The Last Resort review

 

Twelve-year-old Lila has two goals: Win back the friends who ditched her for being "too dramatic" and stop being so dramatic. But then Lila's estranged Grandpa Clem dies, throwing a wrench in her plans. Now she'll have to spend the summer in Ohio while her parents decide what to do with Grandpa Clem's creepy Victorian Inn.(goodreads summary)

 

 

  

Lila is not having the best end to her sixth grade year.  Her two friends think she is a baby and is always over dramatic about everything.  She feels the girls are pushing her away because they don't answer her messages or face time as much anymore.  On top of this, her family tells her to "tone it down" when she reacts to certain things.  She wants to stop being so dramatic and is hoping to work on getting her friendships back and impulses of overreacting under control over the summer.  But then she learns her Grandfather Clem passes away and her family will be spending two weeks in Ohio at his creepy, eccentric Victorian Inn.  Once she is there she starts to see ghosts, including her Grandpa Clem, who has a message and needs her help.  The Inn is a portal between the living and the dead and someone or something is trying to take control of it.

 

If you are looking for a middle grade read for the upcoming spooky season this would be one to try.  It isn't overly scary but it does have a few tense moments.  Lila is having trouble in school with her friends maturing faster than she is and its making it harder to fit in with her group.  She is hoping to sort this out over summer break but things take a turn when she needs to spend time in Ohio after her grandfather's passing.  Once there, not only does she see and speak to her grandfather's ghost, but there are numerous other ghostly people that no one else in her family can see around her.  Lila feels her grandfather may have been murdered and she is determined to find the answer so he can pass over to the other side. She soon meets a neighbor boy named Teddy who seems to be a paranormal expert. He is the only one who believes her and doesn't think she is being dramatic when she tells him what she has learned.  The mystery keeps continuing as more ghosts dressed as circus figures appear leaving her with questions as to what they want.  Lila finds a secret portal on the fourth floor of the Victoria Inn that she learns is the key to everyone's haunting. This is the first book in the series with each one written by different authors but have the same characters and ghostly tale.  The pace was good for middle grade readers and the ending wrapped up quickly. Trust, complicated friendships of old and new and family ties are themes throughout. There are good character developments for Lila and she becomes a brave leader and protector.  Fans of paranormal stories and spooky vibes may enjoy this one.  I look forward to reading the next two in the series and compare how each story shares the same characters and setting but written by different authors.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 10-12.~

 

Title:  The Last Resort

Author: Erin Entrada Kelly

Pub date: September 2025, Scholastic

Genre: middle grade, paranormal

Hardcover, 240 pgs. 

  

 

 

 

 

Leroy has Something to Say review

 

Leroy the ghost loves his garden at Rosebud Manor. Every time a new family moves in, he greets them with a beautiful yellow rose, the flower of friendship. But no one understands what he's trying to say, and they always get scared away!(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

Leroy was great at helping the plants flourish in the greenhouse of the Rosebud Manor.  When new families moved into the main house, Leroy wanted to welcome them with a big hello by offering them a yellow rose.  His unexpected  gesture would always frighten the new people away and leaving Leroy alone again.  But when a little girl named Tara moves in, Leroy hopes for a new friend when he sees that they have something in common.

 

This is a such a sweet story about friendship and a different way to communicate. Tara uses a program on a tablet called an AAC.  Augmentative and Alternate Communication helps someone communicate when speech is difficult for them.  At first Tara's family is frightened when they realize there is a ghost in the house.  But after Leroy's gesture of offering a yellow rose to show he is friendly, Tara's AAC becomes an opportunity for the two to communicate together.  This opens up a whole new world for Leroy and the two develop a special friendship.  This is a wonderful story showing that we can accept and overcome differences with a bit of empathy and patience.  The text is heartwarming and the soothing illustrations are so beautiful.  It has a very happy ending for Leroy! At the end pages, the author explains more about AAC to help readers understand there are different ways others can express themselves with their thoughts and voice.  I really enjoyed this special book and  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 4-7.~

 

Title: Leroy has Something to Say

Author: Emily Rosenthal, illustrated by Thai My Phuong

Pub. date: July 2026, Bloomsbury Children's Books

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs. 

 

 

It Happened to Anna review

This spine-tingling ghost story follows a tween girl who’s being literally haunted by loneliness until a new friendship upends her life.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twelve-year old Sadie has been haunted her whole life by a very possessive ghost.  After the death of her best friend Anna, she moves to a new town and school trying to start over.  But the ghost keeps her from making friends.  Whenever she tries, it reacts by making lights go out or doors suddenly slam, a constant reminder of its' vengeful force and what happened to Anna.  But the ghost doesn't seem to be around when she is with Mal. A mysterious girl she meets who is also lonely and looking for a friend.  Mal seems to push Sadie to take part in pranks on other students to seal their friendship.  At first, it was fun to have a new best friend but takes a twist when the stress becomes too much for Sadie being mean to others and the constant worry about being caught.

