A therapist helps ghosts move on to the afterlife until the key to Death's Door is stolen. A sad and lovely exploration of grief with a sweet romance subplot. Loved the comic-style art and layout.

The Ghostkeeper is a graphic novel about a man who after almost dying can now see and talk to the dead. Based on a novel by Oscar Wilde, the story is very well written. I literally could not put this down until finished.
It was fascinating as well as a beautiful look at our ways of grieving and relating with death and the dead.
There was no over the top, shock searching horror just the reality that death comes for us all at some point.
Dorian attempts to help those who lose their way on their journey to the next stage. He uses compassion, patience, and understanding to help them while others are using chemicals to exorcize the dead.
Add a very sweet love story and you have a great story.
Highly recommended. Publish date 6/23/24

Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

I found myself thinking about this graphic novel again and again. A positive LGBTQ+ relationship, mental health awareness, dealing with loss, and growing through grief are all predominant themes in this young adult historical fantasy.

Dorian Leith not only sees ghosts, but he counsels them and cures their "rot." While the ghosts seek Dorian, community members see him as an outcast. His grandmother -- who passed away before he was born -- guides him through his paranormal experiences.

When the key to death's door is stolen, ghosts become trapped and turn to Dorian for relief. Will Dorian do whatever it takes to give final rest to the dead even if it costs him more than anything?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Overall, I really liked this. The characterization of the ghosts in this story was really creative. Ghosts' regrets physically manifest as rot. They literally grow spores and plants on their bodies the more they let their regret and anger eat away at them. I thought the metaphor created out of this concept to show the consequences of not only getting stuck in your own grief but getting stuck in someone else’s as well was really well done.

It can, at times, read a little on the younger side of YA, maybe even more middle-grade, in my opinion, especially Dorian’s lessons on coping and grief and change. My only real critique would be that I thought the middle bit dragged, as all the characters seem to go around in circles for a while before learning their lessons, which, while understandable, can get a bit frustrating, although I was so invested in the ending that it didn’t affect my rating.

This was a lovely, thoughtful read I’d recommend checking out when it comes out.

The book was super cute but I couldn't see the pictures very well. I think the file may have just downloaded weird on my computer. Nothing against the author, the book was great!

Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and all involved for providing me with a free eARC!

This book is honestly so silly and fun but also I’m in emotional distress after that ending. I liked the drawing style and the characters dialogue was easy to follow. I was sometimes crying and sometimes kicking feet and giggling! It’s so good and not to mention the main character has a huge crush on the bookshop owner! I just think that’s so gay my heart sings with joy.

There’s honestly nothing more I could ask for in life than a graphic novel about a gay ghost therapist, and this absolutely delivers. The story is sweet but packs a punch, and it does an amazing job of explaining concepts about how to deal with sadness and trauma in a way that will make sense to younger readers.

Brody is so sweet and compassionate, and the parallels between Dorian and Conall (and Lucy/Lazarus) really show how having (or not having) a support system can affect the way different people react to similar traumas.

The only thing I didn’t love about The Ghostkeeper is that sometimes it feels like there’s more dialogue than there is art to accompany it, but that may just be because I love the art so much that I wanted to see more if it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC!

HOLY ABSOLUTE LIMBO.

Y’ALL. I cannot recommend this enough. I know what you’re thinking, SAV it’s meant for teens & YA. 😵‍💫 GUESS WHAT, I DON’T CARE.

👻 Paranormal Fantasy
👻 LGBTQIAP+ Romance
👻 Mental Health Advocation
👻 Setting Boundaries

Let me tell you that when I say I think I had a whole therapy session with this graphic novel I mean it. It was so beautiful. I laughed and cried and threw a tantrum all in the matter of the two hours it took me to absolutely devour this book. I really loved The Ghostkeeper, and I adored Dorian’s compassion for souls and therapeutic approach to healing them. I connected with him in so many ways and how all he wanted was to help these people, even though everyone else in town thought he was insane. He gives so much that soon he is pouring from an empty cup, and I think most of us can understand what that feels like. His approach to dealing with our fears and negative emotions was truly inspiring for me and I can’t wait to try some of these approaches in my own life.

If you’re struggling with grief, healing, setting boundaries, or even understanding emotions, this is a must read. The illustrations are beautiful, and I love the diversity throughout. I hope we get to see more of Dorian’s story in the future.

Thank you Netgalley and G.P Putnam’s Sons for the digital arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait to pick this one up when it comes out!

