The Spiritualists

by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

The Witch Haven meets Divine Rivals in this magical tale of a young clairvoyant who gets dragged into a dangerous game of revenge alongside a mysterious thief in early 1900s New York City.

Stella Bohdan is never alone—never—and yet she is the loneliest person she knows, dead or alive. A gifted psychic who can hear the voices of spirits, all Stella wants is to con enough people to survive on the brutal New York City streets and find a way to deal with the tragic death of her sister.

Performing seances in parlor rooms and tarot readings by candlelight, Stella is barely holding on. Until she meets Pax, a mysterious young man who offers Stella an invitation and a Join a secret group of talented mystics who explore the darker realms of spiritualism, and together they will get revenge on her sister’s killer.

But how can Stella admit she is the reason her sister is dead?

In the hope of righting past wrongs, Stella joins Pax and his team of mystics. It’s soon clear there is more behind their partnership than just vengeance.

They must tread carefully though, because in the world of spiritualism, not everything is what it seems—especially when communing with the unknown.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult Fantasy

416 pages, Hardcover

Published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Nicole N. (A Myriad of Books)]

Thank you to the publisher for a free physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a bit of a hard one to follow. It’s supposed to be a heist and I guess it is but it felt rather lackluster. I think my favorite part about any heist book is actually how they do it all, though, and I think this book does a her job explaining that. I did enjoy the found family, and that Stella and Pax found each other when they did and when they needed to the most, united by a cause.

Despite that, I wasn’t convinced of their romance at all. I thought this book would take a darker turn, especially with a lot of mentions of the “Dark Trio” but there really wasn’t a lot of explanation at all. Did I just completely miss the part about why Stella can hear the dead? I feel like it wasn’t mentioned at all, and that left me feeling a little miffed at the end.

Truthfully, the only reason this received a full 3 stars are the last couple of chapters and how everything wrapped up. I feel like Stella and Pax finally found their version of peace, and it was definitely something Stella desperately needed.

[Lente Delport]

I was a bit hesitant with this book because the magic system feels very real (in a bit of a scary way).
But I very much enjoyed the story and the vibe. Yes, the magic system was a bit creepy, but I really enjoyed how it was different to any other book I’ve read.
I loooove the characters, and the found family is amazing. 5 stars for sure

[Sandra "Jeanz"]

It was the cover that originally drew my attention to the book, the hint at spiritualism and the planchettes featured on the cover. Along with the clever way each “I” in the book title has a little flame above making it a candle too. This cover would definitely make me pick it up from a bookstore shelf to learn more about it. I’ll be honest do find spiritualism, tarot card, seances, psychics, mediums etc absolutely fascinating so reading in the blurb that the main female character speaks to the other side and the main male character is eagerly putting together a group of spiritualists had me invested, wanting to know more and eager to start reading.

Stella Bodhan is the main female character and she hears voices and uses this gift to earn money and uses the name Lady Rose. She is alone after the death of her sister Daisy. Stella blames herself for her sister’s death and goes about life punishing herself thinking that Daisy cant have these things so neither will I. Stella deeply misses her sister as they used to work together too, Stella used her natural gift and spoke to spirit and Daisy had taught herself to read tarot card so did readings for people. Due to Stella’s Lady Rose “business” and mediums being illegal in the area she has to move around a lot and is often followed and literally plagued by Reverend Jenkins and his followers shouting and hurling abuse at her, meaning she has to move from boarding house to boarding house.

Pax Princip is continuing the work he began with William T Stead in forming a group of spiritualists to work together safely in one place called Julia’s Bureau. It is to be called Julia’s Bureau after his dead sister.
Pax sneaks into one of Stella/Lady Rose’s meetings without paying which really irks Stella/Lady Rose and it’s a continuing joke/jibe throughout the book. Pax sees her giving messages from the other side and how she isn’t some charlatan. Pax asks Stella to become part of Julia’s Bureau at first Stella refuses but the offer of a place to work safely without the likes of Reverend Jenkins etc following her begins to look more attractive. Stella also feels pulled towards Pax and spirit seem keen on him and her joining his group too.

