Gallowgate

by K.R. Alexander

From bestselling horror master K.R. Alexander, a twisted take on a school for magic where the line between curse and survival is always shifting.



Sebastian Wight is cursed. As a boy with the forbidden ability to traverse the lands of the dead, he must not only harness his newfound powers to fight the monster that stalks him, but also to navigate a creepy world of hunting ghosts and ghouls with his eccentric classmates.

And that's only the start of his concerns.

There's also the tangled on a boy who barely looks at him twice... and the deadly family history that brought him to the halls of Gallowgate Academy in the first place.

For Sebastian Wight, fighting the dead might be hard... but it's dealing with the living that may bring him down.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Middle Grade, LGBT, Paranormal, Audiobook, Young Adult

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

K.R. Alexander is the pseudonym for fantasy author Alex R. Kahler. Under this guise, K.R. writes creepy middle grade horror, perfect for young readers looking for a scare! His first book, The Collector, debuted from Scholastic in the Fall of '18.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was this mostly reskinned Harry Potter? Yes. Does that make me like it any less? No. Cute characters, fun story, love that Bastian is gay, and I like that their equivalent of the House system is more like college majors. Highly recommend for when you want something quick, easy, and a little spooky.

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is this my first book I have read from this author, this might be the first middle grade book I have read as an adult - and I loved it.

Gallowgate is the first book in what I hope will be a series with plenty more books to come. Bastian has been able to see ghosts since he was very young, ever since his parents were killed. After a run-in with a particularly nasty ghost, Bastian is invited to attend a school for Æthercists - people trained in the art of various magics to defeat all of the malevolent paranormal things out there in the world.

As Bastian settles into school and classes, he must also navigate making friends - and enemies - while also learning the necessary skills to be able to stay at the school. One thing I really enjoyed was the element of found family and making true friendships in this one - Harold, especially.

I really enjoyed this book - the setting in the school is like year round Halloween, and was so vivid, creepy, and fun! Even when it was Christmas, it was still spooky times. I imagine this book will draw a lot of comparisons to another witchy school and a character with a tragic backstory, but I hope that the similarities won't turn people away from trying this book. And I REALLY hope there is more in this series - I have questions I want answers to, and I feel like there is so much potential to have more stories in this world.

Also one parting thought - why the heck are they sending 15 year old kids out to do things that are this scary! LOL - where are the adults?!

I received a copy thanks to Pride Book Tours, thank you so much! My thoughts are my own.

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to be honest....after LOVING the works by this author that I have read, this was not one of his better books.

With Sebastian Wight being able to see things that others cannot see, yes, the dead....he feels like an outcast. He has recently lost his parents and is sent to live with his aunt. She also has 'a gift' as well as his parents did. He is accepted into Gallowgate Academy for special kids, and this is where he will discover who and what he is....but he will also discover something about him that hit me really hard. He is gay.

With this being just released this month, I was really expecting it to be another 5 star read for me, and it was not. You will go into this thinking you are rereading a new and improved version of 'that other young boy who goes to an Academy but for those who are wizards and witches. I think this is where the book took a dive for me. Though the characters are more creepy and deal with stuff that was darker than Harry Potter did, it was just too similar to those books. I really wished Alexander would have written a completely unique and original tale. It wasn't. Would still recommend to anyone who loves books where kids are unique in their own way.....Necromancers, and other types of people that we do NOT come across in our regular world.

3 ghosts

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bastian has always been able to see ghosts, and it's made it hard for him to fit in at school. When he starts to see a "shadowman," he realizes this ghost a little different. But it isn't until the ghost attacks him that his Aunt Dahlia decides that Bastian needs to go to Gallowgate school to learn about to fight these kinds of creatures in safety. At first Bastian doesn't really fit in at Gallowgate, either, but quickly he befriends Harold, who wants to be an Alchemist, and Robyn, a Summoner. Together they start to learn about ghosts, ghouls, and revenants - and Bastian learns he has a unique ability.

