Spellbinder by Helen Stringer

Belladonna Johnson can see ghosts, but until recently, it’s been more trouble than useful, since it wouldn’t be good for Belladonna to be caught talking to someone invisible. But when her parents are killed in a car accident, she realizes how great her skill is. Even though no one else can see her parents, for Belladonna, it’s like nothing has changed. And for a while, everything is great—until one day, the stars blink out and her parents disappear without warning. Something is seriously wrong. Ghosts aren’t just supposed to disappear like that. So Belladonna, with the help of her sneaky classmate Steve, is going to find out exactly what is amiss before the ghosts—including her parents—are gone for good.

I really enjoy reading middle grade fantasy because younger protagonists are given a chance to truly shine in such imaginative stories. Spellbinder, thankfully, is one of these books. Belladonna and Steve have a youthful sort of immaturity which is so endearing, and the way that they go about trying to fix their problems has a logic unique to their young and curious age. It’s nice to take a break sometimes from young adult fantasy, where romance is usually prevalent, to see that fantasy can also be a realm where innocence and fun reign. Stringer has created such a fascinating story where ghosts and other scarier creatures exist, there are multiple realms, and it’s up to two kids to basically save the world. This younger fantasy is full of twists and turns and is immensely enjoyable for both the middle grade age group and older readers.

Spellbinder will be enjoyed by fans of Mister Monday by Garth Nix, Poison by Chris Wooding, and Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks.

Rating: 4.0

Review copy borrowed