He later takes her to a hotel to dine and puts forward his business proposal of Lady Rose joining Julia’s Bureau. However, during the meeting Stella starts to feel icy cold, smells tobacco smoke and gets an image of a man sat smoking as water pours in around him. When it gets to the point Stella’s teeth are chattering she is so cold, Pax puts his jacket over her shoulders and Stella reveals the message from the late William T Stead, telling Pax not to open Julia’s Bureau as there is always a cost to communication with the other side. Stella tells Pax that William T Stead had attempted to send him a telegram whilst he was travelling back to America. Pax reveals that William T Stead never made it home from that journey as he was travelling on the Titanic and it sank. Stella goes to the toilet and when she returns Pax has left. Stella has no money and begins to panic a little until spirits point her to a hidden door, which takes her downstairs to a much less grand establishment full of men eating steaks and there is Pax! Stella storms up to him, gives him a piece of her mind about leaving her to pay the bill and pours a full gravy boat over his head. Pax shakes the gravy off and tells her she has his jacket with his wallet in it which makes Stella feel a little bad about the gravy boat but shes still annoyed Pax had left her.
It turns out Pax is an artist but he uses his gift by painting already famous expensive painting and selling them as though they are the original! A woman he had sold such a painting to had walked into the hotel and Pax was worried she may have realised her painting was a fake and may confront him so that is the reason he had left without saying/leaving word.

Theres quite a lot of mis-communication between Pax and Stella, which is quite amusing as you also get spirits take on what Stella should say or do at the same time wherever Stella is spirits connected to the people around her speak to her wanting her to relay messages.
Pax and Stella have a lot in common though they don’t always fully reveal things to each other. Both have a sister that died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. One of the owners Max Blanck had ordered the factory doors to e locked to discourage stealing and workers taking longer breaks etc. So, when the fire took hold the workers mainly women and children had no way out. Some chose to jump from the alight building and fell to their deaths. The owners got away with it meaning there were many disgruntled grieving families.
Eventually the two along with other mystics they have gathered and added to the group along the way decide to take revenge on Max Blanck. Max Blanck is throwing a lavish party, an effort for him and his wife to stay including in society after the fire at the factory. One of the guests attending the party is going to be wearing the most expensive and rare diamond, the hope diamond.
Pax has hatched a rather elaborate plan that will ruin Max Blanck once and for all and make him disappear from society for good…..if they can pull it off.
Before the big party Pax needs to gather other mystics to help them pull off the heist!

I loved how the book was presented with the tarot cards and their meanings at the beginning of the Chapters from Daisy’s point of view. I enjoyed Daisy’s chapters especially the very poignant one where she talks about the factory fire and revealed she knew Julia. The section struck me emotionally as this is not a fictional disaster, this is based on something that really happened and though Daisy and Julia were characters in a book, real people died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire disaster.
I thought the delicate artwork at the beginning of each chapter fitted really well with the era the book was set in. The content of the book has really been researched really well, down to the era, fashion and of course the mention of the very real events of Titanic sinking and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory disaster.
The descriptions within the book are really good, you can easily and rather gleefully visualise the brown greasy gravy dripping down over Pax’s head, through his perfectly combed hair, over his ears, onto his fancy white four dollar sears & roebuck shirt.

I adored the characters of Stella and Pax and their eventual friendship Stella is both amusing yet fragile. She may have the gift of speaking to spirits but she cannot control it at all really. She sometimes finds it difficult to distinguish between the voice of spirit and her own inner voice.
I found Pax quite endearing the way he owed Stella a jitney/nickel but always brushed off paying at the same time saying “I always pay my debts”

I also totally adored Kiyoku and Nirav who became part of Julia’s Bureau and perhaps a smaller character but I loved Laura the librarian who once Stella & Kiyoku revealed the reason they were looking for certain information went above and beyond to help them.

On the most part I adored Spirit. When they are eyeing up Pax with one spirit saying “Law chile those abs! Could scrub some skivvies clean on those couldn’t ya!” Or when spirit wolf whistles after Pax. I thought it was really funny how the spirits argued between themselves in Stella’s head. Spirit is quite useful and when their timing is good, they are great at warning Stella or telling Stella things she may need to know, such when Pax asks Stella to guess how he knows her name and the spirits have already told her that Pax paid the landlady a jitney/nickel for her to tell him it!

Of course, as William T Stead warned for all the light in spirit there is also dark so there were the dark prone to violence spirit forces of the Dark Legion who at times try their best to take over Stella. They “helped” Stella once in the past and then became tethered to her. I have to admit they gave me the shivers a time or too, how dark and sinister they were and always lurking in the background.

My immediate thoughts on finishing The Spiritualist was that I really enjoyed it and quickly grew to adore the characters who were initially individuals with gifts that were loners and probably considered misfits by society, until Pax brought them together and they ended up forming a family.
A family that doles out justice to a man whose negligence and greed were responsible for the deaths of Daisy & Julia.

