I have always been curious about Svetlana Chmakova's works, so why not start with what I know best...the paranormal! Honestly, this work does an excellent job of balancing the paranormal and the everyday life things that children go through. Plus, I really dug the art.

This was great fun! We have a small New England town that has a large population of supernatural beings- mermaids, vampires, shape-shifters, werewolves, and witches, including a special type of witch called a weirn, a witch born with a demonic guardian spirit called an astral attached to them for life. The town has a "normal" realm, where regular humans live, and a night realm, where the more magical people live. During the day, the local school is normal; after sundown, it changes to a school for the night things. You get the idea, I'm sure. Without giving away any of the story, we have a creepy tale of spooky woods that hide an abandoned mansion, the site of a school 70 years in the past, where a group of weirn children and their headmistress disappeared without a trace. We have a group of weirn kids in the present who must join together to stop this from happening again, while dealing with the usual childhood dramas of growing apart from friends, getting teased and bullied at school, wanting to fit in, and dealing with crushes. The characters are well-fleshed out and relatable, the ties of family and friendship feel warm and real, and the world building and magic system are well done. The story has a nice balance of everyday life and action scenes, with lots of creepiness and intrigue, with hints of what will come in the future. Finally, the art is so fun- the color schemes give the night realm an other-worldly feel, there's lots of detail in the panels, and the expressions on the characters sometimes are priceless! Also, I really want an astral. Like, really a lot.

#WeirnBooks #NetGalley

This was a super entertaining, exciting, full of life story! I have two little cousins for whom I am always looking for books that manage to be interesting and captivating but also provide nice lessons and beautiful imagery.

I highly recommend this one for any middle-grader but also adults who want something very lovely to read!

The Weirn Books, Vol. 1: Be Wary of the Silent Woods, by Svetlana Chmakova

Fun! Engrossing! Dynamic! This was a very exciting graphic novel read that was unputdownable.

I loved the atmosphere that included normality by day and Night Realm by night! Shape shifters, weirns, wolves and other night terrors set against primal fears of abduction and torture paired with cheeky banter and magic. The art work is incredible, upping the creepy vibes and really adding to the character and world building.

This was a quick and enjoyable read that is great for middle grade to adult adults (if they will share!) I’m already looking forward to Vol 2!

My thanks to NetGalley, Yen Press and Svetlana Chmakova for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova is a book I requested a long time ago, but only got approved to now. And I am very happy I got it because I Loved it. The writing style is great and the humour and sarcasm are On Point! It works really well together with the format and plays around with the fond to make it a truly dynamic reading experience. The art style was maybe a bit too simple for my liking, but I got used to very quickly. My only minor issue is that it could have been a bit darker… When the scary shit goes down everything is just a bit too pretty, pink and purple.




I loved the story and the idea of the world. The book is set in world where all the paranormal kids come out at night to go to school. And of course there is a scary mansion in the middle of the dark woods, where kids have gone missing. Not anything original, but perfectly executed.

Overall this was a Really fun read that I just absolutely adored! I believe the author already has some books set in the same universe, for an older audience, so I will check those out for sure.

Reasonable comic for young readers, if you can get past the fact it doesn't really manage to define the lead characters (other than the fact they're some kind of unearthly, magical kind of humanoid species that comes with a cross between a Pullmanesque daemon and a doodle of Venom), and of course that it's done in that really annoying manga style. Here it's used on the text just too much for me, with about three font sizes (whisper it) in every frame, although the full-colour artwork is much more westernised than it might have been. The older reader has to get past some really bratty schoolchildisms as well, before the intrigue regarding the local haunted mansion and local spooky humanoid thing can be resolved.

I do enjoy a good graphic novel every now and again. This particular one I had seen on Netgalley last year but wasn’t approved for it until yesterday. I have never had that happen before but I guess there is always a first for everything!

I started reading it pretty quickly after since I like to get the shorter books, especially graphic novels, out of the way so my rating stays high. There wasn’t much to go off from the blurb so I dived in with as little expectations as possible.

