DNF at 30%.

This was hard for me to get into,I’m not a big fan of the art style and the story just didn’t grab my attention as I was hoping for!


Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Loved the artwork and some very creepy moments. This is too short though. I wanted more. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I love this set-up, the mental health representation, the scary ghosts, and the honesty of the plot and emotions. I have one protest, the ending is so dissatisfying! Yes I know it’s setup so we want to read the next issue; but as a trade (how I read these issues #1-3) it’s less fun to have it cliffhanger as it did. Ironically that cliffhanger could be considered an ending (from the perspective of a short story meant to leave options open) so my criticism may feel misplaced. What I know is getting to the end I was just so annoyed to realize that was the last page!!

I read this on my new Kobo Colour Libre so I didn’t get the full impact of the colours (as all colours are muted on this ereader, but better than black and white)! I did pull a couple single issues from my comic collection of this series just to see the art in its full glory and I must say it’s really wonderful! Just minimal enough to give a spooky aura but detailed enough on all the ghosts; and at the moments it really matters. You have to watch some of the subtleties in the art to get the full story. There are little hints to what is happening that you could miss. So be sure to read and look at the art so you get the full experience.

Check this one out if you want a good, accurate representation of depression (seems weird to say that but you know what I mean), some intense ghosts, a (perhaps!) twist ending, but maybe be sure to have the next issue ready to go so you can keep enjoying this intriguing world. Note: the ebook version I read had issues #1-3.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

I absolutely loved this graphic novel! I love the father-daughter author team up to tackle how big and all-encompassing depression can feel and how difficult it can be to break out of the cycle. I already loved Ethan Sacks writing, but now I can't wait to see what Naomi Sacks does next! This story was compelling, told from the heart, and had incredible art to accompany it.

A Haunted Girl features an interesting premise with full-color, well-done artwork. I was intrigued by the father/daughter duo as it offered a unique insight and was able to speak to the experience of both parent and child surrounding mental health issues. The monster work was creative, and I liked how people from different backgrounds saw Izanami (the queen of death) differently. The separation between the issues (turned chapters) is too defined and takes the reader out of the story. I would rearrange the ordering so all the cover art variants and ads for other comics are at the end of the book instead of having them in between chapters. Some of the cover art repeats throughout the book - which makes sense for separate volumes, but not when the story is collected like this. The story itself didn't immediately grab me, and the pacing felt odd - it started quite slow and escalated quickly. The conclusion was a bit too convenient, and I didn't find the (spoiler alert) power of friendship especially compelling. Overall, I liked the art in this one and the perspective that it offers, but it was wrapped up too quickly and the separation between the chapters took me out of the story.

"'I make it work.' 'Well...that's all we can really do"

A horror comic with bits of comic relief from the characters' dialogue making a metaphor out of depression being an apocalypse causing demon is great, the mental health rep is obviously wonderful, and the backstory about how this was written is even better. However, I felt this was suuuuper short for how much could've been down with this, therefore I feel like the world building was lacking and the story was predictable. Also, the end speech, while being important for the purpose of the book, felt very cheesy. Overall, a pretty quick and easy read with amazing illustrations if you like other books from this publisher.

Such a great personification of the big feelings we feel when we are mentally ill. I thought this was a great story and I would be interested in reading more from this series, for sure. The artwork is also beautiful! This would be a great book study in a health class to discuss mental health.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Image Comics for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review, and thanks to Ethan and Naomi Sacks for writing a story using horror to talk about the importance of mental health and getting the right support to help with depression.

The second I saw that this was written by a father and daughter and that the story was a mix of horror manifesting through depression and other mental health struggles AND was inspired by Naomi's personal struggle with depression, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

When Cleo is released from the hospital, the struggle to fall back into the patterns of her life is already hard enough, but when she starts seeing horrifying monsters and ghosts hanging above her bed and wandering around town? That's just insane. Which is, of course, the first conclusion she comes to. Fresh out of the hospital after struggling with depression and suicidal ideation? Of course now she's seeing things. But the more she sees and the more times she's visited by the ghost of a young boy who claims that only she can save the world, she starts to realize that maybe this isn't just a series of hallucinations after all...maybe she really does have to save the world from monsters who want to destroy it. But will her over-protective adoptive uncle, her constantly-worried-about-her best friend, and her new therapist band together to help or to hinder Cleo on her quest? And is this really happening, or is it just her mind playing tricks on her?

