Author Spotlight: Vera Brosgol

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I love a good graphic novel. They are perfect for getting out of reading slumps, boosting your numbers for your Goodreads challenge, and providing a light respite after trudging through thick and dense reads. I've been obsessed with them recently, so I figured I would do a spotlight on one graphic novelist in particular: Vera Brosgol.

I'd ordered Anya's Ghost from Book Outlet a while ago after hearing great things, but for some reason hadn't ever gotten around to reading it. After getting through The Reading Rush, I just wanted a quick and easy read, so I finally reached for it. I flew through it just like I expected, and really enjoyed the time I spent with this story! After falling down a well, Anya discovers an unexpected and creepy new friend at a time where she desperately wants to fit in. But does her new BFF really have Anya's best interests in mind? This story was really cute, and touched on some important subject matter like embracing your culture and being loyal to the friends that have always been there for you. Brosgol's art style in this was amazing, and even though it was done in a very muted, monochromatic hue, I thought the images were engaging and beautiful. This would be the perfect graphic novel to pick up as Halloween approaches. I gave this one 4 stars.

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

After reading Anya's Ghost, I immediately ran out and purchased Brosgol's newest graphic novel, Be Prepared. This art style was slightly different than Anya's Ghost, and much more colorful (even though the colors were still muted, more colors were used overall). This story is a memoir-esque tale about Brosgol's own time at camp. In the author's note at the end, she notes that some of the story is fabricated, while other elements draw directly from her personal experiences. Excited to finally find a place to fit in, Vera begs her mother to send her to Russian summer camp. But when Vera arrives and still isn't fitting in like she'd hoped, she's unsure if she'll be able to survive the duration of the experience.  I liked this one fine, but not as much as Brosgol's other graphic novel, and it got 3 stars from me.

Vera Brosgol has some children's books out as well, but these are her only two full-length graphic novels. Even though I didn't love the newest one as much as her older work, I am definitely excited to see what she puts out in the future! I especially love the way she intertwines her Russian culture into her work, and think her art style is super cute!

Have you read any of Vera Brosgol's work before?

Author Spotlight: Adriana Mather

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I hadn't heard much about this author until I was offered the chance to review her newest book. Upon researching, I discovered that her subject matter seemed right up my alley. If you've heard of Adriana Mather, you know that she wrote the fantastic YA novel How to Hang a Witch. Her new book, Haunting the Deep, was also just released. Since I obviously couldn't read the second without reading the first, I had to pick up a copy of How to Hang a Witch so I could jump right into the world of Samantha Mather, her main character (and yes, their last names are the same!).

How to Hang a Witch follows Samantha Mather, a high school girl who moves to Salem with her stepmother when her father falls into a coma. Sam is immediately an outcast, due to being related to Cotton Mather, one of the main players in the Salem Witch Trials. When strange things start happening and people start dying, Samantha seems to be the one at fault, and the Decendants (relatives of the original accused and hanged witches) are quick to pin the blame on her. But everyone soon realizes that Sam might not be the cause, and in fact may be the only one able to help put a stop to the disastrous events occurring in Salem. Throw in a cute next door neighbor, a handsome ghost that only Sam can see, and some mean high school girls and you have the making of the perfect paranormal YA novel.

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

Haunting the Deep picks up with Samantha about six months after the dramatic ending of the first novel. Her father has woken up, and she has found some unlikely friendships. Everyone has moved on from the scary events, or so it seems, until one day at breakfast Samantha spots another ghost. As the Spring Fling theme of the Titanic is announced, more strange things begin occurring, as items begin being left for Sam and her father, and she becomes transported to the Titanic in her dreams. Is it a coincidence, or the makings of something more sinister? Using her newfound allies, Sam and her friends must work to save the spirits lost on the Titanic, and Sam herself, from meeting the same repeated fate of the cursed ocean liner.

Both of these books were fantastic. I loved Samantha's character, and the Descendants as well. I thought the plot was definitely realistic, and wasn't too paranormal to be believable. They were both quick reads that kept me engaged the entire time. My only issue with both books was that I was able to predict the villain a little earlier than I would have liked. I was satisfied with both endings, however less than satisfied with Sam's choice of love interest. I think these are both great paranormal YA reads and would 100% recommend them!

Overall Rating (for both books): 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks to Blogging for Books for the copy of Haunting the Deep to review! All opinions are 100% my own.

Author Spotlight: M. Verano

Cover art courtesy of Goodreads

Here's the first of hopefully many author spotlight posts! Upon reading two books of his, I had to go a little more in depth on the mystery and books surrounding author M. Verano.

I've read 2 of Verano's 3 Diary of a Haunting books, the first one Diary of a Haunting, and the upcoming third one Book of Shadows. These books are definitely not for the faint of heart, and you really need to love thrillers to even pick them up (how about those creepy covers huh?). The premise behind these novels is that they are diaries detailing horrific paranormal events, the first following a family that lives in what seems to be a possessed house and the third following a group who engages with a demonic book. I really enjoy horror/thrillers, so I was immediately drawn to these books.

Cover art courtesy of Goodreads

The first, the original Diary of a Haunting, was pretty good. Paige, her brother, and her mother recently moved into an old house and things start to go wrong, and fast. The ending of this book was a crazy twist, and overall earned a 4 star rating from me.

The third, Book of Shadows, followed 4 teenagers, Melanie, Caleb, Lara, and Lucas, as they entangle their beginner practices of witchcraft with a powerful demonic Book of Shadows and all hell breaks loose. This was definitely not as good as the first. I didn't connect with the characters as much, and the writing left something to be desired, so I only gave it 3 stars.

The second book, Possession, is still on my radar to read!

Cover art courtesy of Goodreads

That leaves the author, the mysterious M. Verano, who is supposedly a professor of history and a purveyor of the paranormal at the University of Idaho. But Verano is also a character in his own books...so are they fiction or nonfiction? Obviously fiction, but then who is the author? From the beginning I knew M. Verano had to be a pen name, and after a little digging I found I was right. M. Verano is actually Amy Ross, and it doesn't appear that she's released anything other than these 3 books. Not sure how I feel about the whole pen name bit, because although I love the mystery surrounding it, I always end up disappointed when I find out who the real author is.

Have you read any of the Diary of a Haunting books, and what did you think?

Thanks so much to Edelweiss+ and Simon Pulse for the advanced digital copy of Book of Shadows! Book of Shadows was recently released on September 19th!