“All of this will be better in the morning.”
*Cut to morning*
“It did not get better.”

This was a quick read and an overall enjoyable graphic novel. Sweet and a bit gory, it definitely left me wanting more. Also it is not specifically stated but very much implied during a conversation between the characters that the MC is aroace so bonus points for that!! I don’t know if this author plans to release any more books in this series, but if so, I will definitely pick them up!

Thank you to Netgalley and Oni press for the eARC!

I absolutely loved this I could not stop reading it!!!! The emotions and the suspense was everything along with the heartfelt touches to it proving friendships really mean everything.

Calling this adorable feels weird, but hey, I'm a weird person. I love blood and gore, that's what drew me to this initially, and I absolutely loved it. Like most graphic novels, it's a fast read (I think I finished it in under an hour), but I don't think anything was really lost. This was a masterful use of medium as well, in particular with the, like, flashback-memory moments.

The pros: Well, like I said, the use of medium is fantastic. I love you comics. But also the characters are so fun, I love them all. Ashley, of course, is fantastic, I love her sort of begrudging kindness. Motley and Harrison are peak siblings. Gus and Dmitri are great little side characters. I love everybody! And I love the worldbuilding, the supernatural elements being slipped in, all of it. The art is also absolutely beautiful. I think my favorite thing is the analogy, however - this idea of becoming "a creepy" and having a missing piece, trying to regain it, especially after a traumatic event like Ashley's had. It works as a metaphor in many ways, and I think the delivery of it was graceful and impactful.

The cons: I don't have many. It goes by fast, so I wish it was longer, but that's just comics for you. I wish there was a little more expansion on the vampire side of things, and ghouls in general. And while I know it's kind of negating the purpose, I would've liked a tiny bit more information on the circumstances around Ashley's death. I just still felt a little lost about it by the end, which I'm sure was purposeful, so that may just be me.

Overall, I had a great time and I loved it!! Fantastic work!!

Can you imagine one day waking up and discovering you are dead? That is exactly the nightmare Ashley wakes up to in Meat Eaters, a young adult graphic novel where she then proceeds with life--or more precisely called, her new afterlife. Before this moment, Ashley had planned on leaving her life behind, escaping the monotony of her town, but we are instead left wondering what led to her sudden demise and why can't she remember the moments before it. There is a diverse cast of "others" who seem to embrace their own differences and Ashley's friendship, thinking she is a human with the help of a fake heartbeat, leading to her own transformation.

The themes of trauma and emotional withdrawal were strong throughout the book, with no question that what happened to Ashley was violent and unwelcome. I found myself feeling for Ashley's predicament and it made me question how some of us avoid such an end while others are left damaged or dead. While never explicitly spelled out, I found the answers we were provided to be moving and empowering. I mean, haven't we all wanted to lash out as well at the people harming us? The horror and gore involved was a great way to center this story, improving upon attempts on film and in other books to address this common societal problem.

Unfortunately, there were some issues with plot jumping. At times I would switch to the next page and be confused about why the story was abruptly different and was concerned I had accidentally skipped pages. It would be greatly improved with smoothing over of those jumps by adding more story or by introducing chapter breaks. While a chapter title line wouldn't necessarily correct the story jumps, it would at least signal to the reader that the story was shifting direction.

Thanks to Netgalley and Oni Press for the ARC.

Now, I might be a little biased cause I like most of the things McClaren puts out.
But this one I LOVED! It's such a good take on the zombie genre, with very human (haha I know) characters with plausible reactions to the messed up things. I cracked when Ashley breaks the fourth wall and the way she handles the whole undead thing is both great and sad. The cast is amazing, with different types of people and the world feels alive even if it's not a lot of characters presented.
It is gory and beautiful and hilarious, I found myself laughing out loud lots of times, only to slip right back into the sinister vibe on the next page.

This was surprisingly sweet. I didn’t expect the found family vibes whatsoever, so when werewolves and vampires showed up in the story, I was surprised. I thought this was going to just be a zombie story.

After getting assaulted in the woods, which we see in snippets of flashbacks, Ashley wakes up with blood all around her and no heartbeat. She isn’t sure what’s going on, but when she runs into a couple of vampires at the gas station, they tell her about a bar she can go to get information about being newly undead. That’s where she meets Bess who tells her that she’s a ghoul.

