Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(97)
4 star:		(41)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Xander King is seriously bummed when his family moves from Pasadena, CA to a little hick town called Pinedale. He loved his life back home and can't imagine what this new town and new school could possibly have to offer. When the King's arrive they begin searching for a house to buy and finally stumble across an old, abandoned Victorian home deep in the woods.

Xander's parents instantly fall in love with the old house and set to work trying to make it livable. Xander and his brother, David, begin exploring and make startling discoveries. It seems one of the closets is some sort of gateway to a locker in their new school. If that wasn't strange enough, they also discover a secret passageway that is full of rooms that are portals to other worlds. After a couple of exploring adventures gone bad, the boys soon realize that this house is much more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, the King's are about to discover just how real that danger is.

Robert Liparulo is known for pulse-pounding thrillers. With winners like Comes a Horseman, Germ, and Deadfall under his belt, he has truly left his mark on the genre. Now Liparulo graces his fans with a new young adult series that has everything we've come to expect from him and more. House of Dark Shadows is a fun story that is full of thrills and chills that never feel watered down for the young adult audience. Xander and David's mini adventures and discoveries are laced with just the right amount of action and intrigue to keep you nervously flying through the pages. The house itself is one of the strongest characters in the book, bringing a delightfully creepy tone to this well crafted tale.

As always, Liparulo's writing carries deeper meaning beyond the action and thrills. At its heart this story is about the bond of family and love, and the power therein. With every new novel Liparulo continues to prove what an incredible storyteller he is and this new series is no exception. The end will leave you begging for more and loving every moment. This is Robert Liparulo at his best!

If you are thinking about buying House of Dark Shadows, you may want to go ahead and grab Watcher in the Woods because once you reach... "Not the end" you are going to want book two within reach. These books are quick reads, too. Don't say you haven't been warned if you have to wait for the next book, and don't expect a resolution of the King family problems in book two either. I may have to have a word with Bob or the publisher about possibly speeding up this series.

Robert Liparulo respects the YA genre by refusing to dumb down his storytelling mastery. House of Dark Shadows delivers rich characters, intense action and crisp setting along with a strong vocabulary. Adults are going to love these books as much as the teens they're written for.

Centered around a family that has "no secrets," the story starts with foreboding and provides bang after wham after sucker-punch as the reader discovers one secret after another along with the characters. More questions are left than are answered.

Shadows introduces the King family, all named after royalty, as they are moving from city to country...make that backwoods. Not only does Xander, the 15-year-old point-of-view character have to deal with leaving friends and a girlfriend, his dad is now his principal in the smallest school he's ever attended.

Xander's folks then find a house they fall in love with. Lots of room, and full of character, creepy noises, shadows and odd acoustics. What's not to love?

Xander discovers how very strange the house is as the entire family is plunged into the truth of the secrets.

The intensity of the themes may be too much for younger or easily frightened readers.

I have read 2 of Liparulos books (Comes a Horseman & Germ) and love the way he writes. When I found Out that he was writing a YA book I thought I would check it out. Actually got this and his book Deadfall the same day and decided to read this one first. The King family moves from Pasadena, CA to the small town of Pinedale,OR. When the arrive they begin searching fo a house to move into. The one they find seems to be a little scary to Xander the oldest son. Sounds seem weird, it feels like someone is watching you, and people seem to show up in different places then where they actually are. The Family still decides to move in and that is when the story really takes off. I couldnt put the book down and now have to go pickup book 2. The series will be 6 books in total. There is also a contest at www.robertliparulo.com thatyou can write in and decide where you want to see the family go and he may use it in a future book in the series and give you credit. This book is not just for the YA crowd but for adults too.

This book sets up a fantastic premise for a very intriguing story that will suspend reality for fantasy. I am really interested in where the next books go. This is like a more literary version of an R.L.Stine or Animorphs.

I completely enjoyed this book as it is an easy read. Since I haven't read this author before, I wasn't sure what to expect. It's well worth it just to pick it up and chill out for an afternoon of reading. Some intrigue, nothing so horrifying that it makes you ill. Slightly juvenile as the story is simplistic but has many levels and well developed. I would consider paying for the next book in the series but would prefer to have them free also.

House of Dark Shadows is the first in the Dreamhouse Kings - a new series for young adults from Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. Young Alexander, Xander for short, and his family - the Kings, move from Pasadena to the small town of Pinedale when their father Edward accepts the position of principal at the Pinedale high school. The King family moves into an unsettling house with a dark history; a shadowed past that has made it a focal point for speculation and rumour amongst the townspeople of Pinedale.

It soon becomes apparent to the Kings that their move into the house has thrown them into a world where nothing is as it seems. Brothers Xander and David soon discover mysterious portals on a hidden third floor that seem to lead into the past. Unfortunately most of these portals lead into life-threatening scenarios - once entered into they require some effort to escape from.

