Audiobook Review - City of Ghosts

• Title And Author: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Borrowed from Essex Libraries via BorrowBox
• Length: 272 Pages or 5 Hours 2 Minutes

Curveball alert!!! A middle grade! And via audiobook even though I have a physical copy on my TBR shelves! Plus, at a time when I’m not sure what kind of book blogger I am, this comes as a real sidestep. 

So, I bought this book MONTHS ago after hearing everyone RAVE about Victoria Schwab (or V.E. Schwab for her adult novels) other novels. You guys seem to really love her Darker Shades of Magic and Vicious series. I think I got Vicious on my kindle during a Kindle Sale so might read that in the future (not sure when), but when I first heard of this, this caught my attention. A middle grade ghost story set in Scotland - sign me up. 

But then, I never read it. I never felt in the mood or the right frame of mind, and it was only when I saw the audiobook on the BorrowBow app (via Essex Libraries as am trying to save money and I cancelled my Audible. I know, what was I thinking?!) did I go “Ok, am in the mood for something fun”.

Cassidy Blake can see ghosts. She can step through the Veil between the living and the dead. And no one knows this about Cassidy expect her best friend Jacob. Who’s a ghost himself and can read her thoughts. 

When Cassidy’s parents - two famous authors who investigate the paranormal - are offered a chance to host a TV show, showcasing the world’s most haunted cities, the family (two adults, one child, one ghost and one ticked-off cat) head off to Edinburgh, a city of ghosts. Including one with black hair, a red cloak and the ability to steal children away…

The Raven in Red is watching, and she watching Cassidy with great interest…

Cover Reveals for FINALE & THE ARCHIVED!

A little later than everyone else (am slow! I know!), but have you guys seen the covers for the final book in Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga, Finale? If you haven't, here is it:

Oh, I could SO easily pick at this cover (like I did with Silence) and figure out what it means. But I won't. The cover is, as always, very pretty and I can't wait to read how Becca wraps up the saga (yep, am fan of Becca's writing. Has no one noticed?)! Although, if I have to pick ONE thing, has no one noticed that Patch doesn't have wings... a clue, maybe? 

Also, the cover has been revealed for Victoria Schwab's The Archived. If you have been with me for a while, you know that I simply loved reading Victoria's debut novel, The Near Witch so I am very intrigued on her next novel. So, might as well show you cover:

It's a very different cover from The Near Witch, but I like that it's different. But with both these books, they can't come so enough! I have to wait till October for Finale and early next year for The Archived. 

GoodRead - The Near Witch

I'm not 100% sure how I came across this author. I suspect Twitter. So, because of that, I preordered this (this is rare for me. Recently, I seem to be getting books from the publishers and friends to review. I have been very lucky, me thinks!). So, after a few books that were a bit dark, I fancied something different. So, my hands found this in my Books To Read pile by the side of my bed (let's say nothing about the piles by the foot of my bed, shall we...?)

In the town of Near, some facts hold true. The wind is lonely and if it calls you at night, don't listen to it. The Near Witch is a fairy tale is told to scare children. And no strangers ever come to Near. But one night, Lexi sees a stranger of the moors, and he seems to vanish like smoke. And then, the next night, children start to vanish. The village beginning to think the stranger is to blame, starting a witch hunt.

But Lexi doesn't believe that he's guilty. So, if he isn't, who is taking the children? Is the Near Witch more than a scary fairy tale? Is that even possible?

Now, I read this book quite fast (especially near the end! Oh, that chapter!) for two reasons: first, I discovered that I got a job and I wanted to finish Near Witch before I started (I now don't have it so, that worked out!). The second was I just flew through this story. It is very fairy tale-like but had an edge to it. You sense that not all was well and, due to the time where the story was set, you wanted Lexi to figure it out as the book was set in a early time (not medieval, but I had that in my head) and with nearly every male character going "You can't do that", it was more to prove a point.

Which is why I like Lexi. She knew her own mind and wasn't afraid to go "This isn't right. This is what I must do." She has a strong sense of doing the right thing, even if other people disagree.

There were times I was reminded of another book in which a village is gripped by paranoia and that was Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakely-Cartwright (click here for that review - oh, I watched the film. I prefer the book more. Just saying!) but there were times that it seems better and you sensed that the people of Near wanted an Scape goat and weren't afraid of framing an innocent person. I found that moment quite shocking...

Now, as I read the book so fast, I felt the last few chapters could have been a bit thicker. But that's me. Maybe I should reread those chapters to get my head round it. And yes, this included one really creepy moment when you discover what happen to the missing children...

At the present moment, I believe this book doesn't have a UK publisher (WHY NOT?!), so if you want to read this book, you have to get it imported from the states from Amazon or Book Depository but if you fancy reading a fairy tale-like story with a slight dark edge, this might right up your street.