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Spirit School #1

School For Spirits

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Leigh Riley is three weeks away from her high school graduation when she's suddenly crushed by a truck. She may be dead, but her education is far from over. Seventeen-year-old Leigh is inducted into the School for Spirits, where she learns how to be a spirit guide for mortals.

Leigh meets Alyx, her rebel roommate who just doesn't care about the spirit guide stuff. Then Leigh develops a massive crush on an absurdly hot Archangel named Jophiel. Finally, she is assigned to a veteran instructor, Taishi Nakamura. The handsome samurai is quiet, strict and private, but Leigh is determined to crack his shell.

School For Spirits is a young adult paranormal romance. Due to some minor language, it is recommended for ages 13+.

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

675 people are currently reading
1954 people want to read

About the author

Aron Lewes

82 books60 followers
I'm a rather reclusive author living in Ohio with four cats.
I write super fluffy fluff and darkest grim grimdark. "This author has a strange imagination" was my favorite compliment ever. I hope my strange imagination entertains someone out there!

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5 stars
464 (38%)
4 stars
371 (30%)
3 stars
247 (20%)
2 stars
83 (6%)
1 star
36 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
Profile Image for Anubha (BooksFullOfLife, LifeFullOfBooks).
764 reviews86 followers
April 22, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this book, as of now I hadn't read a plot quite like this. The story starts after death. The first line of the book literally says-

" My name is Leigh Riley. I'm seventeen years old. I'm standing in front of a church at half past midnight, looking at my corpse. "

The plot is about Leigh dying because of an accident and about her exploring afterlife. Unfortunately she finds out she still has to go to school but a different one, one for spirit guides. The book is very funny. And deals with everything from minor details like stuck with same clothes, to chocolates, to having a tab.

She has been assigned Taishi as her instructor who will take her to missions for granting wishes of humans. She discovers hot angels, and her constant bickering with Taishi are fun to read about. They both are super adorable.

Also Japanese words like Sensei. Taishi refering to Leigh as Riley- san seemed very endearing, cultural tid bits spread all over the book. I would really recommend this book if you want to read a light hearted, kinda enemies to lovers, quests filled YA book about after life and spirit world. Haha even angels abuse their power here, heaven is apparently not that different from mortal realm lol :P
7 reviews
June 4, 2018
Enjoyable but a little shallow

I find it really hard to review this book, overall I did enjoy it, but I can't imagine bothering to buy the next one.

I think my two main issues are first there is very little real emotion shown by the main characters, we are told they are sad, happy, angry, embarrassed, in love etc, but I wouldn't have known if the author hadn't actually told us.

Second is the lack of any reaction to what is going on, here is a young girl killed just before her high school graduation and she doesn't react, doesn't grieve, doesn't take time to adjust, doesn't really question it at all. It just seems very superficial.

And while I am on the subject of our heroine...she is maybe a bit of a Mary Sue, clever, attractive, amazingly good at what she does, with no reason given to explain why she is so good at her new job. And obviously incredibly hot guys fall for her. Quickly and with very little reason.

The saving grace for me was the minor characters, the mortals in the missions, other guides etc, they were well written and some of the stories in the missions reduced me to tears, if the whole book was written like that...and the main characters written in the same way, it would have got five stars.

Sounds like I didn't like the book, actually I did. Overall I would say it is a fun, unobjectionable read, which has potential to be so much more.
Profile Image for Alicia Huxtable.
1,907 reviews60 followers
December 24, 2024
Good story

Very entertaining. Liked the way the story flowed, the way the characters ran the story. Everything made for a good read
105 reviews
January 27, 2024
Great book

I felt so sorry for Riley but she really surprised me with her choice at the end. However I do believe she made the right choice. A must read!!

Samantha
Profile Image for Heather Joubert.
191 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2024
Who knew there would be a school in the afterlife? This book was pleasantly unexpected. I love all the different settings, I could really see the imagery. The romantic love parts felt a little juvenile and cheesy, but in a lighthearted fun way. This novel painted a really warm idea of what possibilities there could be after death.
Profile Image for India.
Author 14 books97 followers
January 30, 2018
When Leigh walks home from a party she doesn’t expect it to be the end of her life or the beginning of another life but that’s what happens. With her guardian angel in tears, she enters the School for Spirits and finds that death is definitely not the end, it’s not even the end of school.

