Characters-10

I loved the characters in this book. I thought they were fun to read about, and they all had a great dynamic with each other. They had a great found family vibe which I liked. I loved how the older people in the story helped the kids see the good in themselves and told them they could do this. There was an interesting dynamic of good versus morally gray characters in this story, which I enjoyed reading about.

Writing & Art-10

The art style in this book was great. I loved the use of color and the mixture of dark and light colors. Messh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang had multiple locations which were all interesting and engaging to read about. Michelle Lam is a great writer and knows how to tell a great story. I loved the lighter scenes where you get to learn more about the characters and explore their friendship. There were also some darker scenes in this book, both plot-wise and for the characters that were handled with care. The writing and the art style work together to tell a great story.

Plot-9

Messh The Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang had a great story. There were elements of who you trust, and knowing if people would be loyal to you or not. I love seeing the fairy demons in this book. They were interesting characters to learn about. I loved seeing the relationship between Meesh and her grandmother and learning about Meesh’s mother throughout the story. There were dark elements in this story that I enjoyed reading about. I loved the journey of Meesh and her friends throughout this book.

Enjoyment-9

I enjoyed this! I love the story of family, both blood and found. I enjoyed the relationship between Eva and Meesha, and how they talked thing out throughout the story. I will read more from this series and this author.

This was such a great read! I loved the storyline. After reading the first volume I was really hoping there would be another story with these characters. I really liked the fox-kind, they were so cute! I can't wait to see if there will be a third volume!

Unputdownable!
This awesome second part releases today, and I was so happy to read it. I totally adored Meesh in her first adventure and this second one maintains all the found friendship power and adventure and adds some amazing content:
🥳girl power
🥳debunking prejudices
🥳stronger found friendships
🥳teamwork
🥳lessons in staying true to yourself
🥳adorable manga-inspired illustrations
🥳magic!

It can be read as a standalone but I also highly recommend the first one.

The Secret of the Fang is a second book in Meesh the bad demon novel by Michelle Lam. I loved this book as much as I loved the first one.
 
The first book was about Meesh finding herself and saving her home, Mount Magma. In this book, Meesh and her friends were trying to protect the world. First of all, I loved the back story of the villain; it made more sense and was more realistic in this middle-grade fantasy novel. 
 
The found family trope has always been my favorite, and this book did justification for the trope. Once again, Meesh proved that one doesn't need any external thing to prove their worth; everything we ever wanted was within ourselves.
 
Just like the first book, the illustrations are my favorite. The colors, the artwork, and the expressions of the characters were so well pictured. This book has its own charm, cuteness, and powerful message to it.

Overall, "The Secret of the Fang" is a delightful and inspiring continuation of Meesh's adventures that will captivate readers of all ages.

Top 5 Reasons to Read The Secret of the Fang

Friendship

Meesh and Nouna’s friendship was formed in Meesh the Bad Demon so it’s not surprising to see their friendship develop and deepen in The Secret of the Fang. I love seeing how much both of them grown individually but as well as friends. They both provide such support for one another and are always each other’s cheerleader!

Found Family

Between Meesh, Nouna, Chai, and Xavier have brought families together. They may be of different species but that hasn’t stopped them from overcoming their differences and becoming a family.

Betrayal

Not only did Plumeria City betray the fairy demons but some of those cast out ended up betraying not only themselves and their families but those that called them a friend. Meesh and Nouna were shocked to find out who was helping the person set out to destroy Plumeria City.

Know Your Worth

Being the Guardian has been a difficult task and when Meesh is faced with saving their cities again, she starts to doubt herself and her abilities. All she sees are the mistakes she’s made and it takes the help of her friends to help her realize her worth. Xavier goes through a similar phase in this book as he’s ordered to stay back. He was once the top of his class and now he feels like he’s not good enough to help Meesh and Nouna save the cities. Both of them need to overcome their insecurities in this one.

Desegregation

In Meesh the Bad Dragon we saw the segregation of demons and fairies come together but it wasn’t until reading Secret of the Fang that we realize there is another species, Fairy Demons. This book takes us back in history when fairy’s and demons lived together. We also get the backstory as to why they were cast out and forgotten. Many people in both Ponderosa and Plumeria City didn’t realize the fairy demons existed or it’d been so long since anyone saw one that they assumed they’d all left. I enjoy these books because they show that no matter who you are or where you came from you can all love and co-exist together.

