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Hellaween #1
Hellaween
Perfect for fans of Wednesday , Hooky, Monster High , and anyone in need of a wickedly good laugh, this graphic novel follows an aspiring witch and her two best friends as they try to have a fun-filled Halloween . . . while also dealing with a pair of neighborhood do-gooders hell-bent on vanquishing evil.
Learning to become a witch is hella difficult! Luckily, Gwen can always count on her two best friends in the whole world for help. Except Sloane and Miles aren’t exactly from this world. They’re from the Hallowlands, a monstrous realm, which they can only leave as the year creeps toward Halloween. This year, Gwen is determined to flex her magical skills. Armed with her first-ever grimoire, she’s hoping her friends will finally see that she has what it takes to leave boring suburbia behind and join them in the Hallowlands.
Except Gwen hadn’t counted on Hiro, a local kid obsessed with hunting the supernatural. When he and his reluctant sidekick start making trouble for them, the monster squad will have to fight to avoid having their secrets exposed—or worse. But when Gwen’s quest to prove herself leads to a string of unintended consequences, the five of them may just have to band together to take on something even more nightmarish than being a teen.
Learning to become a witch is hella difficult! Luckily, Gwen can always count on her two best friends in the whole world for help. Except Sloane and Miles aren’t exactly from this world. They’re from the Hallowlands, a monstrous realm, which they can only leave as the year creeps toward Halloween. This year, Gwen is determined to flex her magical skills. Armed with her first-ever grimoire, she’s hoping her friends will finally see that she has what it takes to leave boring suburbia behind and join them in the Hallowlands.
Except Gwen hadn’t counted on Hiro, a local kid obsessed with hunting the supernatural. When he and his reluctant sidekick start making trouble for them, the monster squad will have to fight to avoid having their secrets exposed—or worse. But when Gwen’s quest to prove herself leads to a string of unintended consequences, the five of them may just have to band together to take on something even more nightmarish than being a teen.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published August 8, 2023
15 people are currently reading
571 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
October 9, 2023
This book is WILD....haha. I think it's probably a bit silly when I think about it as an adult reader, but I know teenage me would have loved to read something like this growing up. The art was fun and engaging and I found myself laughing out loud at the storyline. I'm excited to see what else we get from Moss Lawton.
June 1, 2025
I absolutely adored this graphic novel! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and fall is my favorite time of year, so I always seek out stories that transport me to that enchanting season. This book did just that and more. The characters were utterly delightful, and I loved all the clever references to ghost adventures that popped up throughout the story. The artwork was nothing short of stunning, bursting with whimsical charm that perfectly captured the spirit of the season. I can’t wait for the next installment! I highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for a cozy read that beautifully evokes the magic of Halloween.
October 30, 2024
Halloween is Forever!!!
September 7, 2024
Rating: 3.5 stars
I'm an adult reader rating this YA/middle grade graphic novel, so please take my review with a grain of salt!
While I found the spoopy Halloween setting to be generally fun, compelling, kooky, I also found the main three characters to be a tad bit over a top and grating. The conflicts were hyper exaggerated, one of the main characters, Gwen, was kind of constantly in hysterics, and the antagonist Hiro was very annoying in an almost irredeemable way.
That being said, I did appreciate the (I believe?) nb rep in the werewolf Sloane, and the general queer-coded vibe of the worldbuilding.
I'm an adult reader rating this YA/middle grade graphic novel, so please take my review with a grain of salt!
While I found the spoopy Halloween setting to be generally fun, compelling, kooky, I also found the main three characters to be a tad bit over a top and grating. The conflicts were hyper exaggerated, one of the main characters, Gwen, was kind of constantly in hysterics, and the antagonist Hiro was very annoying in an almost irredeemable way.
That being said, I did appreciate the (I believe?) nb rep in the werewolf Sloane, and the general queer-coded vibe of the worldbuilding.
August 25, 2023
Liked this more than I thought I would. Very cute. Very queer.
I hope Jak Zagins has a cameo in the next book!
I hope Jak Zagins has a cameo in the next book!
