Horror Books

I found Thief of Lives to be about on par with the first book in the Noble Dead series. The story picks up not long after the end of Dhampir, with Magiere and Leesil living their version of domestic bliss, running their rebuilt tavern. As you might guess, that doesn't last long: the mysterious Welstiel sets the wheels in motion for another confrontation with the undead. In Thief of Lives, we learn more about our characters, especially Leesil and, yes, Chap. We find out a bit more about what makes Welstiel tick. And, we're treated to some good scenes of suspense and general vampire hunting mayhem!
Still -- the pacing is a bit languid for my taste. There is a bit too much time spent on the trio of undead characters. Some of the other character-based scenes become repetitive as well: we're given too many internal monologues revealing feelings of which we, as readers, are already aware. But the battles between dhampir and undead are sharp and compelling, there is some pretty good mystery at work, and the relationship between Magiere and Leesil remains interesting, always on the edge of...something.
My reviews tend to focus on the negative, but I'm already looking for the next book in the series, so that should tell you something. Yes, I enjoyed Thief of Lives, even if I can throw tomatoes from the peanut gallery. (Hey, at least my mixed metaphors make a good stew!)

Thief of Lives is the follow up to Barb and JC Hendee's Dhampir, which centers on the beautiful Vampire Hunter Magiere, her Half Elf companion Leesil, and their extraordinary dog, Champ.

This story picks up about two months after that last book ended, which Magiere and Leesil reopening their inn after the fire that consumed it in the climax of the last book. The town is in dire straits due to the destruction of their main warehouse, and commerce is dwindling, which is slowing strangling their economy. An opportunity to make some money for the town has presented itself at the city of Bela, across the sea. Magiere is reluctantly forced out of retirement, as Bela's frustrated city council searches her out for her help. Some of Bela's most notable and wealthy are being savagely murdered and all signs point to one of the "noble dead" being the culprit.

This novel is pleasant surprise in that it is an upgrade over Dhampir in nearly every area. The characters are far more developed. Leesil and Magiere are more actualized than the first and especially Leesil is more explored in this novel than the last. Even the dog Champ, is more cultivated! I found the tension that was present between Leesil and Magiere far more believable and understandable in this novel as well. Also, with the development of the character's persona comes a refinement of their mythos.

Some of this elaboration is undoubtedly due to the authors' holding back on the first novel in order to continue the mystery. However, there is real narrative maturation here in both writing skill and story.

The Hendee's have take the Vampire mythology and put their own brand on it, and have even carved their own niche from the Buffy the vampire slayer/Bloodrayne/underworld "girl power" genre. Magiere is unenthusiastic about her role, even downright unwilling, but she has demons to kill within herself and she is trying to exorcises. Not only that, but she isn't quite she WHAT she is. That mystery as well as secrets from Leesil and Champs past are a big part of this installment.


Thus, Thief of Lives does not fall into the "filler" category that so many second novels do, or the let down after the first. The Hendees have established a strong foundation upon which to build upon and they took a step in the right direction with this novel. Thief of Lives is an enjoyable read. It may not be Tolkien, but that is part of what makes it compelling. What it does, it does well.

This book is great. The title fits it so perfectly! I reccomend this to anyone who likes your typical fantasy novels, for not only does it deal with vampires, but all sorts of fantasy stuff.

This second installment of the series started with Damphir is every bit as good if not better than the first. The trio of half-elf, half vampire and Spirit possessed dog continue to grow as characters as they are forced by circumstances to live up to the role of vampire hunting team that they first created simply as a way to swindle gullible peasants. Good Fantasy with a strong and increasing stable plot line.

SPOILERS aplenty.

THIEF OF LIVES is the second book in the captivating Noble Dead series and continues the exploits of our vampire hunting trio. For the uninitiated, we have Magiere the reluctant half-human, half-vampire dhampir; Leesil, the half-elven, half-human thief with a lethal past; and Chap, their enigmatic hound who's smarter than the average hound. DHAMPIR, the first book, detailed their less-than-honorable career of bilking naive villagers of their meager wealth as Magiere passed herself off as a vampire hunter and Leesil pretended to be the vampire whom Magiere slays. But, as it turns out, Magiere discovers that she is, in reality, an actual dhampir, a real vampire killer. Her newly found abilities are put to the test as she, Leesil, and Chap face off against bonafide bloodsuckers for the first time. The end of DHAMPIR finds our heroes barely surviving the experience.

