#1 I love webtoons/graphic novels because they are so quick and easy to read.
#2 This is a very "Black Mirror" or "The Circle" by Dave Eggers vibe books that a little dystopian and a little sexy so it hit all the right spots for me.
#2 the art is beautiful (and a lil NSFW)

Crave is a new app at an elite university that promises to make all your wildest cravings come true. What ensues is a lot of drama, messy hookups and jealousy. 5 stars for this is different than 5 stars for a full book but it still was a 5/5 experience for me.

Crave by Maria LLovet is really great! I always love whatever Maria Llovet works on and her story of a evil AI taking over a college was super interesting. Hopefully there will be more volumes in the future.

Thanks to Image Comics and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting, quick read. Maybe too quick, honestly. I would've liked to spend more time with the characters and the plot - it felt like everything sped right on by and I didn't get to know anyone.

Still, the premise is cool!

It was okay, not my favorite. But it is also my fault, because I do not usually read this kind of books, but I thought the art was beautiful.

2.75/5 rounded up. Thank you to Netgalley and Image Comics for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great concept! Cool, retro art that reminded me of Archie comics. This plot could've gone a number of waves:
1) either down the horror route with the malfunctioning technology;
2) or maybe a more literary route with conversation surrounding free will, pleasure over responsibility, accountability, and taking control of your own life;
3) even sci-fi with futuristic advances in technology and AI
4) or even continuing down the romance lane with the main couples that pair up and really focus on how they wouldn't have had the courage to approach them without the app and how taking a chance can be worth it to find love.

What we get is none of those, or maybe just a tiny bit of each genre and instead of doing one thing really well, it tries to cover a lot of ground and it doesn't work as much. It's just not impactful. Overall I had a fun time, but in the end I was asking myself "that's it?"

It was fast paced & the premise of the story was really good. I can’t believe an app made those students lose control like that. That being said, there were times where I did not feel connected to the characters as much as I wanted to be. I enjoyed meeting the characters and I’m excited for what is in store in the next one.

I actually really liked this! The art has a very Saga comic vibe to it which I liked a lot. I really liked the concept of the plot, with a dating app that takes things a little to far. It's a quick read, it has some spiciness in it, with great characters! Overall really happy I picked this up!

Crave is an erotica thriller graphic novel about an app called Crave that randomly ends up on university students' cell phones one day. You tell the app your desires, and it "helps" you get them. People really like it at first, but then things go south in a hurry. It's up to our main characters to find out who is behind it and how to stop the app before too much chaos ensues.

Ok, so this is a super quick read. The plot is very straightforward. I found the characters to be very one-dimensional. The art was good, but not great. If you're looking for something quick and spicy that you can knock out in an hour or less, this may be for you. If you're LGBTQIA+, be aware that a side character is outed.

Thank you to Image comics, author Maria Llovet, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

This comic was so fun! It was reminiscent of Maneki Neko, but set in a college setting and an exceptional piece on social psychology. It was very steamy and kept me engaged throughout and I can't wait for the next volume to come out!!

I saw the cover and description of this and thought I’d give this a try. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this!

This was my first comic by Maria. I’m impressed by the art and its quality of the use of guesswork, but I wish it was longer so we could get more exposure to the characters, and more info about what is going on with the world around them I guess? The app Crave is let loose and instead of the love that it’s made out to be it’s more like instant lust. Which is more the apps doing than people realize. A major plot point is a murder, an attempted suicide, and several sexual scenes. Now I’m no stranger to any of these scenes thanks to my extensive history with dark romance, but the comic DOES need a trigger warning for publication.


Overall I did enjoy this a lot! I read it in one sitting but my only gripe is that it’s a bit too short to get really good and into it, but as is such with many a comic! There needed to be a little more character and plot development than sex imagery IMHO, and if needed for pub, a trigger warning list would be a good idea. Otherwise it was a great read for me!

I loved this book alot! The characters were quite complex and well fleshed out! I loved the art style as well!

The art style drew me to the book, with an exciting premise surrounding an AI app gone rogue. Although a troupey concept, I thought framing it through desire and cravings was an interesting execution for an AI assistant. Although I enjoyed the art throughout I found the story fell very flat in execution. I think if you aren't looking for anything challenging and enjoy the art and concept, you can still enjoy Crave.
My more specific critics are:
- Generally speaking, the narrative felt very basic for an AI. I don't feel like it was breaking any new ground, nor did it have any new points to make.
- The characters all felt very flat and one-dimensional, making it hard for me to stay engaged in the story's stakes or any of their relationships. By the end of the book, I didn't feel like I knew any of them, and the information given to me felt forced.
- Although I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of lgbt side characters, I felt like their plot felt especially undeveloped and just not great to read, especially as a lesbian myself. It felt like a weird, sad side thing.

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐💫

"Crave" is a story set in college where students use the app called Crave to help them fulfill their hidden desires. But with undesirable truths being revealed and dystopian consequences in the mix, four students must team up to stop the chaos Crave is creating on campus and keep it from making it to the next stage in its development.

