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Fearbook Club
The new kid in middle school is tossed in with the misfits of the Yearbook Club only to uncover a mystery going back decades: One student from each class goes missing every year, and no one seems to care. Now, the “club” will be pulled into supernatural peril as they attempt to solve these mysteries, all while being harangued by their drama-inclined advisor, their creepy principal and, oh yeah, the ghosts of those kids who have disappeared.
114 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 2, 2022
Whit is the new kid in 6th grade and is commandeered into the Yearbook Club. He keeps seeing ghosts in the pictures he takes. It's all solid until the shadow creature shows up. There's a ton of questions that are raised and never answered. The 2nd half of this just fails in its execution. I do think kids who are into Goosebumps will enjoy this.
January 18, 2022
Happy Publication Day!
Thank you, Seismic Press, for the advance reading copy.
I am impressed with:
The cover.
The seriousness of the characters and the plot.
The plot actually involving books and mystery.
However, I need more explanations. It just felt like this is the first volume of a series.
The artstyle is good. However, the art sequence can be better I feel.
The characters are chaotic and I wanted to know a bit more about them.
But things end well.
The highlight?
There are some creepy moments which you do not see coming!
Thank you, Seismic Press, for the advance reading copy.
I am impressed with:
The cover.
The seriousness of the characters and the plot.
The plot actually involving books and mystery.
However, I need more explanations. It just felt like this is the first volume of a series.
The artstyle is good. However, the art sequence can be better I feel.
The characters are chaotic and I wanted to know a bit more about them.
But things end well.
The highlight?
There are some creepy moments which you do not see coming!
March 2, 2022
A middling haunted school story, with so many elements thrown in, and none of them properly developed. A rumbling train of "and then! and then! and then!"s, that leads to a rushed finish. The art also doesn't seem to be able to keep up.
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
January 17, 2022
Fearbook club is a middle grade graphic novel with timely themes such as bullying and feeling invisible. I thought it was a well written and well drawn book.
January 13, 2022
I liked it so much i would pass it around to all my friends with my name on it so hopefully i get it back.
This "comic" i mean graphic novel was really good, the 90's style it had, the ghosts, the meaning of the story was brilliant the way it focused all around bullying and the mom (literally made me love her more as i connected so much with her and her fears/anxieties) and the way Whit made friends with a camera in his hand was something you like to seen for teenagers.
This "comic" i mean graphic novel was really good, the 90's style it had, the ghosts, the meaning of the story was brilliant the way it focused all around bullying and the mom (literally made me love her more as i connected so much with her and her fears/anxieties) and the way Whit made friends with a camera in his hand was something you like to seen for teenagers.
January 30, 2022
I received a copy of this graphic novel through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was quite interesting for most of it. There was a moment when it all went a bit utopic even for a fantasy comic and I was suspicious of a fouler play than it actually was but mostly I liked it. It was scary and intriguing, the art was quite good and main motive was important - a total anti-bullying measure!😊😊
It was quite interesting for most of it. There was a moment when it all went a bit utopic even for a fantasy comic and I was suspicious of a fouler play than it actually was but mostly I liked it. It was scary and intriguing, the art was quite good and main motive was important - a total anti-bullying measure!😊😊
January 18, 2022
Happy Pub Day!
This was a fun read that turned out to be unexpectedly meaningful. The author did a brilliant job in highlighting bullying and its lasting impact through the lens of a horror story.
I enjoyed the 80s vibes and subtle nods to classic movies such The Shining. There was even a Joker lookalike. The book also reminded me of Stranger Things and Cabin In The Woods
While the story and execution didn't wow me, what I loved best about this creative tale are the themes of embracing our individuality and standing up to our fears as well as the power of friendship and love.
Don’t miss the author's note!
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley.
This was a fun read that turned out to be unexpectedly meaningful. The author did a brilliant job in highlighting bullying and its lasting impact through the lens of a horror story.
I enjoyed the 80s vibes and subtle nods to classic movies such The Shining. There was even a Joker lookalike. The book also reminded me of Stranger Things and Cabin In The Woods
While the story and execution didn't wow me, what I loved best about this creative tale are the themes of embracing our individuality and standing up to our fears as well as the power of friendship and love.
Don’t miss the author's note!
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley.
September 6, 2022
Pretty good for a middle grade/ya graphic novel. My main issue was the pacing felt rushed and didn't spend enough time fleshing out some of the scenes. Should have been twice as long to really let the story breathe. But I get it, young people have shorter attention spans nowadays.
January 6, 2022
Whit has to go to a new school. His father has died, and left him his camera, and so that is what he clings to.
And this school that he goes to has an older campus that has ghosts.
But the ghosts have been forgotten.
Until Whit discovers them.
That is the basic story, but the problem is, we have to go all around Robin Hood's barn to get there. It is never clear that this has been going on a long long time, and that no one has noticed it, until Whit discovers that there is a missing child in each year in the year books, dating back to when the school was founded.
Could be better executed, but not bad.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
And this school that he goes to has an older campus that has ghosts.
But the ghosts have been forgotten.
Until Whit discovers them.
That is the basic story, but the problem is, we have to go all around Robin Hood's barn to get there. It is never clear that this has been going on a long long time, and that no one has noticed it, until Whit discovers that there is a missing child in each year in the year books, dating back to when the school was founded.
Could be better executed, but not bad.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
March 15, 2022
This book highlights about bullying. As years goes by many students being missing without a trace until Whit come and solve the mystery of it. Curiosity of the main character, Whit save Duncan’s life. Together they will solve a lot of mysteries in future.
Humor,suspense, horror genre.
Humor,suspense, horror genre.
February 4, 2022
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I just love horror and I love it when the horror is in graphic novel form. So I just had to request this one!
