I don’t know the last time I read a graphic novel that I was this sucked into. Yes I added it to my TBR because of the cover, but the rest of the book didn’t disappoint either. I really enjoyed reading this. It even got me interested in history, which is something that is a hard feat usually lol Y’all know how I am with historical fiction.

Ok so first things first, I LOVED the art. Emily Cannon is a bad ass! I don’t read many graphic novels unless they’re like highly recommended because I don’t have much time to read with my eyes anymore and even though some have audiobooks, I don’t want to read those because of the art. But with this one, the cover caught my eye and I knew I needed to get my hands on this. I liked the art so much I ended up reading it and then going back to look at the art only. Emily did her thing with this one. It was a little cutesy, but personally that was my favorite thing about it. It was creepy enough when it needed to be, but for the most part the mostly purple coloring and the way she drew everything was very, very cute. (And let me just say I was impressed by the way the hair was drawn in this too lol)

The story itself was actually incredible. I did not read the synopsis (I never do) so the storyline came out of nowhere. I was shooketh. It was way more serious and way deeper than I thought it was. I ended up adding this book to my Tournament of Books 2025 suggestions shelf. This may be a graphic novel, but there’s so many twists and so many messages. I hope y’all pick this up.

This was a surprise for me. The story was incredible and the art was as well. I liked it enough for me to want more ghosts to roast with Chelsea and her dad. I really want this to now be a series. I want to know what happens to Oliver and what happens to Chelsea and Oliver and just all the things. At the very least I need a book from her dad’s POV with some of his most favorite jobs. Where some are those raccoons and some are like those at the mansion. I just need more!

I enjoyed this so much that I bought it immediately after I finished the Netgalley version. It came in today and I immediately did another flip-through. This book made me change my entire reading schedule. And I would do it all again.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.6 rounded up to 5/5.

"Ghost Roast" by Shawnee Gibbs, Shawnelle Gibbs, and Emily Cannon offers readers a delightful and entertaining graphic novel experience that seamlessly blends humor, the supernatural, and a touch of romance. Set against the vibrant backdrop of New Orleans, the story follows Chelsea Grant, a young woman trying to distance herself from her father's eccentric profession as a "paranormal removal expert."

The plot takes an unexpected turn when Chelsea, after a night out with friends goes awry, finds herself working for her father's Paranormal Removal Services all summer. What could have been a mundane punishment becomes the catalyst for a thrilling adventure as Chelsea discovers her ability to see ghosts. The narrative takes an engaging twist when she encounters Oliver, a friendly spirit, and realizes she must save his afterlife, even if it means jeopardizing her father's work.

One of the notable strengths of "Ghost Roast" lies in its educational content. The graphic novel tastefully weaves in information about the enslaved people of New Orleans, adding depth to the narrative and offering readers an enriching experience beyond the main plot. The authors and artists deserve praise for incorporating historical elements seamlessly into the story.

The characters in "Ghost Roast" are entertaining and well-developed, contributing to the overall charm of the graphic novel. Chelsea's relatable struggles with her father's unconventional career and her journey towards self-discovery make her a compelling protagonist. The addition of a light romance and the exploration of family bonds further enrich the narrative, appealing to a wide audience.

The illustrations in "Ghost Roast" are a visual treat. Emily Cannon's attention to detail, especially in capturing Chelsea's braids, adds a layer of authenticity to the characters. The vibrant depictions of New Orleans and the supernatural elements enhance the overall visual appeal, making it a perfect read for fans of the Ghostbusters franchise.

However, the graphic novel is not without its flaws. The mention of a plot point that is never revisited and some lengthy dialogues in parts may disrupt the pacing for readers looking for a quicker visual narrative.

In conclusion, "Ghost Roast" is a heartwarming and entertaining graphic novel that successfully combines humor, the supernatural, and educational elements. With its beautiful illustrations, engaging characters, and a plot filled with twists, it is an enjoyable read for fans of the genre. Perfect for the fall season or as a Halloween treat, "Ghost Roast" is a spirited adventure that will leave readers eagerly anticipating more from this talented creative team.

* reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley *

teen graphic novel (adventure story with ghosts)

15 y.o. Chelsea must help her (so embarrassing!) dad with his ghostbusting business (paranormal removals) in New Orleans, and while investigating a former plantation estate, meets several ghosts including a friendly cat (Roman), an enslaved woman/housekeeper (Marie), and a very cute boy (Oliver).

Absolutely lovely storytelling, this book had a little of everything! More, please--

Yes, more graphic novels with black characters! There are small touches that bring this story to life, from the coding class, to the snarky comments from friends (which at times are so cringe and toxic you may want to save the main character). Chelsea's father is a paranormal expert (Paranormal Removal Services), which embarrasses Chelsea as she tries to fit in during high school. The comments are cutting at times, with Chelsea (ARC version) saying, "Well, it's not my fault that you've gotta work two jobs 'cause Dad's job is a glorified hobby and we can't ever afford anything". A fun read, with joy, relatability, and a clear storyline. I hope ghost cats do exist!

This graphic novel was amazing. I loved every second that I was reading it. This books was funny and so relatable but also tackled difficult topics like racism and slavery. It also addressed everyday issues that teenagers face whether that be with friends or family members, 15 year old me felt very seen in this book. The images in this books are visually pleasing and it just makes me feel so good inside to see a Black main character in a graphic novel! Just bravo!

Ghost Roast tells the story of Chelsea Grant, a high-schooler in New Orleans who finally got in the cool crowd at school this year. Only, they don’t know her dad is the local ghost-buster in town with the super-embarrassing commercials. After a pretty wild party on the last day of school, Chelsea’s grounded and forced to work with her dad for the entire summer. One day, Chelsea and her dad get called to a former plantation with a monstrous history and a slew of ghosts. While her dad stays busy with his ghost-busting equipment, Chelsea discovers she can see and communicate with the ghosts – something not even her dad can do. What unravels afterward is a story full of Southern history, paranormal mystery, and sweet romance.

Review:

Ghost Roast has completely captured my heart. Every single part of the story was perfectly done – from the Civil War and civil rights history to the ghost-hunting coveralls to sweet paranormal romance. Most of all, I appreciated the confidence Chelsea gains in herself throughout the book.

I loved Chelsea as a main character – she felt like an actual teenager with real conflicts and emotions. Her friendships are complicated, and there is no magic wand waved that makes them less so. At the end of the book, Chelsea remains complex, as do her friendships. However, she shows so much growth throughout the book, and even her friends and family notice the subtle changes in her character.

If you love sweet familial relationships in your young adult books, there’s a lot for you to love here. Ghost Roast explores Chelsea’s relationships with her mother and father in touching ways, and her interactions with each of them are distinct. I appreciated that these relationships felt genuine, with parental expectations, teenage embarrassment, and love all baked into the story.

Art:

The art in this graphic novel is truly special. I loved the Southern touches, with the Jambalaya dinner, New Orleans setting, and sprawling plantation-era gardens. I do think the art could have captured a bit more of the New Orleans grit and charm, but that’s coming from a particularly picky person born and raised in the Deep South.

Another thing I loved was the diversity captured on page. Seemingly simple moments stood out to me, like Chelsea and her mother eating breakfast together in their bonnets. I thought this small and casual moment was a lovely touch.

Final Thoughts:

Ghost Roast is an excellent book for YA and Adult readers alike. If you’re from the South or you’re familiar with the area, all the better. It’s totally not necessary, though. The diversity and history are so well done, and I can’t wait to see more from these writers and creators in the future. I hope we see more YA graphic novels like this in the coming years.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a nice, cute book with a nice mystery, but it didn't really hold my attention. I think maybe Jasmine as a character kept frustrating me a bit, though her growth was really nice to see. I think this book just wasn't for me but it's not a bad book at all!

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley.)

