The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee Chronicle Books - August 28, 2018 I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. As soon as I read the teaser for this book, I was excited! It was hailed as a “Stranger Things meets The Haunted Mansion middle grade fantasy,” and ended up being the perfect mix of mystery and intrigue with a few unusual characters. This book centers around twin brothers Felix and Lee. They live with their parents, Vince and Judith, in a quiet house nestled in the Poplar Wood. Here’s the catch, their family has an Agreement in which Lee and his mother are apprentices to Memory and Felix and his father are apprentices to Death. Yes, both Memory and Death are capitalized because they are very much alive and “human” throughout the book. Memory and Death, along with Passion, are Shades, that through their apprentices are able to influence and interact with the people in their town. The Agreement between the family does have a dark side. Death and Memory are enemies and, because of this, have separated the house into two parts. I won’t give away all the nuances of the Agreement, but it is definitely not ideal for this family. Lee is allowed to go to school and have a normal life, while Felix is only allowed into town once a year on Halloween when Death takes a break. On Halloween, another important character, Gretchen, enters the fray. Gretchen’s family are Summoners, making them the enemy of the Shades’ apprentices. Gretchen desperately wants the help of Lee and Felix to solve the recent murder of Essie Hastings, the apprentice of Passion. Lee and Felix reluctantly get caught up in the investigation, only to discover that they might find something that will change their lives forever. What I loved most about this book was the characters. Each and every one of them was so believable and engaging. I have a special place in my heart for the cheeky, industrious, and very mischievous Gretchen, who isn’t willing to give up. The brothers, Felix and Lee, are super relatable and their sibling issues will resonate with readers of all ages. The story moves quickly and is told from the perspectives of these three main characters, which gives the story more depth and complexity, and in my opinion, makes it more fun to read. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and up. It would be great for fans of Neil Gaiman and those who like stories that have a little dark humor to them. I am so impressed with this book and cannot wait to share it with my middle school readers!
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AuthorMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own.
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