I was quite interested in the Yearbook Club. I only know of the club thanks to YA novels and series. We never had something like that in high school. But it is something I do like reading about because it just seems so much fun to be part off. To make something for people and give them some fun memories. It was a bit of a shame that the Yearbook club in this graphic novel seemed to do not much. Mostly they seemed to just talk and have fun or try to get through the time they have.
But the peeps in there, well, except for some guy named Press, were fun. I especially loved the twins and I love how Whit just knew who was who which shocked the twins. I can imagine, haha. All this time everyone just confuses them for the other and then there is this new kid who just knows. The twins were just so silly, over the top, and fun, and I loved how accepting they were of Whit (especially if you look at Press’ his reactions).
Whit was an interesting kid and I loved that he is so much into photography and then especially the old-school variant of it. With a dark room, a Leica, and all that. I loved that he didn’t give up when he saw spooky things happening in his photographs, instead he went to find help and went to seek out the truth. I did like that while he was so brave, you could also see he was scared poopless. And I love that because really? Who wouldn’t be scared when you see dead people everywhere? And you have no clue if they are good or bad? I was really rooting for him to figure things out and get the school free of whatever was haunting it.
I just wasn’t a fan of Whit’s mom all the time. She was just too overprotective, and we do learn why, but still. Your kid isn’t a baby any more. Let him be a bit more free.
The haunting stuff was good, though maybe it could be explained just a bit more and not just feel like a random grab out of the thin air. I mean, I had no clue about the culprit, and I still wonder what happened to them truly.
The art was pretty good, I liked the style. The ghosts were delightfully frightening and scary!
I was frankly very shocked that the school did NOTHING. I mean, for many many years, decades even, each year a kid just disappears. Just ups and vanishes. And no one does a freaking thing? No one thinks to just demolish that creaky old building? I mean, it was already on the brink of falling apart when Duncan disappeared, but 30 years later it is even more a wreck. It just seemed very odd, as if people did know something but just didn’t care.
All in all, despite those two things mentioned above, I had fun reading this one! It was a fun and at times scary read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I just love horror and I love it when the horror is in graphic novel form. So I just had to request this one!
I was quite interested in the Yearbook Club. I only know of the club thanks to YA novels and series. We never had something like that in high school. But it is something I do like reading about because it just seems so much fun to be part off. To make something for people and give them some fun memories. It was a bit of a shame that the Yearbook club in this graphic novel seemed to do not much. Mostly they seemed to just talk and have fun or try to get through the time they have.
But the peeps in there, well, except for some guy named Press, were fun. I especially loved the twins and I love how Whit just knew who was who which shocked the twins. I can imagine, haha. All this time everyone just confuses them for the other and then there is this new kid who just knows. The twins were just so silly, over the top, and fun, and I loved how accepting they were of Whit (especially if you look at Press’ his reactions).
Whit was an interesting kid and I loved that he is so much into photography and then especially the old-school variant of it. With a dark room, a Leica, and all that. I loved that he didn’t give up when he saw spooky things happening in his photographs, instead he went to find help and went to seek out the truth. I did like that while he was so brave, you could also see he was scared poopless. And I love that because really? Who wouldn’t be scared when you see dead people everywhere? And you have no clue if they are good or bad? I was really rooting for him to figure things out and get the school free of whatever was haunting it.
I just wasn’t a fan of Whit’s mom all the time. She was just too overprotective, and we do learn why, but still. Your kid isn’t a baby any more. Let him be a bit more free.
The haunting stuff was good, though maybe it could be explained just a bit more and not just feel like a random grab out of the thin air. I mean, I had no clue about the culprit, and I still wonder what happened to them truly.
The art was pretty good, I liked the style. The ghosts were delightfully frightening and scary!
I was frankly very shocked that the school did NOTHING. I mean, for many many years, decades even, each year a kid just disappears. Just ups and vanishes. And no one does a freaking thing? No one thinks to just demolish that creaky old building? I mean, it was already on the brink of falling apart when Duncan disappeared, but 30 years later it is even more a wreck. It just seemed very odd, as if people did know something but just didn’t care.
All in all, despite those two things mentioned above, I had fun reading this one! It was a fun and at times scary read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
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March 4, 2022Unfortunately, I wasn't the biggest fan of this. I liked the premise of the story, but a combination of rushed storytelling and awkward dialogue made it hard to enjoy. It felt like so many of the important plot points in the story were glossed over, which made the pace off-kilter. I think this graphic novel tried to move too fast and cover too many topics in the time it had. Because of the rush, I feel like I didn't get to know any of the side characters. The only fleshed-out character was Whit.
The dialogue being awkward was a huge barrier to me being able to enjoy this. The characters often don't feel like they're actually interacting with each other and instead are just monologuing back and forth to get some quirky language on the page.
I think this story has a lot of potential. The mystery is interesting and I enjoyed the photography and paranormal aspects of the story. For me, it just needed to be more fleshed out, with a clearer, more consistent plot.
The dialogue being awkward was a huge barrier to me being able to enjoy this. The characters often don't feel like they're actually interacting with each other and instead are just monologuing back and forth to get some quirky language on the page.
I think this story has a lot of potential. The mystery is interesting and I enjoyed the photography and paranormal aspects of the story. For me, it just needed to be more fleshed out, with a clearer, more consistent plot.
February 3, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Una historia con una construcción interesante. Una escuela donde cada año desaparece un niño, al que todos olvidan al poco tiempo. Da la casualidad que solo desaparecen chicos que sufren bullying en la institución. ¿Cuál será el motivo?
El grupo de estudiantes que participan en el club del Anuario Escolar, notan que en cada anuario anterior hay una página en memoria de un chico desaparecido y comienzan a investigar este misterio, viéndose envueltos en él.
Deberán superar las consecuencias que esto conlleve.
