Ghost Friends Forever #2

Ghost Friends Forever #2

by Monica Gallagher, Kata Kane (Illustrations)

Magic is the only thing that will help Sophia Greene-Campos reunite with Whitney, her ghost girl crush who died in the 1990s. Frustrated, Sophia turns to the one group that she knows she can learn from - Spectreville High’s Wiccans & Witchcraft Club. Technically the club is only allowed to study magic and not actually practice it, but Sophia befriends a witch named Charlotte who shows her they don’t all follow school rules. While Sophia is busy disobeying her parents, her ex-boyfriend Jake is struggling between expressing his romantic feelings for her and helping her to get Whitney back. And Felix is suffering the nightmarish after effects of creating a Banishment Portal at such a young age. In order to help him, Joanne and Oscar might be forced to reveal more of their knowledge about portals, two-headed poltergeists, and other secrets about The Paranormal Incident that split the family.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, LGBT, Fantasy, Witches, Queer, Graphic Novels Comics

96 pages, Paperback

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Monica Gallagher is an indie creator with over fifteen years experience making comics and illustrations with a positive, feminist spin. She has worked for Oni Press, Vertigo, Papercutz, and Valiant, and as well as self-published several of her own mini-comics and books. Her current webcomics are Assassin Roommate and BOO! It's Sex!, updated weekly on Webtoons. Monica recently finished her first scripted podcast with Alex Segura, Lethal Lit, (mentioned by the New York Times as “A Great Podcast of 2018”!) for iHeart Radio.

Reviews

[Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5
Man, these books are weird.

I mentioned in my review of book 1 that these books have strange elements like dating and making out with 15-year-olds but are otherwise aimed at a younger audience. This story had a hefty dose of drama, but it didn't feel quite realistic. However, I do think they are good for a middle-grade audience

I do like the concept of the two different kinds of working with the supernatural, and how it's just an accepted element in this world.

What I'm still confused about is the ending. This series is listed as having only 2 books, and this one came out over a year ago. But this ending didn't wrap everything up, even though it easily could've.

2.5/5 stars. I don't love these books, but what can you do.

[Lilithcarter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgally in an exchange for an honest review.

Haven’t read the first one I thought it was going to be difficult to engage with the characters and the story, but it wasn’t that way. It’s so well written that missing the first volume just added to the story and made me want to read more.
The colour pallet is very retro feeling, it made me think of Scooby doo, and the Archie comics, but it’s not a copy just the colour scheme has a similar vibe. I really enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to read the rest of the series and definitely will be searching for more of these creators.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book in this graphic novel series.  I understood the story, but definitely felt that I was missing some background information on the characters. I still enjoyed the book though, and I think my students will too!


In terms of diversity, the main character (Sophia) is bisexual! I believe this will be the first book with a bisexual main character in my classroom library, which I'm very excited about. Representation matters! I am not sure if the authors are part of the LGBTQ+ community (I'm curious if it is an Own Voices book). Sophia's parents are divorced. Her dad calls her "mija," so I think they may be of Spanish descent.


There is talk of magic, ghosts, and ghost hunting. I think it's a great middle grade book, and I'll definitely be taking it in to add to my classroom library.

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story starts a little after the end of GFF #1.
A new girl arrives in town and her mother is a psychic. She becomes fast friend with Sophia, our main character. And together, they do what they can to bring Whitney back.

This was still adorable.
The characters keep growing on me, new or old. They're simply so lovable and relatable, flaws and all.
The plot kept me on my toes and I really enjoyed this story.
I read it so fast too, I couldn't put it down.
I'm really looking forward to whatever comes next!

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one. While the first book felt a bit rushed, this one had the opposite problem as I found it dragged on without accomplishing much. The pacing was a bit slow for me and I wasn't very satisfied by the end. I didn't feel like enough happened.

As with the first book, the artwork was cute. I liked the inclusion of some new characters. However, I was a bit sad that Whitney didn't have as big of a role in this one. While it makes sense given where things ended in the first book, I think she carried a lot of the story in the previous book, which was definitely missing in this one.

Overall, this one was an okay read.

At the end of the book are previews for Amy's Diary #1 Space Alien...Almost?, Love In The Time of Assumption (read it! just do it!), and Beauty Queen #1.

[BiblioFran · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story in this book is quite good; it's very sweet, like the previous book in this series. However, the inaccuracies in a couple of points about mysticism brought down my rating. Beltane is described as a holiday "where the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest." That is usually applied to Samhain, with Beltane having more of a focus on fertility and growth. Handfasting is a form of binding, but it is the equivalent of a marriage, not a general connection between two people as implied in the book.

I'm enjoying these stories, but I found these two significant inaccuracies on fairly basic aspects of magic very off-putting. Both Beltane and handfasting are important parts of Wiccan and Pagan religions, and seeing them misused like this seemed clumsy at best and disrespectful at worst.

[Michael Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great fun.

A great follow up to the spectacular (or spooktacular? I'll see myself out) Trapped in the 90s. We uncover a bit more of the team's past and what happened with Sophia's parents. We meet some new characters in this book, namely Charlotte, the new psychic. Her addition to the book was a great inclusion.

