Sophia Campos is only just getting used to her new life with her divorced dad and managing their business of helping ghosts, when she meets a ghost girl who changes everything. Not because she’s a ghost - but because of what it brings out in Sophia.
Soon her brother, her best friend, her old crush Jake, and her parents are all entangled together on solving the case of the dead girl. Because she’s not just any average ghost girl. She also holds a piece of the puzzle to something Sophia cares about very much -what was the paranormal event that caused her parents to split up in the first place?
Ghost Friends Forever brings together YALSA-nominated writer Monica Gallagher and rising star Kata Kane. For fans of Nancy Drew and Scooby-Doo.
This was a LOT more juvenile than I was expecting. I just wanted a cute little graphic novel, and I suppose I got that. But this was much younger than what I normally read.
The plot and premise of this story fit a younger cast, but the romance is a little strange. I don't know, do fifteen-year-old girls have exes now? That was a little weird. Also, the romance is insta-love, but it was cute and I could work with that.
I think that Sophia should've been a little older, but I get that that might not have worked well with the rest of the story's tone. So... whatever, I don't know.
There was this one big thing, though, that really messed with the whole book.
This book's strange tone of being written for a young audience but having older teenager tones such as dating and "making out" really jumbled it up for me. It was fine, but nothing remarkable. 3/5 stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. GFF #1 started off to be pretty interesting. A family torn apart by an event they won't talk about. A teenage girl just wants to fit in and for things to go back to normal. On her way to school, Sophia decides to take a shortcut because she is running late. She runs into a ghost named Whitney who appears to be a reoccurring apparition at an old covered wooden bridge. Since ghost "counseling" runs in the family, Sophia decides that if she can solve why Whitney is stuck at the bridge, she might be able to fix what is wrong with her parents and get them back together. On the other side of town is Felix, Sophia's brother, and his friend Jake, Sophia's ex. When Jake stops and talks to Sophia to see how she is doing, he sees that she is up to something and recruits her brother to help with the problem. Once Sophia gets to know Whitney, she feels compelled to help but also is afraid to lose her new "friend". On a chance meeting during a full moon, Whitney becomes solid and decides to take things a little further, which makes things a lot more complicated for Sophia. On top of her parents recent divorce, her ex and brother following her around and meddling with her "professional service", Sophia is now dealing with feelings she never thought she would have towards a girl. I liked the context of the story but I didn't care for how it developed. It changed very rapidly and didn't seem well developed towards the middle and end. With some editing and a bit more filler (details), I think this could be a great graphic novel. I do like the idea of a strong headed female-lead figuring things out for herself and finding out about herself and what she does and does not like.
First I should say what I liked. I liked that the ghost is lesbian, and it isn't a big deal. I like that Sophia tries to solve the murder on her own. I liked the mystery, and the concept of the story.
Here is what I didn't like. The whole story was very forgettable. So forgettable that I forgot that I had read it, and had to go in and reread it so I could remember what happened the first time. There is a lot of running around, and trying to figure out things, her parents' divorce, and a lot of mean girl stuff thrown in for good measure.
Either the characters should have been more developed, or the story should have been shorter. As it was I didn't really care about her parents divorce. I didn't really care about much of anything. The story feels unfinished, and perhaps there are more in the series, and some things left unresolved will work their way out.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
The heavy-handed writing-down-to-kids tone told me early on that I was not the intended audience. There were some elements to like in this tale of a family of paranormal investigators dealing with divorce and the newly discovered ghost of a murdered teenager, including the LGBTQ themes, but the storytelling and art were just too wooden and clumsy.
This is a cute, somewhat cliché middle grade graphic novel, including family drama, crushes, and love triangles. One main difference here is that the two love interests our main character, Sophia, is torn between are her ex-boyfriend Jake, and Whitney, the ghost of a girl who died ‘ages ago’ - way back in the 90s.
