Phantoms

Shadow School #3

by J.A. White

Cordelia’s last year at Shadow School brings readers back for the finale in the spooky middle grade trilogy by J.A. White, the author of the acclaimed Thickety series and Nightbooks. Cordelia must complete her quest to save the world of the living from the ghosts, and dangerous phantoms, who terrorize them.

It’s her final year at Shadow School, and Cordelia Liu isn’t ready to move on. Which is funny, considering helping ghosts “move on” is sort of her thing. But Cordelia can’t bear to give up the rare ability to see and help ghosts.

A field trip brings Cordelia, Benji, and Agnes face-to-face with a dangerous phantom—a ghost capable of reanimating dead animals—and a team of professional ghost hunters that disappear right after they capture the phantom. Cordelia can’t help herself—she needs to know more about the ghost hunters and the phantom.

It’ll mean getting Agnes and Benji to join her and the ghost hunters at a strange village called Shady Rest where ghosts live peacefully in their own homes. But soon, Cordelia, Benji, and Agnes realize that Shady Rest is not quite what it seems. Ghosts are disappearing from their homes. Others start to glow and grow frighteningly long necks and extra teeth. And some of them look strangely familiar. Didn’t they save these ghosts already?

In the creepy conclusion to the Shadow School trilogy, author J. A. White says a final farewell to this unique world of ghosts and phantoms even though some friends—and fiends—never truly leave you.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Ghosts, Horror, Friendship, Paranormal, Juvenile

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2021

About the author

J. A. White lives in New Jersey with his wife, three sons, and a hamster named Ophelia that doesn’t like him very much. When he’s not making up stories, he teaches a bunch of kids how to make up stories (along with math and science and other important stuff). He wishes dragons were real because it would be a much cooler way to get to work.

Reviews

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verdict: Book three doesn’t disappoint as the trio attempts to help ghosts outside of Shadow School.

Cordelia Liu settled into her usual spot and waited for a ghost to appear.
- first line

It’s Cordelia, Benji, and Agnes’ last year at Shadow School. On a field trip they encounter a terrifying phantom capable of reanimating dead animals to attack them. This begins the final book in the trilogy. I will miss Cordelia, Benji & Agnes and of course, Shadow School.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great ending to this amazing trilogy! Can’t say much since it’s the 3rd & final book, but such a unique world & story. So atmospheric as well. Shadow School itself is so amazing & atmospheric. This book we see some new locations, meet some new villains, & have a whole new mystery. I like the different take this one had than the other two, while still keeping the same charm, spookiness, atmosphere, ghost love, & these 3 amazing kids with their amazing friendship. All 3 are so different, but each so important. I love each of them so much, & I will miss them. Loved this book, & the whole series. Such an intriguing, fascinating, & at times so heartwarming, series. Such a great author. Highly recommend! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL covers by the amazing Petur Antonsson as well!💜

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cordelia feels useless now that they have created the dehaunter and she's no longer needed by the ghosts, on top of this, she feels jealous that Benji can see ghosts outside of school even though she can't. When they get the opportunity to work for a company that rescues ghosts, she jumps at the chance.
There was lots of mystery and the last few chapters in particular were nerve-wracking! I even relished the element of romance between Cordelia and Benji. I really enjoyed this trilogy and would love more from Cordelia and the Shadow School.

[Soph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I did enjoy the book, I would not say it was my favorite in the series.
In the majority of the book, the characters were not in Shadow School, which was not my one main issue, but the school is one of my favorite parts of the series and truly sets an ambiance.
I will add as well that the characters did not feel the same as in the rest of the series.
Also, I waited and was so excited for Cordelia and Benji to finally get together. But as we were getting closer, I just wasn’t as excited anymore, and I didn’t love how it played out.


I know it sounds like I didn’t like it, and I do myself think that I sound like a Negative Nancy, but I did enjoy it and I did like the overall ending!

[~just one hopeless romantic~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my fav book series! Although, this book was kinda boring and dragging on. There was not enough action, and I wasn’t feeling scared 😱 like I used to in the first or second books. However, I really enjoyed this book because all of its twists and turns. I like the whole “Phantom” situation. But, as I said, I just wasn’t feeling it! The characters were not as interesting or as exciting as they used to be. I was kinda into this but not that much.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had been the intended age of reader, I would have been completely sucked in. At their age, I worked for my grandmother and had access to adult spaces in ways I otherwise wouldn't have.

Although this book is the official ending of the trilogy, White has left himself an entry point. The book ends with the trio receiving the keys to Shadow School and an open invitation to visit whenever they feel like it. If there were to be a high school, YA, side story, I would certainly read it.