Una novela gráfica de thriller y suspenso middle grade ideal para pasar una tarde entretenida leyéndola, sin embargo no muy memorable.
Una historia con una construcción interesante. Una escuela donde cada año desaparece un niño, al que todos olvidan al poco tiempo. Da la casualidad que solo desaparecen chicos que sufren bullying en la institución. ¿Cuál será el motivo?
El grupo de estudiantes que participan en el club del Anuario Escolar, notan que en cada anuario anterior hay una página en memoria de un chico desaparecido y comienzan a investigar este misterio, viéndose envueltos en él.
Deberán superar las consecuencias que esto conlleve.
Una novela gráfica de thriller y suspenso middle grade ideal para pasar una tarde entretenida leyéndola, sin embargo no muy memorable.
February 28, 2022
Rating: 3.25 🌟
First and foremost, I'd like to express my gratitude to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this poetry book.
I appreciated how this comic could cover so many important subjects in such a short amount of time and in such a detailed way.
• Bullies at school use body shaming as a form of bullying.
• A single parent's struggle
• Friendships
February 13, 2022
NetGalley ARC.
This comic was...not the best. I enjoyed the artwork and the beginning of it but it kind of became messy. So many unresolved questions! I feel like even a middle grader would be like, but what about...? I did enjoy the heavy parts, Whit's dad, the missing kids. I find it hard to believe that this is one of the people behind How to Train Your Dragon!!
This comic was...not the best. I enjoyed the artwork and the beginning of it but it kind of became messy. So many unresolved questions! I feel like even a middle grader would be like, but what about...? I did enjoy the heavy parts, Whit's dad, the missing kids. I find it hard to believe that this is one of the people behind How to Train Your Dragon!!
October 11, 2022
2.5 stars
It was just alright. It was lacking in story and character growth.
It was just alright. It was lacking in story and character growth.
January 4, 2022
Surprisingly appealing young teen horror, as a new kid in school gets to see what he shouldn't through the lens of his recently deceased dad's old Leica. He would appear to have gained the ability to photograph dead people – and every intake seems to have had a contribution, with all the yearbooks missing one student never snapped for it in time. But what if he awakens said dead people? And what is doing the killing in the first place?
There are hurdles here, such as some rather cheesy and over-active thought bubble generation by our main character, bickering for the sake of bickering until the real plot is allowed to start, and again a cheesy way to cross from there/then to here/now, but I liked the way this was put together. It probably doesn't do too much that is new, but it does what it wants to well and with some bravura energy, and it deserves to be a hit with the target audience. It's much better than its title might have you think.
There are hurdles here, such as some rather cheesy and over-active thought bubble generation by our main character, bickering for the sake of bickering until the real plot is allowed to start, and again a cheesy way to cross from there/then to here/now, but I liked the way this was put together. It probably doesn't do too much that is new, but it does what it wants to well and with some bravura energy, and it deserves to be a hit with the target audience. It's much better than its title might have you think.
January 13, 2022
trigger warning
The new kid gets relegated to the yearbook club because, as the principal says, she recognises wallflowers and wants him to connect with at least someone. The yearbook club is the perfect place to figure out that something creepy is going on.
I liked it. The topic of bullying was omnipresent but handled in a - at least to me - non-triggering way. Every single character felt real, and the relationship between our protagonist and his mother was explored in a meaningful way.
Would recommend this to people who love middlegrade horror.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
The new kid gets relegated to the yearbook club because, as the principal says, she recognises wallflowers and wants him to connect with at least someone. The yearbook club is the perfect place to figure out that something creepy is going on.
I liked it. The topic of bullying was omnipresent but handled in a - at least to me - non-triggering way. Every single character felt real, and the relationship between our protagonist and his mother was explored in a meaningful way.
Would recommend this to people who love middlegrade horror.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
May 31, 2022
A flawed and a little too short comic but still very enjoyable. A nice little intro to horror comics.
Art: The art's pretty good. The style's good, very appropiate for a middle grades comic. Some great color and light work throughout the comic. Character design's pretty good, as in they're unique enough and you can tell what they're about.
The panels pass my checklist for looking good. Got action, character, and emotion not just talking heads. A little simple but not too simple or detailed.
The costume design is really weird though, minor nitpick but they change their costume designs every few pages to show passage of time, but they're like super basic, like jeans and a blank tee. Minor minor nitpick though.
Character: This is a weird one, I do think the cast all have defining traits to make them stand out and be memorable, but since the comic's so short- they don't get that much time to dev. Whit the mc of course gets dev. Even a side character or two. However, Press, was an intresting character but kinda got sidelined due to the length. They do try to sneak an arc in the background. Still I really did like the cast, it's just a nice little group, again good for a YA comic.
Story: I will remain as spoiler free as I can for this!
The plot is a photographer new kid "nuke" joins a "yearbook club" and investigates some paranormal things happening at the school. Simple story on paper, but I enjoyed it. I'm always trying to dip my toes into this genre. If there's a reader in this age range who wants to read into horror I think this would be a good rec.
The paranormal events are pretty well written for it's length, not too spooky, but the concept is a bit eerie.
Alright the length comes into play again. The transitions can be very abrupt or non existant. Making you think wait why is this going on. It's never too bad, but still happens enough to be brought up. And there are alot of plot elements that are never really solved, but I feel like if you had a little bit more clues you could figure them out.
Another thing this book actually feels like a YA book, for the most part, the kids act like middle schoolers, with no "how do you do fellow kids" from the writers. But I think that's the monkey's paw. THESE KIDS ARE WAY TOO ACCURATE TO ACTUAL MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. There is a homophobic joke and constant mentions to trigger warning...
school shooters. Probably tying into the theme of fear, as sadly yes this is something students might fear.