The story moves at a brisk pace and readers soon find themselves contemplating the nature of the mysterious house and trying to unravel its mysteries. The chapters are short - 40 chapters to 283 pages of story, keeping the level of suspense high and the reader moving from one scene to the next. The entire story takes place in a very short time period, approximately one week. Once Liparulo has his hooks in the reader, he blazes through the story, bringing the action on at an unrelenting pace.

Aimed at teenagers, the writing style is easy to read and highly accessible. Though written for a young audience, adults who appreciate a suspenseful and unusual tale will also enjoy this series. An age appropriate discussion guide is also included to guide readers into further examination of the events and speculation about the mysteries of the house. While intense events are taking place all around them, the King family remains realistic. Sibling rivalry, teenage angst, self-absorption and day-to-day family squabbles are all presented realistically and woven into the dramatic storyline. Young readers are certain to empathize with these everyday occurrences and struggles that are intertwined with the highly unusual events the King family experiences.

Liparulo is well known for his work in the genre of thrillers, with several adult titles already published. While House of Dark Shadows is eerie and unsettling I didn't have any nightmares after reading it, and I'm not exceptionally brave. Most readers should be able to read this title without undue distress or horror depending upon their age and comfort levels.

While published by a Christian publisher and marketed to a Christian audience this title does not contain a strong faith message. Interviews with the author have indicated that when the series is viewed in its entirety readers will be able to see the message that Liparulo has written into the books, but that it will be subtle. The King family does include references such as to God, church, and creation, building a Christian worldview into the backdrop of the storyline. However, the plot does not focus on the characters' relationships with God, but rather the unusual events and struggles they encounter, as well as their changing family dynamics. Those without a Christian background will enjoy this work as much as Christian readers will.

With this first title the mystery has only begun. The cliffhanger ending leaves readers with a long list of questions and a minuscule list of answers. Thankfully readers can dive into the second book in the series, Watcher in the Woods, which has already been published. Unfortunately the third title, Gatekeepers, will not be available until January 2009.

I haven't seen the Young Adult years in...years, but I can tell you that this series is SCARY even for adults. I finished House of Dark Shadows a little while ago and can testify that it's freakier than Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews and just about as scary as The Amityville Horror. Did I mention this book was scary, LOL? But I finished it. I just didn't read it at night. Seriously. And I'm thankful that my house has neither an attic or a basement or I wouldn't be able to sleep! I know it's just fiction, but while I was reading the story I was in it, so it seemed real to me. Too real.

So far I haven't found a spiritual element (like they didn't even pray when scared) but it's still an incredibly entertaining tale of horror. I dare say it ranks right up there with any number of scary secular novels. There is even some blood in the book. Did I mention it was scary? Bottom line...this is top notch fiction but it is tolerable even for big honking chickens like me. In fact, I want to read the next book right away...but it's dark outside, so that'll have to wait until tomorrow!

This is the first book in Robert Liparulo's new Young Adult series. What does that mean, "Young Adult"? Basically it means that the book is shorter.

Don't be afraid though, in just 286 pages Liparulo manages to pack in enough creepiness, intrigue, excitement and fun that you'll swear it's a full blown novel.

"Young Adults" and adults alike will find something to love here, as Liparulo proves once again that he's a master of his craft. It's easy to identify with the King family, and anyone who's ever changed houses, schools or cities will be able to empathize with the memorable characters.

From Xander's resentment at his parents for moving him away from his friends (and girlfriend) to Ed (the father's) concerns for his new job and his family, it's easy to feel like you know the King's.

The settings are perfect, reading late at night gave me shivers as the creepiness of the King family's new home kicked into overdrive.

Simply stated, for the money you can't find a better book for parents and teens alike. Highly recommended.

Be sure to check out the second book, Watcher in the Woods: Dreamhouse Kings, Book #2 (Dreamhouse Kings) also.

A family moves to a small town in a house in the woods. Although the plot starts out like most generic thrillers, the author has spun a good story.
This is not my normal genre of reading but I found this book quite good. It kept my interest all the way through and piques my interest to read the rest of the upcoming series.
It may be written for young adults but it is still a good read for adults.

I love this book and have already bought the rest of the series. Liparulo's writing style is vivid and evokes a spooky mood without cheap thrills. There are times when the story drags just a bit, but I realized even then that I was being given crucial information that would play out later...and it did. I like that Liparulo isn't afraid to slow down a little so we can get to know the characters before they craziness, spookiness and action starts, It allows the story to fly ahead when the time is right. When the action and adventure starts, it just never stops. I'm well into the second book, and the exciting stuff hasn't let up one bit.

I love the characters and every scene deepens my understanding of and appreciation for them. They are not cardboard cutouts, but seem real, with flaws and desires and strengths and true emotions. The family is great--they love each other, even when they don't agree with one another. They bicker (but not exceedingly), but at the end of the day, you know they will do anything for each other. I love that.

I don't understand the reviews that complain about the cliffhanger ending. It's the first book of a series and it doesn't bother me at all that the story continues in another book (or another five books). It's a great story, the book is at least as long if not longer than other books in this genre so it's not like they chopped it short just to get another book sold, and it's such a cool idea and done so well...yeah, give me more!