Phantom Academy

by Christine Virnig

Lindsay Currie’s Scritch Scratch meets The School for Invisible Boys in this fun romp of a middle grade novel about a newly dead boy who faces a spooky new school hiding an unearthly mystery.

After an unlucky collision between a coconut and the top of his head, twelve-year-old Finn joins the ranks of the recently deceased…and of the students at Phantom Academy. The academy is a spectral boarding school for underage ghosts finding their footing in the afterlife, and Finn is the new kid at school.

He doesn’t understand why ghosts have to take tests and do homework. Or why making friends doesn’t get any easier even when all the students have a very big thing in common. As the new class of middle schoolers get to know each other, it becomes clear something is happening behind the scenes of their new academy.

Can Finn and his classmates figure out their afterlife and crack the mystery?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery

272 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 2025

About the author

Christine Virnig is a fan of books, candy, spooky stories, poop jokes, and coffee… in no particular order. As a former physician, Christine now spends her days writing books, reading books, and working at a library where she is surrounded by books.

Christine lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, two daughters, a ridiculous number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat. You can visit her on the web at christinevirnig.com.

Reviews

[Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even in death, you can't get out of going to school. Twelve-year-old Finn learns this the hard way after a falling coconut does him in. Phantom Academy by Christine Virnig is a fun take on YA afterlife. The emotional trauma of death is very much brushed over, and poor Fin is thrown right into school. Poor guy was just on Holiday and now... well, back to the academic grind. A fun and engaging read perfect for October classroom reading.

*Thank you to @Aladdin and @SimonandSchuster

Follow me on
✿KTBookReviews✿Instagram✿Twitter✿Facebook✿TikTok

[Paige (pagebypaigebooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5 Stars

"Maybe death makes us realize what’s truly important.”

I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.

Instagram Post

Blog Post

Content Warnings: grief

This book started off with a great premise, following Finn, a new student at a mysterious boarding school for child ghosts, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. There was a great setup, with an intriguing cast of characters and a spooky setting. However, I wished that I could have seen more development from the characters as the book went on. The writing flowed smoothly, and Finn's narration added a great light-hearted element to this otherwise darker topic. But in terms of the plot, I found that it was very slow to begin with. Towards the end, the action did pick up as the team uncovered some secrets, however, the ending felt a bit rushed. I enjoyed the book's take on death, the afterlife, and grief. It was interesting to see how both the children and adult characters approached their situations differently over time.

[HF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another solid effort from Christine Virnig. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I'll say it mostly lived up to the hype. It'd be really hard to butcher a concept this fun. I would've preferred more attention on Finn coming to terms with being dead/a ghost instead of so much focus on a missing painting, but the ending offers potential for a sequel so I expect that to be addressed should there be a book two. And I really hope there is because there's a lot of depth to Finn's character and his relationships with the other ghosts (students and teachers) that has yet to be explored.

I could've done without the bathroom humor, though. Even for a MG book, there's far too much of it in my opinion.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and fun middle grade story about the afterlife. The story pulls you in with its mystery and emotion.

This was a quirky fun book that stars a group of young ghosts. There were lots of fun moments and also real raw moments as well. I enjoyed the bit of mystery in there as well.

If you enjoy fun adventures, spooky mysteries, and found family check this one out!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Somewhat similar to van Eekhout's Ghost Job or Fry's Ghosted, but with a magical academy twist. I just couldn't get past the rather abrupt way that Finn died, and the way it was played for laughs. (Getting hit in the head with a coconut.) This was completely a me issue; tweens will look at it as an interesting fantasy school novel.

https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this in exchange for an unbiased review.

Overall

This book was not at all on my radar until it appeared in my mailbox, but it's comped to all the right things to have immediately piqued my interest. Though the topic seems a little morbid at first (it's always sad to think of kids dying . . . even via coconut), I was eager to give this one a try.

Phantom Academy is a funny, yet heartwarming, paranormal adventure where a group of kids find themselves in a ghost school (even in the afterlife, ugh) where they're determined to solve the mystery of the afterlife.

