I love Erin Entrada Kelly's writing because I can always hear her distinct voice, even when she's writing something totally different! In The Last Resort, Lila and her brother Caleb, along with new friend Teddy, must solve a spooky mystery surrounding Lila and Caleb's late grandfather's home. This has just the right amount of suspense and horror to keep readers hooked, without giving them nightmares, and they will be asking for more!
Lila and Caleb discover they have to spend two weeks of their summer in Ohio when their estranged grandfather dies. Lila is a kid with big feelings, who is often accused of being "overdramatic" by her family - and now her friends, who seem to be pulling away from her as they prepare to enter 7th grade. So when she meets her grandfather - as a ghost - who tells her he was murdered, she turns to his former neighbor Teddy, a kid her age who is very interested in the paranormal. Teddy doesn't treat Lila like she is "too much" and with Caleb's eventual help, they begin investigating her grandpa's murder, as well as the strange nightmares that seem to be gripping their neighborhood.
I loved the way clues were dropped along the way that readers could pick up on. I expected Lila and Teddy to put some things together before the climax, but I thought the buildup was great and the climax was properly spooky. I am thrilled this is a series because I know my students will be asking for more!
Since this was a digital arc, the art was unfinished, but I loved the illustrations that were there - they were definitely spooky! I look forward to seeing the interactive features come to life in this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for the opportunity to read this book!

I'll just keep saying it: Erin Entrada Kelly is the best writer of middle grade fiction working today. Full stop. The Last Resort is a big switch from her previous work, but it is also a fantastic thrill ride of a story and it had me excited for more work like this.

This book will appeal to fans of middle grade ghost stories. Lila’s anxiety and her relationships with her friends are relatable, as is the strained relationship between her dad and grandfather.
This book did not draw me in as much as some of Erin Entrada Kelly’s other books have. 3 1/2⭐️

Lila is a drama queen with an overactive imagination. People tend to respond negatively to her “extra” personality and she on the outs with her friends for the summer. This summer, her Grandpa Clem has died and Lila’s family must travel to Ohio for his funeral and to settle his estate. Grandpa Clem and his business partner own the Castle Hill Inn which has a reputation for being haunted. It is rumored to have a portal for the dead to enter the afterlife. When Lila and her family arrive, she starts to see ghosts, including Grandpa Clem, who she’s never met. He suspects that he has been murdered and something is blocking the portal so he can not pass on. Lila, her new friend Teddy and her brother Caleb must solve the mystery, send the ghosts in the neighborhood through the portal and free everyone from their horrible nightmares.

The story was interesting and very suspenseful at times. I did wish the interactive elements worked in the ARC. I am looking forward to buying the book when it comes out to see how they work. I thought the ending was a little rushed, but I did enjoy the book and think middle grade readers will too.

Kids are always asking for ghost stories. This is a fun new one that comes out just in time for a fun fall read. I missed out on the interactive abilities of the book but I think that will add a fun element to the story. It won’t be used in a school setting but if the kids are reading at home it can be utilized. Way to bring something new to a story.

A little spooky, a lot of fun! What a fabulous book by THE Erin Entrada Kelly! Middle grade readers and beyond will absolutely adore 12 year old Lila, her younger brother Caleb and their new neighbor Teddy. The three kids are trying to help Lila and Caleb's recently deceased grandfather cross over to be with his wife. While working on this mission, they also encounter many other ghosts that need some assistance. The book is full of fun adventures, themes of growing up and, just enough spooky to keep kids on the edge of their seats, without giving them any nightmares. Erin does a great job balancing the spookiness with friendship and fun. A must read!

"The Last Resort" provides a fun, mildly spooky, and engaging read. The final version will have online interactive content accessible via a QR code. I'm not sure my middle schoolers will have the patience nor the interest to engage with the characters outside of the book. I think this concept worked well 10 years ago when combining reading with online content drew kiddos to books. Unfortunately, now we don't need yet another reason for students to be accessing their phone or chromebook. Personally, I think this would have worked better as a straight up ghost story with more character development in the pages instead of relying on a digital component.

Overall, I liked the book. Lila, Caleb, and Teddy were well written, and they all had a nice character arc. I loved the fact that only a couple people could see the ghosts, and the impact of the stones that were discovered by the kids (left intentionally vague). The pace felt slow for some of the book- the plot never really felt like it was moving forward, though it was. There was something about the ending I didn't like, but I'm leaving that vague as well so as to not spoil it the end of the story. I did like the ending overall, though.

