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umkirsten's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookishwonderlandco's review against another edition
5.0
Very interesting fantasy book. I enjoyed it very mysterious and adventurous.
aeoliandeductress's review against another edition
4.0
My Take on It: This story took a while to get into. I’m not sure if it was the elaborate descriptions or the whiny attitude of the principal character (Xander) in the initial chapters but at first it seemed cumbersome. Fortunately the chapters were short and within the first 100 pages, things really picked up. I appreciated the map given by the author at the beginning- I think otherwise following all the physical twists and turns in an already convoluted story would have been nearly impossible. The three male characters were all full-bodied with great personalities, full of contrasts, humanity, flaws, and strengths. I do hope the author chooses to do the same for the female characters in future books- I felt they were flat and frankly weak. I also hope the author fixes his issues of perspective in future books- this one was mostly told in third person limited from Xander’s point of view until the end, when David’s voice entered here and there. Either switch around regularly or stick with one person- please! Maybe that’s just me. Overall though, the story was fascinating and certainly leaves me aching at the fact that I won’t have time to read the next 5 books any time soon due to the rest of this challenge. Fortunately I won’t mind re-reading this one again should I need to refresh my memory before enjoying the rest of the story!
Overall Grade: B+, A very good start with an excellent cliffhanger conclusion. While the beginning was a bit overwrought with extensive descriptions and excessive internal monologues, this series has no where to go but up!
For more information and more reviews, please visit my blog:
challenge100reviews.blogspot.com
Overall Grade: B+, A very good start with an excellent cliffhanger conclusion. While the beginning was a bit overwrought with extensive descriptions and excessive internal monologues, this series has no where to go but up!
For more information and more reviews, please visit my blog:
challenge100reviews.blogspot.com
jlorusso's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The twist right at the end, I gasped wasn't expecting it
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
A young adult book, for maybe 10-15 years old. Some violence no sex/romance. It was a treat i was intrigued in the mystery of this house they moved into, hidden in the woods. It's secrets thrilling and sometimes scary. I can see this becoming a very popular series.
abaugher's review against another edition
5.0
cool-o-rama!!! sometimes a bit on the J side, but a definite page-turner! supernatural mystery with a dash of horro (but not too much for me!)
kendall_reads8's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable book but it lost me in the middle. The ending was not fair. LOL
ebeubanks8's review against another edition
4.0
I read this in middle school and loved it. I don’t think I ever finished the series but I’m going to. I need more to the story. This time around I actually caught the supernatural reference :)))
notblue's review against another edition
4.0
After 2 years of reading off and on, I finally finished it!