Edward Fitzberranger returns in Rob Keeley's "The Fighting Spirit"

 

Title: The Fighting Spirit

Author: Rob Keeley
Publication Date: March 28, 2025
Genre: MG ghost story / time travel

Buy The Fighting Spirit

What Goodreads has to say:

“Would you like to adopt a ghost?

Young spirit, born 1887, seeks kind home to haunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets on well with other children. Jokes and shocks a speciality.

If interested, place outside your home three twigs, in the shape of an arrow, pointing to your front door...”

Ruby and Jayden get more than they bargained for, when they adopt the ghost of Edward Fitzberranger. He’s a boy from Victorian times, has left his haunted house without permission and is living in Ruby’s wardrobe.

When they find out he can time-travel, they find themselves in the Second World War, with bombs falling and a royal kidnapping plot. Simon Fitzberranger and his Anti-War Party offer a solution – but is he all he seems?

This is the first new Spirits novel for five years. It is both a reboot and a continuation of the original series, featuring the return of ghostly Edward and classic villains alongside some new characters.

What I have to say:

This is a charming story that I enjoyed very much---all the way from the sweet, funny ad Ruby finds in the newspaper ("Would you like to adopt a ghost?") to the WWII adventure our characters get caught up in when they try to time travel to the 60s (don't ask). 

The dialogue is adorable, such as when Jayden tells Ruby he made up her mind for her and set her up to adopt the ghost from the ad ("This poor ghost's looking for a home. He can be company for you, when I'm not here.") and Ruby's retort ("Jayden, I do not want to adopt a ghost! Even if he is a gentleman.")

When the ghost shows up, Ruby tells Jayden, "He came out of my wardrobe. He's written on my wall and filled our bathroom with flowers and I am furious with you! He's called Edward Fitzberranger and he's younger than we are and I can't look after a ghost!"

But Ruby and Jayden soon realize that having a ghost around will be more fun than they thought: he can time travel. 

When a time traveling adventure goes wrong, they find themselves in WWII-era England under the threat of the Blitz---and unable to leave. Soon, it's up to the three of them to rescue Britain from not just the Nazis, but a much more sinister force---evil beings from the spirit world.

Once again, any story with Edward Fitzberranger in it is one I'm going to heartily enjoy. Edward is up to his usual tricks here (though he also manages to save the British monarchy, so maybe he's grown up a very little bit since his first adventures). 

The ghostly hints in this story are also fun: dopplegangers---spirit beings who can assume the form of any person---are trying to sabotage the British monarchy, and there's a great moment near the end of the story where we get to see the spirits of the past kings and queens of England, who come to "life" at just the right moment. I enjoyed that too.

At the end of the day, this is a quick, fun read that will make you smile. While the action is a bit slow in the beginning, it's very charming all the way through, and I kept reading to find out what shenanigans Edward would pull and how Ruby and Jayden would deal with them. 

Rob Keeley has done it again: concocting a delightful MG story with a touch of ghostliness and time travel, and I for one am glad.

Rating:

The Coming of the Spirits: the ghostly conclusion to a delightful journey

 Title: The Coming of the Spirits
Series: The Spirits series
Author: Rob Keeley
Genre: MG Fantasy
Pages: 144
Published: 2018
Buy The Coming of the Spirits
Buy Childish Spirits (#1 in the Spirits series)

What Goodreads has to say:

The final book in the award-winning Spirits series.

Sequel to High Spirits – Georgina Hawtrey-Woore Award winner 2018.

Rob Keeley is back with the fifth and final instalment in his award-winning Spirits series. The series allows young people to learn more about other times, as well as the time in which they live.

“Nazis alone were dangerous enough, but Nazis with the powers of ghosts... of evil spirits...”

Britain. The present day. The world we know. Ruled by the Nazis.
Victorian England. Edward Fitzberranger is soon to become ill and die. But could there be another way?
The Middle Ages. Sir Francis Fitzberranger is about to marry... but finds himself shifted in time.

The barrier into the spirit world is finally breaking down and no one in the mortal world is safe. History must be set back on course and prophecies fulfilled. The Grand Defender is needed.

As Ellie works with an underground resistance movement and with the spirit world too, she is about to discover her true destiny... 

What I have to say:

Here we are at last: the final book of Rob Keeley's thrilling and adorable Spirits series. True to form, I read this in one sitting. These books are like shot glasses. You down them fast because they're so good and so compelling. And just like its predecessors, The Coming of the Spirits is a page-turner, full of charm, adventure, and countless surprises.