This is a book that doesn't take itself too seriously, and neither should you. Approaching it from that perspective meant this was a quick, fun read that I enjoyed, even in all its silliness. The friendships the newly deceased Finn forms are sweet, and the growth of the characters is heartwarming. The mystery was interesting and fun, although as I think about it . . . I'm not sure it's ever fully resolved, which is a little disappointing.

My Thoughts

➤ Virnig's version of the afterlife is mysterious, funny, and a bit of a bummer from a middle grade perspective. Finn's introduction to the afterlife is abrupt, and oddly involves a coconut, but it does answer the question of what happens when you die. it just so happens that Finn doesn't love the answer. Turns out, if you're a kid, you end up in school. Still. Lucky for Finn, he gets to take at least some interesting classes like Haunting 101. Unfortunately for him, he still has to take reading and writing. Can't win them all.

"As a teacher," Madam Lecter continues, "I get to help educate future ghosts and set them on the right path. I find my job very rewarding, though it doesn't come without sacrifice."

My classmates and I share a look.

Sacrifice?

Do ghost teachers get dangled over an ectoplasm-craving volcano every hundred years or so to appease a vicious Spirit Realm god? Or is she talking about a different kind of sacrifice?

➤ Finn isn't alone in his afterlife school predicament. The new friends he makes along the way are a varied, funny bunch that are a delight to get to know. Each age cohort requires five students before they have the honor of starting classes, which means Finn's peers have been waiting for some time to get started. This part of the story is, unfortunately, lacking a sufficient explanation, and it was a bit confusing (they apparently just . . . I don't know . . . sit in their rooms for as long as it takes until then?!).

Finn's new classmates have a variety of backstories related to how they died (rest assured, they're all just as cheeky and unique), and each student comes from a very unique background. The one thing they have in common (other than being in the same school, of course) is that they miss their families. Because of course they do. Despite this being a funny, irreverent story, there are some honestly tender moments in it.

When I finish my unhappy story, the girl in a fancy dress scoffs." You died because a coconut fell on your head? Talk about embarrassing."

"Like you can talk, Rebecca. Or should I call you Little Miss I-Got-Run-Over-by-a-Scooter-Becasue-I-Thought-It-Was-a-Good-Idea-to-Take-a-Selfie-in-the-Middle-of-the-Street?"

Well, at least I didn't fall into a ravine while looking at a beetle, Jade."

Jade's eyes widen behind her glasses. "It was a very interesting beetle!"

➤ Not everything is quite as it seems in this new Phantom Academy, and Finn and his classmates are determined to get to the bottom of it. Even if it means breaking a few rules. Okay, so they're not quite all on board with the breaking rules thing (*cough*Leroy*cough*). But they all agree that something shady is happening, and they should probably find out what the adults seem to be hiding. Weird things are definitely going on, like paintings apparently coming to life (even though everyone knows paintings don't move or talk) and teachers forbidding them from leaving the school building, even to explore the grounds.

While this mystery was pretty fast-paced and fun, it never really resolves. Part of it does, certainly, but for the few things that are answered, there are quite a few things that felt left open that I was still very curious about, which was kind of a bummer.

Mister Gruber explains how about three hundred thousand years ago, two bands of ghosts were locked in a bitter dispute. The issue? What to do with the ghost saber-toothed tigers and ghost giant sloths and ghost woolly mammoths that occasionally ended up in the Spirit Realm.

Should they be allowed to stay? Or be forced to move on?

Despite this promising beginning, though, it soon becomes clear that ghost wars are 100 percent not as cool as they sound. Ghosts cannot have their heads lopped off by hand axes. Or their bodies fatally impaled by spears. Or their brains turned to mush by giant rocks to the head. Which means that all ghost wars to date have winded up being more like a cross between a colossal shouting match and a cafeteria food fight.