 

I always like to find at least one middle grade ghost story during the spooky season.  This one is moderately scary and touches on many themes throughout such as: grief, loneliness, parental leaving, social isolation, bullying, toxic friendships and choices.  Because of the haunting, Sadie has become very isolated and lonely even though she wants to have friendships.  She fears that bad things will happen to others if she does and it is best to avoid it.  When her counselor and dad encourage her to open up and make friends, she reluctantly joins the after school graphic novel club.  Shortly after, Mal's friendship becomes toxic and the pranks become cruel to the point of bullying.  Sadie grows more and more unhappy about the relationship but also fears being alone.  Going to her Guidance Counselor offers her good advice to sort out what she needs to do to change things with Mal and stand up for herseslf.  Unfortunately, this is where things get spookier when Mal is revealed and her plans for Sadie become all to real.  She must make choices when a classmate becomes the personal target of Mal's anger and ending the relationship once and for all. While the plot twist was easy to figure out early on, the story is fast-paced and definitely a page turner with good foreshadowing.  It has a sad ending about Mal but a happy one for Sadie who is ready to move on and finally be able to live a normal life.  For readers that like a spooky paranormal story for anytime of the year, I think this is a "just right book for ages 11-12.~

 

Title: It Happened to Anna

Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia

Pub. date:  August 2024, Delacorte Press

Genre: middle grade paranormal

Hardcover, 212 pgs.

Ghostlight review

Avery is looking forward to another summer at Grandma’s farm, at least until her brother says he’s too old for “Kingdom,” the imaginary world they’d spent years creating. Lucky for her, there’s a new kid staying in the cottage down the road: a city boy with a famous dad, Julian’s more than a little full of himself, but he’s also a storyteller like Avery. So when he announces his plan to film a ghost story, Avery is eager to join in.(goodreads)



Twelve-year old Avery is spending the summer at her Grandma's Tennessee farm with her older brother Blake.  She meets a boy named Julian whose family is renting a cottage on the same property and is seriously into film making. When he sees an old vacant house called the Hillard House, he knows it is the perfect scenario for a haunted movie.  This empty house is also owned by Avery's Grandmother and for unknown reasons she forbids anyone from going there.  Even though she does not want to disobey her Grandma,  Julian eventually convinces Avery that this is the best place to collaborate on a movie and she gives in to his idea. As the kids explore the creepy old home, they find many strange and ghostly things are beginning to happen.  

Anytime of the year is a great time for a ghost story!  This one was the perfect spine tingling adventure on a cold and windy winter weekend.  The story was suspenseful and just spooky enough to make it a page turner.  Julian and Avery dove into the history of the small town and the Hillard House as their inspiration for their filming.  But as the project unfolded, they found themselves questioning some unexpected and bizarre paranormal events happening at the house.  My heart raced more than once as I visualized the ghostly activity by the descriptive details of doors slamming or Avery feeling the sudden temperature change of cold to hot while entering a room.  I like it when authors offer something inspiring in their writing for their young readers as well. For example, in this book the idea of historical research, creativity and film making.  The characters worked together learning about history while building a story off their own findings about the abandoned house and using that energy to produce a real movie. Unfortunately, Avery did learn a lesson when she placed her trust in Julian and he eventually did something that strained the relationship.  But it did give Avery the strength and motivation to start and finish her own filming project while she learned about the history of her family and the secrets hidden in the small community around her.  Once she realized the truth behind the ghostly happenings, she knew she needed to tell it to others to help release the ghost and free it from its sorrows to finally rest in peace.  Within each character is a story of its own as well and the author touched on things like fear, mental illness, regret, lying and sibling disconnect.  The easy flowing steady pace pulls the reader into the mystery until the story wraps up in the end with an interesting twist.  It gives you second thoughts about having secrets, judgement or blame and the impacts on society without knowing all the facts first.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 11-14.~


Another wonderful ghost story for young adults by Sonia Gensler -
The Revenant


Title: Ghostlight
Author: Sonia Gensler
Pub. date:  August 2015, Knopf Books
Genre: middle grade fiction
Hardcover,   256 pgs.

Haunting Stories for the Older Kids

We cannot leave out the middle grade and young adult readers out there who love a good book to curl up with on a cold Halloween weekend. Here are just a few that I enjoyed and found spooky enough that will add to the chill.  This is just a tidbit of a description; but you can click on the link to find my full reviews.

Happy Halloween......................




