Sixteen-year-old Malencia (Cia) Vale is chosen to participate in The Testing to attend the University; however, Cia is fearful when she figures out her friends who do not pass The Testing are disappearing.

Young ghosts Groana, Moana, and Shrieky must haunt three houses to pass their Halloween test, but residents of the third house do not scare easily.

Alyssa, a wood-cutter's daughter, gets lost during a storm and asks for shelter at the King's winter palace, where she takes a job as companion to the 11-year-old twin princesses. As she works at learning her new job, she begins to fall in love with the prince. But when she discovers a plot to overthrow the kingdom, she must use all her learning to save her new-found family.