Aliza LayneReviews

Gr 4–8—This spook-tacularly sweet, anime-inspired story follows 12-year-old goblin/witch Beetle and her best friend
Blob Ghost, who uses they/them pronouns and cannot leave a soon-to-be-demolished mall. Life grows more
complicated when Beetle's former best friend, Kat Hollowbone, resurfaces and feelings—yes, those
feelings!—bubble over. Narratives overlap like gentle waves across a sumptuous orange and purple palette in this
silly, life-affirming LGBTQIA+ romance.

Take a big caldron. Add in all the aesthetic appeal of Halloween, the solidity of best friendship, the coziness of a giant sweater, a glowing rainbow palette of colors, the budding romance between two girls, and all the haunted hijinks you can think off - stir 'em all together and you've got "Beetle and the Hollowbones". This graphic novel is captivatingly magical, and absolutely bursting at the seams with humor, charm, and some of the most lovable characters you'll ever read.

Here's the downlow: Beetle is a young goblin witch who spends her days training under her Gran, trying to master goblin magic, learning how to ride a broom, and hanging out at the local mall with her BFF Blob Ghost and getting into shenanigans. Oh yeah, BG is also mysteriously tied to the mall and they can't leave, so Beetle is trying to figure out THAT situation. And now, Beetle's old friend Kat is back in town, and with Kat's appearance comes a whole lot of other feelings Beetle has to sort through. On top of all that, Kat's cunning aunt has her own plans that could spell THE END for everything Beetle loves.

There is so much to admire about this book: first, the world of "Beetle" is incredibly well realized and fleshed out- the magic system, the citizens of 'Allowstown, even the pop culture embedded in the world feel like you've stepped through that wardrobe and into a very real place with history. The artwork is just downright dreamy; I love the interior shots of Beetle's home and the opening spreads of her flying lesson! And like I said, the characters are so SO good! Blob Ghost is my personal favorite; for a character who doesn't literally speak out loud, they are delightfully expressive and look so huggable. :3 I need a BG plushie in my life NOW.

Literally the only thing I think could have been added is a short explanation of how the Council works/operates, but honestly that's partially just because I'm nosy and like magic councils. But that really doesn't have to do with anything else in the plot (maybe we'll see it in a sequel though?!)

"Beetle and the Hollowbones" is a 5-star book through and through, and I would highly recommend it for both young readers, adults, or really just anyone who wants a wonderful dose of magical reading.
(Preorder link: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Beetle-the-Hollowbones/Aliza-Layne/978153...

*chanting* BEETLE, BEETLE, BEETLE!!
I just know this is going to be a beautiful book.

I knew I would like this from the cover and description -- and I was right!

I wil def say this highlight of this read was def the stunning art in this graphic novel. I also loved the world building and the characters at he heart of this read. I really loved that is book focused on so many different types of friendships. It also had some unexpected elements that I really loved the enhanced the read and it was such a prefect fall read!!

I wil def say this highlight of this read was def the stunning art in this graphic novel. I also loved the world building and the characters at he heart of this read. I really loved that is book focused on so many different types of friendships. It also had some unexpected elements that I really loved the enhanced the read and it was such a prefect fall read!!

6.5/10, not the best graphic novel ever, but I still enjoyed this one. The world building was intriguing, but it left some unanswered questions, such as how can the main character teleport into parallel worlds, and why is there a haunted mall, and why did the villain (I forgot what her name was, but she looked like a flamingo or pelican's skeleton) want to tear it down? Only the main character, Beetle, experienced character development as she practiced being a witch (reminds me of Harry Potter) but all the other characters were just so flat. The ending was very action packed, since it was a big battle between two characters, I enjoyed that part a lot, and I also liked the dynamic between Beetle and Blob Ghost, they get along pretty well. If you like an easy fantasy read, this is the book for you.

Beetle is a goblin who lives with her Gran, who home-schools her. Her best friend is Blob Ghost, who lives in the mall, but when Beetle's old best friend Kat Hollowbone returns to town as an apprentice to Mistress Hollowbone, they have to figure out how to get Blob Ghost out of the mall - before Mistress Hollowbone razes it to the ground.

I loved the magic, the high stakes, the friendship, and the full-color art on glossy paper, featuring purple, green, and peach.

See also: Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome, Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon

Quotes

"I think I didn't text you because...I figured that when I saw you again, everything would be exactly the same. Like I was sealing you away, and when I let you out again, our friendship would be the same as it was when I left." (Kat to Beetle)

"I don't care if she apologizes; that's horrible. You have to see that it's horrible. You can't not see it."
"You didn't see how she was when I first got here. She's been nice to me...My parents told me she was kind of tough to be around sometimes, but she's a genius. That's how geniuses are!" (Beetle and Kat)

"You can't just assume you know everything about how people get into places." (Gran)

"Each day we wake up and we make a choice: to give up or to do our best and hope it comes out right." (Gran to Beetle)

I noped out at 30% due to the lack of narrative thrust. The artwork is cute but not terribly clear in its communication.

Absolutely amazing! So many fun character designs! I love the colors and special effects, too. It has such a fun mix of Halloween spooky vibes and magical girl themes

Beetle's grandma is a very good magical goblin who's teaching her granddaughter these spells. Beetle isn't great at learning them, however. She has a good friend who is a ghost in the mall. The ghost cannot leave--he's tied to the mall. Enter her former best friend who has returned as an apprentice to the Hollowbones Witch. They want to tear the mall down. Now, Beetle needs to see if they are still friends, try to save her ghost friend, and make sure the witch doesn't take over.

