Thanks to BookSirens for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

tl;dr
A plot-forward adventure that will appeal to middle grade and teen readers looking for lots of action and magic.

About
Jimmy's life is about to change - he's got a job promotion, and he's finally been accepted to the prestigious Navale Academy of Eagleon. But the changes don't stop there. He's also been possessed by the ghost of Tessa, a warrior of old. Great timing, considering an ancient enemy is on the rise, and Jimmy and Tessa might be the only ones who can stop it. Yes, Jimmy's life is definitely about to change.

Thoughts
About halfway through this book, I noted down "I'm willing to bet the author based these characters on people he knows." A quick look at the author's bio confirms that I'd be richer if someone had been willing to take me up on that bet. There's a sort of familiarity that the author has with the characters, and that the characters have with each other that feels very lived in. Jimmy and Tessa's banter, in particular, feels like they're very comfortable with each other. There's very little time for most of the cast to show off these connections, though, as this book is extremely plot-driven. Action sequences and plot twists feed directly into each other, giving Jimmy (and the readers) very little time to catch his breath before leaping into the next danger. Pacing is reminiscent of a video game, with new information and dangers being revealed at every turn, and a lot of world building. The ending ties up enough threads while leaving the much bigger plot ready for upcoming books in the series. Only time will tell if Jimmy and Tessa will make it out - but I'm cheering for them.