Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Calla Delaney was sure that when her boyfriend, Kevin, who also happens to be her best friend's brother, dumped her three months ago, it was the worst thing that could ever happen to her. She had never been so wrong. Standing at the edge of her mother's grave proves that. Her mother, who was way too young to die, especially in some crazy freak accident, before Calla even had time to talk to her about everything that you're supposed to get to talk to your mom about.

Before she has much time to process everything, Calla's dad sends her off to spend the summer with her weird grandmother, who she barely knows. It was that or live in an already overcrowded house with her aunt, uncle, and cousins. Or live with Lisa's family and risk running into Kevin on a regular basis. No thank you. Crazy Grandma it is.

Grandma Odelia lives in a very small town in western New York, in the middle of nowhere. Literally. Lily Dale gets no cell phone reception, and Odelia doesn't own a computer. Calla has no idea how she's supposed to get through all of this. Especially once she finds out what really goes on in Lily Dale, and why her Grandma always seemed so weird. When it starts to seem like Calla herself may have a place in this town, as well as in a family mystery, well... There's only one thing she's sure of -- nothing will ever be the same again.

If you like anything about the supernatural, ghosts, psychics, whatever, you will love this book! It's very well-written, and very absorbing! Calla is a perfect disbeliever, even with "reality" staring her in the face, and Odelia is just plain fun! This story has mystery, danger, romance, and so much more. You won't be sorry you read this one. It may even prompt a cool vacation, since Lily Dale is apparently a real place! I just hope I'm not wrong in assuming that there are many more books about Calla and Lily Dale on their way. ( )

Calla just lost her mother to a tragic accident and while her father is on sabbatical at a university in California, Calla visits the grandmother she never really knew. When she arrives, she discovers that her grandmother is a medium and lives in the spiritualist society in Lily Dale, New York. Suddenly, Calla's world is turned upside down as she slowly discovers her gift as a medium and begins to wonder what really happened to her mother. The writing and character development is strong and provides some realistic insights to losing a parent. However, be prepared that just as the story begins, you are forced to wait for the second book in the series. This novel is best for grades 8-10. ( )

Calla's world falls apart after the death of her mother, just when she thought her boyfriend breaking up with her with a text was the worst thing that could happen. Calla decides to stay with her Grandmother over summer vacation. Calla had never visited her mom's childhood home and is shocked to find out that her grandmother makes her living doing psychic reading and in fact her whole town is full of psychics. Calla starts to realize that she might have the gift as well and gets involved in the case of a disappearing girl and wonders if there is more to her mother's death than meets the eye. Plus there are two handsome boys in this new town that she has to try to figure out. A quick read and an interesting mystery. It does leave the reader hanging a little bit for the next book in the series. ( )

Very exillerating book, very fast paced to capture the readers interest. Calla just lost her mother, in what happers to be a tragic accident. When Calla moves in with her Grandmother, she finds herself in a whole new world. Captured in grief and despare of the sudden loss of her mother, Calla starts expirencing things that make her question sanity. Could she hold a gift that she has never known, and will she be able to use to use the gift to answer questions about her own past. ( )

it was okay. too much of the book felt like "i am setting up this really good story" and not enough of it was "this is the really good story." i'll still get the sequel to it to see if it improves. second one of my red dress ink authors to cross over to ya fantasy. decent first attempt. the writing took a bit to get used to. she used a weird tense. ( )