This story was basically Harry Potter if all the magic was about ghosts and zombies. The cover on my ARC even had a dark-haired boy in glasses that looked like Harry Potter and a white-blond boy who could have been Draco. Harold was essentially a stand-in for Ron, and Robyn for Hermione. The similarities were a bit too much for me, especially since we never go back to Bastian's new life, the sudden change of his name from Sebastian in the real world to Bastian in Gallowgate was never explained, and Bastian was constantly being tossed into life-threatening situations with zero training. This was like if the Hogwarts first-years were randomly called into the forest to deal with trolls with no supervision or skills. For such a short book, this took me a long time to read, mostly because I didn't really care about the characters. The relationship between Bastian and Finley was cute and unexpectedly, as well as not being labelled as anything, but for what seems to be a series opener I didn't really care enough about any of it.

[Mercy Nurse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reskinned Harry Potter. A good thing for some, but I would have liked more differences between the two to set them a bit more apart. This book definitely could have stood on its own without using the full framework of another so I was a bit disappointed, but enjoyed the parts I was able to separate.

[Coleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun mix of horror and fantasy. Typical middle grade themes like fitting in, friendship, learning about yourself… but with a spooky magical twist. This one is not for the squeamish, but it’s a fun read.

[Dinnu Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun story. For me it felt like a mixture of HP and Sabriel with a creepy magical school, ghosts and Necromancy. I had a lot of fun and I can't wait for sequels (it felt like an introduction to a series)! 💀🥰

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

MG/YA
Paranormal
Fantasy

School of magic setting but with spooky things such as demons and ghosts!

[✩▹Lily◃✩ {Newt's Version} · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Harry Potter, this book is for you. It deals with the undead and magic.

[Anni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creepy book cover.

[Kacey Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all things academia, so of course I devoured this story about a gothic school with spooky magic!
Think Hogwarts, but darker.
I really hope this becomes a series!

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, we’ve got an interesting one today and it requires some explaining. So, you got your people on here who get early copies of things to review them. It’s happened with a few Stine works, even Goosebumps sometimes. A while back, someone suggested I should reach out to Scholastic to perhaps get it on that. I managed to do that and because I do have that blog, they actually agreed to it and thus I got put on the list of people who get messaged about ACRs of certain upcoming Scholastic stuff.

On Twitter I’ll provide an image for some proof. I did this for Goosebumps of course but when I got this offered up, I wanted to take it. I wanted to test things, plus it’s by KR. Alexander. I covered him recently with The Collector and want to do more of his work so of course I wanted to go into his latest.

I got this digital ARC a few weeks ago but only now got to it, with it coming out tomorrow. Sorry about that, It’s 300 pages so I wanted to be sure I had the time. Anyway, this is a bit different for me but here we are.

Let’s jump into the thing itself: Sebastian Wight is a boy who sees ghosts and has dead parents, so his life isn’t the best. He’d made a few scenes about ghost so he is mocked for that. One day this one ghost becomes an issue and from there he finds about about the deeper connection to the dead that he and his family have.

He is sent to a school for people like that, that are trained to deal with ghosts and such in various forms and different ways. It takes getting used to it and while he makes some good friends, there’s secrets to uncover and a shadowy figure that is still after him.

This was pretty good. It has some standard stuff, with the whole school thing. There’s one obvious comparison, given how many others take from it. It’s not the freshest thing every but it is done well. Just having it be spooky themed makes it stand out and the world building is solid with how this school works and the various aspects of all this.

My summary didn’t quite do it justice as there is more ot the nature of the stuff, with proper names for it all. It’s done in a way that easy to get into, as the lore generally isn’t over whelming. It’s middle grade and fits nicely into that. You have some nice stuff regarding the friend group, and what Sebastian goes through.

Nothing super deep per say but it works. I liked the friends in general, he, Harold and Robyn work well together and are charming,even if they fit into the standard types. For the length, it flows well enough as we get to know this place. I wouldn’t say there’s tons of plot progression all the time, and it could be tighter In spots.

That’s just my usual issues talking though and it could have been worse on that front. It can get repetitive at times, with some back and forth but not awfully so. The main villain is a fair threat but not too much more than that, with someone else working better as a villain due to the twist involved even if they’re dealt with a bit quickly. The climax in general is fine but feels a bit quick after all the build up.