Summing up this book is aimed at Teens & YA but honestly the General Ficition Adult market is missing out if they don't read this one. I'm well past being a teen and I absolutely loved it!

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle]

There is something deeply funny to me about a book that promises secret societies, vengeance, mystics, and ghosts in 1900s New York, and yet the main vibe sometimes feels like everyone standing in a dimly lit parlor politely waiting for the plot to start. Not in a bad way, just in a “did we all bring snacks while we wait for the séance to really pop off?” kind of way.

The Spiritualists drops us into early 1900s New York City with Stella Bohdan, a teenage clairvoyant who hears the dead whether she likes it or not, which sounds cool until you realize it’s less “glamorous Victorian medium” and more “girl who cannot get five minutes of peace because ghosts are basically yelling in her mental group chat.” Stella survives by running séances and tarot readings, which is honestly entrepreneurial behavior I respect because if you’re going to be haunted, you might as well monetize it.

But Stella is also carrying around a suitcase full of guilt over her sister’s death, and that guilt is basically the emotional engine of the whole story. She’s lonely, prickly, stubborn, and absolutely convinced she has to handle everything herself, which makes sense emotionally but also means she occasionally makes decisions that made me want to gently take her by the shoulders and say, “Girl. Please. Let’s do literally ten seconds of critical thinking here before we summon another ghost.”

Pax enters the story as a mysterious thief who offers Stella an invitation to join a secret group of mystics dabbling in the darker corners of spiritualism. Their pitch is essentially, hey, want to join our paranormal revenge squad and track down your sister’s killer? Stella, understandably fueled by grief and guilt, is like… yeah okay, that sounds emotionally questionable but extremely on brand.

And listen, Pax is easily one of the most intriguing parts of the book. He has that quiet, morally gray energy that screams “I have secrets, a tragic backstory, and probably know how to pick a lock while staring broodingly out a rain-covered window.” The man feels like if Kaz Brekker got dropped into a Victorian séance circle and immediately started stealing silverware, and the dynamic between him and Stella has this slow simmer of tension that works really well because neither of them is exactly thriving emotionally and both of them are carrying baggage the size of a Victorian trunk.

The secret circle of mystics is also a fun concept. You’ve got this little found family of people with different abilities exploring spiritualism while trying to navigate the line between genuine supernatural forces and the very real danger of messing with things that probably should have stayed on the other side of the veil, and the atmosphere here is honestly great. Gaslit streets, séance parlors, tarot cards, whispers from the dead, the whole aesthetic is doing the absolute most in the best way.

Now listen, the pacing and I had a small but meaningful conversation. This is one of those stories where the premise sounds like chaos, revenge, ghosts, secret societies, emotional trauma, romantic tension, possibly some light crime, and sometimes the actual reading experience is a little quieter than that pitch suggests because there are stretches where the momentum drifts like the narrative itself has pulled up a chair at the séance table and is politely waiting for the spirits to knock twice.

It’s not boring, I want to be clear about that, but there were moments where I felt like both me and the ghosts were just patiently waiting for the plot to kick the door open.

Stella herself can also be a tricky character to fully latch onto because her grief and guilt absolutely make sense and drive many of her decisions, but they also make her very quick to jump to conclusions and shut people out. Which again is emotionally valid because trauma does that, but there were moments where I felt like I was watching her speedrun misunderstandings that could have been solved with one extremely uncomfortable but necessary conversation.

That said, the emotional core actually works when the book slows down and lets it breathe. Stella’s loneliness is real in a way that kind of sneaks up on you because imagine hearing voices constantly and still feeling like the most isolated person in every room. The ghosts never leave her, but the one person she actually wants to hear from, her sister, is the one voice she can’t find, and when the story leans into that grief and guilt it hits harder than you expect.

I also have to give credit where it’s due because the historical spiritualism angle is genuinely fascinating. That early 1900s obsession with séances and communicating with the dead is such a perfect backdrop for a story about truth versus illusion, asking whether the spirits are real, whether the mediums are frauds, or whether people are simply desperate enough to believe anything if it means hearing a lost loved one’s voice one more time.

By the time the story wraps up, I found myself appreciating the emotional core more than the mechanics of the plot. The concept is genuinely cool, the atmosphere is doing incredible work, and the characters have sparks of tension that keep things interesting, but I kept wishing the story pushed everything just a little further with more depth, more urgency, and a little more time letting this haunted little crew of mystics fully come alive.

I did have complaints, but I still enjoyed wandering around haunted New York with this emotionally complicated ghost squad.