A Curious Tale of the In-Between is one of those stories that will leave you with that spooky feeling. Eleven year old Pram has the unique ability to see and talk to ghosts. Her aunts feel she needs to be among other children her own age and decide to send her to school. She meets a boy named Clarence who takes her to a spiritualist with the hope of helping her find answers to questions they both have about past people in their lives; unaware the Lady Savant has some strange plans of her own. This was a fast-paced middle grade read by a wonderful author. I found myself not wanting to put it down. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 11 (mature 11) and up.~

Title: A Curious Tale of the In-Between
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Pub. Date: September 2015, Bloomsbury USA





The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall will give kids spine tingling shivers. It had many exciting thrills for such a short story and I enjoyed this classic styled ghost tale. The words and characters had a wonderful 19th Century English feel to it and I loved the many references of classic book titles and authors.  When Florence encounters Sophia's ghost, it is evident that she was not only nasty in life but it carried over to her afterlife with a vengeance. I know that I really enjoyed this book a while back and think it is a "just right book" for ages 10 and up.~

Title:  The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall
Author: Mary Hahn Downing
Pub. Date: September 2010, Clarion Books




Cryer's Cross was a very unusual story with many eerie elements to it. The main character was a teenage girl named Kendall who had OCD, a best friend who wasn't sure if he was a boyfriend, a new guy that was hard to connect to, the mystery of missing teenagers, a little bit of romance, adults with secret pasts and some supernatural elements. It had a lot packed into this fast paced, easy-to-read book. I found myself reading it in one day because I was determined to find out what was with the creepy desk? I have been meaning to find some other books by this author to read.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 14 and up.~

Title: Cryer's Cross
Author: Lisa McMann
Pub. Date:  February 2011, Simon Pulse





I thought the cover of The Revenant was very striking and definitely caught my eye. I was glad that I found it because it turned out to be a really good book.  This was a simple but chilling historical ghost story that was filled with mystery, murder, plenty of secrets, romance and of course, suspense. It had many twists and turns that were unexpected. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was pleasantly surprised by another outcome. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 15 and up.~

Title:  The Revenant
Author: Sonia Gensler
Pub. Date:  June 2011, Knopf Books




Imaginary Girls was another beautiful cover but I had a tough time getting into this one. Once I started reading more, I then realized that it was turning out better than I first thought. I picked up on the beautiful writing talents of the author and ended up surprisingly captivated by this supernatural story after all. I found myself eager to read into the next chapter to see what was going to happen. I was glad that I gave it a chance before abandoning it.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 16 and up.~

Title: Imaginary Girls
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Pub. Date: June 2011, Dutton Juvenile

A Curious Tale of the In-Between review

Pram Bellamy is special--she can talk to ghosts. She doesn't have too many friends amongst the living, but that's all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix.  Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram's power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost. (goodreads summary)

Pram lives in a 200 year old colonial with her two adoptive Aunts.  She was told her mother died during childbirth and she has never known her father. She has a special ghost friend named Felix that only she can see and talk with. She meets him down by the pond or finds him in the big tree that sits on the property. Pram has always felt odd about the ghosts and keeps her ability of talking to them a secret, fearing that if someone finds out she will be sent away. Pram has also been thinking about her parents lately and wonders if her father knows about her existence.  Her Aunts are concerned that she is too old for imaginary friends and decides it would be best for her to be among other children her own age by attending school.  Her first day she meets a quiet boy named Clarence, who has suffered a loss and seeking answers to an untimely death to someone very close to him. As the two become better friends, she decides to share her secret that she can communicate with ghosts. He leads Pram to a spiritualist named Lady Savant in the hopes that she will help them find the closure they both are searching for. Lady Savant eagerly agrees to help but is already aware of Prams true powers and strength. Unfortunately, unknowingly to Clarence and Pram, she has a different plan of her own.

Spooky stories are always a favorite of mine. I found myself not wanting to put this book down, so I read it in two nights! The storyline was captivating, hooking me right in after the first chapter. The writing style is quite graceful and flowing, just like a ghost would be.  Felix was a good character with his quick wit and personality. He was very protective of Pram and I had the sense that he really cared for her. After Pram met Clarence, she finally knew what it felt like to have a real person as a friend.  I felt saddened at times for Felix because I could see him sitting in his tree, watching her go off with her new friend and realizing he could not give her what Clarence could.  There is certainly a difference between the real world and the spirit world.  The story does, however, take a sudden dark twist when Lady Savant enters. I had a hard time visualizing Pram and Clarence as eleven years old because of the dark theme.  I almost wished they had been sixteen or older on a few occasions, although they both were very mature, strong and brave for their depicted age. I found myself going "oh no" more than once as certain parts became heart pounding and scary.  I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what happened only to go "oh no" again. Lady Savant was so eerie and the story got creepier as to why she wanted Pram for her own devious plot and what she was going to do to get her own powers stronger. Pram did help unfold Lady Savants story so I was happy for an explanation. The ending wrapped things up nicely leaving me wondering if more books will follow about Pram's unique ability and see where it will take her. It was fast paced and I never found myself losing interest.   There is deep subject matter relating to depression, suicide, kidnapping, grief, death and death of children that might not sit well with a younger or sensitive audience. A mature middle school reader would be best for this type of story. On the plus side, it does offer love, a strong sense of family, true friendship, courage, the willpower to live and talented writing. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 11 (mature though) & up.~

Title: A Curious Tale of the In-Between
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Pub. Date: September 2015, Bloomsbury
Genre: middle grade, ghost story
Hardcover, 226 pgs.