City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

 

Last week over break, I read City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. This paranormal fantasy novel is about a girl, Cassidy Blake, who can travel through the Veil and enter the world of ghosts after she drowned and was rescued by a boy ghost, Jacob, the previous year. At the beginning of summer vacation, Cass's parents take her along on a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, so they can host a TV show about the world's most haunted places. In Edinburgh, the Veil is particularly strong in places and she sometimes struggles stay in the world of the living. During her trip, she meets another girl, Lara Jayne Chowdhury, who shares her "gift" and learns about a powerful ghost called the Raven in Red who steals children according to local legend. When Cass draws the attention of the Raven, she must learn more about her abilities from Lara and protect herself from becoming another one of Raven's victims.

This novel was everything I thought it would be and more. It was truly fascinating to me that someone who nearly dies could gain the ability to travel between the worlds of the living and the dead. Not to mention, I was curious as to what Cass was meant to do with her power besides traveling through the Veil to learn about how specific ghosts died and take photos while she was there. I also really enjoyed her friendship with Jacob. Because he rescued her during her accidental drowning, there is a connection between them and they go on adventures together, both being able to travel between worlds. I was very excited when the two of them went to Edinburgh, Scotland. Previously, I knew Edinburgh was a place with a lot of history, but it was eerie realizing just how haunted the city was in the story. It definitely seemed to be overwhelming for Cass, especially in locations where there was a lot of death, and I was so nervous that the Raven would harm her. By the end of the book, I was really glad that Cass met a fellow ghost hunter because although she was skeptical of Lara at first, Lara did have knowledge that she needed to know about protecting herself from ghosts. City of Ghosts is perfect for anyone who wants to read something creepy and suspenseful.