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The Last Resort #3
Ghost Light
The line between the ghost world and our world gets even thinner in this haunting new installment of this multidimensional series where ghosts talk from the pages.
Rosteen is dead. He knows he's dead. And yet... he's still around. He died as a kid in the 1980s, but here he is in the 2020s, brought back to The Last Resort by Lila, Tobias, and Caleb -- who desperately need his help.
The problem? An evil ghost wants to make a comeback and cause a few more disasters that will inevitably cost people their lives. The only way for Rosteen, Lila, Tobias, and Caleb to stop her is to travel to the sites of some of her more infamous disasters in the past and find objects from those times that will somehow defeat her. And to do that, they’ll need to bring back another ghost -- the one that killed Lila and Caleb's grandfather.
Rosteen has nothing left to lose... except his new friends, who could lose everything and become ghosts themselves if they make one wrong move.
Enter the world of The Last Resort! Talk to ghosts that come to life and help solve the mystery!
Rosteen is dead. He knows he's dead. And yet... he's still around. He died as a kid in the 1980s, but here he is in the 2020s, brought back to The Last Resort by Lila, Tobias, and Caleb -- who desperately need his help.
The problem? An evil ghost wants to make a comeback and cause a few more disasters that will inevitably cost people their lives. The only way for Rosteen, Lila, Tobias, and Caleb to stop her is to travel to the sites of some of her more infamous disasters in the past and find objects from those times that will somehow defeat her. And to do that, they’ll need to bring back another ghost -- the one that killed Lila and Caleb's grandfather.
Rosteen has nothing left to lose... except his new friends, who could lose everything and become ghosts themselves if they make one wrong move.
Enter the world of The Last Resort! Talk to ghosts that come to life and help solve the mystery!
- GenresMiddle GradeHorror
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Sara Farizan
22 books606 followersSara Farizan (1984, Massachusetts).
Her parents immigrated from Iran in the seventies, her father a surgeon and her mother a homemaker. Sara grew up feeling different in her private high school not only because of her ethnicity but also because of her liking girls romantically, her lack of excitement in science and math, and her love of writing plays and short stories. So she came out of the closet in college, realized math and science weren’t so bad (but not for her), and decided she wanted to be a writer. She is an MFA graduate of Lesley University and holds a BA in film and media studies from American University. Sara has been a Hollywood intern, a waitress, a comic book/record store employee, an art magazine blogger, a marketing temp, and an after-school teacher, but above all else she has always been a writer.
Her parents immigrated from Iran in the seventies, her father a surgeon and her mother a homemaker. Sara grew up feeling different in her private high school not only because of her ethnicity but also because of her liking girls romantically, her lack of excitement in science and math, and her love of writing plays and short stories. So she came out of the closet in college, realized math and science weren’t so bad (but not for her), and decided she wanted to be a writer. She is an MFA graduate of Lesley University and holds a BA in film and media studies from American University. Sara has been a Hollywood intern, a waitress, a comic book/record store employee, an art magazine blogger, a marketing temp, and an after-school teacher, but above all else she has always been a writer.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Things have been perilous in Castle Hill, Ohio ever since Caleb and Lila's grandfather was murdered and Teddy moved to town in Kelly's The Last Resort. With the help of Rosteen, a ghost whom they met in Warga's The Claiming, the group has waged a war against the Fire Maiden, an evil spirit bent of bending people to her will and causing devastation and death. Lila almost lost her life in trying to control the Fire Maiden, but the group thinks that they can get help from Blight Howler, the ghost of the man who killed Lila's grandfather, to defeat her. They summon him, but he proves time and again that he's not trustworthy. As the town plans it's Founders' Day celebration, complete with a play, there are even more problems. Rosteen meets the ghost of Jeremiah, a disgruntled spirit who claims HE was the one who founded the town, along with Arnie, a performer killed by lights after one of Jeremiah's rages. Hoping to summon the ghosts of people killed by the Fire Maiden in various disasters in order to defeat her. the kids travel through another dimension to Cloquet, Minnesota, the site of the Moose Lake Fire of 1918, as well as to the Great Molasses Flood in Boston, to collect talismans. This travel is fraught with dangers, but the biggest danger surfaces as the town prepares to stage the play and Caleb is possessed by Blight Howler! He's taking away fire extinguishers and locking people inside the theater. Will Rosteen and his living friends be able to avert tragedy and finally defeat the Fire Maiden?
