Helen Stringer

Everyone at school feels sorry for weird Belladonna Johnson. Her parents were killed in a tragic car accident last year and she lives with her grandmother. At least, that's what they think. Actually, Belladonna's inherited power to see ghosts kicked in right after the funeral - and she lives with her parents, same as always....except for the drifting through walls thing. Belladonna is terrified that someday she'll start talking to someone, realize they're a ghost and no one else can see show more them, and be forever branded as the ultimate school weirdo.

But suddenly that's no longer a problem: all the ghosts are disappearing. With the help of Steve, an incipient juvenile delinquent, Elsie, an old school ghost, and her own mysterious and unexpected powers, Belladonna must try to save the ghosts - and the worlds of the Living and the Dead.

This was a fast-paced, enjoyable adventure fantasy with plenty of humor. It has lots of little British "bits" slang and little cultural things for anglophiles to enjoy. While in some ways it's fairly predictable; female outcast becomes powerful sorceress heroine, amiable but apparently useless boy becomes warrior hero, etc. etc., the writing is seamless and Stringer easily blends two separate and familiar plots, the classic fantasy quest journey and the newer paranormal abilities theme, into a fun adventure. The ending felt a little hurried, with the sudden introduction of various powerful goddess-type characters like the Nomials, but it fit in with Belladonna's relatives never telling her anything. There were a lot of loose ends, like Aunt Dierdre's involvement with the Hunt, Steve's mother - what's going on there? but presumably they'll be addressed in the next book.

Verdict: Recommended for fans of Harry Potter and the many new ghost books coming out.

Some favorite funny bits, mostly about Steve.

"Steve took it all in stride with a 'this-too-shall-pass" attitude that made it all but impossible for anyone to motivate him to do anything at all."

"'Considering how often you're in trouble, I would've expected you to put up a better show,' said Belladonna, walking away. 'There's not usually any point,' explained Steve. 'I reckon it's better to just fess up, take whatever they're dishing out, and get on with things. Explanations usually just extend the agony.' 'Oh, well,' said Belladonna sarcastically, 'at least you've thought about it.'"

"Just....you know, minor infractions."
There was silence for a moment, then the braziers flared up, the orange flame turning red.
"Such as the explosives on Mr. Morris's shoes?" boomed the voice.
"Or the spiders in Philip Jones's desk? Or the treacle in Sophie Warren's shoes? Or the mass release of the lab mice?"
Steve began to smile in happy recollection as his greatest hits were recited.

ISBN: 0312387636; Published September 2009 by Feiwel and Friends; ARC provided by publisher at ALA; Purchased for the library; Added to my personal wishlist show less

One of the best things about book blogging is that I get the occasional middle-grade chapter book to review. I don't always like them, but some of them are favorites that I'll never forget.

Spellbinder, the first in Helen Stringer's series, was delightful. Goth and quirky and funny without being condescending about any of those things and about kids who seem real, who have real problems, who make mistakes, who aren't templates of childhood perfection. Wonderful book - I gave it away show more immediately to a friend with a daughter.

Since I loved the first book, I was really excited to get a copy of the second, The Midnight Gate. I was trepidatious because second books aren't always where they should be. They're just hard to write well no matter who you are. Still, I plunged in and the water was fine.

The Midnight Gate is another wonderful, age-appropriate, non-saccharine kids book with ghosts and mysterious others, childhood revenge and places that aren't what they seem and a world where the environment can be turned against you. Throughout it all the friendships that remain at the center of the book are clear and strong and liberating. While no single child could overcome the obstacles set in Belladonna and Steve's path these kids prove that by working together, no obstacle can stand before them. And, by the way, adults aren't infallible (just in case you were wondering).


This is a delightful series for kids of all ages, but especially those struggling through those middle school years. Belladonna is a great heroine who suffers from being different, but perseveres while her friend Steve becomes more and more open minded about difference as the friendship grows. Scary, exciting, and funny, this book delivers. show less

When I first read the description of this, I thought 'So...Lydia got her wish?' (Lydia, from Beetlejuice, I sincerely hope you knew that), which was ridiculous of course. Spellbinder is an adventure as well as a magical story with a character who I thought was charming, but it didn't creep me out thankfully. Actually this is more like The Ghost Whisperer (which I love to death-haha).

Belladonna knows something is off lately, the stars are blinking out, there's less ghosts around and the show more ghosts who are around are making vague references to things she doesn't understand. You see, even though Belladonna has a support network (even before her parents die) that understands and has gone through it all before, they choose not to tell her. For various reasons. And even when she begins to show them that she knows more than they are letting on, they try to keep her in the dark.

And so she does what any normal twelve year old with a heroic urge would do--she seeks out answers. Along for the fun is the class delinquent, Steve, who is really less of a delinquent and more of a disaffected youngster with too much time and energy and too little attention. Elsie, a ghost that is haunting their school (Dullworth Academy), also pops up from time to time in an effort to be both helpful and hindering.

From what I've gathered from other reviewers, this reminds them of what Harry Potter was like in the first few books. I haven't (and will never) read the Harry Potter books, so I can't attest to that one way or the other, but it does have a charm to it that would appeal to most people. Belladonna is a likable character who makes some interesting remarks throughout the book (the 'adventure' angle was considerably dulled for her when it turned out the puzzle was more like an English Test then anything exciting) and she doesn't seem too mature for her age. She's more solemn then her classmates, but then her parents just died in a tragic accident a year ago, disappeared from her life as ghosts a few days ago and she can see just how wrong things are in the world.

Steve supplies much of the comic relief--especially in regards to his various skills in breaking and entering, sneaking around and his complete lack of ability to lie properly--but he also has some of the more creative ideas. Such as where to find the Red Door everyone is looking for. His interactions with Belladonna are part chummy/part why did I ever get involved.

As a mystery this works, sometimes better then others. The cryptic remarks of the Sibyl (oracle) are rather...cryptic and take a little working to fit exactly, but then oracles aren't known for being crystal clear.

In the end, I hope for another adventure from Belladonna. Stringer captures just the right amount of youthful excitement and adult practicality in Belladonna and the ending certainly suggests a new adventure is in the offing.

**I received this as an ARC from the publisher, Feiwel and Friends, through Shelf Awareness** show less

Belladonna Johson didn't think that the family gift for seeing ghosts was much of a gift until after her parents died in a car accident. Then it gave her the ability to continue to see and speak to them, living her life just like she had before the accident. But all of a sudden, Belladonna's world, heretofore peopled with ghosts and the living starts to thin out. The ghosts are all disappearing, including her parents, and only the living are left. Her grandmother and aunt are keeping show more something from her, something she knows is incredibly scary and terribly important. So Belladonna and her mischievous, always in trouble science partner Steve set out to figure out what is going on and how to not only make it stop but to reverse it. Moving between our world and the land of the dead, aided by the ghost of a girl haunting the school, Belladonna and Steve encounter good ghosts, bad ghosts, and supernatural creatures intent on destroying the world. They also discover a hidden, magical world that exists alongside our own.

There is a quest, heroism and all the makings of a modern middle grade myth here. Belladonna is a delightful heroine. Steve is annoying and funny. It is only his delinquency paired with Belladonna's dutiful studiousness that allows them access to the Land of the Dead to try to save the world. The adult characters are thinner than Belladonna and Steve in characterization and their knowledge and motivations are left frustratingly vague. The target age range won't find this terribly scary but they will be taken in by the charm and entertainment herein. While there were a few slow patches and some stereotypical bits including obstructionist adults unwilling to share knowledge with Belladonna, over all this was a fun read and one that would do well as the first in a series. show less