The graphic novel starts off introducing the town they live in and how there are different things living there like werewolves, vampires, weirns, and a lot more. I honestly didn’t know what a weirn was but it is explained as well. If you are curious its a witch with a demon astral sidekick! I thought that was an interesting concept.

There is mystery surrounding one part of the woods where nothing grows and no one goes. There is also a mansion in it that no one goes to and as the story progresses we find out why.

The mystery definitely had me intrigued and I liked learning about the disappearance of the children and the headmistress that disappeared as well. It’s pretty creepy but not as creepy as some other Middle Grade books I have read. I would say this one is pretty mild.

The children in this book are diverse and all have different personalities.

Overall, this was good. It lacked something for me but I just can’t pinpoint it.

Thank you to NetGalley and JY for an eARC of this title

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I loved the urban fantasy vibes and the mystery. I found the world really interesting and world-building was explained really well. The characters were also really interesting and different. I found them to be well written and they really did feel like kids at school. I enjoyed the dynamics between the friend group and other students at school.

Overall, I think this story was very fun and exciting. I couldn’t guess what was going to happen, which is always fun. The mystery and magic were all very interesting. I loved the wide variety of magical people and creatures. I would highly recommend this to children and adults alike!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Allis is a weirn: a witch with an astral. She lives in a town where there are several people like her and goes to a school during the night. When a creepy figure keeps appearing and the history of the creepy house in the woods resurfaces, our cast decides to investigate.
I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The characters were so fun. Especially Jasper and his chaotic astral.
I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, since we were left with such a cliffhanger.

This book was a lot of fun! I loved the creepy setting and the mysterious mansion was so cool! Parts of the plot were pretty predictable, but it was still a really fun spooky and magical read! I really enjoyed the world building and the characters. Leesh and Na’ya are such great characters and I loved following their story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Svetlana Chmakova's graphic novels. They're so much fun! (Awkward is still my fave).

This book takes place in a magical town, which is so cool! I do think I prefer the contemporary settings in Chmakova's books, but it is great to also see some fantasy.

I love the artstyle, and the writing. It is so lighthearted and funny. (HER BOOKS ARE SO MUCH FUNNN)

I found plot-wise the story to be quite underwhelming. There are some cliches and tropes. The story (especially the villian) didn't grab me, so I don't think it will stick with me.

Overall a fun and quick read!

~ I received an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review ~

Ailis and her cousin Na'ya are your average middle school students... almost. They're weirns -- witches that have shadow creatures attached to them for life; demon pets known as Astrals. But even magical night people have to go to school! A special night school for weirns, werewolves, and other magical beings. This first in the Weirn Books series is another page-turner that fans of Chmakova's beloved Berrybrook Middle School series (Awkward, Brave, Crush) will definitely line up for. It's been one of our school library's most popular graphic novel series over the last few years, and I can already tell this will be another hit. She takes on a more paranormal, urban fantasy route with this one, and I have nothing but amazing things to say. The artwork is delightful, the characters are quirky and unique (and some creepy! Even this 30-something year old was spooked at times), and the introduction to this intriguing Night Realm will leave readers wanting more. I know can't wait for more adventures with Ailis and the gang. What a fun read!

I have read some of Svetlana's previous works and absolutely loved them, so I was excited to have the chance to read her newest one. This is set in the same supernatural world as her Nightschool series and features some young Weirn teens who are not only living in their night world, but also dealing with some of the insecurities and difficulties that young teens face. The adventure that the two cousins go one while trying to solve the mystery before them is fun and has the perfect amount of spooky elements.

Chmakova's art style is beautiful and the color palette perfectly suited the story and characters. I really enjoy how she depicts astrals especially and how each one of them had a different personality and look.

I think people of all ages would enjoy this story and it's great if your looking for a light spooky read for younger readers. Svetlana Chmakova writes amazing stories for the middle grade age range and I recommend checking out any of her works if you think you might like her artwork or style.

