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Unfamiliar #2

Unfamiliar, Vol. 2

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Based on the hit webcomic, Unfamiliar Volume 2  continues the exciting witchy adventures of Planchette and her new friends, Pinyon, Sun, and Babs.

More magical mayhem ensues as Planchette and her new witch friends try to help a ghost bride rest in peace. Join them as they work together to handle a blackmailing Faerie King, a possible new romance, and an overnight camping trip in a profoundly evil forest. 

Unfamiliar  is bursting with offbeat charm, a vibrant cast of teen witches, and hilarious familiar sidekicks. Set in an intriguing magical world, this series is a hit with fantasy readers of all ages.

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2023

39 people are currently reading
1737 people want to read

About the author

Haley Newsome

4 books244 followers

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5 stars
847 (34%)
4 stars
1,086 (44%)
3 stars
454 (18%)
2 stars
52 (2%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
Profile Image for s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all].
1,573 reviews15.1k followers
November 10, 2023
The bubbly, gothic joys of Haley Newsome’s Unfamiliar keeps coming strong in Vol 2. These are a frantic sort of fun, filled with zany humor and a plotline held aloft by adorable friendships and blossoming romance. Youtubers may recognize Newsome better by the name LavenderTowne, under which she had a hit youtube channel with her art videos, and her very loose and energetic artwork really shines here. It’s all so nearly-saccharine sweet yet gothic and grim and this bizarre world is a blast to return to.
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This volume picks up directly where the first (review HERE) left off with Sun and Babs trying to buy off Sun’s curse while Planchette and Pinyon work toward expelling more ghosts from the house. It’s all just very cute and a horny faerie king and the ghost of a bride denied her wedding she spent her entire life planning sent the foursome off on some wild adventures while the eccentric detective woman has a breakthrough in her murder case. And we get a ghost wedding, so yay tears of weird joy.
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Also we get to meet Death, which I won’t spoil but I had a good laugh when that character was finally revealed. What a good boy. I loved Babs and Sun’s cute sapphic romance though their plot does sort of sideline the other two and Pinyon is a bit under-represented in this volumes. Still, this is just a charming and quirky read with plenty of drama and while it sort of just jumps around it’s all very pleasant to adventure through. This volume wraps up pretty well, leaving room for more adventures but also feels resolved enough that if there aren’t more to come that’s alright too. But I hope there will be because these are adorable.

4/5
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Profile Image for Steph.
887 reviews480 followers
January 16, 2025
cute, quirky, and frenzied witch adventures continue in this second volume of unfamiliar!

i loved the expressive pastel art in the first volume, but i thought the story was quite chaotic and unevenly paced. it's a delight to find that this sequel has all the charm of its predecessor, with a much more cohesive structure and tied-together story.

we bop around with a menacing faerie king, the continued mystery of the ghosts in planchette's home, an adorable undead wedding, and tender new sapphic romance between babs and sun. it's a lot, but it all vibes and comes together in the end.

