Today's read... Unfamiliar by Haley Newsome

I'm doing some schedule flip-flopping and pulling the read for the 9th forward to today. This is thanks to my very rural, very slow (I mean super, super, super weak) internet connection. While living in our own valley among nature and cows is a dream, it does have a few drawbacks. Go figure.

Today's planned read just happens to be in a larger file, which I'm just not getting downloaded, opened or anything, at the moment. So, I get to share a one with you, which I have especially been looking forward to, instead

This one comes from a very popular webcomic (which I haven't seen but have heard about) and promises to be tons of fun. Plus, it's a graphic novel, and I know so many young readers who love those. So, let's grab our hats and brooms and take off into this read (and maybe, cast a spell for improved internet connections along the way?)

UNFAMILIAR

by Haley Newsome

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Young Adult Fantasy / Graphic Novel

160 pages

ages 10 and up

COMING...

NOVEMBER 29th!!!

Based on the wildly popular webcomic from Tapas, Unfamiliar is an endearing and whimsical story full of magical mayhem, offbeat outsiders, and the power of friendships and found family.

Young kitchen witch Planchette gets an incredible deal on a new house in a magical town. Turns out, there's a reason: it's haunted! After unsuccessfully attempting to get these unwanted ghosts to leave, she realizes the only thing to do is to help them with their problems. Along the way, she befriends a shy siren who hates being popular, a girl battling a curse, and a magically-challenged witch from a powerful coven.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON    /    BOOK DEPOSITORY     /    B&N

MY TIDBITS

Humor, friendship, and a touch of magical fun swirl around the most loveable characters to create a spell-binding tale.

Planchette is a kitchen witch and extremely excited to move into her new, very cheaply purchased home...that is until she realizes it's haunted. The ghosts refuse to be kicked-out, so off Planchette goes to find some help. After all, the entire town is known as a magical place. While she meets several new friends, most who are willing to try to help, it soon becomes clear that they're in over their head with their own problems. If only she could help...

This is such a cute tale with even cuter characters! It's no surprise that the webcomic has become so popular. Planchette is a little bit scatter-brained on the surface, but has a big heart and, somehow, does work things out...-ish. The other characters are also golden, each carrying their own quirky issues, which they really can't seem to get past. And yet, this is the most loving, caring bunch, who holds friendship high and wouldn't hurt anything if they even had to. It's warm, it's funny, and it's simply read to get lost in and enjoy.

The illustrations are very well done and balance well with the text. The graphics are no problem to follow and bring just the right amount of emotion and details to make the story sit. Each character packs personality with all the little smirks and poses to make them that much more lovable. It'll be fun to see where this group heads next.

And here she is...

Haley Newsome is also known as the ultra-popular influencer LavenderTowne with more than 1.6 million subscribers on Youtube and 280k followers on Instagram. Haley writes and drawns tow comics, Unfamiliar and Disasterpiece.