While pitched as Veronica Mars meets Lovecraft, I really got major Stranger Things vibes. This graphic novel is a delightful blend of humor and horror, with witty dialogue that had me laughing out loud. The characters are well developed and engaging, each bringing their own unique charm to the story. The plot is both creepy and compelling, and kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. I highly recommend this book.

The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance is pitched as Veronica Mars meets Lovecraft, and that is probably the best way to explain. As a huge Veronica Mars fan, I was very much on board. It follows Vivian Vance, who is an amateur detective, and her friends as they investigate some creepy flesh-taking monsters in their town.

Vivian teams up with a group of orphan boys after they share a terrifying experience of seeing one of the monsters. I really liked the illustrations and the tone of the book. I immediately liked Vivian's character and felt like she had an awesome voice.

Unfortunately, I felt like the other characters & world-building were not developed enough. That being said, this was an exciting and fast read! The flesh-takers were truly horrifying, and I loved the shift from high school drama to monster mystery.

I would definitely recommend picking this one up! Thanks to Netgalley, Joshua Ulrich, and Penguin for the chance to read & review!

A great weird, slightly scary, graphic novel perfect for middle school fans of Stranger Things. I would definitely read more about Vivian and her friends.

This was a very fun tale! This story has an interesting mix of the vibes from Stranger Things, Papergirls, and Super 8. The plot was tight and the plot pacing was smoothly done. It never lost my attention and kept me wondering what the truth was. I did really like that Vivian Vance isn't a perfect person. She's actually kind of a terrible person, but watching her grow as a person was interesting. I don't want to spoil too much, but it was a pretty great story. It surprisingly got pretty gory at parts! Seeing as it's a Teen/YA graphic novel, I really didn't expect that level of gore. I personally didn't care too much for the art style, but that's honestly just personal taste, not anything to do with technical abilities. I also raised an eyebrow at the fact that Vivian wears heels. She's supposed to be running around doing all these crazy things in HEELS? Yes, they're heeled knee-high boots, but still. Heels?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thought this was an exciting read! Though I felt the ending was a bit rushed, the art was amazing and the action scenes were really cool! I seriously hope there is a sequel!

Action-packed from start to finish! I couldn't get enough of Vivian and her new crew—I need more now! The Veronica Mars vibe in this wonderful story was incredibly enjoyable. Ulrich's storytelling from beginning to end had me captivated the entire time. While the attempts to address themes of privilege and corruption occasionally got lost amidst the action, it remained an exciting read with stunning graphics.

thank you penguin teen for the e-arc! all opinions are my own

This YA graphic novel was so quick and enjoyable to read! Non stop action from start to finish! The description said it was Veronica Mars meets Lovecraft and that is absolutely true. Vivian Vance wants to open a detective agency with her dad and her plan to do that is to win the Medal of Excellence. To do that she needs to find something that makes her stand out. In trying to figure out what that's going to be, she meets some kids from the rougher side of town and they come across a monster. That's it! She's going to save the town from the local urban legend monster, who turns out to be real! It's a little silly, a little campy, but it's worth the little bit of time to read it. The art has a little old school Archie comic vibe. The monster is a little scary for younger kids but that's what makes it fun for the older ones (and the adults). The story itself feels like it could have been a Goosebumps story or on Are You Afraid of The Dark. I hope we get to see more tales from Vivian Vance

A vibrantly illustrated, creepy, sci-fi horror story!

Vivian is a character it took a minute for me to warm up to, but once I did, I enjoyed her drive and her dedication to her father and, eventually, her friends. The illustrations were vibrant and detailed, with a bit of gore but nothing that was insanely over powering.

I will definitely purchase for my HS library.

3.5 rounded up. This was a fun read. Vivian is a sophmore in Upper Pillar whose father is a former sheriff, but after an accident is a shell of his former self. To help out finanically, she takes on investigative jobs for her fellow high school classmates and hopes entry into a special program will also ease the financial burden. While in the poorer part of town on a job, she witnesses a flesh eater - something she long though was just a scary story the adults told children. This might explain all the missing people from the Pillars. Along with three boys from the area, she begins to investigate where the flesh eater is from and how they can stop it. What they discover is truly terrifying. I enjoyed reading this comic - wondering if there will be continuing tales - would really like to know more about the world and the characters - especially what happened to Vivian's father as well as the Pillar boys' parents.