Three stars, for a moody, ghost-filled revenge story with excellent vibes, intriguing characters, and pacing that occasionally wanders off like a ghost that forgot why it entered the room.

Whodunity Award: Most Likely to Convince Me I Could Totally Join a Victorian Séance Cult and Immediately Make Questionable Life Choices

Huge thanks to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC, which allowed me to spend several evenings lurking around haunted parlors with emotionally complicated teenagers and at least one suspiciously charming thief. Always happy to risk mild spiritual possession in the name of a good book.

[Lucia]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

[Linda Ayala]

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars

The Spiritualists had all the ingredients for a book I should have loved: 1912 New York City, spiritualism, séances, ghosts, a teenage psychic, a mysterious thief, and a heist. Add in the historical setting shortly after the sinking of the Titanic, and I was intrigued by the concept immediately.

Unfortunately, the execution just felt a little flat for me.

The story follows seventeen-year-old Stella Bohdan, who isn’t pretending when she tells people she can communicate with the dead. Her abilities are real, but in 1912 New York, being a young woman claiming to hear ghosts isn’t exactly safe. To survive, she uses her abilities through tarot readings and parlor séances while trying to avoid the very real possibility of ending up imprisoned or institutionalized.

Stella is also carrying grief of her own after the tragic death of her sister, giving her connection to the dead a much more personal dimension.

Then she meets Pax, a mysterious thief who introduces her to a secret group of talented mystics, eventually pulling Stella into a dangerous revenge plot and heist.

I mean… that premise sounds fantastic.

And there were elements I genuinely enjoyed. I’ve always loved period pieces, and the early twentieth-century setting combined with the fascination surrounding spiritualism gave the story an interesting atmosphere. The idea of genuine supernatural abilities existing alongside the séance culture of the era had so much potential, especially when mixed with a group of mystics planning a heist.

But despite everything the story had going for it, I struggled to stay interested.

That’s ultimately where this landed at three stars for me.

The book never completely lost me, but it also never fully grabbed me. There were stretches where I found my attention wandering even though, objectively, interesting things were happening. The characters and plot simply didn’t create the emotional investment or urgency I needed.

And that’s frustrating because the concept itself is genuinely cool.

A psychic teenager navigating 1912 New York while communicating with ghosts and joining a band of mystics for a revenge heist?

Sign me up.

I just wanted the story to make me feel more.

More tension. More attachment to the characters. More urgency surrounding the heist. More of that eerie spiritualist atmosphere that could have made the supernatural elements truly shine.

Instead, everything felt somewhat muted.

I wouldn’t call The Spiritualists a bad book by any means. There are some really creative ideas here, and I can easily see this working much better for readers who enjoy YA historical fantasy with a lighter supernatural adventure feel.

For me, though, it was one of those books where I appreciated what the author was doing more than I actually connected with the story.

Three stars. An interesting concept and a fascinating historical setting, but unfortunately, the spirits couldn’t quite keep my attention.

Tropes & Themes:

• YA historical fantasy
• 1912 New York City
• Spiritualism & séances
• Psychic / medium FMC
• Communicating with the dead
• Tarot & mysticism
• Ghosts & the supernatural
• Historical heist
• Revenge plot
• Found family / unlikely crew
• Mysterious thief
• Secret group of mystics
• Grief & loss
• Sisterly grief
• Survival
• Historical attitudes toward women
• Post-Titanic setting

[Ashley - The Tattered Page]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

📖 𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓅𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓉𝓊𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓈 ʙʏ ᴋʀɪsᴛɪɴ ᴏ'ᴅᴏɴɴᴇʟʟ ᴛᴜʙʙ

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs

✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨

ᴀ ʟᴏɴᴇʟʏ ᴛᴇᴇɴᴀɢᴇ ᴘsʏᴄʜɪᴄ sᴄʀᴀᴘɪɴɢ ʙʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛs ᴏғ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ 𝟷𝟿𝟶𝟶s ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ ᴊᴏɪɴs ᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴍʏsᴛɪᴄs ᴛᴏ ʜᴜɴᴛ ʜᴇʀ sɪsᴛᴇʀ's ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴛʀᴜᴛʜs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘɪʀɪᴛ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ—ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʀsᴇʟғ.

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:

ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ!

𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒶𝓀 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹. 𝒰𝓃𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓉𝓊𝓃𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs sᴜᴄʜ ᴀɴ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀɪᴄ ʙʟᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ, ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀʟʏ-𝟷𝟿𝟶𝟶s ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ғᴇᴇʟs ʀɪᴄʜʟʏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ, ғɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ séᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴘᴀʀʟᴏʀs, ᴄᴀɴᴅʟᴇʟɪᴛ ᴛᴀʀᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢs, ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛɪᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛʟᴇss sᴘɪʀɪᴛs ʟᴜʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇɪʟ. sᴛᴇʟʟᴀ ɪs ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇ, ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʙʏ ɢʀɪᴇғ, ɢᴜɪʟᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴅᴇᴍᴘᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴄᴏʀᴇ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ.

ᴛʜᴇ sᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟɪsᴛ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴀsɪʟʏ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ séᴀɴᴄᴇs, ɢʜᴏsᴛʟʏ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀs, ᴀɴᴅ ǫᴜᴇsᴛɪᴏɴs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʟɪᴇs ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀғᴜʟʟʏ ᴇᴇʀɪᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴀᴅᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ, ᴀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ʙᴏʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ-ғᴜᴇʟᴇᴅ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀs ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛ.

ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ᴍᴏʀᴇ sᴜʙᴛʟᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴋᴇᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀʀɪsᴏɴs ᴍɪɢʜᴛ sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛ.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
✨ ɢɪʀʟ ᴡʜᴏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋs ᴛᴏ ɢʜᴏsᴛs
🔮 séᴀɴᴄᴇs & sᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟɪsᴍ
✨ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ ᴄɪᴛʏ
🔮 ɢʀɪᴇғ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴜɪʟᴛ
✨ ᴘsʏᴄʜɪᴄ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀs
🔮 ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
✨ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ
🔮 sʟᴏᴡ-ʙᴜʀɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ

𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒...
✨ ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴇs
🔮 ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
✨ ᴘsʏᴄʜɪᴄ ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇs
🔮 ɢɪʟᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɢᴇ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢs
✨ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɢʀɪᴇғ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ
🔮 sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴs
✨ ᴇᴇʀɪᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀɪᴄ ʀᴇᴀᴅs

🗣️ 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝓇𝑒𝑒𝓉:
ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘʀᴀɪsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀɪᴄ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ, sᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟɪsᴛ ʟᴏʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴇʟʟᴀ's ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ᴀʀᴄ. ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜɪɢʜʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴇʀɪᴇ séᴀɴᴄᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ-sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛʏ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs, ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ ғᴀɴs ᴏғ ɢᴏᴛʜɪᴄ ʏᴀ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ.

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
ᴀ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ, ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ғɪʟʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢʜᴏsᴛs, sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ. ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴇs ᴡʀᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʀɪᴄʜ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴄᴀʟ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢs.

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ

[East of Reality]

The book is written like a fanfic, with small sentence fragments scattered one after the other, with the emphasis on being clever. And if you find it clever, if you find it funny, you’re going to enjoy this book. But if you read chapter one and don’t particularly enjoy the slightly generic, slightly manic-pixie-dream-girl vibe … you’re not going to get much more out of this book.

With so much focus on style, and interim chapters from her sister’s point of view, it’s hard to get a good read on Rose. She’s very modern — even going so far as to somehow reach into her dress and pull off her corset because, of course, corsets are bad rather than being the bras of their day. But other than that, the setting feels well researched and well established, and the best part of this book is the world around Rose and Pax. As for the romance … well, it’s there.

Honestly, I didn’t feel the chemistry. As friends, sure; as a couple? Not so much. But other readers may find that they really enjoy the romance.

The plot is serviceable. Maybe it’s just that I’m not overly invested in the heist, though I appreciate that this book gives us a solid reason for it. Rose’s sister — and Pax’s — died in the Shirtwaist Fire, and the man they’re going after is responsible. Because the book is using a real world event it adds a weight to the events, a groundedness that’s backed by the world building. And I think if the author had been relying less on style I would have enjoyed this book more.

I will say, one thing I did enjoy was the multiple spirits who talked to Rose and how they were both used in the book, and shown. Their text is off to the right hand side, visually separate from the rest of the book. The voices are anonymous and they’re only given so much time to speak — maybe a sentence each, or half a sentence — and for the most part they pack a lot of personality and plot into the limited room they’re given.

I think this is a solid YA read. I just didn’t care for the presentation. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Tessa Talks Books]

The Spiritualists is a YA historical fantasy mystery full of séances, spirits, secrets, and revenge. And honestly, early 1900s New York City was such a good choice for this story. It already has that gritty, shadowy feel, and then you add candlelit readings, ghosts, and a group of young mystics? Yes, please.

