Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy. All opinions are honest and my own.

Beautiful art and a cute story -- wish there was a little more to it. I would love to see more from this artist in the future.

A short, sweet and lovely romance between a gardener and his best friend, who happens to be a ghost. Love all the beautiful green tones in the illustration.

This was made available as a Read Now title on Netgalley. This is an honest review.

So this was pretty cute!! I liked it a lot: I laughed out loud several times and I’d love to read more about these characters and their super sweet relationship. I do wish we got a bit more of that in this volume, and that the first half had more explanation. What was the deal with that tree thing! The balance had to be restored but how did they know how! So many questions and no answers. Also what happened to the other ghosts!!! Gah.

I greatly appreciated that right from the get-go there was a variety of body types and races represented in a totally effortless way. And Hamal is bisexual?? I think! And there was so much healthy masculinity and emotional expression, which was wonderful. I think I’ll discover more things to love about it every time I read it, and I will read it again.

Anyway overall it was lovely and a just really nice time, and I would cheerfully read fifteen more volumes about Hamal and Blue (and Chloe!) solving supernatural disturbances.

Blue and Hamal are adorable. Because it’s so short, we’re pretty much dumped straight into the story that is actually pretty straight-forward. Blue’s dead and a ghost, finds Hamal that can see ghosts and they become friends. The attraction is already there when we start reading, so we’re just waiting for these boys to get together! It takes a little obligatory angst, because hello, one of them’s dead, but then surprise-mean-then-not-mean-Reaper (yes, with a capital R) and the HEA happens.

I adore that we get a little epilogue like bit before the end so that we see how their lives would progress now that Blue’s alive again (haha, sorry if that’s a spoiler). It was a lovely ending, and actually made me crave more episodic pieces where Blue and Hamal go and neocromance-troubleshoot for people. Basically a need!more! feeling that I get aaaaall the time that pretty much never gets satisfied.

A beautifully drawn graphic novel with an interesting, unique story. Ghosts and gay boys equal a fantastic read.

TAPROOT is too cute. Just too cute for this world. It's a story about ghosts and the supernatural and it is so creative! It's about sacrifice, love, and the otherworldly. The colors of the graphic novel, as well as the characters themselves, really stood out to me. It's also worth mentioning that this is an LGBT romance between two men! The romance is so sweet. My only complaint is that I felt it wrapped up too quickly. I just wish there was more! But I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

"Taproot" is a sweet graphic novel about a gardener and a ghost. The illustrations are beautifully done, the colors adding a cheerfulness to the story. The story lacked depth, however, and while it was undeniably cute, it was little more than that.

Taproot is absolutely adorable with ghost-boy Blue mad for his best friend Hamal, who just happens to still be alive. Now, normally humans can’t see ghosts, so when Blue first catches sight his gorgeous future besty, he follows him around (very closely) enjoying the view… until Hamal politely asks him to stop. Despite their awkward beginnings Hamal somehow forgives his sketchy stalker and their friendship blooms. Hamal is kind and gentle and can make anything grow. Both of his special abilities are because he is a necromancer. It’s a gentle story of love and magic with correspondingly beautiful, gentle pictures.

A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

This book tells the story of a gardener who can see ghosts.

The book's concept is very interesting and its execution is done perfectly.

The art's beautiful and I love how the colors work, how they change throughout the story and how they work with each character.

The story's short, simple, sweet and compelling.

All of the characters are lovable and have something special about them.

I really like this book, I hope you read it too.

Taye “Blue” Alvarado (nicknamed for an eighth grade hair dye choice) is quietly in love with his friend Hamal, a budding (pun intended) gardener. Hamal has also caught the attention of Chloe, and Blue – in the familiar let’s-just-test-the-boundaries-here way – keeps insisting that the two would be a good match. Hamal, however, is uninterested, and Blue’s relentlessness on the matter causes Hamal to demand some time alone.

While Blue is sulking, a dark forest and a reaper appear. The Reaper is searching for someone performing “illegal necromancy,” and tries to get Blue to assist in the search. Blue refuses. Some time passes, and Blue returns to Hamal, who is thrilled at his return. Blue tells him about the necromancer – Hamal is absolutely oblivious to how it may be him – and the Reaper.

