I requested this ARC solely because the illustration looked completely adorable, and I was NOT disappointed!
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Nothing Special is the story of Callie, who is trying to find her place in the world. She knows she isn’t human because she can see and communicate with plant spirits, most notably a radish ghost named, Radish. But, what is she? And is she alone? Enter Declan, a geeky, young man who can also see the same spirits. While Callie is not longer alone, she still has no answers. And, after a mysterious kidnapping, she, Declan, and Radish are thrust into a magical world filled with fantastical creatures and potential enemies. Will they discover who they are? Will they be able to save what was stolen? Will they survive?
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RADISH IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER!! Sorry for yelling, but I had to get that out. Radish is firstly, ADORABLE. Secondly, valiant (maybe possessive is a better word). Thirdly, has fantastic facial expressions. And lastly, has the best banter and one-liners in the novel.
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This story started a bit slow but that’s to be expected from the start to any story with fantasy elements or worlds. As the characters were introduced and added to the party, it picked up the pace and became really fun and enjoyable to read. The illustrations are superb! The characters facial expressions and the cuteness factor of the spirits was amazing.
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I enjoyed this little adventure very much and I’m glad that I got the chance to read an ARC of it. I anxiously await the next installment! Thank you, Katie for sharing this wonderful story. And thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for gifting me this ARC.
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Nothing Special Volume 1: Through the Elder Woods releases on March 5th, 2024!

A graphic novel such as Nothing Special Volume 1 is an amazing work of art. There is something for everyone in this graphic novel, including adventure, comedy, romance, magic, and fantasy, as we follow Callie on her quest (with her friends) to save her dad in the magic world. Because of the beautiful artwork, you can enjoy both the storyline and the characters due to the overwhelming amount of cuteness.

Very cute book that would appeal to many middle school-aged readers about a girl with magical lineage and her adventure to save her father.

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

Loved it. The artwork is so cute and the story kept me engaged. And I loved the little side artwork of the spirits doing their own thing.

**Thank you to NetGalley for sending me this book in return for an honest review.**

Oh. My. Gosh! This was the cuuuutest thing ever! The art work was adorable, Callie and Declan's relationship was the sweetest and add in an adventure I am dying 😍 this is such a fun whimsical read with the most adorable and sassy characters ❤ definitely will be recommending this to all my graphic Nobel loving fans!

A very sweet story for kids with beautiful art. I really enjoyed the art style as it was what intrigued me about the book. The story is pretty simple and straight forward. A fast read. Would recommend for anyone that enjoys children books.

Okay but his little fairy wings were SO CUTE.
I really enjoyed this story and want to see where Callie and Declan go next, especially if the demon guy keeps hanging out. He was my favorite.

It's a very sweet book. I quite like the art style and the general 'vibe' of the story telling, it was very enjoyable and reasonably unique. It wasn't an EXCITING story, but I mean that in the nicest way. There were a few points of danger, but I never really felt like anyone wasn't going to make it. Cozy, without being all in one location.

This was SO CUTE! Anything that was previously published on webtoon is almost always a 5 star read for me. The concept of this book is so unique with the different plant spirits. I’ve never read a book like it and I LOVED it. The book was laugh out loud funny. I had to stop and show my husband different panels because they were so good. I love how the story handles the concept of life and death with the spirits, which by the way are adorable. Radish has my whole heart. The artwork is so detailed. There were so many little things I noticed and loved in the background of each panel. You can tell so much thought went into this story. I love our main characters. The female main character is strong and the male main character is supportive and just simply adores her. I love how the characters break stereotypical gender norms. I will be recommending this to so many people. Can’t wait for the next volume!

Fun and quick read. Loved the relationship between Callie and Declan. I do wish her father would have just been honest about her mother. And I can’t wait to read more about lasser.

This was an adorable cozy fantasy! Each character stole my heart in their own way, but Radish was the obvious favorite. I loved seeing each of these characters face their insecurities and go on this adventure together to find Callie's dad.

— 5 ⚝

thank you to netgalley and Clarkson Potter/ten speed press for an e-arc of this graphic novel/webtoon. all thoughts are my own and not influenced in any way.

oh my god, what a delight!!!! so, this story follows Callie, who is not fully human and Declan, who, also, is not fully human on their adventures through this whimsical world of magic and strange creatures while they are on a quest to find Callie's dad who may be in trouble. On the way, they come across a talking radish, who is so sassy and adorable and worships callie. they also meet other creatures, both good and bad while navigating through this world.

the art style is absolutely mesmerizing. the world is so whimsical and captivating. i was growing more and more excited with every page i turned. the characters are so adorable and fun to follow. the romance is also so easy to root for. i love the taking radish. the dynamic between him, declan and lasser was hilarious. i was engrossed from page one and did not want to stop reading. the writing and dialogue was so clever and just flowed. i was taken completely by surprise and am deeply impressed with this webtoon and super excited for future volumes. such a fun adventure story. might just binge it on the app bcz i cannot wait!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this arc.

