This was a cute graphic novel! The imaginary throughout was stunning.

At some points, I didn't love how much they bullied her, but it does accurately depict the real world.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Versify and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This was such an amazing graphic book. The graphics was good and the story pulled you in. I highly recommend reading

Poor Chelsea just wants to leave her dad's ghost-hunting business behind her and not let it ruin her chances at a normal high school social life. That all goes to pot when she gets caught drinking in a cemetery and is forced to help him at his business over the summer.
What ensues is her trying to keep her two lives separate as they slowly converge and Chelsea learns to be honest with herself and others as she discovers she can not only see but also talk to ghosts.
This was a hilarious and entertaining read that I loved and would love to see more from these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and HaperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chelsea is not OK with having to spend the entire summer before her sixteenth birthday chasing ghosts with her nerdy dad after one poorly-planned night out with her rich friends. Sure enough, the ghost-roasting business is just as weird and embarrassing as she remembers. But when the Ghost Roasters take a job at an former slave-owning plantation, Chelsea starts seeing things she can't believe are real. She has to solve the mystery of the manor before her dad notices and gets too excited about her paranormal skills, but she quickly realizes that a lot more is at stake than her reputation.

Whew! This is a spooky adventure that really leans into the conflicts caused by ideology of racial superiority. Chelsea makes some mistakes, but she's a likable character overall. The mystery is intriguing, and I love that this book brings in elements of history and social justice along with a cute paranormal romance and a touching family reconciliation. The art is delightful, and some of the caricatures are too funny. Overall, there's a lot to love, and I hope this book inspires young readers to look into history and stop to consider how often there's more going on than what first appears.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful historical murder mystery with a paranormal twist. Sometimes the teen years aren't so easy, especially when you are struggling to fit in. After a wild night out with classmates that ends up with an arrest, Chelsea is sentenced to spend the summer working for her dad. This wonderful story explores the history of a New Orleans plantation and how progressive or unprogressive people were during the times of slavery. When Chelsea discovers she can see and speak with ghosts, she begins to explore and understand some of this history, and she gets to hunt for a murderer. The story is creative and informative and artwork is beautifully done.

Mean Girls meets Ghostbusters meets Ghosts (the CBS show). Ghost Roast is a paranormal adventure full of first crushes, lost histories, and the impossible task of fitting in when your dad is a professional ghosthunter. Chelsea just wants to fit in and stay far away from her dad's ghost hunting. Until, after getting caught breaking into a cemetery, Chelsea has to spend the summer working for her dad. Unfortunately, Chelsea has a secret. She can actually see and talk to ghosts. And there's one in particular she doesn't want her dad to get rid of. Ghosts is fun and spooky. It also touches on some tougher topics. The illustrations are nice. I can definitely recommend picking this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, Versify for providing me with a review copy.

Chelsea doesn’t want anything to do with her dad’s ghost busters type business, but after getting in trouble is sentenced to a summer of working for her dad. They get called out to a former plantation and Chelsea wants to save some of the ghosts on the property as she uncovers some past mysteries. I thought this was going to be a more lighthearted graphic novel, but it had more depth as it delved into the complexities of the past and addressed the reconstruction era in the South.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chelsea isn't happy when her mother sends her to work for her father's ghost-hunting business. Living in New Orleans may have its ghosts, but Chelsea is tired of seeing them around town. When her dad gets a job at the glamourous Harrington estate to rid the property of spirits, Chelsea suddenly sees a very handsome ghost named Oliver. As she gets to know him, can Chelsea help the manor before something benevolent takes over?
Reading this graphic novel was so much fun. I loved the family dynamics of Chelsea with her parents, and don't forget that good-looking ghost named Oliver. It's plot-driven but rears toward character-driven, too. The art is gorgeous as much as the time period Oliver was from. From a ghost cat lingering in the gardens to an elderly woman who sees ghosts too, "Ghost Roast" is unforgettable and hilarious on many accounts. I enjoyed this one immensely.

!!! What a gorgeous story about finding who you are through a little ghost hunting. This was absolutely adorable & I totally didn’t cry a little bit. I think this is a perfect little story about a young girl struggling to fit in amongst popular friends & a nerdy dad who loves to ghost hunt. Being torn between the two, and her newfound ability to see said ghosts- have drawn her to uncovering mysteries and bringing light to stories that never got their proper ending in history. What a lovely time I had reading this. The art was GORGEOUS & I love the representation of New Orleans culture, French & black historical figures, ghosts who want what’s best for themselves and the people they loved, and a cute bow to wrap it all up with. Ah. Absolutely adored this.

netGalley review
Chelsea is a teen girl trying to fit in with her popular friends, while hiding her father's ghost hunting profession. Full of self growth, cultural and familial appreciation, social differences, belonging while in high school, and some crushes. A quick read for high schoolers, especially during spooky season.

Beautifully illustrated. My one critique
would be the amount of text. There was a lot going on, and the constant text bubbles took away from enjoying the artwork. However, it was still an enjoyable concept.

