Yea! This is a book I can keep on my shelves at school. Especially since this is another that one of my students told me I needed to read over Spring Break. I have always loved ghost stories so this was perfect for my very first Victoria Schwab book. Yes, I will have to go back and check out her other books. We have Cassidy, the child of Ghost Hunter parents. The funny thing is they are clueless that their daughter can talk to ghosts. Her best friend Jacob is a ghost. Cassidy had a near death experience when she drowned. Ever since she can pull back the veil betwee the two worlds. Cassidy travels to Scotland for the filming of her parent's show where she meets Lara. Lara seems to be just like her.

Since I have a very bad habit of getting overly excited and spilling all the good things in a story, I will stop right there. I'll let you read all about her wonderful adventures in Edinburgh, Scotland. Let’s just say that this is not the end of Cassidy’s story. The author has two other books in this series and I will soon be reading and reviewing them. They too are in our system and can stay on my shelves. ( )

A good middle school ghost story. Enough creepiness to add a few chills and make the kids in the target audience clutch their chests. It's nicely balanced with the warmth of Cassidy's friendship with Jacob and her loving quirky family. ( )

Scary in a fun way. Looking forward to reading book #2. ( )

Loved this need to read the sequel ( )

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: City of Ghosts

Cassidy Blake knows what it's like to pass into the world of the dead. The Veil reaches out to her, calling for her to witness the final moments of ghosts trapped in time. Alongside her ghost best friend, Jacob, Cassidy navigates both the worlds of the living and the dead. When her parents have the opportunity to explore haunted cities for their new TV show, Cassidy tags along. But their first destination, Edinburgh, Scotland is a city filled with unsettled spirits. When one known as the Red Raven catches sight of Cassidy in the Veil, she fixates on stealing Cassidy’s life to walk among the living once more.

Cassidy is a character filled with curiosity about the unknown. And while her parents spin tales of ghosts to entertain their viewers, there is a difference between believing in the old stories and Cassidy being able to see ghosts. Jacob on the other hand is ironically a ghost who does not enjoy scary situations. But being Cassidy’s best friend means he’s along for every single encounter with fellow spirits and has to hear about the chilling tales from Cassidy’s parents. Jacob’s quips and smart remarks certainly help to break the tension at key moments throughout the story.

As they ventured from one haunted site to another, Victoria Schwab painted the picture of a historical and haunted Edinburgh in wonderful detail. Being able to observe Cassidy’s parents filming their haunted TV show allowed readers to be introduced to ghost stories from Edinburg without using large drops of information. They are just enough detail for Cassidy when she traversed the veil to see the spirits. And oftentimes her parent’s stories would start the ramp-up of tension that would then amplify as Cassidy witnessed firsthand the ghosts they spoke about.

City of Ghosts is the perfect starting point for young readers and even adults who are interested in ghost stories. There is just enough of a spooky feeling and close encounters to draw readers in but not overwhelm them. Cassidy's friendship with Jacob also has a wonderful comedic relief and their back and forth banter adds a charming touch to the story. This is a fast-paced, enjoyable read and a great series to start during October. I highly recommend this to fans of ghost stories. ( )