When I say surprises, I mean all the surprises. There are so many twists and turns in this story, I never guessed what was coming next. Well, OK, I did guess one thing right, and that was regarding my favorite character in the series, Edward Fitzberranger. Happily, Edward has a significant role to play in this story, and I very much enjoyed that.

But on the whole, it was full of as many surprises and plot twists as you can hope for in a series conclusion. I was on board for almost all of them, though I found the ending a little jarring. That may have just been me. I also found it heartbreaking, which is a measure of just how attached I've become to Rob Keeley's wonderful characters.

But let's back up. The beginning of this book is pretty epic. A mysterious figure gathers all of Ellie's ghostly friends (and one corporeal one) from the previous books to assist in a crucial mission. We don't know what that mission is, and neither does Ellie. She just wants to live a normal life and maybe go on some dates with her friend Luke, but alas, book heroines never get to lead a normal life, and boy am I glad of that.

As usual, I found the characters, both old and new, fun and charming. Not to sound like a broken record, but I was absolutely gleeful when Edward made his dramatic appearance. Even if I was expecting it, it was nonetheless awesome. And now I'll try not to talk about Edward for the rest of this review.

This is definitely the most dystopian of the Spirits novels. We're in a new world ruled by Nazis where no one is safe, and to make matters worse, evil ghosts get loose about halfway through, and then everyone's pretty much just a dead man walking... unless Ellie can fix things. 

There are also some complicated moral dilemmas in this book, for example, is it OK to steal money from your friends if you're going to use it to save the world? So things get pretty intense. In fact, this is definitely the most intense of the Spirit novels as well. Things may have been a little spooky before, but now Ellie's really in trouble and there's probably no going back.

I never imagined where this series would lead when I first found myself riveted and charmed by the delightful Childish Spirits. Looking back, I think that first book is still my favorite, simply because it was perfect. But I've enjoyed the whole journey with Ellie and her friends, and I'm glad I got to ride this ghost train to the end.

Rating:

Until tomorrow.

When you read a book in one sitting: Rob Keeley's MG thriller 'High Spirits'

Title: High Spirits

Series: The Spirits series

Author: Rob Keeley

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 129

Published: 2017

Buy High Spirits

Buy Childish Spirits (#1 in the Spirits series)

What Goodreads has to say:

“Millions of people will die in the war, Ellie. And it’s our job to make sure it happens. That’s why our work isn’t easy.”

It’s been two years since Ellie last spoke to Edward. She thinks she’s left the spirit world behind. But the spirits won’t take no for an answer... When Ellie’s Mum returns to Inchwood Manor, Ellie finds herself going too... and is transported back to the 1930s, discovering a plot to impersonate the King of England.

With the Second World War coming, and the first evil spirits starting to escape into the mortal world, Ellie is fighting alongside some unexpected allies...

Rob Keeley is back with High Spirits, the fourth instalment in his multi-award-listed Spirits series. The series allows young people to learn more about other times, as well as the time in which they live.

What I have to say:

Have you ever started reading a book, and it's so fun and riveting that you just keep reading, and before you know it you've read the whole book and you haven't left your chair for like 3 hours?

Well, now I can add High Spirits to the list of books I've read in less than 24 hours. It's actually a pretty short list that includes Ella Enchanted, The Titan's Curse, and Gloria Whelan's Burying the Sun. 

Now, admittedly, High Spirits is not a long book, so it's not like it took me more than a few hours to read. But I've read books of the same length that took me forever to get through, so this is still an accomplishment.

As usual, Rob Keeley's absolutely perfect storytelling, quick dashes of humor, and ghostly surprises made this a joy to read.

In High Spirits, Ellie has to repair the damage she did trying to save her friends in the last book. She's gotten involved in the world of spirits, and now she has to see things through to the end. This time, that means saving England from falling into the wrong hands. As in all the Spirits novels, there's a lot at stake here, but possibly more than ever before. If Ellie fails, England will fall to a pair of shapeshifting spirits and German Nazis will take over the world.

OK yes, Nazis taking over is not exactly the most original plot line in the history of the world, but this is definitely a new spin on it and after all, when you need some token bad guys, who's better than Nazis? 