The concept behind this book really intrigued me but the story itself was even better. Leigh is your average teenager and seeing her new ‘life’ through her innocent eyes made me laugh and cry. Battling an obsessive roommate, a seriously hot angel, and a moody mentor she has to get to grips with the highly emotional whims and wishes of the living.

The story is sweet, funny, and emotional and most definitely not just for teenagers.
Profile Image for Genevieve.
1,358 reviews12 followers
July 15, 2024
I just loved this book. A young girl dies and ends up in heaven where she is becomes a student spirit guide with a hot and the best instructor.
I loved the story line and I loved hearing that things in heaven aren't perfect and that people even in heaven have bad emotions, tempers, and feelings.
The characters are so wonderful and the ending was fantastic and I am so glad the author decided to make this a series and not just a stand alone. I have to hear what happens to Leigh and Taishi and Jophiel.
304 reviews6 followers
October 26, 2023
great start to an interesting series

I thought this story was really interesting and makes a great start to the series. I especially enjoy the metaphysical aspects of the world Mr. Lewes has built. I really like Leigh's and Taishi's personalities, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them work together to help their charges. I greatly anticipate the next books in the series, as I am excited to see what happens next!
Profile Image for Julie Baker.
277 reviews11 followers
March 29, 2024
This was a fun book to read. Angels school with all the anxieties and clicks of normal school but with way cooler classes. I liked the mixing of the centuries and of the people in them. I liked the system if 5 tasks. I liked the glimpses into what could be ahead. It was just an entertaining read.
18 reviews
October 20, 2024
Absolutely loved this. Will absolutely be reading the next one. Great story telling and the characters were easy to get on board with
Profile Image for katie.
159 reviews
October 6, 2024
Spooky Szn Book 2. i couldn’t put this down! it was so sweet and wholesome and a journey into a new vibe for me. i really enjoyed it and loved seeing Leigh and Taishi’s relationship develop
Profile Image for Kim Barker.
70 reviews3 followers
November 23, 2019
Beyond my expectations

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. We all wonder about Heaven and this was a version that I would like to visit.
93 reviews
January 13, 2025
Opus

Quite an interesting story about what happens after you die. Interesting characters and a beautiful love story. Who will Leigh choose?
Profile Image for Brooke.
264 reviews5 followers
October 9, 2023
A Captivating Journey into the Afterlife

"School for Spirits" by Aron Lewes is a delightful page-turner that seamlessly blends supernatural elements with heartfelt characters. Leigh's determination and the intriguing dynamics between the characters, especially her relationship with the enigmatic Taishi Nakamura, kept me invested from start to finish. The author's exploration of life after death and the complexities of existence added depth to the story, making it more than just a young adult novel. I found myself pondering the profound questions posed by the narrative, making the reading experience both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. If you're looking for a charming and thought-provoking read that transcends age barriers, "School for Spirits" is the one to read.
Profile Image for Loie☆.
363 reviews17 followers
February 21, 2020
Was this book written by a 12 year old? Because that’s seriously what it felt like. The concept for this book sounded so appealing and to be honest, it started off quite strong. But as I carried on, I found myself thinking “what is this?”
Its full of unnatural characters with poor personalities and a weak storyline that doesn’t really go anywhere. I liked the thought of seeing different time eras, but even those felt factually inaccurate and painful to read.
I’m glad it was only 200 pages because I don’t know how much more I could have taken.
Cool concept. Poorly executed.
Profile Image for Lana.
2,775 reviews59 followers
January 13, 2024
I just love Aron Lewes novels, and this first book in a new series captured me right from the start. It is a young coming of age paranormal romance, and the story is about Riley a young teen who died suddenly through a traffic accident. However though life as she knew it was over, a new one just began as she was recruited into the school for spirits to be trained to become a spirit guide. She took her training very seriously and had an excellent, if rather strict and morose guide, but her roommate Alex who was a rebel, and a suicide case was failing dismally. Riley's guide was Taishi, but she was falling for the very handsome archangel Jophiel and Taishi did not approve. I love that Riley is so naïve and trusting but am glad she is also a good listener and takes note of what her guide tells her regarding Jophiel. I also enjoyed all the cases she was charged to help out with, some more touching than others, and I definitely like to think that this could be something we could all look forward to when we ourselves pass on. I love this brand new series and would really love to go on reading further into this spirit world.
Profile Image for Emma.
349 reviews2 followers
January 22, 2024
School for spirits

