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The October Girl #1
The October Girl Book One
A moody, coming-of-age tale for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Pecular Children and Nimona, filled with fairies and ogres and magic galore.
Autumn Ackerman grew up believing in fairies and magic and princesses who defeated dragons, but now that she’s eighteen and facing a future stuck behind the counter of her small town’s coffee shop, she’s starting to wonder if this is all there really is to her life.
But then she meets her childhood imaginary friend, Barnaby, in the alley behind the coffee shop one night. Autumn’s entire world is turned upside down.
Drawn into the strange and mysterious world of the Night Folk, fantastic creatures that inspired all of humanity’s myths about gods and monsters, Autumn is about to discover that there is more to her world than she ever dreamed of as a little girl, and that world is far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. With the help of Barnaby and Evan Fade, the tragic young boy who inherited the local bookstore, Autumn has to protect herself from the coldly terrifying Mr. Balloon long enough to discover the truth about the Night Folk and her own past.
Autumn Ackerman grew up believing in fairies and magic and princesses who defeated dragons, but now that she’s eighteen and facing a future stuck behind the counter of her small town’s coffee shop, she’s starting to wonder if this is all there really is to her life.
But then she meets her childhood imaginary friend, Barnaby, in the alley behind the coffee shop one night. Autumn’s entire world is turned upside down.
Drawn into the strange and mysterious world of the Night Folk, fantastic creatures that inspired all of humanity’s myths about gods and monsters, Autumn is about to discover that there is more to her world than she ever dreamed of as a little girl, and that world is far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. With the help of Barnaby and Evan Fade, the tragic young boy who inherited the local bookstore, Autumn has to protect herself from the coldly terrifying Mr. Balloon long enough to discover the truth about the Night Folk and her own past.
184 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2025
1 person is currently reading
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 9, 2025
Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
The October Girl is a graphic novel with a cover and title that grabbed my eye.
Real life can really suck when you are stuck in a small town and you can't do what you really want to. Gosh don't I know it. Autumn is feeling this a lot as she tries to help our her mom with money after her dad left. Life just isn't all its cracked up to be. But when her childhoods imaginary friend suddenly shows up, it cracks her life wide open, learnign things about her past that she never could have thought. Is that what she wants?
Netgalley calls this a moody coming of age tale and I agree. It has that melancholy feel to it with our main character Autumn who is just going through the motions really. But the fantasy elements with all of the fae give a contrast to that melancholy feel of real life. It brings a bit of excitment and color to her tale. It is an interesting mix.
I found this start a good solid start. We meet some of our characters that will play a role. There is of course Autumn, our main character. Her mother. Her imaginary friend Barnaby. And the local book shop owner Nick. We find out why she is of interest to the fae and why her life is the way that it is. There is enough here to draw my attention and read on.
The art itself works quite well. It fits with the melancholy feel. You can see it in the cover. The yellow back color with this character in blue. She radiates a bit of gloomy and/or melancholy feel and that continues throughout this volume.
The October Girl is a graphic novel with a cover and title that grabbed my eye.
Real life can really suck when you are stuck in a small town and you can't do what you really want to. Gosh don't I know it. Autumn is feeling this a lot as she tries to help our her mom with money after her dad left. Life just isn't all its cracked up to be. But when her childhoods imaginary friend suddenly shows up, it cracks her life wide open, learnign things about her past that she never could have thought. Is that what she wants?
Netgalley calls this a moody coming of age tale and I agree. It has that melancholy feel to it with our main character Autumn who is just going through the motions really. But the fantasy elements with all of the fae give a contrast to that melancholy feel of real life. It brings a bit of excitment and color to her tale. It is an interesting mix.
I found this start a good solid start. We meet some of our characters that will play a role. There is of course Autumn, our main character. Her mother. Her imaginary friend Barnaby. And the local book shop owner Nick. We find out why she is of interest to the fae and why her life is the way that it is. There is enough here to draw my attention and read on.
The art itself works quite well. It fits with the melancholy feel. You can see it in the cover. The yellow back color with this character in blue. She radiates a bit of gloomy and/or melancholy feel and that continues throughout this volume.
August 4, 2025
3’8/5⭐️ First of all, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an arc of “The October girl”. Since I haven’t read the synopsis of this book before starting it, I didn’t expect the fantasy elements, so they were a pleasant surprise! I think the art style suits very well the main character and the story. I found this graphic novel quite refreshing.
November 24, 2025
a solid start for this young adult urban fantasy series
September 15, 2025
I love going into graphic novels not knowing much about them, because that way I'm surprised, sometimes pleasently, as is the case with this one.
