Review: City of Ghosts

City of Ghosts
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself. 

I have been so, insanely ready for this book! Not only is it new Victoria Schwab, but it's ghosts and it's set in Edinburgh! I immediately got stuck in as soon as it arrived, and read it in one sitting because it was impossible to put down and was such a cracking read. 

Cass was a relatable MC, and she was inquisitive, although not the most careful person. I did kind of internally snort, with a mild sneer, at her because she was making such a fuss about the different words in the UK compared to the US, but I'm not sure if that's regular behaviour or if she was just being extra. I have American relatives and kind of just shrug off the word difference and it isn't a big deal to me, plus you know....we all watch US shows and movies so the word difference just...kind of is part of the norm, it's something we all know. I guess that might not be the same in the US if that level of explanation is needed about chips? She made it a reaaaally big deal and I was kind of like "okay...we get it...", because she kept going on and on about it, and as much as I love Victoria's books...this actually annoyed me a little bit. I know it's meant for a US audience, but still. But it might just have been me being overly sensitive I guess. 

On the subject of overly long explanations about chips....Victoria was a bit disappointingly vague about certain other things. The book is set in Scotland...and yet there's only like two characters that have Scottish accents, none of the film crew where Scottish and neither was Lara, she was from London and I wasn't sure I liked her. She seemed very no-nonsense and serious...but also very stand-offish. I was hoping for more from her based on the synopsis but she wasn't in it much. 

I loved her friendship with Jacob and how she never turned her back on him, they're a team. As for Jacob....he was an immediate surprise as I started reading. I loved the "corporeally challenged" title he prefers! I was kinda sad we didn't get to see more of his story and what happened, I was fascinated by what could have potentially happened and how he came to be a ghost. As well as the fact he seems to know a lot more than Cass about how it all works. I kinda wish the book had been longer because then we could have got some of them, plus I feel the book could have gone longer. 

I was 100% fascinated by the spin on ghosts and the lore of them that Victoria came up with, thriving on anger and pain, and it taking a lot of spiritual power for them to move things is kind of standard fare, but being able to hear thoughts and the Veil are all new and I was so intrigued by it all. I was so curious about the ins and outs of Cass's power, I can't decide if I'd be terrified to have that power or love it so I could question ghosts about the past! 

I'm not going to lie, I had a phase when I watched any show I could find about ghost legends, so this spoke to me and I wish the show in the book was real! More importantly, the setting had me super excited! Edinburgh is one of the places I really, reaaaalllyyy want to go and visit because I want to go and check out the history...and the ghosts! I was living for all of the history in the book and the legends, some of them I already knew, along with the historical facts, but some I didn't! I would love to get my hands on a book about all of it! 

City of Ghosts is atmospheric, and a bit chilling at points to be honest! There's a nice fast pace, and the plot is coated in history. It's a wonderfully woven story, with Victoria's unique brand of storytelling, and there's plenty to entertain you! 

Don't forget to check out the Instagram tour!