When I downloaded the book, I had the wrong impression of it. I thought it was a just horror story. I hate horror movies, but I love horror novels. I thought I’d give it a go since haven’t read one in ages. But, I was wrong about House of Dark Shadows; it’s far from being just a horror story. It’s quite the page turner filled with time travel, adventure, spookiness, and suspense— the kind of suspense that made me subconsciously start reading faster.

When Xander and David found themselves traveling through a portal in their linen closet to a locker in their new school, I thought I had everything figured out. I thought I knew exactly who the perpetrator was who left the big, bare footprints in the dust. But, goodness was I wrong! This novel has so many twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing all the way through.

I loved the family dynamics in the story. Reading about the interactions between Xander and his younger brother, David, was a joy. The Kings have a healthy and realistic relationship with each other; they’ve just gotten in the habit of keeping some important secrets from each other, but what family doesn’t?

I also loved the descriptions; they were so vivid in this novel. I had a movie rolling in my mind the whole time as I read.

Sometimes I did have trouble keeping track of the two brothers. I thought more could have been done to develop the two characters. But, perhaps this will come in time during the second book of the series. I also found the father’s logic troubling. Without it, there wouldn’t be much of a story, but it’s kind of unbelievable.

The book also makes a number of pop culture references. I mean a lot. A few seemed relevant, even humorous. But, after a while I felt like there were far too many, and I didn’t think they were adding anything to the story. I can’t imagine reading this novel years down the line since I think many of the reference will be lost on readers.

Overall, the story was great! It’s perfect for reluctant readers because it’s fast paced, full of action, and a relatively short read. I’m definitely grabbing a copy of the second book of the series, Watcher in the Woods (out now), because I really want to know what happens next!