A beautifully haunting exploration of growing up in a neglectful home with emotionally immature parents and the importance of found family and creative outlets such as music or art. A comforting story that many will be able to create to pieces if not all of.

This is haunting and endearing, very emotional. I loved the art and the overall aesthetic. I would have liked more to the plot

Growing up in the Bay Area around the same time made this a special read for me. Add on the connections and parallels this book and it’s MC Briana has to my life growing up, meant that it spoke to me in ways very few books can.

I really feel most people can find their own adolescence in this book, at least in some part. Many teens go through all or some of these motions: apprehension and awkwardness with middle school in general, loneliness and feeling like you don’t fit in, family struggles /divorce, close friendships that heal and hurt, and finding independence and maturity. Seeing your friends, family, and yourself through a new lens and appreciating them all for what they are and what they mean to you.

This book was soothing for my teenage soul and I didn’t think I needed this - but I did. I don’t mean to say I had a terrible adolescence at all but I had struggles, struggles that many go through, including Briana. Her feelings of not fitting in I connect with viscerally. I can imagine the comforting balm this book would have been to my teenage self and hope many teens and young adults get the chance to read this book and experience the same.

Thank you to NetGalley for this wonderful ARC.

I actually really liked this graphic novel a lot, it made me remember how easy and simple the 90s or early 2000s were, before social media and before this became more complicated. It's difficult to replicate a time like that specially to people who never lived through that so I think a lot of people could enjoy this.

This was such a beautifully written graphic novel, I adore coming of age books in general, so when I saw this I had to pick it up, I loved it sooo much. The character is so relatable and described so perfectly that I felt so seen, definitely recommend this (also the graphics was so pretty) !!!

Raised by ghosts

I finished this graphic novel thinking that it was meant for an adult audience that would work well for teens too. The novel is set in the 90’s East Bay, so I thought this was directed towards older millennials like myself, but on the last page I learned that this was in fact a YA graphic novel.

The graphic novel is a quiet and thoughtful look at the confusing and often lonely teen years of Briana (“semi-autobiographical”) who could be described as a latch key kid. Her story emphasizes the friendships that kept her afloat.

The illustrations are kept in earthy tones and supported by notes and diary entries.

I enjoyed this graphic novel a lot and am always excited to promote and support artists and authors from the East Bay!

this was such a gorgeous book!! super personal to me and a beautiful art style. i definitely recommend this book to anyone whos going through the motions of life and feels alone despite being surrounded by people!

I enjoyed reading this. I thought the art was very nice and the storytelling flowed well between the panels. It was a good read

The coloration is spot-on for the 90s, and the illustrations are flowy in a way that imbues the narrator's haunting loneliness. The story's a little fragmented and unfocused for my taste, but I think it'll appeal to a YA audience searching for that sense of nostalgia for a period they never experienced.

I truly appreciate how this graphic novel just with the coloring used really brings you back to the 90s. It was amazing to immediately feel transported to that time due to just the palette of browns and muted colors. Graphic novels can be a hard sell but this will satisfy any nostalgic fans who were in school in the 90s.

Raised By Ghost is a love letter to all of us who were also raised by ghosts. This book made me reflect on the times I didn't have to sneak out, because I had no curfew. Or the nights when I didn't have to be home early because there was nobody there. And the moments when I wanted to talk to my parents about things I enjoyed, but they didn't set that time aside for me. This book was a love letter to music, to movies, and to me. I remembered the fun times and the heartbreak that was always sandwiched in between.

Interesting read, at times I felt like the story didn't really link up which made it both confusing but also a bit boring. I don't really think there was very much plot building, character backgrounds or story building. It was like going into a book blind and trying to figure out what is being shown on the pages. So I'm not entirely sure how to rate this as this was an awkward read. Forever grateful though for the opportunity to read it!

I liked this book because it gives insight on how hard it is being raised by parents that don’t really see you or are very over critical of you. I loved the illustration and thought process behind this book.

What a melancholic YA graphic novel!
I feel like a lot of amazing graphic novels have centered around this universal theme of loneliness. Raised By Ghosts can be added to that canon.

It is a devastating cry for parental companionship in a world where family has broken down.
During the whole book, Briana keeps reassuring the reader about how much she likes being by herself, as she again and again tries to communicate to her divorced parents, only to be welcomed by closed doors EVERY SINGLE TIME. It is so so very sad.

