A Haunted Girl

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 :)

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.

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.

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,

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.

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 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

When I read the synopsis for this comic on NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate about hitting that request button. We continue to live in a society where mental health/illness is greatly misunderstood or easily judged. I remember being a teenager and battling those dark demons, but didn’t know who to turn to or trust for help. I also remember feeling incredibly alone and broken.

A Haunted Girl is an eerie, dark, and emotional story about a 16-year-old girl battling anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The serious themes blended with a supernatural tale and stunning artwork will make this very accessible for the intended audience. Not only was this comic entertaining, but also an excellent depiction of mental health - I have zero doubt that the these pages will help many. Depression really is a horrifying demon, but finding the right support can make a world of difference. I love that they’ve partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - seeing a page dedicated to this in each comic issue, complete with resources is wonderful.

Thank you to Ethan and Naomi Sacks for writing this story and sharing something so personal.

And thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for the eARC of A Haunted Girl

Ethan Sacks is an amazing talent in the comics field, and I love the back story of this book, as well. Ethan combines his abilities with the creative vision of his daughter, Naomi, for a fantastic and atmospheric story. They are a wonderful creative team and this is one of the best original graphic novels I've read in a while.

I appreciate comics with strong story lines and super artwork. An experience to lose yourself in. These are all here in spades. So get this comic, you will be impressed! But not only is the story about mental health, at the end of each chapter the comic champions this. Which added so much more depth to the story and my reading experience. Reading the authors comments I was encouraged that writing this work helped support real life recovery. Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for the comic ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

—Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was unexpectedly scary. I had goosebumps! Enchanting storytelling and a great story.

The story depicted here resonated with me so much. I suffer with major depression and it was so relatable to see it on paper. I think it’s an ingenious idea to add that mental health can be a struggle. I read that this story was based on the authors daughter own struggle. The supernatural elements are a great addition too.

I flew through this comic. I recommend it’s a read for all young adults and even adults. Who knows you might be able to relate to someone that has major depression.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really liked the idea behind this comic; was easy to follow, the story was intresting and the graphics were really good.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for an eARC of A Haunted Girl.

A Haunted Girl is about a 16 year old girl who suffers from depression and anxiety, tried to end her life...survives, then finds out she is the chosen one to stop the apocalypse from happening. With the help and support of her family and friends, she learns she is not alone and can survive her darkest moments.

Not only did this story have beautiful artwork, it was a beautiful story as well, despite the horror that is depression. The message was so extremely important as mental health is still not taken as seriously as it should be in today's world. This was terrifying and hopeful at the same time. I felt Cleo's journey and experiences to realize that she wanted to live and get better was so powerful for such a quick read. Highly recommend for everyone, whether you struggle with mental health or just want a better understanding of what someone with depression has to live with.

The premise of this comic series really hits home. You have to wonder, if the person that is meant to save all of humanity doesn’t want to save themselves, is the world doomed? I love how much the story mixes horror and mental health together. In a lot of the movies and books I’ve read lately it takes on a darker tone, but in this story it is hopeful, but still terrifying.

Although the time spent reading a comic book series is short, it still leave a lasting impact on the psyche. Cleo has to go through seeing the veil of the dead and the living thin and see the horrors that exist beyond, thinking that she is crazy and hallucinating. As the world proves to show that she was in fact not hallucinating, understanding that she has this whole new responsibility on her shoulders is so daunting.

In these comics you will find gorgeous art that tells the tale of a young woman dealing with horrors beyond her imagination. On Cleo’s face throughout the story you can see how much her emotional state weighs on her. She is struggling hard and it’s taking a lot out of her even to go back to school. The questioning glances and catty ness of high school being too much for her. With a single friend she’s avoiding and her dad doing his best to be there for her, Cleo still feels so alone.

It sucks to be suffering your own demons and not feel like you can reach out for help. To feel like so much a burden you don’t want to exist. Yet, we still watch Cleo try and that shows such great strength.

I highly recommend “A Haunted Girl”. It is the kind of comic that we need a lot more of in this life.

An ebook Arc from Netgalley for a honest review.