On the topic of fear I think it handles the theme pretty well (again it's short so you can't go too in depth). The background of Whit sets up for that theme well, with his parents especially. And especially the paranormal element. School's a pretty scary place too, without ghosts. I feel like they could have gone a bit further, but the way this theme wraps up is pretty good so I won't complain.
Anyway yeah I like this comic, despite it's flaws. Subjectively I'd give it a 7/10.
Art: The art's pretty good. The style's good, very appropiate for a middle grades comic. Some great color and light work throughout the comic. Character design's pretty good, as in they're unique enough and you can tell what they're about.
The panels pass my checklist for looking good. Got action, character, and emotion not just talking heads. A little simple but not too simple or detailed.
The costume design is really weird though, minor nitpick but they change their costume designs every few pages to show passage of time, but they're like super basic, like jeans and a blank tee. Minor minor nitpick though.
Character: This is a weird one, I do think the cast all have defining traits to make them stand out and be memorable, but since the comic's so short- they don't get that much time to dev. Whit the mc of course gets dev. Even a side character or two. However, Press, was an intresting character but kinda got sidelined due to the length. They do try to sneak an arc in the background. Still I really did like the cast, it's just a nice little group, again good for a YA comic.
Story: I will remain as spoiler free as I can for this!
The plot is a photographer new kid "nuke" joins a "yearbook club" and investigates some paranormal things happening at the school. Simple story on paper, but I enjoyed it. I'm always trying to dip my toes into this genre. If there's a reader in this age range who wants to read into horror I think this would be a good rec.
The paranormal events are pretty well written for it's length, not too spooky, but the concept is a bit eerie.
Alright the length comes into play again. The transitions can be very abrupt or non existant. Making you think wait why is this going on. It's never too bad, but still happens enough to be brought up. And there are alot of plot elements that are never really solved, but I feel like if you had a little bit more clues you could figure them out.
Another thing this book actually feels like a YA book, for the most part, the kids act like middle schoolers, with no "how do you do fellow kids" from the writers. But I think that's the monkey's paw. THESE KIDS ARE WAY TOO ACCURATE TO ACTUAL MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. There is a homophobic joke and constant mentions to trigger warning...
school shooters. Probably tying into the theme of fear, as sadly yes this is something students might fear.
On the topic of fear I think it handles the theme pretty well (again it's short so you can't go too in depth). The background of Whit sets up for that theme well, with his parents especially. And especially the paranormal element. School's a pretty scary place too, without ghosts. I feel like they could have gone a bit further, but the way this theme wraps up is pretty good so I won't complain.
Anyway yeah I like this comic, despite it's flaws. Subjectively I'd give it a 7/10.
January 7, 2022
This graphic novel was a fun story that had some pretty interesting characters in it. Was it groundbreaking? No, but it wasn't awful.
We follow Whit Garcia as he starts sixth grade. He wears a camera around his neck and enjoys taking pictures. Until he accidentally gets a pic of a new possible bully who can't stand having his picture taken.
The principal is a WOC which was nice to see and she puts Whit in yearbook club. There he meets the Kim twins, his possible bully (don't worry they're friends by the end) and the yearbook leader: the eccentric drama teacher who is more interested in his non-existent career than yearbook or teaching.
Like I said, nothing groundbreaking there.
Or with the ghosts. They can be seen through a camera, light messes with them, it's the usual kind of rundown.
It's the characters that make this an interesting read. Whit is an anxious kid but his mother is so much worse. I could see how a parent would end up that way. The school has tasked the mother with writing a comfort letter. Something Whit could read should the worst come to pass. It shattered my heart to imagine doing that.
Now, kids have been going missing every year and the principal keeps dropping the word centuries as she talks about her time as a teacher.
So much is rushed and I mean so much. Maybe this story would have benefitted from being a split volume situation. Then both could have been longer and it would have allowed for them to deal with the ghosts and spirits more and in more detail.
Time is a joke in this story. It passes wildly and you only know it has passed because someone says something or there's a little panel that says "x amount of time later". And that was honestly the biggest issue with the story. It was short because the entire story had to be wedged into a short format and the ending was harmed by it because it was so fast. All of the pacing was sort of harmed by the fact it was so short.
If it had been two volumes it would have been amazing just because it would have had room to breathe.
Overall I did like the story, I give it a three (3) star rating. Diversity was there which we love but there were just issues with pacing and things that just sort of stopped. Like the principal's situation was flustering.
All in all, 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I received this arc in exchange for an honest review.
We follow Whit Garcia as he starts sixth grade. He wears a camera around his neck and enjoys taking pictures. Until he accidentally gets a pic of a new possible bully who can't stand having his picture taken.
The principal is a WOC which was nice to see and she puts Whit in yearbook club. There he meets the Kim twins, his possible bully (don't worry they're friends by the end) and the yearbook leader: the eccentric drama teacher who is more interested in his non-existent career than yearbook or teaching.
Like I said, nothing groundbreaking there.
Or with the ghosts. They can be seen through a camera, light messes with them, it's the usual kind of rundown.
It's the characters that make this an interesting read. Whit is an anxious kid but his mother is so much worse. I could see how a parent would end up that way. The school has tasked the mother with writing a comfort letter. Something Whit could read should the worst come to pass. It shattered my heart to imagine doing that.
Now, kids have been going missing every year and the principal keeps dropping the word centuries as she talks about her time as a teacher.
So much is rushed and I mean so much. Maybe this story would have benefitted from being a split volume situation. Then both could have been longer and it would have allowed for them to deal with the ghosts and spirits more and in more detail.
Time is a joke in this story. It passes wildly and you only know it has passed because someone says something or there's a little panel that says "x amount of time later". And that was honestly the biggest issue with the story. It was short because the entire story had to be wedged into a short format and the ending was harmed by it because it was so fast. All of the pacing was sort of harmed by the fact it was so short.