Strengths: I appreciated the inclusion of different historical disasters; readers who want to know more about "real life" ghosts related to disasters might want to look up Williams's True Hauntings: Deadly Disasters. The Fire Maiden is definitely evil, and giving her a long line of disasters makes fighting her seem even more important. We see a lot of Rosteen's emotions about being a ghost, and his childhood in the last century will be intriguing to middle grade readers, since there seems to be a lot of nostalgia for the 1990s right now. (Sorry, readers in your 30s and 40s. The 1990s are now ANCIENT to middle school students!) The town celebration makes sense, and brings together lots of different threads in The Last Resort storyline. This feels like the last book in the series, but could continue. That Fire Maiden is hard to keep down.
Weaknesses: Since there are three different authors, I need to recatalog these and file them all under F LAS so that I can find them. It seems fairer to all of the authors to catalog them this way. The ending was very sentimental and sweet, but I'm not sure that's something my horror readers will appreciate.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked evil ghost sagas like Senf's The Clackity and Poblocki's The Gathering.
Things have been perilous in Castle Hill, Ohio ever since Caleb and Lila's grandfather was murdered and Teddy moved to town in Kelly's The Last Resort. With the help of Rosteen, a ghost whom they met in Warga's The Claiming, the group has waged a war against the Fire Maiden, an evil spirit bent of bending people to her will and causing devastation and death. Lila almost lost her life in trying to control the Fire Maiden, but the group thinks that they can get help from Blight Howler, the ghost of the man who killed Lila's grandfather, to defeat her. They summon him, but he proves time and again that he's not trustworthy. As the town plans it's Founders' Day celebration, complete with a play, there are even more problems. Rosteen meets the ghost of Jeremiah, a disgruntled spirit who claims HE was the one who founded the town, along with Arnie, a performer killed by lights after one of Jeremiah's rages. Hoping to summon the ghosts of people killed by the Fire Maiden in various disasters in order to defeat her. the kids travel through another dimension to Cloquet, Minnesota, the site of the Moose Lake Fire of 1918, as well as to the Great Molasses Flood in Boston, to collect talismans. This travel is fraught with dangers, but the biggest danger surfaces as the town prepares to stage the play and Caleb is possessed by Blight Howler! He's taking away fire extinguishers and locking people inside the theater. Will Rosteen and his living friends be able to avert tragedy and finally defeat the Fire Maiden?
Strengths: I appreciated the inclusion of different historical disasters; readers who want to know more about "real life" ghosts related to disasters might want to look up Williams's True Hauntings: Deadly Disasters. The Fire Maiden is definitely evil, and giving her a long line of disasters makes fighting her seem even more important. We see a lot of Rosteen's emotions about being a ghost, and his childhood in the last century will be intriguing to middle grade readers, since there seems to be a lot of nostalgia for the 1990s right now. (Sorry, readers in your 30s and 40s. The 1990s are now ANCIENT to middle school students!) The town celebration makes sense, and brings together lots of different threads in The Last Resort storyline. This feels like the last book in the series, but could continue. That Fire Maiden is hard to keep down.
Weaknesses: Since there are three different authors, I need to recatalog these and file them all under F LAS so that I can find them. It seems fairer to all of the authors to catalog them this way. The ending was very sentimental and sweet, but I'm not sure that's something my horror readers will appreciate.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked evil ghost sagas like Senf's The Clackity and Poblocki's The Gathering.
October 22, 2026
What worked:
This book is the third in the series, with each one written by a different author. This book opens with Rosteen in the spirit world, bored by the repetition and monotony of being a ghost. Teddy, Lila, and Caleb, three of his living friends, summon him. Rosteen warns them that the Fire Maiden is still active, and they should prepare for her attack. They decide to go on the offensive and figure out a way to stop her. The Fire Maiden has been killing and using people for decades, as she seeks revenge against the town of Castle Hill. The plot has a high level of anxiety, since no one knows what she has planned this time or when she will strike. She pops up several times throughout the book to remind readers she’s still furious and hatching a diabolical plan. Readers know the climax will explode during the Founder’s Day play.
Illustrations are included, adding to reader enjoyment and opening a creative feature. Young readers can scan a QR code on the book’s first page to open an electronic connection. Readers are directed to the Scholastic Books website where Teddy’s voice and image greet them. Readers are then directed to scan illustrations as they arise in the book, where a character summarizes information and asks for their participation. Readers answer character questions to check off tasks in an electronic journal before going back to the book. QR codes are unique to the book being used, so readers' progress on their electronic investigations and journal checklists are saved. Readers will not lose their progress when shifting back to reading the book.