August 17, 2025
For those who love Halloween, this graphic novel is a fun treat. Our main characters are teenagers (15yos)—a werewolf, vampire, and a witch. A human who is dead-set on proving that the supernatural exists by tracking down this spooky trio. The witch is trying to figure out her powers, apparently she’s the only witch left. The plot feels a little all over the place and not cohesive, feels a tad random. But there’s so much magic, humor, and action to make up for the randomness. The lore behind the worlds—human and monster world is a bit unexplained. Also, she’s supposed to be the only witch left and that isn’t explained much either. The vampire and werewolf talk about the witch not being strong enough to leave the human world. There’s a lot that’s not fully understood by the reader, but I am assuming that we will dive deeper into this lore in the following books in the series.
Cussing “Hell, damn, piss, bitch” and one middle finger, possession, speaking of hell, ghosts, blood and violence with a wooden katana
🐈⬛ 🎃 👻 🧛♂️ 🐺 🧙♀️ 🕸️ 🍁
“It’s not Halloween yet!”
“Halloween is forever!”
Cussing “Hell, damn, piss, bitch” and one middle finger, possession, speaking of hell, ghosts, blood and violence with a wooden katana
🐈⬛ 🎃 👻 🧛♂️ 🐺 🧙♀️ 🕸️ 🍁
“It’s not Halloween yet!”
“Halloween is forever!”
October 5, 2024
The art is sooooo cute and the characters are very loveable, especially sloane I loved him sm out of the trio.
If you're looking for a spooky fun read for Halloween I can't recommend this enough.
If you're looking for a spooky fun read for Halloween I can't recommend this enough.
August 8, 2023
Thank you so much Penguin Kids, Storygram Kids, Moss Lawton, and Razor Bill Books for sending me an early copy for participation in this tour and for an honest review!☺️🫶
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I really loved this one! ☺️Witchy, spooky middle-grade graphic novels are right up my alley! The MC Gwen reminds me a lot of Luz from the tv show The Owl House and I feel like Owl House fans would really enjoy this book! I really enjoyed all the illustrations and the story in this! It totally put me into the Halloween mood! 🎃 Also, there is a werewolf (prominent) SC who uses they/them pronouns which I really enjoyed the rep! Speaking of side characters I really liked Solane and Miles and thought the whole cast of characters was fun! I can’t wait to see more from this author and from this series! This is a perfect spooky read for those starting to make their October TBR! 🔮
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This may make me sound like a grandma 😅, but I wasn’t expecting the curse words in this as it's marketed as middle-grade. These may not even be considered curse words anymore, I don’t know, but it surprised me and I just wanted to note. The words ‘hell’ and ‘damn’ are thrown around quite a bit by kids and adults and the word ‘bitch’ is used once by our MC. Again, this isn’t really an issue, but I did want any parents looking for their kids to be made aware. 😊
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Also totally irrelevant to the book, but I found out the author, Moss Lawton worked on the Trollhunter movie! Which was so cool to me as I love the Trollhunter series! 😄
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I really loved this one! ☺️Witchy, spooky middle-grade graphic novels are right up my alley! The MC Gwen reminds me a lot of Luz from the tv show The Owl House and I feel like Owl House fans would really enjoy this book! I really enjoyed all the illustrations and the story in this! It totally put me into the Halloween mood! 🎃 Also, there is a werewolf (prominent) SC who uses they/them pronouns which I really enjoyed the rep! Speaking of side characters I really liked Solane and Miles and thought the whole cast of characters was fun! I can’t wait to see more from this author and from this series! This is a perfect spooky read for those starting to make their October TBR! 🔮
.
This may make me sound like a grandma 😅, but I wasn’t expecting the curse words in this as it's marketed as middle-grade. These may not even be considered curse words anymore, I don’t know, but it surprised me and I just wanted to note. The words ‘hell’ and ‘damn’ are thrown around quite a bit by kids and adults and the word ‘bitch’ is used once by our MC. Again, this isn’t really an issue, but I did want any parents looking for their kids to be made aware. 😊
.
Also totally irrelevant to the book, but I found out the author, Moss Lawton worked on the Trollhunter movie! Which was so cool to me as I love the Trollhunter series! 😄
July 15, 2024
I am torn on giving this book four stars, by my own standards for awarding stars, so really this should be a 3.5 The humor is pretty solid, and I laughed out loud at least twice. You can tell that this has a very targeted audience ; the 2000s mall goth, the freaky little weirdo highschoolers just trying to pursue their freaky little weirdo pursuits. Basically my people. This feels like it skews just a little bit on the younger side ( cussing aside, which for me, is not a big deal in a ya book.) But this is in no way an insult, im 100% certain that my youngest child and her friends would be way into this, the next generation of freaky little weirdos.
