Quick read. I really liked the illustrations. Elva was cool. I really enjoyed this world and their magic system. Ada and Safi are adorable
Would love to see more of their story or atleast in this universe

I loved this graphic novel! A beautiful story about family and magic and the danger of greed and abusing power. The art isn't my favorite style but the story is wonderful

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this wonderful book. This is a lovely story full of magic and great illustrations, exploring the topic of grief and teaching important lessons of the value of the sibling bond and good triumphing over evil. I enjoyed Bree Paulsen’s Garlic duology and was excited for this book; it didn’t disappoint. A great quick read and a world I’d like to revisit.

Thank you so much to Quill Tree Books, HarperCollins Children's Books, and NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

I’ve recently read Patrik the Vampire, Garlic and the Vampire, and Garlic and the Witch by this author, and I’ve loved each one, so I knew I had to read The Firelight Apprentice ASAP!

As an adult, I always struggle a bit with reviews of books aimed at younger audiences. The themes of this story really hit home with me as I read; I definitely felt invested and even teared up a few times. The vibe, style, and colors of the art worked perfectly with this story. The characters were well-crafted and believable, and I really enjoyed the plot!

My only note would be that I think the ending felt a bit abrupt or rushed — I think I would have wanted some scenes after the final conflict but before the epilogue where the characters maybe debriefed or some other story threads were tied back in. That way, the book as a whole may have felt more balanced or complete? I went from feeling quite emotionally affected and very ~in~ the story to the story just being over, which was a little jarring.

Overall, though, I think this was great, and I’m really happy that I read it!

Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced reader's copy of The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen!

This was a great cozy, atmospheric read with a splash of magic!
I enjoyed this graphic novel but felt like the ending conflict was a bit rushed.
Still recommend this for a fun cozy read! The art was stunning and I loved the magical aspect.

3.5⭐️ (rounded up)

Wonderful tale and skillfully created. I thought the story was very compelling and had a lot of interesting elements, great for Ghibli fans, particularly those into Howl's Moving Castle.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to review!

I really loved the art style for this one -- I've read this author's Garlic books, they're so cute -- and the storyline seemed quite solid. My only confusion was the lack of "firelight" being used in the book, it was referred to primarily as "magic" instead. The casualness of queer characters included was a big plus. Definitely would read a whole series set in the universe, it's all very intriguing! The sisters being the focal point was wonderful.

4.5 ⭐

“The Firelight Apprentice” is a middle grade fantasy graphic novel.
The artwork is vibrant and expressive, perfectly complementing the story's themes of sisterhood, courage, and personal growth. The pacing is well-crafted, seamlessly guiding readers through moments of tension and tenderness.
Highly recommended for young readers and those young at heart.

Oh, this was so cute! It was such a fun story in a short amount of time, and yet it still felt complete. The magic was super fun, the characters were adorable, and the illustrations were great! It is a bit darker than some Middle-grade graphic novels, so if you don't want to read about the death of a parent or war, then maybe avoid this one. But, it managed to have these hard topics in the book without it feeling super depressing and only focusing on them. I think it was a perfect way to explore these topics for this book.

I would recommend this book if you want a graphic novel with a nice plot, don't mind it being a little darker, and like seeing magic drawn in very cool ways.

Thank you HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The start of this book was so promising, and I did love characters and the overall story--it's a great quick read with a fairytale feel--but the ending was so rushed. Didn't help that I was reading a digital copy so I didn't realize I was getting close to the end until it was over, but even if I had known it was almost over, I think the final confrontation would still have been disappointingly quick and easy.

I love Bree Paulsen's unique illustration style. The steampunk world of magic was well crafted and the characters were interesting. I did feel the story had some pacing issues with too much character focus in the beginning and a rushed ending.

5/5 Stars. What a charming graphic novel! Not only is the art style super whimsical, but the story is equally enchanting. I loved the world building and characters. I did not see that twist coming! The Firelight Apprentice tells the story of young Safi and her older sister Ada. Safi is a young magician looking for an apprenticeship to showcase her magic, meanwhile lichs, or restless souls, roam the post-war towns looking for magicians to feed off of. This story was beautifully intricate and wove together themes of grief, war, magic, sisterhood, and overcoming hardship. I thought it was just beautiful and I enjoyed reading it very much. I look forward to checking out more works by this author, Bree Paulsen, now. Thank you HarperCollins, Quill Tree Books, Bree Paulsen, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review!

Loved it! Cute, magical, fast paced.
I hope that the author writes sequels about the adventures for all of the characters, main and side. Loved them all and hope to revisit this world in a sequel or a reread of this. <3

In a magical city still recovering from war, Ava realizes her sister Safi is manifesting magical powers. Fearing that if Safi leaves for the King's palace she'll be killed like her mother, Ava is left trying to figure out how to hold her family together, as well as safe from the magical liches who syphon power from unknowing magicians.

A traveling group of magicians might be the answer Ava needs, or it might just be what she most fears.

This is another great read from Bree Paulsen, and will be a popular graphic novel read series!

3 stars - I liked it

In a world of magic that is recovering from a war, Ada is concerned about her younger sister’s developing powers. She knows she needs an apprenticeship with the king's magician but she is still fearful that war will return. When a traveling group of magicians pass through the city, they see Safi’s talents and take her on as an apprentice, leaving Ada and their sickly father behind.

This story had a bit of a darker tone than Paulsen’s other books but it was still really enjoyable. We see Ada being the protective older sister but also knowing that she has to let her sister go. Safi is a talented and energetic child who quickly soaks up everything that is being taught to her.

The twist with who the villain is in this was well done I think. I figured it out beforehand but I think if I was a child reading this it would have been a big surprise. I enjoyed this book and this unique world of magic that Paulsen has created. I especially liked how she ended the epilogue and how we see a better situation for everyone.

TW: war themes; death of parents; grief;

Another great graphic novel from Bree Paulsen! I had a great time reading this and loved the sibling bond.

So good! I have enjoyed Bree Paulsen's previous graphic novels, and this one was also fun, although with darker themes. The magic and world were exciting.

This is a propulsive and engaging graphic novel perfect for kids who like like Lightfall, 5 Worlds, Sorceline or Amulet. The art is beautiful and suits the story very well. I thought the world building was interesting and I would definitely read more if this becomes a series. I think there is a lot more that we could learn about the world and the characters that we've met.

I adore Garlic and the Vampire books and this new graphic novel, while a bit darker, doesn’t disappoint. Safi and Ada are poor and their dad is dying. Safi possesses magic but they are too poor to pay for a mentor for her. When some traveling magicians come to town, this is the chance they have been hoping for. The magicians agree to mentor her, but things are not always as they seem.

I love Bree Paulsen. This addition just made me love her more. I loved the world that she created with magicians in this book. The illustrations were fun as well. I wonder if this story is set in the same world as her Garlic stories! The themes of grief and the toll that war can have on families were very evident. I highly recommend this one and I hope that Paulsen has plans to write more about these characters!