Solid wrap up, with it being open more including one teaser while still wrapping things up decently. The plot takes some interesting turns as we Sebastian finds out some secrets. It’s not the grandest version of this sort of thing but it kept it invested.

There is this thing with this boy Finlay, where they are into each other, kinda. That was honestly kinda slight, as it’s barley a thing. We get a bit of blushing and that’s it for most of it. Even as he gets a bit more important near the end, it is isn’t hugely so and they don’t deal with any feelings or whatever. That felt like a let down.

There’s clearly gonna be more, given the teaser we go so I assume some of this, including Finlay, will be dealt with more there. For now, this worked as it is. If you read this kind of thing more often than you may get less out of depending on who you are, but given what I usually do, this was sort of novel.

It’s a solid take on the ideas, bringing some fresh angles to it alongside some likable characters. It packs in enough in there and I certainly enjoyed it. I think The Collector was a bit better, as it is was just more my speed but this showed his talents as well.

I’ll read the next one when/if it comes. For now, this was solid and was certainly a neat experience for me. Don’t expect me to do these a lot as I imagine the offers will be for stuff I am less interested in but we’ll see. And yeah, that’s about it.

No idea what is next. I’m working on the 99 Fear Street review soon, and during that we’ll see about doing random stuff alongside some catch up, possibly. See ya then.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

People who read this novel will no doubt see many resemblances to the Harry Potter series. An orphaned boy is kept by a close relative, discovers he has a magical talent and gets sent to a magical school. Magic abounds; he has a school nemesis; he’s got two terrific friends; the dead roam the school freely; he’s not particularly good at magic (Sebastian Wight is even worse than Harry, barely managing to squeak through his classes and tests.) and, oh yes, he is constantly attacked by a malevolent force that’s out to kill him.

However, there are notable differences. Sebastian is no chosen one. He relishes being in a place where no one sees him as a freak for seeing the dead. But he misses his aunt, has terrible nightmares all the time and his magical talent isn’t celebrated at all but kept under wraps and deeply feared.

The conversations are solid and the novel manages a few surprises or two. The first friend he has in a regular school proves to be a bait-and-switch decoy as Sebastian is swiftly yanked away from him and we never hear from what’s-his-face again. There are battles that the children are deliberately sent out to fight (yikes!) and the children are let known from the beginning that the path they tread is so dangerous that some of them might not survive. Ho boy.

You wonder what parents would send their children to a school like this. But the author makes a good case for this being a necessary evil. Apparently, these children are part of a long line of sorcerous defenders that protect the world from the specters that hover unseen on the edges of human existence. With their amulets, charms, potions and spells, they and they alone stand between humans and the otherworldly denizens that would destroy them. Think of them as a combination of Slayers and Watchers.

Throw in a burgeoning m/m romance and this book marks the beginning of a fairly decent series. At least, I think it’ll be a series. You get the feeling that the underworld isn’t finished with Sebastian Wight by a long shot.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Gallowgate" is a novel that ventures into the familiar territory of a young boy, Sebastian Wight, grappling with the curse of seeing the supernatural—ghosts, monsters, and ghouls. His plight leads him to Gallowgate Academy, a school where students are trained to confront and combat the spectral entities that haunt them. Amidst this, Sebastian must also navigate the treacherous waters of his own family's sinister history, which threatens to emerge from the shadows and wreak havoc.

Despite the enticing premise, "Gallowgate" suffers from significant shortcomings that overshadow its potential. The narrative HEAVILY mirrors the structure and elements of the "Harry Potter" series, to the extent that it detracts from its originality. The resemblance is not just thematic but extends to specific plot points and character dynamics, rendering it less a homage and more a derivative work lacking in novelty. I even caught on to some sentences that were almost word for word in HP. This issue is compounded by inadequate world-building that fails to bring the setting of Gallowgate Academy to life, leaving the environment feeling flat and uninspired.

The attempt at diversity within the book feels superficial. The mention of characters' ethnic backgrounds in passing—such as, for example, "the Black boy," "the Asian girl," and "a white guy"—comes across as an afterthought rather than meaningful representation, failing to add depth or authenticity to the characters.