TL;DR: The Secret of the Fang is book two in the middle-grade fantasy graphic novel series about a young demon who wants to succeed at doing good. I enjoyed this continuation of the story from book one and what the secret was about. While the story reaches a well-rounded ending, I do hope that we get to return to this world for more adventures with Meesh and her wonderful group of friends!

The running theme throughout this series is about believing in yourself and I loved how that’s further explored in this book, not just through Meesh’s character but through Nouna, Xavier and Chai. I adored this friendship group and how they support each other despite their marked differences. We see them all struggle with some form of insecurity and it is lovely to see them find their confidence as the story progresses. This group have come a long way, especially Xavier the ex-bully who’s now their bestie, and I found the friendships so wholesome. I loved seeing them all band together to save the day! 😍

Other issues Lam explores through this fantasy world in a very accessible way for young readers to understand are racism, bigotry and xenophobia. I love a complex villain and that’s what we get in this story. Lam delivers a character whose actions are unconscionable but their backstory is heartbreaking and will likely be relatable to many who have encountered prejudices and unjust actions simply for being born who they are. We all react and process trauma and fear in different ways but I liked how Lam presents the consequences of society’s past actions in the present day.

The artwork also needs to be praised because I loved it so much! I loved the contrasting colours of each city and how well they captured the vibe of each location and the citizens that live there. However, my favourite part about the artwork is the way the character’s emotions are so perfectly captured by Lam. You can read the range of emotions they experience on each character’s face—from excitement, anxiety, frustration, pride and joy—it was beautifully captured and made the story come alive for me.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars

This was such a cute graphic novel! The author did a great job of making sure you can jump right in even if you haven’t read the first book. I loved the colorful graphics and feel like they really brought the story to life. This book also has a really great message and was delivered perfectly. I thoroughly enjoyed this adorable, action packed story full of fairies and magic.

Read this if you like:
→ Magic & adventure
→ Diverse characters
→ Fairies, demons, werewolves

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for my e-ARC of Meesh the Bad Demon: The Secret of the Fang!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🧚 love books about fairies
📖 enjoy graphic novels
😌 always look for the good in people
🐺 wish you could transform into a wolf

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

When Meesh banded together with Fairy Princess Nouna to save the underworld, she never expected she’d have to… do it again someday. Though, as Meesh grows into her newly discovered destiny as the Guardian of the world, she figured there would be a few minor rescues, maybe some crime-fighting here or there.

But before long, her new friend Chai’s family is forced out of their home by an evil force who threatens to destroy all of fox-kind if they dare stay. Meesh suspects the same masked villain she faced before is behind all of this, but will she be able to stop them before it's too late?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

I haven’t read book one, but the author did such a great job of making sure new readers would be able to quickly pick up what happened during the first part of the story! I loved the storyline and especially the graphics. They were well done and a few scenes really had me chuckling! Meesh is a “bad” demon meaning she doesn’t act the way she supposedly should, and I was glad. She’s very unique and she cares for people even when others don’t believe they deserve it. I’ll definitely need to get my hands on book one, and any others that come out in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

A solid and emotionally loaded sequel to a fun fantasy/adventure graphic novel series.

Meesh is back in this action-packed sequel that retains the heart and messaging from her origin story: be true to yourself and believe in yourself. This graphic novel is high-paced with barely a moment of rest, keeping the reader engaged, but sometimes lacking in overall impact. Meesh is off to save the world once more with her band of friends, who come off more one-dimensional than in the first book, now that all their problems have been solved. Despite that, the introduction of fairy demons worked well within the story and there was a very altruistic ending. Readers of the first book will enjoy this followup, as it continues to showcase Lam's fun art style and Wheeler's beautiful colors.

In the two year gap between the release of volume one and volume two, I’ve branched out with reading both more of middle grade, and more graphic novels. I recommended the first Meesh the Bad Demon volume when I saw it in a book shop recently, and came home to do the sensible thing, tucking into volume two.

