Review by Booklist Review
College is expensive, so part-time jobs are pretty typical. Kim's job, however, is a far cry from the usual wage labor she's a reaper of souls, though she's still in training, so her souls are mostly of the pet variety. When her cute classmate Becka follows her through her portal and interrupts a particularly challenging job, Kim goes a little too far in trying to impress her: a trip to an amusement park is the tops, but the haunted ship? Not so nice, especially when Becka is possessed by a ghoul. Can their burgeoning romance survive the demands of Kim's otherworldly job? Thanks to some pluck (and a zombie-smashing rolling pin), yes, it can. Graley's adorably goth comic is full of over-the-top slapstick; cute, goggle-eyed characters; a sweet lesbian romance; and, of course, lots of skeletons and trips to hell. The contrast between the macabre plot and bubbly art, in a rich palette of warm jewel tones with pops of fluorescent hues, will be utterly bewitching for the right reader.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
After working up the courage to invite her crush Kim to the pub for a drink, university student Becka follows her into a portal, where she discovers that Kim's goth look isn't an act: Kim works as a part-time grim reaper, collecting the souls of animals and, eventually, humans. Becka accompanies Kim on a few missions, but she isn't entirely comfortable with Kim's career choice, creating a potential roadblock in their relationship. With plenty of hijinks (an amped-up bodybuilder with an army of cats, ghoul-possessed pirate treasure, a plague of zombies) and banter ("Your noodley arms pack such a punch," gushes Becka at one point), the story has no shortage of entertaining moments. But they play second fiddle to its focus on how one goes about setting boundaries in relationships, especially in the face of trying to make a living. Graley uses a dark, purplish palette to create an atmosphere of otherworldly adventure without resorting to a full-on goth-culture black motif. Her chunky drawing style resists over-sexualizing the girls' budding romance, and the steady stream of jokes keeps her story's more intense emotional moments from getting too dire or serious. Ages 13-up. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Graley presents an adorable story of friendship and budding romance-and an underworld of vengeful grim reapers. College student Becka has a crush on Kim, a classmate in an art course, but Kim doesn't even know Becka exists. When Becka accidentally follows Kim through a magical portal, she discovers that Kim works as a part-time grim reaper, helping souls make their way into the afterlife. It soon becomes evident that Kim returns Becka's feelings, but Becka isn't sure she approves of Kim's dangerous profession. While the plot features plenty of ghostly close calls, the tone is more funny than frightening. Featuring soft, curved lines and plenty of visual humor, the cute artwork keeps the mood lighthearted. VERDICT An excellent addition to libraries seeking graphic novels, especially those looking for hi-lo titles for teens interested in paranormal romance.-Emily Butler, Deerfield Academy, MA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Two girls attending university crush on each other and fight supernatural creatures in this charming graphic novel for teens.Uni student Becka has a thing for goth girls. Brown-haired, brown-skinned, curvy, and femme, she works in a bakery and spends her art-history class daydreaming about her classmate Kim: "a 100% cutie with a booty." Kim is pale with a purple bob and cat's-eye eyeliner. When Becka finally works up the nerve to ask Kim out, she follows her out of classand accidentally stumbles through a pink portal surrounded by skulls and swirling purple ghosts. Kim, casually carrying a portal-creating scythe, is on her way to reap the soul of a cat, her current assignment in her new job as a part-time grim reaper (to pay her way through uni). Becka's arrival disrupts the process, sending them on a whirlwind adventure-turned-date to save Kim's job and get home safely. Zombies, ghouls, and skeletal reapers all make appearances, but Graley's humorous dialogue and cute cartoon illustrations (featuring Gravity Falls-esque oversized eyes and bubble-gum colors) keep things light.An appealing mixture of 95 percent humor and 5 percent horror perfect for fans of John Allison's graphic-novel series Giant Days and the web series Carmilla. (Graphic fantasy. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