Now, cut to THIEF OF LIVES. It's been months since the harrowing events of DHAMPIR and things seemed to have settled down for Magiere, her partner Leesil and their adopted town of Miiska. Their tavern, the Sea Lion, has been rebuilt, thanks to the largesse and manual labor of the townspeople. Magiere looks forward to settling down to a peaceful existence of barkeeping and managing her tavern, thinking that she has successfully retired from her recent forays into vampire slayings. But Leesil, the more forward-thinking of the two, knows better and he, accordingly, has been making preparations.

Thanks to certain actions by Leesil, the town of Miiska is suffering financially. When the savage murder of a prominent councilman's daughter in the far away city of Bela prompts a request for the dhampir's assistance, promising ample monetary compensation, Leesil and Magiere are guiltily compelled to take up the offer, thinking to help the Miiskan citizens. But the city of Bela is much, much bigger and more cosmopolitan than tiny, bucolic Miiska; Leesil and Magiere find themselves at a loss as to where to start hunting their prey. They do receive help from a plucky 10 year old boy, an apprentice scholar/sage, and a street-smart police captain, but that's not nearly enough to tip the scales in their balance as their supernatural foes are powerful and relentless, one of them being particularly bent on personal vengeance against Leesil. Throw into the mix the return of the mysterious Welstiel, who apparently had been working behind the scenes from the get-go to awaken and hone Magiere's powers, and the appearance of an elf assassin, and things couldn't get more troublesome for our beleaguered hunters of the undead.

One of the many appeals of this series is the equality of the two leads. The first novel DHAMPIR intimates that Magiere, being the titular character, is the main protagonist, while Leesil is the romantic foil or the wisecracking sidekick. Well, no. Both are equally fleshed out as thinking and breathing people; both are equally deserving of being the lead; in fact, they each demand the reader's attention and willfully assert themselves in their respective narratives. Leesil is intriguing as a very personable and capable warrior in combat, who's stricken with gambling and drinking flaws. And Magiere, while remaining stubborn and stoic, isn't as cardboard as she was in DHAMPIR. But her unveiling of more personality and vulnerability doesn't make her any less of a fighting machine. She still kicks booty. Magiere reminds me quite a bit of another wonderful female heroine, Del, from Jennifer Roberson's awesome Tiger and Del series.

And, if you're a romantic hopeful, it's the thorny relationship between Magiere and Leesil which will suck you in. On a personal level, as the book opens, things just aren't right between Magiere and Leesil, the cause stemming from Magiere's mistrust of her own vampiric nature and her fear of hurting Leesil. Leesil, for his part, can't understand why Magiere has been so distant with him. Part of the series's allure, also, is that the reader is teased with tidbits about both Magiere and Leesil's mysterious pasts. And it seems the Hendees are planning on divulging the duo's parental goods in the ensuing books.

With this entry, the Hendees look to open up their world past the limited conventions of vampires and vampire slaying as the authors lay down additional subplots concerning a possible quest for a potent artifact and even more reveal about the stringently structured and unforgiving elven society, who consider Leesil to be a traitor to the blood. Questions lurking about Chap are also addressed, much to Leesil's distress.

This time, the villains prove to be not as sympathetic as DHAMPIR's elegant Rashed and his gentle lady love Teesha, although the scheming Chane does show some promise. In fact, the villainess here is fairly annoying. However, the Hendees ensure that their encounters with the vampire hunters are vividly depicted, though probably not as entertaining as Chap's battle with the sausage. And the character who seems to be slated as the series's main baddie is proving to be a very imposing presence.

THIEF OF LIVES is even better than DHAMPIR, in my opinion. Leesil remains as personable, while becoming more assertive and coming more into his own. Magiere is written with more nuance and is more likable and relatable here. Also she gains another unwanted skill with which to combat the undead. And Chap is just a treat. The fantasy storyline is pretty straightforward, though the authors do attempt to throw in several curves. The clashes are as brutal and uncompromising as ever. And the book ends with a new journey, a new goal, and a resolution to and a defining of Leesil and Magiere's relationship. THIEF OF LIVES is highly recommended. Now I'm off to check out the third book SISTER OF THE DEAD.

