Reviews

City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab

uutopicaa's review against another edition

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4.0

Me gustó mucho más de lo que esperaba. Siempre me han gustado las historias sobre fantasmas que no son de terror.

raxorrr's review against another edition

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3.0

LOVELY!

kaulhilo's review against another edition

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3.0

uh... this was okay but i really hope the second (?) part is better (better can be read as: jacob goes “against” cassie and we talk about that for a while)

thesimplereader's review against another edition

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4.0

4⭐️

Thrilling and spooky with lovable characters!

elenabarkatullah's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

jelkebooks's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I want to say kid me would have loved this book. However, younger me would have never touched this book with a ten foot pole because she was a scaredy cat (I still kind of am, but I've gotten better). However, in the hypothetical world were little me would have picked up a spooky book, I do think she would have loved this a lot. Because as an adult reading this one the eeriness still got to me a little. I just think V.E. Schwab did a great job building the atmosphere during the entire book, and even though it never really got scary, it was definitely spooky. 
On top of that I also thought Cass was an incredibly fun main character to follow. Especially when you add her dynamic with Jacob. He is a very flat character, and I couldn't tell you much about him (he's a ghost, and loves comics, that's all I know) but still their friendship shined through the entire book, and I thought that was just such a lovely element to it. I also quite liked the cast of side characters in this book as well. 
The plot was also really interesting. It does take a bit to really get started as we need to learn a lot about Cass' live and the ghost world and everything at the start of this book, but I did quite like it. It never felt slowmoving. The ending was even just a tad bit too fast for me. I just would have liked it quite a bit more if it was just a tiny bit longer. Overall it was a really fun, spooky, and fast read. I just don't know if this will stick in my head for very long but I'm 100% convinced that this just because I'm not in this book's target demographic (hence my rant about younger me potentially loving this at the start of this review). I am still quite excited to see more of Cass' adventures in the next two books though.

mehsi's review against another edition

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5.0

“Embrace your strange, dear daughter. Where’s the fun in being normal?”


So I have been trying to concoct a review for well, almost a week, and I just can’t write a normal review. So instead I will just list all the things that I LOVED.

-The fact that there is a Veil, which is kind of like a lacy curtain. And, provided you can see them and all that, you can even go inside and see ghosts. While the idea also creeped me out, it was also totally fabulous. And there isn’t just one veil, there can be multiple entrances and exits.
-Jacob. I just adored our ghost boy. Though I wish he had been honest about several things. Things that Cassidy eventually finds out when she meets another girl like her. I get that he was worried, but now she is disappointed and also wondering what else it is that you are hiding, not good for a relationship let me tell you that. But for most he was just the sweetest and the best. Cheering up Cassidy, popping up in random places when he didn’t want to travel (which had me laughing when he just sat on her suitcase when she landed in Scotland), supporting her. I loved their banter. I am glad that Cassidy can see him.
Of course, I still have tons of questions. Who is he? Why was he there right in the moment that Cassidy needed him (when she fell of the bridge)? What happened to him? What else does he know? I hope in the next book we get some answers.
-Scotland/Edinburgh, it is one of those places I hope to one day visit. Not only because of the Harry Potter thing, but also because of the history, the ghosts and the hauntings. Victoria Schwab wrote it all perfectly, it was as if I was walking alongside of Cassidy.
-At first I was worried about the girl who also has the gifts. She seemed a tad annoying, maybe too cocky. And sure, there were a few times that I wasn’t happy with her, but for most she was a fantastic character and I loved how strong she was. I loved that she helped out Cassidy. Not just with the Veil but also with other things that happen when she is there.
-The parents. While they are totally clueless about ghosts they are making a show about it. Writing books. Travelling the world. I wouldn’t mind having such amazing parents. I adore ghost stories and hauntings so I would definitely be very excited to help them out and travel with them. I also would definitely watch their show (can someone make this reality, please?).
-Raven in Red. Oh yes, add some tension and excitement, I love it! I was already pretty happy without her, the story was good already, but adding an antagonist? A bad ghost? Who is out and hunting for Cassidy and what she has? Oh yes! Oh yes! It was so exciting, and when things went truly south it only got more exciting. I can tell you, I already couldn’t stop reading, but now I was just growling at my fiance if he dared to interrupt (sorry honey). I had to know more about this Raven in Red, and also if Cassidy would be able to defeat her and bring some peace in the ghost/human world.
-The gift and what it entails. I was already wondering if there was more to it than to just be able to cross to the other side, and I was delighted to find out that, yes, there was more. OK, it will take some time for Cassidy to get used to her new job, but I am sure she will be good at it.
-The photographs. I have always had an interest to ghost photography, so I was happy to see that Cassidy took her camera with her to make pictures, and that occasionally she hit jackpot. I would have loved to see those photographs (or just illustrations of them) in the book. Would have made everything even more eerie.
-The ending, I loved how there was a part that had the exact wording as when Cassidy and her family first went to travel. Nice touch!
-The cover. We see Cassidy, her cat, and tons of shadows (ghosts) surrounding her.
-There are tons of ghost stories/history tidbits.

I could probably think of a few more things that I loved, but I think I got most of them. So I will finish with that I would recommend this book to everyone. Do you love ghosts? Hauntings? Creepy ghosts out there to get you (just don’t listen to her music)? Scotland? A kick-ass girl? Read this one!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

willrefuge's review against another edition

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3.0

3 / 5 stars.

Originally reviewed on: https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/

City of Ghosts is a YA effort from Victoria Schwab, first in the Cassidy Blake series. Previously, Schwab had released the Archived trilogy (which I’ve heard good things about), and the Monsters of Verity duology (of which I’m a fan). This said—City of Ghosts doesn’t feel like the polished, complete work I would’ve expected from her.

Everything started when Cassidy Blake died. That day she went across the Veil for the first time, she met Jacob—whom since has become her best friend—when he saved her life. Impressive, as he’s dead and all. Now, they’re inseparable, and frequently take trips back across the Veil, where Cassidy can interact with Jacob as if he were alive. Or she were dead.

This whole thing seemed like… an idea. Like, that it isn’t… complete. It comes across unpolished, unrefined—something I wouldn’t’ve expected from Schwab, since her ideas have always seemed to come to life on the page. Early on, when we are introduced to this ability to interact with events through the Veil, it seems like Cassidy is fairly new to it all. Not long after, she states that it’s something she’s been on about for the last nine months. Nine months! And even though she goes on to say that the process has been streamlined and polished, in reality it seems anything but. Frankly, it kinda seems like a spinoff of Danny Phantom; even down to the famous, ghost-hunting parents.

The beginning really did nothing for me. It was hard to get into, contradictory, and as I’ve said before, unpolished. Not “boring” exactly, but not entertaining either. Once we get into the meat of the story, it’s entertaining enough, I guess. Not that much really happens. I mean, there’s a plot and stuff, but it comes to fruition so late in the book (it’s only a 5-hour audiobook), that I’d hesitate to reveal anything in the interest of spoilers. That and… the whole thing basically feels like setup. Like the quick pilot of an episodic show. One that identifies the characters and the premise but really does little else.

I’d read the next one—probably—but wouldn’t pay full price for it. Not if it’s over $10, at least. I’d wait for the library copy, and hope VE Schwab nails some things down before then. Tunnel of Bones comes out September 3, 2019

Note: Reba Buhr was an excellent narrator. Though not anyone I’d encountered previously, I had no problem with her reading. She was actually a pretty good Cassidy; engaging and entertaining.

laurendeen's review against another edition

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5.0

4.5

Such a fun read!

muse692's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0