House of Secrets

Book Title: House of Secrets
Author: Chris Columbus and Ned Wizzini
Number of Pages: 496
Genres: Fantasy, Comedy, Action-Adventure
Books like it: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snickets, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

My favorite quote: "Sometimes you can't get your life back. Sometimes you have to take it back."

Brief Synopsis from Goodreads:
The Walker kids had it all: loving parents, a big house in San Francisco, all the latest video games . . . but everything changed when their father lost his job as a result of an inexplicable transgression. Now the family is moving into Kristoff House, a mysterious place built nearly a century earlier by Denver Kristoff, a troubled writer with a penchant for the occult.

Suddenly the siblings find themselves launched on an epic journey into a mash-up world born of Kristoff’s dangerous imagination, to retrieve a dark book of untold power, uncover the Walker family’s secret history and save their parents . . . and maybe even the world.


My Summary:

" A breakneck, jam-packed rollercoaster of an adventure about the secret power of books, House of Secrets comes complete with three resourceful sibling heroes, a seriously creepy villainess, and barrel loads of fantasy and fear."

-J.K. Rowling

 



J.K. Rowling, the queen of all authors, does not lie. This book was a rollercoaster of magic books, a haunted house, and the power of reading. I usually love fantasy books, and this one was just wickedly awesome! I have not read a fantasy this amazing since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This book was like The Series of Unfortunate Events and Harry Potter mashed into a blender to create something truly epic.


It is about three siblings who are sucked into storybooks; Cordelia, a fifteen year old girl who loves to read, Brendan, a twelve year old boy who loves videogames and speaking the wonderful language of Sarcasm and Witty Comebacks, and Eleanor, an eight year old dyslexic who has a heck of a lot of spirit. The book begins when the Walker family buys an old house after their dad looses his job. It's a creepy old house, once home to a crazy old witch: that comes back for revenge. She needs a book called the Book of Doom and Desire..... and she's going to use the Walker children to get it.

Except the stone angel wasn't there.


DOCTOR WHO! (Only Whovians will understand)

The witch steals the Walker children and transports them to a world where three different stories have come alive. Now, in order to save their parents, Cordelia, Brendan, and Eleanor must fight a sadistic pirate, befriend an English pilot, and discover the dark secrets of selfish desire. Full of humor, magic, action, and adventure, House of Secrets will show you the meaning of "There is no place like home."

"I'm not confusing anything! Dolphins are man-eaters! Killers! Predators!"  screamed Gilliam. But all the other pirates were now looking at one another and mumbling and raising their eyebrows.
"What are yez lookin' at?" Gilliam demanded.
One of the pirates cleared his throat. "We've been meanin' to tell ya, Gilliam."
"What, Scurve?!?!"
"Dolphins are sweet, good natured, intelligent-like creatures. It was a trick Kit and Phenny played on you, to give you that instead of a shark-"

My favorite character in this book would have to be Will Draper. He is a character from one of the books the Walkers are trapped in. He is a British pilot from World War I, and Cordelia has a HUGE crush on him. I do admit he has a little bit of British charm with a touch of sarcastic humor. His bravery and sense of leadership shaped him into a perfect knight in shining armor. (And with a cute accent, too!)

This book was amazing! Riding in a floating house, seeking out an evil spell book in order to get home, this story enchanted me from beginning to end. I would definitely recommend it.

Cautions for Parents: A few fatal stabbings, including a stabbing to the eye. Mild language. Recommended age: 9 and older.

Review: 4.5 stars