The start was slower but held a lot of feelings and brought you deep into the story. Things picked up fast, almost to fast. Seemed like we were building up the story then suddenly it was at the worst then over. I would of loved the story to be more drawn out with more detail behind it all. I loved the ending. It was the ending that was needed. Definitely will be a reread for me one day.

I really liked this! Follow along with Cleo who is recovering from a depressive episode as em she realizes that she is all that left of an ancient line of warriors created to stop an apocalypse from destroying the different realms!
The depiction of depression is heavy in this but still an enjoyable story!

I went into reading A Haunted Girl completely blind. I had no real idea about the plot, the story, the characters. If you'd have asked me before what the book was about, you would've just been on the receiving end of a very blank look.

The main thing that drew me to requesting this book was the cover. It caught my attention so very quickly and I knew that I had to apply to request an e-ARC of this novel...and I'm so glad that I did.

A Haunted Girl is a graphic novel following sixteen year old named Cleo who suffers from a major depressive illness that led her to nearly taking her own life.

As she tries to reintegrate into her life as the old, happier version of herself, it seems like many people...many things have other ideas to keep her from seeming stable, but instead to make her seem like her mental health is far worse than it actually is.

Cleo becomes having these incredibly disturbing dreams of beings that can't possibly be real...could they?

But when the line between what's real and what's false begins to blur, it can only beg one question: what's the truth? And why on earth have they chosen a mentally ill sixteen year old to be their messenger?

Before I end this little review, I do just want to say that I adored about this book is that some parts were set in Japan, hence the characters using and speaking the Japanese language - but they also had very easy to locate and understand English translations on the same page. I've seldom ever seen that onto page and it translated so well.

If you're looking for a fun, at times, spooky and chilling graphic novel to read, I highly recommend A Haunted Girl! 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to a 4) ✨🌟

A Haunted Girl is a great new graphic novel! The story, the artwork, and the characters are all excellent.

This book addresses serious themes in a way that is empathetic and understandable.

One of the best graphic novels I've read in a long time.

THIS BOOK IS SO IMPORTANT!

This book is for anyone who has ever suffered with their mental health. I flew through this story as I really felt for Cleo & her dad. I am so satisfied with the ending. The artwork was perfect & really helped me get drawn into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for giving me an eARC! This review is not influenced & is my honest thoughts & thank you to Ethan and his daughter Naomi for having the guts to share such an intimate but important story!

"A Haunted Girl" juxtaposes a classic demonic horror tale with an equally horrific look at the impact of mental illness and suicidal ideation. The demonic horror angle works well, but the real focus and strength of this book is the touching and compelling story it tells about a young woman who overcomes darkness both within and without to grasp hold of her own destiny and chart her own course. The "saving the world " thing is a nice touch too !

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Image Comics for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

An intensely powerful story that will surely resonate with many. A Haunted Girl has incredibly stunning artwork that is both shocking and properly frightful. The messages and mental health representation is incredibly powerful. In this story Cleo, 16y/o girl is chosen to prevent an apocalypse from happening after she survives attempting to kill herself. I do wish the representation of depression and anxiety was explored a bit more as an actual disability instead of simply as a manifestation of ghosts but nonetheless it was a provoking book.

A chilling, captivating vision of mental illness and the demons that represent.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Haunted Girl. As someone who has struggled with mental illness their own life, I felt a sense of peace and closure by being able to put faces and pictures to some of the demons in my own head. Following Cleo throughout her journey to reintegrate into life, especially trying to confirm to the new "normal" she's faced with, is a fascinating take on how to cope with such illnesses. I'm excited for following works. The story is even more endearing, as each 'chapter' is separated by relevant hotlines numbers and insight into the making of the story.

Would highly recommend reading as a physical copy. The art is not done justice as an ebook.

Rating: 4.5

An absolutely gorgeous and yet horrifying graphic novel exploring some serious and important themes.
Despite a supernatural story with some very detailed beings, the author did not forget who and why he wrote this and accompanied each issue with support information regarding mental health, which is prevalent in society of recent times.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my e-arc.

This story is a subtle blend of horror and an urban setting made the book easy to read. The art style of the otherworldy creatures was so ethereal and beautiful, even if the character designs were more creepy.