Haunted by what happened to her, she refuses to remember how she died, even though it can give her information on how she transformed into the being she’s become. Inside that bar full of the undead is where she sees two classmates, Motley and Harrison.

But they aren’t “biters” or ghouls; they’re werewolves. And after fighting and scaring off their pack leader, Ashley becomes the new one. The only problem is… they think she’s still human.

I am assuming based on the character’s wording, but I think Ashley is asexual. If so, YASSSSSSSSS, representation. If I am batting at the air here, shame on me. But I may just be projecting. Hopefully we get more story so that I can find out more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC.

I had this review pending for a while, but better late than never right? Honestly, the ending really left me thinking... could there be a sequel? Because it definitely has potential. Especially with that open ending and the group that came together, I think they truly deserve more development. At first, I wasn’t fully convinced, tbh. It all felt a bit... odd (but that's part of the plot and the summary so... ).But little by little, it started to make sense why specially the werewolf characters are the way they are.

Now, let’s talk about the main character, Ashley, wow those “numb” moments really hit hard. I think those were my favorite parts, actually. On the other hand, some of the action scenes felt a bit... rushed. They were full of detail, sure, but there was something a bit too “plot armor" (I had to look at this expressionbecause I was not sure how to say in English lol) about them that took away from the impact a little. Buuuut, in general it was interesting.

Without a heartbeat and with a disturbing craving for fresh—preferably bloody—meat, Ashley finds herself privy to a world that exists just beneath our own: a world of ghouls and monsters and things that go bump-in-the-night. Despite her desire to be left alone—and to not think about the night of her death at all—Ashley is slowly drawn into the realm of the unusual, getting advice from ancient vampires, dodging angry pack leaders, and becoming the reluctant big sister to werewolves Motley and Harrison. 
A surprisingly amusing graphic novel about ghouls, vampires, and werewolves.  Judging by the cover I was expecting a very gory and gruesome comic with little to any moral value (the best kind), instead I found a story that explores what may be hiding in all of us. Is there anyone who hasn't thought "this isn't what I wanted to be"?  Imagine if what you were inside was a monster, an undead being who craved flesh when all you wanted was a Pop-tart?
The story is well written and compelling. The art is absolutely fantastic.
I hope the story continues because I need to know what happens to Ashley, Motley, and Harrison.
Highly recommended  Expected publishing date July 8, 2025

Thanks to @netgalley and Oni Press for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

As the cover does suggest, there is some blood and gore in this. Not a lot, certainly not enough I can put it as a selling point but enough that I do feel I need to warn anyone that has that as a trigger. Mostly some animal death imagery but we do see human bodies as well.

Anyway, I love this take on a revenant that needs to eat flesh and such, it works well with the overall story about how trauma can change your life in ways you didn't want. Ashley is a smart, snarky, likely aroace introvert that I found delightful as a ghoulish protagonist, and there were neat little world building tidbits (heartbeat sound boxes used by vampires to pass as the still living? werewolves snarking that they're not five year olds that lose control with the full moon? unicorns are real?!)

There is also a brief liar revealed/third act break that didn't bother me, it was done well, but I know for some those are just hard no-gos.

This was a cute, YA-type horror-adjacent graphic novel about found family. At times, it felt a little rushed and I felt like there could have been a little more character development or world-building. However, it was an enjoyable read.

Dark, sharp, and unexpectedly tender, this graphic novel blends horror and heart with stunning emotional depth. After her mysterious death, Ashley Moore is thrust into an underworld of monsters and magic—but the real battle is with the trauma she carries and the truths she can’t outrun.

Meredith McClaren delivers a gripping, beautifully illustrated tale about identity, survival, and the monsters within. Perfect for fans of gothic coming-of-age stories and supernatural thrillers with emotional resonance.

Found family! Mystery! Supernatural creatures! Coconut water! I really, really enjoyed this, especially because of how we get to think with Ashley throughout the story. We wake up with her, go on errands with her, and freak out with her as she figures out what it means to be undead and what to do with all the complicated feelings that go with it. Seeing her growth in the ways she treats herself and others was such a nice arc. The inclusion of other supernatural creatures was also a pleasant surprise for me and the interactions among them made me so happy! I love stories of found family and finding oneself, and I love how Ashley’s story can apply to so many real life experiences and feelings (particularly exploring trauma), even with this being a fun supernatural journey. The ending really resonated with me and I would love to see more of these characters one day!

