Not as creepy as I hoped. Barely creepy at all honestly. I preferred the movie, which I rarely say in these situations. I know this is technically a horror/thriller book, but it just didn’t feel like it.

I received a free copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review. I think that Hell School certainly has an interesting concept, but the delivery was lacking for me. I didn’t completely understand it and that could be because of how short it was. I don’t even really understand the point or premise of the school itself. This just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I didn't necessarily know what to expect when I picked up the Dark Secret, but I have to say I wasn't disappointed. We meet Ava, a young witch who is hell bent on protecting her coven and getting revenge on the creatures that threaten them and took her father away from her: vampires. She's not the most experienced witch in her coven, but she's certain that she should trust her instincts no matter what her mother says. You have to respect her determination and fire, but unfortunately, this is exactly what also gets her into trouble. After disobeying her mother to go hunt vampires, she unknowingly leads the vampires right back to her coven, which spells disaster for her and everyone around her.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and the fact that it's written in novella format wasn't a bad idea. I will say that I didn't feel much development for Ava, the coven or the vampires. While I like novellas, I think a little bit more time could've been used to develop the characters and the mythology of the two groups (coven and vampires). That may happen in future books though. Ava was also very stubborn, which borderlined on reckless for no reason at times. At one point I found myself rolling my eyes at some of her actions because I KNOW she should be smarter than that.

Overall, I think Danielle has created a world that has all the possibilities of being interesting, especially in future installments. She doesn't shy away from the grittiness of vampires or the innate prejudices that the different species have for one another. With a bit more development and a deeper look into how we got to where we are with these characters, I think this could be a real gem.

Not only was this book creepy, but it was filled with history and heart. The author did an amazing job of weaving together a ghost story, a haunting, and dealing with prejudice and black history. Such a great read. Review coming soon on my blog.

I loooved this. The graphics and illustrations were amazing. The colors used were perfect and each character had their own distinct look. There’s also a combo of mythologies here along with new ones created for the story itself. Sera is on a mission not only to save her family but free the stars, gods that have been chained and forgotten. This was her mother’s mission and now it’s been passed on to Sera. She may not understand what’s happening to her, but she’s determined to do what needs to be done. Definitely pick this up if you’re looking for a great fantasy graphic novel.

This book had me conflicted for basically it's entirety. On the one hand, I really wanted to know what was going on, how the characters had gotten into this "escape room" predicament and what their secrets were. On the other hand, I was also a bit bored out of my mind. All of the characters were a bit insufferable and while they had their own distinct issues, none of them were likable and I didn't actually care about them, their motivations, or who they were. They were like a means to an end in my opinion.

The story switches between two storylines after the discovery of a dead body. We have the present, known as "The Elevator" where 4 colleagues are trapped inside of an elevator for a supposed team building exercise (an escape room). They have no choice but to participate if they want to keep their jobs, at least that's what they're led to believe. They're all despicable in their own way and I'm pretty sure no one is rooting for any of them. Things turn disastrous pretty quickly and they're left trying to figure out who set them up and how they are going to survive. The other storyline is the past, or rather the past of Sarah Hall, a former colleague of the 4 people trapped in the elevator. We track her from the moment she comes in contact with the finance company, through her gaining employment, and what exactly occurred during her time at the firm and why she's no longer employed (obvious by the fact that she's not in the elevator. The characters reveal that Sarah is actually dead, which we learn from one of the clues, and so now the audience is supposed to be especially intrigued because through Sarah's perspective, we learn she isn't the only person on this team who has ended it up dead it seems.

This book made some promises it didn't necessarily deliver. Yes we get an outcome, but for the most part, it's not that hard to figure out what's happening in the story. I didn't get a lot of thrill from this thriller. There were also mentions of secrets among the characters that we never actually learn. I mean, if something is hinted to be important or pertinent information, shouldn't it come out at some point. There just felt like some holes needed to be filled in and honestly I think the pacing dragged a little. At least I made it through to the end right?

3.5! I was a little skeptical, especially because the book takes place after the Civil War, but the author managed to write a tale that was funny, intriguing, historically and culturally relevant, and not to mention scandalous. Where exactly can I find a man with scandalous pirate blood like the LeVeq men?