A great book for beginning readers. The illustrations are charming and the story is as well. It should definitely capture their imagination. Besides, what child doesn't want to read a book where the mother encourages the child to be naughty and messy?

We have about three Little Witch books and my four year old son enjoys them all. Little Witch is a sweet little witch. They are cute books! For ages probably 3-7.

Great Learning to Read book. We love Little Witch in our house!

My son is just starting to read well, and he sat and read this to me from beginning to end. At first he groaned when I brought it out, but after a couple of pages he was interested to know what was going to happen and read it with enthusiasm.

I bought this book to read to my daughter when she was about three years old. Once she started to read about the age of five she would read it to me. It's a very cute story. My daughter will be eight soon and she still likes to take it out and read it to me once in a while.

That's Wormwood on the cover - see him? Not that animated corpse in the front, look into his eyes, or at least sockets. There, that maggot, that's Wormwood, animating that well-dressed corpse.

Nattily attired in his zombie suit, Wormwood inhabits the demimonde of supernatural beings and "adult" entertainments. When people start exploding in his favorite venue for exotic dance, he takes it on himself to hunt down the source of this annoying evil. Aided by an attitudinous guard-babe any by Pendulum, a mechanical man looking for upgrades in the manhood department, he's off.

Templesmith's jagged, chromatic style carries this story, cheerfully working from one blood-spattered clue to the next, racing against time to prevent a ghastly assault on our universe. He finds that threat and goes to nullify it ... a moment too late. What happens then had me rolling on the floor.

It certainly isn't for little kids, but I recommend Templesmith's eerie artwork and gallows humor. Enjoy!

-- wiredweird

Bizarre brilliance.

Templesmith's scripting is as morbidly humorous as his art, and the result is a wacky, "New Weird" romp through the modern occult underworld.

Although there's little time for explanation or backstory, Templesmith actually got me to care about his collection of misfit adventurers by the end of the first page. Or, at the very least, I was ready to cheer them on as they thumped on the demon intruders.

Not sure how to accurately praise the Leprechaun scene, other than to say it is a truly legendary moment in comic book history.

A fabulous idea coupled with fantastic original artistic style make for a must read comic.

Hot on the supernatural heels of Constantine and Hellboy comes another demon fighter/monster killer of ambiguous character named Wormwood. He's a welcome addition to the horror comic-book hero pantheon due to his unflappable personality and dark humor.

Like Hellboy, Wormword isn't, shall we say, quite human. He's a sentient wormlike creature who uses corpses for mobility and to blend in with humanity (magic helps a bit with his camouflage). As with Constantine, he's familiar with the nasty underbelly of reality and has a sense of noirish mirth that leavens his altruism. And there is also the typical assortment of oddball, gifted sidekicks to provide comic relief and take the brunt of punishment during combat.

In this collection, Wormwood and his partners take on some Cthulhu-like creatures that are threatening to devour humanity. Of course, this particular storyline has been done many times before. But Mr. Templesmith manages to (ahem) inject some interesting angles. For example, the author does a fine job tapping into our primal fears of sharing bodily fluids, STDs, and being consumed by one's lover or offspring. And as for the medium of transmission - well, I'll certainly never watch a male enhancement commercial the same way again.

Despite the intriguing characters, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the climactic battle between Wormwood & Co. and the main nasty. It was handled in a somewhat different way than these conflicts usually are, but the resolution seemed to invalidate the preceding mayhem. Clever at first reading, but it kind of lost its luster for me after further reflection.

The helter-skelter art suggests Bill Sienkiewicz's run on the New Mutants awhile back. Normally I prefer a more realistic approach - I liked Mr. Sienkiewicz better when he was a Neal Adams clone (a la "Moon Knight"). For reference, my favorite horror artists are "Swamp Thing" illustrators Stephen Bissette, Rick Veitch, and John Totleben. However, as with Hellboy's artist, Mr. Templesmith's pencils fit his undead character's surreal tone and icky atmosphere just fine. As a bonus, cover and sketchbook art are included as well.

Overall, "Wormwood" is an interesting take on the loner hero (Wormwood and his ilk are always set apart, even when surrounded by associates) who stands between us and the forces of chaos. If you enjoy Hellboy and Constantine, then "Wormwood" will slither easily into your collection.

Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse is the product of 30 Days of Night artist, Ben Templesmith, who not only provides the art, but wrote the story as well. This 152 page trade paperback collects the four issue mini-series along with the Wormwood: The Taster which served as a prelude to the mini-series. If I could pick just one word to describe Wormwood it would be...squishy...that tends to sum up both the look and feel of the book. Wormwood is a sentient worm that lives inside the eye-socket of a rather dapper English gentleman corpse. I've heard Wormwood described as actually being a maggot but no, he's definitely longer and, uh, squishier than a maggot.

Wormwood is never without his sidekick Mr. Pendulum, a mechanical construct with a bad attitude who looks like one of the members of ZZ Top. He's also frequently in the company of a lazy ghost detective named Trotsky, assistant Phoebe Phoenix, and former girlfriend Medusa who runs a local strip club and guards a gateway to hell. A pretty eclectic band of characters, no doubt about it!

Wormwood is like the John Constantine of the worm/maggot world. He's known to associate with various demons and deities, often over a multitude of beers. The opening prelude takes place in Medusa's club which suddenly becomes infected with demonic plants which have a nasty habit of bursting out of the customer's mouths. Wormwood and crew have to find the sporefather and destroy it before all of the customers become hothouses four more of the beasties. "Birds, Bees, Blood, and Beer" is a four-part story making up the bulk of the book. Someone is selling men what amounts to tainted viagra...improving their sexual performance, but also causing their seed to quickly germinate until a many-tentacled creature explodes out of their partner's belly. Yes...squishy is definitely the word for Wormwood.

By his own admission, Templesmith's art is love it or hate it. I have come around and you can count me in the "love it" category. His sketchy, abstract style is a perfect marriage to visual horror genre. Few artists today make use of color for style and setting a mood they way Templesmith does. Even the word balloons take on distinctive characteristics for the various characters. Templesmith weaves the horrific elements with dry humor for a masterful series. The book concludes with a spectacular cover and pin-up gallery featuring art by Templesmith, Grant Gould, Colton Worley, and Art Grafunkel.

In what will be familiar story for readers of children's literature, Louis Barnavelt has just lost both of his parents and has been sent to live with an eccentric family member. With illustrations by Edward Gorey, John Bellairs creates a wondrous Gothic environment for his narrator in The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Lewis' new home is "a three-story stone mansion with a tall turret on the front," and is full of hidden passageways and secrets. Lewis is a likable character and will appeal to readers who like to imagine themselves in such situations. His everyday obstacles, such as dealing with bullies at school, are contrasted by his life at home, where he is surrounded by his witch neighbor, magician uncle, and a mysterious ticking in the walls. The House With a Clock in Its Walls is delightfully scary, and will be of particular interest to those who enjoy mysteries.

They don't write kiddie horror like this anymore. I used to be addicted to John Bellairs as a kid, and then I grew up and sadly moved on. When I finally read this again, I was totally blown away by the incredible characterization and plot with more terror and creativity than what one sees in adult horror these days.

The House with a Clock in It's Walls is about a young boy named Lewis who's parents have died recently and has now gone to live with his uncle Jonathan. His uncle Jonathan is this wonderfully strange man who lives in a wonderfully strange mansion with a wonderfully strange neighbor by the name of Mrs. Zimmerman. Lewis soon learns that Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman both dabble in magic...he also learns of a clock buried in the walls of the mansion, and of his uncle's strange obsession with clocks.

Lewis is also going through a rough adjustment process. He's in a new town with new relatives and is trying to make friends. But he's a little chubby kid who's horrible at sports. When one of the popular boys at school shows an interest in him, he does everything he can to keep him as a friend. He goes as far as jumping into aspects of magic and necromancy that he knows nothing about. In doing so, Lewis may have awakened something that can't be put back to rest.

I really enjoyed this first book in the trilogy that was illustrated perfectly by Edward Gorey.

A bit boring, ho hum! Of the children I gave this to they would read a while and then find other things to do and then read a little more later. I read it - not enough to hold interest for any period of time and the artwork is strange - more adult. Give it to your child to read in between waiting for the good books to arrive. Okay, but!