It felt a bit short and could've used a bit more world-building, but the internal thoughts of Autumn were great, and for once, I wasn't annoyed by a young protagonist.
Autumn is a girl living a bit of a mundane life thinking about entering college and working in a coffee shop, that is until her world is turned upside down when she encounters some supernatural things and her view of her world entirely changes.
It was a fun read, and I'm hoping for a second volume, because that ending was too clean.
It felt a bit short and could've used a bit more world-building, but the internal thoughts of Autumn were great, and for once, I wasn't annoyed by a young protagonist.
Autumn is a girl living a bit of a mundane life thinking about entering college and working in a coffee shop, that is until her world is turned upside down when she encounters some supernatural things and her view of her world entirely changes.
It was a fun read, and I'm hoping for a second volume, because that ending was too clean.
August 30, 2025
Thank you @matthewdowsmith @madcavestudios and @netgalley for sending the ARC of this novel.
A graphic novel for dreamers, dusk-walkers and anyone who still talks to the shadows.
Do you ever feel like you are meant for more than lattes and locked routines? Like maybe just maybe – some old forgotten magic is curled up in the corners of your world, just waiting for you to look the other way so it can blink?
Yeah. Autumn Ackerman gets it.
In The October Girl, the author spins a beautifully bittersweet tale about growing up and not giving up. Autumn’s eighteen, brewing coffee in a too small town, and trying to ignore the ache in her chest that says, This can’t be it. And then, boom. A balloon. A shadow. A friend from the past who was never supposed to be real, returning with secrets and glow in tow.
Welcome to the realm of the Night Folk.
Think fairy tales but with teeth. Think dreams that slipped behind the wallpaper. Think imaginary friends who turn out to be more real than your dreams. The world in this story is charming and haunting in equal measure, a place that feels like it’s been waiting for you to remember it.
The art? Catchy. Muted tones and moody lines give the story that perfect late-October feel. Like fog on the pumpkin patch. Like dusk in your chest. It's visual poetry for lovers of strange beauty.
Autumn herself is a delight. She is smart, stubborn and entirely unprepared for the wild truth of her heritage. But what makes her special isn’t just the secret magic pumping through her veins, it’s her heart. Her humanity. Her willingness to face a balloon-faced nightmare to protect the people she loves.
And speaking of nightmares, Mr. Balloon? Straight-up terrifying in the best possible way. He is the kind of villain who doesn’t need gore or growling to get under your skin. He just smiles and suddenly your childhood nightlight doesn't feel like enough.
But this isn’t just a spooky story. It’s about identity. About finding out who you were meant to be, even if it means leaving behind who you thought you were supposed to be. It’s about rediscovering magic in the mundane and remembering that your imaginary friend might’ve just been waiting for the right moment to return.
If you ever talked to your stuffed animals like they were guarding secret realms...
If you ever stared out the window hoping something strange would find you...
If you've ever felt like you were meant for more...
Then The October Girl is your next graphic novel.
Buy it. Read it. And maybe just maybe don’t throw away that old imaginary friend just yet. You never know who might show up when the moon’s just right.
This book will be released on October 21 2025. So go and grab yourself a copy of this if interested!
A graphic novel for dreamers, dusk-walkers and anyone who still talks to the shadows.
Do you ever feel like you are meant for more than lattes and locked routines? Like maybe just maybe – some old forgotten magic is curled up in the corners of your world, just waiting for you to look the other way so it can blink?
Yeah. Autumn Ackerman gets it.
In The October Girl, the author spins a beautifully bittersweet tale about growing up and not giving up. Autumn’s eighteen, brewing coffee in a too small town, and trying to ignore the ache in her chest that says, This can’t be it. And then, boom. A balloon. A shadow. A friend from the past who was never supposed to be real, returning with secrets and glow in tow.
Welcome to the realm of the Night Folk.
Think fairy tales but with teeth. Think dreams that slipped behind the wallpaper. Think imaginary friends who turn out to be more real than your dreams. The world in this story is charming and haunting in equal measure, a place that feels like it’s been waiting for you to remember it.
The art? Catchy. Muted tones and moody lines give the story that perfect late-October feel. Like fog on the pumpkin patch. Like dusk in your chest. It's visual poetry for lovers of strange beauty.
Autumn herself is a delight. She is smart, stubborn and entirely unprepared for the wild truth of her heritage. But what makes her special isn’t just the secret magic pumping through her veins, it’s her heart. Her humanity. Her willingness to face a balloon-faced nightmare to protect the people she loves.
And speaking of nightmares, Mr. Balloon? Straight-up terrifying in the best possible way. He is the kind of villain who doesn’t need gore or growling to get under your skin. He just smiles and suddenly your childhood nightlight doesn't feel like enough.
But this isn’t just a spooky story. It’s about identity. About finding out who you were meant to be, even if it means leaving behind who you thought you were supposed to be. It’s about rediscovering magic in the mundane and remembering that your imaginary friend might’ve just been waiting for the right moment to return.
If you ever talked to your stuffed animals like they were guarding secret realms...
If you ever stared out the window hoping something strange would find you...
If you've ever felt like you were meant for more...
Then The October Girl is your next graphic novel.
Buy it. Read it. And maybe just maybe don’t throw away that old imaginary friend just yet. You never know who might show up when the moon’s just right.
This book will be released on October 21 2025. So go and grab yourself a copy of this if interested!
July 29, 2025
Surprise, you're part of a fairy kingdom!
Autumn is working an annoyingly humdrum job at a coffee shop while her mom also goes through the motions-- there isn't even going to be enough money to go to college if she wants to so she better just get used to a basic existence without much joy. That is until her imaginary friend Barnaby from the past reappears by the dumpster outside the coffee shop and wants to clue her in on a few things- namely that there is a villainous man who wants her for his own means. But she doesn't know what's so special about herself... until everyone tells her who she is and who her grandfather is and who her mother REALLY is. Talk about a shock to the system.
The first book is the perfect introduction to Autumn and her fairy universe that is layered with the human universe. The yellow and red pops of color and overall color choices for this comic is eye-catching while also giving you the sense of cozy that the changing seasons will now bring into Autumn's life. Will she go quietly or will she cause a stir?
Adore her as a character and how the first book is setting up the second volume. I'm definitely on board.
Autumn is working an annoyingly humdrum job at a coffee shop while her mom also goes through the motions-- there isn't even going to be enough money to go to college if she wants to so she better just get used to a basic existence without much joy. That is until her imaginary friend Barnaby from the past reappears by the dumpster outside the coffee shop and wants to clue her in on a few things- namely that there is a villainous man who wants her for his own means. But she doesn't know what's so special about herself... until everyone tells her who she is and who her grandfather is and who her mother REALLY is. Talk about a shock to the system.
The first book is the perfect introduction to Autumn and her fairy universe that is layered with the human universe. The yellow and red pops of color and overall color choices for this comic is eye-catching while also giving you the sense of cozy that the changing seasons will now bring into Autumn's life. Will she go quietly or will she cause a stir?
Adore her as a character and how the first book is setting up the second volume. I'm definitely on board.
August 30, 2025
What would you do if one day you woke up and suddenly realized everything that you thought you knew about your family and how the world worked was wrong? Autumn has a pretty normal life-- job, school, family troubles-- but all of that changes when she finds her imaginary friend is real, and he's not the only thing that turns out to be real.
The cover of this graphic novel is what really drew my attention. I love the bright yellow and the blue and red of our main character's outfit. The art was really nice. I love the sort of simple, sketchy style that it has as well as cool color palette.
This is a set-up book. So there is a lot of reveals kind of right after each other. A lot that we as the readers and Autumn herself have to accept. I do think that the story went a bit fast and wish there was a bit more detail, but this is only volume one. It's meant to be a sort of appetizer to get you interested in the world and want more. I am definitely going to read more in this series and hope that we get a lot more details about the world and all the magic within it.
Thanks to Maverick for the DRC!
The cover of this graphic novel is what really drew my attention. I love the bright yellow and the blue and red of our main character's outfit. The art was really nice. I love the sort of simple, sketchy style that it has as well as cool color palette.
This is a set-up book. So there is a lot of reveals kind of right after each other. A lot that we as the readers and Autumn herself have to accept. I do think that the story went a bit fast and wish there was a bit more detail, but this is only volume one. It's meant to be a sort of appetizer to get you interested in the world and want more. I am definitely going to read more in this series and hope that we get a lot more details about the world and all the magic within it.
Thanks to Maverick for the DRC!