also, love seeing death depicted as a no-nonsense puppy with a scythe. so much fun!!
Profile Image for Bookishrealm.
3,255 reviews6,428 followers
January 14, 2024
Another great installment in the series! I'm really enjoying getting to know more about the characters and why Planchette is dealing with such a serious ghost infestation. There was a romantic development between two characters that was completely unexpected, and I LOVED it. Unfortunately, I couldn't give this five stars because I wanted just a little bit more development in terms of the plot. Our main characters discover some sinister plans being developed a side character, and it resolved just a little too quickly. Hopefully, we'll get another volume in the series this fall.
Profile Image for Steph ✨.
695 reviews1,625 followers
January 5, 2024
This was adorable. Didn't love it as much as the first one but still loved it nonetheless. Hoping Haley continues with this series 😍
Profile Image for Emma Ann.
571 reviews839 followers
September 22, 2023
A graphic novel full of witches and fairies and curses—and the most adorable personification of Death I’ve ever seen. I wish the plot didn’t rely so heavily on coincidence, but the art—which walks the line between cute and grotesque—propelled me to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC!
Profile Image for Denise.
190 reviews93 followers
February 12, 2024
A continuation of Vol. 1 and just as sweet and inclusive. Planchette is still trying to alleviate her ghost problem with help from Pinyon. Babs is sticking to Sun like glue in support of her quest for curse removal surgery. After a bad run in with the Faerie King, Sun's curse is suddenly gone. In the overall task of getting Planchette's ghosts out of her house they go into the forest to find the bride's planner. Sun discovers the truth behing her curse being gone and the detective has a new lead on the murderer of the ghosts. Planchette stands up for herself and Winston is left behind. All culminating in the banishing of a king, the detective finding the real killer and life going on. Overall a good wrap up focusing more on Babs and Sun.
Profile Image for Jan Agaton.
1,409 reviews1,599 followers
November 28, 2023
I liked the first volume better, but this was still adorable. winston is my favorite lol especially when he said "YOU LEFT ME HERE TO DIE" 😂
Profile Image for greta.
453 reviews438 followers
October 18, 2025
this little duology continues to be my fave 🥹
Profile Image for Tabitha (Reading Tabby).
389 reviews39 followers
October 29, 2025
A very cute and fun conclusion to the story - I do feel like this would've made more sense in a final combined issue, as the first book does leave off on a sudden cliffhanger for a number of plot points, all of which get wrapped up in this second book.

The art is just as lively and pretty as the first book as well. I enjoyed the new villains but I loved getting our original characters back. I do hope Newsome continues with these characters in a new volume someday - Planchette and her buds are just too cute and I want more!

Still has strong Halloweentown vibes as well, which I still love.

A very enjoyable conclusion to an enjoyable tale.

Similar, if you want more seasonal vibes: Garlic and the Vampire, Pumpkinheads, Séance Tea Party, Mooncakes, Sheets
Profile Image for Chantaal.
1,303 reviews261 followers
September 24, 2023
I really enjoyed Unfamiliar Volume 1, and Volume 2 continues in the same cute, cozy vein.

The strength in this story continues to be the friendships and romances between our main cast, and this volume is strong as it focuses on Sun's curse and her growing relationship with Babs. I enjoyed seeing Sun's journey unfold, though the meandering into the fairy realm felt a little disjointed.

There's also the ongoing mystery/side quest of figuring out why so many ghosts are haunting Planchette's home. The story helping one ghost was super cute, though the reveal of where the ghosts were coming from felt a bit too rushed.

At times it did feel like this volume was juggling a bit too much; the jumps from storyline to storyline made things feel a little too chaotic. It could have been a bit more streamlined.

The art continues to be super cute and stylized, I really enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this! Unfamiliar, Volume 2 will be released on October 17th.
Profile Image for Bea (beansbookshelves).
259 reviews
December 29, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley.

I came across it by chance and when I noticed it was the second book of the series, I was thrilled! The art is so cuuute! And the story is really sweet - it teaches us to love someone based on wasn't inside, and not based on their looks. If you like reading comics, I would strongly recommend this one! Rating: 4/5 stars.
Profile Image for Kalena ୨୧.
905 reviews333 followers
November 26, 2023
4/5 stars, a cute little follow-up sequel

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

The first little graphic novel in this series of titles called 'Unfamiliar' was very cute and so when I saw this available on this netgalley I wanted to definitely check it out. This book was short and sweet, just like the first one, but I really enjoyed how there was now a focus on two of the side characters from the first book. It allowed me to like them even more than I did in the first one.

Beyond that, this was a nice story of accepting yourself for how you are, but also letting other people love you for the way you are. This was a really sweet message to read and see in this little graphic novel, and I really think it was an important message as well. I do look forward to seeing if there are other books in this fun little series.