If it had been two volumes it would have been amazing just because it would have had room to breathe.
Overall I did like the story, I give it a three (3) star rating. Diversity was there which we love but there were just issues with pacing and things that just sort of stopped. Like the principal's situation was flustering.
All in all, 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, I received this arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2022
When I first stumbled upon Fearbook Club on NetGalley, I was immediately pulled in by the cover. Then I read the description and was easily sold by its premise. A group of middle school students who are deemed the weirdos and forced to join Yearbook Club, only to discover there are ghosts of missing students lingering around campus. It’s a pretty fun concept, and while it isn’t always cohesive, it’s a rather easy read that celebrates the outcasts.
Fearbook Club, which hails from AfterShock Comics, was created by writer Richard Hamilton, artist Marco Matrone and letterer Dave Sharpe tells the story of four middle school outcasts that are forced to work together in a Yearbook Club. The lead character, Whit, is a shy 6th grader who loves photography and spends most of his free time taking photographs that he develops in his makeshift darkroom at home. It’s when he develops his film after he takes of a fellow student near a condemned building on school that his world becomes entwined in chaos. In the photo, Whit discovers other students in the picture — other students that were only visible through the photograph.
When Whit and the others try to unravel the mystery, they soon discover their school has a long track record of missing students that are seemingly forgotten. What unravels is a story of overcoming fear and doing what is right in the long run. Unfortunately, this is also where the story falls apart. Things become rushed that the last twenty pages become hard to follow. The mystery of who and what is behind the missing students is fascinating, but it’s not executed in the best way to truly benefit the story.
As for the artwork, it’s pretty great, honestly. It’s the artwork that carries the story. From the design of the “monster,” to the way the emotions are conveyed in scenes, the artwork tells the story wonderfully.
Overall, Fearbook Club isn’t a book everyone is going to love and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. While it does have its issues, Fearbook Club is a book I would highly recommend to young readers because it tackles important topics such as overcoming fear, handling grief and finding yourself. Even better? It does so in a way to keep them invested in the story — it brings in a spooky element, all while still managing to stay reality-based.
Fearbook Club is a story that manages to tackle fear, grief and the pains of growing up through a spooky ghost story.
Fearbook Club, which hails from AfterShock Comics, was created by writer Richard Hamilton, artist Marco Matrone and letterer Dave Sharpe tells the story of four middle school outcasts that are forced to work together in a Yearbook Club. The lead character, Whit, is a shy 6th grader who loves photography and spends most of his free time taking photographs that he develops in his makeshift darkroom at home. It’s when he develops his film after he takes of a fellow student near a condemned building on school that his world becomes entwined in chaos. In the photo, Whit discovers other students in the picture — other students that were only visible through the photograph.
When Whit and the others try to unravel the mystery, they soon discover their school has a long track record of missing students that are seemingly forgotten. What unravels is a story of overcoming fear and doing what is right in the long run. Unfortunately, this is also where the story falls apart. Things become rushed that the last twenty pages become hard to follow. The mystery of who and what is behind the missing students is fascinating, but it’s not executed in the best way to truly benefit the story.
As for the artwork, it’s pretty great, honestly. It’s the artwork that carries the story. From the design of the “monster,” to the way the emotions are conveyed in scenes, the artwork tells the story wonderfully.
Overall, Fearbook Club isn’t a book everyone is going to love and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. While it does have its issues, Fearbook Club is a book I would highly recommend to young readers because it tackles important topics such as overcoming fear, handling grief and finding yourself. Even better? It does so in a way to keep them invested in the story — it brings in a spooky element, all while still managing to stay reality-based.
Fearbook Club is a story that manages to tackle fear, grief and the pains of growing up through a spooky ghost story.
January 19, 2022
1st Line: " 'DUUUNCAAAN!' "
Prose (Story): Whit Garcia has just started 6th grade in a new school, and it's not going well. Shy and sleight in stature, the camera-toting kid finds himself almost immediately the target of a smart-mouthed bully, while his over-protective mother seems ready to teeter over the edge of panic whenever her son is out of her sight. Add to this an abandoned, dilapidated old part of his school, in which Whit's camera uncovers some very ghostly residents, and soon White has no choice but to join forces with his fellow Yearbook Club misfits to find out just what the heck is going on.
Don's (Review): I wanted to read this because the cover gave me such strong paranormal Scooby-Doo vibes, but wow was I surprised by just how much I loved this graphic novel! Whit and his fellow Yearbook Club members are all social pariahs at school - kids who don't really fit in - and between author Richard Ashley Hamilton's story and Marco Matrone's art I was immediately transported back to my own days of feeling both alone and lonely at that age, when you fit in nowhere and feel like you're not going anywhere. Whit is an exceptionally likeable kid - as are twins Hillary and Hester, and even former bully Press, the other kids forced to join Yearbook Club - and even as the gang learn that the ghostly threats at hand are all too real, we also have asides in which we learn more about Whit's story, and why his mother is as rattled as she is. The ghost story itself is the treasure though, further touching on the themes of fitting in and always having friends you can count on behind you, and Matrone's illustrations add the perfect level of spookiness to the story as more of what's going on is revealed.Very Scooby-Doo, but it also gave me the thrilling vibes I remember having while reading Hardy Boys books as a kid - again, all with a supernatural element expertly thrown in. Well - well - into adulthood now, from the start this well-written, perfecly-drawn graphic novel mystery, to me, felt like going home again to my childhood;simpler, happier times, where nothing mattered but the book I held in my hands under the covers, reading by flashlight late into the night to learn the solution of the mystery ... and to make sure these characters, now my new friends, came through it okay. I loved it. 4.5/5 stars
NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Prose (Story): Whit Garcia has just started 6th grade in a new school, and it's not going well. Shy and sleight in stature, the camera-toting kid finds himself almost immediately the target of a smart-mouthed bully, while his over-protective mother seems ready to teeter over the edge of panic whenever her son is out of her sight. Add to this an abandoned, dilapidated old part of his school, in which Whit's camera uncovers some very ghostly residents, and soon White has no choice but to join forces with his fellow Yearbook Club misfits to find out just what the heck is going on.