Overall, 1 out of 5 stars for copying a beloved franchise, the lack of compelling world-building and the shallow treatment of diversity, which all add up to make this a forgettable read. The book's inability to engage on any significant level—be it through character development, plot intrigue, or thematic depth—leaves much to be desired, culminating in a reading experience that is as uninspiring as it is uneventful.

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book and it definitely kept me wanting to listen to more (I always listen to audiobooks when available), it did make me think of the final Harry Potter book but this author isn't a stranger taking ideas from other writers. I definitely think there is room for another book, possibly at the end of his training where he faces his father. I mean, while his name was in the Hall of the Fallen, they didn't exactly say he was dead. I think the story could have been done without the underlying romance budding. Yes, it was cute, but the book was doing fine without it. Not every book needs a romance. Kids can just be friends, you know.

In the end, it didn't get the 5 star just because it was too much like Harry Potter. A boy with dead parents (possibly on his father) was raised by a relative (at least she was sweet), finding out he was special and going to a special school where magic is taught. The school is split into 4 houses (you join AFTER your first year, and he ends up being a 5th house, creating a pentagram). A villain after the boy who lives. The boy sacrifices himself to save his friends. The school is more of a home to him. Even the one overly mean teacher that no one likes and the student that is full of herself thinking she is better than everyone else. Of course, there is another boy with dead parents who is awkward (I know Neville's parents weren't dead, but close). Lastly, the headmistress who kept secrets that caused more trouble than it helped. Hell, even the school rearranges itself!

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is Harry Potter reskinned with a Gothic flavor. I'd be okay if it was 'like' Harry Potter - I mean at a certain point a kid going to a magic school will always feel like H.P. - but this story has the same main/side character set up, the story beats are all the same, and the school might as well be called Gothic Hogwarts.

I'm sure some readers won't mind that this is a H.P. rip-off, but I couldn't get into it. The Gothic changes & spirit-summoning magic were cool but would have been better in a more original setting. Probably the part of the story I liked best was the 'creepiness' aspect - when the author is trying to be creepy, it works and I enjoyed it, especially in the opening few chapters.

A few things bothered me just because they seemed like diversity for diversity's sake. I got taken out of the story when it would introduce a one-off character, make a point to tell me if they were white, Korean, Hispanic, Black, etc., and then we'd never see them again. I don't have a problem with diverse casts, but the way the story did it here felt very pandering. The romance with Finlay also was so underdeveloped that I'm not sure why it was even there. I'm not a fan of romance in middle school in the first place, especially when it's just focused on attraction & not the two forming an actual connection, so it bothered me that Finlay could be cut without losing anything from the perspective of the plot.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian Wight sees ghosts. He's seen ghosts since he saw his parents died at 5-years-old. His peculiar talent makes him the target of taunting at the hands of his classmates. It's also meant a lack of friends. Only his aunt makes life bearable for Sebastian. Starting at a new school cracks open the door to making friends, but when a particularly nasty ghost starts haunting Sebastian, all hope for friends and a regular life flies out the window. After a devastating attack that Sebastian and his aunt barely manage to fight off, Sebastian is sent to the one place his aunt thinks he might be safe. Gallowgate turns out to be a supernatural school where students learn to use their magical skills to fight nasty ghosts. While Sebastian delights in finding friends for the first time in his life, he discovers that the ghost he calls 'the shadowman' still hunts him even at the school causing problems for everyone, not just himself. On top of that, he feels like the headmistress is lying to him about something, and he doesn't seem to have a knack for any of the different types of magic. A newfound crush on another boy adds to the burden that Sebastian, now called Bastian by his roommate, finds himself facing. After discovering a talent for a now forbidden branch of magic, Bastian finds himself and his friends searching for answers before he loses everything.