[TW: death and murder, trickery, death of a loved one, chronic illness]
Profile Image for Lindsay (pawsomereads).
1,278 reviews604 followers
January 22, 2024
This was a fun graphic novel to read for fall! There was more of a mystery element in this book with some new characters introduced to complicate the adventures. I liked the art a lot and it was a fast moving plot. I’m looking forward to reading more in this series!
Profile Image for Bel ♡.
275 reviews
September 13, 2023
Unfamiliar Volume 2 is just as charming as Volume 1. The eccentric and diverse cast bring so much to the table that it’s hard to not enjoy the shenanigans that ensue. A very enjoyable read with fun and engaging illustrations. This volume discusses insecurities, mysterious curses, and the importance of friendship. Also, this volume showcases a queer relationship, a wedding, deception, and ghostly group adventures.

This is an easy recommendation if you enjoy fun, quick graphic novels with engaging stories and beautiful art styles. If you read and enjoyed Volume 1 of Unfamiliar, this should definitely be on your radar 🧙‍♀️🔮✨🐈‍⬛

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.
Profile Image for Emma Reid.
1,626 reviews45 followers
September 13, 2023
This was the perfect spoopy graphic novel to read after so many heavy books. Haley Newsome's art is so whimsical and her characters are lovely to each other. We get to spend more time with Babs and Sun (which is great because they're my faves) and solve a HUGE mystery! Sign me up for as many volumes of this series, Mr. Fae wolf.

*Thank you to Andrew McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*
Profile Image for Jace.
266 reviews75 followers
November 28, 2024
This was a cute ending to this story. I liked how all the different storylines were wrapped up nicely by the end, but it was a little rushed and too convenient for me overall.
Profile Image for Hayley.
106 reviews44 followers
November 2, 2023
These graphic novels are TOO SHORT. Volume 3 is a need.
Profile Image for Helen.
756 reviews70 followers
April 11, 2024
3.5 but i wish it was a 6

Okay okay OkAy wow so this volume was huh okay I LOVED it but why did it end so suddenly?? And why were Babs and Sunthe only characters we really got to know and why didn’t we get to know Pinyon like at all?? I loved Babs’ storyline and the way it discussed getting attention but it wasn’t the kind of attention you wanted and not by the people you wanted it from and not understanding that from an outside perspective. Sun thought everything was perfect for Babs and that she was so well liked but Babs didn’t like the attention she got and she wanted to be more like Sun and then you see how other people view her and that people have forced themselves onto her. That storyline really resonated with me and I think that’s what’s brought the volume up in my rating. I love the various storylines here but they weren’t really explored fully and the ending was SO rushed I really hope there’s more to the story but I still really hope there’s a cartoon of this soon and that I get to voice Babs. The series continues to be funny and the art style is so cute and gorgeous I feel like it took me extra long to read this because I couldn’t stop looking at the art and the colors that were chosen!! There also must be more volumes because we didn’t get enough of Winston, he really left an impression on me!!
Also this series is so for the girls and I love that about it
Profile Image for Rebecca Shelton.
458 reviews12 followers
January 22, 2024
Continuing the adventures of our favorite witch, Planchette, and her quirky squad of friends - Pinyon, Sun, and Babs - this volume dives even deeper into the enchanting and sometimes hilariously chaotic world of magic.

This time, the gang finds themselves helping a ghost bride find peace, which is no small feat in their whimsical yet unpredictable universe. What really makes this volume stand out is how it weaves in a blackmail plot by a Faerie King, hints of a blossoming romance, and an overnight trip in a forest that's not just spooky, but "profoundly evil."

The vibrant cast of teen witches and their amusingly familiar sidekicks are the heart and soul of Unfamiliar. Their interactions are filled with such genuine charm and wit that you can't help but fall in love with each character. The magical world building is absolutely spellbinding and so rich in detail that you feel like you're right there with them, casting spells and braving the unknown.
Profile Image for hirumei.
94 reviews19 followers
September 19, 2023
I remember first reading some of the story on tapas, back in the day, and when I saw this being published as a book, I got curious as to how the story proceeded. So I made a request and got to read an ARC - thank you, Netgalley for the opportunity!

