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The Last Resort #2
The Claiming
The next evolution in interactive storytelling is here!
A must-read from New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Warga!
For the first time, Teddy is actually excited for the school year to start. His new neighbors, Lila and Caleb, are transferring to his school, which means he'll finally have real friends! But Teddy has a secret he's desperate to protect -- one that explains why none of his classmates have spoken to him in years...
And that's not all. Despite having sent the fire maiden back through the portal, strange things keep happening at the Castle Hill Inn. Teddy's nightmares are back in a big way, and after getting stuck in the portal herself, Lila seems to be... flickering?! Almost as if something, or someone, is trying to summon her from our world into the next.
Teddy will do anything to protect his friends, but he's terrified of repeating the worst mistake of his life. Yet Teddy might be the key to uncovering the fire maiden's evil plans, and in order to stop her, he’ll have to face his greatest fears -- the ones he's spent his whole life running from.
Enter the world of The Last Resort! Talk to ghosts that come to life and help solve the mystery!
A must-read from New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Warga!
For the first time, Teddy is actually excited for the school year to start. His new neighbors, Lila and Caleb, are transferring to his school, which means he'll finally have real friends! But Teddy has a secret he's desperate to protect -- one that explains why none of his classmates have spoken to him in years...
And that's not all. Despite having sent the fire maiden back through the portal, strange things keep happening at the Castle Hill Inn. Teddy's nightmares are back in a big way, and after getting stuck in the portal herself, Lila seems to be... flickering?! Almost as if something, or someone, is trying to summon her from our world into the next.
Teddy will do anything to protect his friends, but he's terrified of repeating the worst mistake of his life. Yet Teddy might be the key to uncovering the fire maiden's evil plans, and in order to stop her, he’ll have to face his greatest fears -- the ones he's spent his whole life running from.
Enter the world of The Last Resort! Talk to ghosts that come to life and help solve the mystery!
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2026
11 people are currently reading
2247 people want to read
About the author
Jasmine Warga
22 books2,323 followersJasmine Warga is a writer from Cincinnati, Ohio who currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. She is the internationally bestselling author of My Heart and Other Black Holes and Here We Are Now. Her books have been published in over twenty-five countries and optioned for film. Her debut middle grade novel, Other Words For Home, will be published in Spring 2019. Jasmine lives in an apartment filled with books with her husband, two tiny daughters, large dog, and mischievous cat.
**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!**
**I am only on Goodreads when one of my publishers sets up a Q&A for me, so the best way to contact me is through my website: www.jasminewarga.com or on twitter: @jasminewarga. Thank you so much for reading my books!**
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 18, 2026
While I didn't like this quite as much as the first book, it's still just scary enough while also offering that bit of tragedy and sorrow that all ghost stories need. And if you didn't do the app bit from the first book (which I ended up not doing), the book does fill you in on what that covers.
January 20, 2026
This second book in the series written by Jasmine Warga, (Sara Farizan is writing book #3) is just as scary and entertaining as the first book. Even though the Fire Maiden got sent back through the portal, weird and unexplainable thigs keep happening. Why does Lila seem to be flickering? Is some- one trying to summon her to the next world? And why is Teddy having all those horrible nightmares? I think kids are really going to love this one!
February 1, 2026
Book 2️⃣ in The Last Resort MG scary books series.
👻
For the first time, Teddy is actually excited for a new school year. His new neighbors, Lila and Caleb, are transferring to his school, and he might finally have real friends. But Teddy is hiding a secret that explains why his classmates have avoided him for years, and strange things are happening again at the Castle Hill Inn. The fire maiden may be gone, but Teddy’s nightmares are back, and after getting trapped in the portal, Lila begins to flicker as if something is trying to pull her into another world. To protect his friends and stop an even greater danger, Teddy will have to confront his past and face the mistake he fears repeating most.
👻
I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one fell flat to me. Teddy was not a character I was rooting for most of the time due to the constant reminders that he struggled to make friends, felt left out, etc. I wanted him to stand up for himself and embrace his weird. The interactive illustrations might not appeal to my middle schoolers, but could maybe work in elementary.