Two magical cousins get dragged into the mystery of the old building in the Silent Wood. Years ago a number of magical children disappeared from the building and the girls and their friends find out the truth about that terrible night.
Svetlana Chmakova presents us with a great story about a secret magical world and the evil that lurks in a small town. It's a great tale of friendship and family. If you enjoyed her Berrybrook Middle school series and enjoy fantasy stories you will love this new Graphic Novel.

*This book was given to me as a free NetGalley eARC for a fair and honest review.

I have loved Svetlana Chmakova's works since I first read "Awkward". He characters are funny, interesting, and most importantly relatable. In the Weirn Books vol. 1 we meet cousins Ailis, Na'ya, and D'esh, they are young weirns in a town full of "human-passing night things". Ailis and Na'ya attend a night school to learn how to use their powers and train their Astrals. The relationship between the cousins and their grandma (who Ailis is staying with) is full of love and playful banter. Although a minor character, D'esh is my absolute favorite character. He is sweet, caring, and full of energy. He reminds me a lot of my son when he was that age. The main conflict centers around a dilapidated mansion in the heart of the Silent Woods. The building had sat empty for 70 years, but one day on the way to school the lights began to come on again. After learning about the buildings past the children are pulled into solving the mystery. As always Chmakova's art is expressive and it draws the reader in. The story is perfect for any middle grade reader who enjoys Raina Telgemeier, Victoria Jamieson, and Sarah Weeks. I just loved this book and I can't wait to read more about the cousins and their friends in future volumes.

I really enjoyed this YA/middle grade comic. It's a story about magic, family, and friendship set in a very interesting urban fantasy setting. The magic system was engaging, the school conflict was relatable, the family dynamics were fun, and the villain was pretty darn creepy. I'd previously only read some very early work by this author and it is great to see how she's grown in both her art and storytelling/worldbuilding.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Yen Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read too many Middle Grade graphic novels, but a fantasy/horror GN is definitely my preference, and although this one leans towards the cute variety (for obvious audience-appropriate reasons) it definitely still delivers.

The premise is great fun, I adored the setup, and the magic here is really interesting. The characters are all likable (mostly) and are compelling to keep the pace progressing at a clip throughout. The fantasy world feels well fleshed out, and it has an added element of mystery which carries the storyline forward really well.

The artwork here is fun, bright, and engaging and I feel works quite well with the story being told, and definitely works well for the intended audience. And I really appreciated the text here as the font changes to not only convey what is being said but also HOW it is being said. It works as a really clever device to communicate the emotions and mood of the characters.

I think there is lots of promise here and I'll be looking out for volume 2. Highly recommend.

4 adorable stars!

A fun graphic novel about a supernatural town filled with magic and a mysterious abandoned mansion. A supernatural mystery for cousins Ailis and Na'ya who live in the Night Realm. When Na'ya's brother, D'esh, disappears, near an abandoned school house, it's up to Ailis and Na'ya to figure out what's going on.

I love reading graphic novels because they're always super fun and quick to get through. So much of the storytelling work is done by the art. The Weirn Books Vol 1 did a really good job of worldbuilding through a balance of narration and art. Its only six chapters long but the characters and world were so interesting that I was invested right away. The plot was a little predictable but not to bad for soemthing aimed at a middle grade audience. Overall Ireally enjoyed it and would totally recommend.

Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first book in this series is an introduction to the supernatural world and we see how ordinary kids go to "Night School" for the supernatural creatures in their town. This story follows Allis and Na'ya who go to magic school and live a relatively ordinary life...until they notice something weird happening at the supposedly abandoned mansion. They start investigating and it starts getting dark...

The artwork is light and fun, almost whimsical, which is ironic considering the story gets pretty dark. Like, dang, didn't think it was gonna go there, ha.

The dialogue was perfect for the age group and felt super realistic, plus the font changes depending on the mood of a character which added to the characters' personalities!

Really didn't like Na'ya but that's a personal thing...I usually don't like characters who treat their younger siblings poorly or as an annoyance though I know it's somewhat realistic. It's just me.

Highly recommend for fans of Gravity Falls and similar supernatural-mystery content!