Ghosted in L.A. Complete Collection

by Sina Grace, Siobhan Keenan (Illustrator)

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication November 25, 2025

About the author

Sina Grace’s parents had big plans for their son: Ivy League schooling, professional credentials, a 6-figure income as a doctor– the works! Fortunately for us, he found the wonderful world of comics instead. It was in this world of contradictions that he “matured,” one foot teetering on the edge of academia, the other drawn to the inescapable grasp of an ink-bound fantasy underworld.

At 14, Grace seemingly appeased his parents by interning at Top Cow Productions, under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Renae Geerlings (his single mother figured at least he was collecting college credit). However the only thing he was collecting (other than comics), was the compulsive habit of drawing unrealistically proportioned, scantily clad women.

At 16, he got a perpetual summer-time job at the Santa Monica landmark: Hi De Ho Comics, where he would be inspired to create Books with Pictures. By 17 he wrote, drew, and self-published his first comic, The Roller-Derby Robo-Dykes versus the Cannibals. His knowledge of disproportionate harlots with weapons came in handy when depicting a story about Robo-Dykes bent on taking over the world. His mother was happy that he was taking interest in girls. The book went into a second printing, and received the praise of Lying in the Gutters critic, Rich Johnston.

Weeks after graduating high school, he was asked by Rilo Kiley front-woman Jenny Lewis to illustrate a limited edition comic book adaptation of their 2004 record, More Adventurous. In the spring of 2006 he was asked to apprentice under comics genius, Howard Chaykin (even though it may not be apparent in Books with Pictures, Grace did learn the function of a ruler and the meaning of a vanishing point).

Between the summers of 2005 and 06, Grace’s partially-biographical indie dramedy, Books with Pictures, went from hand-xeroxed zines to full-fledged, full-sized comic books. Shortly after its debut at San Diego Comic-Con, Diamond Distributors accepted the series into their ordering catalogue, Previews. Grace’s work on the series was met with admiration from bloggers and reviewers alike, and has since taken on several projects for multiple anthologies due in late 2008.

To his parents’ delight, he graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, receiving an undergraduate degree in Literature, with an emphasis on Creative Writing.

Sina Grace recently self-published an illustrated novel about a sorcerer sleuth in Orange County, aptly named Cedric Hollows in Dial M for Magic, his next project will be providing illustrations for Amber Benson’s novel, Among the Ghosts, through Aladdin Books.

Reviews

[summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.75

Admittedly, at the beginning of this story I wasn't sure if I was vibing with it. I probably would have rated Vol. 1 pretty low. Daphne for one really irritated me and I kept having to remind myself that she is 18. However, as I continued reading and got farther into this story and learning about these characters, I started liking it more and more. I thought the art style was super nice and loved this unique concept. By the end, I was really wishing for just a little bit more before it actually ended, which I sadly did not get. I wanted to get a little deeper into Michelle's character especially. There's also a certain thing that Daphne said about herself that we never revisited that I thought needed a little more care.

Overall, I would recommend reading as a complete collection once it comes out, but do not think the volumes would really hold up on their own.

Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM!Studios for an early copy of this collection!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Selling Pitch:
A clumsily told story about a college student making friends with the ghosts inhabiting a haunted mansion who convince her to drop the pre-med track to pursue the arts.

Pre-reading:
More graphics!

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Oh, the cover art is not the same as the interior.

Never mind, it was just a flashback.

I love ranch on fries.

Who did the script for this? It’s awful. Like some of the dialogue desperately needs an edit because it doesn’t match up with the other bubbles.

I really like the colors and character design in this. It's not quite Disney, but it's super appealing.
The story needs some serious work though. It’s meandering and a bit directionless, and the pacing is super choppy.

Everyone in this book is so shitty and self-centered and doesn’t care about their friends at all, and I feel like that’s very hallmark of LA, but that is not how we East Coasters operate.

We’re getting such random lore drops, and it’s wrapping up so quickly and forced.

Pretty art, but kind of a shit story.

Post-reading:
I'm glad I got to read this in one go because I would not have been back for another installment.

The art is beautiful. The story is downright bad. The characters are flat and tired cliches, and while they're set up for deeper character development that could spin them away from overused archetypes, the story never takes them there. It’s hard to root for anyone in the story. The main character is a mess who has no emotional regulation when it comes to her friends. It’s like the author decided a college kid’s biggest priority is partying, and I don't think that's gonna resonate at all with the audience picking up graphic novels. The characters are forced into fights and never satisfactorily apologize or change their behavior to warrant them making up. There's a random queer romance dropped in that's built on nothing. They have no chemistry and nothing in common. There's a weird religious slant to this book that demonizes Christianity, which like preach, but then is hypocritically down with Judaism and Paganism. Pick a lane. I truly don't believe your inherently homophobic and misogynistic faith can coexist with a queer community.

