Why am I passionate about this?

I'm passionate about ghost stories, classic gothic literature, and horror comics, and I have always felt that October is too short to contain the atmospheric chills and versatility of horror stories. I am also passionate about graphic novels and have worked as a professional illustrator, comic artist, and colorist for 7 years. I love the camp, the fun, and the macabre invoked by Summerween. Now that I have written and published my own cozy, spooky graphic novel, which made both the American Book Association's Indies Introduce List for Summer 2024 and People Magazine's Summerween 2024 Book List, I want to shine the spotlight on other comics with the feeling of October.


I wrote...

The Ghostkeeper

By Johanna Taylor,

Book cover of The Ghostkeeper

What is my book about?

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night

Johanna Taylor Why did I love this book?

This book surprised me a lot. I was expecting a gory, grimdark, good-for-her revenge story—and it is that—but this book is also darkly funny! It gives What We Do in the Shadows vibes, but with demons.

The comic follows a duo of hapless twin siblings who are way over their heads, coming to terms with their demonic heritage, coping with emotionally unavailable parents, and running the family restaurant. I feel it perfectly balances dark comedy and gripping horror in its themes. (CW: gore)

By Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Night Eaters as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Night Eaters: She Eats the Nights is the first volume in a graphic novel horror trilogy from author Marjorie Liu and illustrator Sana Takeda—the creative team behind the New York Times bestselling series Monstress.

NAMED A BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST
NAMED A BOOK WE LOVED BY NPR

Chinese American twins Milly and Billy are having a tough time. On top of the multiple failures in their personal and professional lives, they’re struggling to keep their restaurant afloat. Luckily their parents, Ipo and Keon, are in town for their annual visit. Having immigrated from…


Book cover of Seance Tea Party

Johanna Taylor Why did I love this book?

This is a cozy ghost story that explores the anxieties of adolescence and making new friends in a world that moves on way faster than the protagonist is ready for. I found her friendship with the ghost very sweet and compassionate, and it handled heavy topics that many children go through with relative ease.

The comic panels are vibrant and bursting with imagination; it's the comic equivalent of enjoying a brisk autumn day and throwing a small Halloween party with a few friends.

By Reimena Yee,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Seance Tea Party as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Lora wants to stay a kid forever, and she'll do anything to make that happen . . . including befriending Alexa, the ghost who haunts her house. A middle-grade graphic novel about growing up that's perfect for fans of Ghosts and Making Friends.

Growing up sounds terrible.

No one has time to do anything fun, or play outside, or use their imagination. Everything is suddenly so serious. People are more interested in their looks and what others think about them than having fun adventures. Who wants that?

Not Lora.

After watching her circle of friends seemingly fade away, Lora is…


Book cover of The Nice House on the Lake

Johanna Taylor Why did I love this book?

This book absolutely horrified me in all the best ways. A “benevolent” being “rescues” 11 of his human friends from the complete apocalyptic annihilation of the planet, and the journey that ensues is dark.

This comic is full of gut-wrenching, visceral storytelling, genius foreshadowing, stunning artwork, and enough cosmic & existential dread to leave me staring out my window for at least a day or two afterward, but in a good way. (CW: adult themes, nudity, gore, violence)

By James Tynion IV, Alvaro Martino Bueno (illustrator), Jordie Bellaire (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Nice House on the Lake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With Something Is Killing the Children and The Department of Truth, James Tynion IV has changed the face of horror in modern comics now get ready for his most ambitious story yet, alongside his Detective Comics partner Alvaro Martinez Bueno! Eisner Award Winner 2022 - Best New Series. Eisner Award Winner 2023 - Best Writer, James Tynion IV. Eisner Award Winner 2023 - Best Coloring, Jordie Bellaire. Eisner Award Nominee 2023 - Best Continuing Series. Eisner Award Nominee 2023 - Best Penciller/Inker, Alvaro Martinez Bueno. Everyone who was invited to the house knows Walter well, they know him a little,…


Book cover of Through the Woods

Johanna Taylor Why did I love this book?

A hauntingly beautiful anthology of five twisted fairytales that, to me, felt like stepping into a pastoral Twilight Zone and stayed in my mind for days after the final page. Carroll’s artwork is eerie and subtle, and the limited color palette turns scenes of the mundane into a visual nightmare.

The stories are well-paced and spooky, and in my opinion, best read during a dark summer thunderstorm.

By Emily Carroll,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Through the Woods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

'It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there...


Book cover of Hellaween

Johanna Taylor Why did I love this book?

This book is a frenetic, funny, and fast-paced horror comedy that's reminiscent of Invader Zim with the humor and the art style, and it’s tons of fun! I loved the dynamic character poses and expressions, and the visual gags caused many laugh-out-loud moments for me. The zany ensemble cast of various Halloween creatures is pure high-octane magical chaos.

By Moss Lawton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hellaween as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

Perfect for fans of Wednesday, Hooky, Monster High, and anyone in need of a wickedly good laugh, this graphic novel follows an aspiring witch and her two best friends as they try to have a fun-filled Halloween . . . while also dealing with a pair of neighborhood do-gooders hell-bent on vanquishing evil.

Learning to become a witch is hella difficult! Luckily, Gwen can always count on her two best friends in the whole world for help. Except Sloane and Miles aren’t exactly from this world. They’re from the Hallowlands, a monstrous realm, which they can only leave as the…


Explore my book 😀

The Ghostkeeper

By Johanna Taylor,

Book cover of The Ghostkeeper

What is my book about?

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It's a gift that's made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he's partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. 

Then, one day, the key to Death's Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he's the only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can't move on, they'll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them. 

Book cover of The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night
Book cover of Seance Tea Party
Book cover of The Nice House on the Lake

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

You might also like...

Spoliation

By Ian J. Miller,

Book cover of Spoliation

Ian J. Miller Author Of A Face on Cydonia

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Research scientist Composer Retired Theoretician

Ian's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

To hide a corporation’s failure to properly service a space ship, Captain Jonas Stryker is prosecuted but saved from imprisonment by a dying man, who hires Stryker to collect asteroids for their mineral content. Stryker soon finds he must stop a shadowy corporate group called The Board, who employ space piracy, terrorism, and even weaponised asteroids to overthrow the Federation government.

Set in Lagrange points, space stations, the Moon and outback Australia, it is a fast-moving story with some speculative future technology. If you were interested in the NASA attempt to alter the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos, you might…

Spoliation

By Ian J. Miller,

What is this book about?

When a trial to cover-up a corporate failure ends Captain Jonas Stryker's career, he wants revenge against The Board, a ruthless, shadowy organization with limitless funds that employs space piracy, terrorism, and even weaponised asteroids. Posing as a space miner, Stryker learns that The Board wants him killed, while a young female SCIB police agent wants retribution against him for having her career spoiled at his trial. As Stryker avoids attempts to kill him, he becomes the only chance to prevent The Board from overturning the Federation Government and imposing a Fascist-style rule.
A story of greed, corruption and honour,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in survival, Chinese Americans, and witches?

Survival 203 books
Witches 143 books