I am so glad I got to read this ARC! Evil-ish is a fast paced story about Hawthorne, who dreams of more than being a potions barista for their mom's shop. However, as they are pulled further into what being "evil" entails, they discover a lot about both themselves and their community.

My favorite element of this book was the art and design choices. All the characters seemed to bring life to the story, even background characters, and the fantasy setting but with modern elements such as radios and phones was done so well! The visual aspects like colors and even line weight aided tone shifts throughout the story. The dialogue also felt very real, particularly in how characters casually interacted with each other. I loved how the Brigade of Shade members played off each other during both evil-doing and makeover montages. Hawthorne was extremely well written, and I think they will be relatable to a lot of teens and early adults who are trying to figure out their place in the world.

The only plotline that didn't fully capture me was the romance between Maple and Hawthorne. It's only hinted at during the beginning and the end, but there isn't enough substance during the actual story for me as a reader to find it believable. I honestly would have enjoyed it more if their relationship and the road to repairing it leaned into the importance of friendship and community, since the story heavily focuses on those themes.

Overall, this is a fun story that will definitely interest teen readers. It would be a great readalike for readers who enjoyed "Beetle and the Hollowbones" and "Unfamiliar".

I was very graciously gifted an eARC for this graphic novel. I had a good time but don't know that this book was for me. I didn't enjoy any of the characters and the choices made by the characters throughout the book felt half baked.

From the inking to the story, it's a tale of dreams and redemption. Hawthorne wants to leave the village and their mom's potion shop where she's a kickass barista to be part of the villainous group Brigade of Shade run by a skeleton queen. Hawthorne (they/them) gets the chance by inadvertently killing the queen and bringing back the destruction in a big way by rallying the complacent baddies that live within the castle walls and keeping this angelic Maple by her side only to realize where the destruction is really coming from and is this really what it's about?

It's emotional and the art is phenomenal. The color choices work so well in Evil-ish as do the frame by frame panels and close-ups of facial expressions. The plot is fresh (and oh-so-evil with a side of compassion).

4.75 stars rounded up

Absolutely stunning artwork with a sweet storyline! I loved Hawthorne's journey starting with angst and ending with kind aspirations. Their misjudgment of Maple made for a neat arc. There were a couple of things that went unexplained that I wish had some more depth, but overall this is a great queer read!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

I really enjoyed the arts and the main character, both for their personality and the representation of non-binary folks. However that’s mostly where my enjoyment ended. There was some entertaining humor about evilness being misconstrued as coolness, but it quickly took a turn with a villain whose motivation I really didn’t understand so it was hard to empathize with her. There also ended up being a message of fake evil versus true evil, which I think could have been more fleshed out. It was a fun premise with potential for some thought, provoking discussions, but in the end, I really only liked it because of the art

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This is a cute, fast-paced story with a great lesson and an interesting angle. Nice characters and world building that you wanted to enjoy longer. The beautiful artwork brought the story together.

Thank you Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this one. All thoughts are my own.

First up, the art in this one was STUNNING. I am in awe. Blown away. It’s so, so beautiful.

I really loved Hawthorne. They were such a great main character. Kinda weirdly reminded me of me in my late teens. They just wanna be a villain, just wanna be evil, but they’re not quite cut out for it.

Maple was an interesting opposite to Hawthorne. She was utterly adorable until she wasn’t. I really liked where her story ended up.

This was overall really fun and a little bit sweet.

This book was such a fun surprise! EVIL-ISH totally flips the whole “hero vs. villain” thing in the best way. Hawthorne is dramatic, hilarious, and super relatable if you’ve ever felt stuck in a boring life and wanted more. The humor actually made me laugh out loud, and the story has way more heart than I expected. Maple is the absolute best kind of chaos, and their dynamic is everything. If you're into fantasy, sarcasm, and characters who grow in unexpected ways, definitely check this out.

Wonderfully done, the artwork is so cool and detailed. It perfectly sets the tone for the book and adds some great extra details that flesh out more of Hawthorne's life. Hawthorne is well written and I enjoyed their journey from basically the personification of teen angst to respected community leader. The themes of finding your place and making up for your mistakes are well written especially for being a shorter book and well paced.

Do you always want to do what your parents want you to do? Hawthorne has a dream to be evil. However, Hawthorne quickly learns that being evil is not everything he thought it was. Does Hawthorne continue to follow his dream or realize that his dream has changed? Read this twisty story to find out.

Evil-ish is a fun graphic novel that follows Hawthorne as they attempt to join the Brigade of Shade. Hawthorne has a strong desire to be evil, despite their family knowing that isn't who they really are. Things take a turn as Hawthorne winds up leader of the Brigade, but real evil is targeting their city so they must decide who they really are. I loved the art style of the characters and color pallet, but some of the plot points felt rushed. I look forward to reading any books Tarrell writes in the future. Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Evil-ish follows Hawthorne who dreams of joining the Brigade of Shade, to be a villain. This is a story about finding oneself even if you end up somewhere you never thought you would be.

I have to say. I loved this graphic novel. It was a fun read that reminded me of Gravity falls. The art work is gorgeous

 and vibrant. Sometimes I forgot to read what was on the page too distracted with the pretty pictures.

Hawthorne is such a great character. They want to be a villain but they are the least likely person to be a villain. When they take over the Brigade, their deeds are more delightful than evil. They have always wanted to be seen but it isn't until meeting Maple that they realize what it means to truly not be seen.

