Bridge of Souls

I gave this book four and a half spectral stars!

Man oh man was this a lot of fun!I preordered this book the second it was available, and it was well worth the wait.

We continue Cassidy Blake’s spooky journey as her parents continue the filming of their new paranormal show in New Orleans. Immediately Cassidy is swept up in the unique ambience of the city, but when she is followed by a mysterious figure cloaked in black the situation takes a scary turn. Who is this figure? Can she stop it, or will it take her beyond the Veil and reclaim her second chance at life?

Much like the first two books, this was a wonderful MG read.

As always, Cassidy was a great main character. She’s learned a lot about herself thus far, and she continues to discover interesting things about the spirit world and the world of the living that help her grow. I like how scrappy she can be, and how fiercely she fights for her friends. She’s such a brave little girl, and it was easy to root for her in this spooky tale.

Jacob almost stole the show this time as her ghost buddy. There were intriguing developments that had me wondering where his future lay, and that really kept me blazing through the pages. Through and through, he’s a great friend to Cassidy, and their friendship really shines in this book.

The plot was similar to the last two books but distinctly different and refreshing. I’ve never visited NOLA for more than a day, but I’m familiar with the look and feel of things. I loved the atmosphere that was portrayed and the tidbits of history we were given. The antagonist was scary and mysterious, and the stakes were super high, which kept me on the edge of my seat. Cassidy’s world continues to get more interesting, and I have to know what else the universe has in store for Cassidy, Jacob, and Lara!

If I had to pick at anything, I’d say the ending was a smidgen disappointing, mainly because there is usually a feeling of continuity that wasn’t there. This time the story felt more close-ended, but I’m desperately hoping that this series continues on further. I need more!

If you love MG or simply love spooky tales, this is definitely a book worth reading!

Series Info/Source: This is the third book in the Cassidy Blake series. I bought a copy of this book.

Story (4/5): I have really been enjoying the Cassidy Blake series and this book was really well done. Normally I enjoy the unique international locations but this time we stay in the United States and get to explore the haunted regions of New Orleans. Something has been chasing Cass and Jacob since Paris and they will eventually have to face it down. This is a fast-paced and well done story. I love that we get to explore the haunted history of New Orleans and that we make more progress in understanding what the in-betweeners like Cass can do.

Characters (5/5): Cass is smart and fun and well balanced by her ghostly friend Jacob and her Scottish friend Lara. I love Casss interactions with her ghost hunting parents. I enjoyed that we met a whole bunch of new characters in the Society of the Black Cat.

Setting (5/5): The settings are always a big part of what makes these books amazing and this was no exception. New Orleans was a great spooky setting and some of the history here was very fun to learn about. I have been to New Orleans before and to some of the places mentioned in the book, Schwab does an excellent job describing them and helping us picture and feel the atmosphere.

Writing Style (4/5): This is a middle grade novel and is written in a fairly simple style. Its easy to read and engaging but things wrap up a bit too conveniently and things are a bit too simple at times. That being said I love the atmosphere of this series and really enjoying learning about the supernatural mysteries in these different locations. I also really enjoyed the story is expanded on this time and went beyond Cass solving a simple ghost mystery and had her actually unraveling the secrets of the supernatural world.

My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this book. Every book in this series has been a lot of fun. The characters are well done and I love learning about the different locations. They have a good creepy vibe to them but never get too scary. I was hoping for another international location in this book (since you know, stuck at home all year…pandemic) but New Orleans worked well for the story. The plots are a bit simple but this is aimed at a middle grade audience.

This is such a cute series and I hope there will be more to follow because I cannot get enough of Cassidy, Lara and Jacob.

In this installment, Cassidy’s parents are filming their next installment of their TV show on haunted places in New Orleans. And while the veil is constantly pulling at Cassidy, she is also being hunted by the servant of death. She cheated death and death wants her back. With the help of Lara, and Jacob and a few new friends in New Orleans, Cassidy tries to break the tie that the servant of Death has on her. But in doing so she may lose her best friend.

As with the other 2 books, Jacob is my favorite. He is such a cutie. And also such a scardy cat for a ghost. But he also has the most laughful lines. I did get a bit scared for him near the end though. I believe this series was set as a trilogy, but I hope that is revised and Victoria Schwab writes more.

SYNOPSIS | Cass & her best ghost friend Jacob explore New Orleans for the third episode of her parents tv show. This is a city that thrives off its history & very much leans into ghost tours, voodoo & sances. Cass doesn’t expect to face a literal servant of Death though who’s goal is to reclaim the life that she stole.

WHAT I LIKED:
– Jacob’s dry sense of humor is delightful
– I will happily read every single book in this series forever more because its such an encompassing world with precious characters
– I’m recommending this series to every middle grade aged kid I come across

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
– many references to a particular Wizarding World

I know its a bit cliche but I really do think I would read the phone book if Victoria wrote it.

Ive not read anything of hers that I didnt love and this was no exception.

What a thrill ride shes taken us on with Cassidy, Jacob and Lara! I really hope theres more books in this series as I love these characters.

Another atmospheric setting, this time New Orleans, adds an even creepier edge to the story than even Edinburgh or Paris.

I really enjoyed everything about this series and cannot recommend it highly enough!