I was really shocked with how good this book was. I had seen it around, but hadn't really thought anything of it until I got it in the mail from Simon Pulse.

Isobel is a teenager whose mother just married some guy she met on the internet three months ago. Isobel and her mother pack up and move to this guy's old mansion on some island. Isobel is told she can pick any bedroom she wants. And she happens to pick the bedroom of her dead step-sister. The first night she is there, she sees a ghost. I think in her mind she really knows who it was. But she begins to tell herself that it wasn't really there. It must have been the wind and her curtains or something. From then on, weird things keep happening in this house. Isobel is determined to figure it all out, because she knows something is going on in this house. It doesn't all add up. Isobel's new step-dad is catching on and starts telling her and her mother that she needs help. Isobel's mother starts to believe it and considers having Isobel committed. A date is set for Isobel to leave, and she realizes that she needs to solve this mystery fast if she wants to avoid being committed.

I really liked the characters in this story. Isobel is a typical teenager. Who would like moving away from your whole life to a place where you know you won't fit in and will be living with people you barely know!? I didn't like that she started questioning herself about seeing the ghost, but I think deep down she knew that she really did see a ghost. She just didn't want to admit it. However, she knew the alternative was that she was going crazy, which she knew was absolutely not true. She is a fighter. She says things how they are. And she is determined.

Isobel's mother is an idiot. First of all, she marries some guy she met on the internet after knowing him for only 3 months. Second of all, she moves to some place she doesn't know when he is absolutely not willing to move where she is from. There should be some compromise, and it should be something that should be discussed. Like maybe everyone should decide what the best place would be for everybody, but this new guy gets everything he wants I guess. And finally, she begins believing her new husband over her own daughter! She has known her daughter since she was born, and this guy for 3 months! She should have seen that her daughter wasn't going crazy. The things that were happening weren't even things that would get a person committed. So she was listening to her new husband too much.

Isobel's new stepbrother is sweet, caring, and perfect boyfriend material. At first, Isobel fights her feelings for him. Then they start making out and saying it is ok because they aren't blood related. Okay, I can understand that....but assuming their parents stayed together, there is no way a relationship would last. Now, if they knew that their parents were going to split, then maybe I could see something going on. It was just a little too weird for me. Her stepbrother really listens to her though. He supports her and although sometimes he may think she is a little crazy, he works it all out with her.

Isobel's stepfather is a terrible person, and he knew exactly what he was doing with all of his actions. He doesn't care for any other human being but himself. He becomes a huge character at the end of this book, and I can't say much about him without giving the ending away. Read the book and you will believe me about how terrible he is!

I liked the setting of this book. It's on an island. The house is a creepy old mansion from the 1800s that had one wing that was pretty much falling apart. There was a library, ballroom, several bedrooms, etc. It sounded gorgeous! I would love to fix up something like that!