Luckily, this story is told in such a fun way and the action is so non-stop that I never felt like the plot line was stale or overdone. It introduces us to some new characters--well, new after a fashion. (Is it a new character if it's just a younger version of a character we've already met in the present?) My favorite was Clara Harvey, an outspoken young girl from the 1930s. I also liked her brother Tom. There's not much of my favorite ghost child Edward Fitzberranger in this one, but since I'm sure that will be rectified in the next novel, I won't lodge a complaint at this time.

And, typical of Rob Keeley's Spirits novels, High Spirits leaves off with a major cliffhanger, though this may be the biggest one to date. History has been rewritten, and once again, it looks like Ellie is the only one who can set things right. I'm excited to continue this delightful story in the final novel, The Coming of the Spirits.

Rating:

Not sure how I could not give it 5 stars after admitting that I read it in one sitting.

Until tomorrow.

A spunky heroine, a cursed sword, and a lost knight: Rob Keeley's The Sword of the Spirit

Title: The Sword of the Spirit

Series: The Spirits series

Author: Rob Keeley

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 128

Published: 2016

Buy The Sword of the Spirit

Buy Childish Spirits (#1 in the Spirits series)

What Goodreads has to say:

Following the success of his award-longlisted Childish Spirits and its sequel The Spirit of London, prolific children’s author Rob Keeley is back with The Sword of the Spirit, the third instalment in his thrilling and suspenseful Spirits series.

“There are truths which must be revealed before the battle may commence. You do not yet know the meaning of the sword.”

Ellie’s investigations into the spirit world have reached a medieval castle, where archaeologists are digging for the fabled Sword of St Merrell. But she didn’t expect to meet a real medieval knight. Nor was she expecting him to be an ancestor of Edward Fitzberranger. Ellie discovers that behind a legend of chivalry and bravery lies a dark and nasty truth. And worse is to come. Ellie’s meddling has consequences she could never have foreseen. This time, she may have gone too far...

What I have to say:

The third novel in Rob Keeley's Spirits series is just as mesmerizing, just as suspenseful, and just as much fun as the first two. At this point, did I expect anything less? Of course not.

Ellie has a new ghostly mystery on her hands: a cursed sword, a knight who's traveled forward in time, and an enigmatic woman telling her not to meddle in what she doesn't understand. Not that Ellie has ever listened to warnings like that in the past. Now, it's up to her to solve the mystery and return the knight to his own time period before the curse destroys everything.

As usual, the narrative voice is charming. It makes me feel like I've snuggled up on the couch with a warm blanket and a cup of tea. The good characters feel like friends, while the villains are spooky and/or intriguing. Edward makes a brief appearance, and of course Ellie's mom and brother are still here, as is Marcus. But we're also introduced to new characters, like Sir Francis the knight, who are delightful and fun, if not quite as endearing as the mischievous Edward (I love him and will accept no substitute.)

The mystery is riveting, and the action perfectly paced. Just as in the first two novels, I was eager to find out how all the threads connected, who was really guilty and who was really innocent, and how Ellie would solve this latest puzzle. Speaking of which, Ellie is just so fantastic. 

She's a preteen English girl whose pastimes include painting, writing poetry, and befriending spirits in need. She's adventurous, always up for anything, and indisputably good. She cares about people and her role as a protector and helper of spirits is so cool!

Without spoiling the ending, I loved how fearless and decisive she was at the climax. (It involves wielding a cursed sword before a demon.)

So yeah. Ellie is awesome. This series is awesome. Rob Keeley is awesome. If you want a supernatural story with a mildly creepy vibe and a spunky, heroic in her own way main character, get yourself over to Amazon and buy all the Spirits books. 

The Sword of the Spirit could stand alone, as it contains its own story without relying too much on the previous books, but I don't know why you'd want to rob yourself of the marvelous and adorable first novel Childish Spirits.

I'm sure Ellie will get into plenty more trouble in the next two books, and I am here for it.

Rating:

Until tomorrow.

Spellbinding short stories in 'Voyagers: The Third Ghost'

Title: Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Authors: 

Louise MacBeath Barbour 

Roland Clarke 

Bish Denham 

Rebecca M. Douglass

Sherry Ellis 

Katharina Gerlach 

Charles Kowalski 

Beth Anderson Schuck

Yvonne Ventresca

L.T. Ward

Genre: Short stories (historical fiction, fantasy, mystery)

Pages: 168 

Buy Voyagers: The Third Ghost

What Goodreads has to say:

Journey into the past…

Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!

