I really enjoyed this book. The writing was sharp and the art is very good. Raven comes across as a very normal teenage girl dealing with a very unusual problem. As the story progresses, her attempts to deal with her issues are very believable. Max, her new 'sister' is a great character that I look forward to seeing more of. I like the mix of realism, fantasy, and spiritualism throughout the story. The book ends at the beginning of a journey for the girls, and I look forward to reading the next one. I will definitely be getting this for my middle school library.

After a car accident that killed her mother, Raven is living with her her new mom (her aunt) and foster sister Max, in New Orleans. In addition to losing her mother in the accident, Raven lost all of her memories. Adding to that, she can hear the thoughts and feelings of those around her. As she tries to remember who she was, Raven is making new friends and learning that what matters is who she is, and who she chooses to be going forward. That is, until her past catches up with her...

I'm not at all familiar with the Teen Titans but know enough to know that Raven's a popular character from that series. And I can see why! In this iteration, she immediately (albeit accidentally) puts mean girls in their place, and stands up for those being bullied, which I like. Memory loss may not be the most original way to begin an origin story, but its certainly an effective way to slowly introduce the audience to the character, and it was used to good effect here. The high school bits were just right - prom, foiled romance, mean girls - Garcia nails those elements. I just wish there had been a bit more to the story. I liked it, but it all felt a bit trite. Its a perfectly good origin story, but there's nothing new here. Just when it starts to get really interesting, it ends. I do hope there is a sequel planned.

For me, the thing that can really make-or-break a graphic novel is art, and the art in this is wonderful. The coloring was just right - its mostly purples, blacks, light blues and beige, and the muted palatte really sets and fit in with the overall tone. When a red character emerges, he really pops. Also, sometimes I find artwork to be confusing (especially in action sequences), but that was not at all the case here. In fact, this would be excellent graphic novel for those who are just trying the medium.

TLDR: A run of the mill but nonetheless entertaining origin story that will delight teenagers (and adults) who aren't sick of superheroes.

Overall, this is a really solid graphic novel for teens that I'll probably end up booktalking. Goodreasd - 3 stars - I liked it. Netgalley - 5 stars - Strongly recommend.

Thanks to DC Ink and Netgalley for the advance copy which I received in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have not followed the Teen Titans comics in the past, and I know there have been a few iterations, but I was very excited to see this new series with Kami Garcia. I have watched the cartoons, and I like Raven's dreary, emotional presence, even in the kids cartoons, and I wanted to learn more about her past before Teen Titans.



Kami Garcia does a great job telling Raven's story and Gabrial Picolo does a wonderful job depicting her angst and anger about life. What made this story great was the mystery in it. I am kind of aware of Raven and her powers and background, but not really so it was really a great read to learn about her.

Both the artist and the writer worked well together to tell Raven's story without too much writing and text, which I appreciate. I like some but really like a graphic novel to be told through the images, because when an artist can do that I think it shows a lot of skill.

Raven, if you don't know, is pretty dark. There is a lot of mystery about her past and a lot of death in her life right now and she is just trying to figure it all out and it is difficult. Now she is dreaming weird things too and she is trying to re-learn who she is. I think this a great starting point for anyone looking to get into the Teen Titan series. I hope that they have these for all the characters and build them and the world together... we will see.

Review will go live closer to release date.

This year I have ventured into the world of Graphic Novels. BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!! I've always been a fan of Kami's books so, even though I had never heard of Teen Titans, I knew I had to read her first Teen Titan Graphic novel.

I sat down on Friday afternoon to start it and the next thing I knew I was done. I flew through and was completely taken by the story. When I finished I wasn't ready. I wanted more. More words, more pictures, more of this story. I'm so excited to see that this is the start to a new series. But OMG 2020 for book 2?!? UGH. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger, so that was nice but I'll definitely have to read through this one again.

Now, I'm new to reading graphic novels, so I don't have a ton of exposure to different artists but I LOVE Gabriel Picolo's illustration style, Since I read an ARC copy, I'm very curious to see what the art inside my finished copy looks like. If you're like me and new to reading these, I definitely recommend picking TEEN TITANS: RAVEN up. If you're a seasoned graphic novel reader, I hope you check this one out and enjoy it as much as I did.

I have to admit that I'm not that well versed in the Teen Titans universe, so I don't know a lot about Raven's origin story. So I think this was a good place to start, because we are starting over with Raven having lost her memory. I think it's a good place where you can just jump into the story and learn about her.

In this graphic novel, Raven has lost her mother and her memory, so she doesn't know she has powers or that she should be shielding herself. Being a teen is hard enough, but being one with powers that they don't understand is even worse! I did love the first love that happens in this story. It was so cute, and it really felt authentic.

The artstyle in this comic was really dark and done in various cool color shades. I liked it a lot since it felt like Raven's aesthetic. It really suited her and the overall tone of the book. It's dark, but has the shades of lights that shines on it.

