anni_swanilda's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Child death, and Death
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
I just LOVE Svetlana’s work and when I saw this book on Netgalley I had to request it. A big thank you for the publisher for granting my request! is so hyped
Meet Allis a sweet girl with chaotic hair. She is a weirn. A witch with an astral (for life). Her town is full of people like her and other beings. There is even a special school for her and those like her. She goes to school during the evenings (and I loved how the building just POOF changed from normal to freaking fancy awesome and can I please please go there). We see her try to juggle with school, being a weirn, but there is something spooky going on as well.
I loved Allis family. Her grandmother was awesome, albeit a bit grumpy at times (and did she really lick the food o.o). I loved the cousins, especially Na’ya. Though girl, please watch out with those spells.
I just LOVE Svetlana’s work and when I saw this book on Netgalley I had to request it. A big thank you for the publisher for granting my request! is so hyped
Meet Allis a sweet girl with chaotic hair. She is a weirn. A witch with an astral (for life). Her town is full of people like her and other beings. There is even a special school for her and those like her. She goes to school during the evenings (and I loved how the building just POOF changed from normal to freaking fancy awesome and can I please please go there). We see her try to juggle with school, being a weirn, but there is something spooky going on as well.
I loved Allis family. Her grandmother was awesome, albeit a bit grumpy at times (and did she really lick the food o.o). I loved the cousins, especially Na’ya. Though girl, please watch out with those spells.
sc104906's review against another edition
5.0
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
https://youtu.be/iuuGFavX8Do
Ailis is a young weirn, or a magical being with a supernatural familiar that assists with magic. Like any typical student, she has to go to school, but her takes place in a super awesome building that appears at night. Ailis walks with her cousins to school everyday. They are also late, everyday, so they must take a short cut through the haunted/dangerous Silent Woods. The urban legend surrounding the abandoned building keeps them from staying too long in the woods. When they encounter a strange being in the woods and a classmate starts acting strangely, Ailis and her cousins are going to need to get to the bottom of this mystery.
We had laugh-out-loud fun with this novel and can't wait for more. Chmkova creates great characters who you just want to become best friends with. These novels will appeal more to readers of the fantasy/Amulet fans, but creates a great bridge from the realistic fiction world into fantasy. The art is amazing, it is a perfect pairing of English and Japanese graphic novel style. Sarah still can't get over the cute little emoji faces in the text boxes. We can't wait to get this book on display and encourage our readers to check it out. For a more detailed review, please check out of video review on Youtube.
https://youtu.be/iuuGFavX8Do
Ailis is a young weirn, or a magical being with a supernatural familiar that assists with magic. Like any typical student, she has to go to school, but her takes place in a super awesome building that appears at night. Ailis walks with her cousins to school everyday. They are also late, everyday, so they must take a short cut through the haunted/dangerous Silent Woods. The urban legend surrounding the abandoned building keeps them from staying too long in the woods. When they encounter a strange being in the woods and a classmate starts acting strangely, Ailis and her cousins are going to need to get to the bottom of this mystery.
We had laugh-out-loud fun with this novel and can't wait for more. Chmkova creates great characters who you just want to become best friends with. These novels will appeal more to readers of the fantasy/Amulet fans, but creates a great bridge from the realistic fiction world into fantasy. The art is amazing, it is a perfect pairing of English and Japanese graphic novel style. Sarah still can't get over the cute little emoji faces in the text boxes. We can't wait to get this book on display and encourage our readers to check it out. For a more detailed review, please check out of video review on Youtube.
emeraldreverie's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! A good romp, fun characters, great art and colors. The only thing I could ask for is more queer!
jkenna90's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley for a free review copy of this book!
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one but it was so good!! I loved all the magical aspects of it as well as the spooky story of the Headmistress. The two main characters, Ailis (Leesh) and Na'Ya and so cute together and I love their friendship throughout the book. I also really loved the town that they live in - it gave me really strong Halloween Town vibes from back in the day on Disney Channel. I would highly, highly recommend this to anyone but especially kids that are interested in books that have magic in them. I absolutely LOVED this book!!
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one but it was so good!! I loved all the magical aspects of it as well as the spooky story of the Headmistress. The two main characters, Ailis (Leesh) and Na'Ya and so cute together and I love their friendship throughout the book. I also really loved the town that they live in - it gave me really strong Halloween Town vibes from back in the day on Disney Channel. I would highly, highly recommend this to anyone but especially kids that are interested in books that have magic in them. I absolutely LOVED this book!!
tobyyy's review against another edition
5.0
The artwork and colorwork in this little graphic novel was PHENOMENAL and I’m always down for stories about little paranormal kids and their schools and their adventures! I love how some things never change — classes and bullies and learning and friendships and growth and being brave.
Will definitely look for book 2!
Will definitely look for book 2!
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this, but I didn't love it as much as either the previous Weirn series or Svetlana Chmakova's Awkward series. That likely sounds worse than it is, though, since I really enjoyed both of those. This book skews towards a younger crowd than the first Weirn series, probably to juvenile to middle grade readers rather than middle grade to early high schoolers (similar intended audience as the Awkard series). The art is done in similar style to Chmakova's recent works, in something I think of as "North American manga style," with a limited pastel color palette that works very well for her stories.
I loved that this book features kids that feel "normal" and realistic, who are silly and value their friendships. It was also not lost on me, and actually very much appreciated, that the group of main characters was a multiracial family and it was NBD. I'm curious to see where the next volume goes, since the theme of this book was somewhat dark
I loved that this book features kids that feel "normal" and realistic, who are silly and value their friendships. It was also not lost on me, and actually very much appreciated, that the group of main characters was a multiracial family and it was NBD. I'm curious to see where the next volume goes, since the theme of this book was somewhat dark
Spoiler
and Jacen and the entire family will have to deal with long-term effects of abuse and trauma. This wasn't explored in depth, but I appreciated the way in which Chmakova doesn't take the easy way out with a happily-ever-after, and rather alludes to the fact that Jacen may never fully "recover," but that he has a chance at a happy lifeSpoiler
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
4.0
There is a special school for children who are weirn, meaning she has a supernatural creature attached to her. Allis goes to a special school for those have supernatural abilities, during the evening, when the school for the mundane children turns into the night school.
Allis's grandmother once had a brother, but he is gone, and that is all Allis knows about him. Well, that, and that there is a weird house in the woods, where no one lives.
Or do they?
This is the first in who knows how many books, so some mysteries are solved, and others are hinted at. Like Svetlana's other books, there are very human, very full fledged characters in these books. Great fun, and good first story in what looks to be a fun series.
Give me a mean girl with a back story. Svetlana does, and makes you wonder what is going on there. I hope we learn more in the next volume.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Allis's grandmother once had a brother, but he is gone, and that is all Allis knows about him. Well, that, and that there is a weird house in the woods, where no one lives.
Or do they?
This is the first in who knows how many books, so some mysteries are solved, and others are hinted at. Like Svetlana's other books, there are very human, very full fledged characters in these books. Great fun, and good first story in what looks to be a fun series.
Give me a mean girl with a back story. Svetlana does, and makes you wonder what is going on there. I hope we learn more in the next volume.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
v_nessa's review against another edition
3.0
I almost didn't read this because I've been busy but it was middle-grade and pretty short so I put aside a couple hours. It's a pretty simple story but cute and fun. I loved the idea of little supernatural kids going to school together at sunset to a regular school that has been transformed into something magical.
Not too much to say about it, fairly predictable as storylines go but still cute.
Not too much to say about it, fairly predictable as storylines go but still cute.