CW: bullying
👻
For the first time, Teddy is actually excited for a new school year. His new neighbors, Lila and Caleb, are transferring to his school, and he might finally have real friends. But Teddy is hiding a secret that explains why his classmates have avoided him for years, and strange things are happening again at the Castle Hill Inn. The fire maiden may be gone, but Teddy’s nightmares are back, and after getting trapped in the portal, Lila begins to flicker as if something is trying to pull her into another world. To protect his friends and stop an even greater danger, Teddy will have to confront his past and face the mistake he fears repeating most.
👻
I really enjoyed the first book in the series, but this one fell flat to me. Teddy was not a character I was rooting for most of the time due to the constant reminders that he struggled to make friends, felt left out, etc. I wanted him to stand up for himself and embrace his weird. The interactive illustrations might not appeal to my middle schoolers, but could maybe work in elementary.
CW: bullying
September 8, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Teddy and his Castle Hill, Ohio neighbors Lila and Caleb defeated the Fire Maiden in The Last Resort... or did they. Teddy is excited to be starting seventh grade with an actual friend, since no one at school has really talked to him after the tragic drowning death of his friend Ethan, for which he blames himself. Lila seems to make friends with popular girls Mackenzie and Aubrey easily, although she admits that people at her previous school considered her prediliction for drama "a lot". After picking out a JAWS themed t shirt (rather than a creepy one with Jack Nicholson in The Shining), Teddy has a decent first day, but notices to his alarm that Lila is flickering. She becomes briefly invisible, and is drawn into the Land of the Dead, which is certainly alarming. Doing more research, the trio find that the ghosts they have been seeing in the hotel that Lila and Caleb's parents now own were all somehow related to the devastating circus fire that occurred nearby. Teddy reaches out to a trusted source on the online horror forum, Rosteen, and arranged to meet in person. Rosteen confirms that it is likely that the Fire Maiden is trying to pull Lila back in to the Land of the Dead. When Mackenzie and Aubrey decide that it would be a good idea to have a séance at the hotel, Lila agrees, even though Teddy thinks it is a horrible idea. It is, of course, and the group summons the Fire Maiden. This is particularly horrible, since Mackenzie is also a descendant of a performer incolved in the circus fire. Rosteen suggests getting herbs from a nearby lady, Debra, and putting them on the Fire Maidens grave, but visiting the cemetery reveals shocking information about Rosteen. At a big Halloween Party, things get very dicey, but most everyone survives. Teddy doesn't think the Fire Maiden has been laid to rest, and he's probably right!
Strengths: Creepy, four story houses are always a great setting for a middle grade novel, and it's a bit rare to have a horror series. Readers will enjoy catching up with Teddy, Caleb, and Lila and learning more about the circus fire and the long term effects this had on people associated with that event. Starting back to school is a good call, since this brings in more characters. The Halloween party was just about as epic as the the one in Russell's new Down Came the Spiders. I loved that they passed it off as a publicity stunt!
Weaknesses: I'm still not sure that readers will access the interactive features; mine didn't for the Thirty Nine Clues series back in 2008. Since this series is by multiple authors, I'll shelve it under F LAS. The writing was oddly choppy; maybe Warga had trouble transitioning back from novels in verse. I also got a little tired of hearing how Teddy struggled to make friends.
What I really think: Spooky books always do well, and the Fire Maiden is a good murderous ghost. Fans of Monahan's Mary: The Summoning or Richardson's The Devil's Footsteps will be tempted to have a séance of their own, but they absolutely SHOULD NOT!