When fifteen-year-old Chelsea Grant gets busted for trespassing after hours and underage drinking in Lafayette Cemetery, her punishment includes spending the summer helping out at her dad's business. The same business she's spent the past three years trying to hide from her rich and popular friends at Newton Prep.

Engineering degree be damned, Doug Grant is a self-styled "paranormal removal expert" - a fancy way of saying that he's a ghost buster. Truthfully, the majority of his job involves removing raccoons and other wayward wildlife from peoples' attics. Even though most of his calls have a perfectly rational explanation, Doug is a firm believer in the supernatural. He was raised by his grandmother Hazel, a talented sage. When she suffered a heart attack during a cleansing, Doug vowed to get revenge on the spirit world.

When Paranormal Removal Services lands a big job ridding the famed Harrington estate of ghosts, Chelsea's world turns upside down. Not only are ghosts real, but she can see and even communicate with them. And not all of them are malevolent. Take the rakishly handsome Oliver Harrington, whose life - and death - is something of a mystery. Even though her dad is determined to "roast" every ghost in sight, can Chelsea find a way to save Oliver - and his fellow ghosts, Marie, Roman the cat, and Apollo the horse? But can she really trust a boy whose ancestors built their empire on the backs of enslaved people?

GHOST ROAST is not at all what I expected. Sure, it's got a swoon-worthy romance, an irreverent story line, and gorgeous artwork. But the plot also has a sinister undertone, as Chelsea and her mom try to uncover truths long buried by the Harrington family. (If it feels like the story is heading in a frustrating direction, hang in there! I promise the twists are worth it.) The story is set in New Orleans, which makes an atmospheric backdrop for both the artwork and historical fiction elements. Cannon's illustrations are charming, bursting with color and life and a certain sort of YA cuteness that I love.

“Here your father is with all of that fancy electrical equipment and you're a regular spirit-detecting prodigy.”

This was absolutely delightful. I was expecting a ghost story, but GHOST ROAST was so much more than that.

Chelsea Grant just wants to hang out with her new, cool friends and leave the “Ghost Girl” life behind. Her father is a "paranormal removal expert,” and after getting in a smidge of trouble, Chelsea has to spend her summer working for him.

I was getting Mean Girl vibes at the beginning, but her new friends turned out to be okay, and I think Chelsea had great character growth throughout. There was underage drinking and drug use, but eventually Chelsea stopped giving into peer pressure and let her true self shine.

The big client of the summer were the Harringtons, a wealthy white family whose property was once a sugar plantation that thrived on free labor. There were several spirits still residing at Harrington Manor, and the highlight of the book for me was uncovering the family secrets. The story was entertaining, and educational as we learned more about the history of enslaved people in Louisiana.

The art in this graphic novel was gorgeous, with vibrant colors. I especially loved all the small details, from all the facial expressions, to the palette shift for flashbacks, to Chelsea and her mother eating breakfast in their bonnets.

I highly recommend this one for the inner paranormal ghost hunter in you, lovers of historical fiction, or just if you’re looking for an all around fun adventure with a lot of heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this graphic novel. 4/5 stars.

Honestly, I'm surprised this wasn't released in the fall with the amount of paranormal elements, but it also features Chelsea spending her summer break helping her father with their paranormal extermination business in New Orleans. While she's not thrilled about this originally, she soon finds herself being able to speak to and see the ghosts and then also finds out about the hidden history of the plantation/manor they are at.

It's super cute art within the book, and I liked the story (except the weird almost ghost romance?). I think more of the actual paranormal hunting stuff would've been cool, but I also like how the story made a point to illustrate the often untold and forgotten stories that came from slavery (like, hidden biracial children).

This turned out to be pretty good! At first, I was cringing at the Mean Girls setup-the populars, the unironic use of the term untouchables, a girl who was socially outcast falls in with the popular kids but is constantly on the edge of losing it. However, I think starting with those tropes helps with the story progression and overall growth for Chelsea.

