House of Secrets
House of Secrets (Book 1)by Ned Vizzini & Chris Columbus
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. (goodreads.com)
Ever since I heard Ned Vizzini speak at the 2010 Teen Author Carnival in NYC I have been a huge fan of his. I loved It's Kind of a Funny Story and The Other Normals very much so when I heard he was co-authoring a middle grade novel I was beyond delighted!I broke my book buying ban to get this book because I needed something fun in my life and the book was just so GORGEOUS. See below!
I packed this monstrosity of a book in my suitcase as soon as I picked it up from the post office. It was coming with me on my weekend trip to Toronto whether or not we could fit it in the baggage. (I was going to make sure it fit!) The book was SO GOOD that I almost didn't want to go and do the things we'd gone away to do because I wanted to stay in the hotel bed and read! However, we didn't spend all that money and promise to visit people only to have me locked away in a hotel room, so I sucked it up and did what I needed to do. heh
This book was just so much fun. So. Much. Fun! I like stories where siblings get along and discover magical, fantastical places and have to work together - each with their own strengths! - to save their lives or the world, or whatever. I just love those kinds of stories. And this story and the house in San Francisco, is magical and adventurous and there are giant bugs and warriors and pirates and, unfortunately, sharks (my only negative about the entire book. THAT FIN ON THE COVER GAVE ME NIGHTMARES!)
This story has something for everyone, girls, boys, kids, adults... you name it! I think that's part of what I loved so much about the story, there's mystery, magic, adventure, action and you can laugh and be scared at the same time. It was certainly a quick and enjoyable read and just hit all the right spots when it comes to middle grade adventure!
I liked all three of the kids in this book, too, which surprised me. Normally there's at least one that I won't like (and sadly, it tends to be the brother almost all of the time!) but in The House of Secrets I liked all three siblings, but I didn't care much for the additional "friends" that were made along the way. I didn't hate them, but I thought the Royal Airforce dude was a little snooty for my liking.
I even liked the pirates and I'm not normally a pirate fan. As scary as they were, I found them very enjoyable.
So, yeah, imaginations have full permission to run wild with this story and I can't wait to read more from these two authors. I gather what with this one being all "Book One!" and everything that there will be more adventures lurking around the corners in Kristoff House and I cannot wait to find out what those adventures will be!