I ended up giving this one 3 1/2 stars in the end, because the characters were interesting and well written, the art style was gorgeous, and the story itself was well thought out, if not as fully realized as I was hoping when I went in. I thought in a lot of places that the story could have been longer because it felt like a lot of context was missing and the story was a lot more nuanced than could be conveyed at the length of the comic, but in the end I did really enjoy it despite wanting a little more fleshing out.

TRIGGER WARNINGS : depression, mental health talks, hospitalization, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, death, ghosts, body horror, child death, death of a relative, gore. drug use, violence, and bullying.

Cleo is depressed and is being released from a psychiatric hospital after a suicide attempt and a two month stay. She starts seeing things that no one else can and thinks she’s going crazy, but there is more to the story here and Cleo is the only person that can stop these supposed hallucinations from hurting others.

This story turns a very hard and deeply personal situation into something hopeful, positive and totally kicks butt. While I wish this story could have spanned more issues to really flesh out Cleo’s back story and healing process, this covered a lot in just 4 issues. I can see this giving a lot of strength and hope to teens battling depression.

The fate of all life on Earth depends on a girl who doesn’t know if she wants to live.

Great writing and great art. I really enjoyed it!

This was such a creative way to explore depression and anxiety. I really enjoyed this story and just wish that it was longer. The end seemed a little rushed. I like that there were resources included in the book for people who may be experience mental health concerns.

★ ★ ★ • 3

I felt a bit hesitant to review this graphic novel, because I think there’s a really impactful story behind its creation and the role that very real depression and pain had in it. I think to varying degrees many people can empathize with how soul crushing mental illness can be.

I did appreciate the art style and Japanese folklore elements, but I didn’t feel very invested in the story itself. The story definitely does have potential, so I wouldn’t be opposed to reading further volumes. I’d also recommend this to anyone who enjoys Japanese culture, youkai-lore, and horror graphic novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved how mental health is written in this graphic novel. I also appreciated the metaphor with the apocalypse and the drawings! I did feel that too many things were trying to be said in not enough words… But otherwise I enjoyed reading it!! It’s a beautiful story about mental health and an easy and short read!

I really enjoyed this, I liked the deeper message of being able to overcome depression and not let it consume you. I also loved how the subject was depicted with the apocalypse element.

Overall I did really enjoy the story but I do wish there was just a little bit more to it, but still would recommend

thank you to Netgalley, Publishers and authors for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was a fun beautiful read. It was a quick easy one. This read was also super engaging. I had such a fun time reading it and loved the main character.

This graphic novel dives into mental illness and recovery with a horror adventure inspired by Japanese myth. The understanding and depiction of the feelings of depression and the stigma surrounding them were extremely well done and very emotional at times. The art style was also absolutely gorgeous and I adored seeing all of the new ways that the illustrator would depict various demons and ghosts. However, the overall plot fell a bit flat for me. I know this is a graphic novel, but the pacing was almost too fast. I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development, not just of the main character but of the various side characters.

in this book, ethan sacks and his daughter naomi collaborate to tell a story inspired by naomi's mental health struggles. you can definitely feel both of their influences on the story, as it is told not only from the perspective of someone dealing with depression but also from the viewpoint of a loved one witnessing the struggle.

in short, this book tackles mental health with a unique twist: a supernatural backdrop. this makes it especially appealing to the younger generation. it’s an important graphic novel with beautiful artwork and a powerful message: you’re needed, you’re not alone, you can do this.

highly recommend.

The art style was the first thing that caught my attention; it is bold and unique and slightly dark, complimenting the story aspects really well. With the description, I was worried that the graphic novel aspects would deter from the depth of the story, but instead it not only complimented but also enhanced it. It was a quick read due to its format but I was invested from start to finish! Thank you for giving me the chance to experience the story!

As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety since my teens, I found this graphic novel to be very touching and relatable. Cleo is a MC that any young woman facing depression can easily see themselves in. Watching her loved ones come to help her out of a dark situation and her finding strength in them and within herself was beautiful.

Strong positive messaging relating to mental health struggles and beautiful artwork. Overall feel the plot line, supernatural elements and antagonist could have used more depth and exploration, as well as some further detail and development of the protagonist. A promising story with a very important theme; felt a bit rushed with a sudden ending.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and authors for the opportunity to read this eArc in exhange for an honest review!