What I have to say:

What do slave ships, ghosts, time travel, Pompeii, WWII, aeroplanes, and the Iron Curtain have in common? 

They all appear in this absolutely fantastic collection of short stories by the Insecure Writer's Support Group. 

"Voyagers" is an appropriate title for this collection, since most of the stories involve a journey of some kind. A journey across the sea. A journey across the border. A journey back in time. A journey to the afterlife.

But they're not just physical journeys. These are journeys away from innocence, away from safety, toward understanding, toward acceptance, toward redemption.

The genres vary, but for the most part these are works of historical fiction. Thus, there's a story about a young boy traveling aboard a slave ship to meet his father, a story about a Ukrainian girl whose sister flies with the Night Witches (an all-female bomber regiment in WWII), and a story about a family who tries to cross the Iron Curtain to spend the holidays with family. 

But many of these stories have a little something else thrown in. Thus, there's a story about two travelers who encounter a Yamamba (a mythical Japanese creature) in the mountains, a story about a young orchardist who talks to trees, and a story about a boy in the 1980s who keeps seeing ghosts.

By turns intriguing, gripping, funny, and poignant--these are masterfully told stories by a first-rate group of writers. Their imaginative powers put me through the whole spectrum of emotions: 

• Shivers ("The Third Ghost", "Simon Grey and The Yamamba")
• Amusement ("The Ghosts of Pompeii," "Dare, Double Dare")
• Horror ("The Blind Ship")
• Awe ("Return to Cahokia")
• Joy ("The Orchard")
• Suspense ("A World of Trouble")
• Tears ("Feathered Fire," "Winter Days")

A shout-out to those last two, which I found unexpectedly moving--especially "Feathered Fire." The story of a Ukrainian girl reunited with her sister, interwoven with the Russian legend of The Firebird, was absolutely beautiful and a masterclass in storytelling.

And I can't resist a final shout-out to "Return to Cahokia." This story of the Native American weather gods returning to their summer home was unique and powerful in its imagery. I enjoyed reveling in the vivid, richly woven world the author has created.

In short, this is a great collection of short pieces that are fun to read but lend themselves to pondering. A hearty round of applause to all the authors who contributed to this spellbinding tapestry of stories.

Rating:

Until tomorrow.

Review: The Spirit of London by Rob Keeley

Title: The Spirit of London

Author: Rob Keeley

Series: The Spirits series

Genre: MG Fantasy / Ghosts

Pages: 152

Buy The Spirit of London

Buy Childish Spirits (#1)

What Goodreads has to say:

On returning to London, Ellie investigates the mystery surrounding 47 Foster Square. Who is the sender of ghostly messages asking her for help? What is the secret of the Meadowes family? And what does Edward know about all this?

With her parents about to divorce, and her Mum acting very strangely, Ellie quickly discovers that a sinister force lies between her and the truth...

The Spirit of London is the second instalment in the thrilling and suspenseful ‘Spirits’ series and follows the success of The People’s Book Prize-nominated Childish Spirits. It focuses on slavery and a mixed-race family in Georgian times. Ellie finds herself facing a very dangerous foe and will need all her courage and humanity to get her through. The Spirit of London also sets up a story arc that will continue into future books in the series. The book will appeal to girls and boys of upper primary and lower secondary age – and to parents and teachers reading the book aloud!

What I have to say:

If you've read a previous review in which I praised Rob Keeley's novel Childish Spirits to the skies, it should come as no surprise that I also loved the sequel, The Spirit of London. Much like the first novel in the Spirits series, the sequel is mysterious, engaging, slightly creepy, and all-around adorable.

There's a new house, new ghosts, a new mystery to solve. And Ellie is on the case...even if she'd rather not be.

I actually read this novel in one sitting because I was so engrossed. (Also I was on a 6+ hour flight so what else are you going to do, but honestly I might have read it in one sitting regardless.) Just as in the first novel, the characters are strong, the mystery intriguing, and the stakes high.

Edward is just as annoying as ever, but somehow I now want to adopt him more than ever. The scene where he and Ellie go out on the town was hilarious and quite possibly my favorite part of the novel. He's so exasperating but in such an adorable way. Don't ask me how.

I also loved the new mystery. It's cool that in these books geared toward children/preteens, the author manages to bring up historical and societal issues like the poor treatment of governesses and the stigma against interracial marriages. Was that a spoiler? I hope not.