Stella was easily my favorite part. She can hear spirits, which sounds fascinating, but the book shows how lonely that would actually be. She is surrounded by voices all the time, but still feels completely alone. That hit harder than I expected. She is grieving her sister, carrying guilt, and trying to survive however she can, so I understood why she would be pulled into Pax’s offer, even when it clearly had danger written all over it in giant glowing letters.

I loved the characters in general. They are layered and flawed in a way that made them feel real, not like they were just there to move the mystery along. I especially enjoyed watching the group work together to avenge Stella’s sister’s death and figure out what was really going on. The friendship piece gave the story a lot of heart, and it helped balance out the darker mystical parts.

The pacing was a little slower than I usually have patience for. If I had been reading this during a busy week at home, I might have struggled more with that. But I read it while traveling, so I had nothing but time to settle in, and that worked in the book’s favor. It’s more of a slow-burn mystery than a race-to-the-finish kind of read.

I also think this is a great pick for a wide range of YA readers. The mystical elements are interesting and atmospheric without being too much, and the themes of friendship, grief, guilt, and trust give the story some emotional weight.

Overall, The Spiritualists is an atmospheric and character-focused YA mystery with ghosts, revenge, friendship, and a setting that does a lot of heavy lifting in the best way. A little slow for me at times, but still a really enjoyable read.

[2N Reads]

The Spiritualists is a charming historical urban fantasy set in New York in the years following the Titanic disaster. At its heart, it’s a story about a group of spiritualists who band together to seek revenge against a powerful socialite, but along the way it becomes just as much a found-family story about self-discovery, loyalty, and confronting the darkness that exists within all of us.

One of the most distinctive aspects of the novel is its narrative style. Told in first-person, present tense, Stella’s voice feels almost conversational, as though she’s recounting events directly to the reader as they happen. There are frequent asides, parenthetical comments, and moments that nearly feel like they’re breaking the fourth wall. It gave the story a unique personality, even if it took some time for me to settle into the style.

I especially enjoyed the cast of side characters and watching their relationships develop throughout the story. The found-family dynamic ended up being my favorite part of the book, and I found myself becoming increasingly invested in the group as the story progressed. There is also a small bromance subplot that added some additional charm.

My main criticism was the pacing. While I enjoyed the story, it took some time for me to become fully invested. Much of the action doesn’t arrive until the last act, and I found myself struggling to pick it back up during the first. I would have loved a stronger hook or a bit more momentum earlier on to make the journey feel more compelling.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience and found the story entertaining. While it wasn’t quite a standout read for me, the unique narrative voice, lovable cast, and found-family elements made for a fun and worthwhile adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC!

[sunny_reads_]

Urban fantasy books with heists are truly amazing.

The Spiritualists follows Stella, a psychic who can hear spirits. Having to resort to doing tarot readings and offering other basic spiritual services for a source of income, she’s barely scraping by. When a man by the name of Pax shows up with an invitation to join a group of the spiritually gifted to delve deeper into the world of spiritualism and serve out revenge to a corrupted man in high power responsible for the death of Stella’s sister, she agrees despite the many warnings the spirits around her give. After meeting the others and deciding upon their plan, the group agree the perfect, (non-homicidal) way to go about their revenge is in the form of a heist. All together, our characters must con, steal, and most importantly of all, not get caught.

This was so fun. If you know me at all, you know how much I love heists, and getting to read about one pulled off by a ragtag group of mystics in early 20th century New York was practically euphoric. I loved the found family our characters found in themselves, and was completely sucked into the story and their interactions. I also loved the overall plot, especially the heist part, (act surprised). The atmosphere was so immersive, and I was a big fan of the settings, especially the elite party where our heist took place. The only thing I wish was dived into deeper was the actual spirit-world aspect of it. The spirits and the others’ powers were definitely prominent in the story, however I found myself curious of the backstory spoken of in the prologue and Pax’s backstory. However, overall, I really enjoyed this story and had a great time reading about these characters and their heist.

Thank you Simon Teen for a review copy!

[Bethany Mock (bethanyburiedinbooks)]

3.5/5

Okay first things first…have you SEEN this cover?? GAH, she sure is purty.😍✨
The second I saw comparisons to Divine Rivals I was immediately excited to read this bad boy!

✨ Quick overview of what the book is about:
This story mixes magic, mystery, spiritualism and witchy elements together. The characters become tangled in secrets in a world where supernatural vibes are vibin. I am ALWAYS a sucker for witchy vibes!