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...

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[Felix Hommy Gonzalez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should have been a duology. 100% Books one and two were PERFECT, but the third one… it was… just kind of okay. Fun, but nothing to do with the brilliance of the first two books. (Both 5 star reads!)

Also, the plot of book two was the Big Plot with the Big Villain to end a series. If the author was going to go ahead with a trilogy, then maybe book three should have been book two (just a fun side story) and then leave the amazing story of book two as the epic finale.

Alas, that is not what happened. Still, I appreciate this series and will most likely be rereading books one and two. But just those two. 😅💁🏾‍♂️

[Ness ┏ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ┛ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved these series but this was my least favorite of the three, it feels slightly disconnected from the other two and somewhat simpler.

And did the book just forgot that the series had implied Agnes was somewhere in the autism spectrum on the first book?

[Río · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an ok addition to the series - not especially spectacular in itself, but it continued the narrative well, adding in different elements to consider

In this book we see the characters leave Shadow School. Not only is it a fun change of pace, we also discover that there is an issue with their ghost-seeing abilities. Things don't work the same out in the "real world", where Coraline now needs to use goggles to see ghosts and Agnes cannot see them at all. The trio meets some new characters who offer the chance to earn money for their abilities -- to help people, of course


this story deals a lot with the way that different people have their own opinions. I appreciated the reminders that even people with the same condition have a) different experiences within those abilities and b) different opinions even on the same topics -- there is no clean "one-size-fits-all" even for neurodivergent people (a comparison the narrative heavily alludes to with Benji's and Coraline's ghost-seeing abilities)

if you read the first two stories, might as well finish the trifecta and give this one a shot. while the story is just moderate, I do appreciate the decent amount of analogies to neurodivergent experiences. so, if that might bump it higher on your read list, enjoy

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite in the series, this one wasn’t set in Shadow School at all, but did revolve around our trio and ghosts. The villain’s motivations seemed flimsy, but I guess money is the root of all evil.

That aside, what was with the final scene?! Did all of the internal logic of freeing ghosts into their Brights go out the window? Are all the ghosts still trapped in Shadow School, or did they magically come back to wave Cordelia off, or was she hallucinating? It annoyed me more than anything else in the book.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great conclusion to the Shadow School trilogy.

I love that this book makes Cordelia and her friends face the reality that their time together is coming to an end and question how they will stay friends as they head off to new schools in the following school year. This is a real issue that kids face and I love how this group dealt with it.

Looking forward to reading more of J.A. White's work in the future.

[Kaitlynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the final book in the Shadow School trilogy, and I enjoyed it overall. I think there were a few things left loose ended, and maybe one day that will lead to more stories in this world. I also thought that it ended too... conveniently. But I guess that's to be expected with a JFIC/Jr. High book. Glad I took a chance on something that isn't my usual reading thing.

[Kim Gontarz]

Cordelia, Benji, and Agnes encounter a phantom on a field trip. Phantoms are dangerous and the children are saved by some unknown outsiders who then recruit them to help free ghosts from places that are being destroyed. These outsiders are connected to Shady Rest a place for ghosts to reside but things are not as they seem. Will the children be safe or are the ghosts really safe?

[Kayla Pitoniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this wrap-up to the series. While I felt that overall this was the weakest book in the series, the last quarter really kicked it into high-gear and really left an amazing impression. Quite action-packed and leaves all of the characters off on a nice note: having grown so much from book one.

[C Mccloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this trilogy more than I thought I would and now I’m sad it’s over. Cordelia and Benji and cute together. It was a different take on what I thought ghost hunters would be out in their real world. The villain kinda seemed too obvious, but otherwise I liked it.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Love this series & this author!

[Alvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun spooky series. Great middle grades reading.

[Edgaras Šakuras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply hope that Phantoms is not the last book in these ghostly yet lively series :)

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library copy

I try to recommend this series to fans of the author's Nightbooks.

[Geneve Loughmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

No issues. Except for Agnes on the cover. Her legs got all weird. I was into the story and it had a good storyline so yeah. It’s a good series

[book_worm119 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.25

[Abigael · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Peter Gault · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so sad after finishing it

[Crystal Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful series. Great ending. I highly recommend. I'm off to spend time with my hubby who is my Bright. 😁

[BookLoverScar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the other two better

[Celia Rheault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series. I felt the ending was a little rushed with this book, only because it's the end of the trilogy and felt it deserved maybe one more chapter.

[AnneB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This last book is the most predictable one, in my opinion, but this has overall been quite a fun and entertaining series and I'm glad it kept me company for a while.