BOOK REVIEW: AMBER HOUSE

AMBER HOUSE- mystery book review

AMBER HOUSE

Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, Larkin Reed

Arthur A. Levine Books

2012

Available: Hardcopy, paperback, Kindle, audio

It's fifteen-year-old Sarah Parson's first visit to Amber House, although the grand old Maryland estate has been in the family for twelve generations. She arrives with her mother and younger brother. They've come for her grandmother's funeral. Her mom makes it clear she plans to sell the place as soon as the estate is settled which seems a little sad to Sarah. The house has been in the family for so long it and its history feels so real. After only one night in Amber House, it seems to be calling to her to uncover not only its secrets, but a cache of hidden diamonds. She begins to have visions of those who lived in the house years past. Betrayals. Ancient crimes. Long forgotten tragedies. Somehow these ancestral secrets are linked to the present. Secrets that threaten the happiness of someone dear to her. Sarah must unravel the past to save her future.

One cannot help but be drawn into the supernatural mystery of Amber House. Sarah arrives, a normal teen girl. Her biggest concerns seem to be watching over her younger autistic brother and of course guys. Her parents are separated and she just doesn't understand why her mother is shutting her father out of their life. Then Sarah begins to have visions. Are they real or her imagination? Threatening or  . . . ? Overall this is a compelling read.

Target audience: Grades 7-10

Mystery/suspense: supernatural

Kid appeal: good