Review by Booklist Review
In the quirky, historic town of Hollows' Peak, 12-year-old Raveena and her best friends are looking for ways to raise funds for their school's business competition, so they can save their middle school's arts program. When an antique rotary phone comes into their possession, they discover it has a ghostly connection! The girls utilize the retro device to start a paranormal spirit service where the living connect with their loved ones. As their clientele expands, a grieving Raveena decides to hog the phone to contact her grandmama. This causes her to act strangely, do poorly in school, and push away her mom and friends. The "Fierce Four" will need to work on trusting one another as a support system and work things out before the anticipated 100 Years of Hollows' Peak Festival. Authors of Sisters of the Snake (2021), the Nanua sisters do a stellar job depicting how their varied characters handle grief differently. This middle-grade read is a perfect fit for fans of the Baby-Sitters Club series craving a haunted vibe.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--Missing a loved one who has passed away is a familiar experience. Raveena misses her beloved grandmother and can see that her mother is struggling to process her grief as well. Grappling with questions about spirits, ghosts, and the afterlife, Raveena and her friends, the Fierce Four, tackle tough topics with a business plan--helping people who seek to connect with their loved ones who have died but have not yet managed to cross over. With help from the town psychic, a trip to the graveyard, and lots of time in the library, the team works through a host of challenges. Raveena's own longing to reconnect with her dead grandmother and the group's desire to save their failing business keep their motivation at a fever pitch. With spine tingles and bone chills, this title pairs perfectly with scary movies and sleepovers. There are plenty of friendship squabbles and a bit of romance mixed in as well. The plot is thick and readers less dedicated to detail may lose their way, but those devoted to the Fierce Four dynamics and drama will appreciate every twist and turn. VERDICT Fans of mystical mysteries, ghosts, and the supernatural will enjoy this series starter.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Mourning the recent loss of her grandmother, an Indian Canadian tween and her friends become responsible for helping spirits find peace. Twelve-year-old Raveena, along with her friends Aiko (who's Japanese Canadian), Blair (who has Greek and Italian ancestry), and Lillian (who's cued Black), are zapped by a rotary phone that Raveena's mother purchased from an antique shop. The phone then immediately rings with a call from a spirit, their friend Marisol's grandmother, whom the girls help to move on. Inside the base of the phone, they find a tiny old book labeled "Guidebook for Guardians"--and after consulting with local psychic Tía Paola, Raveena and friends learn that they can serve as Guardians. The kids create a business, Spirit Service, to help people contact the deceased. They're hoping to win their school's business competition and earn enough to help fund the arts program, which has become a victim of budget cuts. Then Grandmama calls Raveena and asks her to retrieve an item hidden somewhere in their town of Hollows' Peak--an item that would have a tremendous impact--but the relationship between Raveena and her friends becomes strained while a greater threat grows. The evenly paced narrative artfully reveals the phone's complicated history with its supernatural ties to the town, its founder, and a pivotal historic event. The authors deftly touch upon issues of grief and friendship before closing with some intriguing twists. An entertainingly spooky series opener with appealing camaraderie among its characters. (map)(Paranormal. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