She has friends. She navigates school. She wonders around feeling disconnected and wondering why. Mainly she lives for the notes her friends pass to each other... because her home is empty and this is a connection she can hold onto.
It resonates so hard. Today we all go live far from family, and one in two marriages ends in divorce. Parents have to work hard, long hours, to have enough money to just live. And that means kids are by themselves and parents are out of energy to give back when they are home. This does feel very wrong.

This book will resonate with most teenagers as they feel misunderstood, and will hit parents hard, as navigating responsibility and care is an impossible balancing act.
This is a beautifully subtle look at the world, highly recommended if you enjoyed Sheets, Delicates and Lights (though you will find no fantasy here).

This lovely little graphic novel preview was provided to me by Netgalley.
While this is marketed towards young teens, I feel that's the wrong demographic. It's a tale that will appeal more to adults who are nostalgic for a youth that simply no longer exists. I would know, as the author and I are the same age and this was my own middle-school and high school experience: passing notes, dealing with parents who were not the best (though mine were admittedly MUCH better parents than Brianna's). It's a childhood that is simply COMPLETELY different from the childhoods of today, and it will bring a bittersweet smile to many hearts.

Raised by Ghosts is like stepping back in time. As Briana navigates middle and high school with absent parents, her loneliness is felt coming off the page. But so is the joy of discovering friends and freedom. Set in the 1990s, it feels like a time capsule and a sort of love letter to being a teen.

Publishing date: 04.02.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.


Raised by ghosts is a very creative take on a memoir, graphic novel style. It is heartfelt, tragic, and also hopeful. I found myself (sadly) relating to a lot of the events in the book.

I must have glossed over something in the description when I wished for this book, as I thought it would be a childrens book about being literally raised by ghosts. Instead we see the impact of distant parents for a child, preteen, and teenager. Personally, some of it was a little more triggering than expected, so if this little vague description of mine sounds familiar I would recommend you tread these pages lightly.

The artsyle is a nice mix og cutesy and "tragic" if that makes sense. Years ago I played "Little Misfortune" with a similar style. It bleeds sadness on the pages. In addition to the illustrations there is also written notes scattered among the pages.

Short little heartbreaking read. If it seems and sounds interesting I would recommend taking a little dip.

4 stars, recommended for readers that enjoy a sad graphic novel and are curious about memoirs.

TLDR: The effects of distant parents, graphic novel style

This was unique story selling in my opinion. I like the art and the colors. The colors match the time setting , atmosphere, tone and feel of the graphic novel. Everything was cohesive and flowed nicely. Like the time in the novel 1990s the style of story telling through notes and drawn. You get a glimpse of whst it was like to be a teen in the 90s for some nostalgia. Through out the story you learn about the parents and other family members but you don't see them on page. Lack of parents interest reflects on our MC performance in school. I thought this has soo many things into this anyone can read this and get a different experience. I enjoyed my time reading this.

Thank you Netgalley & Fantagraphics for an eARC ♥️

My. Gosh.❤️‍🩹

The story follows Briana, a teenager in the 90s, as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school and high school. But here's the thing: Briana's parents are divorced, and they're basically absent from her life. So, she's left to figure everything out on her own.
I'm not even kidding when I say that this book is like reading someone's private diary. Loewinsohn's writing is so raw, so honest, and so vulnerable that it feels like you're experiencing everything right alongside Briana.
And the artwork? FORGET ABOUT IT. It's like Loewinsohn took all of Briana's emotions and turned them into these beautiful, haunting illustrations. I swear, i felt all the fellings that she did♥️
I don't even know how to put into words just how much this book affected me. It's like Loewinsohn took all of my own teenage anxieties and fears, and put them into this beautiful, poignant story.
If you haven't read Raised By Ghosts yet, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? Trust me, you need to read this book. It's a game-changer.

_Rating: 5/5 stars (but honestly, it deserves so many more)_

I’m not an avid graphic-novel reader, but there’s something about themes of mental-health and revisiting childhood memories that this medium lends itself incredibly well to. This was no exception. A beautifully illustrated tale of a young girls coming of age in a family, shaped by the mothers mental health problems.
The illustrations hit the exact vibe I wanted from it; a melancholic mix of sweet nostalgia and the deep isolation and loneliness that many of us have experienced in adolescence. I loved the way the mother’s character was portrayed in our protagonist story: she’s never in the frame, always just outside the panel. Like the titular ghost, lingering just out of sight, we only meet her through her influence on the character around her. I think that was a brilliant way to approach it.
I also loved the way Briana’s inner-world and emotions were made visual through the illustrations, in addition to the text in the form of journal entries. Both complement each other, making for a total that is more than the sum of its parts.
Thank you to the author for sharing this partly autobiographical tale in such a unique way. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.