I expect there will be another book because this one ends with not everything wrapped up. There seems to be some secret organization that is hunting Raven, but we really don't get to the core of that at all in this book. It's left very open-ended, but I think that is on purpose.

If you like Teen Titans, or you are looking for a place to start with this franchise, I think this is a great place to start.

*I received an eARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Many thanks to DC Ink & DC Entertainment for sending me an eARC via Netgalley for my honest review! Quotes are taken from an unfinished ARC and may not match final publication.

As an avid fan of anything Teen Titans-related, I was pumped to see this cover hit my laptop screen. With the rise of superhero movies and television shows, the rise in comics and comic-centered books are the next-best things. Anyone familiar with Raven's backstory and storylines will know just how dark her world can get--and moody depending on when--and this storyline, in particular, does a wonderful job of navigating that darkness in the midst of high school. Raven came to life for me on the page, from her attitude to her dialogue and all the wonderful characters around her, the color schemes and designs added just the right touch to bring this all together.

I'm always looking for great graphic novels, and with the Teen Titans Go! cartoon so popular at the moment, trying this one out seemed like a no-brainer.

While I enjoy the cartoon, I know very little about the original Teen Titans...so it was really cool to see Raven as a real person and learn a little about her life and backstory. The artwork is fantastic, and we watch Raven struggle with typical teenage issues along side her "I have superpowers and also my dad is a demon" issues.

I know that the Beast Boy (MY FAVORITE!) book is next in the series...and I am here for it.

The art is AMAZING. I feel so lucky to have gotten an arc and it’s not fully colored but the effect is actually really cool. However, I definitely want to check out the published version later on to see all the completed artwork. As for the plot, I am SUPER intrigued and I would like the second book (now, please)!! I read through this so fast because I couldn’t slow down (even though I really wanted to so I could better enjoy the experience).

The teen titans are a total throwback and I’m living for it! I just can’t wait for the next book (Beast Boy) to come out!

3.5

Thanks to DC Entertainment and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I have been a fan of Teen Titans since I was a young teen and Raven has always been my favorite. So, I was beyond thrilled to receive an advanced copy. This is a great start to hopefully a full blown series starting with all their beginnings and from the reading and the news of Beast Boy being next; it looks like I might get my wish.

This begins with a fatal accident taking the life of Raven’s adopted mom and through this accident she loses her memories. Raven ends up at her aunt and cousin’s house in New Orleans. Beginnings are hard to rate because we’re only allowed a small kernel of what’s to come.

Natalia and Max (Maxine) were fantastic characters that deserve their own stories being told. They were interesting and incredible and the world would benefit from knowing more about them. More often than not they did carry the story. As Raven is navigating this new life with virtually no memories and weird things happening to her and she would respond by running away, literally every time. Meanwhile, her aunt is out every night trying to get answers.

I have loved Gabriel Picolo’s art for a long time and it makes me wistful for the old show to come back with this art style. This is the next best thing, and it’s just as glorious as I expected. Art in graphic novels can make or break the experience and Picolo’s art really makes this story.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time and I am definitely intrigued and excited for more.

I highly recommend if you are a Raven fan.

A very amazing page-turner that I couldn't put down. I have always loved raven and reading this story was such a great opportunity. I highly recommend this to everyone and this book definitely deserves some hype.

This book was a pleasure to read from start to finish. I felt connected to the characters, and the plot as the story continued. I think this is the start of a wonderful series. You really can feel something brewing within the story. The art is phenomenal! I cannot wait to see it fully colored! I will post my blog review on the publication date.

I read this comic because I like watching Teen Titans with my kids. I thought I might find it interesting but I think comic books just aren't my thing. It didn't really hold my attention and I like the tv series raven way more than the Raven in this comic. This is just a personal preference and doesn't say anything about the actual comic. I did think the artwork was beautiful.

I was so ready for this book, excited to have a new Raven graphic novel. Out of all the Teen Titans, she's what keeps me coming back. But, and it's hard to say this, I didn't really enjoy this one. And, believe me when I say that I really tried to.

There was so much in here I couldn't wrap my head around. Raven wasn't herself. The story went on way too quickly, and in a direction that made little sense . After a few pages, I thought it would be more in-depth, something that wasn't very high schooly?

Ok, ok, that's not really a word, but if you've read this, maybe you kind of see what I'm saying? It was not at all what I was expecting or hoping for. Don't get me wrong, stories like that can be told just right, it works with DC characters, we've seen that with Smallville (ok tv show, but still you see where I'm going).

It's a novel that kept in the same pace, and it was cringy at times, also knowing what was coming next... and really? A love interest that the reader could quickly see what it really was. Don't get me wrong, there was some love with it, which included the art and hey it's Raven. Sadly, that's all I really cared about in this volume. Wishing it wasn't so.

***I received this copy from DC Ink via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***

Honestly, I'm more of a Marvel fan, but this book really caught my attention. I don't read a lot of graphic novels either but like I said this book caught my attention. This is a coming of age story about a girl and how she becomes Raven. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and all its characters. There are so many great things about this book including the amount of diversity in the characters. I highly recommend this graphic novel for anyone looking to read a graphic novel for the first time.