I really think that this graphic novel should be turned into a tv show. With the art style and the way the story is written I think that that type of medium would make this story shine even more then it does now. I enjoyed The Ghostkeeper very much and I adored Dorian’s compassion for souls and therapeutic approach to healing those souls.

The only thing that took me out of it a little bit was that sometimes I felt like the story would make abrupt jumps and it almost felt like there was skipped pages. This is why I felt like this would fit a tv show even more because it would add more continuity to the story that would’ve made this a true love match of a story for me.

I am happy that this shows both sides of how it feels to have mental health issues and what the person who is trying to help heal it goes through. Dorian struggles with feeling like he has the weight of keeping all the ghosts in line on his shoulders. He starts to keep more and more strictly to his schedule and eventually his relationship with his partner begins to struggle.

Life is about balance and Dorian losses that in his Nobel goal to help the people that no one wants to help. I think this was a beautiful and fantastical way of exploring mental health and shedding light on these issues by turning it into this ghostly Victorian era graphic novel.

All in all, I very much enjoyed my time reading The Ghostkeeper and I’d love to see what adventures Dorian and his partner would go on in the future now that Dorian has the mental tool of balance to keep him strong. I can’t wait for more.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this graphic novel! It’s a beautiful story about grief, healing, and learning to set boundaries to allow yourself to heal while helping others. I think story did a fantastic job at exploring mental health in a way that is easy to understand and for that I would recommend everyone read it.

The plot of the story flowed extremely well. I love that we get to see a lot of the characters backgrounds (both human and ghost) and that you fall in love with the characters. It was funny at times while also pulling at your heartstrings but I wouldn’t want it any other way. The art style was beautiful and I think the author did a fantastic job drawing the story and bringing it to life.

We get quite a bit of diversity throughout the books from the LGBTQ+ rep to mental health and even chronic illness. And it was so well placed within the story.

Overall this was a super cute graphic novel that everyone should check out when it releases July 23, 2024!

"The Ghostkeeper" follows a young man with the ability to see ghosts. He makes a living by going to "haunted" houses and speaking with the ghosts as their therapist, to help them move into limbo and on through deaths door. But when a young, recently deceased girl steals the key to deaths door, ghosts are stuck in the world of the living and are no longer able to pass on to the next world. They need someone to help them get the key back, as well as cure their rot while they wait so they don't turn into banshees.

Pros:
-LGBT romance
-Really great artwork. Nice and colorful, with a color palette that makes ghosts and real people easily distinguishable from each other. The characters are drawn in a way that is pleasing to the eye and would be something that catches your attention
-Story makes sense and has a conclusive ending

Cons:
-I just felt that it was way too long. One of the story points is that the main character is supposed to be in an asylum, and that detracted from the story as it's just kind of brushed over in the end. It could have been cut as it was not important to the story whatsoever.

Overall, while the art is very enjoyable and the story started out very intriguing, I felt it a tad too long and started to lose enjoyment by the end. I think others would really like this, especially those who are into ghosts and the ability to talk with ghosts from the real world. It definitely explored grief and some more serious topics in a way that I believe could help others cope with loss.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to netgalley and Penguin Group for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking graphic novel about a ghost therapist, Dorian, who is just trying to make the ghosts in his community feel cared for and move on to the next phase of their afterlife. Of course while taking care of everyone else's needs Dorian lets his fall the waist side. He has to learn the hard way that sometimes if you want to help others, you need to help yourself first.

The art was beautiful. The story both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The world building very fun. This was a great cozy yet creepy novel that really tackled the issues of grief, mental health, and boundaries incredibly well.

I absolutely loved this Graphic Novel! Dorian Leith is such a beautiful main character with a gentle heart and pure feelings of care for others. After obtaining the ability to see ghosts and a childhood traumatic experience he has set his adult life on the path of helping ghosts overcome their troubles and find peace in the afterlife, a ghost "therapist" if you will. He is gentle and kind of them and gives so much of himself even at his own (almost) downfall.

This plot is so well done as we see Dorian learn to find a balance between living for himself and living for the dead. The ghosts and their troubles are depicted so uniquely and I would love another installment that shows a continuation of how things are going after some time. Plus I would love to check in on Dorian and Brody!

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking, yet hopeful and important graphic novel.

Dorian can see ghosts. He works with them to help move them from this life into the next. But when it becomes overwhelming, and he's no longer taking care of himself, how can he continue when he has almost nothing left to give?

It focused so much on grief and fear of the unknown and understanding that the living have to let go of certain things in order for the dead to find true peace. It was such an important look at death and grief. Highly recommend.