May contain spoilers

Leigh is dead and doesn’t know what to do next until Amber comes along and shows her the way.
Leigh swoon at the sight of her new spirits teacher Archangel Jophiel while her new roommate teases her.
Leigh’s spirit guide has plenty of experience in his field but is also a huge jerk.
Her new charge is Cynthia who lives in London she has to help her when needed and listen to her inner wants but manifesting is really difficult for her to learn.
Taishi is known to be difficult to work with he is a fantastic teacher and a spirit guide but he is cold and frustrated with Leigh constantly and she can’t figure out why.
As their missions continue they get more difficult and emotional.
It’s like a test for each charge/ mission completed their rank goes up presenting better gifts and opportunities.
Other than that it is almost like the mortal world but with perks.
This was such a lovely read and very different from anything I have read before because it is set after Leigh’s death.
I seriously choked up on their a couple of their mission and from then in my kindle was stuck to my hand. Thinking about how the author thought all of these characters and spirits was amazing to read.
Profile Image for Bri C.
162 reviews12 followers
April 20, 2020
If you can get past how obvious the plot is and how whiny/childish the main character is than you may like this book. It's an interesting take on the after life. I don't know who wouldn't made the choice the main character does though. It was okay I didn't hate it but didn't love it either. I can read the others at least
408 reviews7 followers
July 12, 2019
Epic

I have no idea what to expect when I started reading this story, it has amazing character development and the plot is really diverse, there are some things that bother me but they’re definitely overshadowed by how good the story is
91 reviews
February 14, 2020
It's a great young adult novel. Like many young adult novels, I sometimes get angry at the main character for being dumb, but she's a perfect 17 year old girl.
Since this book does have spirits being trained to be spirit guides, it has this fascinating collection of mini-short stories where the spirit guides are helping different people. The ability of the author to create these additional plot lines, draw you in and wrap them up in satisfying ways was impressive.
And this book made me cry. In good ways. It definitely has sweet moments.
Profile Image for Amy.
98 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2021
After a 2 year reading slump and not liking the last 2 books I read, I decided to reread this since I saw more books in the series. It was a quick and enjoyable read. The main character was a little annoying at times, but I still enjoyed the story.
Profile Image for Lisa N..
13 reviews2 followers
January 15, 2022
Afterlife

The great fast read kept me on my toes the whole entire time is mysterious but also fun and imaginative of the other world we are unsure about
324 reviews
February 6, 2021
Great YA fiction. Leigh is a new resident of Heaven and is given an instructor on how to be a Spirit guide. This has humor and heart and is just a great read.
Profile Image for Margarita Rose.
1,182 reviews11 followers
March 5, 2020
Good read. Nice paced action. Unpredictable and relatable characters. Will like reading the rest of the series.
24 reviews
May 5, 2025
Nice, gentle yet inspiring story

Simple plot well done with some amusing twists. Suitable for a young adult audience. Hope, determination and good shine through together with genuine friendship.
Profile Image for Vivien Fay.
33 reviews
May 2, 2021
Sublime

This was a wonderfully light read and a real feel good book. Like the old quote goes, “I laughed, I cried..”. A roller coaster of emotions. The characters are lovable and hate-able. I would recommend this book to anyone from teen aged to adult.
Profile Image for Angela Fawcett.
40 reviews1 follower
February 1, 2021
I seriously loves this book. Made me laugh and cry and feel all the emotions.
Profile Image for Amie Beverley.
53 reviews1 follower
February 19, 2022
Just finished reading School For Spirits. Really enjoyed how this book ended and looking forward to reading the next book in the series
Profile Image for Marija P..
291 reviews1 follower
March 2, 2025
Such a refreshing idea! We meet Leigh who died in an accident and is now going through tests to become a spirit guide. I cried while reading some chapters and got angry at Leigh for making stupid decisions but in the end, it's a happy ending.
P. S. You'll love Taishi.
167 reviews3 followers
April 6, 2020
A fun untraditional look at the afterlife.

It's sad when someone we love dies. If we only knew where they were headed for afterwards? In this book, no matter how you died, your going here, it's a heaven but we call it "Home".
We meet 17 year old Riley after she died. She receives an instructor who helps her in the spirit guide business and to learn her new abilities.
Oh, and some of the instructors are quite good looking too. A very fun look okay the afterlife. Come-on loosen up a little.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews

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