October 3, 2023
I gave it 3 stars, but it’s more like 3 1/2 stars, only because it is fairly simple, but it is for younger people after all. This was quite the fun read and cute to boot. You can read the blurb for yourself, but this was really about friendship and fitting in, as well as acceptance and understanding of others. Frankly it could easily have been a Puerto Rican kid growing up in New England, and their cousins coming to visit each year. But, written as a witch a vampire and a werewolf makes it universal and I appreciate that. I think it works well and is worth reading.
November 5, 2023
So fun. A great Halloween comic. I hope theres another volume in the works. Not that kiddy either which i was worried about it instead feels very teen like like I hoped.
January 15, 2024
Silly and super fun. Recommend for Middle grade to high school.
May 1, 2024
It was cute. The artwork was appealing for its demographic but the story is nothing special.
September 12, 2025
So cute and spooky! I love it! 5🎃
June 6, 2024
Reminds me of Beetle and the Hollow Bones! Super cute and hyperactive fun.
August 7, 2023
Loved this spooky introduction to the fall season! With vibes of Wednesday and the animated Sabrina The Teenage Witch series this will be a fun one in the Fall season to read! Love the punk-esque feel and the theme about friendships and belonging it felt relatable and charming though it was full of ghouls and haunts!
October 26, 2023
I really enjoyed the artwork and the story. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is that it reads like Book 2 of a collection and I'm missing some of the story from Book 1. That being said, it's definitely fun for YA readers through us Gen X'ers who love Halloween!
November 21, 2023
shelved with j fic but definitely could see this being more of a younger YA book. cute art! however, i had to double check it wasn’t book 2 in a series because it feels like bits of the development are left out, and not in a satisfying “we’ll tell you later and it’ll all make sense” way, more in a “all this important stuff happened at one point and we’re gonna give it a passing mention” way. also, hiro is obsessed with the supernatural because…his dad and him saw something a year ago that caused them to swerve and ALMOST have an accident? not have an accident, ALMOST have one. extremely weak reason for your antagonist, especially when it’s not reinforced by flashback scenes.
ALMOST hit the mark but fell shy.
ALMOST hit the mark but fell shy.
November 4, 2025
I liked this story of a young witch who doesn't know how to use her natural powers. She has two mentors who try to help her. She's so excited to perform spells and get on with her witchy ways that things get out of hand. A young boy is trying to document the witch and her vampire and werewolf friends...he's bent on revenge for an accident where his father could've been killed a few years prior....he blames the trio.
Themes: Kids who aren't understood by their peers. Kids who are different but stick to their guns in being themselves. Kids with energy to spare and convictions that seem all consuming.
I could get behind and support both the witch and her pursuer.
Themes: Kids who aren't understood by their peers. Kids who are different but stick to their guns in being themselves. Kids with energy to spare and convictions that seem all consuming.
I could get behind and support both the witch and her pursuer.
February 21, 2024
Disappointing art and story.
August 14, 2024
main characters were annoying af
August 30, 2023
A funny, manic, hella witchy and Halloween-y comic. Anyone who is into spooky stuff, and funny-and-scary cartoons like 'Invader Zim', and really anything Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, should definitely check out 'Hellaween'. Its art is of the thinness, straight lines and sharp angles kind, but it is very colourful, matching the characters' zany yet soft and vulnerable personalities. It's cute as well as rebellious, action-packed and hysterical.
'Hellaween' is about a young pink-haired witch named Gwen, who is friends with a vampire, Miles, and a werewolf, Sloane, who are from the Hallowlands, a realm filled with chaos and terrifying monsters, and they can only visit the human realm around Halloween time. Gwen is an aspiring, practicing human witch - when witches were long thought to be extinct everywhere, apparently - and she is a lonely outsider all year round, until Halloween comes, and with it her monster friends. Then the trio can have fun together, and cause magic, haunts and mayhem wherever they go - their own trick 'n treating. Gwen makes her own wand, and receives her own broomstick and (hella mysterious) grimoire. Miles and Sloane love their skateboards.
