Three Children, Xander, David, and Toria have moved with their parents to a small hick town where their father is the principal of the junior/senior high school. They move into an old Victorian House that their parents buy. The boys follow an intruder into their house into and old area of the house and then can't find him. They inadvertently go through what they think is a closet into another world. After returning the intruder once again appears and kidnaps their mother taking her into another world. The children find out their father has kept a secret from them about the house that he had known about the house when they moved in. They make plans to try each portal until they find their mother. ( )

If you have ever read Liparulo before, you will recognize his ability to come up with creative story lines. In this novel by Liparulo, House Of Dark Shadows, he has come up with another interest holding story. The book is the first in the Dreamhouse Kings series. The story follows the King family and their move from Pasadena, California to a small town in Northern California. The attention quickly turns to the two boys in the family, Xander age 15 and David age 12. As the family is house hunting, they come upon a old deserted house that just seems to be a little different. As the boys begin to check out their new house, the adventures begin. They come across hidden passages and dark shadows in the night. To top things off, they find a hidden family secret that was long ago buried. A secret that now affects the whole family.

This book starts off with some basic character building, but quickly turns into an action packed book you will want to keep reading. The book keeps you so focused on the main characters that you almost forget about some of the things happening on the fringes. But the things on the fringes will jump up and surprise you when you least expect it. The only bad thing about the book, is that it is the first in the series. The ending leaves you wanting more. The second book is now available also, with the third book planned for release in Jan. 2009. ( )

Fifteen year old Xander King is miserable. His family is moving from Pasadena to the small town of Pinedale. “Still in California, but barely.” When the family arrives they find what his parents consider a dream house but Xander just considers creepy.

Full of mysterious sounds, creepy shadows and unexplained footprints, the house just seems too sinister for Xander to feel comfortable. As Xander and his twelve year old brother begin to explore the house they find things are even weirder than they could have ever imagined.

For a young adult book I was surprised at how well the storyline and suspense are written. Usually with YA writing the storytelling is a little too cheesy or predictable but this book breaks out of that mold and I was as creeped out as any Dean Koontz or Steven King book makes me feel when reading late at night.

House of Dark Shadows is Book 1 in the Dream House Kings series and after reading it you’ll want to immediately pick up Book 2, Watcher in the Woods as the ending clearly warns that it’s “Not The End.” You’re left with some answers and a HUGE cliffhanger. I enjoyed this quick read and recommend it for both YA and adult suspense readers. ( )

Loved this book - Read my entire review here: http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.c... ( )

We all know the story. An urban family relocates to a rural town. The teenage protagonist is too cool for Hicksville. They move into a dark, secluded Victorian house that has been empty for decades and was last occupied by a family that disappeared under mysterious circumstances. They see and hear strange things, as the house seems to be alive.

Well, this is just the beginning for the King family in House of Dark Shadows. Liparulo builds a fast-paced adventure on this age-old premise. His writing is precise, making the reader care about the characters and wanting to solve the mysteries, and eliciting emotional response at the right time. He effectively uses a tight timetable to keep the story fast moving; the book takes place over a week, with the climactic points occurring over a weekend. There is no good stopping point, because the readers knows the next chapter will pick up moments after the action of the previous chapter.

While House of Dark Shadows is an excellent read, especially for adolescent boys, the ending does not satisfy the reader. The book is the first in a series and does not stand on its own. Therefore, prospective readers will have to buy the entire series to have a satisfactory read. ( )