Review Detail

Spirit Service is a not-so scary tale about things that go bump in the night and friends that aim to solve their problems. The tight-knit friend group consists of Lillian, Raveena, Aiko, and Blair who work together to help each other while solving the mysteries of Hollow Peak. These suspenseful and supernatural mystery elements will have the reader putting on their amateur sleuth hat and become immersed in the story.

Though the story is mainly focused on Raveena’s point-of-view and story, I appreciated that her friends also get their own focus within the book. They have four very, different personalities, but their quirks only add to their bonds of friendship. While tackling each ghost’s case it challenges them to navigate their own problems to grow. Each girl sees a smooth development throughout the story, and I can see how if there were future books, each girl could have their own special story.

The attention to detail and world building makes this an immersive experience for the reader. The Nanua sisters put a lot of care into developing Hollows Peak into a cozy small town with so many interesting places the characters visit. From the boba shop to the mysterious antique store, it felt like a place that you could travel to in real life.

Most of all, while the tone of the story is lighthearted and (a little bit) spooky, it has an important story about grief. The topic was handled well, and it discusses how everyone grieves differently, especially the ghosts featured who struggle to move on from their past.

This novel is highly recommended for readers who enjoy tales of friendship or a delightful mashup of Ghostbusters and The Baby-Sitters Club.