That's the gist of it. There is more going on, and mysteries left unsolved. But what's written above is all I'll reveal for those who haven't read 'Hellaween' yet. It is very entertaining, and it deserves a shot, a chance. It's the newest addition to join other cute, cartoony, Halloween-themed graphic novels, such as 'Hilda', 'The Okay Witch', 'Kim Reaper' (easy comparison there), 'Séance Tea Party', 'Mooncakes' (hell this one also has a nonbinary werewolf character! And ghosts!), 'Beetle & the Hollowbones', 'Spell On Wheels', 'Unfamiliar', 'Pumpkinheads' (love pumpkins, and pumpkin patches and mazes!), 'Baba Yaga's Assistant', 'DeadEndia', 'Snapdragon', and 'Fangs'.
'Hellaween' isn't perfect, as a few aspects of it do feel incomplete, or even abandoned (an example of this: four other teen characters at the beginning, who seem like they will become important, just disappear suddenly and are never seen again). However, nothing feels underdeveloped, or really ill-thought out. Maybe there will be a sequel? One mystery the comic doesn't reveal are the details of how Gwen met Miles and Sloane, years ago. And where is Gwen's family? What is her home life like?
I wouldn't say 'Hellaween' is for children, either, due to the language used, but I'd recommend it for young teens and up. Only a tiny amount of blood is shown.
Honestly? I fell in love with the comic on page 19; as early as that. I'm a sucker for a crescent moon, and the comic clearly loves them, too. I'm also hopeless in the face of witches. And witches riding on brooms. And bats.
Gwen's quotes:
"Hell yes! Unshackled from the concrete sidewalks! I can go anywhere I want! Damn, this rules. So glad I'll never have to buy a car."
"Miles and Sloane are finally back, and I've got my new broom and grimoire. This Halloween, we'll be unstoppable."
Support LBGTQ+, nonbinary creators. And hilarious, animation-homage-ing and nostalgic comics!
Final Score: 4/5
'Hellaween' is about a young pink-haired witch named Gwen, who is friends with a vampire, Miles, and a werewolf, Sloane, who are from the Hallowlands, a realm filled with chaos and terrifying monsters, and they can only visit the human realm around Halloween time. Gwen is an aspiring, practicing human witch - when witches were long thought to be extinct everywhere, apparently - and she is a lonely outsider all year round, until Halloween comes, and with it her monster friends. Then the trio can have fun together, and cause magic, haunts and mayhem wherever they go - their own trick 'n treating. Gwen makes her own wand, and receives her own broomstick and (hella mysterious) grimoire. Miles and Sloane love their skateboards.
That's the gist of it. There is more going on, and mysteries left unsolved. But what's written above is all I'll reveal for those who haven't read 'Hellaween' yet. It is very entertaining, and it deserves a shot, a chance. It's the newest addition to join other cute, cartoony, Halloween-themed graphic novels, such as 'Hilda', 'The Okay Witch', 'Kim Reaper' (easy comparison there), 'Séance Tea Party', 'Mooncakes' (hell this one also has a nonbinary werewolf character! And ghosts!), 'Beetle & the Hollowbones', 'Spell On Wheels', 'Unfamiliar', 'Pumpkinheads' (love pumpkins, and pumpkin patches and mazes!), 'Baba Yaga's Assistant', 'DeadEndia', 'Snapdragon', and 'Fangs'.
'Hellaween' isn't perfect, as a few aspects of it do feel incomplete, or even abandoned (an example of this: four other teen characters at the beginning, who seem like they will become important, just disappear suddenly and are never seen again). However, nothing feels underdeveloped, or really ill-thought out. Maybe there will be a sequel? One mystery the comic doesn't reveal are the details of how Gwen met Miles and Sloane, years ago. And where is Gwen's family? What is her home life like?
I wouldn't say 'Hellaween' is for children, either, due to the language used, but I'd recommend it for young teens and up. Only a tiny amount of blood is shown.
Honestly? I fell in love with the comic on page 19; as early as that. I'm a sucker for a crescent moon, and the comic clearly loves them, too. I'm also hopeless in the face of witches. And witches riding on brooms. And bats.
Gwen's quotes:
"Hell yes! Unshackled from the concrete sidewalks! I can go anywhere I want! Damn, this rules. So glad I'll never have to buy a car."
"Miles and Sloane are finally back, and I've got my new broom and grimoire. This Halloween, we'll be unstoppable."
Support LBGTQ+, nonbinary creators. And hilarious, animation-homage-ing and nostalgic comics!
Final Score: 4/5
May 19, 2024
You ever read a book and go "okay, that plot was generic as hell, but I LOVED the aesthetic"? No? Just me? Ah well... at any rate, Hellaween has a pretty typical YA story, and isn't always terribly clear with its worldbuilding. But the characters and the mall goth/punk aesthetic are just so dang entertaining, and the art style is fantastic, which makes this a fun read regardless.
