House of Secrets: A New York Times Bestselling Fantasy Adventure Series for Kids (Ages 8-12)

This was a thrilling adventure! I loved the growth that all three main characters, Cordelia, Brendan, and Eleanor experience throughout the novel. The illustrations were incredible and really added something to the story. The imagery is colorful and vivid, the scenes that Columbus and Vizzini set seem to come to life on their own. I can't wait to see what else the duo has in store for the Walker family.

I enjoyed this story because the characters and plot was new, unique and refreshing Plus, it had constant action. I heard about it from watching the Judge Mathis' show. I'm so glad I read it. Wonderful.

Chris Columbus writes a children's book. This is enough to capture the interest of any modern film fan and any child of the eighties who grew up watching the classic movies such as The Goonies and Gremlins. Columbus is an excellent film maker but can he write in the novel format. With the help of Ned Vizzini Columbus wrote this novel which he has said is a thematic sequel to The Goonies. The plot revolves around three children. Cordelia, Eleanor and Brendan all typical 2K13 era children. Their father looses his job and the family is forced to move into a old mansion that was owned by Denver Kristoff, a pulp fiction writer from the early 20th Century. After an encounter with a creepy neighbor and an angel statue that gave me the creeps they are sent into the world of the Kristoff novels and must use their wits to get out of it. I really thought that this novel was good. The characters were vivid and there was a lot of action, chapters left you wanting to know what happens next. Columbus had sent the manuscript to Rowling who gave advice about developing the characters and slowing the speed slightly. The advice worked because the novel does not move too fast and you feel sympathy for each characters different situation when dealing with their tests and tribulations as characters in this novel. I think the novel was trying to be a specific length, and toward the end it did seem to almost add on a few more action scenes so that it would reach the proper page length. I give this book four stars because I really enjoyed it and I am anxious to read book 2.

Fabulous adventures ....a little sister with dyslexia and a love for horses that goes beyond sense,a middle brother who loves his personal game device so much he ignores the world and his family, and the big sister who reads anything that's not nailed down, add parents with a mysterious "incident" that has caused financial problems and stir in a new ( old furnished with antiques ) house and a crazy mean neighbor .....oh and lots of magic and enjoy!!!!!

There's a lot to like and not to like about "House of Secrets." The novel has well-developed characters, interesting settings and a story that is both macabre and mysterious. The tale begins with the Walker family on its way to an old cliff house in San Francisco, which is being sold at a deep discount the family desperately needs due to the father's unemployment situation. Well, no surprise, they wind up moving in and, almost immediately, odd things start happening and the plot thickens. But I won't ruin the story. I'll just say that the characters a fleshed out clearly with their own specific personalities. The author's write prose that moves along briskly. That's the good. Here's the bad. First, pretty violent for a younger crowd that's less than thirteen, I'd say. Two characters get stabbed, one in the chest, one in the back. Another character gets an arrow in his eye, then pulls out the arrow with his eye attached to it. Another character is known for vivisecting humans. Second, the amount of brands and names dropped into the story is excessive. Anderson Cooper, PSP, Hot Topic, "Game of Thrones." More distracting than anything. Third, the story winds up being, for the most part, deus ex machina. Toward the end of the book, the Walker boy, Brendan, encounters a girl named Celene who indicates that he is rumored to be their savior. Well, that never actually happens and their isn't one, not two, but three deus ex machina contrivances at the end of the story. Basically, the characters have little control over their own fates at the end of the story, being largely saved by god-like and magical forces in several situations. While I was never bored by the story, I was never blown away by it either.

My husband wanted to give this book to our 10 year old nephew, who is in the 5th grade, for Christmas. (My husband was friends with Ned.) Our nephew loved it! He hardly touched his other presents until he finished reading this book, and he would stay up until midnight reading. When he was not reading the book, he talked about it - where he was in the story or what he had just read. My husband had read the book beforehand, and so they had good conversations about the book. My sister and brother-in-law were amazed with my nephew's eagerness to read this book. My nephew finished reading this book right before the end of winter break. After the winter break, my nephew wrote a book report about it. I pre-ordered "House of Secrets: Battle of the Beasts" to give to our nephew for his birthday.

Having been a fan of Ned Vizzini for a long time, I think this is one of his better books. It's more mainstream than The Other Normals, and the authors manage to cram a LOT of different types of characters into this book. It's a fast, fun read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

Well it is too scary. To many people die. Last but not least it was ok but u could do so much better!

Wonderful page turning Read.

An action packed and indulging read, 3 fantastic characters, a beautiful storyline and wonderful villains. And this book despite being moderately lengthly is, whether you are a slow reader or a fast reader, a book that seems to fly by and you can't stop reading until the dismal moment when you find yourself coming to the end and seem desperate for another book (thankfully there was another).

Bought this for my daughters and step-daughter to read, the first one to read it thought it was "FANTASTIC", and couldn't put it down. The 2nd has just started reading it and she loves it too. It has been a popular buy and has been worth the money for the peace & quiet alone, lol.

This is a thrilling adventure. Reads more like the transcript of a film than a novel and, coming from Chris Columbus, you can see why. Would recommend to reluctant readers as it's fast pace and twists in the plot will keep them turning the pages.

I have difficulty finishing the book. I find it too juvenile. I still have not finished it. Wont recommend it to adult readers.