Intrigued by the mystery of Whitney’s death, and determined to prove herself to her parents Sophia recruits her brother Felix, and her crush, Jake, into solving the mystery of Whitneys’ death. But their investgation may bring unexpected threats when they not only catch the attention of Whitneys’ killer, but encounter the mysterious force that caused their parents to separate months before.
This is a cute, easy read. A good story for readers who like ghosts, mysteries, and the supernatural. The mystery of what happened to Whitney is hinted at pretty quickly, but the bigger mystery of what happened with Sophia and Felix’ parents a year before is a good pull to keep readers interested for future volumes. And it’s nice that for the crush Sophia develops on Whitney, the only reasons it’s problematic for anyone is that Whitney is dead - it doesn’t matter that Whitneys a girl, besides a “Huh. Okay, then...” moment of realization on Sophias’ part, rather than being some huge angsty plot point.
Boy that instalove was crazy. This was cute, but I could not get behind the instalove. I liked the diversity and sexuality representation though. This is a cute little ghost story.
Cute, but a bit too compressed for my tastes. Can our romantic leads have a chance to get to know each other before they are in lurve? On the other hand, props for a bisexual protagonist, and on-page lady-on-lady kisses! The story deals with a family split by divorce, some sibling drama, and ghosts! I would probably eaten it up when I was younger despite my adult complaints about a lack of build-up :)
Overall, Ghost Friends Forever #1 (GFFs) had a unique storyline, cute characters, and an eye-catching illustration style. However, it wasn't the story for me. As a more advanced reader, character and plot development is very important to me. Unfortunately, this story lacked both. I liked the concept of the Campos family owning a paranormal services business. As well as, Sophia falling in love with a ghost while solving her first paranormal mystery. It’s a unique plot!
The story revolves around the theme of all sorts of relationships: family, platonic, and romantic. That’s an excellent foundation for a story, but I personally did not feel connected to any of characters or their relationships.
Upon meeting Whitney, Sophia feels a special connection with her. Their connection is very sweet, but at the same time the progression of their relationship is extremely rushed. After only knowing each other for a few days, the pair professes their love for one another. It’s very insta-love, which did not feel realistic, or genuine. It is hard to imagine such a connection, when there isn’t a lot of heartfelt dialogue between the girls. I think adding a few more scenes of Sophia and Whitney getting to know each other would have helped establish the special bond they have.
It’s really important that the story touched on Sophia’s family dynamic. Naturally, the divorce of their parents greatly affected Sophia, and Felix. By their family being divided, their relationship as siblings has been negatively impacted. While working together to solve Whitney’s murder, the siblings start to mend their broken relationship.
It’s amazing how many authors nowadays are writing stories about LQBTQ+ relationships including Monica Gallagher. I love the LGBTQ+ representation in Ghost Friends Forever #1, but Sophia’s journey of self-discovery was missing for me. I wanted to know more thoroughly how Sophia felt when she discovered that she may be bisexual. As well as gain an insight to Sophia’s romantic feelings for Whitney – the first girl (and ghost) she’s ever had a crush on.
Fortunately, Volume 1 of Ghost Friends Forever had a pretty decent conclusion. Most importantly, Sophia, Felix, and Jake unmasked Whitney’s murderer. In addition, Sophia and her brother learned why their parents divorced, which in turn helped mend their broken relationship.
Volume 1 leaves us with a cliffhanger. When Linda tries to banish Whitney’s soul, she opens a supernatural vortex. To close the vortex, Whitney enters it leaving Sophia wondering if she’ll ever see her again. A week later, Sophia finds a note from Whitney, which gives her hope that this isn’t the end for them…
I gave Ghost Friends Forever: My Heart Lies in the 90s… 3 out of 5 stars. GFFs was a pleasant read, but the graphic novel did not leave a lasting impression on me. Therefore, I’m not planning on continuing the series. Even though GFFs wasn’t my cup of tea, I think a Middle Grade audience might better appreciate its youthful tone. Although, I truly believe this is a story I would have picked up as a kid.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
What starts as a way for Sophia to get on with her parents' ghost business turns into so much more, and I was just squeeing in delight every page that Sophia and Whitney got closer and closer, and I was worried and angry (at who did that) when Sophia couldn't see Whitney. Would she be able to see her again?