For all who might argue that this is a rehash of Lemony Snicket, J.K. Rowling, or whomever, can we just remember that this book predates them all by at least two decades? This is genuinely creepy adolescent fiction, and if your child is prone to nightmares, I wouldn't let her have it at age 10. It's also a moral story (in a way that Harry Potter has never been) about our infinite capacity to do evil without meaning to, and the terrifying responsibility that doing so entails to try to right things. Harry might suffer the usual case of teenaged angst, but Lewis really has done a terrible thing, out of questionable motives, and his guilt and misery really resonate with children who know that they have the potential to do the same. And yet he prevails, in the face of real terror. Give it a try; Bellairs is good and Gorey's illustrations are classic.

I honestly could not put this book down from start to finish. This book was a bit different than many of Koontz's books in that it had no horror or no bizarre characters that he writes so well. Instead, it was just flat out non-stop suspense from beginning to end. Wow! It really was incredible.

I love Dean Koontz, but this book surprised me in a good way. I was just blown away.

It is definitely worth reading. Give it a try, and if you like this one, read Intensity by Dean Koontz next.

I don't know if I would recommend this all of my friends but I enjoyed the read.

Some folks have complained about how absurd the premise of the book it (capturing ICE bergs for the desert) and maybe it is.. but hey, who cares if it is a little far fetched.. It was a "good" time in the frozen north. The Russian sub was a good addition... although I got caught thinking about how they could have tried to rescue them more easily :-)

Anyhow, it you enjoy a little drama and a slight amount of sci-fi, you will like this book.

I was dissapointed in Icebound. This may have been a fair book for many writers, but I expect more from Dean Koontz. This was a mild and boring attempt. Not what readers have come to expect from Dean Koontz.

This book was excellent. I found it a refreshing change from traditional Koontz books. The imagery he promotes through his words literally left me chilled...in a good way, however. I placed myself in the situation of being stuck in bitter cold on an iceberg in the North Pole, and it creeps me out. I just imagine the bone-chilling weather, and it brings the story alive. A great story recommended to all of the avid Dean Koontz readers out there...be sure to include this oldie in your reading!

I've been a major Dean Koontz bent for a few years now... and must say-- of the several I've read so far-- this is the weakest.

The characters are not as complex or deep as most Koontz characters... and Koontz spends a lot of time detailing the setting that I think the characters seem to get lost all the more. I just never quite felt a connection to the characters.

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is less of a wild, highly creative book by Koontz and more of a good, old-fashioned novel.

In the note to readers at the end of the book, Koontz does tell readers that this is not his usual style.

Whereas the first three of Stephen King's "Dark Tower" books propel the storyline further with every word, this fourth installment takes a bit of a different tact, instead doubling back to give some much-needed backstory on the character of Roland of Gilead.

Thus, with our heroes (Roland, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, and even Oy!) holding palaver around a night campfire, Roland tells a story from his teenage years. In this tale, Roland and friends (Cuthbert and Alain) become trapped in a seemingly unwinnable struggle against shady local townfolk, while at the same time Roland falls madly in love with a local girl who is pledged to become a concubine. Typical King madness!

Many people consider this book to be a "weak link" in the Dark Tower series, as it doesn't really advance the main storyline and it is quite long. Yet, I see it as exactly the opposite. By recounting the exploits of a young Roland of Gilead, the reader is able to better understand the complex emotions that make him the stern, sullen, driven man he is. Plus, Roland's story is absolutely thrilling (I consider it to be the best single portion of the entire Dark Tower series) and will have you turning pages deep into many nights. Make sure to keep the Kleenex box handy, though, as you WILL become emotional wrapped up in Roland's youthful struggles.

Overall, I consider "Wizard and Glass" to be the pinnacle of the Dark Tower series, as it reveals Roland's fascinating childhood and the events that shaped the man he ultimately became. For all you LOST fans out there, I like this book to that show: Without the flashbacks, although they don't advance the actual storyline, the show would be severely lacking in emotional drama and cease to be as entertaining/thrilling as it is. Thus, think of this book as one big flashback...not crucial to the plot, but providing valuable information that will help you connect with Roland on an even deeper level.

I really enjoyed The Waste Lands (Book 3), but I found this book nearly impossible to finish. It felt like filler, not really adding anything interesting to the series. I felt like the book was going backwards when it should have been going forward.

I love this serie from Stephen King and I can't seem to be able to put it down for long ... just can't wait to see what's gonna happen next! To try it is to get addicted to it ... enjoy your reading!