Don's (Review): I wanted to read this because the cover gave me such strong paranormal Scooby-Doo vibes, but wow was I surprised by just how much I loved this graphic novel! Whit and his fellow Yearbook Club members are all social pariahs at school - kids who don't really fit in - and between author Richard Ashley Hamilton's story and Marco Matrone's art I was immediately transported back to my own days of feeling both alone and lonely at that age, when you fit in nowhere and feel like you're not going anywhere. Whit is an exceptionally likeable kid - as are twins Hillary and Hester, and even former bully Press, the other kids forced to join Yearbook Club - and even as the gang learn that the ghostly threats at hand are all too real, we also have asides in which we learn more about Whit's story, and why his mother is as rattled as she is. The ghost story itself is the treasure though, further touching on the themes of fitting in and always having friends you can count on behind you, and Matrone's illustrations add the perfect level of spookiness to the story as more of what's going on is revealed.Very Scooby-Doo, but it also gave me the thrilling vibes I remember having while reading Hardy Boys books as a kid - again, all with a supernatural element expertly thrown in. Well - well - into adulthood now, from the start this well-written, perfecly-drawn graphic novel mystery, to me, felt like going home again to my childhood;simpler, happier times, where nothing mattered but the book I held in my hands under the covers, reading by flashlight late into the night to learn the solution of the mystery ... and to make sure these characters, now my new friends, came through it okay. I loved it. 4.5/5 stars
NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2022
The new kid in middle school is tossed in with the misfits of the Yearbook Club only to uncover a mystery going back decades: One student from each class goes missing every year, and no one seems to care. Now, the “club” will be pulled into supernatural peril as they attempt to solve these mysteries, all while being harangued by their drama-inclined advisor, their creepy principal, and, oh yeah, the ghosts of those kids who have disappeared.
Review
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to study in a haunted school where students vanish every year? Fearbook Club touches on that concept as you read about the experience of Whit who is a new transfer at school. The comic starts with 'Fatal Frame' feel as Whit makes a startling discovery that the spirits of the missing students were showing in the shots that he was taking of the school. This discovery eventually leads him to discover the school's dark secret which plunges him deeper into his paranormal adventure.
What makes Fearbook Club an interesting novel to read is that it isn't just a horror story. It also touches on the experiences that students go through such as the period of adjustment that always comes when transferring into a new school and family issues. In addition, it is also a story about bullying and how bullying affects the victim.
Despite its frightening concept, Fearbook Club has a cartoony art style that reminds me of the cartoons I used to watch on Cartoon Network. Personally, I think this is great because it makes it appropriate to middle-grade readers as it lessens the fear factor of the story. Otherwise, if the artwork had a darker style, it would have been too scary for younger readers.
Overall, Fearbook Club is a great horror comic that is suitable for middle-grade readers. It hits the sweet spot of being scary, but not overly so that it would end up giving its reader nightmares.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The synopsis is from goodreads.com
Review
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to study in a haunted school where students vanish every year? Fearbook Club touches on that concept as you read about the experience of Whit who is a new transfer at school. The comic starts with 'Fatal Frame' feel as Whit makes a startling discovery that the spirits of the missing students were showing in the shots that he was taking of the school. This discovery eventually leads him to discover the school's dark secret which plunges him deeper into his paranormal adventure.
What makes Fearbook Club an interesting novel to read is that it isn't just a horror story. It also touches on the experiences that students go through such as the period of adjustment that always comes when transferring into a new school and family issues. In addition, it is also a story about bullying and how bullying affects the victim.
Despite its frightening concept, Fearbook Club has a cartoony art style that reminds me of the cartoons I used to watch on Cartoon Network. Personally, I think this is great because it makes it appropriate to middle-grade readers as it lessens the fear factor of the story. Otherwise, if the artwork had a darker style, it would have been too scary for younger readers.
Overall, Fearbook Club is a great horror comic that is suitable for middle-grade readers. It hits the sweet spot of being scary, but not overly so that it would end up giving its reader nightmares.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The synopsis is from goodreads.com
January 4, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
I would actually give this book 3.5 stars
Here are some of the things I enjoyed about this book:
*I really loved the art style! The style and color scenes used seemed to really fit the vibe of the story, and was clear to understand and follow along with what was happening on the page.
*The story was really interesting! I’m always a sucker for a good ghost story, and this one was really unique in how it was set up and how everything connected
*I loved how the story explored themes of facing your fear, bullying, and victimization, especially towards the end!
*I thought the characters were cool, especially Hester! She had some moments that made me laugh out loud!
Now, here are some of the things I didn’t really like:
*Some of the scenes didn’t quite make sense to me in terms of how they fit into the story, or they just didn’t make sense in general. I think that mostly had to do with the organization of the story
*I feel like we were sometimes not given all the information for things, or it almost seemed like a scene had been skipped over. Like, when Whit told us that a student went missing every year, I would have liked to see them actually discover that from the yearbooks, instead of him telling us in a quick comment. It seems like a core element to the story should have a bit more focus
*Some of the dialogue felt a bit stiff in places, although for the most part I enjoyed it, especially because it often played into the weirdness of the characters and their language
Overall, I thought this was a fun read, although there were some issues, mostly minor, that could help with the clarity and the reader’s understanding of the story
I would actually give this book 3.5 stars
Here are some of the things I enjoyed about this book:
*I really loved the art style! The style and color scenes used seemed to really fit the vibe of the story, and was clear to understand and follow along with what was happening on the page.