[Jeneane Vanderhoof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Christine Virnig's middle-grade novel, Phantom Academy, the abrupt beginning of twelve-year-old Finn's afterlife, caused by a seemingly random accident involving a falling coconut, immediately drew me in. As protagonist Finn, he finds himself at an ethereal crossroads, faced with a choice between two divergent paths. One promises a reunion with an unpleasant relative, while the other, a narrow, uninviting dirt road, leads him to a spectral boarding school for young ghosts. This pivotal decision sets the stage for a narrative that skillfully navigates the transition from the world of the living to the strange, rule-bound reality of the spirit realm.

Upon his arrival at Phantom Academy: School for Underage Ghosts, Finn is introduced to the unique and often frustrating parameters of his new existence. Ghosts, he learns, must adhere to strict rules: they can never materialize in the presence of the living, are forbidden from causing harm, and must remain vigilant to stay hidden. Christine Virnig grounds the book's imaginative premise in the mundane difficulties of the afterlife, detailing how ghosts cannot change their clothes, must cope with the emotional pain of loss, and are subjected to the peculiar rituals of a school cafeteria. The narrative quickly establishes the emotional core of the story, as Finn's homesickness and grief for his human family drive a desperate desire to escape and reconnect with his old life.

Finn's determination to return to the living world becomes the central conflict, compelling him and his friends to unravel the academy's secrets. They soon realize that the teachers are not merely educators but are actively hindering their escape plans. The novel's mystery is rooted in the "unfinished business" of young souls and the teachers' noble but painful sacrifice: they willingly give up their own opportunity to cross into the "Great Beyond" to guide and protect the younger ghosts. The risks of trying to cross back into the Land of the Living are presented as a "cruel and futile process," a painful ordeal that can trap a soul between worlds or even cause harm to the loved ones they seek to rejoin. The teachers' actions, while initially perceived as obstructionist, are revealed to be a form of deep protection, steering the students away from a path of self-destructive and unfulfilling desperation.

From the moment Finn arrives, his unique perception of the school’s portraits hints at a deeper mystery, as he alone can see the figures within them move and change. His ability to interact with these "spectral archives," created by the academy's founder, sets him on a journey to uncover a long-forgotten purpose. These living paintings hold the keys to a larger puzzle, revealing secrets about the academy's past students and a profound connection between Finn and the founder. What was the founder's true intention? And why was Finn, of all people, seemingly drawn to this particular afterlife? These questions drive the narrative, revealing a multi-layered mystery that readers will find immensely satisfying to solve.

Ultimately, Phantom Academy is a compelling and thought-provoking read that masterfully balances a fast-paced mystery with a tender exploration of grief, friendship, and acceptance. It uses a lighthearted, imaginative setting to address significant life themes, helping young readers consider the importance of letting go of the past to find a new sense of belonging. The book’s blend of quirky humor, heartfelt depth, and tantalizing layers of unsolved mystery makes it a unique and valuable addition to any family’s library.

Happy Reading!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for a little middle school drama, but not in the normal way.

After a very extraordinary death, Finn finds himself as a ghost and off to ghost school with four other ghosts his age. Not that he gets why the worst thing in life continues to haunt in the afterlife. While several of the classes are somewhat the same as live school, at least, there's now one on haunting. The worst aspect of the school, though, is that he's not allowed to see his family until he graduates...and that will be five years. After all, the teachers and other adults are allowed to go to the living world at least once a month. Deciding that it'd be best to find a way to escape the school, he and his classmates, aka friends, do their best to find a way out. Instead, they're learning that the teachers harbor a secret.

Finn's death surprises and will have readers raising eyebrows right away. It sets the tone with a sense of humor and sadness as he lands in the after life and has to first digest the changes. There's a constant edge of sadness as Finn misses his family and, wanting to, at least, see them again, begins to plot his escape from the school. This makes him easy to sympathize and root for, especially since the wrongness of the situation edges in little by little. There's a growing sense of tension, but it never races forward on this end, letting the mystery unfold one step at a time. Thanks to the familiar setting of teachers and school life, it's easy to picture the scenes. The paranormal end offers a dose of fantasy and fun to keep everything light enough to balance the sadness and adventure.

