Ghost Squad is one of the most talked about middle grade books of 2020 so far, so it’s likely crossed your social media feed at least once or twice. While many hyped up books turn out to be disappointing, in this particular case, I’d say you should believe the hype and give this book a try!
12-year-old Lucely Luna has always been able to see spirits. When something unusually creepy and strange happens during one of her father’s Ghost Tours, Lucely realises the ghosts of her dead family members (who live with her as fireflies) are in danger, and she teams up with her best friend Syd to find a spell that will help her fix the mess. However, the spell they cast goes terribly wrong and plunges their whole town in danger. Now they must team up with Syd’s witchy, leather jacket clad grandma and her grumpy cat to save Lucely’s ghost family and the town.
Ghost Squad is the bookish equivalent of the sense of comfort you feel when you bury yourself under a pile of cosy blankets. The book is relatively short in length, and the plot moves along pretty quickly. Ortega uses some much-beloved elements and tropes of a typical middle grade story in clever and unexpected ways and there are epic battles, best friends teaming up and going on a quest to find a magical object, and a band of misfits saving the day! Her prose is quirky and atmospheric, her storytelling vivid as you can clearly picture every frame in your head as you read. The story is rooted in Dominican folklore, and whether you’re someone familiar with the tales that influence the book or not, you’ll find it incredibly delightful.
The best thing about Ghost Squad is its characters. While Lucely and Syd were great, what I especially loved was Ortega’s handling of the various kind and supportive adults in Lucely’s life, who actually listen to what the kids have to say and trust them instead of just being dismissive. My favourite among the main characters was definitely Babette, the super-grandma who wears a massive purple cape and vanquishes ghostly dragons with a wand. Also, Chunk the cat deserves all the belly rubs and string cheese in the world!
Ghost Squad is first and foremost a book about family and not just the kind bonded by blood. Despite there being magical adventures, the story’s main focus always remains on Lucely’s various relationships, which Ortega portrays with a lot of heart and aching sweetness. Lucely’s mother left them a while ago, and while Lucely is still dealing with the grief of her absence and trying to move on, she has a kind and loving father with her every step of the way. Then there’s Syd, always ready to follow Lucely to the ends of the earth; their unwavering loyalty to each other is the driving force behind the plot. Lucely’s firefly family is fussy and affectionate and fiercely protective of her, and the few scenes where we get to meet them are the ones I enjoyed the most.
While I really liked this book, there were a few things I felt could’ve been done better. The first half of the story is far less exciting when compared to the second half, mostly because the setup took an unusually long amount of time. And while the story concludes satisfactorily, I couldn’t help feeling like the ending was too rushed.
However, the issues I pointed out didn’t really interfere with my enjoyment of the story. If you’re a fan of Pixar’s Coco or just really like spooky (but not too spooky) middle grade fiction, you’re bound to love this book. I very much recommend trying the gorgeously narrated audiobook, which has been made available for free on Spotify, by the way, so I really don’t see why you shouldn’t go and give it a listen right now!
Ghost Squad is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore!
Will you be picking up Ghost Squad? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Coco meets Stranger Things with a hint of Ghostbusters in this action-packed supernatural fantasy.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 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.
