Beautifully drawn and colored, this the mysterious magical school book you didn't know you needed. There's something to be said about purple/pinkish color palettes, and it might actually be my favorite for graphic novels. Book renders the school in this so beautifully that you'll want to go to it. Especially that witchy library.

The plot wasn't necessarily the strongest aspect of this book, but the characters are what really stand out. Sometimes characters in graphic novels can blend into the background, but that isn't the case here. Boo does a great job making them all unique and stand on their own, outside of this magical world that she has created. Thoroughly impressed by this, and I will keep a lookout for other things Boo writes because this is lovely!

The strongest part of this book was its sense of place and atmosphere. The magical academy setting bleeds through on every page. It felt fully realised, with lesson details, a cast of teachers, and a host of different spaces shown such as classrooms (which all had a unique look), the library, dorm rooms, gardens etc. As well as this the plot is structured around the school celebration of Samhain. So when I say this book is set in a magical academy it is SET in a magical academy. The colours and lighting, in addition to the castle/manor-like feel of the academy, made for a spooky, dark academia atmosphere. 

The mystery plot was perfectly fine considering this was a YA graphic novel. It kept me interested in picking the book up again and again, especially given it had a cold/historical case component.

The art was also great. I liked the fine lines and the narrowness of the illustrations, although I will say that the panel placement in trying to keep things fresh and unique all the time was ironically sometimes repetitive. 

The characters were definitely the weakest part of this book. The MC was very Mary-Sue to me. I think exploring the foundling aspect more, which was underutilised all round, could have given her more dimension. Goldie and Violet were compelling enough side characters, but Enver needed more work; outside of being friends with Noreen I didn't really know who they were. 

I want to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins, and HarperAlley for allowing me to read this book. 

CW: Death, bullying, blood, child abuse, kidnapping 
Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo was a beautiful dark academia graphic novel. The art and story was fantastic!!! Over My Dead Body follows the main character Abby as she struggles with  the disappearance of her friend, Noreen, who is like a sister. No one at the school seems to be taken Noreen's disappearance seriously. On top of that Abby is dealing with the everyday struggles of being a teenager in highschool. I think it was really interesting to see Sahmain celebrations come alive. I honestly wish readers saw more development in this world's magical system. There was also some plot points that I felt were not fully explained within the graphic novel. I highly recommend checking Over My Dead Body.