This book sure was a ride. I loved how Whitney and Sophia connected. They had an instant bond, and I just adored it. Sophia could tell Whitney all sorts of things, and Whitney was there to listen and give advice.
I liked figuring out what happened to Whitney, who the culprit was, and the reasons why it happened. I liked that it wasn't a reveal that happened instantly, instead it took much longer and was spread over the entire book.
Plus due to Whitney other things also came to light + it gave the parents a bit more of a spotlight.
We don't really find out much about why the parents got divorced. Yes, we get some hints, but not much. Something big happened, but that is it. Frankly, given that they still seem to love/care about each other I don't see why they even divorced in the first place. Did someone threaten them or their kids? I don't know. Hopefully we get some more answers in the next book.
The brother? What a terrible dorkweed that was. I am sorry that your best friend has a crush on your sister, but no need to go angry when she doesn't reciprocate those feelings and instead falls for someone different. Gee. And then there are many other times I just wanted to hurl him off a cliff. :|
I also didn't like what Jake and Whitney did at one point, it just felt out of place and weird. Plus later on it is like it never happened....
Then there was a problem with pacing issues. At times we are at x location and the next page is a whole different location. But you haven't had the feeling these characters actually moved. At times I just checked the page numbers to make sure that I was actually at the next page and not a few pages further. Case in point, after the parenting conference the mom returns home with notes from the kid and confronts him, the next page however is our group at the bridge again. And there are other instances in the story. It is quite jarring.
The art was so-so. It was a bit weird how a lot of the adults looked like teens (especially the dad) whereas the teens looked either older or their age. Perspectives are also a bit wonky at times (what is up with the giant teacher in one of the later pages?).
But all in all, this book definitely had its good moments. Whitney x Sophia (ship ship ship), the mystery of what happened to Whitney, the big battle/ending, that sweet thing on the last page, Sophia was a great character, I loved that each parent had something they were good in regarding the ghosts.
I will be reading the second volume when that one comes out.
This is a tricky one to rate. On the whole, I liked it, but it all felt very rushed. The main romance came out of nowhere. While I liked the idea of it, it happened too fast without much development, which was kind of a letdown. Creative concept, I just wish the execution was better.
The story itself was good and I liked the characters overall. For the most part, it just needed more development.
Nice artwork, although there was entirely too much blushing. I wanted some variety in facial expressions.
In terms of the whole family struggle, I found the end to be a bit confusing. While the divorce storyline can be relatable to readers, I felt the ending seemed unbelievable and unnecessary. I'm interested to see where things lead to in the next book, but was kind of unsatisfied with where the parents were left off.
I did like how the book sets up the next one in the series. Despite the problems, I liked it enough to have already requested the second book from the library. I am intrigued by this series and am hoping the second book is a bit more developed.
Still, I liked the overall idea and the story. Definitely interested to see what happens next.
Imagine meeting the girl of your dreams... except she's a ghost! Sophia is a paranormal investigator, at least now that her parents have split up and dissolved their family business that's what she's telling ghosts. Right away she meets this really cute and interesting ghost, Whitney, who died in 1996 by a bridge. Sophia isn't entirely sure what to do on her own, and after her parents split she went with her dad who sells herbs and potions, while her slightly younger brother, Felix, goes with their mom who still does some spiritual consulting. Her ex-boyfriend, Jake, does some meddling and tries to reunite her with her brother, and once angrily teamed up, the trio tries to figure out what happened to Whitney. Except things are complicated because Felix is still angry, Jake is still into Sophia, Felix and Sophia don't know why their parents split up, and there's something weird about Jake's teacher, Miss Fairweather.