The Last Resort is a creepy, dark older middle school book that kids will enjoy. This review contains spoilers! The main character, Lila, is the in throes of middle school and having problems with friends, but that doesn't stop her from teaming up with new friends and battling ghosts! In the story, Lila's dad inherits an old Victorian house that has a portal to the otherworld, but the portal has been flipped. Lila has to face her fears to help fix the portal and get the ghosts back to the other side. This ARC does not have the interactive ghosts, but kids will be excited to scan the QR codes and see those in action!

"The Last Resort" is a creepy, relatable middle-school read. Most kids will be able to connect to Lila - her relationship with her "friends", struggling with loss, trying to tackle big things and not knowing who to trust. The premise of the book is mysterious enough to hook the reader and keep them engaged.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

A great middle grade read with a premise that I ate up. It was very atmospheric with a great flow in the narration. The characters will be very relatable to the target audience. The horror of it was really creepy in some parts. (Full rating; 4.75 out of 5 stars).

The author and cover alone drew me to this book, but the characters are what really make it shine! Lila is feeling insecure and is afraid to be herself when her two closest friends ditch her for being overly dramatic. This is the state she is in when she learns her grandpa has died and her family has inherited a haunted hotel. Will Lila be able to regain her confidence as she tries to uncover the mysteries surrounding the hotel, and will she discover what it means to be a true friend? I think my middle schoolers will enjoy this book and I plan to purchase a copy for our library. Thank you to NegGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

What worked:
Lila is the overly dramatic main character whose two best friends are tired of her exaggerated reactions to everything. She texts them an SOS that she’s being forced against her will to attend her grandfather’s funeral and is surprised they don’t share her angst. It’s perfectly normal to attend the funeral of a loved one who’s died. Lila’s parents and brother aren’t sympathetic to her constant emergencies either, so she’s reluctant to tell them she can see ghosts. She’s going to be a rock this time, unwavering with her emotions fully under control, although inside, she’s freaked out and scared.
Lila has an instant ally in Teddy, her grandfather’s young neighbor. Teddy has always had an interest in ghosts, and Grandpa Clem was willing to answer all of his questions. Grandpa was “high channel” (able to see and speak to ghosts), and it seems Lila is too. Teddy immediately accepts that Lila has seen her grandfather and offers to solve the mystery of how he died. Grandpa Clem doesn’t know who poisoned his tea, but he’s sure he was murdered. Readers will identify one character as the obvious, prime suspect, but the details surrounding the portal in the attic take longer to emerge.
This is a ghost story, and there are plenty of them to satisfy young readers. They range from an innocent four-year-old girl to a threatening sharpshooter from the Old West. Lila is confused when ghosts ask her questions she can’t answer, and others tell her to “step right up”. Grandpa Clem’s old business partner is willing to share information about the afterlife, but Lila isn’t sure she trusts him. She’s sure he’s not telling her the complete truth, and there are puzzling pictures on his walls. Other photos found at the library provide some answers but create new questions, too. Lila knows everything revolves around the portal mirror, and she knows she’ll eventually need to be intrepid enough to open the locked door at the top of the steep, narrow attic stairs.
What didn’t work as well:
I read an advanced copy of the book and didn’t get to experience the interactive aspect of it. The finished edition will allow readers to scan QR codes on certain pages to “talk” to ghost characters in the book. The plot builds to a climax that may not be as suspenseful as some readers would like. However, it comes to a satisfying resolution.
The final verdict:
Young readers will understand Lila’s severe anxiety, although she takes it to the extreme. She fits the term “drama queen”, but her long road to courage is eventful. This book will appeal to middle-grade ghost lovers, and I recommend you give it a shot.

Thank you to Scholastic and NetGalley for providing the e-arc for my honest review.

After an argument with her best friends, Lila is determined to spend summer break proving to them she isn’t dramatic. But her resolve is tested after her estranged grandfather dies, leaving behind a house filled with secrets and entirely too many ghosts.

With the help of her brother Caleb and new friend Teddy, Lila discovers there’s something suspicious about her grandfather’s death, and that someone is interfering with the ghosts’ ability to move on and causing dangerous nightmares in the living. Will she be able to find and stop who’s behind it before things get worse?

The Last Resort really shines when Lila responds to her situation with maturity and bravery. Further, I appreciate that Erin Entrada Kelly doesn’t shy away from representing the reality of difficult relationships with clear-eyed compassion. The scenes with Lila and her friends back home certainly reminded me the hurt and confusion as a kid when I felt my own friends pulling away. My only wish is that we had gotten to know the ghosts a bit more, even the scary ones.