The story was a bit weaker, but it would be hard to top the big story from the first book. It carries through the story in a great way, even if it doesn't have the same big mystery (there's still a mystery, it's just a bit hidden).

I can't wait for the next issue of this series. Still definitely a fan.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*thank you to Netgalley and papercutz.com for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars.

This series is really a fun and enjoyable read. I love the illustrations and the use of the colour. Such things are quite important to me when it comes to Graphic Novels, so this did not disappoint. The story is interesting and I can definatly see this being popular, particularly with the middle grade age range so about 9-12 year olds. I hope that the author keeps writing these. I know I would like to see more and find out what could possible happen next.

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

A quick read. My 9 year old finished in one afternoon. The story was fine until the main character expresses romantic feelings for an ex-boyfriend and a ghost girl at the same time. The kissing scenes between the characters was unnecessary and the cheating component was too much for the younger ages. We had a conversation about loyalty, friendship, love, etc as a result. Trying to make the best of it, but we would have skipped this book had we known.

[Brooklyn || The Wild Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the introduction of a new witch in this sequel, and it was so great to see two friends (Sophia & Jake) work to understand Sophia's feelings for both Jack & Whitney. +1 for sexual diversity within a kids novel about ghosts and magick! Can't wait for the third book to come so we can see what happens next :)

[Roxi · Rating 2 out of 5]

So another quick little read, and a quick little review.
I picked this up again as a little evening read in bed, and it was a cute one.
👻
This is the second book in the series, but it's easy to pick up what's going on.
Sophia is trying to bring back her friend, who is lost somewhere, but happens to be a ghost, so that's a bit tricky, innit?
With the help of her brother and New girl in town, Charlotte, can they bring Whitney back, whilst their parents forbid witchcraft?
👻
If you're after a deep, meaningful read, this isn't the book, but if you're like me, a quick read before bed, then it's worth a read.
👻

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Charmz for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I read the first one and thought it was cute and enjoyed it, and felt the same about the continuation. Would like to see a third.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant enough pre-teen ghost comic, but without issue #1 before this I really had little help in understanding anything. This looks and reads decent, but is not self-contained at all – you need to have been on board from page one.

[Jenaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute!!! Love this series so much.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute and short.

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5☆

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun follow-up to volume 1. Plenty of room for a sequel (fingers crossed). Still in LOVE with the art style.

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[Courtney (pawsitivelybookish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There better be a third!!

[SOFIESHARK · Rating 5 out of 5]

really love it

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think they are hispanic because the mom and the dad keep calling Sofia mija which meens sweetheart or honey in spanish

[Nakayla]

On a new girl came to school she became her friend and she got a new BFF dut she could not stop thing of her old BFF so her new BFF helped her find her old BFF.



IT WAS A GOOD BOOK.

[Leon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know i read the second book first but like wtf-
She likes her best friend? but kissed Jake?
Like whattttt????

[divyanshii✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

was I the only one who shipped the main character with the guy instead of the ghost?

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Emmanuella · Rating 3 out of 5]

hi can I read your book

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sequel - it had everything I enjoyed in the first one and more of the parents’ backstory I wanted. Excited to see what comes next

[Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comic was both thrilling and mysterious. Magic and romance fill each page In this page-turner. They are few places that could use a touch up with the text bubbles and the color, contrast of the font. Overall this was a cute and fun read. I look forward to the next book.

I was given this book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witches Get Things Done is the second issue in the Ghost Friends Forever graphic novel series written by Monica Gallagher and illustrated by Kata Kane. I would recommend reading the series in order, but if you are determined to start here I think readers could catch up with the major points quickly.

Magic is the only thing that will help Sophia Greene-Campos reunite with Whitney, her ghost girl crush who died in the 1990s. Frustrated, Sophia is determined to find Witney. Soon Sophia befriends a witch named Charlotte who quickly becomes a trusted friend. While Sophia is busy disobeying her parents, her ex-boyfriend Jake is struggling between expressing his romantic feelings for her and helping her to get Whitney back. And Felix is suffering the nightmarish after effects of creating a Banishment Portal at such a young age. In order to help him, their parents Joanne and Oscar might be forced to reveal more of their knowledge about portals, two-headed poltergeists, and other secrets about The Paranormal Incident that split the family.

Witches Get Things Done is an entertaining read, and I was glad to see what come next for Sophia, Felix, Jake, and Whitney. I really liked getting to see some new characters, and that neither new or old characters seemed to be neglected or left behind in the story telling- which sometimes happens when the field gets crowded. I liked the development of the new and changing relationships, partial because it was as unsure, complicated, and messy as real life. I felt like some of the ghostly and science based paranormal aspects were glossed over or secondary to the angst Sophia has about her relationships. Even the danger is not really focused on as much as I thought it could have been. However, I enjoyed the story and only wish I got a little more from each issue.

Witches Get Things Done is a nice continuation to the story. I enjoyed the read and the art. It was nice, but did not wow me, although I do plan on continuing the story.