What didn’t work as well:
The illustrations come at the end of chapters, instead of on the pages where they apply. By that time, the plot has moved on, so seeing the images is moot. The author probably does this so scanning pictures during their electronic investigations won’t interrupt any chapters.
The final verdict:
You should at least read the first book in the series, as this one ends it. The story is suspenseful, and the series ends with an emotional resolution. I recommend this series for middle-grade readers who love ghosts and mystery.
This book is the third in the series, with each one written by a different author. This book opens with Rosteen in the spirit world, bored by the repetition and monotony of being a ghost. Teddy, Lila, and Caleb, three of his living friends, summon him. Rosteen warns them that the Fire Maiden is still active, and they should prepare for her attack. They decide to go on the offensive and figure out a way to stop her. The Fire Maiden has been killing and using people for decades, as she seeks revenge against the town of Castle Hill. The plot has a high level of anxiety, since no one knows what she has planned this time or when she will strike. She pops up several times throughout the book to remind readers she’s still furious and hatching a diabolical plan. Readers know the climax will explode during the Founder’s Day play.
Illustrations are included, adding to reader enjoyment and opening a creative feature. Young readers can scan a QR code on the book’s first page to open an electronic connection. Readers are directed to the Scholastic Books website where Teddy’s voice and image greet them. Readers are then directed to scan illustrations as they arise in the book, where a character summarizes information and asks for their participation. Readers answer character questions to check off tasks in an electronic journal before going back to the book. QR codes are unique to the book being used, so readers' progress on their electronic investigations and journal checklists are saved. Readers will not lose their progress when shifting back to reading the book.
What didn’t work as well:
The illustrations come at the end of chapters, instead of on the pages where they apply. By that time, the plot has moved on, so seeing the images is moot. The author probably does this so scanning pictures during their electronic investigations won’t interrupt any chapters.
The final verdict:
You should at least read the first book in the series, as this one ends it. The story is suspenseful, and the series ends with an emotional resolution. I recommend this series for middle-grade readers who love ghosts and mystery.
October 26, 2026
Book 3 in The Last Resort middle grade horror series.
👻
Rosteen has been dead since the 1980s, but he's suddenly back in the 2020s after Lila, Tobias, and Caleb summon him to help stop a dangerous ghost. This vengeful spirit is determined to unleash deadly disasters, and the only way to defeat her is to visit the sites of her past destruction and collect mysterious objects. But their mission becomes even more complicated when they must resurrect another ghost, the one responsible for killing Lila and Caleb's grandfather. With lives on the line, Rosteen discovers that even being dead doesn't mean he has nothing left to lose.
💡
Rosteen's return adds such an interesting twist to this supernatural adventure! I love the idea of a ghost from the 1980s suddenly navigating life (or technically, the afterlife!) in the 2020s while trying to stop an evil spirit from causing more destruction. The combination of ghostly mysteries, historical disasters, and a dangerous scavenger hunt made for an intriguing premise. What really stands out to me is the emotional connection between Rosteen and his new friends. Even though he's already dead, he has so much to lose because he's finally found people worth protecting. A spooky pick for upper middle grade readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries with plenty of danger and heart! @sara.farizan
CW: death, murder, grief/loss
Definitely for upper middle grade. I was kind of surprised by the violent death descriptions and believe this is perfect to recommend to 4th and 5th graders.
👻
Rosteen has been dead since the 1980s, but he's suddenly back in the 2020s after Lila, Tobias, and Caleb summon him to help stop a dangerous ghost. This vengeful spirit is determined to unleash deadly disasters, and the only way to defeat her is to visit the sites of her past destruction and collect mysterious objects. But their mission becomes even more complicated when they must resurrect another ghost, the one responsible for killing Lila and Caleb's grandfather. With lives on the line, Rosteen discovers that even being dead doesn't mean he has nothing left to lose.