I think Raven is a hard character to do properly, but one that everyone wants to try. I thought this took an interesting bent with the voodoo, but given her history it makes sense. Unfortunately, the events of the graphic novel itself fell a little flat for me, which was disappointing because each story beat introduced had a lot of potential. Gabriel Picolo delivers. There were many places where it felt like his art rescued otherwise so-so writing. Not every panel is perfect, but the quality is consistent. His style is also refreshing compared to the bright, too-busy look of mainstream comics.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up I loved Teen Titans so when I saw that Raven's story was being turned into a graphic novel I was super excited since she was my favorite as a kid. I love the storyline Kami Garcia created for Raven and the illustrations are amazing, the lack of color really added to the sense of isolation Raven is feeling throughout most of the story and the pops of color throughout helped to add emphasis where it was needed. I"m super excited to see how the rest of this series will move forward and to see the Titans brought together in this new world.

Quite enjoyable. There's an accident and Raven is left alone in the world, save for her step-mom's family down in New Orleans. There's the usual teen angst, plots by Slade and voodoo. Oh, there's Trigun, too! Well worth the read. If you like superhero stories, you'll enjoy this.

The artwork in this book was absolutely gorgeous.
I wasn't familiar with Raven's backstory, so it was interesting to finally get to see some. The beginning with the death of her foster mother felt a bit abrupt to me (it would have been nice to even have more of a montage about that). But the characters of her 'cousin' and 'aunt' were fully realized and a lot of fun. I enjoyed the other kids at school and the transition as Raven could figure out her powers.
I was amazing by the artwork in this. The choice of coloring (where in many cases everyone except for Raven was grayscale, unless something amazing was happening) fit the tone really well.

Teen Titans Raven is a graphic novel written by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo. It will hit stores on July 2nd, 2019.
Rachel Roth (also called Raven) is a 17-year-old high school sophomore who was involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) with her adoptive mother. This results in a chain of events that leads Raven to her aunt, who is a voodoo priestess, and her cousin Max, who also possesses supernatural powers.
Raven suffers unfortunate side effects from the MVA that result in her questioning who she is. The novel takes us from the MVA into a journey where Raven begins to understand her past and make plans for her future.
The story also takes us through the development of Raven’s relationship with a boy from her local high school named Tommy. This relationship is not what it seems and results in conflict.
The novel starts with a bang (literally) and keeps my attention until chapter 15. I greatly appreciate the diversity inclusion throughout the novel. We see illustrations of Latina, lesbian, and African American women (i.e., army of ghosts). I also appreciated the integration of Dracula, the 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.
The main characters are likable and relatable. The dialogue and interactions between the teenagers are appropriate and developmentally correct. The illustrations are on point with cool trendy clothing, hairstyles, and electronic gadgets.
On a side note, for Saga readers, the cat in the tarot reader’s room reminds me of Lying Cat from Saga!
The reason this graphic novel did not earn five stars begins on chapter 15. Raven just has too many powers and they are introduced too quickly. She can read minds, make things happen, and now has astral projection! We also find out who her biological father is, and that is also surprising. All of this made the story muddy for me and slightly rushed. Although, I greatly appreciate the inclusion of diverse characters, I would have made the illustrations of the army of ghosts a bit ghostlier. I clearly saw and felt the historical context, but it wasn’t eerie enough for my liking.
Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel so much that I will include it on my monthly subscription at my local comic book store. This a good read for young girls and women who are unsure about reading graphic novels.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Rachel Roth (AKA Raven) gets into a car accident with her foster mom and wakes up without any memory of her past. She moves to New Orleans to live with her aunt and cousin, kind and generous women who appear to have some serious secrets. Raven attempts to navigate the weirdness of high school, rediscovering herself, and learning she may have some secrets of her own.

I love the art of Gabriel Picolo, and I am always into starting a new version of a character's origin story. This one felt rushed. Raven's relationship with her aunt and cousin, and discovery of her own powers felt natural and were super enjoyable.

There were some high school items that felt shoe-horned in- for example, the prom. The main cast of friends explain how annoying promposals are (which, they are!) and say how their school has made the shift to have girls ask their partners by way of giving roses. They have one of the friends give a rose to another girl, and end up having to defend herself to a homophobic classmate. I think that's important to include all kinds of characters, and representation matters SO much. It just felt weird that those details weren't included in any way in the rest of the story, and could have been left out without changing the important parts of the plot.

Raven and Tommy's relationship is sweet, but his betrayal didn't really hit home for me. Their courtship phase and starting to text was sweet, and Raven discovering her own emotions was lovely, but I felt like the author could have gone more in depth with Raven processing his betrayal.

In short: I loved the buildup and the beginning of this story, but the end felt rushed and quick, and I wish the conclusion was a little stronger. I definitely enjoyed reading it, but there were parts I would have changed. The artwork is beautiful too, which contributed greatly to the work!