The story does have a heavier premise, and I love the author's note at the beginning explaining how and why the mini series came about.

The series follows Cleo, who has depression and tried to commit suicide. We meet her in the hospital and follow her as she tries to go back to what "normal" was. It was satisfying to see her development over the four issues. However, I would have liked this limited series to be longer so we got more development about the otherworldly aspects.

Despite the heavy topics, it's mainly a story about hope and I enjoyed the ending and it's positive message. I would recommend this to someone looking for a short horror graphic novel with a hopeful message.

This was not what I expected from the cover and the title but it was so much better. The reasoning behind the comic made it that more special.

spoiler-ish
Cleo is a young teenage girl that has spent two months in a psych clinic after wanting to give up. Shes soon plagued with visions and dreams but little does she know she's the only one that can save the worlds.

I loved the little blurps about the writers daughter and how to find help if your ever in need!

copy provided by netgalley

#1: The premise of this book drew me in. It was a bit spookier than I initially thought it was and the artwork made it even more creepy lol. But I enjoyed both. I’d read more in the series for sure. I actually did also like that the author used his own real life experiences to write this story. His daughter struggled with depression and other things. I appreciate that the are suicide hotlines and help info for mental health issues in the book.
#2: This series still has some really creepy artwork/ characters. I’m still liking the story. I want to hug Cleo so bad and tell her things will get better.
#3: Cleo is brave and I give her all the props in the world for going back to school when we all know kids are assholes. I feel bad for her but I’m also proud of her for not giving up. I’m really enjoying this series.
#4: This instalment has the scariest cover art and illustrations. But again I really like the story. Cleo is a great main character, she never gives up and is so brave. You can see she loves with her whole heart.
Thanks again to Netgalley and Image Comics for the complimentary copy.

I really enjoyed this, I liked the deeper message of being able to overcome depression and not let it consume you. I also loved how the subject was depicted with the apocalypse element.

Overall I did really enjoy the story but I do wish there was just a little bit more to it, but still would recommend

i loved the art style in this it was absolutely stunning yessss it was honestly such an amazing book love love love

If you saw me crying over Ethan’s letter at the end of Issue 1, no you didn’t... Jokes aside, 'A Haunted Girl' is a beautiful collaborative project between father and daughter, rooted in experiences that resonate with many.

Addressing depression, anxiety, and the feeling of not wanting to live anymore in a sensitive and grounded manner while maintaining a positive reading experience is no small feat, but Ethan and Naomi have certainly pulled it off. This, coupled with Marco's art bringing the story to life, results in an incredibly unique and enjoyable graphic novel.

Beautiful, heartfelt, and incredibly compelling, this graphic novel is a must-read. As always, make sure to check Content Warnings to keep yourself safe, but if you're able to, I highly recommend picking this one up when you next crave an engrossing graphic novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a great story! I struggle with depression and anxiety, so I could connect with the mental health themes (especially struggling with going to school). I liked the message of not letting your depression win and accepting that you do matter and you have the place in the world. The only thing I didn’t really like was I feel the supernatural elements weren’t fleshed out very much. I think a little more backstory to the ghosts and how they tie into the main story would have made it better. The ending felt like it was wrapped up too quickly, but other than that I really enjoyed this book!

A really gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to look out for more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This is a great example (even with supernatural influences) on how to move forward after a mental health crisis. Cleo has a great support system and it is shown very well. And so are all the stressors she incounters when she returns to school.

100% was not a fan of the principle, but he was definitely the kind of ignorant you will encounter when trying to recover from any public display of crisis.

I would recommend this book for anyone and everyone who is going through, or knows someone who is going through, a major depressive episode.

I was really hoping to get this book because I just knew it was going to hit home in the best of ways. This is a beautiful and terrifying depiction of mental health and the struggles of a young woman battling depression. One scene in particular was actually the beginning where the father was being sweet to the girl and talking lightly about her "incident" and when alluding to cutting herself he faded off instead of actually talking about it. As someone who dealt with similar things it really hit home. This is a beautifully haunting graphic novel that I think everyone should read. Thank you for allowing me the chance to.

