City of Ghosts (City of Ghosts Series #1)

by Victoria Schwab, V. E. Schwab

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Satisfyingly spooky and full of adventure, this is the story of one girl navigating the realm between life and death.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria (V.E.) Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) comes a sweeping, spooky, evocative adventure, perfect for fans of Stranger Things. An instant bestseller!

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil — and herself.

And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338111026
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	09/03/2019
Series:	City of Ghosts Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	20,878
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	720L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

V.E. Schwab is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels for readers of all ages, including the City of Ghosts series, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Gallant, and the Shades of Magic series. Her books have garnered critical acclaim and have been featured in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post, and on NPR; have been translated into more than a dozen languages; and have been optioned for television and film. She lives in Edinburgh,Scotland. Visit her online at veschwab.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for City of Ghosts:

"Spine tingling and page-turning, perfectly blending humor, heart, and adventure . . . I loved it!" -- Jennifer A. Nielsen, New York Times bestselling author of The False Prince

"This book has it all -- a ghost for a best friend, a city brimming with magic, and a brave girl discovering her strange power. A thrilling and chilling mystery that will have you counting the days until Cass's next adventure." -- Zoraida Cordova, author of the Brooklyn Brujas series

* "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." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Begs to be read in the dark of night." -- Kirkus Reviews

"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 . . . This fast-paced, spooky ghost story filled with international adventure is sure to please horror enthusiasts and armchair travelers." -- School Library Journal

"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 . . . Schwab's YA fantasies are regularly best-sellers, and this has every reason to follow suit." -- Booklist

"[A] fresh spin on ghost tales. [Schwab] evokes the real-world Edinburgh with plenty of vivid sensory detail, and imbues the Veil and its inhabitants with spine-tingling spookiness and melancholy. The humor and warmth of the protagonists' strong bond and the support and safety of Cass's and Lara's loving families nicely balance the suspense of this supernatural adventure." -- The Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 07/02/2018
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. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2018
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

School Library Journal

2018-06-11
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)

Kirkus Reviews