Two words: freaking awesome!

I had high expectations for this novel, since it is written by the guy who brought us Alex Rider. I wasn’t disappointed. The thing I liked most about the novel was the action. It can easily be compared to the Alex Rider series, and is exciting enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. The horror isn’t shabby either. Horowitz’s style of writing is so vivid, you can really feel the chaos and doom happening, especially during the climax.

The plot meanders a little during the first half of the novel, then picks up pace during the second half. The plot twists are somewhat predictable, but they kept my interest the whole time. The characters, sadly, don’t develop much, save for Matt. He’s what you’d expect him to be – a flawed teen who discovers he’s a hero destined to save the world, complete with a dysfunctional background. I’m impressed by how the characters manage to draw emotions from readers, ranging from pity to disgust.

Gripping and suspenseful, fans of horror and action should definitely check out Raven’s Gate. Do note that it may not be suitable for younger readers, since there are quite some gruesome moments. ( )

It was a fast, action packed book. There were many suspenseful parts in it. I loved the Stormbreaker series, so I decided to give another one of Anthony Horowitz's series a try. AHS/SM

Reviewed by Spreeha for TeensReadToo.com

Do you believe in witches or the Old Ones?

Matt has been accused of committing a crime which actually he really didn't do. So now he has a choice to either go to jail or stay with an old lady named Mrs. Deverill in a remote area called Lesser Malling because of the government's new law called the LEAF Project. Matt should have chosen jail because he will soon find out that someone is planning something there at Lesser Malling, and Matt is in the middle of all the commotion.

Matt's past hasn't been the best. His parents died in a car crash six years ago and he has been living with his mom's stepsister, who doesn't necessarily treat him very well. But Matt has discovered that he has some kind of weird magical power--but doesn't know what it is.

When he gets to Mrs. Deverill's house he isn't treated in the best way possible. Even though he thinks the food is good he has to do chores and basically clean up all of Mrs. Deverill's property. After a while he has had enough of this bizarre nonsense and wants to leave, because this was supposed to be a volunteer act.

But when he tries to take a bike out to the main road back to Greater Malling and then back to London, every road he takes just brings him back to the place he started from. Well, he went home after that, and thought that he'd try the next day.

When coming back to the same spot, a guy named Tom Burgess appears and says he wants to help Matt out because this isn't a safe place to be. He also says that he will explain everything tomorrow at his farm, but what Matt doesn't know is that he will find Tom dead the next day.

After Tom's death things got even worse. Mrs. Deverill starts to come out more strongly and everyone that tries to help him get out of this creepy place just ends up dead. Is Matt's new helper bound to turn up dead, too?

Find out! Read the book.

I think this book is incredible!! Once you start reading you can't stop! This book has a twist at every turn. I recommend this book to anybody interested in books like the Harry Potter series--it's just so magnificent!! ( )

Matt made a mistake trusting his new friend Kelvin, and now he has to pay for it by working at the farm of some old crazy woman. It's that or jail. His new foster parent is more than she at first appears, as are the townspeople in Lesser Malling, and now Matt has found himself in the middle of a battle between good and evil. He should have chosen jail.

This book is exactly what it is meant to be; hence the high rating. Raven's Gate is interesting, easy to read, full of action, and mysterious enough to get me primed for the next book in the series. I read the book in three short hours, and it kept my interest the whole time.

Horowitz said he likes to think of Raven's Gate as Stephen King for kids, and I would have to agree. The plot calls for blood and violence and Horowitz delivers in a style toned down just enough for young adult readers. ( )

Original post at The Little Bookworm

Matt has been a troubled boy ever since his parents died when he was eight. Now fourteen, Matt is living with his aunt and her boyfriend. When a guardsman is stabbed while Matt and his friend break into a warehouse, Matt is sent to live with Mrs. Deverill in the town of Lesser Malling. Strange and sinister things are happening and Matt is at the center of an evil plan. But he is chosen for something else too.

Honestly, I went into this book thinking that it was going to be abandoned. I don't know why. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it. It was really good. Matt is so sad and mistreated and he acts out and, yes, deserves punishment but getting sent to Mrs. Deverill is too much. She is a little cliched as are all the town characters. The premise is a good one, boy is chosen to guard the world from evil and to find the other Gatekeepers. The information is a little lacking, but then this was obviously set up to be the first in a series. It's like a pilot for a TV show. You get just enough information to pull you back. I think I'm going to switch to the audio though for no real reason. ( )