Teddy and his Castle Hill, Ohio neighbors Lila and Caleb defeated the Fire Maiden in The Last Resort... or did they. Teddy is excited to be starting seventh grade with an actual friend, since no one at school has really talked to him after the tragic drowning death of his friend Ethan, for which he blames himself. Lila seems to make friends with popular girls Mackenzie and Aubrey easily, although she admits that people at her previous school considered her prediliction for drama "a lot". After picking out a JAWS themed t shirt (rather than a creepy one with Jack Nicholson in The Shining), Teddy has a decent first day, but notices to his alarm that Lila is flickering. She becomes briefly invisible, and is drawn into the Land of the Dead, which is certainly alarming. Doing more research, the trio find that the ghosts they have been seeing in the hotel that Lila and Caleb's parents now own were all somehow related to the devastating circus fire that occurred nearby. Teddy reaches out to a trusted source on the online horror forum, Rosteen, and arranged to meet in person. Rosteen confirms that it is likely that the Fire Maiden is trying to pull Lila back in to the Land of the Dead. When Mackenzie and Aubrey decide that it would be a good idea to have a séance at the hotel, Lila agrees, even though Teddy thinks it is a horrible idea. It is, of course, and the group summons the Fire Maiden. This is particularly horrible, since Mackenzie is also a descendant of a performer incolved in the circus fire. Rosteen suggests getting herbs from a nearby lady, Debra, and putting them on the Fire Maidens grave, but visiting the cemetery reveals shocking information about Rosteen. At a big Halloween Party, things get very dicey, but most everyone survives. Teddy doesn't think the Fire Maiden has been laid to rest, and he's probably right!
Strengths: Creepy, four story houses are always a great setting for a middle grade novel, and it's a bit rare to have a horror series. Readers will enjoy catching up with Teddy, Caleb, and Lila and learning more about the circus fire and the long term effects this had on people associated with that event. Starting back to school is a good call, since this brings in more characters. The Halloween party was just about as epic as the the one in Russell's new Down Came the Spiders. I loved that they passed it off as a publicity stunt!
Weaknesses: I'm still not sure that readers will access the interactive features; mine didn't for the Thirty Nine Clues series back in 2008. Since this series is by multiple authors, I'll shelve it under F LAS. The writing was oddly choppy; maybe Warga had trouble transitioning back from novels in verse. I also got a little tired of hearing how Teddy struggled to make friends.
What I really think: Spooky books always do well, and the Fire Maiden is a good murderous ghost. Fans of Monahan's Mary: The Summoning or Richardson's The Devil's Footsteps will be tempted to have a séance of their own, but they absolutely SHOULD NOT!
November 1, 2025
What worked:
Interestingly, this book is the second in the series, but it’s written by a different author. Previously, Lila was the only character who could see ghosts, but this time, Teddy and Caleb somehow gain the ability, too. Teddy notices something strange about Lila that leads the plot in a new direction. She starts flickering, fading in and out of existence, and sometimes disappearing entirely. This problem becomes the plot’s main conflict, as Teddy doesn’t want to let another friend die. He doesn’t know what to do, so he often goes to his chat room group, the Phantom Hunters, in search of answers. Lila also joins him in researching the history of their small Ohio town, and they begin to notice a pattern. They banished the Fire Maiden in the first book, but they fear she may be returning.
A subplot involves a tragedy that’s been traumatizing Teddy since the first book. Teddy’s best friend died when they were in the third grade, and Teddy’s been blaming himself for the past four years. Readers know it involves a skating accident, but this book adds previously unknown details. The drowning was devastating for Teddy, but his classmates’ teasing made it even worse. They still make comments about his obsession with ghosts and horror movies, so Teddy doesn’t have any good friends. Since Lila is new to his school, he’s afraid she won’t want to be associated with him when she learns he has no relationships with any other students.
The author is a master of suspense and of developing an eerie world. From the first book, readers will know Lila’s family has moved into an inn that has catered more to ghosts than humans. Of course, her parents are unaware that a portal to the world of the dead is behind the mirror in the attic. Stormy weather helps to create a creepier feeling even during the daytime hours. The tension is amplified when kids from school perform a séance that gives the Fire Maiden more power. Later, Lila’s parents plan a party on Halloween, so readers know the plot will build to a climax on that day. Readers are left to wonder how fearful, remorseful Teddy can save his friend from being claimed by a malevolent spirit that’s growing stronger.
What didn’t work as well:
Isn’t it amazing how many characters sense things are “off” but ignore those feelings. There are a couple of instances in this book where Teddy and Lila meet characters and think their actions or comments seem odd. Experienced readers will notice the clues and be on the lookout when the plot takes a turn. It’s also strange that Lila flickers in school, and no one notices enough to make it into a “thing”.
The final verdict:
There are many references to the Fire Maiden, so readers should read The Last Resort first. Middle-grade readers love scary stories, and they’ll love a spirit that feeds on fears of the living. I recommend you try this series for yourself!
Interestingly, this book is the second in the series, but it’s written by a different author. Previously, Lila was the only character who could see ghosts, but this time, Teddy and Caleb somehow gain the ability, too. Teddy notices something strange about Lila that leads the plot in a new direction. She starts flickering, fading in and out of existence, and sometimes disappearing entirely. This problem becomes the plot’s main conflict, as Teddy doesn’t want to let another friend die. He doesn’t know what to do, so he often goes to his chat room group, the Phantom Hunters, in search of answers. Lila also joins him in researching the history of their small Ohio town, and they begin to notice a pattern. They banished the Fire Maiden in the first book, but they fear she may be returning.
A subplot involves a tragedy that’s been traumatizing Teddy since the first book. Teddy’s best friend died when they were in the third grade, and Teddy’s been blaming himself for the past four years. Readers know it involves a skating accident, but this book adds previously unknown details. The drowning was devastating for Teddy, but his classmates’ teasing made it even worse. They still make comments about his obsession with ghosts and horror movies, so Teddy doesn’t have any good friends. Since Lila is new to his school, he’s afraid she won’t want to be associated with him when she learns he has no relationships with any other students.
The author is a master of suspense and of developing an eerie world. From the first book, readers will know Lila’s family has moved into an inn that has catered more to ghosts than humans. Of course, her parents are unaware that a portal to the world of the dead is behind the mirror in the attic. Stormy weather helps to create a creepier feeling even during the daytime hours. The tension is amplified when kids from school perform a séance that gives the Fire Maiden more power. Later, Lila’s parents plan a party on Halloween, so readers know the plot will build to a climax on that day. Readers are left to wonder how fearful, remorseful Teddy can save his friend from being claimed by a malevolent spirit that’s growing stronger.
What didn’t work as well:
Isn’t it amazing how many characters sense things are “off” but ignore those feelings. There are a couple of instances in this book where Teddy and Lila meet characters and think their actions or comments seem odd. Experienced readers will notice the clues and be on the lookout when the plot takes a turn. It’s also strange that Lila flickers in school, and no one notices enough to make it into a “thing”.
The final verdict:
There are many references to the Fire Maiden, so readers should read The Last Resort first. Middle-grade readers love scary stories, and they’ll love a spirit that feeds on fears of the living. I recommend you try this series for yourself!
December 27, 2025
The Last Resort is a multi-author ghosty series for middle grade readers with volume 1 written by Erin Entrada Kelly and introducing siblings Lila and Caleb, who have just arrived in Ohio with their parents to renovate the supposedly haunted inn left to them by Grandpa Clem, and Teddy, their next door neighbor and paranormal enthusiast. Book 1 establishes the portal on the 4th floor used by Grandpa Clem to help ghosts make their way into the afterlife, usually by aiding in their settling of unfinished business, and the existence of a very angry and vengeful apparition called the Fire Maiden. Using the trio’s unique strengths and great teamwork, Lila, Caleb and Teddy are able to banish the Fire Maiden to the land of the dead via the portal. Or so they thought.
Book 2 reveals more about the Fire Maiden’s plans to avenge her own death by taking the lives of the descendants of those who involved in the circus fire that claimed her life and that of many others. Lila is beginning to flicker and sometimes disappear into the world through the portal and the nightmares used by the Fire Maiden in book 1 have returned for Teddy. Can the so-called Trionic figure out how to keep Lila firmly grounded in the land of the living and can they stop the Fire Maiden from killing anyone else?
The trio’s battle against the Fire Maiden’s nefarious plans is scarily nestled amid a bit of 7th grade drama as Lila begins a new school, one where Teddy has been viewed as something of a pariah since the 4th grade and the two must navigate the friendship dilemmas that arise and Teddy must decide if he can share what happened 3 years ago. Warga throws a few interesting characters into the mix-Rosteen, an online authority on the paranormal, an herb gardener named Debra, popular MacKenzie who is related to a victim of the circus fire, and odd Mr Houser at the town archives. Most readers will speculate about at least a few of those and I will admit to seeing how one will play out but being fooled into thinking something that turns out to be wrong about another…unless that one reappears in book 3 and I am proven right!?
Thoroughly enjoyed this sequel but did think it ended too abruptly, probably due to the publisher’s desire to keep this one about the same 225ish pages as the first. Recommend that libraries continue purchasing the series.
Target audience: grades 4-7
Scare factor: ghostly but not the kind that will keep readers up at night
Profanity: none
Sexual content: none
Representation: Teddy’s father is from Jordan and he and his siblings have his darker skin and hair
Violence: furniture is broken, food is tossed, and fear is felt but no physical harm comes to anyone
Note: My arc, courtesy of Scholastic, did not have the interactive illustrations that will be present in the finished versions.
Book 2 reveals more about the Fire Maiden’s plans to avenge her own death by taking the lives of the descendants of those who involved in the circus fire that claimed her life and that of many others. Lila is beginning to flicker and sometimes disappear into the world through the portal and the nightmares used by the Fire Maiden in book 1 have returned for Teddy. Can the so-called Trionic figure out how to keep Lila firmly grounded in the land of the living and can they stop the Fire Maiden from killing anyone else?
The trio’s battle against the Fire Maiden’s nefarious plans is scarily nestled amid a bit of 7th grade drama as Lila begins a new school, one where Teddy has been viewed as something of a pariah since the 4th grade and the two must navigate the friendship dilemmas that arise and Teddy must decide if he can share what happened 3 years ago. Warga throws a few interesting characters into the mix-Rosteen, an online authority on the paranormal, an herb gardener named Debra, popular MacKenzie who is related to a victim of the circus fire, and odd Mr Houser at the town archives. Most readers will speculate about at least a few of those and I will admit to seeing how one will play out but being fooled into thinking something that turns out to be wrong about another…unless that one reappears in book 3 and I am proven right!?
Thoroughly enjoyed this sequel but did think it ended too abruptly, probably due to the publisher’s desire to keep this one about the same 225ish pages as the first. Recommend that libraries continue purchasing the series.
Target audience: grades 4-7
Scare factor: ghostly but not the kind that will keep readers up at night
Profanity: none
Sexual content: none
Representation: Teddy’s father is from Jordan and he and his siblings have his darker skin and hair
Violence: furniture is broken, food is tossed, and fear is felt but no physical harm comes to anyone
Note: My arc, courtesy of Scholastic, did not have the interactive illustrations that will be present in the finished versions.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Claiming is a quietly haunting, emotionally rich sequel that centers Teddy—a boy shaped by loneliness, grief, and the kind of guilt that feels far too heavy for middle school shoulders.
After the events of The Last Resort, Teddy believes the worst is behind them. The Fire Maiden is gone, and life should finally feel safe. But when Lila begins to flicker and disappear, it becomes clear that the past hasn’t loosened its grip. Teddy knows time is running out—and that saving his friend may require him to face the grief he’s been carrying alone.
Teddy is a deeply sympathetic protagonist. His isolation, his longing for connection, and the way he blames himself for the loss of his former best friend, Ethan, are portrayed with honesty and care. Warga captures how grief doesn’t always look loud—it can look like withdrawal, self-blame, and the fear of letting yourself care again.
The story blends eerie, genuinely creepy moments with emotional realism. Young readers who love scary stories with mystery will be completely pulled in, especially by the unsettling scenes that feel perfect for a late-October reread. At the same time, the book has a strong emotional core—about friendship, courage, and learning to stop hiding who you are.
As always, Jasmine Warga’s writing shines. The sibling dynamics feel authentic, the dialogue rings true, and the middle school experience—especially the pressure to mirror “cool” kids instead of being yourself—is captured with striking accuracy.
This book is creepy, tender, and heartfelt, The Claiming is one I already know I’ll be revisiting during the Halloween season.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jasmine Warga, and Scholastic Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
After the events of The Last Resort, Teddy believes the worst is behind them. The Fire Maiden is gone, and life should finally feel safe. But when Lila begins to flicker and disappear, it becomes clear that the past hasn’t loosened its grip. Teddy knows time is running out—and that saving his friend may require him to face the grief he’s been carrying alone.
Teddy is a deeply sympathetic protagonist. His isolation, his longing for connection, and the way he blames himself for the loss of his former best friend, Ethan, are portrayed with honesty and care. Warga captures how grief doesn’t always look loud—it can look like withdrawal, self-blame, and the fear of letting yourself care again.
