For Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business. Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd’s witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and … to save the town and Lucely’s firefly spirits before it’s too late.
With the family dynamics of Coco and action-packed adventure of Ghostbusters, Claribel A. Ortega delivers both a thrillingly spooky and delightfully sweet debut novel.
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This was my first middle grade book in a few years, and it fulfilled all my expectations of the genre. Fresh and honest, just like the two best friends who save the day, Ortega’s voice keeps the story moving and the feels very real. I strongly recommend this as a warm hearted weekend read.
I was super excited for this book and I was really happy to find it was available on Scribd as an audiobook and could listen to it on the side. But after reading the book, I was left somewhat disappointed. It wasn’t a bad book, but I had a hard time focusing on the story, it felt like it moved on super quickly and I wasn’t fully able to keep up and keep my focus on it. I never really had this issue with audiobooks before, so I am not completely sure if it was just me, the book in general, or the audiobook not working for me, so I am gonna get myself a physical copy one day to try again to make sure.
The pieces of story I did catch were super magical and exactly up my alley. Latinx folklore and traditions around death and magic are super interesting and beautiful and the way those were woven into a children’s story just felt magical on it’s own. The subtleness of everything was also really great, as often books try to go super over the top when ghosts are involved, and this story was super gentle with it. Though the book was full of all of that, it really contained a beautiful message of love, both from and for family and friends, as kind of the main theme.
I give Ghost Squad three stars as I was enjoying myself when listening, even though I didn’t fully catch the story nor understand it completely. I wouldn’t per se say I recommend this book given my experience, but if you like middle grade ghost stories and chunky cats, I genuinely think you will love this.
Lucely can see the ghosts of her dead relatives, even though they appear to everyone else as fireflies. So when some become ill and weak, Lucely is the one person who can save them. She and her best friend try magic, but when they use the wrong spell, they unleash a horde of evil spirits on her hometown. Suddenly things are much, much worse than she ever thought possible.
This fast-paced novel introduces Lucely’s unusual family on the very first page. Who could stop reading after that? The eccentric ghosts care about each other and Lucely, and she accepts them all as a natural part of her life, making the overall tone warm and funny. Still, if you like eerie, there are cemetery scenes that will thrill you.
GHOST SQUAD has an action-packed plot, funny characters, silly dialogue—and delightful relationships. Besides her extended family, Lucely’s love for her father, her longing for her mother, and her friendship with Syd form a rich background for the action. The town’s magical history further enriches the story.
Come for GHOST SQUAD’s humor and intricate plot—but stay for its friends and families.
[To read a slightly longer review, go to my website at https://mwritingsmall.com/ghost-squad-mg-book-review/%5D
Loved everything about this book! Such a fun middle-grade read!
I had so much fun reading this book! My niece is a bit squeamish about ghosts so I’ll make sure to read it with her, but I know she’ll fall in love with Lucely, and family (and, of course, Chunk)!! Particularly loved the humor and family bonds throughout the book.
This book was nicely written, family focused and introduced me into a new culture filled with a rich history. While reading, I felt like I was in the story fighting along with the squad. Some but not many of the phrases are written in Spanish so I did have to break out Google translate but that made the story even more interesting. It was nice reading about Lucely and Syd being kids running around on bikes and having adventures. Reminds me of my youth. This would be a nice book to read around Halloween.