Review of Paranormal High

Kristin Cowan · Post by **Kristin Cowan** » 21 Jun 2025, 16:16

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Paranormal High" by Rob Tomaro.]

4 out of 5 stars

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In Paranormal High, Jimmy has a hard time being the new kid in town, but things become even harder for him when he notices weird events occurring. He initially blames his internal world in his mind, where he retreats when stressed and creates complex plotlines and characters; he believes his mind is playing tricks on him.

In his English class, he finds himself drawn to Becky even though she is the head of the cheerleading squad and he is a quiet loner. Soon he realizes Becky is experiencing weird things too. After Becky’s best friend Barb goes missing, Becky and Jimmy find they need to work together to find out what is going on to save themselves and their town.

I enjoyed the characters and the development of Becky and Jimmy's relationship from class rivals to enemies to friends and more. The book did a good job portraying how some things work out and how people from all backgrounds can be drawn to each other. There was a lot of talk of fate and special connections.

I only had minor issues with the plot. The paranormal elements were more science fiction than paranormal. The “bad guys” in this story targeting high schoolers was a little far-fetched, especially when it came to the plotline involving Barb.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. There were some minor editing issues, but overall, the book was professionally edited. The author wrote the characters well and built the plot slowly, keeping my attention. There was one confusing element about the group targeting Jimmy and Becky, and I am still not sure why and how they create their brain-targeting equipment. The book seems to focus more on Jimmy and Becky than on the background of events leading to this current situation.

I would recommend this book to young adults who are interested in a coming-of-age thriller with a little bit of paranormal thrown in. There was minor foul language, but I would recommend this book to ages 13 and up.

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Paranormal High
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Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 24 Jun 2025, 12:34

My curiosity is piqued to know what was causing both Becky and Jimmy to experience what they were going through and the mystery that finally forced them to work together. Thank you for the amazing, well-balanced review, @Kristin Cowan.

Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine · Post by **Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine** » 26 Jun 2025, 03:21

Jimmy's personality is intriguing. Hopefully the book will get another round of editing to correct the errors and clarify the confusions related to the paranormal activities.

Onyemuwa-dave · Post by **Onyemuwa-dave** » 26 Jun 2025, 03:50

This looks like it would be fun, considering the paranormal theme, and the mystery theme it is based on.
I really didn't like the fact that the paranormal phenomena was more science fiction than supernatural. I may give the book a try. Beautiful review nevertheless.

Sunitha A R · Post by **Sunitha A R** » 04 Jul 2025, 12:04

I think I'm going to enjoy the paranormal part of the review. I liked your review, especially your comments on the writing style. I had a different opinion about the ending, though. Still, your review gave me something new to consider.