It's an enjoyable tale from start to finish, and keeps the pacing high the entire way through. Some of the characters come across a little superficial, but it works well for the age group. There's a message about friendship, family, and mourning, but the main plot stays strong to keep this one focused on fun and adventure.

[kim baccellia · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the way to the beach, a lone coconut hits twelve-year-old Finn on the head. Suddenly, he finds himself dead. Add to that the surprise that he has to go to a ghost academy. Seems school doesn't end when you die. He finds himself a student at Phantom Academy. The building is creepy, but even more so are the paintings that only talk to him! Plus, he can't leave to see his parents on the other side until he graduates. Not fair! He convinces his friends they need to break out. When one of their big clues disappears, they find that's not their only problem. Their memories start disappearing too. One thing is certain: they all need to be able to find a way through the veil before all their earthly memories disappear.

What worked: Fun ghostly tale that is perfect for younger readers. Think Harry Potter in the Ghost world. There's a big mystery about how to break out of the school. Even the teachers have their own secrets they're not too great at hiding.

Add to the fart jokes and disgusting poop references-yes, it seems you even have to go to the bathroom in the afterlife! The enormous library reference is my favorite! The card catalog, where all the book references were in, which might be something younger readers won't get, as most everything now is done on the computer.

I did have a hard time with how quickly Finn ended up as a ghost without any further explanations. The fart and poop jokes were perfect for younger readers. Plus, the idea of a boarding school for the recently dead is something fans of Harry Potter might enjoy.

Quirky ghost tale perfect for fans of paranormal tales who enjoy humor mixed in with mystery.
Good Points
1. Fun ghostly tale for young readers

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so picture this: you’re twelve, just minding your business, and then whack, a coconut drops on your head, and the next thing you know you’re dead. But instead of floating off into the great beyond, you’re enrolled in Phantom Academy, a school for ghost kids who are trying to figure out the afterlife. Yup, welcome to middle school, but make it spectral!

Christine Virnig’s Phantom Academy is spooky-fun perfection! It’s got all the usual middle school chaos, awkward friendships, weird teachers, and mysterious hallways but now everyone’s transparent and floating. Our unlucky hero Finn is the new ghost on campus, and he quickly realizes that dying doesn't make growing up any easier. There are still cliques, cafeteria troubles, and yes, homework, rude, right? Even the afterlife has tests?!

But beneath the ghostly giggles is a clever and heartfelt mystery. Something strange is going on at Phantom Academy, and Finn and his new friends are determined to get to the bottom of it. The whole book has Graveyard Book meets Tim Burton vibes with just the right balance of laughs, chills, and warm fuzzies!

Finn is funny and endearing, and his fish-out-of-water energy makes the story fly, sometimes literally he’s a ghost, after all! The friendships feel real, the school is full of quirky charm, and there’s even a dash of existential afterlife crisis just the right amount for a 12-year-old navigating ghost puberty.

⚡️Thank you Toppling Stacks Tours and Christine Virnig for sharing this book with me!

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

This humorous read, reminiscent of Rick Riordan’s comical writing style, is a great pick for tweens looking to pick up something during spooky season that is not actually spooky. It follows our 12-year-old protagonist Finn who passes away when a coconut falls on top of his head. He then finds himself in a boarding school for ghost children, where they learn both typical (like Reading) and atypical (like Haunting 101) subjects. Finn discovers that he is unable to visit his family members until his graduation from Phantom Academy, which is years away. Between adjusting to life-or rather, death-with his new friends and discovering that he has a unique gift shared only with the school’s mysterious founder, Finn finds himself in a variety of tricky situations during his search to sneak out of school in order to visit his family. Along the way, he works to cope with grief and starting over in a new place in a creative, yet powerful way. My favorite part of this book was the engaging way that this title was written. I would have devoured this read as a tween and connected with its age-appropriate humor and the detailed world-building. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Kate Brasington · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨Tour Stop✨✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