Despite it being a Young Adult graphic novel, this story touches a lot on mental health and in such a way that I felt like I learned techniques too. It makes sense since the protagonist acts as a therapist for ghosts.

I actually really enjoyed this story. I want to forewarn that there aren't any plot twists or shocking moments that can sometimes really elevate a story, but I also don't think it necessarily needed it and I find that it can stand on its own. I am teetering between 3 and 4 stars, I think it's more of a 3.5 but because of the gorgeous artwork, colouring, the queer rep, plus-size rep, and character development and interactions, it definitely rounds up to 4 (for me anyway!).

There were a few moments that got really tense and I felt for the characters. When a graphic novel can do that - that's pretty amazing.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In a Victorian-like setting, Dorian Leith can communicate with ghosts. His ghost grandma Lazarus helps him along the way with his business of providing therapy to the ghosts, but Dorian doesn't have time for himself. With the key to Death's Door missing, the town's ghosts began to run rampant, scaring the living out of their homes as they grew the rot within themselves. Can Dorian save the ghosts and the town before his own sanity loses control?
Dorian Leith feels the need to always help the ghosts instead of himself. He grows in maturity by the end of the story, realizing what he actually needs to gain peace back for himself. His relationship with Brody is adorable; their companionship helps balance Dorian in his time of need. This graphic novel, with poltergeists and plague doctors, shows how one person saves others while trying to save himself.

I have never had a comic sucker punch me in the feelings the way this one did. This was such a beautiful story laid out in an even more beautiful art style. It truly proves that even comics can hold depth and nuance to them, and that they're not just an easy way out of reading. Pictures are often said to be worth a thousand words, and this is absolutely no exception.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, but I ended up finding a beautiful story of belonging, grief, and love in the story of a gay ghost therapist. Dorian Leith can see ghosts, and he’s made his entire life basically being their therapist so he can heal their pain and help them move on from the world of the living. But when the key to the door that takes them into the land of the dead is stolen, suddenly the ghosts are no longer able to cross over, and doing his job escalates to an unimaginable level. Along the way, he’s trying to keep the connections he has to the world of the living, and himself, grounded. Although it took me a little bit to get into, this story was beautiful and beautifully told with its art, telling a story that felt unique while also touching on topics we can all relate to at least one point in our lives. I would definitely recommend it!

When the story first begins, it’s a little hard to truly understand what’s going on, and I almost wish we’d gotten introduced to Dorian before his work, although it was satisfying to see how everything ended up wrapping up at the end. The outward problem of the story, people’s reactions to ghosts and the missing key, seem somewhat mundane (as mundane as ghosts can be) at first, but everything builds up until it’s impossible to ignore. Throughout, I really loved seeing the exploration of Dorian’s character, both with his past and his future with characters like Brody. I wouldn’t describe this as cozy fantasy necessarily, but it’s certainly adjacent.

It’s a little bit hard to talk about the best parts of this story because they kind of act as spoilers, but what I can say that this is a beautiful exploration of grief and loss, love for others and for yourself, and the story of someone who can see ghosts and the burdens that come from the living and the dead. It’s also beautifully rendered, showcasing the pain but also the beauty contained within this story. I can’t wait to return to this story once again when it’s physically released!

Ghostkeeper is such a lovely graphic novel! The artwork is so beautiful and goes so well with the story.

This was such a fun and emotional read. I enjoyed the relationship between Dorian and Brody. Although, I didn’t know how to feel about Brody. My opinion on him changed a lot, but by the end, I did like him. Dorian’s Gran was lovely too. I loved the interactions between Lucy and Dorian, they were very sweet.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I think many others will too! Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor
Publication Date- 07/23/24
Publisher- PRH Putnam
Overall Rating- 6 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Before I tell you why this is a new favorite for me, getting 6 out of 5 stars I need to quickly give you some perspective about my life that led to me rating this so highly. I am a therapist, I work with grief clients, I need reminders to take care of myself so I can take care of others. This amazing graphic novel is about grief, therapy, fear, coping, and so much more. Somehow the author educates people on what it’s like to be a therapist, why it’s rewarding and how it’s challenging at the same time as taking the perspective of a client and how difficult grief is. There couldn’t have possibly been a better time for me to pick this up and at the permission of this book, I just ate half a gallon of icecream.

The art style is beautiful and colorful. I just pre-ordered two copies one for me and one for a coworker who works closely with grief. Though I had a personal experience with this, the talent of the author makes it so anyone can pick it up. I’m not sure I will ever stop gushing about this. It was so cute and also heartbreaking and hopeful, so many things all in once. I can’t wait to have a physical copy on my shelf. Please give it a shot.