Review: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

City of Ghosts
(Cassidy Blake #1)
Victoria Schwab
Release: August 28, 2018
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Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

Review:
It's that time of year again when I begin to crave reading books with monsters and ghosts and just those spooky fall vibes. And let me tell you that Victoria Schwab wrote a perfect fall read with City of Ghosts. It's an amazing book and it kind of reminded me of one of my all-time favorite spooky fall books, The Graveyard Book. This book was magical and I wish I would have had more books like this when I was growing up.

The story follows Cassidy, who can walk into the world of ghosts after she drowns in a lake and is saved by a ghost, Jacob, who becomes her best friend. Since coming back to life she has been able to cross the Veil and walk in the place where ghosts stay when they can't move on. Her parents are writers of paranormal books/ghost hunters and they've just started filming a new tv show. Their first stop is Edinburgh where trouble finds Cassidy in the form of a sinister ghost.

I adored Cassidy and Jacob's friendship! Their relationship has some challenges but it was fun watching them work them out. Like the problem of how to spend time together when one of you can't move anything in the other's world. I also loved the cat, Grim, and details about him make it clear that Schwab knows a thing or two about cats. :)

This story was just creepy enough to be considered a "ghost story" but definitely not too scary or dark for middle grade readers. I loved the characters and the adventure in the Edinburgh setting! It makes me want to go to Scotland even more than I did before I read it and I already want to go badly! It was also a great take on ghosts and what it means to be alive and dead.

City of Ghosts may be a middle grade book but I'd recommend it for readers of all ages. I loved it and so did my nephews when I read it to them! They loved the creepy parts and Grim the most! This book would be a perfect one to read on a chilly October day with a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate to get ready for Halloween. Both me and my nephews are excited to get our hands on the next one!

ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.

    

  5 / 5 Stars!

Recommended for fans of:
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

Review: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding
(The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding #1)
Alexandra Bracken
Release: September 5, 2017
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"I would say it's a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness."

Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history — that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made — and then broke — a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose — to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his future without a side of eternal servitude, thanks.

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night, and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it?

Review:
I'm always on the lookout for fun middle grade books I can read to my godkids over Skype and The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding was everything me and my godkids wanted it to be. It was equal parts charming and creepy and it would make an awesome Halloween read! I kind of got an old school Disney Halloweentown vibe from it which made it even better! This was my first Alexandra Bracken book and can't wait to read her backlist now.

Prosper is a funny and extremely likable main character and the rest of the cast is equally as interesting. I particularly loved Nell! Alastor provides both the creepy factor and the comedic relief which made me love his character more than I thought I would. Prosper and Alastor's relationship is compelling and I really liked how they team up on occasion and never become buddies. The world building is really great but it's the characters with their distinct personalities that made this book so much fun!

Ultimately, The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding is a story about family, legacy, and revenge while trying to escape a history that technically has nothing to do with you. Prosper has to deal with the many consequences of his ancestors' actions as well as those of his immediate family. I was engrossed in his struggles immediately and me and my godkids couldn't help but root for him. That ending though has us all sorts of anxious to get our hands on the sequel. This book has a good balance of humor and creepy, making this a perfect fall read. I would highly recommend picking it up in time for Halloween!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

    

  4 / 5 Stars