changed, the trees behind her were floating. it was funny ngl, but it’s noticeable. the ending was quite abrupt and i don’t think it worked very well with the rest of the story.

This will be a top sell come October and Halloween spooky season.
It’s like nothing I’ve read before and can only describe it as Five Nights at Freddie’s meets Blackwater by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham.
I was not expecting teeth collecting or an animatronic to be part of the spooky plot so heads up if teeth-themes are too scary.
Overall, I love and appreciate any title that includes diverse and LGBTQIA+ characters outside of coming out or being bullied. This takes it one step further with the inclusion in a fantasy land. The metaphors around escapism might not be obvious to all readers.
There’s a significant portion of alcohol at the beginning so I would recommend it for grades 8+.

I went into this graphic novel expecting spooky Halloween chaos. And I received that but not in the ways I thought I would. It was more like this was a story that takes place on Halloween with spooky moments and random chaos that the audience has no idea of why it exists.

Nothing was really cohesive and it felt like things were just getting thrown at you. It was really hard to connect with the story and the characters because the emotions weren’t really there. There was tension everywhere and you learned nothing about anyone except at random times. I didn’t think there was a build up, no incline of learning about everything. It was more of a surprise here is trauma dumping.

I did like the ending of how everyone goes back to their dimension together. It’s not good to run away from your fears and I liked how the story showed that. The idea of this story was good but the execution wasn’t there. I hope others can find more enjoyment with this one especially since spooky season is near.

4 teens have decided to do some sparky cracky adventure by breaking into a cemetery on Halloween night. Only they did not speculate about meeting Tom(an automaton) and getting transported into another fantasy world of animal beings. To get back to their world, they have to collect the debts that these creatures owe to Tom. But, the process and path both seem to be more than just a task, leaving these teens wondering about their life, friendships and inner feelings.

First, shoutout to the amazing illustrator of the book, I can't emphasise enough how beautiful they are! Secondly, the theme/plot of the book is around Halloween 🎃 👻 which was executed well, in different scenes. It had all the right details of breezy weather, falling leaves, indicating changes in life, etc. The only thing that took me aback was the sudden influx of emotional angles to each character amidst the debt chase. It would have worked better if there was a gradual buildup that led us to that situation. Other than that, I totally enjoyed reading this graphic novel.

Genre: #graphicnovel #fantasy #middlegrade #lgbt
Theme: #halloween
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Thankyou @netgalley @madcavestudios @nadiashammas for the e-ARC

"Confetti Realms" by Nadia Shammas is an eccentric graphic novel that takes readers on a Halloween adventure with four New Jersey teens. The story begins when they break into a cemetery and find themselves transported to a fantastical world by a mysterious automaton named Tom. The characters are complex and weird, navigating mental health, relationship issues, and friendship struggles. The moody and atmospheric artwork perfectly captures the essence of a Halloween graphic novel.

The story unfolds in a wacky backdrop, featuring murderous frogs, an insect orchestra, and a quest to collect teeth from strange creatures. Amidst the wild adventure, "Confetti Realms" also explores important themes of queer representation and stereotypes based on body types. The book seamlessly combines the bizarre with deep conversations, making it a unique and thought-provoking read.

However, one drawback is that the ending feels rushed. The conversations lack depth and there is a sense that something is missing. For this reason, I would rate it 3.5 out of 5. Nonetheless, if you enjoy Halloween books, this quirky tale set on Halloween night will captivate you with its storytelling and the intricate fusion of fantasy and real-world issues.

* "Confetti Realms" is a must-read for the upcoming Spooky season, especially for those seeking a quick but unconventional Halloween adventure.*

Thanks to NetGalley & Mad Cave Studios for the ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

*Content warnings*
Panic attacks
Mental illness, Bullying, Cancer

This story had such great vibes! I loved the relationships and the conversations the characters had but I was really blown away by the art. It reminded me of both Studio Ghibli and Fran Bow inexplicably. I think in a story like this, and a medium like this, sometimes the side characters can get drowned out but really everyone was someone I was interested in knowing about. I would've stayed in these pages longer if I could that's for sure.

I absolutely adored this graphic novel!!! The art style is gorgeous and fun, and the story itself is crazy and amazing! I had so much fun reading this graphic novel and thought it was truly a fun little slightly spooky, but heartwarming read. Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel!!!

This was very cool. I adored all the artwork and the main cast of crew and all of the secondary characters. Everyone was so interesting and complex and super super weird. This is a weird book but it's one that manages to discuss concepts like mental health and relationship issues and friendship struggles all while providing this absolutely wacky backdrop.

You basically have this group of four teenagers who go to a cemetery on Halloween and end up making a wish to this sentient puppet who sends them on this adventure to collect teeth in a world called confetti realms and if they collect all the teeth from these strange animal creatures then they get to go back home. It's wild and absolutely nuts but so good. I also loved the queer representation and discussions about stereotypes based on body type and such.