💕💕Quotes I loved💕💕
- Madame Lecter says that some ghosts make a sport out of hiding people‘s keys and wallets and phones and socks, but this is cruel and we should not do it
- I vaguely recall learning about book numbers like this back when I was in living people school. Was it the Huey decimal system? The Dewey decimal system? The Louis decimal system? I can’t remember; I never needed to use it.
✨✨Onto the Review✨✨
What happens when children pass away? Do they continue their education? When Finn gets hit on the head with a coconut he finds himself in the after life where he gets to choose between going to the great beyond or going to phantom academy and becoming a ghost.
This book was fully of funny quirky moments. The main characters are 12 so they have the hilariously awkward antics of a preteen. I loved their cute phrases and the main characters inner monologue was just goofy.
This is a really fun book I think it’s appropriate for kids ages 10 and up but as an adult I personally enjoyed it. I’ll be saving this book for when my goblin is reading chapter books! Thank you to toppling stack tours and the author for giving me a copy of Thai book in exchange for my honest review. If you want to see content from other creators involved in the tour head over to toppling stacks website so you can see whose next on this tour 💕 https://topplingstackstours.com/

#PhantomAcademy #ChristineVirnig #TopplingStacksTours #yabooks #bookreview #bookrecs #bookswithghosts

[Kim Bartosch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phantom Academy is a clever and darkly funny middle-grade story that asks: what happens when kids die? Apparently, they go to school… again. Christine Virnig takes this spooky premise and runs with it, mixing humor, mystery, and plenty of absurdity.

I loved the concept of a ghost school where newly dead kids take classes like Haunting 101 and still have to do reading and writing after death. Finn’s bizarre death by coconut, along with his classmates’ equally unusual ends, adds to the morbid comedy. The mystery woven into the plot was engaging, with twists that kept me guessing.

That said, some world-building details left me a little unsatisfied—like why the students have to wait until there are five of them to start classes, or what happens in the meantime. And while the poop jokes will definitely appeal to middle-grade readers, they were a bit overdone for my taste.

Overall, this is a unique, funny, and spooky adventure with plenty of heart. A solid 3.5-star read! Thank you to the author and publisher for the book and my honest review. Read my full review:https://www.kimsbookreviewsandwriting...

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if when you die, you are given a choice? And what if instead of heading towards the cheery area where your great aunt waits you head into the Forrest and end up at ghost school for kids, otherwise known as PHANTOM ACADEMY. This middle grade has some Harry Potter vibes with a lot more ghosts and a mystery to solve.

Finn suddenly finds himself not alive and with his family, but in a strange new place. Phantom Academy is for kids who have recently passed away to learn all about being ghosts. While taking classes and making new friends, Finn is missing his family and trying to figure out a way to escape back to them.

Not particularly scary, but enough ghosts and mystery to work as a fun October, Halloween read if you’re looking for one. Any time of year it is a good fantasy read full of interesting characters, great world building and a lot of potential questions that bubble up as you consider the choices you hope to not have to make for a long time.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to a laugh-out-loud afterlife where a boy goes to ghost school and learns that family and friends are at the heart of being human. Kids are going to absolutely adore Finn, empathize with his quest to get back to the people he loves, and be on the edge of their seats as he and the other students solve the mystery of what the Phantom Academy is up to and how his gift of speaking to characters in paintings fits into it all. As a grownup reader, I bawled at the end. Finn your mom would absolutely be so proud of you!! Hope this is the start of a new spooky series that follows Finn and his friends on more paranormal adventures!
ARC read - full review to come

[Markita_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5
This was a quick, easy read. I really enjoyed the premise of this story about a school for ghost children. I like the supernatural and mystery elements behind the school, and the friendships that were developed throughout the story. I did feel like the ending was complete and left on a small cliffhanger, like this book could be a series, and I really hope it is. This is great for middle-grade children, and during the spooky season.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[MG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really solid middle grade book. It was just the right amount of spooky and sad. I would've adored it when I was younger. The book ended in a way that made me think that most of the story was setting up a series. I would've been all over that as a kid. As an adult, I'd say I'm still interested enough to keep an eye out for the sequel.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