The story blends eerie, genuinely creepy moments with emotional realism. Young readers who love scary stories with mystery will be completely pulled in, especially by the unsettling scenes that feel perfect for a late-October reread. At the same time, the book has a strong emotional core—about friendship, courage, and learning to stop hiding who you are.
As always, Jasmine Warga’s writing shines. The sibling dynamics feel authentic, the dialogue rings true, and the middle school experience—especially the pressure to mirror “cool” kids instead of being yourself—is captured with striking accuracy.
This book is creepy, tender, and heartfelt, The Claiming is one I already know I’ll be revisiting during the Halloween season.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jasmine Warga, and Scholastic Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 23, 2025
Picking up shortly after The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly, Warga gives readers the next set of events from Teddy's point of view. Aside from the ghost story, the themes of not fitting in continue. Teddy's excited to start 7th grade with a friend in Lila, it's been years since he's had a friend. Where Lila's stress is that people think she's too much and too dramatic, Teddy's comes from kids teasing him for being too nerdy and not knowing when sharing facts crosses the line into acting like a know-it-all. Rounding it out is 4th grader Caleb who in many ways is mature for his age and brings the comedy, but when things get scary, readers are reminded that he's still much younger than Teddy and Lila. I think these themes are important for tween readers as they are most likely things they have directly experienced as they move into their teen years.
Some plot points were super easy to spot right away, and I wish there has been slightly more resolution at the end, but I think The Claiming does a good job at setting up events that may happen as this series progresses. I am hoping that the next book addresses the archivist because something is definitely not right there!
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Scholastic, and Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review.
Some plot points were super easy to spot right away, and I wish there has been slightly more resolution at the end, but I think The Claiming does a good job at setting up events that may happen as this series progresses. I am hoping that the next book addresses the archivist because something is definitely not right there!
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Scholastic, and Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
eARC provided by Netgalley.
Teddy is not exactly excited for school to start, but he is excited to have a real life true friend to walk with. He just can't bring himself to admit to Lila that he doesn't have any other friends. Lila, who is new to town is ready to meet all of Teddy's other friends and truly settle in to her new town. After vanquishing the Fire Maiden back through the portal to the "other side" the two are ready for a less fear-filled future.
But Teddy starts noticing that Lila is flickering. Sometimes she's not visible at all. He is worried about losing his only true friend in the world, and he sets off to find out the cause. This quest brings back painful memories of another friend from before. As Lila, Teddy, and Caleb (Lila's brother) continue to dig for answers, they start to wonder, "Is the Fire Maiden truly banished for good?"
This book will be a perfect creepy read for middle grade readers. It provides suspense and some mild scares. Learning about Teddy's back story that connected him to the supernatural obsession he has was great. I think I enjoyed this story slightly more than the first one. If you or your students enjoyed the first Last Resort book, you will definitely want to put this one on your list!
Teddy is not exactly excited for school to start, but he is excited to have a real life true friend to walk with. He just can't bring himself to admit to Lila that he doesn't have any other friends. Lila, who is new to town is ready to meet all of Teddy's other friends and truly settle in to her new town. After vanquishing the Fire Maiden back through the portal to the "other side" the two are ready for a less fear-filled future.
But Teddy starts noticing that Lila is flickering. Sometimes she's not visible at all. He is worried about losing his only true friend in the world, and he sets off to find out the cause. This quest brings back painful memories of another friend from before. As Lila, Teddy, and Caleb (Lila's brother) continue to dig for answers, they start to wonder, "Is the Fire Maiden truly banished for good?"
This book will be a perfect creepy read for middle grade readers. It provides suspense and some mild scares. Learning about Teddy's back story that connected him to the supernatural obsession he has was great. I think I enjoyed this story slightly more than the first one. If you or your students enjoyed the first Last Resort book, you will definitely want to put this one on your list!