This graphic novel was a 5 ⭐️ read for me.

On her seventeenth birthday, Callie finds out her dad is in grave danger. Callie sets out to find him, joined by her best friend / romantic interest Declan. Entering a magical realm which Callie has only ever been permitted to see a part of, Callie and Declan begin a mission to find her dad, picking up loveable sidekicks along the way. As with any good adventure story, chaos ensues.

I loved this story so much. The artwork was fun and beautifully done. The characters were so much fun to follow and really had their own “voices.” The story was endearing and cozy and an easy read while being well fleshed out. Clocking in at around 400 pages this book does not leave anything unfinished, but does have an ambiguous ending to leave potential for follow up books. I’m so excited to see where Callie and Declan (and Radish!!!) take us on their next adventure!

What’s the size of a golf ball, protects you with the power worthy of a possessive shih tzu, third wheels your romantic relationship, and could make all of Germany’s dead philosophers spin in their graves with its existential rants?

It’s Radish! The ghost of a vegetable that died while serving as a party platter garnish, never receiving the fame and recognition that its clingy personality deserved.

Radish is one of the numerous ghosts of dead plants trapped in the realm of the living. You’ve seen those, right? They’re rotund, attentive, protective, and eloquent ("Did I stutter? Back off!" - Radish).

Callie, the 17-year-old protagonist of Nothing Special, has the good sense to accept the friendship of plant spirits like Radish. She is a half-human half-magical creature with some supernatural abilities, although she doesn’t know much about what they are or how she got them. Discovering what she can do, and why her father has forbidden her from venturing too far from their house, is a major thread in this story.

Besides befriending Radish, Callie is also friendly with the guy who’s had a cru-…uhhhh… seat behind her in biology class since, like, Kindergarten. He’s been failing all his classes because, for some weird reason, he can never see the board behind Callie’s ponytail (just kidding, his grades are probably good considering that he insists on studying for a physics final with her. But this series isn’t about school, so it doesn’t matter).

It’s a cozy adventure with cuteness and laughs in a fantasy world.

There is also a something about a spark between Callie and that classmate of hers, Declan.

The plant spirits and other magical creatures were my favorite part of this book. I wished to know more about Declan’s backstory, as that would also strengthen his relationship with Callie.

Nothing Special, Volume 1, covers the first story arc of the webtoon Nothing Special and will be published in a hard copy form on March 5, 2024. Some panels in the print edition are enhanced compared to the web version. For instance, the earthquake scene has been re-rendered and looks more dynamic in the book.

The experience of full-page spreads is different by nature from a webtoon, too. I’m a fan of the webtoon format because there’s never questions about panel order, and at times I find graphic novels to be visually scattered. Not so with the layout of Nothing Special -- its use of negative space guided my eye through the adventure well.

An absolute delight.

Rating: 4.5

Nothing Special was truly… something special!

We follow Callie, a girl who has lived both in the human and magical girl who goes on a quest to find her lost father. She meets Declan, a classmate who can also see the same magical creatures as Callie and together they set off into the magical world.
Along the way they meet new friends (and foes) and learn more about the new world they’ve thrown themselves into.

I adored the story - such a unique set of fantasy rules and realms! I loved the idea of plant spirits, the different magical creatures and magic systems within this world.
The characters were delightful and the story was just so fun! And hilarious; I laughed a lot while reading.

All in all - a must read for fantasy and graphic novel lovers. Perfect for fans of Wynd: Flight of the Prince, Twig and Lightfall.

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, I have since lost my initial interest in the story. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

A fun magical story of dual worlds. Callie has no idea of her powers. Her whole life she has stayed in the human world struggling to find her place. When her father goes missing, she must break the number one rule to not leave. Joining forces with a Radish and other creatures, can she rescue her dad and find her magic?

This was an adorable cozy fantasy! Each character stole my heart in their own way, but Radish was the obvious favorite. I loved seeing each of these characters face their insecurities and go on this adventure together to find Callie's dad.

Gorgeous. Adorable. Sweet. Funny.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.
Two teens who, it turns out, feel like they don't fit in for good reason go with a ghost radish to find the girl's missing father. They encounter unusual things and even real dangers.
This was a wholly satisfying story and I really enjoyed this graphic novel

I loved this graphic novel. Not only was the artwork amazing but the story line was as well. Radish definitely stole the show and my heart in it though. I love how the adventure unfolded and how the chapters transitioned. I will definitely be looking for future titles so I can continue following the story.