++NO SPOILERS++

Wizard and Glass is the fourth book in the Dark Tower series and I must say it is by far my favorite and the best thus far. After about 200 pages or so this book takes a very nice and welcome turn into Rolands past and the story is quite remarkable. I have not read much Stephen King, except for The Mist and the first 4 Dark Tower books but I must say that his character development is matched by few. On a side note, I notice that the deeper I get into this series the more I like the first book (The Gunslinger)...........strange because I thought it was decent but not great when I finished it. Also, make no mistake, 2 and 3 are really good, but 4 is unbelieveable.

After each book in this series ends I can't wait to start the next one. If you haven't read the first three books you need it they are awesome!

Had to read this book in college and loved it so much that I bought it when I started teaching. Great book!

I remember buying this book in grade school and loving it. Although this book is aimed at grade schoolers, the author is never condescending. The protagonist is allowed to be strong and independent but she also learns about life lessons where you learn about the importance of inderdependence between people and learning to accept them for who they are. It's spooky enough to raise the hair on your neck but it never gets so scary that it turns you off from reading the entire book. The plot is pretty intricate and unpredictable.

I first discovered this book in the 5th grade. I remember not being able to put it down..totally enthralled. I'd never read anything like it. It was SOOO suspensful..VERY creepy. I remember having trouble sleeping..kept seeing that house and the dolls in my head..haha. Yet, I checked it out many more time from the library..I just loved it! Now as a 29 yr old, I checked it out again from my local library and sat down and read it tonight again. For being on the 4th-6th grade reading level this is really high quality fiction. Betty Ren Wright mastered the art of suspense in this gripping story. I HIGHLY recommend to anyone (adults included!). I would caution if you have a sensitive child..I think 4th grade may be a little young. I'd say probabaly ok for 5th or 6th and up.

The Dollhouse Murders
Amy took her little sister Louann to the Regents mall with her friend Ellen.Amy was looking for her sister but it was hard for her to find her because theywent to the mall on a Friday evening and the mall was full of Friday-evening shoppers.Then Amy heard a ripple of childish laghter.Amy darted around the corner a thick carpet was in the center of the walk ,a puppet show was going on.Louann was sitting in the middle of the carpet.Amy grabed louann and pulled her to the main part of the mall.Amy and Louann wanted for there mom to come pick them up.When she got thereAmy said that she was noting to take Louann to the mall ever again.Amy Aunt Clare came from Chicago and stayed in Amys great grandparents house.One day Amy went over there to see her aunt and her aunt asked her if she would like to come stay with her for a foow days because she was lonly so Amy said she would like to.So Aunt Clare called Amys dad and asked him if she could and he said yes.So the next day Amy got all her stuff that she needed and her dad took her over there.Amy found a dollhouse in the attic Amy started to play with the dollhouse.Amy asked her Aunt what happend to her great-grandparents but her aunt didnt tell her so Amy and her friend Ellen went to the libauryto find out what happend to them.Well thay found out thay wear murderd.Amy went home that night and told her aunt that she now what happend to them Aunt Clare was upset she said that thay didnt find the person that killed them.So the dallhouse in the attic began to show what happend to Amys great-grandparents.

The Dollhouse Murders
Amy took her little sister Louann to the Regents mall with her friend Ellen.Amy was looking for her sister but it was hard for her to find her because theywent to the mall on a Friday evening and the mall was full of Friday-evening shoppers.Then Amy heard a ripple of childish laghter.Amy darted around the corner a thick carpet was in the center of the walk ,a puppet show was going on.Louann was sitting in the middle of the carpet.Amy grabed louann and pulled her to the main part of the mall.Amy and Louann wanted for there mom to come pick them up.When she got thereAmy said that she was noting to take Louann to the mall ever again.Amy Aunt Clare came from Chicago and stayed in Amys great-grandparents house.One day Amy went over there to see her aunt and her aunt asked her if she would like to come stay with her for
a foow days because she was lonly so Amy said she would like to.So Aunt Clare called Amys dad and asked him if she could and he said yes.So the next day Amy got all her stuff that she needed and her dad took her over there.Amy found a dollhouse in the attic Amy started to play with the dollhouse.Amy asked her Aunt what happend to her great-grandparents but her aunt didnt tell her so Amy and her friend Ellen went to the libauryto find out what happend to them.Well thay found out thay wear murderd.Amy went home that night and told her aunt that she now what happend to them Aunt Clare was upset she said that thay didnt find the person that killed them.So the dallhouse in the attic began to show what happend to Amys great-grandparents.