👦🏻 review: have you ever watched Casper the Friendly Ghost?! This one is a funny version similar to Casper and more actions. Poor Finn and his misfortunes after meeting his accidental death while maneuvering his unknown situation. I read Christine Vernig’s book A Bite Above the Rest and this is just as funny and entertaining. What do you think Finn would do? This short book is not to be missed and the ending is… what!?! Yup, it is that good!

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining adventures of ghosts who find themselves at an academy to learn how to be ghosts. Despite the sad topic of death and how the ghosts became ghosts (and missing family and their old lives), the story was filled with imagination and mystery set in a boarding school type of situation. Unique!

[Angela Sandoval · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute story about a kid coming to terms with his new life in the afterlife. It was charming in it's own way, but it just moved a little too slow for my taste. And although a good part of if could appeal to any age, I feel like it is generally more geared toward the younger end of its 8-12 age rating.

[LS Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this one. The premise is wonderful and the humor in the book is great and kept me interested in the book. But the story moved very slowly and then...it ended. I really hope there is another book to follow because I felt so let down with the ending.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for this ARC!

Check back on (or around) 7/26/25 for the full review!

[Stan Yan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this immersive world and the main character, Fin is such a relatable character. A fun, lighthearted way to address grief and loss.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy dies, goes to a boarding school for ghosts. Not bad, but I felt like a lot more could have been done: there are only five kids in their grade, but two of them get essentially zero page time. My biggest complaint, though, is that everyone talked like they were from the modern day, even the super old ghosts. Giving some of the teachers more old-fashioned speech patterns or vernacular would have added some great texture to the story.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phantom Academy by Christine Virnig is about twelve-year-old Finn dealing with his untimely death. Finn learns that even in death he can’t escape going to school. He discovers that he died when a coconut fell on his head. When he passed, he had to make a decision at a crossroads. He could attend Phantom Academy if he follows an unmarked path or the marked path to an unlikeable relative. The academy is a boarding school for underage ghosts who are trying to find their footing in the afterlife, and Finn is the newest student to arrive.

Finn doesn’t understand why he has to attend classes and do homework. He thought making friends would be easy, but he struggles to fit in. As he tries to adjust to his new school and classmates, he realizes that something strange is going on. Will Finn uncover what’s happening before it’s too late?

I read the author’s previous book, A Bite Above the Rest, and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to this one. While reading, the premise also reminded me of the show School Spirits. Although the storylines are mostly different, both share the same idea of the undead being stuck in school.

I liked that the book had a lot of fun and humorous moments, and I think it would keep young readers entertained and wanting more. I also liked that the book tackled some heavier themes in a lighthearted way. The mystery element was engaging, and it was fun to try to piece together the clues. The ending leaves an opening for a second book, since a few questions remain unanswered. I’m looking forward to reading more of Finn’s adventures.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

This book was hilarious, yet very thoughtful. I loved every bit of it!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Here is a different academy because everyone is a ghost. Our main character had an unfortunate encounter with a coconut and ended up as a ghost who struggles with letting go, returning to what is comfortable, and what was before is the ideal. Facing new experiences is scary. This book can be read as a metaphor for big changes from grief to changing life and moving on. New friendships help, finding new purposes and interests, but mostly self-discovery. But it has an inspiring message of overcoming difficulties. The author balances serious themes with great humorous dialogue and thoughts.

[Tracey Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this was more of a Mystery rather than a Spooky Story and this was done so so well kudos to Christine. I liked the School setting and how it was run even the rules were interesting. I would of liked to know more about the main character Finn Jones as this really would of pulled the readers in .


For all the above reasons Phantom Academy 3 Stars but can see if a newbie wanted a slightly spooky story with a splash of Mystery this would be a perfect fit