The story in general is so clumsy. The pacing is choppy. The first third spins its wheels because the creators clearly didn't know what direction they wanted to take this in. Then there’s plot convenient lore drops and explanations that come out of nowhere. There’s plot holes and dropped storylines all over the place. It’s just generally unlikable, and that’s a shame because the art is really appealing. The color palette is bouncy, and there’s some fun panels of LA hotspots. I hope the artist gets paired up with a different author because I'd like to see her work again when it’s given an actual plot structure. It's not bad enough to go on my do not read list, but I won't be recommending this anytime soon when there's so much stronger work out there.

Who should read this:
Graphic novel fans
Generic ghost story fans

Ideal reading time:
Fall semester

Do I want to reread this:
No.

Would I buy this:
No.

Similar books:
* Third Shift Society by Meredith Moriarty-graphic novel, urban fantasy, mystery
* Plague House by Michael W. Conrad-graphic novel, horror, revenge thriller, ghosts
* I Was a Fashion School Serial Killer by Doug Wagner-graohic novel, revenge thriller, college
* Anxious People by Fredrik Backman-contemporary, ensemble cast, family drama
* Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix-campy horror, ensemble cast, ghosts
* Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo-urban fantasy, dark academia, mystery, college
* The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch-urban fantasy, light academia, cozy romance, college, queer
* Masters of Death by Olivie Blake-urban fantasy, ensemble cast, romance, queer
* Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber-YA urban fantasy, romance, family drama, revenge thriller

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this. It definitely works best as a complete collection; I don’t think the individual chapters would have held up on their own as the story moves slowly and for the first half there isn’t a lot that happens. It has my interest though and I definitely wanted to keep reading.

The premise is fun, the plot is a little thin and windy, but the artwork is good. I enjoyed the overall experience. I definitely wonder if the author had a plan or if they were making it up as they went along, but that’s a common feature of serialized works sometimes. There were some great characters in this story, even though a few of them didn’t get as much development as I would have wanted for them.

I liked this. I probably wouldn’t buy it but I would absolutely borrow it from a library for a read (that’s my usual though on most graphic novels though so FYI).

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

[Sabrina Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghosted in L.A. is a beautifully heartfelt and slightly spooky graphic novel series that blends friendship, romance, and the supernatural in a story about finding your place—even if that place happens to be haunted.

The story follows Daphne Walters, a college freshman who moves to Los Angeles chasing love, only to realize her relationship (and life plan) isn’t as perfect as she thought. Lost and alone in a city that suddenly feels too big, she stumbles upon a mysterious mansion inhabited by ghosts. What starts as a desperate search for belonging turns into a moving exploration of identity, independence, and found family.

Sina Grace’s writing captures the awkward, emotional messiness of early adulthood perfectly. Daphne’s voice feels real—sometimes unsure, sometimes selfish, but always genuine. The ghosts each have their own backstories and personalities, and through them, the story cleverly touches on themes of regret, forgiveness, and moving on (literally and metaphorically).

Siobhan Keenan’s illustrations are stunning and expressive. The art style shifts beautifully between the vibrant energy of L.A. and the soft, haunting glow of the ghost mansion. The colors, handled by Cathy Le, enhance the tone of each scene—warm and nostalgic one moment, eerie and dreamlike the next.

While the premise might sound lighthearted, Ghosted in L.A. digs deeper than expected. It’s not just about love or loss; it’s about learning who you are when everything you thought you wanted falls apart. It’s charming, bittersweet, and visually captivating—a comfort read for anyone who’s ever felt invisible or misplaced.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC on this for my honest review.

I really enjoyed both the art and the story, I wish the climax was a bit more drawn out but even then it still wasn't too bad. And I found that the art style worked really well and complimented the story too.

I found the ghosts interesting, and the mysteries around them compelling for the most part, their dynamics with each other was interesting even if I felt like Maurice and the Roommate were a little underutilized and the whole The Phantom Feeds On Our Powers Thing felt forgotten about.

My main gripe with this was the main character- Daphne. She is kind of awful and such a pain to read from. Like, there are unlikeable characters that are clearly supposed to be unlikeable and then there are characters that you're supposed to like and supposed to find relatable that just don't hit the mark so much so that it makes them unlikable. I'm sure you can figure out which one Daphne falls under.

She was a bit more tolerable when her relationship with Zora started to blossom but even then I think that was because I just liked Zora. Daphne was either incredibly self-centered or uncaring of those around in her a way that made it hard for me to warm up to her as a main character.

[Meredith Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art in this is absolutely gorgeous. I love how the characters look, how well the artist grasps motion and color, and how there is a wide variety of characters of different appearances, age, body types, etc.