Gwen is a witch-in-training... which sucks when there are no other witches to teach her and she has to learn all her magic the hard way. Luckily her best friends, the vampire Miles and the werewolf Sloane, have her back, even if they have to sneak out of the Hallowlands -- a monstrous realm they can only leave in the weeks leading up to Halloween -- to do so. But as the three of them skateboard, crash the mall, and work on developing Gwen's powers, they find themselves menaced by a monster-hunting boy named Hiro... and by Gwen's own magic, which has consequences beyond what she imagined.
The story of this graphic novel is a little generic and by-the-numbers. Gwen's magic doesn't seem to follow any set rules, and the plotline of "fantastic creatures trying to stay safe from a rogue monster-hunter" has been done nearly to death by this point. I also wish we could have gotten more of a look at the Hallowlands, though perhaps the author was saving that for a sequel.
Despite the flaws of the story, however, the characters are just a lot of fun. I love the banter between Gwen, Miles, and Sloane, as well as the interactions between Hiro and his long-suffering friend Bea (making the "villain" more human and relatable is always a good thing to me). And the aesthetic of the comic is just fun. Sure, it's Hot-Topic-goth aesthetic, but some of us like the cheesy Hot-Topic-goth look, okay? It makes the comic fun to look at and makes me nostalgic in the best possible way.
Also, I appreciate the nonbinary rep in this story, even if I didn't realize Sloane was nonbinary until over halfway through the comic. I kind of wish we'd been told this earlier in the comic so I wasn't mentally misgendering them the whole time, but all the same, we need more nonbinary rep and I'm glad to see it here.
While the story of this graphic novel isn't revolutionary or groundbreaking, it's still a lot of fun. And everyone's inner mall brat will get a kick out of it.
Gwen is a witch-in-training... which sucks when there are no other witches to teach her and she has to learn all her magic the hard way. Luckily her best friends, the vampire Miles and the werewolf Sloane, have her back, even if they have to sneak out of the Hallowlands -- a monstrous realm they can only leave in the weeks leading up to Halloween -- to do so. But as the three of them skateboard, crash the mall, and work on developing Gwen's powers, they find themselves menaced by a monster-hunting boy named Hiro... and by Gwen's own magic, which has consequences beyond what she imagined.
The story of this graphic novel is a little generic and by-the-numbers. Gwen's magic doesn't seem to follow any set rules, and the plotline of "fantastic creatures trying to stay safe from a rogue monster-hunter" has been done nearly to death by this point. I also wish we could have gotten more of a look at the Hallowlands, though perhaps the author was saving that for a sequel.
Despite the flaws of the story, however, the characters are just a lot of fun. I love the banter between Gwen, Miles, and Sloane, as well as the interactions between Hiro and his long-suffering friend Bea (making the "villain" more human and relatable is always a good thing to me). And the aesthetic of the comic is just fun. Sure, it's Hot-Topic-goth aesthetic, but some of us like the cheesy Hot-Topic-goth look, okay? It makes the comic fun to look at and makes me nostalgic in the best possible way.
Also, I appreciate the nonbinary rep in this story, even if I didn't realize Sloane was nonbinary until over halfway through the comic. I kind of wish we'd been told this earlier in the comic so I wasn't mentally misgendering them the whole time, but all the same, we need more nonbinary rep and I'm glad to see it here.
While the story of this graphic novel isn't revolutionary or groundbreaking, it's still a lot of fun. And everyone's inner mall brat will get a kick out of it.
August 27, 2024
Miles is a teenage vampire; Sloane is a teenage werewolf.
They live in the Hallowlands and can only cross over to the human world around Halloween.
Gwen is a witch that lives in the human world and struggles with being magical - and all alone.
Sloane and Miles are her best friends. And boy do they have some adventures!
A human teen - Hiro - is a believer in the supernatural. Four years ago, around Halloween, some creatures dashed out of the forest in front of a car in which he was riding. Hiro's dad was driving; they crashed and almost died. Hiro is convinced that Sloane and Miles were the creatures that caused the accident. And he is committed to capturing - and killing - them for retribution. But he also has a supernatural podcast and wants to up his ratings... A very conflicted character. His best friend is Bea. Her family runs the town's Halloween festival. She hates Halloween and initially doesn't believe Hiro but then Hiro manages to capture Miles and Bea becomes a believer. She's more intrigued by their new "friends" and less vindictive.