What I really enjoyed most about this one was the concept. I liked that it had an eerie atmosphere. I also really loved the overall IDEA of this story. The spiritualism, the magic and the eerie vibes were right on par with my mood! Kristin totally nailed that atmosphere for me. It had this spooky, mystical feeling throughout the book that honestly made me think, “Yep…this would be perfect for spooky season”

✨ what worked for me and what were the highlights:
🔮 witchy/spiritualist vibes
🖤 mysterious tone
✨ unique magical concepts
📚 intriguing premise
😍 absolutely stunning aesthetic/cover

All that said though, this one was not a perfect fit for me. There were times I felt confused and it wasn't just one set part. There were a few times I had to page back some to see if I missed something. I am not sure if it was a "me thing" or if it was the writing. I'd be curious to hear what others think once they read this book!

I also just wanted a teeny bit more from the characters. I really feel like there was a lot of potential between them BUT the chemistry for me was just lacking a bit. It's not that I didn't like them...I did! I just kept wishing for a little extra oompf to really make me obsessed with them.

That being said, I still genuinely enjoyed this book...but it was more of a "like not love" vibe. It’s one of those books where the atmosphere and ideas absolutely shine though so I think readers who love some witchy fantasy will have a really good time with it.

This would be good for any reader who loves:
🔮 witchy/paranormal vibes
✨ atmospheric fantasy
📚 stories with spiritualism and secrets

[dawson]

Come one, come all, skeptics and believers alike, for a jewel heist tale set deep within the psychic underworld of early 20th century New York. That alone was enough of a catch to draw me into reading The Spirtualists. Unfortunately, I don’t think there was quite enough to keep me on the line. I’ve seen it said that the writing style for this is confusing, and while I agree it does take some getting used to, that never bothered me. More, it was the character development, romance, and heist itself that left something to be desired. I’m all for more surface level stories, especially with YA, but while reading what felt, at times, like a rushed sequence here or forced kiss there, I couldn’t help but compare the elements of this book with others with the same concepts (e.g. heists, enemies to lovers). I still enjoyed my time with it, though. Found family, by design, will always hold a special place in my heart, and since I absolutely believe in the “other side,” it’s nice to see that depicted so beautifully. I wasn’t disappointed in this one, nor would I recommend anyone skip it. It just wasn’t entirely for me. [Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!]

[Erica Rodgers]

A heart-felt heist built on found family and gilded with ghostly magic.

Is revenge worth staining your soul for? That's the question Stella has to answer as she follows Pax and searches desperately for her sister's voice among the dead who will not leave her alone.

This book is wonderful and heart-felt. Stella's ability to hear the dead allows her to make a living giving seances and readings in New York City in 1912. The setting is a character in its own right, and Stella and Pax's story is one of budding romance alongside the planning of a heist and a struggle for revenge and justice. The side characters are delightful (including the cat!), and the bonds built between the members of this crew are the perfect balance to the ghostly darkness following Stella and Pax at every turn.

[fanboyriot]

This had cool witchy vibes, specifically the readings of the future and spirits talking through the main character at the beginning. The authors note at the end of the book is definitely worth reading.

I did enjoy this book but at times I thought some of the writing was a little confusing. It might just be a me thing but some of the chemistry between the characters just felt underdeveloped. I liked the premise of this story a lot but the more historical aspects weren’t my cup of tea.

(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)

POV: First Person (some parts in third person)
Sad Level: 💧💧
Would I Recommend? Maybe
Favorite Character(s): Pax
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🧿🔮🪬

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Minor: Death, Violence, Grief, Classism

[Jennifer]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

I absolutely adore Tubb’s writing style. She is fanciful, deliberate and so precise with her words. With each of her books that I read, I fall more in love with her books.

Her characters also are flawed but flawless. None of them are perfect, but all of them are lovable and real. Stella is no exception. She joins this merry band of bandits out of love for her sister, who died in the Shirtwaist Factory fire. She joins Pax, Nirav, Kiyoko, William, and Clarice to avenge her sister’s death, while the others each have their own reasons. Madcap heist hijinks ensue.

Tubb’s books are always filled with heart. This a great book to move readers from middle grade to young adult. Reader will lii on be the mystical aspect and the tender romance as well as the friendship that forms among the characters. I highly recommend for a mystical murder mystery.

[A M “VegasBookDragon” Van Eaton]

This story just wasn't for me. The original premise had me but I found myself confused by where the story was heading more than a few times and the historical elements did not spark the story movement forward as I they should've. There were many things that were likable about it including the beautiful cover art. I enjoyed the concept of having Spirit speaking to our MC but it stopped being interesting and started to slow the story about halfway through. I would've loved more scene-work from the character Pax. That said, I feel like there are readers out there who would love this story. The writer has great potential and I look forward to reading more from Tubb in the future.