*The story was really interesting! I’m always a sucker for a good ghost story, and this one was really unique in how it was set up and how everything connected
*I loved how the story explored themes of facing your fear, bullying, and victimization, especially towards the end!
*I thought the characters were cool, especially Hester! She had some moments that made me laugh out loud!
Now, here are some of the things I didn’t really like:
*Some of the scenes didn’t quite make sense to me in terms of how they fit into the story, or they just didn’t make sense in general. I think that mostly had to do with the organization of the story
*I feel like we were sometimes not given all the information for things, or it almost seemed like a scene had been skipped over. Like, when Whit told us that a student went missing every year, I would have liked to see them actually discover that from the yearbooks, instead of him telling us in a quick comment. It seems like a core element to the story should have a bit more focus
*Some of the dialogue felt a bit stiff in places, although for the most part I enjoyed it, especially because it often played into the weirdness of the characters and their language
Overall, I thought this was a fun read, although there were some issues, mostly minor, that could help with the clarity and the reader’s understanding of the story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 10, 2022First of all, huge thanks to Aftershock Comics; my review copy was damaged and they immediately arranged a different format that worked perfectly. I'm so glad they did, because I would have missed out on this fun. intriguing read.
I'm ashamed to say that I don't read a lot of comics. (Sorry - graphic novels!) I like the artform. I am in awe of how much work goes into them, and I know they're really useful to children who have trouble reading, but I've always been so intimidated by them - they all seem to have huge backstories and canons I don't know, and it's hard to judge exactly which ones are suitable. I love the rise of independent stories like this one; it doesn't need backstory, it may not be continued, it's just beautifully contained in one volume. This is exactly the kind of book we need more of.
The designs made it really clear who was who, which is another thing that I worry about with comics. I'm mildly faceblind and it's tough sometimes to tell people apart, but I had no trouble at all here. Even the ghosts, who by design are kind of samey-samey, have their own personalities and quirks. The story was really good and I loved that even by the end, although she was clearly trying, Whit's mother wasn't 'better'; things like that take a long time to get over, but it's fantastic that she'd started the process.
I really enjoyed this and I'm hoping I'll get to see more by this talented team. (And as if I needed any more reasons, this has definitely taught me to stay away from schools!)
I'm ashamed to say that I don't read a lot of comics. (Sorry - graphic novels!) I like the artform. I am in awe of how much work goes into them, and I know they're really useful to children who have trouble reading, but I've always been so intimidated by them - they all seem to have huge backstories and canons I don't know, and it's hard to judge exactly which ones are suitable. I love the rise of independent stories like this one; it doesn't need backstory, it may not be continued, it's just beautifully contained in one volume. This is exactly the kind of book we need more of.
The designs made it really clear who was who, which is another thing that I worry about with comics. I'm mildly faceblind and it's tough sometimes to tell people apart, but I had no trouble at all here. Even the ghosts, who by design are kind of samey-samey, have their own personalities and quirks. The story was really good and I loved that even by the end, although she was clearly trying, Whit's mother wasn't 'better'; things like that take a long time to get over, but it's fantastic that she'd started the process.
I really enjoyed this and I'm hoping I'll get to see more by this talented team. (And as if I needed any more reasons, this has definitely taught me to stay away from schools!)
January 24, 2022
Whit Garcia is a shy new student at school. He finds out that he must join a club in his new school. Whit is a shutterbug so he is assigned to the yearbook club. The yearbook club has a teacher and 3 students. They are Hester, Hillary and Press. The students haven’t done any work on the yearbook. Whit finds out about a student disappearing each year from the school. It hasn’t happened yet but it will, they assure Whit. The old school had a fire and it is condemned. Whit is starting to see ghosts in his photos that he develops. It scares him. This is only the beginning of seeing the ghosts as he now sees the ghosts in school. He tells the other kids in his yearbook club which will have them trying to see what the ghosts want. Will Whit and his friends succeed? What will they do?
The graphic novel is about overcoming fear and what is the right thing to do. It is a mystery of what and who is behind the missing students. I l enjoyed the surprise of Whit’s fear of the ghosts in his photos. The artwork is great. I liked how the emotions are shown in the story. The novel includes important topics such as overcoming fear, dealing with grief and finding yourself. It’s done perfectly as it kept me invested throughout the graphic novel. It is spooky yet not any violence in it and keeps the story in “reality.”
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The graphic novel is about overcoming fear and what is the right thing to do. It is a mystery of what and who is behind the missing students. I l enjoyed the surprise of Whit’s fear of the ghosts in his photos. The artwork is great. I liked how the emotions are shown in the story. The novel includes important topics such as overcoming fear, dealing with grief and finding yourself. It’s done perfectly as it kept me invested throughout the graphic novel. It is spooky yet not any violence in it and keeps the story in “reality.”
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
February 9, 2022
I received a free eARC from NetGalley and the publishers, Diamond Book Distributors and AfterShock Comics, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 stars
Release Date: 18 January 2022
This is my first time reading anything by Richard Hamilton, so I had no expectations going in. The concept of a school where one student each year goes missing and are never found intrigued me; the fact that it is up to the Yearbook Club to solve the mystery sold me. What a fun, exciting idea! Fearbook Club did not disappoint. I enjoyed my time reading this and would recommend it to middle-grade readers, or adults who are still children at heart.
I did think this book skips over a lot of elements that it could have focused on more to build the world and our main character. Having said that this is a children's graphic novel, so surface storylines can be expected and excused. Despite this, I will be looking out for any other books by Richard Hamilton.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 stars
Release Date: 18 January 2022
This is my first time reading anything by Richard Hamilton, so I had no expectations going in. The concept of a school where one student each year goes missing and are never found intrigued me; the fact that it is up to the Yearbook Club to solve the mystery sold me. What a fun, exciting idea! Fearbook Club did not disappoint. I enjoyed my time reading this and would recommend it to middle-grade readers, or adults who are still children at heart.