I'm not sure why this didn't resonate with me, from the story to the art. It's not bad, it's a decent cosmic horror story... I guess I just don't understand the audience. Teens, I guess? But it's noted as for young readers but the content isn't appropriate for middle grade or younger, in my opinion. Then it's too childish for adults.

Cosmic horror is my favorite and I consume a lot of it, and this IS a decent cosmic horror story. I'm interested in the god, I want to know more about the gifts, but I don't much like the cast, whom we barely get to know beyond the superficial (wrong side of the tracks vs right). It's a long book but aside from Vivian we don't get to know anyone, really, so when she makes a big to-do about saving her friends you're left wondering "friends? the people you literally just met and barely know?"

It feels like the author was unsure of both what he wanted to write and who he wanted to write for.

The art isn't my favorite either. Very cartoony but it doesn't feel like it fits the story, though it's well done. But again, another instance of who is the intended audience?

3/5 stars because I didn't hate it at the end, though.

A young girl wants to be a detective and does a lot of small jobs for classmates. She is in the middle of a job when she sees something that turns into a bigger infestation. This was a fun adventure to find out what was going on and I can't wait to read more.

The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance is a coming of age, supernatural graphic novel that follows main character Vivian and her group of friends she meets trying to survive crazy adventures. The town is harboring a nefarious secret, flesh-takers stalk amongst the townsfolk. Vivian is only aware of one but soon unravels that her and her friends are up against an army.

I don't want to spoil anything else. Vivian's character is fun, self-assured and has total final girl energy. I love how there is a cute romance budding between Vivian and one of the boys she hangs out with. The story is perfect for young readers and adults. I love the artwork and the color scheme. It gives me retro vibes. I hope there is another volume because the story did end abruptly leaving me with lots of questions. Looking forward to the next volume.

This is pitched as Veronica Mars by way of Lovecraft, and I think that's pretty accurate. The Terrifying Tales of Vivian Vance is a fun graphic novel that is YA horror with Lovecraftian monsters and a high achieving, perfectionist heroine trying to nab an internship by doing community service. In this case, by taking a case in a poor community called the Pillars where monsters are taking people off the streets. It's over the top and kind of a campy adventure that attempts to say something about privilege and corruption.

Whether that's successful....I don't know it's a mixed bag. The fact that the kids she helps out are orphans living on the street who have never gone to school is a bit much. And not how things actually work if their world is supposed to be similar to our own. You could do the same thing with kids who are maybe a mix of from poor families or in the foster care system, but they would still be getting some kind of an education. I don't know, that choice was weird and kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Otherwise, it was a pretty entertaining story. I received a copy for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a great graphic novel. Totally made me nostalgic for Veronica Mars and I will 1000% be continuing.

The story could have used a smidge more fleshing out. I would have loved a little more details but I am assuming those might come in later volumes.

The artwork and storyboarding was fantastic. Made it super easy to follow along.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This was a satisfying, quick read. It was a lot darker than I would have assumed it would be based off of it's art style. (Which I liked) The story is very fast paced, and I read it all in one sitting. I kept turning pages at the end thinking the story wasn't over yet. It feels like the story is supposed to continue beyond where it does. I don't know if this is a series, but the way that it ends, it feels like it is.

My honest opinion is that I thought it was a little TOO fast. I don't think we really got enough time to get attached to any of the characters. The imagery was really good for a horror and the creatures totally unsettling. But I honestly didn't really care about who they were. I think the disparity of the city could have been a bit more established too. We know we have this nice city, but apparently there is this disparaged quasi underground rough part called "The Pillars" where a bunch of orphans are just on their own in abandoned buildings. There's not like a set up for why this is like this. Also Vivian's parents story could have been a little more rounded out. I think that the characters could be developed more.

The art is lovely, and the concept is very interesting, but I think it feels very surface because of some of the lack of complexity.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title early!

This was such a crazy story. I do not know what I was expecting when I first opened it up and then thought it was going to be a basic graphic novel and then it started to ramp up. I was pleasantly surprised by it to say the least. The group of four surely finds themselves in some crazy event and the monsters kept appearing. It was a rather easy book to follow and able to read it in one sitting.