February 17, 2026
I enjoyed the first book in The Last Resort series, so I eagerly picked up the second. It's written by a different author than the first one and is told from a different perspective. This time, it's Teddy Hamad narrating. Other than that, THE CLAIMING is very similar to THE LAST RESORT, featuring interesting ghosts, a temperamental portal to the next world, several intriguing mysteries, and more adventure for the trio at the center of the books. Although I didn't end up liking THE CLAIMING as much as its predecessor, it's still an enjoyable read. The story moves quickly and, although the plot is predictable, I still found the novel engrossing enough to keep me turning pages.
This series uses an interactive format that lets the reader "talk" to the ghosts in the story and solve puzzles and mysteries. I couldn't get this feature to work on my phone for the first book, but I had no problems interacting with THE CLAIMING. It's fun to have the story come to life in this way. Kids will love it!
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
This series uses an interactive format that lets the reader "talk" to the ghosts in the story and solve puzzles and mysteries. I couldn't get this feature to work on my phone for the first book, but I had no problems interacting with THE CLAIMING. It's fun to have the story come to life in this way. Kids will love it!
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
January 7, 2026
As entertaining as the first for a new series for a middle grade audience with characters at the heart of a mystery featuring ghosts, historical and local tragic events like circus fires and the sinking of the Titanic, and friendship.
Lila is starting her first year at Teddy's school and he's hoping it'll be a while before she figures out that he has no friends because he's a little weird, a lover of paranormal things and old movies but there's a bigger problem when Lila starts to flicker and the Fire Maiden that they thought was vanquished might not be fully gone because Lila gets pulled into the Land of the Dead.
I like the continuation of the story and the mystery that unfolds. Plus with the finale of Stranger Things, this might work well for the younger audiences that want the same feelings.
Lila is starting her first year at Teddy's school and he's hoping it'll be a while before she figures out that he has no friends because he's a little weird, a lover of paranormal things and old movies but there's a bigger problem when Lila starts to flicker and the Fire Maiden that they thought was vanquished might not be fully gone because Lila gets pulled into the Land of the Dead.
I like the continuation of the story and the mystery that unfolds. Plus with the finale of Stranger Things, this might work well for the younger audiences that want the same feelings.
January 31, 2026
Rounded up....and suggestion for those who write 'middle school' books, maybe not so much with the death and selfless sacrificing teens, please. I read this for a group challenge: read a "book published in 2026". Innocent, enough right?
Well, this one was more than my middle school brain would emotionally be prepared to absorbed...and not that I'm for censoring what kids read, I would highly love to see households that "buddy read" so all can discuss the death, guilt, murderous spirits, selfless sacrifice for friends, childhood accidental death, sage use, chants, etc., that this second installment in "The Last Resort" book series introduced and left me shook. I don't know if making a connection between the Hindenburg tragedy, the great Chicago Fire tragedy and the Titanic disaster make for great fun, but here we are with Teddy and his friends.
Well, this one was more than my middle school brain would emotionally be prepared to absorbed...and not that I'm for censoring what kids read, I would highly love to see households that "buddy read" so all can discuss the death, guilt, murderous spirits, selfless sacrifice for friends, childhood accidental death, sage use, chants, etc., that this second installment in "The Last Resort" book series introduced and left me shook. I don't know if making a connection between the Hindenburg tragedy, the great Chicago Fire tragedy and the Titanic disaster make for great fun, but here we are with Teddy and his friends.
February 9, 2026
This is a nice continuation of the first book of the series. I was pleasantly surprised that the story and characters felt very cohesive with the first book, even though the books were written by different authors. This story is a little more mild, and not as scary or tension-filled as the first but I really enjoyed it. The interactive parts are so wonderful and I think will keep readers interested in this series.
January 13, 2026
I was worried it would be hard to follow book one, but Jasmine Warga does a FANTASTIC job. Having the story in Teddy's POV was brilliant. It's a fantastic sequel that goes full throttle until the very end, as our heroes battle the Fire Maiden once again. I loved this book.
February 12, 2026
Not as good as the first one. Felt a little more juvenile. Maybe good for younger middle school students. I have enjoyed some of Jasmine Warga's other books, so don't let this one stop you from trying her other works.
January 31, 2026
3.5 stars
very spooky the clues are beginning to reveal themselves (The Titanic is a bit of a stretch)
very spooky the clues are beginning to reveal themselves (The Titanic is a bit of a stretch)
February 16, 2026
It was really good
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