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jelkebooks's review against another edition
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
mehsi's review against another edition
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/
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
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.
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.
muse692's review against another edition
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
alli_thebookgiraffe's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first ever book by Schwab and I am happy I chose this series. I really think her writing is well written and easy to imagine. This book is creepy without being to scary for the age group. I am picking up the next one next month and I am excited to see where Cassidy goes next!
booksbydann's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐
"Two parents, a girl, a ghost, and a ticked-off cat, ready for the next adventure"
City of Ghosts me encantó. Las primeras 80 páginas fueron todo un desafío pues no lograba engancharme con la historia y cada vez que lo dejaba a un lado no sentía la imperiosa necesidad de volver a él. Afortunadamente luego de estas primeras 80 páginas me devoré el resto de las 200 páginas que me quedaban en menos de 24 hs. Debo agregar que mientras iba leyendo el libro tenía la sensación de que estaba mirando una de las viejas películas de Disney Channel ideales para Halloween, realmemte me encantó esa experiencia y lo súper recomiendo para jóvenes lectores.
City of Ghosts está escrito de una manera sencilla que intenta dar cuenta de la importancia de la amistad, la lealtad, a la par que explora el velo entre lo que implica la vida y la muerte, y aquellos que se van pero de alguna u otra manera dejan una huella atrás.
"Two parents, a girl, a ghost, and a ticked-off cat, ready for the next adventure"
City of Ghosts me encantó. Las primeras 80 páginas fueron todo un desafío pues no lograba engancharme con la historia y cada vez que lo dejaba a un lado no sentía la imperiosa necesidad de volver a él. Afortunadamente luego de estas primeras 80 páginas me devoré el resto de las 200 páginas que me quedaban en menos de 24 hs. Debo agregar que mientras iba leyendo el libro tenía la sensación de que estaba mirando una de las viejas películas de Disney Channel ideales para Halloween, realmemte me encantó esa experiencia y lo súper recomiendo para jóvenes lectores.
City of Ghosts está escrito de una manera sencilla que intenta dar cuenta de la importancia de la amistad, la lealtad, a la par que explora el velo entre lo que implica la vida y la muerte, y aquellos que se van pero de alguna u otra manera dejan una huella atrás.
raeswainpage's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would! I'm not a ghost/paranormal person (mostly because it freaks me out lol) but this was a fun story. Looking forward to reading the next one around Halloween!
paumduclaud's review against another edition
5.0
La perfecta combinación entre fantasmas, una ciudad embrujada, leyendas urbanas y referencias de Harry Potter. Schwab verdaderamente te transporta a Edimburgo y todos sus spots embrujados
hollietoftx's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐️
I was recommended this by a Waterstones bookseller and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the spooky setting of Edinburgh (although I would have loved a bit more atmospheric language) and the historic plot of the story. It felt very inspired by Neil Gaiman, particularly The Graveyard Book (which I looove!!)
I would have liked a bit more development around The Inspecters, and some more of Edinburgh’s history but the plot flowed well and was well thought out. I’ll definitely be picking up book 2!
I was recommended this by a Waterstones bookseller and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the spooky setting of Edinburgh (although I would have loved a bit more atmospheric language) and the historic plot of the story. It felt very inspired by Neil Gaiman, particularly The Graveyard Book (which I looove!!)
I would have liked a bit more development around The Inspecters, and some more of Edinburgh’s history but the plot flowed well and was well thought out. I’ll definitely be picking up book 2!