However, the way they behave feels very unrealistic; everyone is so quirky and reactive in the moment. Nobody listens to each other for even a second, and everyone's behaviour bends around the protagonist, who only makes bad decisions. It does feel like this is maybe deliberate -- a modern, queerer Archie situation, maybe -- but I found it hard to get past myself. It also feels like maybe notes weren't kept to ensure character consistency in their behaviour, knowledge, etc -- for example, early on, the protagonist tells a ghost that he looks like he's from before beepers were around, and a few chapters later she asks what a beeper is. Not a bad read, still very fun and quirky, but not a read for when you're in the mood for something grounded in realistic behaviour!

3/5 stars, thank you to NetGalley and to Boom! Studios for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Carly Waldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars (I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and hope in the future to read more by the writer and the illustrator as well. There is a variety of LBGTQ+ representation with the main heroine being bisexual and a few characters struggling with the sexuality. Not the biggest fan of the anti-social and religious roommate but her storyline does get a bit more interesting closer to the end the collections. The ghosts range from the 1920’s - 2000’s and then a very recent one. There is a strange locked door in the basement of the manor and each ghost has their own powers. Queer romance, friendships and old mysteries, oh my! An especially great read pre halloween, even through this specific edition doesn’t come out until November.

[Adri Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving halfway across the country to attend college with her high school boyfriend is a huge step for anyone. Daphne is excited about this new chapter in her life, UNTIL her boyfriend breaks up with her when she arrives at campus. Completely devastated, she walks off the distress until she comes upon a building with a pool. The building looks deserted, so Daphne decides to be bold and take a dip. However, she does not realize that Rycraft Manor IS inhabited, not by humans but by ghosts.

Finding a family among the deceased was not in her plans, but it is what Daphne needed.

#ThxNetGalley #SinaGrace #SiobhanChiffon #GhostedinLACompleteCollection

[Federica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

The plot and artwork definitely did not held up for the story. The illustrations are really good and the idea behind it is nice, although not particularly original, however the development of the narration needs some serious editing because the pace it’s completely uneven. What I really struggled with where the characters: completely self-centred people, none of them actually talk with the others. It’s like reading full monologues, with some minor exceptions, I could not see proper interactions. I would not recommend this unless you are looking for something nice to look at but without much substance.

[KA Vickers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good graphic novel and when I saw this had ghosts I wanted to read it. It didn't disappoint. I love how varied the different characters are, each ghost has it's own personality just like the living people and sometimes they're likeable and sometimes not, just the same as any other character.

Following Daphne as she goes to university way across the country and feeling isolated as she then discovers a house full of ghosts is exactly what I wanted to read this Autumn. Perfect for anyone who likes plenty of backstory because we get it for every ghost that's there.

I highly recommend this one and am interested to see what else the author and illustrator have out there.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC. This does not influence my opinion.

This graphic novel/collection had such a cool premise, I absolutely loved it. Someone meeting a bunch of ghosts at an apparently abandoned building and deciding to move in and make it queer? Yes, please!
While I did love both characters and plot of this, I also think that due to there being so many characters, none of them got to develop their full potential and some storylines even had to be dropped.
But still, I had a lot of fun reading this and the art style was beautiful and very fitting.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun!

This follows a girl in college who befriends the many ghosts in a haunted mansion.

I did like the art quite a lot, it reminded me of other art, but I can't remember who. I liked that, it felt soft and familiar.

I really liked the use of color and how the ghosts were done, I thought was worked really well.

Overall, I liked the story. But I really do think that the dialogue could've used some work. It didn't quite work for me. Some moments were quite choppy with the random info-dumps.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen others say it but I will also start by saying that the art work is amazing. It instantly pulls you into the story and keeps you reading.

The story was intriguing but I felt that for some of the characters there wasn’t enough development for them. That made it difficult to connect with some of them but there was heart in the story and it kept my interest from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review

[Liv Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a fun time!!! i always love a good haunted mansion story line and this one was really well done. i loved getting to know all the ghosts and see their relationships with the main character grow and change, and i liked the development of the main character throughout the series too

(thank u netgalley for the arc!)

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Remember that great BBC show, Ghosts? What if it took place in LA. And one of the ghosts was Taylor Swift and she started a lesbian thing with the main character. That's basically Ghosted in LA. I think it'll vibe with an audience about 10 years younger than me, like the 16-22 crowd. The clear art style is for everyone to enjoy.

[Lucsbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I requested "Ghosted in L.A." because it seemed right up my alley, and even though I liked the themes it dealt with, especially when it came to queerness and maintaining friendships, the book itself was incredibly underwhelming. This just looked like the author had watched the show "Ghosts" and tweaked it a bit.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for this DRC.