The Reaper appears and says that the dying plants and overall “imbalance” are due to Hamal (in a blink-and-you’ve-missed-it moment earlier, Hamal mentions that the secret behind his prowess in plant cultivation is his singing to them). Hamal has three days to right the imbalance, or he will be put to death.

Forward to Blue’s grave, where Hamal unearths and plant and puts it into Blue’s chest. In a series of gorgeous panels, the plant takes root and flourishes, and Blue is brought back to life. He tells Hamal that he loves him, and they kiss. However, the moment is fleeting, as the plant continues to grow, turning into a gigantic tree and dense greenery that displaces the dark forest. Blue is gone.

But Blue returns! The Reaper, a “sucker for cheesy romance,” has given Blue a second chance, also claiming that now Hamal “owes” him. A short vignette at the end of the book follows Hamal and Blue to Chloe’s house, where they put some unfinished supernatural business to rest by recovering a dead child’s letter and gift to her best friend.

I’m very mixed on Taproot. The more I look at it, the more I am captivated by the gorgeous illustrations and character design (which help carry the work at times when the story feels flat). Blue and Hamal never explore their feelings towards each other while Blue is still in ghost-form – the frustration of loving someone while being able to be touch them is completely untapped. Blue never appears particularly torn by his predicament, and as a result Blue’s self-sacrifice lacks the tension and gravitas that should accompany that crucial gesture. When Blue tells Hamal that he loves him, the moment is still beautiful, but it feels like it almost stands unconnected to the rest of the work.

At the end, the vignette seems a little unnecessary – and Hamal’s “necromancy” doesn’t specifically tie in to solving the problem – but it’s cute and nice to see the characters interacting with each other now that Blue’s ethereal issue has been fleshed out.

Some plot points did not make sense for me, particularly any actions by the Reaper. (Could be the larger symbolism is that death is pointless and does not follow logic . . . ? However, it just feels like incomplete storytelling.) First, the Reaper tries to barter with Blue – Blue’s safety for turning over Hamal – but Blue won’t strike a deal. The Reaper, without much reason, just decides to let him go anyway. The Reaper later shows up to give Hamal his necromancy pass – without any suggestion as to what steps he took to find Hamal, or why it is so important to the Reaper to “restore balance.” Then, at the end, the reaper revives Blue pretty much “just ‘cause.” While I was happy to see Blue brought back to life, as a plot point this didn’t really feel earned.

Gorgeous use of color, the characters designs feel unique without being distracting. Overall, the illustrations are enough to carry this book, and in the hands of a younger audience, the issues with story pacing and complexity won’t be as jarring. A great fit for grades 5 through 8.

This was so cuuuuuute! It's a story about ghosts and supernatural thingies but the colours and the main characters' personalities made it all too cheerful and beautiful and not spooky at all.

I recommend it strongly to anyone who wants to read about love, sacrifice with a otherworldly twist.

<p>(in which my hetero-normativeness is reinforced)</p>

<p>Okay -- so I totally thought the ghost was a girl until it was explicitly stated the ghost was a guy. Then I went back and re-read up to that point and realized, nope, nothing said <i>hey, I'm a girl</i>, so good on <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> for making me stop and realize how ingrained my hetero-normativity is.</p>

<p>So that's the good. The bad: <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> is a good idea too lightly applied. A gardener and a ghost fall in love, there's a evil spirit/menacing spirit forest, then a brief story about another ghostly presence. Each of these should be a full comic/novel in their own right, not smushed up and run through as quickly as possible. Stories shouldn't be a race to the finish and <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> goes by so fast that everything ends up a muddle and the ideas and the artwork are not appreciated. </p>

<p>Maybe <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> is the first of a series and the pace will even out later?</p>

<p>Maybe <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> is more for shorter-attention span people than for me?</p>

<p>Maybe <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> just needs a re-release under a tough-love editor who says <i>Slow the heck down!</i></p>

<p>I'm always angry when good ideas are wasted. So I'm angry at all that <A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> could have been. I wanted a meal and got a pack of airplane peanuts instead.</p>

<p><A href="https://www.librarything.com/work/20011629/book/148303634">Taproot</a> by Keezy Young went on sale September 26, 2017.</p>

<p><small>I received a copy free from <a href="https://www.netgalley.com/">Netgalley</a> in exchange for an honest review.</small></p>

Excellent illustrations, and a well laid out story. What would you do if you loved your best friend, but he was alive and you weren't? How far would you go to keep your friend safe? Would you leave them forever, breaking your own heart if you knew it was the only way to save them? Blue must make the choice of an after-lifetime.