The story interlaces quite a few themes, from the curses and self depreciation to the crimes and infatuation of a fairy king. At the core, the second volume reads like a love story with a little bit of mystery. We get to witness the queer teen love of a pair of witches, as well as the well established love of a doctor and an artist. The mystery comes from the random ghosts infesting the kitchen witch’s house.

Overall, the story is interesting, donning an unique artstyle, however, the plot was rushed and I feel like there was a pretty good opportunity for a deeper exploration of the world.
Profile Image for Chian.EXE.
73 reviews
July 23, 2024
Gotta love it when your favorite ship takes off and all the self emotion start resolve themselves somewhat. Sun and Babs are literally the cutest and most precious pair ever. Their resilience for one another is unmatched. The Faerie realm aspect was so cute as well (I hate the Faerie king). Ngl though Planchette had me stressed because how she was stressing out Winston but I am glad it seemed to work out so far, hopefully it stays that way.



I really hope Pinyon can fly soon.

Also fuck Sun's mom (derogatory)

Another great volume, now I gotta find volume #3!!
Profile Image for Ilsen.
279 reviews78 followers
December 14, 2023
This second volume was more enjoyable than the first one! I liked that the cast all interacted with each other. I still love Planchette and Pinyon but this definitely felt more like Sun and Babs’ story. I also liked that the mystery was wrapped up although I would still love more volumes! I just love being in the cozy, witchy town with these characters! Definitely read if you like cozy witchy vibes with a bubbly humor!
Profile Image for sage.
517 reviews156 followers
October 10, 2024
cute and cozy, fun witchy cast of characters but a very short book that's more vibes than anything else
Profile Image for Minna.
2,698 reviews
October 18, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel publishing, and Ms. Newsome for the opportunity to read an Arc of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Unfamiliar 2 was every bit as visually appealing and charming as book 1, with absolutely adorable art (definitely the cutest Death I’ve ever seen). The plot was a bit chaotic with a lot of different things happening. As sweet as Sun and Babs’ blossoming romance was, I really liked Planchette’s house ghosts storyline from book 1 and wish that had been given as much attention. I’d say 5 stars for the art and 3 stars for the story. Overall though a cute, charming, sweet graphic novel with a very unique style.
Profile Image for Emma (littledollreads).
1,049 reviews25 followers
September 25, 2023
ARC provided by NetGalley

Title: Unfamiliar Vol.2
Authors: Haley Newsome
Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 17 October 2023

This book was just so adorable. It is the perfect mix of spooky witchy goodness and cute wholesome fun. There is so much fun packed into this volume as well that at each new narrative turn, I was hooked. I like how we started where we left off with volume 1 helping out some ghosts, and how that carried through the whole book. But I also liked how we did some other things that then later came back to throw some red herrings and plot twists around. We got a lot of character development in here which was awesome to see.
I will say there may have been a bit too much happening and things may have felt a bit rushed. Like a lot happened that really probably needed more build-up and explorations because as it stands several things there towards the end were very here is the thing for 2 pages but sike it's actually this other thing that will also last 2 pages.
But I still really enjoyed it. It is a perfect read for thoes looking for autumn vibes without the heavy spooks. Just the lighthearted kind that come from a world of witches, ghosts, and the fae.

Profile Image for Sirah.
3,054 reviews27 followers
December 25, 2023
Planchette is getting comfortable in her new home, but yet another ghost requires closure, and this time an entire wedding might be necessary. But the detective is still on the case of who murdered her girlfriend back in the day, and the two deaths might be connected. Meanwhile, Sun and Babs find themselves mixed up with a fairy king who deals in beautiful things and curses. Sun finally has the chance to be free of her curse once and for all, but only if she's willing to sacrifice her new friend.

Well, there's a lot going on here. I think I would have enjoyed this better if I'd read it right after reading volume 1, but unfortunately it's been a while. The illustrations are adorable, and the story suitably spooky. I'll be eagerly awaiting future installments in this series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews

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