This book was so generous and delightful. The strength July shown was unmatched, and she is the finest friend we all desire in our lives. The new superhero that we all need is she.

I was completely engrossed in the story due to its intrigue. I read this cover to cover because I had to find out more about these ravenous spirits and the truth of July's life. The artwork was really amazing and ideal for this kind of tale.

The book Ghost Book was fantastic. I'm eager to embark on more eerie journeys with July.

Remy Lai's Ghost Book is a spooky graphic novel that deftly mixes friendship and adventure with elements of Chinese culture and folklore. July can see ghosts despite her father's insistence that they don't exist. At the start of Hungry Ghost Month, she saves William from being eaten by one of the hungry ghosts. At first, she believes he's just another ghost, but July learns that William isn't a ghost--at least not yet. He's not quite alive, but not yet dead. July and William strike up a friendship and she is determined to help him. This leads to encounters with a variety of ghosts as well as some unexpected discoveries about ways their lives are intertwined. Beautiful artwork, creative plot, and well-developed characters make Ghost Book a winner. The readers at my school looking for creepy, scary stuff will devour this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an eARC of the book.

Read this with my niece and we both enjoyed the adventure while having a conversation about grief and loss. The story weaves both very well.

OMG this book was amazing. The story, The Art. All of it. I love love loved it. Such a great message. Moved quickly. Amazing story.

Ghost Book, like all Remy Lai's books was funny and touching all at once. It started fast and never let up. The art was so fun and I enjoyed the very different style from her usual work. Kids will enjoy unraveling the mystery and while they may be able to guess some of it, there are definitely a couple twists at the end they won't see coming!

You may have heard about Christmas in July, but get ready for Halloween in August. Ghost Book took me on a wild ride to a fantastical underworld filled with Chinese mythology that has left me breathless. In this graphic novel, we find July Chen, yearning to learn more about her mother, who passed away when she was born. With the power to see ghosts, she meets William. She thinks he is just a regular ghost, but he is a boy whose body is in the hospital on the cusp of death. Seeking her help in bringing him back to life, July investigates what happened to Will and along the way, they kindled a common bond. But in order to revive Will, July faces a bigger price to pay to the spirits that leave readers questioning if it's possible for both of them to remain among the living. Young readers will enjoy Lai's cozy and bright illustrations while taking them deep into conversations on grief and friendship that makes Ghost Book refreshing and engaging. This book has one of my favorite quotes so far this year that I still resonate to this day that graphic novels rarely do for me: "A broken heart is a heart that has loved and been loved."

80%

What a cool taste of Asian culture! We got to see a little of how the afterlife is considered and handled through the aid of loveable characters and an intriguing plot. It got a little complex with all the different 'book' types being thrown about, but overall heartwarming and sweet.

Absolutely fantastic MG graphic novel! If you enjoyed any of the mentioned stories - Spirited Away or Coco, and enjoy stories that are heart felt and just a little bit creepy, then you may also enjoy this one. Very good.

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

2.5/5 - It was enjoyable.

This book felt very nostalgic to me - something about its illustrations and pace evoked the same feeling as watching morning cartoons as a child. This was both its positive and its negative. It was fast-paced and entertaining, filled with imaginative settings and characters, as well as an underlying current of Chinese mythology and culture. However, it was also a bit jumpy and confusing, with characters who did not seem entirely fleshed out, as if made for one episode of morning entertainment.

Overall, I did like the book - especially towards the end when the characters explore a world beyond their own. I also appreciated how deeper themes of grief and death were introduced to the storyline. I would recommend it to readers who are looking for a quick, fun read.

Remy Lai studied fine arts, with a major in painting and drawing. She was born in Indonesia, grew up in Singapore, and currently lives in Brisbane, Australia, where she writes and draws stories for kids with her two dogs by her side. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed Pie in the Sky, Fly on the Wall, and Pawcasso. Her newest graphic novel is Ghost Book, a haunting tale based on Chinese mythology and a child fated to see ghosts.
In Ghost Book, July Chen, whose mother died in childbirth, sees ghosts. She not only sees ghosts, but she can summon them, and sometimes even converse with them. But this gets her into a lot of trouble, and her dad insists ghosts don’t exist. So July is forced to pretend they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death, tethered to his living body by a red thread. As they embark on an journey to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth―the two children have always been connected, and for William to live, July must die.
This is a well-balanced book. The art is stylized towards a YA audience, and reads as fun and cozy, but the plot is very serious. The soft art makes the sacrificial elements of the plot palatable and safe for younger readers, but those very elements will appeal to older readers, even many adult readers. This is a finely crafted plot that taps not only into myth and folklore, but also children’s paranoias and terrors, such as rumors of haunted buildings and school ghosts. Lai makes both these elements very real, but in a way that is palatable for younger readers. Lai also taps into young adult perspectives of the world, such as being ignored and unheard, that serve to help the reader engage with this book as well.
Overall, Ghost Book is a solid YA graphic novel. The art supports the plot by softening some of the terror for the target audience; the plot, especially the elements of death and sacrifice, are enough to thrill even adult readers. Remy Lai has crafted a tight plot that rivals similar YA journeys into the underworld, such as Spirited Away or Coco, but with dark folkloric elements that are quite scary. Strongly recommended for any readers interested in horror graphic novels, especially YA ghost stories and adventures into the land of the dead.