A love story between a gardener and a ghost. The story was cute but a little boring. The best part was the end where Hamal and Blue would go on supernatural cases.

What a wonderful, sweet tale! The illustrations are whimsical and warm, infusing the story with a brightness and light. The characters are charming, and the plot is engaging. It has the pacing of a quiet stroll through a meadow, and that is a good thing; it reads like a breath of fresh air. My only quibble? I wanted more time with the characters! They were too delightful to leave behind. This is definitely one book I wish for a sequel to, even though the ending is solid and doesn't need a continuation.

I'm honestly in love with Keezy Young's work. The illustrations are gorgeous, and her narratives are interesting and original. I can't wait to ready further titles by Young.

I have a new OTP. I absolutely loved Hamal and Blue. I want more! Thank you Netgalley for letting me review this novel.

Full Review:
The element that makes this story so great is the characters! Hamal is a florist; think Hagrid but with plants. He is super buff and has a skull tattoo on his arm; stereotypical burly guy. But then you hear him talk about plants and blush in front of Blue and that image just falls away. Blue, on the other hand, is a bit more spunky than Hamal. He is also dead, but that is not really a big concern...

Now I did say in a recent Top Ten Tuesday post that it was a bit creepy which is wholly correct. The main antagonist is the Grim Reaper which turns into a bit of comic relief. There is also this forest, that is on the Dead side, that Blue keeps going to. I am not going to explain too much as it is a large part of the plot.

Overall, this is a short read perfect for when you have a book in the afternoon and you want to keep reading but you don't want to start a new book. The characters are awesome. The graphics are perfect for the tone of the book. The only disappointment is that there are no future books planned, or at least to my knowledge there aren't any. I highly, highly recommend it!

I really enjoyed this sweet story, and Keezy Young does a fantastic job of choosing and interesting limited pastel color palette that does the legwork of establishing the mood. As a volume, it's a little fragmented, since the first two thirds is setup, and the last chapter is basically an issue the gives a taste of what subsequent stories might be like.

Taproot is a sweet and sad story about two people, one a ghost caught in-between life and death and one a friendly gardener. Both have secrets, but only one could spell disaster.

Blue is a ghost, which makes things a little hard, but it's all good for the most part. He can still wander around through town, and there are other ghosts he can talk to and hang out with. There's lots of opportunities for people watching. And there's Hamal, who strangely enough can see ghosts. So it's not too lonely. But it's not the same. Because he can't touch anything. And there are rumours going around about a creepy dead forest pulling some of the local ghosts to it. Hamal works in a flower shop. He's a helpful and friendly guy, maybe a little shy at times, and he loves his job. And he can see ghosts, which is something he's been able to do since he was a kid so they don't scare him. They can actually be rather friendly. Like Blue. He likes spending time with Blue, but sometimes things can get awkward. As close as they are, Blue's still dead. Maybe it's time for Hamal to make more friends. Alive friends.

I rather enjoy Young's art style here. The different buildings that make up the city. The different characters, the wide range of skin colours and body types. The colours fit well with the story, lots of greens and blues, and then the lack of colour in the strange forest, just black and grey and white. I also liked their facial expressions, Hamal's curious face and Blue's big smile.

I remember reading this as a webcomic, so I'm happy to see it published and expanded at the end (from what I remember). It's a sweet story about friendship and death, about secrets and how we want to both keep them to ourselves and say them out loud before we burst. Because sometimes we wait too long before saying something important to someone we care about. I would recommend this to readers looking for more standalone graphic novels with older protagonists, those in their teens or 20's and later.