Thank you NetGalley and OniPress for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The story was good but I got confused throughout this book, I struggled to keep track of what was happening. This was my first graphic novel and maybe that’s why, because I’m not used to this kind of structure? Anyway, I liked the story as a whole and the illustrations were beautifully done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC!

“Meat Eaters” by Meredith McClaren is an equally sweet and gorey graphic novel telling the story of Ashley, who wakes up dead one day, and has to figure things out from there.

I quite enjoyed this. While there is certainly gore and monsters, I wouldn't primarily classify this as horror. This story feels more slice-of-life (death?), found-family, coming of age, which made for a very fun reading experience, and left you a little nostalgic for your teenage years.

If you ever struggled with your mental health and were kind of an introvert in high school, you’ll find Ashley painfully relatable. This only makes it better to see her grow as a person and come out of her shell throughout this novel.

If I didn’t read it wrong this novel is recommended for those 16 and above, and I really hope the right people will find it, because I would absolutely have adored this novel had I read it at that age.

I must admit that the art style wasn’t quite my favourite at first, but even if you’re like me and it doesn’t speak to you immediately, it’ll grow on you as the story progresses.

If you like graphic novels and gore, as well as sweet stories of found family, this one is right for you!

I don't really have much to say about this one. Not much happened. The pacing was so fast??? Characters were just kind of thrown in with no introduction. The art is great, I just wish a little more time had been put into the story.

I think a lot of times it can be difficult for authors to remember that we the reader don't know anything about their characters yet. Like they spend so much time thinking about them and their personality and story line that it becomes a challenge to introduce them to someone new. Like, how do you begin to describe your best friend to someone who has never met them?

Still, not a bad time. Only took like an hour to read, and it only took that long because I had to stop and do my actual job occasionally. Just kind of left with the feeling of. Ok. I read something. I will forget it by lunch. But it was fun enough to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this and need more like asap!!! Will be on the lookout for when the author releases more of this story!

Oni Press really does come out with some of my favorite stories. I really enjoyed this unique take on a monster that doesn't get as much spotlight in mainstream media - vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies - yes - but when do you ever get to read a story about ghouls? I kind of wish that how Ashley became a ghoul was a little more direct instead of alluded to (which was kind of dark, I might have even made it a little darker in my head). All in all, a solid story.

Meat Eater is an interesting horror comic that blends horror and supernatural with tropes of found family and stunning artwork. While some of the themes are a bit darker McClaren manages to handle these with grace and a touch of dark humour. The illustrations are stunning as is the colour palette which really suis the supernatural feel of the comics. I loved the characters, particularly Ashley and how the supernatural beings are integrated into human society as well. As always thank you to Oni Press for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

Meat Eaters presents an addictive balance of gore and fun, all wrapped up in a beautiful envelope of dynamic and engaging art.
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this advanced reader's copy.

Meat Eaters comes across to me more mysterious than horror. There’s certainly elements of horror, but the reality is that the world and the main characters’ introduction to it leaves you with curious inquiries and an almost insatiable desire to know more. There are so many questions without answers, aspects of this new life, and the truths behind how she got to where she is.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really seem like these questions are ever fully answered. There are inklings and flashes throughout, but even by the end the illumination of said flashes aren’t enough. You’re sort of just left to parse out the truth for yourself, uncertain of the exact nature of what happened. For some, I think this ending might be enough. But for me, I wanted a little bit more.

I think the story is where this book excels. It’s the sort of tale that allows you to experience a new world in the eyes of a character who is experiencing it for the very first time as well. The characters, also, are a strong point to it—while I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I had any strong emotional connection to them, they’re colorful and unique.

The pieces I didn’t love as much came with the artwork, something that I feel is more personal to me than anything else. Meredith McClaren is obviously exceedingly talented and the fact that this book is settled in the horror genre should have been clue enough to me of the gore and the elongated grey nature of the characters. I just didn’t really care for it.

Overall, I’d say that there are a lot of standout things about Meat Eaters. I don’t know that I’ll continue reading, but I’d definitely recommend to those who are interested in the genre.