City Of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab Series: Cassidy Blake #1
Published by Scholastic on August 28, 2018
Genres: Paranormal, Middle Grade
Goodreads
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.
City of Ghosts plays upon the idea that I have always sensed about old places…they are haunted! In Cassidy’s world, she is able to sense and see ghosts to the point that her BFF Jacob is actually a ghost. Her parents, one skeptic and one believer, play an appropriately background role while providing a little bit of a comedic backdrop with just a hint of OMG mom and dad you are so embarrassing! Their jobs are the perfect set-up for Cassidy’s ghost problems and made me wish they were a real couple. (Their books sounded kind of awesome). Of course, there is the irony of Cassidy’s mom wanting so badly to see a ghost as her own daughter deals with many ghost-related problems. Cassidy and Jacob are a great duo and Jacob’s secrets create tension in their friendship and in the story’s plot. He will also make you want a ghost as a best friend…or maybe that’s just me.
This book was just so enjoyable! Not only was the story interesting and spooky, but the setting was absolutely a character in this book. It took an old city and combined it with spooky folk tales and a mystery which resulted in something that I think would appeal to middle grade readers and grownups who love ghost stories. The author clearly spent a lot of time in Edinburgh because the descriptions of the nooks and crannies of the city made everything come to life (no pun intended). I have always wanted to visit Scotland, and I promise you that you will want to go after reading this book. The writing is both funny and incredibly descriptive. It creates an atmosphere that surrounds the reader and brings them into the story. I had a great time reading this book and I am so glad it’s a series. City of Ghosts is a must-read for anyone who loves ghost stories!