Sebastian's situation inspired feelings of empathy. The poor kid desperately wants friends and to find a place he belongs, but seeing ghosts doesn't help him in that regard. Once he finally finds a place he feels like he belongs, he still struggles to understand what's going on and why 'the shadowman' continues to hunt him. One of the best aspects of the story relates to the friendships he develops. Everyone needs such awesome friends! The lack of answers to his questions kept me turning pages rapidly. The compelling twists as Sebastian discovers his hidden/forbidden abilities and stumbles across a way to learn how to use them. The school itself made for an intriguing character as well as a setting. The school building seems to have a bit of a mind of its own as it sends the students out to fight ghosts. The magical school trope feels fresh here with the emphasis on the dark and disgusting underworld as students learn to fight ghosts and return them to the underworld. With plenty of questions left unanswered, hopefully there will be more stories to come. For young readers who enjoy plenty of creep mixed in with their magical school, this tale full of action and tension makes for a compelling read.

[Riri Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a 3.5 for me.
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The plot was brilliant, Dark academia meets Harry Potter. The world and magic systems were interesting. The writing style was fun and immersive, our 3 main characters reminded me very much of 3 certain young wizards.
.
What I struggled with was the chapters, they were all less than 10 minutes each, and for a book that is around 300 pages, there were 67 chapters. Because of this, it felt like I was always being pulled out of the story right in the middle of something. The chapters needed to be longer so that we could stay in the story.
.
Sebastian can see ghosts, which has left him with no friends, and is called a freak. The only place he feels safe is his aunt's house. At least until he is attacked by a creature, he has called the Shadow Man. This changes everything and his aunt tells him of a school called Gallowgate.
.
Gallowgate is a school filled with kids like him. He no longer stands out as a freak, and he soon makes friends. But the Shadow Man is back, and he wants Sebastian dead.

[Kale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult, but this is a story I wish I had when I was growing up. Not only is the world filled with beautiful, creepy, macabre imagery, the characters are unique, developed, and entertaining. Bastian journeys to discover the Æthercist underworld, his family, and himself. I’m so excited to see where this series goes. The magic and world-building are unique and creative, and will be a hit with any kid that’s a fan of Halloween and spooky stories.

It would be easy to compare this book to another series about a magic school…but unlike the series that shall not be named, Gallowgate has explicitly queer characters from the beginning. The book features a diverse cast of people of different races, abilities, ages, and genders without ever making a caricature of those groups.

Gallowgate is truly something special. This story deserves to be told, and I am so excited to share it with my elementary age niece and nephew.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Pride Book Tours for including me and Scholastic for sending me a finished copy in exchange for promotion and an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Gallowgate follows Sebastian who can see ghosts. When ghosts begin to attack him, he’s sent to Gallowgate Academy, a school that specializes in ghostly abilities. Sebastian learns there’s various types of magic associated with seeing ghosts, but he doesn’t seem to fit clearly into any of the four tracks. Sebastian would really like to fit in and to understand his abilities.

I absolutely loved this book! I am a sucker for any sort of school/academia book and I loved exploring Gallowgate with Sebastian. The ghost magic was so epic and I loved learning along with Sebastian and his friends. This was such an endearing and yet also very eerie tale! I hope it becomes a series. I would love to see more from this world.

[D.K. Hundt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dedication—My Heart:

‘FOR THE KIDS WHO JUST NEVER SEEM TO FIT IN. YOU WILL. I PROMISE.’

I just finished reading GALLOWGATE by K.R. Alexander, and the words that come immediately to mind are, ‘Wow! More Please!!’ I LOVE the characters and the storyline, and I hope and cannot wait to dive back into the magical realm that is GALLOWGATE—Highly Recommend!

‘Sebastian Wight was cursed.
Truly, legitimately cursed.
Not like he had bad luck. Even though he did.
Not like middle school was hard for him, though his curse definitely made it harder.
No. This was a major curse.
Like, sometimes he’d open his locker to find a floating head.’

‘Sebastian's home is no longer safe . . . and the only place that will take him in is Gallowgate Academy, where students are taught to hunt the things that haunt them.’

Reading Age: 9 -12
Grade: 4 – 7

Thank you, NetGalley and Scholastic Press, for providing me with an eBook of GALLOWGATE at the request of an honest review.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

💭Thoughts:
This was an interesting middle grade book. I have previously read two other books by this author and enjoyed both of them. They were both about creepy dolls. This story was completely different than anything I’ve previously seen by him.

The world building in this story was great. I think readers who enjoy a fantastical world full of ghosts and magical beasts will enjoy this book. The setting is very dark and gothic. Young readers will be entranced by all the spells, conjuring, and magical events taking place at Gallowgate.

The ending tied up some loose ends, but left some unanswered. I will be interested to see if this is the start of a new series.

Overall, this is a fun, magical middle grade book with string themes of friendship and being true to yourself.

[Jennifer Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning work! I’m an adult but still have read and loved many of his children’s horror. This book gives off Harry Potter vibes big time. But that’s part of why I loved it! It’s definitely not the same story. This book summoned me with the cover and quickly I was mesmerized into Sebastian’s world. It was wonderful watching his character develop after all the terrible things and bullies he had encountered. I definitely related to that character. I think most people can see a part of themselves in him. I was beyond thrilled to get approved for the eARC!! and I’m wondering if this will be it for Bastian or will his story continue? No like for real TELL ME! because I am ready to see his next adventure! This is an absolute must read book! I loved it!!!

[Anna J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian Wright is cursed as he sees ghosts. At school people make fun of him and he leads a lonely and isolated life living with his Aunt. He is being stalked by a monster and is no longer safe with his Aunt.

He goes to Gallowgate Academy where he will train and learn to fight and defeat restless spirits. He finally feels like he fits in and is making friends. The classes will be in summoning, alchemy, necromancy, and conjuring. I loved the vivid descriptions that brought the place to life in my imagination.

Sebastian must learn how to use his new found powers to fight the monster that is stalking him. He must also protect his friends and not stuck in the underworld.

I enjoyed the short chapters and seeing friendships made and all learning to work together.

[Kerry]

Like many MG books, Gallowgate by K. R. Alexander takes its lead from the famed Harry Potter or Percy Jackson series. In it, a young man discovers his peculiar ability of seeing ghosts is a family trait. He’s sent to a special training school called Gallowgate where he’ll learn to negotiate the world with spirits who in turn notice those who see them. After classes begin and teachers can assess their natural proclivities, the students are sorted into specialties. Our hero is a young boy who has made a powerful enemy, one who threatens not only the boy, but also anyone he cares for. There are omissions and lies to protect him, harrowing encounters, and more.

[Zorak Zabrak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything from this author, and I can’t wait to check out more of his work. This was such an entertaining read, I was legit a little sad when it was over! Bastian was so relatable in his quest for friendship and comfort, you can’t help but want to hold him gently in your hands. The horror aspect was also amazing, I must say the descriptions of the ghosts and monsters were so visceral and ominous, which is exactly what I look for in a good horror book. Highly recommend this book to young and old horror lovers alike!

[Seras23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out as a darker Harry Potter and then blends with Sabriel and the whole Abhorsen series (but mostly Sabriel). It’s good, and I enjoyed it, especially as it got further in and became more Sabriel than Harry Potter. I don’t know if the author has read the Abhorsen books or if he and Garth Nix are drawing from some of the same underworld lore, but there are just so many similarities. And the school really is just a gothic Hogwarts. That being said, it seems like there's a good chance of a sequel or even a series, and I'd happily read future installments.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. Sebastian has always been able to see ghosts, but now they're attacking him, so his magical aunt has sent him to a school where he can learn about magic, ghosts, and how to hunt them. The author clearly said to himself that he wanted to fix Harry Potter. New-to-the-world Sebastian, grown-up-in-the-world Harold, and smarty-pants-know-it-all Robyn. Gallowgate is a lot more dark and traumatic than Hogwarts, I'll grant you--even first years are sent out to battle various ghosts even before they are taught about it in class. And students die. Didn't like the prose, but I did like the plot.

[Lee Zirkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75* rounded to 4. This was not like Harry Potter. These children went to a magic school for fighting ghosts, ghouls and other things that go bump in the night. I really enjoyed the friendship between Harold and Sebastian. I also enjoyed Sebastian coming into his own and finding his strength. I was so frustrated throughout the book because no one would tell him what was going on which in turn risked his and his friends lives. I'm interested in trying another middle grade horror by this author.