I am so excited for this book to be published again. I have had this one on my To-Be-Read list for quite a while and I cannot wait to finally purchase it in its physical form in June.

Taproot is a beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel that readers of any age could fall in love with. This graphic novel explores queer love and fantasy in a way that has clearly influenced many texts since its original publishing. I look forward for this publishing as it will allow more queer stories to be told in a positive light, something that is so important to readers nowadays. I love being able to see queer love represented in graphic novels; a genre typically dominated by cisgender and heterosexual narratives.

I will definitely be purchasing Taproot when it is published in June, and I will be recommending this title to anyone who is looking for a fun, queer, magical story.

Alllll the vibessssssssss! What a delicious queer romance I stumbled upon with Taproot- 10/10 would recommend.

A cozy, charming, and emotional adventure of life and death- and everything in between. There were some HARD hitting scenes- this is not a light and fluffy graphic novel (but it's still cozy!). The artwork was magnificent and atmospheric.

Ghosts, gardening, reapers and romance galore - grab your favorite drink and snack of choice and settle in with Hamal as he and Blue form a unique relationship that defies reality, explores fate and second chances.
What would you do to save the people you care about? Would you risk it all?
(I'm a sucker for a lot of things but fun tidbits at the end of a unique book THRILL ME. The afterword by Keezy on how Taproot was created was genuine and gratifying- SOOOO WAS THE ARTWORK PROCESS! I'm an artist myself and LIVE to dive into the minds of other creatives to see how they operate)

This was my first graphic novel- EVER, and Keezy Young ensured it won't be my last.

This graphic novel was visually STUNNING. The colors, the drawings, AMAZING.

Queer ghosty gardening love story? Yes please. I really loved Hamal, what a good person.

My one complaint would be I wanted it to be longer. I know graphic novels tend to be on the shorter side, but I would have loved to be in this story for more time.

4 ⭐

This was so beautiful I loved it. I loved the art style, the story, it was stunning and definitely reignited my enjoyment for graphic novels.

This was a really wholesome read. The art is absolutely beautiful, with rich, earthy colours, which worked perfectly with the gardening theme of the story.

I found it took me a moment to get into the story, as I felt it jumped straight in a little abruptly, so I couldn't quite work out what was happening. Once we got into the flashback to explain the ghosts though, I caught on quickly and was soon rooting for all the characters.

The love story was sweet and an absolute joy to watch unfold. I would have liked to see a little more from the other ghosts, as they seemed to disappear from the story quite early and did not have much to do.

A heartwarming, queer, paranormal romance.

Oni Press just does not miss. This book can be read in a single sitting, and in that time alone, you fall in love with these characters and their relationship. Even though the subject matter is about death, this story handles it with kindness and understanding, somehow making it beautiful while reminding us to treasure the time we are given with those around us.

[3.4~3.5] what initially enticed me to pick this up was the earthy hues of the comic's color palette, a very pleasing aesthetic that helped carry my eyes from one panel to the next.

for the most part, i enjoyed the brief look we got into the world of an unknowing necromancer and the ghosts only he can see, including the cute romance that erupts between him and a ghost named Blue. the general atmosphere and endless possibilities that come from their arrangement with the Reaper lead me to wish we had more content to consume in this universe.

the main reason i was wavering in rounding up was the whiplash rate at which the plot developed. i would've liked more buildup on the relationship front, and the occasional erratic jump in the story had me scrambling to keep up. but 3* feels too low, so 4* it is!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review :)</i>

"Blue has been living as a ghost for a year when he meets Hamal, a beautiful and sweet gardener who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Together, their friendship develops into something more, but being a ghost, Blue can never truly be connected with Hamal.

When Blue realizes Hamal’s strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him - even if it means leaving him."

I can't be the only one who wants to read about ghosts and gardeners?

Extraordinary! Beautiful, atmospheric art and an amazing story combined. I didn't expect to be drawn in so quickly into what turns out out to be an immersive world. This is a universe I would happily return again to, to explore different parts. Something else awesome: the characters are diverse and body-positive. There are other awesome things, which I won't say for fear of spoiling, but know this: tired tropes are not in use.

The graphic novel is shorter than you might imagine (it was originally a webcomic, so it came out over a much longer time frame). But I think, like the best short stories, it sets out to tell a specific tale and leaves you longing for more. I highly recommend.

Taproot is a delightful and emotional queer graphic novel. It follows Hamal, a gardener who happens to be able to see ghosts trapped between worlds, and Blue, one of the aforementioned not-quite-dead spirits. I read this in one sitting and it was worth it--the romance is adorable and the artwork is stunning.
I loved the concept of a necromancer-gardener, especially the life-and-death juxtaposition. However, the plot was jumbled and barely developed, so that everything felt rushed, from Blue and Hamal's relationship to the side characters' relevance to the immediately-resolved problem of the cost of necromancy.
Extending and more thoroughly developing the book might resolve those issues, but overall it was a great experience and these characters are now printed on the insides of my eyelids.

"Taproot" follows Blue, a ghost who falls in love with Hamal, a gardener able to see the deceased. At the same time their relationship is developing, a dark creepy forest starts manifesting and haunting the ghosts.

The story is simple which really helps since there is a short amount of pages. The art style is gorgeous, this book is worth it for the visuals alone.

Personally, I felt like there were two stories bundled as one. The first one is about Blue, Hamal, and the Reaper, whilst the second is about Blue and Hamal having an adventure. I wish they had used the full length of the book to develop the first part but the "one year later" trick helps to see the book has the potential to be a series.