💡
Rosteen's return adds such an interesting twist to this supernatural adventure! I love the idea of a ghost from the 1980s suddenly navigating life (or technically, the afterlife!) in the 2020s while trying to stop an evil spirit from causing more destruction. The combination of ghostly mysteries, historical disasters, and a dangerous scavenger hunt made for an intriguing premise. What really stands out to me is the emotional connection between Rosteen and his new friends. Even though he's already dead, he has so much to lose because he's finally found people worth protecting. A spooky pick for upper middle grade readers who enjoy paranormal mysteries with plenty of danger and heart! @sara.farizan
CW: death, murder, grief/loss
Definitely for upper middle grade. I was kind of surprised by the violent death descriptions and believe this is perfect to recommend to 4th and 5th graders.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
An excellent third book in the series called The Last Resort in which a different author creates another story in the world of the haunted ghosts being terrorized by the Fire Maiden that all started with Lila's grandfather Grandpa Clem, which revealed one historic tragedy. Follow that up with the second book featuring Teddy and the circus and Titanic connections, now we've got Rosteen who is stuck in the arcades of the 1980s and meets up with the characters from the other books to revisit these sites and collect items to match the Fire Maiden's powers to put her to bed permanently and they're going to have to hurry while the town puts on a celebration and play (that always goes badly when it's talking about Castle Hill).
It's a race against time and resources to figure out how to finish her. Farizan does a fantastic job of recapping the first two books to set up the third book and pulling it together with a play happening to bring in the theater and a librarian to boot. A contented third mystery in the series that works so well.
It's a race against time and resources to figure out how to finish her. Farizan does a fantastic job of recapping the first two books to set up the third book and pulling it together with a play happening to bring in the theater and a librarian to boot. A contented third mystery in the series that works so well.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Lisa and Teddy are involved with the Founder’s Day play being produced in honor of their town of Castle Hill, even though past plays have said to be cursed. What they don’t know is that one of the original founders, whose name has been erased from history, lingers as a ghost and gets angry whenever he hears the rewritten narrative. Plus, the kids know that the Fire Maiden has not been completely vanquished. They will not only need Rosteen’s help to conquer her for good, but also of Blight Howler, who they originally banished. It is a delicate balance to save not only themselves, but the whole town, too.
Farizan skillfully picks up where Kelly and Warga left off. She brings humanity back to Rosteen, whom I only saw as a nuisance in book #2. The danger is nicely creepy without going overboard.
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Lisa and Teddy are involved with the Founder’s Day play being produced in honor of their town of Castle Hill, even though past plays have said to be cursed. What they don’t know is that one of the original founders, whose name has been erased from history, lingers as a ghost and gets angry whenever he hears the rewritten narrative. Plus, the kids know that the Fire Maiden has not been completely vanquished. They will not only need Rosteen’s help to conquer her for good, but also of Blight Howler, who they originally banished. It is a delicate balance to save not only themselves, but the whole town, too.
Farizan skillfully picks up where Kelly and Warga left off. She brings humanity back to Rosteen, whom I only saw as a nuisance in book #2. The danger is nicely creepy without going overboard.
August 28, 2026
For a series that has a different author for each book, The Last Resort flows fairly seamlessly. I think it definitely helps that each book has a different main protagonist so it makes the change in writing styles less noticeable.
This time, readers get to mainly watch events unfold through Rosteen's eyes. Some real world historical events are included and I really liked how the town librarian had a role to play in this book. Based on how Ghost Light ends, I'm not sure if this is the end of the series or not, so I guess I'll be interested to see if this story continues on or not.
ARCs don't have the "talk to ghosts" feature that the published version will have, so I can't speak on that. But I do love this as a concept and can see it being fun for readers - especially since not being able to interact with the images doesn't make you miss any of the plot.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review.
This time, readers get to mainly watch events unfold through Rosteen's eyes. Some real world historical events are included and I really liked how the town librarian had a role to play in this book. Based on how Ghost Light ends, I'm not sure if this is the end of the series or not, so I guess I'll be interested to see if this story continues on or not.
ARCs don't have the "talk to ghosts" feature that the published version will have, so I can't speak on that. But I do love this as a concept and can see it being fun for readers - especially since not being able to interact with the images doesn't make you miss any of the plot.
Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review.
October 25, 2026
This series should have ended a lot sooner. In fact, I think it would’ve been better off not being a series. Each entry has been written by a different author and stars a different yet connected character in a supposedly ongoing mystery. This main character of this entry is a character introduced in the second book of the series who has little character development in that book and barely any more in this book which makes him inadequate to serve as a protagonist. I will not continue in this series.
September 3, 2026
awsome
read book very interesting and also intro. The great book about us, but they are so scaring me about this. Isn't that scary so it's very enjoyable to read.
read book very interesting and also intro. The great book about us, but they are so scaring me about this. Isn't that scary so it's very enjoyable to read.
October 16, 2026
My favorite book in the series so far! Sara Farizan provides a fantastic installment in The Last Resort series. I can't wait to see what's next.
October 29, 2026
It's a good book, for the Goosebumpsy genre; I'm just not feeling it right now.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews