sad yet comforting story on death, moving on and grief
19 yr old ashley tries to escape her small town by working hard only to end up undead from a mysterious attack that sends her into panic mode whenever thought about
as the days goes by she becomes more aware of the supernatural around her and picks up to werewolves, harrison and motley, and becomes more of an older sister to them
unsure with what to do ashley continues trying to live as a human unitl she starts to get hungry

I had no idea what was going to happen before I read this, and I'm surprisingly delighted by the way the story went! A lot of it was very confusing, but I enjoyed it! Great artstyle too.

Meat Eater is a weird-ass book, and I mean that in a good way. The art is zany and trippy, characters have these alien/bug-eyed looks, and the backgrounds feel floaty and dream-like. It’s got this surreal, off-kilter vibe from the start. The story itself bounces between a kind of YA coming-of-age tone and then suddenly swerves into something way darker and honestly pretty fucked up. It keeps you guessing, that’s for sure.

The best way I can put it: if you want a story about a girl trying to figure out what the hell to do with her life after realizing she’s a ghoul, give this a shot. It’s got moments of humor (though not all of it landed for me), but that ending reveal? Damn, it hit hard, I really felt for the main character by the end.

It’s definitely different from most of what I’ve read, and that alone makes it worth checking out. If the humor works better for you than it did for me, this could be a total knockout. For me, it’s a very solid 3 out of 5.

this fresh take on the undead is chock-full of bloody good fun. ashley is a remarkably likeable protagonist, and the world that mcclaren has built--while full of monstrous beings, sure--is super believable and well-written. an excellent option for folks who like a little bit of silliness with their horror.

Loved this werewolf, vampire, ghoulie, creeper of a book. It was open ended at the end which was a little unsatisfying, but I'm hoping this means there is more to come! I would love to read more in this universe.

It's just a fun monster story with a little intrigue behind what happened to our unreliable narrator. Definitely recommend when it comes out.

I received a NetGalley ARC.
4.5 out of 5

I knew from the start I was going to love this graphic novel and I was right! This was a great story! It was dark and fast paced. The art style was amazing. I loved the found family element of this book as well as the ghouls being included in the group of creepys. I really hope we get more in this series. I'm not sure what else McClaren could do with these characters but I would read literally anything she comes up with!

I really enjoyed Meat Eaters. The art style is amazing and the story was deep but still light hearted. I love Motley and Harrison! They're such lovable chaotic characters. You can easily tell that Meredith McClaren built full characters for each person in the book. They feel like they could each easily have their own books because of how unique and individualized they are. I'm looking forward to what project she puts out next!

This is another graphic novel from Oni Press and I love when they put something out for review as I’m rarely disappointed.

Ashley wakes up dead with no recollection of how it happened, and that’s just the start of her problems.

First thoughts are ‘am I a zombie’ but she still has her brains without an exclusive desire to eat brains.

The art style throughout is really strong and fun, supporting and expanding a really sharp story of those that dwell in the shadows.

There are a couple of bits of dialogue I really hope aren’t changed in the finished book, one is “It’s not that I have anything against people. I can play nice. I’ve worked retail.” We all feel that one.

Vampires, werewolves, and so much more which you just have to discover for yourself, I didn’t get it right…

“Relax. It’s mostly horse. How dangerous can it be?“

We follow Ashley and her clan, yes she becomes the leader of a werewolf clan, as they negotiate the world of darkness and the intrinsic of community college and late teen life.

Absolutely loved this and will be one I buy in hard copy when it comes out in July.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Meat Eaters was a blast! The dynamic between the trio was fantastic, and I really connected with their interactions. I haven't looked into whether it's a standalone novel or the start of a series, but honestly, I think it works wonderfully as both. While there's definitely potential for further adventures and exploration of this world, the story feels complete and satisfying on its own. The ending leaves you with a sense of closure, but also a lingering curiosity about the broader world and its monstrous inhabitants. I'd love to see more of this world, perhaps delving deeper into the lore of the monsters, exploring their origins, motivations, and the diverse range of creatures that inhabit this unique setting. Maybe a spin-off focusing on a different group of characters or even a prequel showing how the trio first came together would be amazing! The possibilities are endless!

Ashley Moore is 19 and all she wants is to keep her head down, work hard and graduate so she escape her small town, sure she doesn’t know what she wants to do after she leaves but anything is better than here right? but after waking up coved in blood her life changes, sure she has no pulse and can’t breath, but she can’t truly be dead can she?

After a chance encounter with some vampires she learns there are more things like her, things that aren’t all human, and slowly but surely she’s drawn into the local “creepy” community, but as draws closer to two werewolves her age she finds it more and more difficult to hide what she is and the parts she wishes to ignore like how she died.

This Graphic Novel is amazing. I promised myself I would only check out the first few pages to see what the art was like before bed, and boy, was that a mistake. The next thing I knew, it was the middle of the night, and I had finished it. And it was so worth it, the art style is unique, the characters and their relationships with each other are distinctive and realistic, and I could honestly read a whole entire series on the characters of this book.

I 100% recommend this book for people who like supernatural mysteries, amazing character relationships.

This was a great mix of dark and kinda. The art style was one that I really enjoyed, and the cover is so sick. Nothing about this was standout amazing, but the characters and story were good, and it was still a really solid read. I'm not usually a fan of graphic novels, as I have a pretty hit-or-miss relationship with them, and most tend to end up the latter, so I'm glad I've found another hit! I'm definitely going to be picking this up physically when I can.

I think this was a solid start to what could be a great series. For me personally, it lacked a little bit in plot and the scene jumps felt somewhat jarring at times. It would have been satisfying if some of the characters and their backgrounds had been fleshed out a bit more, making the story feel more well rounded. For example Motley and Harrison talk about Glenn, their alpha, and how horrible he is to them, but this is never backed up in any way. It was the age old issue of ‘show don’t tell’. I did however enjoy the found family aspect and the art style was cute!

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Oni Press via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gorgeous art, a great story and fun characters, I was expecting the monster drama, but not the emotional gut punch that comes with it. Meat Eaters is a book about surviving trauma and figuring out who you are on the other side - and who your family is.

This was an amazing comic book.

The story follows Ashley—how she becomes a ghoul, discovers that wolves and vampires are real, and tries to adapt to everything changing around her. But beneath the monsters and the chaos, this is really a story about the friends we find in unlikely places, and the ways people show up for each other even when the world is falling apart.

On a deeper level, Meat Eaters is about what happens to us after trauma—how we heal, how we break, and how we cope (or don’t). It’s about surviving, even when you’re not sure you want to. And in a world filled with ghouls, vampires, and werewolves, it’s the humans who end up being the real monsters. (Honestly? Not surprising.)

I especially loved how Ashley, after everything she’s been through, becomes the most indestructible and feared creature—not by losing herself, but by fighting through the worst parts of herself: the anxiety, the depression, the crushing grief.

McClaren handles trauma with such honesty, but also with a great sense of humor that never feels out of place. Because survival isn’t clean—after everything, somehow, life keeps handing us these strange little moments of joy and ridiculousness. It’s messy, and ridiculous, and painful, and sometimes absurdly funny—and that’s what makes it real.

My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advance copy of this graphic novel that tells of a young woman whose life was changed in a night, not just her plans, but her health and diet, and the strange underworld she finds all around, as she searches for what happened to her.

I am old enough to remember a time, to quote a song, when I was young and my eyes shone like the sun. The world seemed fresh, new and not the chaotic mess it was too become, and the hellscape it is today. I had plans, lots of them, but to quote another song from the same band, plans came to naught, or half a page of scribbled lines. Life happens. Good or bad. The same happens to the lead character in this graphic novel, though her problems are far larger than what I had to deal with. At least I had a normal body temperature, and didn't have a morbid taste for blood and flesh. Meat Eaters by Meredith McClaren is a story of horror, dealing with trauma, discovering what you still are, and blood, lots of blood.

Ashley Moore is nineteen, going to community college and has a lot of dreams for the future. Most of these dreams involve getting the heck out of her small town. Until the night Ashley wakes up in the woods, scratches all over her with no idea how Ashley got there or what happened. Things go from bad to horrific as she discovers that her favorite breakfast foods taste like ash. Thinking illness, Ashley takes her temperature and finds that it is 70 degrees. Worse upon worse, she has a need for blood, which doesn't sound good. Soon Ashley realizes she is not alone, she is undead and possibly a ghoul, and her small town seems to be a locus for other undead creatures, including vampires, werewolves and more. Of course there are cliques, and rivals, and even darker forces on the periphery. The more Ashley learns the more she is determined to find out what happened to her that night, the night when everything changed.