The cover art and blub alone had me locked in from the get-go, but let me tell you the illustrations and storyline are so enchanting and a little spooky. I thought it was going to be scarier than what it actually was and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Ghost Roast!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

After a wild night out with her rich kid friends that ends up with all of them getting arrested, Chelsea is grounded for the summer. As part of her punishment, she has to work with her ghost-hunter Dad for the rest of the summer! While out on the job, she discovers that she can actually see and speak with ghosts, with no need for her Dad's fancy equipment. This was such a good read! The plot was paced evenly and compelling enough to keep my full attention on it long enough to read the entire book in one sitting. I did appreciate that this story doesn't balk at talking about the history of slavery in New Orleans. Of course, this is spoken about in a way to make it easier for a teenager to understand it, but it still states it matter-of-factly. It was also interesting seeing Chelsea having to juggle talking to ghosts, hiding her new ability from her father, and trying to figure out the mystery of the mansion. Also, the hints of romance were so cute. Very puppy love, but paranormal. The character writing for some of the characters was also pretty dang decent. None of them get railroaded into being typical teen story stereotypes, which was really nice. I also really enjoyed the art! It's so pretty but also it done in a way that makes every scene very easy to read.

Engaging and cozy paranormal graphic novel that explores the trials and tribulations of fitting in as a teenager, especially when your dad's job only makes it harder. Chelsea is forced to work for her dad's ghost-hunting company as punishment for a mistake made at the beginning of summer. Although she finds his job extremely embarrassing, she becomes entangled in a ghost hunt that leads her on a journey to uncover the true history of an old New Orleans manor where she learns a lot about herself along the way. As a previous resident of New Orleans, I loved all of the references to the neighborhoods of the city, the food, and the cemeteries. Full of adventure, humor, and ghosts, this graphic novel is the perfect read to kick off the Halloween season.

This was a cute ghostbuster’s type story. I love a YA that touches on heavy and deep topics, not just the cute and fun stuff. It was great seeing the character growth throughout the story. She can see ghosts, just like her dad. There is even a touch of romance 🥰. I loved the historical setting as well! A great graphic novel for this spooky season!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this e arc in exchange for my honest review.

This comic has a nice story and beautiful artwork but... for me I just had a hard time getting into the story. I felt like scenes were short and didn't lead to anything. For example when she goes to a party, lays in a truck bed and then just... goes home.
For a graphic novel I also felt like there was waaaaay too much text for speech bubbles. Characters were giving long unnecessary monologs to just describe what they're doing. In a graphic novel, the images should speak a lot for what the characters are doing.

The last thing Chelsea wants is for her new, popular friends to find out about her dad's ghost-hunting business, but when a midnight adventure lands them in the slammer for the night, her secret's not just out—she'll be separated from her friends and working as a professional ghost-hunter all summer.

And there's just one other thing: while Chelsea's father's equipment can detect ghosts, he can't see them himself...but Chelsea can. And that's where things get complicated.

This graphic novel is wonderful fun—lively, with New Orleans flavor and a cast of entertaining characters. There are a couple of stories at play here, not just Chelsea's but the complicated backstory of the house where she and her father end up working for much of the summer. There are a couple of things about the illustration that took me a moment to get used to (the floating heads feel like something pulled from manga, though I'm not sure if I'm mixing up styles here), but overall the illustrations are beautiful, and I particularly appreciate the detail paid to Chelsea's braids.

While the book doesn't take itself too seriously, it also covers some harsh parts of history (slavery, more general racism, etc.) in a thoughtful manner. There's one dropped plot point that I wish had been returned to (one character wanting the old building open to the public; another character wanting to turn it into a boutique hotel and presumably turn a profit), but...oh gosh, how much fun would a whole series featuring Chelsea and her ghost-busting crew? With the whole of New Orleans to explore—and its rich and complicated history—there would certainly be enough adventures for them, and I'd love to see the main cast again.

Thanks to the authors and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

The book is about the 15-year-old daughter of a renowned paranormal specialist who is drawn into a dangerous romance after she discovers her own knack for communicating with ghosts.

Excellent graphic novel. Great story, great art.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I enjoy ghost/paranormal story lines, so this one was great! I can't wait to add it to our shelves!

Chelsea Grant, a seventeen-year-old, gets accepted to the popular group in her new prestigious school. But one night, when the group decides to break into a cemetery, Chelsea and her friends get arrested and thrown in jail. Unlike like her new friends (who amazingly don't toss her aside), her parents decide to ground her for the whole summer. Part of her punishment is to help her father in his paranormal business - to help rid New Orleans of all its ghosts. While out at the Harrington Manor (which used to be Plantation). Chelsea finds out that she can see and even speak to spirits. Does she tell her father, whose grandmother, he believed, was killed by ghosts, or keep it to herself and try not to fall in love with a dashing young spirit who may not be who he says he is?

"Ghost Roast" is a captivating young adult graphic novel that breaks away from traditional ghost stories and love tales. The narrative is cozy and charming, blending unique elements to create an engaging experience. The illustrations are vibrant and lively, adding to the visual delight. I felt the story begins slowly; it becomes more interesting when the ghosts appear. The novel skillfully weaves historical insights, particularly about enslaved individuals in New Orleans, providing a deeper understanding of the past. The story handles sensitive topics like race and slavery gracefully, with a historical context that adds depth. The characters are magnetic and endearing, especially Chelsea and her friends, whose heartwarming camaraderie is a highlight, which is usually left out of books with characters/friends of different class levels. And I enjoyed that. Chelsea's relationship with the mysterious Oliver adds a layer of paranormal romance.

"Ghost Roast" is an enjoyable read with a unique blend of cozy charm, historical insights, and distinctive characters. It stands out for its creativity and the author's ability to address complex themes with finesse. This novel promises to deeply resonate with those seeking thought-provoking and heartwarming stories.

The book is set to release January 2, 2024, and I had the privilege of reading an early copy through #NetGalley. #GhostRoast