This felt so powerful and I loved the artwork. When Cleo starts seeing ghosts, is it another symptom of possible mental illness related to an earlier attempt to self harm? It was so easy to relate to her struggle as she tried to go back to school after an inpatient stay, where she felt so down she cut off her own best friend. I thought it was really cool the author wrote this with his daughter.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this. I'm looking forward to reading more by these two

A new take on how mental health can affect us written by Ethan Sacks and his daughter. Sacks based this on his own feelings and struggles watching his daughter suffer suicidal thoughts and depression. After he wrote the first version of this, Naomi reviewed it and added her own influence to the story. While the plot of the story is a little strange, Gus, the dad is caring for his niece/daughter, Cleo, after what seems to be a suicide attempt. Cleo begins to "hallucinate" but we eventually find out that she is the last connection between the living and the dead. Also, you know, deal with the trauma of being in high school with all the pressures of teenage life. Her best friend Flora is trying to be supportive and help out, but having your best friend talk to a ghost about the upcoming supernatural apocalypse makes things difficult. There is a lot of talk about mental health, a lot of information for readers on various resources available, and an overwhelming message that no matter what, you are not alone. A heartfelt horror novel with great illustrations, though I wish it had gotten a little more fleshed out.

This was a story of depression in youths.


The comic drawing style was really good and represented the writing well.
However the story fell a touch flat and the depression could have been explored more in real life terms instead of overcoming ghosts

Great story that gripped me from the start. There’s so much going on: regular teenage angst with a heroine struggling to fit in at school, but compounded with her having mental health issues, then add in that she’s starting to see ghosts and she has to save the world and it’s truly daunting! There was so much potential to draw the story out and expand on the back story with her family, the different ghosts that she sees, and the final battle. I wanted so much more story!

I really liked this. It was so sweet that the father and daughter wrote this together based on the daughters’ personal experiences with mental illness. Throughout the entire book, they had resources available and information about mental health, which I think is so important for teenagers and their mental health.

I love the overall message of this book, as well. That not only are you needed but you are wanted here, even when you’re not feeling your best. It was especially great to put this into a comic book, something that is very popular amongst teenagers especially.

It was an error to read this at night, though, some of the images were horrifying (a perfect representation of mental illness, really). My only problem with this is that, for me, the ending was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly. I would have liked to see it span out maybe another issue or two added on top. Otherwise, fantastic and I will highly recommend.

I thought that this book was great. The start was super strong as it showcased some monster designs that I loved and started a story that I wanted to get invested in. The middle was a bit slower but we were moving at a pace that felt too quick for a book with this kind of plot. I would’ve liked to learn more about the villain and all of the monsters. The ending felt a bit cheesy even though it fit with the story but it just wasn’t my style.

A simple but effective story that would be a great recommendation for older tweens and younger teens. Gorgeous art aids a by-the-numbers supernatural plot, but it's not the supernatural that carries this story; it's the very real difficulties of teenage life, I think another issue or two would've helped build character development and let the creepy moments breathe more,

2.5 stars.

Thank you netgalley for the arc.

I wasn’t super into this tbh. The art style isn’t my preferred, and the story didn’t grip me enough. I understand the purpose and the goal, but the story didn’t translate as well as it could’ve. It was too fast, rushed. I liked the inclusion of mental health issues, but the story itself needed more tweaking. That being said, I liked the positive growth the character had by the end.

I really love what this comic represents: as our main character Cleo struggles with suicidal thoughts and depression, she is also called upon to save the world from an apocalypse no one else is aware of. But honestly I think it was too short to really nail that impact. Despite the fact that comics are a very “show” medium, it felt more like we were told about Cleo’s mental state more than shown. Also there was such a quick turnaround between “I’m seeing things that aren’t there” and “let’s follow this random stranger on a quest to save the world” with no in-between. It felt like there were a lot of details left out to fit in only 4 issues

A Haunted Girl will resonate with many even with it's supernatural elements. We follow Cleo exiting the hospital & her return to a daily routine whilst battling depression. The scenes at school will strike a chord with many, as Cleo tries to make it through the day despite everything. Let alone her part in a prophecy to take down Izanami!

So much is packed into this graphic novel in backstory alongside the current timeline and it really helps bring everything together. Hiro's identity was also a real gut punch...

The art style & in particular use of colour was fantastic and really amplified the horrors that Cleo had to face.

Overall, A Haunted Girl was a great read that dealt with heavy subjects against a supernatural backdrop. It'll also resonate not just with teens but adults as well and is worth picking up. I'm so glad that Ethan & Naomi were able to write this story together!

Thanks to Image Comics & Netgalley for this arc.

This story was really interesting! I think it’s a really important story that will resonate with so many young and older people :)

The story follows Cleo who just wants to be better after getting out of hospital, she fights demons both mentally and physically and I just think this story is beautifully vulnerable.

Thank you so much to the authors for sharing this important story! This isn’t the type of book that I usually read but I really enjoyed it! The drawings were breathtaking! And the storyline added to how brilliant it was :)

A girl finds herself dealing with her anxiety and depression... and also the fact that she's begun to see nightmarish creatures and ghosts have begun talking to her too. Cleo just wants to be better after getting out of the hospital and try and reintegrate back into her regular life, which has been not going so great. Yet strange things keep happening around her and when a ghost tells her she is the only person who can stop the evil that is coming... Cleo's life is about to get a lot more complicated. The story deals with mental illness and the demons we fight, both in our minds and in real life. It's definitely a unique story and the artwork is interesting.

*Thanks Netgalley and Image Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I’m struggling with what to say here. Let’s just say that a lot resonated with me while reading.

This comic is SO important. Children and teenagers are having more and more mental health crises these days. Life is HARD. It’s vital that they know that they’re not alone and where they can get help. Sacks has messages throughout the comic outlining where to go to get resources for depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. Putting it in a comic book is genius, and this will reach a much larger audience of teenagers.

Make sure you reach out if you think someone you care about is experiencing suicidal thoughts—assume that no one else will reach out if you don’t.

Fair warning—the horror characters are, well, horrifying. I can’t imagine seeing some of these things anywhere, let alone in my bedroom.

Thank you to Ethan and his daughter Naomi for being so vulnerable and sharing this story.

I received an eARC from NetGalley and Image Comics (thank you!). All opinions are my own.