A story with quite a lot going on, told in a way that is both funny, and sad in equal doses. Ashley is a character readers can't help but like, and as things go from bad to tolerable, one feels for her. We can all imagine the rug of life being pulled out from under our feet, and watching Ashley struggle and start to thrive is really rewarding. The story is funny like I said, but dark and bloody. Nothing gratuitous, it really is there to drive the story. The art is really quite good, a mix of realism and comic that helps the story and softens some of the real blows that come in this story.

I was surprised how much I cared about what was going on. Guess I am not as burnt out as I thought. I enjoyed this tale quite a bit, and would like to see more by Meredith McClaren. Perfect read for those who like a sense of humanity and empathy in their horror. Which might sound odd, but those elements really make a story strong. And this one has this in spades. A very fun, rewarding read.

A Ghoulish Story Full of Heart (and GORE)!

Meat Eaters is a heart-warming story guaranteed to pull at your emotions. It is full of found family, healing, and finding yourself. I think that Meredith McClaren has crafted a genuinely beautiful story, and the illustrations help to bring this story to another level. Readers can dive into this story with little to no understanding of the world because discovering the twists and turns as they are revealed makes this universe come to life. There is a secret underground paranormal world right behind closed doors and it just was such a vibrant take on the classic vampires, werewolves, and witches (oh my!). You absolutely should be tuning into this graphic novel because the final message is sure to warm your heart and be something you won't forget!

Thank you to Meredith McClaren, Oni Press, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review (unpaid).

This book has a really interesting concept and I'm particularly interested in the worldbuilding of "creepies" living amongst humans, however I feel like a lot more could have been done with this idea. While the plot of this book was super interesting, there were a lot of things that weren't said outright and were a bit confusing, and a lot of questions went left unanswered as well. I really want to see more of this story and the dynamic between Ashley, Motley, and Harrison, and I hope this will just be the beginning of a series.

The graphic cover made my mouth water straight away.
On the menu (apart from meat): zombies, werewolves, vampires and horrible creatures!
I really liked the Tokyo ghoul-style start.
I had trouble with the style of the faces at first, but you soon get used to it. The faces are very expressive.
It's punchy, funny and lively (no pun intended). The humour is dark and modern. Ashley is very relatable. What's more, she manages to be both badass and cowardly. The found family is super adorable (and bloody). I loved watching them fight (chaotically and catastrophically) for each other. It still works for me.
There are hyper graphic moments that surprise as much as the main character, it's super effective (and disturbing).
The subtext of mental health and trying to find one's place is well handled.
The origin of his death is well disseminated throughout the story (and the finale is a thing of beauty).
I can't wait to read more of their adventures!

Ps: It took me a long time to understand her phone case.

Thank you NetGalley and he publisher for gifting me an early copy of Meat Eaters

It is a graphic novel that tells the story of Ashley who has just died and became a ghoul.
It was different from the graphic novels I am used to reading, but I really enjoyed it. It was intriguing, nice and easy to read and I loved the drawing style.

I thought it would be more on the horror side when I saw the cover, but apart from the moments Ashley is eating meat (which often disgusted me, probably because of the close-ups) I would say that it was pretty mild.

Her friendship with Motley and Harrison was a good addition and also fun and nice to read about.

Oh, now this was such a treat! Going in blind based purely on the striking cover art was definitely the right choice for me; I was put right into Ashley's shoes of stumbling into the story, seeking answers and piecing things together bit by bit. But where our protagonist is (rightfully) terrified of her newfound circumstances, I was electrified the whole way through. The way McClaren renders blood and gore is visceral and tactile without compromising the cartoony simplicity of the art style. I was particularly taken with the backgrounds and environmental details! Plot-wise, this book offers just enough to get the gears turning while leaving plenty still on the table for the reader to speculate about. The characters are easy to understand and communicate their vibe at a glance, which is a must when telling a complete story in a single volume, but that isn't to say they lacked depth! The way this cast comes together and relates to one another, how all of us might on some level feel like we don't have "it," was a big highlight for me. All told, a short, sweet, spooky way to spend an evening that gives you plenty to chew on! The only thing I could ask for is more, more, more!