Chelsea attends prep school, her parents are divorced but the biggest thing is that her dad is Ghost Roast Doug who runs his agency in New Orleans. Just because it's New Orleans, a locale known for its ghosts, voodoo, and long, rich history doesn't mean Doug's business is any better received than any other place in the world. However, Chelsea has been able to move past being Ghost Girl-more from distancing herself from her dad-and have a more normal school experience.

Of course, when these prep school friends land Chelsea in jail for a night-her parents are understandably upset and ground her as well as make her help her dad in his Ghost Roast business for the summer.

I love that this has focus on Chelsea and her family, as well as Chelsea and her friends and then still has enough focus on the ghost aspect. Gibbs accomplishes the balancing act well. The characters all felt real enough, as well as their relationships with one another, and the ghost story was interesting. The bonus is the art is also fantastic!

This graphic novel was a fun read! From the story about a high school girl trying to fit in when in reality she was literally born to stand out. Frustrated and embarrassed by her Dad’s “job” as a ghost hunter she has tried to put that behind her. But new friends and getting in trouble right before summer she has to spend the summer helping her dad. What she soon realizes is she can see and speak to ghosts.

I loved the story and I absolutely loved the illustrations too! Makes the whole book really come together! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the early access these are my own opinions regarding this book. :)

This was a beautifully illustrated fun Ghostbusters-esk story. The artwork was gorgeous and the story was engaging. There was minor drug and alcohol use but the MFC always obtained. I’d allow my teen to read it. I think the fact that the MFC doesn’t partake and the peer pressure she feels to fit in are great conversation starters.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of their Graphic Novel.

The Good:
-Literally everything: the artwork, the story, the pacing, the ending, the characters. Loved it all.

The Meh:
-Sometimes when the characters change appearance to exaggerate an emotion, they become this generic bald blob. Maybe this would be fine, but sometimes they become tiny versions of themselves. I just wanted it to be consistent.

OK but this was so good! Our main character's dad is like a ghostbuster which brings all kind of embarrassment and teasing from the prep school kids. It takes place in New Orleans and has all that spice and flavor mixed with the rich history. It's got a mix of YA lightheartedness with touches of deeper topics. It's all put together so well. I love the coloring and the artwork is pleasantly cozy.

A adorable and well written piece that on the surface looks like a ghost hunter novel but also touches on deeper topics.
I would’ve liked to see our MC have a bit more character development but otherwise it was a quick, fun read for me.

Gorgeously illustrated and told, this is a fun ghostly adventure centered around an old plantation and the drama and scandal taking place there in the 1800s. A good story well told

A big thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The vibes are immaculate, and I am all here for it.

Ghost Roast by Shawneé Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs is a graphic novel about Chelsea Grant. For as long as she can remember, Chelsea has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It's not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a "paranormal removal expert" in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans! This year, Chelsea's all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she's finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal Services. All. Summer. Worst of all, her new job reveals an unexpected secret she has to keep: While Dad hunts ghosts with his own DIY tech, Chelsea can actually see them. And when she meets Oliver, a friendly spirit, at the fancy mansion her dad is getting a handsome fee to exorcize, she realizes she has to save his after-life, even if it risks everything her father's worked for.

This was the most adorable comic I've read in a while. As it combined the child-like curiosity we got from Schwab's City of Ghosts, and the general juvenile fun of any other middle grade book. The art style is gorgeous and the plot keeps a steady pace. I would recommend this to anyone in need a comforting paranormal adventure with low stakes.

Chelsea just wants to fit in and be cool in front of her friends, but her dad makes it hard as a ghost hunter with a viral commercial. While working for her dad over the summer, Chelsea finds out that ghosts are really real and becomes determined to solve the mystery of the ghosts of the Harrington family.

I loved this! The story focuses on family, first Chelsea's relationships with her parents, second the relationship her dad had with his Grandmother Hazel, and then Oliver's family and the mystery of who he is in the Harrington family.

The ghost cat and the ghost horse were also very cute!

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review.

A fun and fresh take on the ghost-hunting genre!

Readers who enjoy the paranormal with light spooks, a dash of romance, and social commentary woven throughout the story will need to pick this one up.