Review by Booklist Review
In this eerie second installment of the Last Resort series, friends Teddy and Lila, along with Lila's brother, Caleb, are filled with joy over having defeated the Fire Maiden. Twelve-year-old Teddy Hamad is also thrilled to begin seventh grade because, for the first time in a long time, he has friends. But upon arriving at school, Lila befriends the cool kids, slowly phasing Teddy out. Unexpected issues arise when Lila's body begins to flicker and become invisible. Fearing that the Fire Maiden may be at work, the brave trio reunites, throwing themselves into research to find a solution before Lila vanishes permanently. Author of the acclaimed Other Words for Home (2019), Warga picks up the series from Erin Entrada Kelly, who wrote the first book, and gives readers a glimpse into Teddy's perspective. Warga does a great job of showing Teddy's struggles as he tries to fit in and deals with a past traumatic experience. Readers drawn to paranormal activity, ghost history, and friendship will want to snag this series, which integrates interactive elements via QR code.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This sequel dives right in where Erin Entrada Kelly's series opener,The Last Resort (2025), concluded, with Teddy, Lila, and Caleb facing off against a murderous spirit known as the Fire Maiden. Shifting from Lila, the third-person narration in this entry centers on Teddy's point of view. He and Lila will soon be starting seventh grade at Castle Hill Middle School; Lila's math whiz brother, Caleb, will be in fourth grade. Though he's deeply knowledgeable about the supernatural from hanging out on his favorite forum, Phantom Hunters, real life proves more difficult for Teddy, who has a hard time fitting in at school. When popular girls befriend Lila, who arrived in Castle Hill over the summer, Teddy is left wondering how he now fits into her life. Plagued by recurring nightmares from past trauma, Teddy soon realizes that many locals who have family ties to the 19th-century circus fire involving the Fire Maiden may be at risk. The danger grows as Halloween draws near, and Lila's new friends plan a seance at her parents' haunted inn. Newbery Honor winner Warga's imaginative installment is eerily delightful, skillfully balancing the angst of tween friendships and the sheer creepiness of ghosts. Franquiz's haunting illustrations are interspersed, marking points where readers can use their smartphones to interact with the ghosts. Teddy is Jordanian and implied white, and the previous book established both Lila and Caleb as Filipino and white. Exceptionally strong: delivers thrills and chills in equal measure.(Paranormal. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
