Spindlewood by Freddie Kölsch ~ a Review

by MK French

Lilac Black pretended to talk to a ghost at a séance to help her uncle, and is now involved in the world of seers and spirits at Spindlewood School of Seeing. She's the only Unseeing student at the school, and must bluff her way through classes and make friends. But something is very wrong at the school, and all of the ghosts are sending messages warning students of danger. Something that adults won't talk about is in the library basement, so it's up to Lilac and her friend to save the school.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

July 2026; Balzer + Bray; 978-1250397034
audio, ebook, print (304 pages); middle grades

Spindlewood is a middle-grade book, since Lilac is twelve. She's descended from Seers, who have to keep that world secret from those unable to see spirits. Lilac has always been a skeptic and is extremely logical and methodical in how she seeks information. She uses that ability to save her uncle when he's distracted during a séance with important people, and to get past the screening test. The first girl she meets is a True Seer, who doesn't need ritual to speak with spirits, and her roommate uses dreams to talk to ghosts. The two don't get along, and Lilac feels caught between them. On top of that concern, the ghosts on the school’s island behave oddly, and a mysterious journal that Lilac found seems to hold clues to what's happening on campus.

Why you should read it

The story has some fun details regarding the spirits and how people can interact with them. On top of that are regular classes that students must take to graduate. Readers will understand the frustration she feels when caught between friends, having to lie about her abilities, and getting work done. 

Her leaps of logic and investigation are reasonable, given her logical and somewhat eccentric style. She figures out why odd things are happening, but not what the motive is. 

While the book description doesn’t specify that this is the start of a series, I hope it is. Lilac's mother was a late bloomer, so hopefully Lilac gets a chance to see spirits on her own in future books. 

Buy Spindlewood at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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