This was so cute and queer. I loved the art and coloring, and the scenes were so well done. I don’t often rate comics this highly, but I really enjoyed this one. Also Marissa’s character design 🙏🙏🙏

I thought it was a really cute read and the graphic work for all the illustrations was actually amazing! I think the plot is cute but could use some work. I feel like the characters did a lot of jumping around in the world without context and in some spots it didn’t feel developed but rushed. There wasn’t a lot of time to get to know the characters as the book itself is short.

I was kind of hoping it would be a bit of a series but it looks to be a standalone! A book I think will be perfect for Halloween!

Thanks to Netgalley and Maverick for the eARC. I was already interested in this title due to the cover and description, but then a coworker brought back a postcard of duel frogs that said "Hippity Hoppity, Get Off my Property," and I knew I couldn't wait until October. I had a lot of fun reading this, the world reminds me a bit of Over the Garden Wall and I love that. The characters are diverse and I loved seeing their stories unfold throughout the story. I do wish that a little more time had been taken with the characters, and with each quest location. It would have made an excellent limited series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed reading Nadia Shammas’ Squire last year so I was super happy to receive her newest graphic novel, Confetti Realms, set to release on September 26, 2023!

A group of four teenagers from New Jersey find themselves in a strange realm called Confetti Realms where they are set on an adventure to find teeth for an automaton who promises to send them back home in exchange.

The art style is one of the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen! It was so moody and atmospheric. I could not get enough of it. There is a double page spread near the end of the book that I need a print of so I can put it up on my wall. I was taken by the wonderful character and world design the entire time! I mean, there are mice and in maid outfit!!!!! There is nothing cuter than a mouse in a maid outfit!

The story was also enjoyable! The adventure through Confetti Realm was gripping and there was a lot of tension between this group of friends that made me want to read until the end to see how everything is resolved. Each of these 4 teenagers has their own interpersonal problems they are figuring out. There are discussions around mental health, queerness, facing your fears, grief, expectations we have of our friends and our responsibility to them. There are a lot of great lessons weaved into this story! Additionally, at the end of the book there are pages of mental health resources which was a pleasant surprise :)

I do have to say that I’m not sure I like the way the story ended. It was quite abrupt, which is something I didn’t like in Squire, but you can guess what happens. The ending to the conflict between Marissa and Radwa was also another part that I believe was quite rushed. The problem might be the fact that the ending to their conflict was coupled with the ending to the story! Maybe if it had happened before the ending of the story I would've had a different opinion.

All in all, I believe Confetti Realms can be a great addition to your Halloween TBR!

Content Warnings: Panic Attacks, Parent with Cancer mentioned, Depression

I absolutely love this! The art is gorgeous and really fits the cozy Halloween/autumn vibe. The combination of the story and the art make this a perfect mix between Labyrinth, Spirited away and My Neighbour Totoro. And I adore it! The story is beautifully written, each character is given their own voice and their own arc.

This might actually become my new favorite comfort read! Such a shame I have to wait until October to get my hands on a physical copy though!

*thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

This is the perfect Halloween read. If you love graphic novels with beautiful art, Halloween vibes, and diverse characters, pick up Confetti Realms!

The art was the best part of this.

I love Halloween, and I especially like stories set at Halloween. Shammas' story in particular reminded me a childhood favorite movie, and an annual rewatch every season: The Halloween Tree, based on the novel by Ray Bradbury (both favorites of mine!).

This is a surrealist and more grown-up version of that, though. Four teenagers, all experiencing their own issues and traumas and, being self-absorbed teenagers, are oblivious to the fact each of their friends are more like them than they realize. The comics messaging is a bit heavy-handed, and the story's ending is left open-ended, but overall it felt like if Ray Bradbury wrote a Goosebumps for Gen Z. That might offend some people but I found it... nostalgic?

There's also a strong undercurrent of unsettling cosmic horror. The world the kids find themselves in, obviously, and its host, obviously, but the entire concept of what that world is, is terrifying. Shammas created something horrifying here (particularly the kitchen scene! shivers!) and I, for one, enjoyed it.

Hats off to Karessa for their beautiful art (so many wonderful animal designs! and the world!), and to the colorist, Hackto Oshiro, for a sparkly autumnal color with surrealist and gothic vibes.

This is a super cool Halloween horror comic that any fan of the genre would love to have on their shelf.

This was such a sweet story. I love stories where the queer rep is tied in so seamlessly, especially graphic novels and this was done so naturally. I really grew to love the four main characters, all with their own internal struggles. It was so nice to see them face their fears and all in this interesting world building! I almost wish I could’ve spent more time in the confetti realms!

Confetti realms is a really chaotic but fun read.

The art is absolutely beautiful and I loved seeing all these different animals. The story itself was sometimes a bit confusing because I felt like it jumped from one plot point to another, but overall it was a really good story and while at the beginning with Tom I thought it would be way creepier that actually wasn’t true and it more funny than creepy. I loved the main characters and their relationships to each other, but I also loved the creatures they met along the way.

This graphic novel has the perfect spooky vibes for Halloween. It follows four teens who have a Halloween drink in the cemetery and then get transported to an alternate realm full of whimsy, where everything is not as it seems. I loved this, and it truly made me feel seen with the representation of anxiety and LGBTQ characters.

I received this book from the publisher for free to review through Netgalley.