Gwen's witchy powers are developing throughout the story and she ends up saving everyone and they call a sort of truce. Though, to be honest - Gwen's out of control spells are part of the problem.
Lots of action and crazy magic and where did that grimoire come from, anyway? And where is Hiro's dad? He talks about his mom -- but not his dad. Part 2 Hellaween: Spellbent was just published.
There are a few "damns" and "hells" sprinkled throughout. And the monsters from the Hallowlands look pretty creepy.
They live in the Hallowlands and can only cross over to the human world around Halloween.
Gwen is a witch that lives in the human world and struggles with being magical - and all alone.
Sloane and Miles are her best friends. And boy do they have some adventures!
A human teen - Hiro - is a believer in the supernatural. Four years ago, around Halloween, some creatures dashed out of the forest in front of a car in which he was riding. Hiro's dad was driving; they crashed and almost died. Hiro is convinced that Sloane and Miles were the creatures that caused the accident. And he is committed to capturing - and killing - them for retribution. But he also has a supernatural podcast and wants to up his ratings... A very conflicted character. His best friend is Bea. Her family runs the town's Halloween festival. She hates Halloween and initially doesn't believe Hiro but then Hiro manages to capture Miles and Bea becomes a believer. She's more intrigued by their new "friends" and less vindictive.
Gwen's witchy powers are developing throughout the story and she ends up saving everyone and they call a sort of truce. Though, to be honest - Gwen's out of control spells are part of the problem.
Lots of action and crazy magic and where did that grimoire come from, anyway? And where is Hiro's dad? He talks about his mom -- but not his dad. Part 2 Hellaween: Spellbent was just published.
There are a few "damns" and "hells" sprinkled throughout. And the monsters from the Hallowlands look pretty creepy.
June 15, 2025
4.5/5
I slept on this for a while thinking it was going to be more of a cartoony children's book, but it's definitely more of a young adult given the angst and a bit of language (e.g. damn, bitch).
Gwen is an amateur witch living in a town of normies (and may be the only witch) waiting for her friends, Miles (vampire) and Sloane (werewolf), to come to visit her world for Halloween. You can think of Gwen as being the only alt/goth kid in a town of preppies feeling like an outsider.
Gwen's excited to have an actual witch's grimoire her friends bring from their home, the Hallowlands (a place full of monsters), so she can prove her strength to go live there. Meanwhile, a paranormal blogger is hunting the trio to expose them and put a stop to their escapades.
There's some angst and drama about Gwen not feeling like she fits in in her world and Miles and Sloane are reluctant to bring her to Hallowland as they worry about her safety. Hiro (their human stalker) has a chip on his shoulder a la Ahab and his whale over them (or others like them) of having caused a car accident some years ago that almost killed his dad. I'm not into the teen drama and angst, but it was otherwise a fun YA read about friendship in a paranormal setting without a single bit of romance. It's always a rare treat for me to see stories about people able to have friends of the opposite sex that don't just turn out to be love interests. An added bonus that there wasn't any romance in it at all.
I slept on this for a while thinking it was going to be more of a cartoony children's book, but it's definitely more of a young adult given the angst and a bit of language (e.g. damn, bitch).
Gwen is an amateur witch living in a town of normies (and may be the only witch) waiting for her friends, Miles (vampire) and Sloane (werewolf), to come to visit her world for Halloween. You can think of Gwen as being the only alt/goth kid in a town of preppies feeling like an outsider.
Gwen's excited to have an actual witch's grimoire her friends bring from their home, the Hallowlands (a place full of monsters), so she can prove her strength to go live there. Meanwhile, a paranormal blogger is hunting the trio to expose them and put a stop to their escapades.
There's some angst and drama about Gwen not feeling like she fits in in her world and Miles and Sloane are reluctant to bring her to Hallowland as they worry about her safety. Hiro (their human stalker) has a chip on his shoulder a la Ahab and his whale over them (or others like them) of having caused a car accident some years ago that almost killed his dad. I'm not into the teen drama and angst, but it was otherwise a fun YA read about friendship in a paranormal setting without a single bit of romance. It's always a rare treat for me to see stories about people able to have friends of the opposite sex that don't just turn out to be love interests. An added bonus that there wasn't any romance in it at all.