This is a much better mystery than many of the others that are out there for the age group.

The good: The length of the book is perfect. It appeals to students that don't want to read. The cover is decent, students find the cover appealing enough to pick up the book (and that is often half the battle). The story detail makes it easy to visualize what is happening.

The bad: Parts of the book do drag. The connection between the dreams and the "actual" events may be hard to make for many 10 year olds, causing some confusion with the ending. There are a lot of unexplained events. Too many for my opinion.

Overall, yeah, students pick it up. Some get it more than others. But, for the most part, they want to read it.

Skeleton man was really mysterious book. They start with tons of action right away. The character is telling spooky stories. But the bad part was that they didn't introduce the characters right away like most books do. The main character Molly was telling spooky stories. Stories that her dad told her before he and her mom dissapeared.
It was also a really quick read for the people that don't like to read much. When I started reading I couldn't put down the book. My fingers couldn't stop flipping the pages.
I love how joseph Bruchac [author] describes molly's uncle. He really explains in detail the characteristics of him. I could acually see how molly could think of him as a scary person or maybe even a skeleton man. With his creepy face features and how he locks her in her room every night.
I hate books but loved this one, so you will like it too. highly recommend this book to any 6th grader who is looking for a good book. I would like to tell much more but i can't. So go to the library to check it out. So you can see what happends to the skeleton man.

This book was bought to go into the Library collection to support the Halloween season.

Bruchac weaves a suspenseful tale of a courageous, determined, heroine who allows her dreams and American Indian heritage to guide her decisions. At first, Molly is unsure of what is coming to her in her dreams; is it memory, or premonition? As the story unfolds, Molly embraces her dreams, and even beckons them to "help" her. She recalls stories told to her from the Mohawk traditions which comfort her, and also warn her of possible danger. She learns to have faith in herself, even when some of the adults in her life dismiss her claims as an "overactive imagination." She is shrewd enough to realize that if she tells the adults everything about her dreams and suspicions, she may be putting herself (and her parents) in more danger. Molly can trust just one adult - her teacher, and this alliance makes her stronger. Knowing that she can rely on at least one other person makes her feel more secure and sane throughout this whole ordeal. This quick, intense mystery is sure to appeal to reluctant readers.

I was reading the book "Skeleton Man" by Joseph Bruchac. This book has amazing events. The events are filled with suspense and mystery. With the details, it will make you want to read as much as I did. The main characters and their actions make you want to read and keep going.

In this book, you can probably relate yourself to the characters and the events. There were many surprises in this book. If you love suspense books, this is a great book for you.

I love the Wiley & Grampa series by Kirk Scroggs. The Hairball From Outer Space is great. It's 6thth in the series. So, be sure to check out the rest. These books are a lot of fun for boys who might be picky about what they read. If your child loves the Captain Underpants books, then turn him on to these.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

Wiley & Grampa are on the top of my 8yr old sons list of favorites. The books are quite silly and a lot of fun. It is great to see my picky reader truly enjoying a book.

Book is Awesome! The entire L.A. Banks series of the vampire huntress is awesome! I really recommend any of her books.

This is not the first book I've read from this author and she definitely has not disappointed me yet. If this is the first book you're reading you may not catch on to what's going on, you definitely have to start with the first book in the series The Minion. This entire series is definitely a great read...I wasn't really into the Vampire thing, but after I read the first book I must say that I was hooked. I can't wait until L.A. Banks starts her new Werewolf series next year and I'm sure it won't be disappointing.

"The Forbidden" has our herion face off with an evil almost as powerful as the Un-named one. Will all Damali's skill and power be enough to stop the continuing assult from below. Read this one if you want to know.
STAY IN THE LIGHT!!!!

this book is as good as the rest. i am in awe of ms. banks knowledge of ancient peoples and their history. i love how she weaves this knowledge into the story line. i only wish i could write like this. CUDOS to ms. banks.

L A Banks understands better than just about anyone how to write stories that embrace both the real and the unreal. She has a master's hand for guiding the reader through emotional and psychologocal changes. This book is a real find!