I did think this book skips over a lot of elements that it could have focused on more to build the world and our main character. Having said that this is a children's graphic novel, so surface storylines can be expected and excused. Despite this, I will be looking out for any other books by Richard Hamilton.
December 9, 2022
Whit joins the yearbook club and takes some pictures around school, but when he develops the photos he sees children in the background who were not actually there. Could there be ghosts haunting the old abandoned sections of the school? With the help of this fellow students in yearbook club, he begins to investigate the missing children who have disappeared from the school over the years, and finds that the ghosts are trapped in a shadow realm. Could there be a way to save them?
I liked that this graphic novel was creepy, but not too scary for me. It might be too scary for little kids though. The ghosts are pretty creepy, and the shadow realm is really eerie. There is one scene where they do a séance with a pentagram on the floor to try to contact the ghosts. That was a bit too creepy for me, and I skipped those pages.
I loved how the yearbook kids all come together to fight off the darkness. They are a funny group of misfits, and it was fun seeing how they become friends. I liked Whit's close relationship with his Mom. They have an affectionate family dynamic and really take care of each other.
The art is really excellent, and I loved the use of color and shadows to give it that chilling creepy effect.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I liked that this graphic novel was creepy, but not too scary for me. It might be too scary for little kids though. The ghosts are pretty creepy, and the shadow realm is really eerie. There is one scene where they do a séance with a pentagram on the floor to try to contact the ghosts. That was a bit too creepy for me, and I skipped those pages.
I loved how the yearbook kids all come together to fight off the darkness. They are a funny group of misfits, and it was fun seeing how they become friends. I liked Whit's close relationship with his Mom. They have an affectionate family dynamic and really take care of each other.
The art is really excellent, and I loved the use of color and shadows to give it that chilling creepy effect.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
January 4, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Fearbook Club by Richard Hamilton is an excellent, spooky graphic novel for teenagers. The story revolves around Whit, a 6th grader in middle school (but honestly, if it weren't for the synopsis, I would have thought the characters were in high school). Whit discovers that he can see the ghosts of missing students. He and his crew decide to solve the mystery. Why are the ghosts here? According to the synopsis, this book is "all about fitting in, fighting ghosts and forming friendships with other misfits, especially when you're a misfit yourself."
Overall, Fearbook Club would make the perfect gift for any tween or teen fans of Goosebumps. One highlight of this book is the artwork. The characters were well-drawn, and the monsters and ghosts were drawn in a scary way, but not too scary for the tween/teen demographic. I took off 1 star, because I'm not a fan of ghost stories.
Although this isn't the type of graphic novel that I personally enjoy, I can see many readers enjoying this book, especially during Halloween season. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, or if you're a fan of spooky graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!
Fearbook Club by Richard Hamilton is an excellent, spooky graphic novel for teenagers. The story revolves around Whit, a 6th grader in middle school (but honestly, if it weren't for the synopsis, I would have thought the characters were in high school). Whit discovers that he can see the ghosts of missing students. He and his crew decide to solve the mystery. Why are the ghosts here? According to the synopsis, this book is "all about fitting in, fighting ghosts and forming friendships with other misfits, especially when you're a misfit yourself."
Overall, Fearbook Club would make the perfect gift for any tween or teen fans of Goosebumps. One highlight of this book is the artwork. The characters were well-drawn, and the monsters and ghosts were drawn in a scary way, but not too scary for the tween/teen demographic. I took off 1 star, because I'm not a fan of ghost stories.
Although this isn't the type of graphic novel that I personally enjoy, I can see many readers enjoying this book, especially during Halloween season. If you're intrigued by the synopsis, or if you're a fan of spooky graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!
February 1, 2022
FEARBOOK CLUB
BY RICHARD HAMILTON
Genre: manga, fictional, horror
This story starts with the new kid being thrown into the misfits’ yearbook club, which is led by a hilarious drama teacher. While working on it he goes through the previous yearbooks and finds that each year a child goes missing and no one seems to care. Even the principal of the school seems quite eerie. As soon as she steps out of the school boundary, she forgets everything related to the school. As they go investigating about it all the kids of the club will be pulled into the horrid mystery of the school.
This comic along with entertaining the kids will teach the children about the negative aspects of bullying and also it will lay emphasis on the fact that fear consumes one and that one should always overcome it.
Overall, the art work was fun. The plot was quite simple with some well portrayed characters. It has a 90’s vibe about it. I highly recommend it for middle graders especially those who are a fan of goosebumps.
But I too have some answered questions. One of them being about the mystery of the principal. I hope that it has a volume two.
Thank you Netgalley for proving me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ratings: 4/5
BY RICHARD HAMILTON
Genre: manga, fictional, horror
This story starts with the new kid being thrown into the misfits’ yearbook club, which is led by a hilarious drama teacher. While working on it he goes through the previous yearbooks and finds that each year a child goes missing and no one seems to care. Even the principal of the school seems quite eerie. As soon as she steps out of the school boundary, she forgets everything related to the school. As they go investigating about it all the kids of the club will be pulled into the horrid mystery of the school.
This comic along with entertaining the kids will teach the children about the negative aspects of bullying and also it will lay emphasis on the fact that fear consumes one and that one should always overcome it.
Overall, the art work was fun. The plot was quite simple with some well portrayed characters. It has a 90’s vibe about it. I highly recommend it for middle graders especially those who are a fan of goosebumps.
But I too have some answered questions. One of them being about the mystery of the principal. I hope that it has a volume two.
Thank you Netgalley for proving me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ratings: 4/5
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