February 6, 2024
I'm not going to lie; the book cover intrigued me enough to pick it up instead of reading the summary, so I came in blind.
Hellaween is about Gwen, a witch living in the human world trying to flex her magic and prove herself to her monster friends so she can join them in the Hallowed Lands. There, they meet Hiro, who's obsessed with hunting the supernatural. However, things go haywire in trying to protect her monster friends and prove herself, which involves Hiro and the others trying to get out of it together. At the heart of this work is also about acceptance and understanding of others, fitting in, and friendship. Gwen doesn't fit into her suburban life, and the monster friends don't fit into the human world. Hiro has to put his stance on monsters aside and work together with the monsters to survive the mayhem.
The book is hilarious, and I picked up on a few memes sprinkled about it. I love the art style and the whole vibe/aesthetic of the book. The art gives me an Invader Zim feel, which makes sense, considering Moss Lawton worked on Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.
The read is pretty simple, but that would make sense for younger people.
I'll rate this 4 out of 5 stars, and when the sequel comes out, I will read it to see the misadventure Gwen gets into while trying to join her friends in the Hallowed Lands.
Hellaween is about Gwen, a witch living in the human world trying to flex her magic and prove herself to her monster friends so she can join them in the Hallowed Lands. There, they meet Hiro, who's obsessed with hunting the supernatural. However, things go haywire in trying to protect her monster friends and prove herself, which involves Hiro and the others trying to get out of it together. At the heart of this work is also about acceptance and understanding of others, fitting in, and friendship. Gwen doesn't fit into her suburban life, and the monster friends don't fit into the human world. Hiro has to put his stance on monsters aside and work together with the monsters to survive the mayhem.
The book is hilarious, and I picked up on a few memes sprinkled about it. I love the art style and the whole vibe/aesthetic of the book. The art gives me an Invader Zim feel, which makes sense, considering Moss Lawton worked on Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus.
The read is pretty simple, but that would make sense for younger people.
I'll rate this 4 out of 5 stars, and when the sequel comes out, I will read it to see the misadventure Gwen gets into while trying to join her friends in the Hallowed Lands.
July 31, 2024
This review was written for School Library Journal.
Gr 5-9 - For a brief period every year the young witch Gwen gets to see her friends Miles (a vampire), and Sloane (a werewolf). Like other teens, they just like to hang out, and do the occasional haunting. This Halloween though, the boys from Hallowland gifted a grimoire and magical tools to aid the witch’s magical prowess. Delighted, she tries out new spells to further their fun, which lands them in the sights of Hiro. The young man is determined to prove the supernatural exists, and as he hounds them, the chaos, and punk aesthetic, ramps up. Hellaween is a slice-of-life character piece with supernatural hijinks humour. Natural dialogue, everyday interactions, and expressive designs reveal much about each teen’s personality and motivations. Even the central conflict revolves around them, as it ultimately sprouts from Gwen and Hiro’s desire to prove themselves. By the end, a ceasefire, unanswered questions about witches, and the consequences of everybody's actions linger, giving Lawton plenty of potential for more Hella-fun. VERDICT With its punk paranormal style, easy-going dialogue, and story of belonging and friendship, many tweens and young teens will find this graphic novel a relatable read.
Gr 5-9 - For a brief period every year the young witch Gwen gets to see her friends Miles (a vampire), and Sloane (a werewolf). Like other teens, they just like to hang out, and do the occasional haunting. This Halloween though, the boys from Hallowland gifted a grimoire and magical tools to aid the witch’s magical prowess. Delighted, she tries out new spells to further their fun, which lands them in the sights of Hiro. The young man is determined to prove the supernatural exists, and as he hounds them, the chaos, and punk aesthetic, ramps up. Hellaween is a slice-of-life character piece with supernatural hijinks humour. Natural dialogue, everyday interactions, and expressive designs reveal much about each teen’s personality and motivations. Even the central conflict revolves around them, as it ultimately sprouts from Gwen and Hiro’s desire to prove themselves. By the end, a ceasefire, unanswered questions about witches, and the consequences of everybody's actions linger, giving Lawton plenty of potential for more Hella-fun. VERDICT With its punk paranormal style, easy-going dialogue, and story of belonging and friendship, many tweens and young teens will find this graphic novel a relatable read.
March 11, 2024
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2.5 stars
An interesting start to a series.