I really enjoyed the story, moreso towards the end where the quest starts. Based on how Crave operates, the stakes were high and the way the app itself was able to kind of fight back was exciting.

The only downside to my reading experience was the amount of sexual content. I didn't know (or maybe forgot) it was an erotic thriller so it was a bit unexpected and slightly off-putting at first to see all the sex scenes. I mean, it is called Crave so I guess I should've expected this kind of thing, but it definitely took me a moment to get used to. With that said, I liked how there was no shame in it. None of the characters themselves felt bad about being sexual or wanting to be and it was a comforting feeling. But with the Crave app there's always something that can go wrong. The dubious consent related to users receiving photos and videos of other students and the easy access and usage of revenge porn wasn't my favorite.

As for the characters, I liked Sophia and Albert from the beginning. Their connection made the most sense and out of all the couples that get together, they were my favorite. And I gotta say his "swords-crossing" shirt is kinda iconic, though I did notice it randomly gets switched out for a black shirt at one point. Understandable since they were on campus at the time, but also very random.

The love triangle between David, Alex, and Charlotte was fine. I didn't really care for the one-sided rivalry between Alex and Charlotte, but I did appreciate how David resolves things with Charlotte.

Out of all the characters, I appreciated Charlotte's development the most and Julie's backbone for not wanting to reconcile with the person that hurt her. I do think the professors should've gotten a greater punishment for what they did. That was the only thing I was disappointed by.

I think the fascinating thing about the Crave app is that it really brought out people's true colors, as destructive and invasive as it was. Seeing the kinds of people we become when the truth comes out and having to be confronted with it can really make or break a person. And a lot of the students on campus broke from experiencing the Crave app. Students seemed to trust the app and blindly do what it told them rather than trust their friends and think for themselves. It was complete chaos. But many also came together, too. It really highlighted the ups and downs human nature and how easily things can fall apart, yet community and proper communication with one another can really save people.

[I received this as an arc on Netgalley]

Crave delivers an enticing blend of style and substance. In a saturated marketplace dominated by superheroes and space operas, this erotic thriller stands out. Llovet’s simple yet ragged artwork draws readers in, leaving details to their imagination. The exploration of desire—both physical and social—adds depth, as does the tension surrounding the mysterious app called Crave. However, the risk lies in somewhat shallow characters and a premise that treads familiar ground. Still, the allure of this genre-bending tale keeps us turning the pages.

Pros:
Stylish Eroticism: Llovet’s tantalizing art style captivates, especially her detailed full lips.
Tension and Mystery: The Crave app’s chokehold on a university campus adds intrigue.
Story-Driven: A coming-of-age narrative with depth, despite its characters’ limitations.

Cons:
Familiar Premise: “Crave” doesn’t break entirely new ground.
Character Depth: While the story shines, the characters remain somewhat two-dimensional.

Crave falls short due to its reliance on established tropes. Yet, the compelling elements—art, tension, and storytelling—keep us invested.

This graphic novel was amazing. I was obsessed with the story from start to finish. The ending leaves you wanting more and more.

I really enjoyed the concept of this! It felt like a black mirror episode! This was my first spicy graphic novel and it was interesting. I wish there was more development in the relationships as they felt kind of surface level, but then again that was kind of the point of the app right? I would definitely continue the series if more were to come out :)

This was...weird?

Basically a story of a app that makes your dreams come true...kind of. But sexual dreams. Like tinder but even quicker to get laid. Makes you wanna get down and dirty and our leads get to doing the deed quick. It's fast paced, the sex scenes are solid, while graphic, aren't overly graphic in terms of seeing every detail but enough you know if they're going down on someone or pounding em. It's odd though the character seem almost like props for the plot. Plot itself is simple, stop the app from making everyone a sexual monster. Overall a decent 2.5 out of 5, I'll bump it to a 3 for the art, it's solid.

This book was outside my norm, as it was a comic book. At first I found it difficult to follow who was who, but about half way through I got into it and somewhat enjoyed it. It was a quick read and I'm glad I gave it a try.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the comic Crave.The story kept me on my toes with its unexpected twists and turns, making it hard to put down. The characters weren’t as well-developed as I would like but I still enjoyed it and the artwork beautifully complements the narrative.

What I loved most was the unpredictability of the plot. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story would take a surprising turn. This kept me eagerly turning the pages.
I’m also excited for the upcoming spin-off story. If it’s anything like Crave, it promises to be another thrilling read.

The only problem I have is that it was too short for my liking. I NEEDED MORE :)

Highly recommend this book.

4/5✨

Crave

📖 via E Arc

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the reader the ability to have a copy for review.

Crave is such a beautifully put together graphic novel, the art had me hooked right away! Not only is the background beautiful, but the characters are so well drawn they’re stunning!!

The story itself was very intriguing, an app that tells you who you’re compatible with and how to get them?! I mean don’t we all wish for that?!!