City of Ghosts

Starred review from July 2, 2018
Unbeknownst to her parents, who write books about ghosts but have never seen one, 12-year-old Cassidy Blake has paranormal abilities: ever since she almost drowned, she’s been able to visit the spirit realm. She is best friends with Jacob, the apparition who saved her life, and whenever she encounters a phantom, she feels compelled to “cross the veil.” Constant specter activity exhausts Cassidy, so she is dismayed to learn that her family is headed for Edinburgh to film a haunted cities television show. There, Cassidy meets Lara Jayne Chowdhury, a girl with similar skills. Jacob doesn’t trust Lara, but Cassidy thinks the self-proclaimed ghost hunter could shed light on her own abilities and prove useful—particularly after they attract the attention of a malevolent specter. This atmospheric ghost story from Schwab (the Monsters of Verity duology) chills and charms while challenging readers to face their fears. Courageous, quick-witted Cassidy inspires, her relationship with Jacob is tender, and the thrilling conclusion is sure to gratify. Ages 8–12. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.

13iamgroot - This is a very engaging book that sends chills up your spine. I have read it multiple times and loved every minute of it, even when it creeped me out a little bit. The main character is named Cassidy and her best friend is a ghost.....no she is not crazy.....Jacob is a real ghost. Ever since Cassidy drowned and Jacob saved her life she has been able to cross between the world of the living and the world of the dead. She calls this 'the veil' because in order to cross over she pulls on a curtain in the air and enters the ghost world. Whenever a ghost is in the veil she hears a tap-tap-tap and is pulled towards it in order to pull back the curtain. Jacob does not like it when Cassidy does this, and neither does she, but 'the veil' calls to her and makes her wonder if there is something she should be doing in the mysterious place. To make matters worse, her parents decide to host a TV show on the most haunted places in the world, and they head off to Scotland, instead of the nice beach vacation that Cassidy had planned. She learns that Scotland is filled with ghosts and sometimes the pull of 'the veil' is too strong for her to resist and it sucks her into the land of the dead without her pulling on the curtain. Jacob gets dragged along, much to his irritation, and Cassidy meets another girl with her same talent, who Jacob doesn't like one bit. She realizes that she has much to learn about 'the veil' and that it is more dangerous than she initially thought. The girl informs her that she has a job to do instead of lugging her precious old-fashioned camera around and taking pictures in the hopes that one will turn out with ghost pictures instead of blurry shadows. This book keeps you turning pages so that you never want to stop. "The City of Ghosts" can get pretty scary, but not too bad, after all, I don't usually like scary books but this one surprised me and I love it a lot. I would recommend this book to middle schoolers who enjoy realistic fantasy with a little twist.

August 1, 2018

Gr 4-8-Cassidy is looking forward to a mostly ghost-free summer vacation when her parents, paranormal history authors, break the news that, instead of a summer at the shore, their family will be traveling to Edinburgh to investigate the most haunted places in Scotland. This trip of a lifetime is exciting but also scary for Cassidy, who has the power to cross "the Veil" and see ghosts ever since her brush with death. Thankfully, her best friend, a ghost named Jacob, comes along for the trip and helps her navigate the haunted streets of Edinburgh. Cass encounters some scary haunts and is forced to reckon with the strongest ghost she has ever met, all while learning the true purpose of her powers. Schwab paints an eerie portrait of haunted locales and her descriptions of the various ghosts and their terrible ends will send shivers down even the bravest readers' spines. She also portrays modern Edinburgh with accuracy, and readers will be eager to look up pictures of the medieval castle looming over modern streets. The story moves quickly, and children will be intrigued enough to keep reading even in light of the terrifying events. VERDICT This fast-paced, spooky ghost story filled with international adventure is sure to please horror enthusiasts and armchair travelers.-Ellen Conlin, Naperville Public Library, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
The 900-year-old city of Edinburgh takes center stage in this middle-grade ghost story.Since a near-death experience a year ago, Cassidy Blake can see ghosts. She can enter the Veil, the curtain between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her best friend, Jacob, is one of the "corporeally challenged." Cass' parents, paranormal-nonfiction authors known as the Inspecters (pun intended), have big news: The family is off to Scotland to film the first episode of their self-titled docuseries about haunted places. In Edinburgh, Cass meets Lara Chowdhury, a British-Indian girl who shares Cass' ability. Lara informs Cass they are ghost hunters whose purpose is to help ghosts pass beyond the Veil (what Lara calls the "in-between") to the "place beyond." When a sinister specter known as the Raven in Red sets her malevolent sights on Cass, the American must use her new knowledge to save her own life. Cass narrates in the present tense, and Jacob, who can hear her thoughts, interrupts when he doesn't agree with her. This clever narrative style choice and the real-world setting, which includes the cafe where Harry Potter was "born" and the most haunted cemetery in Europe, Greyfriars, firmly anchor the story in reality. The dead lack diversity, and biracial Lara seems to be the only living person of color (her father is British-Indian, and her mother is Scottish).Begs to be read in the dark of night. (Paranormal adventure. 8-13)

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June 1, 2018
Grades 4-8 A near-death experience leaves Cassidy Blake altered and with a ghost named Jacob for a best friend, their existences somehow entwined. She can also sense other ghosts and, when she chooses, pull back the Veil between the living world and the dead to visit spirits caught in a kind of limbo. When her parents?paranormal investigators, who, ironically, can't see Jacob?begin hosting a ghost-hunting TV show, the Blakes travel to Scotland to film in Edinburgh's most haunted areas, which exercise an alarmingly strong pull on Cass. As she and Jacob puzzle through why this might be, they meet another girl who not only has the same ability as Cass but reveals the ability's purpose. Schwab ratchets up the tension when a malevolent ghost targets Cass, putting her life on the line once more. Readers craving a spooky story that won't terrorize their dreams will do well with this. Genuine frights are offset by Cass' rapport with Jacob, which injects a steady stream of humor into the spirited, mysterious narrative. A polished, fast-paced read, sure to be popular.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Schwab's YA fantasies are regularly best-sellers, and this has every reason to follow suit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)