Initially wasn't sure about this, but it drew me in and I was a big fan by the time the book ended. Wholesome goblins! Adorable ghosties! Exotic bone folks! The surface was good from the beginning, but it was the heart in the story that won me over. Anxious friend dynamics turn into a real story about looking past the surface, and a sweet girl romance. Awesome.

Beetle is a young goblin hoping to be a sorceress, with a blobby little ghost who haunts the mall as her friend. When her old friend/crush, Kat, returns home from boarding school to apprentice under her aunt, things get awkward because the aunt is evil and wants to tear down the mall. Beetle must find a way to free her ghost friend and also repair her damaged friendship with Kat before it's too late.
A fun little middle grade graphic novel. I think the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more and some of the illustrations could have been clearer (I found it difficult to suss out the details of the action sometimes), but overall it's a good read.

Beetle is a goblin. She wants to do more than magic, she wants to do sorcery, but as a goblin, that is not in the pages for her. But still she must learn from her grandma the ways of the goblin. Her best friend is Blob Ghost (BG) but they cannot leave the mall. Yes the shopping mall, that is almost empty. They have to find a way out. Not only has Beetle’s old friend and crush Kat come back to town, her aunt is going to tear down the mall!. The two friends have to find a way to save BG, come to terms with their feelings for each other, and figure out who really has all the power. After all, Aunt Hollowbones is out to get them. This book was just adorable. It has adventure, it has magic, it has heart, and all sorts of other feelings. The storytelling is spot on, and the art is amazing!. This will be a book I will be telling others to read for years to come.

I loved this story so much! The book was so colorful and unique and the story was powerful about learning your own path and not always accepting the one others want you to take. The characters all had such an amazing relationship with one another. Aliza Layne used pictures when Blob Ghost spoke which I believed to be very creative. This is an LGBT Stonewall Honor Book as well.

Honestly almost a 5 star book for me:
Kat and Beetle are SO cute (I swear I was saying "just kiss already!" throughout the whole book)
Blob Ghost is SO cute
The coloring and the art is beautiful and creative and vibrant

Just a few things prevented it:
The pages and panels were often too crowded/busy
Some of the visual narrative could be hard to follow (when did Beetle put on those earrings? What is that thing in Kat's tail at the end? A new crystal? Were her powers every taken away or no?)

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. My son got this as a gift for Christmas and I stole (borrowed) it from him to read.

Story (3/5): The story is about goblin-witch Beetle who is trying to save her friend Blob Ghost from the destruction of the shopping mall he is bound to. Woven in and out of the Blob Ghost issue is Beetle’s evaporating friendship with her friend Kat, who is so much cooler and more successful than Beetle. This is a pretty simple story about friendship and being true to yourself. It’s very much aimed at middle grade girls. Adults will probably find it a bit simple and silly, my son thought it was okay but just too girly for him.

Characters (3/5): The characters here are fairly stereotypical and a bit over-characterized. Beetle is home-schooled and struggles with her lack of friends, looks, and popularity. Kat is super glamorous and popular but struggles with the expectations placed on her. They are all fine and I enjoyed the friendship and family interactions throughout.

Setting (3/5): This is set in a world much like our own but with a Halloweenish overtone. It was (again) fine but not all that original.

Writing/Drawing Style (3/5): This is decently drawn with bright colors and a cartoony look to it. The drawings are easy to follow and add a lot to the story. The story is fairly simple but well put together. In the end I was pretty ambivalent about this book. I kind of thought, “Huh, well that was okay...onto something else.” It’s decently done...I just think I was not at all the target audience and this isn’t a graphic novel that plays very well outside its target crowd.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this is a decently done graphic novel that is solidly targeted at a certain female pre-teen audience that loves malls and is concerned about fitting in with the crowd. There are some pleasant family interactions, some lessons about embracing who you are and being true to your friends. I thought the story was pretty simple and the setting was a bit unimaginative. I don't plan on reading any more graphic novels by this author. However, the color palette and illustration are generally well done and I am sure some will enjoy it.

This book is exciting and playful. It’s the story of a a young goblin trying to save her best friend from the haunted mall

In the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity. Mall is an interesting setting for the book I thought.

Meet a twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is getting boring, and B.G. is cursed to haunt it, tethered there by some unseen force. And now Beetle’s old best friend, Kat, is back in town for a sorcery apprenticeship with her Aunt Hollowbone. Kat is everything Beetle wants to be: beautiful, cool, great at magic, and has many many online followers. Now Beetle’s quickly being left behind.

But Kat’s mentor has set her own vile plan in motion. If Blob Ghost doesn’t escape the mall soon, their afterlife might be coming to a very sticky end. Now, Beetle has less than a week to rescue her best ghost, encourage Kat to stand up for herself, and confront the magic she’s been avoiding for far too long. And hopefully ride a broom without crashing.

The illustrations are bright and inviting with unique looking creature.

First this is a comic book, it is not a written story. The characters are goblins? Spooks of some type.

The art work is colorful, but I couldn't follow along as the dialog was broken & stilted, as if whole thoughts were missing.

3.5