House of Dark Shadows (Dreamhouse Kings Series, Book 1)

I read the reviews and was sure I would love this book; it sounded like a real page turner and for the most part, it was. However when I approached the end of the book I was very disappointed; I felt cheated out of what could have been the beginning of a great series. I can't say specifically what bothered me most about the book without spoilers, but if you choose to read it, put yourself in the father's shoes and ask yourself if you would ever, in a million years, do what he did. I will definitely not be reading the rest of the series.

The King family's new house is seriously messed up. The linen closet is a portal to a school locker. The house can control sounds, making them seem closer or farther away at will. And the creepy noises in the middle of the night aren't always caused by the wind.

From the very first chapter, Robert Liparulo proves he's extremely capable of freaking you out. He brings a whole new level to your average "haunted house" story you can't even begin to imagine. Add relatable and realistic characters and this is easily one of the best young adult thrillers out there.

And then there's the ending. Let's just say you'll really, really want to read the sequels.

I enjoyed reading the Dreamhouse Kings series but was struck by the markedly sexist slant to the books. The brothers consistently degrade each other by comparing each other to girls, as if to be like a girl is the worst thing in the world. Even though the brothers are in middle and high school, the Dad makes their young, elementary age sister prepare the families meals after the Mom goes missing. The sister also is consistently shown to be afraid and timid, while the brothers are shown to be afraid but courageous. The search for their Mom defines the series, but I kept wondering as I was reading it, if the big reason the brothers were missing their Mom so much is that they were getting sick of their sister's cooking and they needed someone to come home and clean the house! These books would be a much better series if there was not so much sexism in the writing.

It didn't take me long to get sucked into the story! This book is almost non-stop action after if gets going. The story does slow down in parts, but not for long, and although the slower parts are not action filled, you can obviously tell that the story is about to speed up again. Even in the slower parts of the book, you are being fed information that is vital to the rest of the story. This whole book was just so exciting! It was hard to stop reading!

This book was also pretty creepy! I started reading it when I was visiting my parents for the holidays. I stayed in my old bedroom and I slept with the door cracked to allow my kitty to come and go throughout the night. Since I was reading on my phone, I didn't need the lamp to be on, and since everyone else was already in bed, it was pitch dark in the whole house. I was reading a particularly creepy part in the book when I heard a creaking noise.....It literally freaked me out to the point I had to turn my bedside lamp on just to make sure nothing had crept inside my room to get me! Ha! I knew it was just my cat squeezing through the crack in the door, but it was still a little unnerving! There are a lot of parts in this book that are frightening if you think about it happening to you as you read. I know this is a YA book, but even as an adult I was thoroughly spooked!....and I loved every minute of it! =)

Another thing I liked about this book is that it was sprinkled with facts. The father in the story is a school teacher and you can tell that the boys in the story are well educated. There are little tidbits of information that are intertwined with the story, some I knew already, some I didn't, but either way, it was interesting to see an author place true historical facts and other real facts into a work of fiction.

The book ended on a cliffhanger of course as it is the first in a series. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Watcher in the Woods, so I can find out what happens!!

If you need a little adventure, I highly recommend this book! House of Dark Shadows was my first book by Liparulo, but I am definitely going to be checking out his other books!

When I signed up with Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger program, I did not know what kind of book I would have the chance to review. I blindly plunged in and chose the book "House of Dark Shadows". To be honest, the book exceeded my expectations. This book delves into the story of the King family, and their move from southern California to an isolated town called Pinedale. Fortunately for the reader, the house they move to is not as dreary as the sleepy town where they settled. Adventure is around every corner, and it seems as if there are surprises on every page.
This book has all you want in young adult fiction. While not overtly Christian in its plot and message, Christian parents will have little to worry about in the content of this book. The book is a solid page-turner with a great plot twist or six. While it starts out as a character-driven book, this book turns into an adventure that continues at a torrid pace throughout the final chapters. Buy this book, but only if you have time to burn. You will have a hard time putting it down.

The Dreamhouse Kings is a WONDERFUL series! Once you pick the books up you won't want to put them down.

I listened to the recorded version of the Dreamhouse Kings series. This first book was honestly creepy & scary in an intriguing way. I looked forward to each new volume.

So I recently read Hunger Games, and like everyone else LOVED IT! I was on a road trip when I finished the series and my daughter had the first two books in the Dreamhouse Kings Series, so I picked it up and started reading... figuring that I would be disappointed with almost ANY book that I read after Hunger Games. SO NOT the case! I lucked out by starting the DHK series. It was amazing!I would LOVE to see this series turned into a movie!!! If Josh Hutcherson was a little younger, he would be a perfect Xander!
Once thing after another... there were no dull points. As soon as you think it's gonna settle down, it can't keep going like this... NOPE! Another room, another world, another surprise! It's better than spooky - it's intriguing, absorbing... an on the edge of my chair page turner.

Of the few young adult novels I've had the chance to read, House of Dark Shadows is probably the most grounded. Which says a lot considering the characters live in a time-traveling abode with hidden passageways to their school and a mysterious woods with some kind of gravity/oxygen/space-time? deficiency.
The characters and the realism of their reactions to these strange and sometimes threatening events are what give this book its credibility. Instead of being kind of hammy or over exaggerating feelings and emotions, Robert Liparulo has penned real life into this family.
By the end of this book you can see a glimmer of where the series is heading, but the possibilities seem without end. Beware the Dreamhouse....

I came into this book not knowing what to think. But after starting this book the pages flew. Although in some places I found it dragging just a little. But the suspenseful end will make up for it! This is definatly a book I will buy the sequels for, but not one I will re-read.