September 12, 2025
Fun graphic novel that dumps a lot of stuff on a teenaged girl called Autumn, starting with her being visited by her imaginary childhood friend, and then finding out – well, that would be telling. The story takes a girl who stereotypically declares "I was beginning to think that I had the world more or less worked out", and proves that she doesn't, in ways that (a) pile it on to the point of cruelty for her, (b) are very fun and readable, and (c) better be proven more worthwhile by further volumes. That last is backed up by the ending here being rather lame, and certainly not absolute enough. The artwork style is a sketchy, quick kind, and the pages turn very rapidly, too, whether you enjoy them or not. I did – but again I would have liked more variety to the "actually, Autumn, this is your world now" activity, and more closure. I'm not going to lose any sleep over the wait for Book Two, but this packed enough drama in to both make me want to see it when it does arrive, and earn four stars in the meantime.
October 30, 2025
Thank you to Mad Cave Studios for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Autumn is an eighteen-year-old on the cusp of adulthood and has no idea what to do with her life. She is done with high school and fallen into the drudgery of a daily job as a barista. She seems to be content with not having any goals, but also confused about what she should be doing, which seems like a typical young adult who is caught between childhood and adulthood.
Her life gets twisted upside down when she discovers that she is the granddaughter of the October King, who is from the fairy realm. Also, there's a guy named Balloon Man who wants her powers.
She has powers, you say? Yeap. Glowing light from her hands that can heal and do some other stuff.
Overall, the book itself isn't too impressive. It is setting up a sort of "Chosen One" trope and the idea that there's a hidden world that Autumn was never aware of. It is the first book in the series, so it is setting up the worldbuilding. The rest of the series could have potential, but this first book falls flat.
Autumn is an eighteen-year-old on the cusp of adulthood and has no idea what to do with her life. She is done with high school and fallen into the drudgery of a daily job as a barista. She seems to be content with not having any goals, but also confused about what she should be doing, which seems like a typical young adult who is caught between childhood and adulthood.
Her life gets twisted upside down when she discovers that she is the granddaughter of the October King, who is from the fairy realm. Also, there's a guy named Balloon Man who wants her powers.
She has powers, you say? Yeap. Glowing light from her hands that can heal and do some other stuff.
Overall, the book itself isn't too impressive. It is setting up a sort of "Chosen One" trope and the idea that there's a hidden world that Autumn was never aware of. It is the first book in the series, so it is setting up the worldbuilding. The rest of the series could have potential, but this first book falls flat.
November 6, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
How many times have you wished for a person from your past to return and whisk you away from the drudgery of everyday life? Well that is exactly what happens to Autumn when her childhood imaginary friend comes back into her life.
Autumn soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, as she rediscovers a land of mythical beings, learns about her past, and faces terrible danger.
Told in a beautiful, yet simple art style, this is a captivating read. The first volume of a continuing series, but it reads well as a standalone, nicely wrapping up the story for now. That said, the world Matthew Dow Smith has created yearns to be explored, and is full of characters with interesting tales to tell, and I am eager to revisit as soon as volume two is released.
How many times have you wished for a person from your past to return and whisk you away from the drudgery of everyday life? Well that is exactly what happens to Autumn when her childhood imaginary friend comes back into her life.
Autumn soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems, as she rediscovers a land of mythical beings, learns about her past, and faces terrible danger.
Told in a beautiful, yet simple art style, this is a captivating read. The first volume of a continuing series, but it reads well as a standalone, nicely wrapping up the story for now. That said, the world Matthew Dow Smith has created yearns to be explored, and is full of characters with interesting tales to tell, and I am eager to revisit as soon as volume two is released.
August 1, 2025
Autumn thought she’d be living the same boring life, school, work, school, work, but when her not so imaginary childhood friend shows up telling her she’s in danger life might not be so boring after all.
I really enjoyed this, the art was very distinctive and the colours really popped off the page. Autumn is a relatable and overwhelmed character (as one would be when put in her situation) she still rises to the occasion and tries her best to find the best outcome for everyone and is a great character to be following.
Can’t wait to see what more is to come for these characters.
Thank you Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for the ARC
I really enjoyed this, the art was very distinctive and the colours really popped off the page. Autumn is a relatable and overwhelmed character (as one would be when put in her situation) she still rises to the occasion and tries her best to find the best outcome for everyone and is a great character to be following.
Can’t wait to see what more is to come for these characters.
Thank you Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for the ARC
October 30, 2025
Autumn used to believe in fairies and magic and imaginary friends, but since her father deserted the family on her thirteenth birthday, her life is anything but magical. Her mother works two jobs to keep them afloat, and Autumn works to help. Stuck in a rut of despair--school and work--with no hope of a future, things suddenly change when her long forgotten imaginary friend makes an appearance. Barnaby doesn't appear so imaginary anymore, and he is accompanied by even more fantastical creatures. Autumn is suddenly thrust into a world of magical creatures she struggles to accept. What is going on--and what does it have to do with her? A good introduction to an interesting story.