This was a really adorable story that I think children will really enjoy. The illustrations were also really intriguing to look at and really made the story that much more entertaining. I think children could really connect with the characters and this opens up conversations about death. I also really loved Floof!

CW: death of a parent (past), lots of discussion about death in general

Ghost Book has such a unique storyline! The synopsis opening says, "Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die." This hooked me automatically! The boy and the girl are William and Julie, respectively. Julie is able to see ghosts, even though her father adamantly denies their existence. William is not actually a ghost, but a wandering soul who Julie is determined to save from the Hungry Ghosts (they are as creepy as they sound). It is inspired by Chinese mythology and I loved the emotion and humor running through the story. I truly did not know how it was going to end, but I was so pleased by the ending!

Ghost book is the story of July and William. One of them was supposed to die, but didn't. Twelve years later, the two meet. July can see ghosts and William keeps having near death experiences that put him in the ghost realm- though still tethered to his body. The two journey to figure out how to save William and learn the truth of what fate has in store for them.

I loved this story. There is Chinese mythology woven throughout the plot and I think it was well done. I was really rooting for the characters and was instantly interested in what would happen. The ghosts were so fun, colorful, and artistically designed.

In Ghost Book, Lai strikes a really interesting balance. The stakes here are genuinely life-or-death, but at the same time, there are moments in the book that are whimsical and humorous. And the appearances and behavior of ghosts and beings of legend: Lai has created an abundant world, populated by compelling inhabitants. I think this graphic novel will hold great appeal for a middle-grade readership.

I have been searching for a book that would give me the same vibes as Anya's Ghost for YEARS--and it brings me so much pleasure to say that Ghost Book did all of that and more. What a great read! I absolutely loved how heartwarming this story was, and I thought the inclusion of Chinese culture, particularly surrounding views of death and the afterlife, was totally fascinating. I think readers of all ages will find something to enjoy here!

Ghost Book by Remy Lai is a graphic novel currently scheduled for release on July 18 2023. July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren’t real. So she pretends they don’t exist. Which is incredibly difficult now as it's Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and dangerous ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a Hungry Ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He’s a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends embark on an adventure to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth—for William to live, July must die.

Ghost Book is a middle grade graphic novel with inspiration from Chinese mythology. I thought the artwork and color choices were well done, and did a good job of telling and expanding on the story. I liked the blend of spooky, mythology, and kid angst. The family, school, and friend level conflicts felt very on point and realistic. I also thought that that Chinese mythology was explained nicely for newcomers to the subject, while not leaving those with some understanding of it feeling bored or talked down to. I enjoyed this book on a number of levels and think it will have a wide middle grade to middle school audience.

It took a minute to get acquainted to the world of this story, but then we were off on a supernatural adventure that was at once thrilling and touching.

This is a charming book about life, death, and friendship. It's heartwarming, spooky at times, and endearing. Kids are sure to enjoy this graphic novel.

wow wow wow. This was both very funny and silly at times and deeply moving. The art style was soothing and I loved the story! It’s not hard to make me cry, but the ending left me sobbing. Thanks for this gift 💝

representation: Asian main characters

Welcome Back,

I have been picking up graphic novels lately from my Netgalley E-ARCs. I usually grab these to read on my lunch time or right after work to help give me a little break. Typically I gravitate towards graphic novels during these times because I know I will be able to complete the entire thing. I like being able to take in the whole story at once. One of the E-ARC graphic novels, I recently read from Netgalley was Ghost Book (thank you to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions).

SPOILERS AHEAD

July is a middle school student who can see ghosts. July has tried to tell her father but he tells her never to talk about it and that she is not seeing ghosts. So she keeps it to herself and tries her best to ignore them. That is until one day she meets a ghost around her age. He is trying to get back to his body but he is being chased by the hungry ghosts. Can July help him get back?

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I loved the illustrations, they were all eye popping with amazing colors and great line work. Outside of this, the story and characters were interesting. Seeing the relationship between July and the ghosts as well as July and her father was a unique experience. This graphic novel hits shelves on August 15th, go check it out!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.