I liked the story in this graphic novel, loved the drawing of Sophia, but didn't really like the overall art style personally. It looked like too much of a cheesy anime and I could hear their annoyingly bubble gum happy voices. Though, I really like that this deals with family issues, and the main character is questioning her sexuality, and she and her brother are biracial. So, probably a 3.5 for me, but I'd still read the next book to see how all of the relationships progress.
*thank you to Netgalley and Papercutz for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars. I had no idea that this was also a lesbian themed graphic novel! It was SO adorable and heartfelt. Plus it was about a (broken) family who are paranormal investigators. The daughter lives with the dad and the son lives with the mother. The kids want so badly to get the family back together and the heart felt emotions were evident. The kids are obviously in pain, struggling with the seperation of their parents and have avoided talking to each other. Well at the beginning anyway. The story then takes us to a ghost who died in the mid 90s and that Sophia can see. She wants to help Whitney (the ghost) remember what had happened to her all those years ago. I was really really pleased with this and I can't wait until the next in the series comes out! After that little bit of a message at the end, I'm really interested for book number 2!
A very cute story with a different kind of romance and a fun mystery.
Sophia and her brother, Felix's parents are ghost hunters. They had a paranormal family business until their parents got a divorce. Sophia meets a ghost named Whitney and decides to help her herself. She learns more and more about Whitney's murder but also learns about herself along the way. Felix tries to stop her from solving the mystery and tries to banish Whitney's ghost, but ends up causing more harm than good. This was a great story of self-acceptance and a great murder mystery with an awesome AHA moment!
I bought this book for my PK-6th grade library after reading reviews on Titlewave which recommended it for 4th-8th grade. There was no indication in any of the summaries or reviews that there was a gay romance featured in the book. Normally, I would not have an issue with this, but I do not feel it is appropriate for my young students. I will be sending it on to the jr. high next door.
I did enjoy this, I just think the execution needed a little work. Some better panel layout (I found myself reading them in the wrong order from time to time) and a little longer to flesh out some parts would make this great. As it is, it's a fun read still. I mean, I am always down for girls kissing.
Good graphic that leaves you hanging. Better for YA then middle grades, there is some issues of love\ex-boyfriend\LGBT that may be complicated to explain to a younger reader.
I liked how they worked together as a family- and there was hope that the family would be reunited maybe in the next book?
Okay so Sophia & Whitney go from "oh hi" to "I love you" pretty fast but then again my wife and I said ily 2 weeks after we met so look who's talkin 🤷🏼♀️ Anyway This is a super cute and fun graphic novel full of first love, ghosts, queerness, and family dynamics. Perfect as a quick read when you just want a bit of magic and something to put you in a good mood.
So much fun! Another great graphic in the general genre of middle school graphics. Sophia's parents (Ghost busters) are separated due to an unknown "incident" but Sophia is determined to carry on. She meets a spectral girl on a covered bridge and quickly falls in love all while trying to figure out why she is there and how to move her on. Brother and ex-boyfriend/now friend are helpers.
I think it's funny how at first she was dating Jake then they broke up then she started to like girls and then she started dating whitney and kissed her and a few pages after she could not see whitney thanks to her brother her Sofia started kissing Jake I am just confused and i can't find vol 2 but other than that it's good
I liked the premise of this, but it lacked plot and character development. I hope this is just a case of the author getting a feel for everything in the first book and in anymore she feels she has a good grasp of the story and characters she wants to tell.
Like Danny Phantom, but with a female, bisexual protagonist. Other than that, my main grip about this series is the fact that the 90's is treated like it was 'forever' ago. 'Oh wow, that was so long!' It makes me feel old... =___=
A short graphic novels for pre-teens. If you like ghosts, the paranormal, mysteries, and a dash of romance, this one is for you. I loved the world that Monica created with a full back story that didn't feel at all forced or bogged down with exposition.