Regardless, I loved the characters and that's why I'm willing to give it a pass and not get mad at the insta-love.

It's a cute little story that you can easily devour in a single sitting.

Already an all-time favourite and ABSOLUTELY going to need this stunning new cover in my collection !

The best sort of cute and cozy fall vibes, all wrapped up in a paranormal fantasy love story. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys hot beverages and warm sweaters, cuddled up by a fireplace, and fictional stories that feel like a hug! The art is stunning, the romance is heartwarming, and the overall story is a dynamic tale of grief and learning to live again.

(PS: for anyone struggling with that Post Heartstopper Hangover ... that is definitely a great story to pick up next!)

A queer a truely sweet graphic novel about life, death and in-between.
Following Blue (a ghost) and Hamal (a spirit viewer and gardener) as they share a budding friendship that shows death doesn't stop everything.
The colour pallet is rich and bright, the flowers and plants breathing colour and life into each frame.
A simple and stunning story with great queer representation, one I shall reread for sure.

This was an amazing story that discusses the fragile balance between life and death. Through nature and romance, the beautiful story is funny and honest. I loved every panel. The artwork is gorgeous and the story is heart warming.

(Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

I loved this graphic novel so much!!! The story was so cute and the illustration was so so beautiful. The characters were loveable and the romance was adorable though I wish we got to see more of the building of the relationship. The pacing of the plot was a little off at times and some parts felt rushed but I liked the overall story.

If you're looking for a cute, heartwarming graphic novel with amazing illustrations, I would definitely recommend Taproot!

This is a very sweet and cozy graphic novel about a florist employee with the Sight, able to see ghosts. Once the ghosts notice he can see them, they congregate towards him, wanting to be seen and acknowledged. In particular is Blue, whose relationship with Hamal, our gardener, is creating issues.
This was a queer, cozy, beautifully drawn graphic novel which has a slightly dark but ultimately hopeful plot which celebrates life, death, and togetherness. It was a little slow to start - the key plot points really only arrive in the latter parts of the book and are very quickly resolved also - but that's probably partly an issue of the format of a graphic novel, as well as a pacing issue in the tale itself. But Keezy Young has done a wonderful job of this gorgeous and warm graphic novel, and I look forward to reading more of their work.

Taproot is a delightful graphic novel about a ghost (Blue) and the gardener (Hamal). Hamal is a sweet, quiet boy who loves plants and is hired at a plant store. Hamal is able to see ghosts, and he's thought to be a bit strange as he talks to all the ghosts that hang out with him, looking like he's chatting to the air. He's more comfortable hanging out with the group of ghosts that hang out with him, especially Blue.

Blue, called that as that's the dyed hair color he had when he died, is another kind, genuine boy. He's the one who gathered up all the other ghosts in the town, and is like the older brother of the group, taking care of them and handling the small conflicts that appear.

He can't really handle the pining that he has for Hamal, and it's CUTE!! It's mutual pining between Blue & Hamal, which is the central conflict, as how can a ghost be romantically involved with a living human? There's another mystery intertwined with the story, as there's a strange forest where the ghosts disappear to, and a stranger that might bring danger to both ghosts and humans.

Don't worry, it all wraps up neatly with a happy ending! It's a super fast read, and worthy of your time. I recommend it for when you're in the mood for a simple story, with uncomplicated feelings, with a cute ending.

Taproot centers on a gardener named Hamal who has a special ability: he can see and talk to ghosts. One of these ghosts is Blue, a sweet guy who doesn't take anything too seriously. As a seemingly impossible romance blossoms between them, a reaper comes to even out the balance between life and death, which may just cause the two to separate.

This was so cute! I loved the art style and the color scheme. Keezy Young doesn't shy away from the sadness surrounding death and loss, but she also displays the beauty in the balance of life and death. Hamal and Blue were so cute and the romance was lovely. I only wish there was more! I would've loved to see a bit more buildup to their relationship. Nonetheless, it will definitely earn a reread from me in the near future!

What a lovely read! This title has been on my TBR ever since the first publication, but I just never got around to reading it. Then I saw it available on Netgalley, and I felt like it was a sign for me to finally start reading it - and that was the best possible decision! I also happened to end up reading it on a day that was otherwise just plain awful, but Taproot has managed to make it better, to cheer me up, to add some sunshine to my day. Thank you for that, Keezy!
I usually have no difficulty choosing a favourite character from any book, series, movie etc., but I just simply can't choose between Hamal and Blue here. They are both amazing in their own way, Hamal is so genuinely caring and sweet and tender, while Blue is such a curious and lively person, and the two of them together are magical. Also, the fact that Hamal is a bigger guy (I mean, compared to usual characters in books, that is) is such a lovely thing to see.
The drawing style is very different from usual comic/graphic novel styles I've seen before. It kind of has a roughness to it, but in the best possible way, a certain simplicity, yet is done beautifully and with awesome skills. It was a little unusual at first, but I only needed a couple pages to get used to it, and now I'm in love. I would love to see more of Keezy Young's drawing style and definitely read more of their stories in the future. I'll keep an eye on their future works, they've definitely just got a new fan.
Thank you for this wonderful story, Keezy!

Very wholesome, quick read, absolutely adored the art style. Definitely gonna become a comfort read! I really wanted more, it felt like it was over too soon which was my only problem with it.

Book content warning: Bereavement theme.