Meesh as a character goes through quite a lot in the first volume, and it finishes with her having found a circle of friends she wouldn’t have otherwise found herself with, and I absolutely love a found family storyline. It was these connections I was keen to see explored further in The Secret of the Fang, and it did not disappoint.

With things moving in the right direction and seemingly more settled than they were, it’s a shock to Meesh to suddenly be needed again as The Guardian. This time though, Meesh and her friends don’t have to worry about doing it alone. They’ve got support from the adults; the old Guardian, Meesh’s grandma, and the Queen, Nouna’s mother, are there for them every step of the way.

They don’t just help them out in a practical sense when they get stuck, either. Both these guardians are set on raising their children to be the best, happiest children they can be, and they offer words of support and guidance along the way. Meesh’s Grandma especially is keen to make sure Meesh knows her worth, knows how loved she is and that being The Guardian is just a part of her identity. I really liked this, especially in a middle grade book, as so often we see “chosen one” storylines where they’re just thrown into the heart of it and almost left to fend for themselves emotionally, and I think we need to make “you can only be a lead character if you don’t have emotional support” a trope of the past.

The artwork is elegant and magical, helping transport you into these different cities, rooting for a happy ending for everyone. The individual panels work with the text to make for a fully-formed story and I’m already looking forward to the third installment in this story about being true to yourself, knowing your worth, and reaching out a hand to those who need it.

Thank you Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this great book. This second volume is just as good as the first one. Same great characters, wonderful artwork, and powerful messages of friendship, teamwork, and self-acceptance make for a fabulous story. Looking forward to sharing it with my students.

I wish I enjoyed this a bit more but considering world events, I just couldn't stand by the message, especially since the events in here parallel so closely to things that are happening in Palestine. When is enough enough? Clearly this is a middle grade book so it should be lighthearted and simple, but it's too "good". But I'm also an adult soooo, lol!

Anyway, all this aside, this was cute and Meesh finally grew into her new identity. Still, I did think it was just average. A quick read

Book two of Meesh the Bad Demon starts right where the first left off and finds Meesh once again needing to help save the world. I am a huge fan of Lam’s whimsical illustrations and her fantastical world is a fun one to revisit.

What a beautiful, awesome, and beautifully awesome middle-grade graphic novel!
My daughter loved the first book in the series. She was obsessed. I had to see what it was she loved there so much, so I read the first book also. And I have to admit it makes sense. The book was perfect.
Then I saw that there was book two coming and of course I had to see it. And. Omg. It did not disappoint! I feel like this 2nd book might be even better than the 1st one.
The artwork is absolutely perfect. The characters have depth and meaning. The storyline flows effortlessly. The book has way, way more depth than most graphic novels usually do, yet it reads easily and it sucks you in.

I loved the true tenacity and fearlessness of the characters of this book.

Chai & Meesh were definitely an unexpected pair. And Xavier too, if you count the trio.

The way they worked together to overcome what was happening to Chai’s family. The artistry, the character growth.

Phenomenal.


I volunteered to read this ARC through NetGalley

Meesh the Bad Demon is no stranger to saving the world—but she never thought she’d have to do it twice! Can she defeat the darkness once and for all in this sequel of epic proportions?

Just as good as the first, possibly better. I love Meesh!

This book is the second adventure in the world of Meesh The Bad Demon.
Continuing the story, we learn more about Meesh’s friends, family and other species of creatures in her world. Fairy Demons are introduced who play a pivotal role in Meesh learning what it takes to be a hero. Our young Demon Guardian must learn to find the power from within herself to save her world and unite a society that once rejected her. This is a great book for any middle school kid that has felt like they couldn’t fit in, or could use a tale of a good moral code.
Michelle Lam’s art style is a heavy Manga influence, but has a style all her own. The linework, color, and detail to her story is fantastical with anyone that loves animation. Well worth the wait for the book as well as the cover price.

Meesh the Bad Demon was great! It’s still so cute and adventurous. I will be adding this to my middle grade library.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really fun middle grade fantasy graphic novel with surprising depth. As an adult reading it I was definitely able to see the unfortunate parallels to our non-fantasy world. I love the diversity in the team that conquers evil in this installment of Meesh. And the ending moral and message that Meesh really only needed the love, respect, and faith in her from herself.