#TheSpiritualists #NetGalley #Simon&Schuster
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlyn Lopez-Collier]

Thank you Simon Teen for the gifted hardcover!

This book had so many elements that I love in a story: early 1900s New York, ghosts, tarot, a heist and a group of found family. I was hooked from page one. I found the mix of regular chapters, newspaper headlines, and tarot chapters to be a great storytelling style. I think the writing style was also witty and funny. I think my favorite character was actually the spirit, but I really enjoyed Kiyoko too. 🤭my favorite chapter was towards the end when two of the characters decide to make a “jump”. I did think that the story got a little confusing at times because it just had so many things going on but at the same time that kept my mind extra focused on the story. Overall, I would definitely recommend.

[Chrissy]

The Spiritualists by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb is a fascinating historical mystery with an eerie atmosphere and plenty of intrigue. I really enjoyed the supernatural elements woven into the story, especially the mystery surrounding the spiritualist movement. The historical setting added depth and made the story feel immersive, while the characters kept me invested in uncovering the truth. A few parts felt a little slow, but overall, it was an engaging and atmospheric read with a great mix of history, mystery, and suspense.

[Jennifer Rayment]

Thoroughly enjoyed this one even though at times it was a tad confusing. Well developed characters and good pacing. I mean I am a sucker for this kinda thing and thought author took a unique twist on the genre. Good historical accuracy and liked how she brought it into the story. Took a bit to get into and the multiple POV's I think could have been edited better but what the hell do I know I cannot even write an intelligent review.

[Stephanie Clabby]

This was a book that I thought I was going to love but it just did not grip me the way that I expected. The premise was great but there were a lot of missed opportunities around character development, plot consistency, and historical elements.

I found the way the story was printed to be confusing and I did not buy the chemistry from any of the characters.

[Cheyenne Mcdonald]

While I liked the vibes, the future telling, and the spirits throughout the book; I feel like the chemistry wasn’t there and was being forced.

This was easy to read and it flowed and I really liked the FMC; I just think she was better off single or with someone else. I loved the found family and the mystery though. I think others with enjoy this book too.

[Deirdre Megan Byrd]

The Spiritualists by Tubb had an intriguing premise and a setting I wanted to love. The dark, mystical streets of early 1900s New York felt atmospheric and rich. Stella is a compelling character, and her psychic abilities added some genuinely interesting tension to the story. That said, I felt the plot sometimes dragged and the pacing made it hard to stay fully invested, especially as the mystery unfolded. The romance and revenge arcs were uneven, and some twists didn’t land as strongly as they could have. Overall, an okay read with potential, but it didn’t fully captivate me.

Thank you for the gifted e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Anneliese]

DNF at 31%….I wanted to like this so bad, but I couldn’t get past the anachronistic dialogue. Every time I thought I’d gotten over it, they’d hit me with another “Asshole! Screw you!” and break the immersion.

[Andi]

⭐⭐⭐.25 | 3.25 stars rounded down

I wanted to love this one, but it ended up just being okay for me. The worldbuilding was interesting and the plot had potential. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect to the characters.

Thanks so much to Simon Teen for the advanced copy.

[Airreads]

The spiritualists is a heist story with a crew of misfits reminiscent of six of crows. The story follows Stella who can talk to the dead as she tries to survive New York City by conning people and find peace with the death of her sister. The romance is a bit disconnected but the story is very entertaining and engaging.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

[Lynda]

Thank you to Kristin O’Donnell Tubb and NetGalley for the ARC. This story was super unique, and I really liked that it was YA—I honestly haven’t read anything quite like it before. Stella’s abilities play a big role in the story, and at first it took a bit of getting used to because I wasn’t sure if it was referring to a specific spirit or the Spirit they were talking about.

Stella is a stubborn character who tends to jump to conclusions a bit too quickly, which can be frustrating at times since she overlooks the fact that others can have their own struggles as well. She does have a tragic past, though, which helps explain some of her behavior.

I immediately liked Pax, the MMC, honestly, more than Stella, lol. However, Pax is driven by revenge, which adds tension their dynamic. In contrast, Stella does have strong morals and often relies on the guidance of the spirits.

Overall, it was an interesting read with a very unique concept, but I do wish there had been more world-building and deeper character development for Stella to make the story feel more immersive.