October 31, 2025
Super cute, quick read with a lot more depth than I was expecting. I think the author did a very good job creating an interesting world with the October king and the Night Folk. I would definitely be interested in reading more in this series. I think that the somewhat rough artwork did a good job of portraying the "real" world of what we think we believe is true coexisting with the magical world just beyond our view. I kind of wish this was a full length novel rather than a short graphic novel as I would love to get more detail into the story.
September 24, 2025
The title 'The October Girl', the vibrant yellow cover and the character names, giving the graphic novel an autumn vibe. But its filled with more. Autumn our FMC's ordinary life gets mixed with mystical mysterious creatures known as Night Folks. A whimsical start of a series of events to be followed. As the first volume it is okay. I wished it had more depth in the plot building rather than a rushed plot in the end.
November 23, 2025
A girl struggles with the ennui of adulting only to discover the world of the fae (the Night Folk) are real. The heroine finds out she has powers and a baddie wants them, he threatens her, they fight, the end.
The art was kind of bland and felt kind of like rough draft sketches that were colored. The story also felt like it rushed the climax. All-in-all, it was just okay, but I'll give it a rating bump for having boy-girl friendship that wasn't required to be romance.
The art was kind of bland and felt kind of like rough draft sketches that were colored. The story also felt like it rushed the climax. All-in-all, it was just okay, but I'll give it a rating bump for having boy-girl friendship that wasn't required to be romance.
September 26, 2025
A beautifully drawn world of fae creatures hidden in plain sight as Autumn wrestles with things she never knew about her family.
It reads a little light on the hard-hitting emotions but has Rainbow Rowell energy. A solid read for magical realism.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a review copy.
It reads a little light on the hard-hitting emotions but has Rainbow Rowell energy. A solid read for magical realism.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a review copy.
November 21, 2025
Eighteen-year-old Autumn isn't sure what comes next in life, but she was not expecting to learn that she is a heir to a hidden world of magical folk. Now she is on a collision course with an evil entity who wants to sap her powers.
This one will probably please YA audiences who love magic-tinged tales, but I just didn't find the story or artwork very engaging.
This one will probably please YA audiences who love magic-tinged tales, but I just didn't find the story or artwork very engaging.
August 19, 2025
The story is somewhat familiar (a lost princess, magical realms, magical creatures, secrets) but there is also a tone that makes it fresh. There is something about it that is cozy and exciting. (Read via an online reader copy)
November 16, 2025
I enjoyed this book very much and the artwork was different and great!
For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/dTIxP6QF7M...
Enjoy!
For the rest of the review, visit my Vlog at:
https://youtube.com/shorts/dTIxP6QF7M...
Enjoy!
November 17, 2025
Interesting I will definitely continue the series
August 11, 2025
How I wished I like this one.
While the beginning was interesting it became very cartoonish almost. The bad guy being cartoonishly bad, the side characters were there and not there at the same time. Plus I’m not even sure what the whole glow-thing is.
Thankyou #netgalley and #MadCaveStudios for a free copy for reviewing.
While the beginning was interesting it became very cartoonish almost. The bad guy being cartoonishly bad, the side characters were there and not there at the same time. Plus I’m not even sure what the whole glow-thing is.
Thankyou #netgalley and #MadCaveStudios for a free copy for reviewing.
September 15, 2025
Perfect story for the autumn mood about a girl called Autumn.
Autumn doesn't know what to do with her life. She's supposed to go to college soon, but she knows her mother cannot afford it. She works part-time in a coffee shop thinking about her life and being a moody teenager. Everything changes when she sees her imaginary childhood friend. It turns out Autumn isn't a normal teenager.
The October Girl is beautifully illustrated, the art perfectly fits the story. I loved the colours and the way they conveyed Autumn's feelings.
My only complaint is how chaotic the story was and how everyone ignored Autumn instead of explaining everything to her. But otherwise I can recommend this comic book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book.
Autumn doesn't know what to do with her life. She's supposed to go to college soon, but she knows her mother cannot afford it. She works part-time in a coffee shop thinking about her life and being a moody teenager. Everything changes when she sees her imaginary childhood friend. It turns out Autumn isn't a normal teenager.
The October Girl is beautifully illustrated, the art perfectly fits the story. I loved the colours and the way they conveyed Autumn's feelings.
My only complaint is how chaotic the story was and how everyone ignored Autumn instead of explaining everything to her. But otherwise I can recommend this comic book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews