So the cover of this book was such a draw for me that I requested this book from Shelf Awareness. When I received it, the cover of the galley was a page from the book in a slightly Gothic font and I almost loved it more!

Belladonna is not your typical tween. For starters, she can see ghosts. But that's a good thing since it means her parents can still take care of her and be with her since they died in a horrible accident two years ago. Things are slightly different: they don't eat, they can poke their heads through walls and make dinner without actually having to make it, she can't hug them. But thankfully in some ways, things are the same. Mom still immerses herself in her stories, and Dad still needs Belladonna to bring the paper home for him every afternoon.

Suddenly, things change. On a school trip, a ghost haunting an old mansion that she died in tells Belladonna her baby has disappeared and that she needs to tell the Spellbinder so that things can be fixed. Belladonna relays this to her parents who share a significant look, but don't fill her in on what it means. Then all the ghosts disappear, and it's up to Belladonna and her newfound friend Steve to solve the problem and return the ghosts to their rightful positions before it's too late.

This is a preteen book targeted for ages 9-12, but I loved it! I'm almost not embarrassed to say that. The writing was great and the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I also have a couple kids in mind to get a copy of this from me for Christmas: my thirteen year old brother who I think I can safely say would read this in two or three days and my nine year old sister who would take a bit longer but love it all the same. The writer is a screenplay writer, and I could actually envision the movie in my mind. Check it out if you've got kids, or if you just think the premise is appealing because it is!