This has a good start to a story, but for some reason, it was hard for me to get into. I was definitely intrigued by the monster realm, Gwen's experience as an amateur witch, and her supernatural friends from another world.
Some fun humor. The story was okay. Kind of choppy and not much development. You're kind of thrown in from page 1. I had to double check to make sure this was the first book in the series because it felt like I was already missing something from the start.
The tone felt like it was trying to appeal to both kids and teens, and ends up ping-ponging between audiences. Some aspects felt very juvenile but then the characters would have very teenage movements.
Fun art style. I did really enjoy Sloane and Miles as characters. I'm a bit conflicted, because that little cliffhanger at the end has me intrigued by the next book in the series.
A fun read overall. May give the sequel a try.
2.5 stars
An interesting start to a series.
This has a good start to a story, but for some reason, it was hard for me to get into. I was definitely intrigued by the monster realm, Gwen's experience as an amateur witch, and her supernatural friends from another world.
Some fun humor. The story was okay. Kind of choppy and not much development. You're kind of thrown in from page 1. I had to double check to make sure this was the first book in the series because it felt like I was already missing something from the start.
The tone felt like it was trying to appeal to both kids and teens, and ends up ping-ponging between audiences. Some aspects felt very juvenile but then the characters would have very teenage movements.
Fun art style. I did really enjoy Sloane and Miles as characters. I'm a bit conflicted, because that little cliffhanger at the end has me intrigued by the next book in the series.
A fun read overall. May give the sequel a try.
October 3, 2023
This was a fun read about a young, pink-haired witch named Gwen and her two best friends named Sloane and Miles, who just so happened to be from another realm called the Hallowlands. Oh, and they're a werewolf and a vampire, respectively. They are only able to cross into the human world when the veil between the worlds becomes thinner, so the closer it gets to Halloween. Sloane and Miles bring Gwen a grimoire, which is absolutely helpful to her because she's the only witch in the human realm that may exist!
Of course, chaos ensues as a neighbor of Gwen's, Hiro, has become obsessed with tracking down the paranormal / supernatural and is absolutely determined to find evidence this Halloween and then take them out--whoever and whatever 'them' may be. And then Gwen flies by on a broom...
I thought the graphic novel was funny and had a humorous story. I will say that the ages listed are 10-14 years old, but I think the audience should be older because there's quite a bit of cuss words that could make parents clutch their pearls. Kids would think the words are cool.
Of course, chaos ensues as a neighbor of Gwen's, Hiro, has become obsessed with tracking down the paranormal / supernatural and is absolutely determined to find evidence this Halloween and then take them out--whoever and whatever 'them' may be. And then Gwen flies by on a broom...
I thought the graphic novel was funny and had a humorous story. I will say that the ages listed are 10-14 years old, but I think the audience should be older because there's quite a bit of cuss words that could make parents clutch their pearls. Kids would think the words are cool.
November 3, 2023
'I'm about to be an actual threat if you don't chill out.'
Hellaween is so much fun! Gwen waits all year to spend time with her two best friends from the Hollowlands who are only able to cross over to Gwen's world around Halloween. A werewolf and a vampire, Sloane and Miles, this time they find a grimoire to gift to Gwen which helps her a lot being a witch and all. Except Hiro (and his super reluctant sidekick Bea) knows something is amiss and are determined to investigate.
There are some funny moments and a lot of friendshippy ones and it warmed my middle grade heart reading about the trio getting thrown out of shops at the mall and watching movies together. Also, Bea not taking Hiro seriously made for some very amusing scenes. But then all five of them coming together at the end, aahhhh. Honestly, highly recommend this!
Favorite quotes: 'Ghosts can nap?'
'Mind your own business.'
Hellaween is so much fun! Gwen waits all year to spend time with her two best friends from the Hollowlands who are only able to cross over to Gwen's world around Halloween. A werewolf and a vampire, Sloane and Miles, this time they find a grimoire to gift to Gwen which helps her a lot being a witch and all. Except Hiro (and his super reluctant sidekick Bea) knows something is amiss and are determined to investigate.
There are some funny moments and a lot of friendshippy ones and it warmed my middle grade heart reading about the trio getting thrown out of shops at the mall and watching movies together. Also, Bea not taking Hiro seriously made for some very amusing scenes. But then all five of them coming together at the end, aahhhh. Honestly, highly recommend this!
Favorite quotes: 'Ghosts can nap?'
'Mind your own business.'
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