Graphic novels are not normally my go to but since working in a secondary school library and realising how popular they are it was time to broaden my reading. I really enjoyed this story, the illustrations were fantastic and really complimented the tone of the story.
For me this story was a horror (and some of the pictures really reflected that!) but it was mostly a story about Cleo's mental health and how her negative emotions start to rule her life.
This is a graphic novel that I think would be a great addition to a Secondary School library and will definitely be recommending it to the pupils who come into the library.

100% honest. Not my cup of tea. This was heavy material and I felt like I should’ve looked more in to this comic before requesting it so that’s 100% my bad.

this was a wonderfully done graphic novel, it had a deeper meaning and had a overall great feel to it. I enjoyed the art style and how it worked with the overall story being told. Ethan and Naomi Sacks has a great writing style and I enjoyed the issues being collected.

This book wasn't quite what I expected. To start off the artwork is equally as stunning as it is creepy , however when the main villain is speaking and the text goes to a white it became trickier to read those parts as sometimes the artwork would blend in . The story itself about a girl who is trying to return to normal after a time spent recovering with supernatural twists it was a cool concept, I feel as though it could have been expanding it was fairly short and concluded quickly had you spent more time with the main character and her abilities I think it would have boosted the character development. I loved the inclusion of mental health reach outs and in the 2nd portion where the writer wrote a how to on controlled breathing for when you are anxious or inbetween a panic attack. This story shows you can overcome anything once you realise what you have

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. Tackling themes of suicide and depression are never easy but I feel like this was done in such a respectful and is true to the experiences had by a lot of folks (aside from having to stop the world from ending of course!). The art work was beautiful and all the inclusions from AFSP and other tidbits about mental health - chef's kiss!

I'm not too familiar with Ethan Sacks but in reading the story I, out of curiosity, looked into the writers. I found a YT video of Ethan and Naomi Sacks discussed A Haunted Girl and their reasons and aims for writing it. It also turns out they're father/daughter!

The story is heavily guided by Naomi Sacks lived experience with depression, while showing those struggles through the lens of familial legacy and supernatural mythology. The final issue gets cheesy at times but overall the series handles its themes with love and care, including multiple pages each issue dedicated to discussing mental health and available resources.

As I'm sure is clear, this is a very personal story and I think it shows through the character interactions the most. Cleo's struggles aren't sugarcoated, nor are the struggles of those who love her and want to help and support her but are unsure how, while also hurting themselves. I get the idea of framing such a serious topic with the supernatural, even if I don't think the story necessarily needed it, because as much as it makes it easier to read, I'm also sure it makes it easier to write. At least a little bit.

Having suffered depression and all that comes with it myself, I choked more than once while reading A Haunted Girl.

The artwork is good but doesn't interfere with or take attention from the story. I liked some of the issue covers and alt-covers a lot, with artwork reminding me of Witchblade and The Darkness.

Haunted and heart-warming, this is one of Image's low-key hits. Great work.

A simple and emotionally wrenching premise, A Haunted Girl delivers a personal struggle for existence that becomes epic. The dual authors bring the perspective of what clinical depression is like from the outside and inside. The persistent information and resources offered were great as well.

Beautiful artwork and a gripping storyline. What I also found lovely was the work between father and daughter about her experiences with mental health problems. The pacing was great and the subject matter dealt with dignity.

Would highly recommend this.

I really enjoyed the story and the amazing art in this graphic novel! It was creepy and deep and I loved the overall deeper message it had. A great read for anyone who likes something spooky or has ever dealt with mental health struggles.

If this had just been a series of graphic novels about a girl who's struggling to cope with depression this would have been a five star book for me. But since there is the added angle of an impending apocalypse I had to bump it down.

The mental health representation in this is AMAZING. This is a book I'd feel comfortable letting my daughter read and I can easily see myself rereading this some time in the future.

I just wish that the apparitions who are an integral part of the story played more of a role. I feel that as the novel sits now those elements could've been scrapped and the story wouldn't have suffered.

And that makes me kind of sad because it was that angle that made me interested in this novel to begin with.

~

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.