The non-binary rep is great. I read a review that states that through the art Hawthorne looked non-binary before we were even told. And I have to agree. And I love Hawthorne's mom. When she got an apron for Hawthorne that had Mx and she had asked around to find out what to use. That made me so happy to see a supportive parent.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publish Group for an eARC for Evil-ish.

Evil-ish is a perfect, quick, good-feeling graphic novel. It gives you those fuzzy, warm feelings you just sometimes need, while still giving some action.

Evil-ish follows Hawthorne, our lovely non-binary main character, who wants to join the evil group, Brigade of Shade. Hawthorne feels like they do not fit in with everyone else. In comes Maple, who is essentially a Disney princess and could not be more different from Hawthorne. Both Maple and Hawthorne try out to be in the Brigade of Shade. Through an accident, Hawthorne is tasked to lead the Brigade of Shade, but being evil is a bit more than they were prepared for.

The art for this graphic novel has been some of my favorite recently, and I love the shading and color choices, with how they add to the story. I especially love Hawthorne's design and the contrast they have with Maple. I do wish we got a bit more "showtime" with many of the side characters, but I also recognize that the story's focus is really on the dynamic and struggles of both Hawthorne and Maple.

I love the various twists, and how integrated the main characters were, and how that fed into their decisions. I really enjoyed this novel and loved the fast-paced story. Sometimes I just need something lighthearted that I can devour in a day.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Feiwel & Friends) for the digital ARC

Loved it
Loved the story and the message it conveyed.
I really enjoyed the art style as well one of my favorites and wish they will continue with the story and the characters.

Ok, my number of stars is for the kid of the right age. I feel like this book was written for 15 or 16 and moody but it’s a simple enough story I think 12 or 13 and moody is a better bet. Hawthorne is a moody androgynous teen whose mother and family Just Don’t Understand them. Do read that with appropriate adolescent angst. They want to join the villains only to discover the villains are kind of losers and perhaps they don’t really want to be evil after all. I think I might’ve eaten it up as a preteen.

Evil-ish is a delightfully offbeat and heartfelt graphic novel that puts a chaotic spin on classic good-vs-evil tropes. With snappy humor, vibrant art, and a surprisingly tender emotional core, Kennedy Tarrell crafts a coming-of-age story that’s as quirky as it is sincere.

Hawthorne Vandercast dreams of becoming a legendary villain—and finally gets the chance when they’re invited to join the Brigade of Shade. But things don’t go as planned. Overshadowed by the relentlessly cheerful Maple and saddled with unexpected leadership responsibilities after a tragic accident, Hawthorne is forced to reckon with what villainy actually means—and whether it’s really what they want.

The story balances its absurdity and heart with skill. Hawthorne is a fantastic protagonist: sarcastic, insecure, and trying so hard to be something they’re not, they don’t notice the goodness slipping through. Maple is an unexpected foil, and their unlikely friendship is one of the book’s highlights. The humor is sharp, often poking fun at villain clichés while embracing them just enough to stay fun.

Visually, the graphic novel pops with personality. The art is bold and expressive, with exaggerated character designs and magical backdrops that match the story’s off-kilter tone. The panels move quickly, and the energy rarely dips—even when the plot takes more emotional turns.

If the story has a flaw, it’s that the worldbuilding sometimes feels rushed, and some side characters don’t get as much development as they could. But the charm, message, and Hawthorne’s arc more than make up for it.

Evil-ish is a funny, heartfelt, and genre-savvy tale about identity, ambition, and realizing that maybe the life you think you want isn’t the one that fits. A perfect pick for readers who love stories that play with expectations—and wear a little chaos on their sleeve.

I didn't really know what to expect going into Evil-Ish by Kennedy Tarrell, but as a graphic novel fan, the description hooked me. This YA fantasy graphic novel follows Hawthorne, who dreams of getting away from her family's tea shop and joining a brigade of villains. The only problem is, Hawthorne doesn't really have any super powers. Nevertheless, through the aide of a character named Maple, Hawthorne ends up in charge of the villains and things don't quite go to plan. This story is full of gender expansive characters and storylines. It's a great book for fans of Nimona and possibly Lumberjanes. I really enjoyed this book, and the graphics were superhero enough and fantasy enough to mix together well and keep the reader engaged. A really great debut! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

Evil-ish follows an aspiring villain named Hawthorne. I love how the word "evil" is questioned and constantly defined and redefined. And the art was amazing; I wanted to live in Idlewood! I did want to see a little more different types of magic, but Maple's powers were cool and very well executed. The ending felt a tad rushed, and I would've liked to see Hawthorne and Maple’s relationship grow a bit more, but overall a wonderful read!

You know at first I really didn’t like this Graphic Novel, I wasn’t a fan of the art style I really couldn’t stand the main character but the more I read it the more I fell in love with the story line and the characters, the art growing on me the further into the book I got .

I really really enjoyed this comic and highly recommend it especially for middle schoolers I think that age range would appreciate it the most, but that being said I think any age group could and would enjoy it.

My only recommendation is if at first you find yourself not really enjoying it keep going you may end up loving it by the end like I did.

Thank you Netgalley Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the arc

Evil-ish is a fun, hard on the outside, soft on the inside fantasy graphic novel, and a quick read, about a non-binary evil monarch wannabe who is just a little confused about their place in the magical world of Idlewood.

The colourful and magical illustrations mesh well with the heartfelt story and the message behind it.

Reading this tale was really a fun time, and I would recommend it to all ages!