But not all the issues are in the past. In the present day, Ellie's struggles with the breaking up of her family make for a nice echo (or maybe it's the other way around?) of the family issues faced by the historical characters. Maybe it suggests that the problems of the past don't go away, they just change shape a little. And maybe by looking to the past, Ellie can resolve her own problems in the present.

As for the future, it's anybody's guess, but that ending is one heck of a good way to make me want read the next book. What new adventures will Ellie face next? I can only imagine.

Rating:

Until tomorrow.

A perfect Halloween read (or listen): Rob Keeley's Childish Spirits Audiobook

Title: Childish Spirits

Author: Rob Keeley

Genre: MG Fantasy / Ghosts

Listening Length: 3 hrs and 26 min

Read by: Sally Millest

Buy the Childish Spirits Audiobook

(Or you can listen for free with a 30-day Audible Trial)

Blurb:

When Ellie and her family move into Inchwood Manor, Ellie quickly discovers strange things are happening. Who is the mysterious boy at the window? What secrets lie within the abandoned nursery? Who is the woman who haunts Ellie’s dreams - and why has she returned to the Manor, after more than a century? Ellie finds herself entangled in a Victorian mystery of ghosts and tunnels and secret documents - and discovers that life all those years ago isn’t so different from the world she knows today.... Rob Keeley’s first novel for children brings out all the ingredients of the classic ghost story within a recognizable modern world setting.

Listeners of his short story collections for children will find in Childish Spirits the elements which made his past books such a success - strong and contemporary characters, inventive twists on traditional themes, and a winning combination of action, suspense, and humor.

Erin's take:

Childish Spirits is an adorable book. As in, I adored it from start to finish. It's also adorable in the sense that its characters and story are charming and sweet. 

But it's not just a "cute" story. There's a strong creep factor (it's a book about ghosts, so I'd hope so), and talk of some deep issues like divorce, class prejudice, and suicide. Also, it's incredibly well-written. 

As read by Sally Millest, it's doubly enjoyable. Of course, a big part of my personal enjoyment probably stemmed from the fact that she has a great English accent and as an American, I'm a succor for that. But she also reads with beautiful flow and expression. Animated by Millest's lively yet sensitive voice, the characters are vibrant and vivid, each with a unique, strong personality.

Let's talk about the characters, shall we? Edward, the ghost of a rich (read: spoiled) 10-year-old, is absolutely adorable. He's also a pain in the rear, but somehow, that makes him not less endearing but more. He's certainly infuriating at times and Ellie deserves a ton of credit for putting up with him. But despite that, I for one grew very attached to him. 

I also love Ellie, the main character. An ambitious if young painter and poet who's about the same age as Edward (and also alive, by the way), she makes for a wonderful heroine. I also found her brother Charlie hilarious. He calls his younger sister "small person," and "miniature one."

I've read plenty of MG novels that bored me. Likewise, I usually have a hard time listening to audiobooks because I'll zone out and miss something important. To prevent this from happening, the book has to be both very well-written and paced, and the reader has to be very dynamic. Otherwise, I probably won't make it to the end.

I'm happy to report that I didn't zone out once during Childish Spirits. Not only is it well read--it's perfectly paced. The story is a flawless blend of suspense, mystery, creepiness, charm, and character development. 

The first few chapters were deliciously creepy in exactly the kind of way I like (I don't really do scary movies but I dig ghostly stuff and am obsessed with E.A. Poe). Then I was curious to know who Edward was and what he died of. Soon a strange new ghost appeared in the house and it was totally creepy and suspenseful again.  

Mystery followed upon mystery: just as Ellie solved one, it would lead to another. Then there was very real danger and needless to say, by this time I was hooked.

While a few of the twists were things I saw coming, this is a MG book, so I feel like that's how it should be. And there were definitely other twists that threw me for a loop. 

In short, Childish Spirits is the kind of MG ghost book I wish every MG ghost book was like. It reminded me of The Graveyard Book and The Children of Green Knowe, except it's probably more exciting than those books (especially Green Knowe, which, though I say it affectionately, has an excitement factor of about 1).

It's also a wonderful October read. Not too scary, but mildly creepy and totally--to use my favorite word because I always will if at all possible--phantasmagoric.

Parts of it made me shiver, parts made me catch my breath, and the end left me smiling. I'll say it again: adorable.

Rating:

Until tomorrow.