A Hair-Raising Tale... Highly Recommended!

The Secrets of Hawthorne House is a hair-raising tale perfect for young readers and lighthearted adults looking for an enjoyable and easy read. We at TopShelf Magazine (being a family-owned and run business with more than our fair share of children) love Young Adult novels, and this one is absolutely no exception! Fifteen-year-old Matt Mitchell is having one of the worst summers of his life. His torment starts when his mother dies in a tragic car accident. Matt's grief-stricken father cannot remain in the family's seaside cottage, so he moves Matt and his twin sister as far away as possible––far from the place they all loved. But their relocation to the small town of Hawthorne only makes life more challenging for Matt. There are bullies at his new school who are going out of their way to make Matt's life unbearable. Making matters worse, rumors have crossed his ears that an evil, murdering witch inhabits the run-down Victorian mansion next door. There is a lyrical, almost playful quality to the author's voice. Most of the time, I would say this is a problem; however, in this case, it not only works; it's a real joy to read. I must confess, the copy of the book that we reviewed did have a few typographical errors. However, in good conscience, I cannot rob this fantastic book of the rating that it deserves. Now we wait for book two! Please, Mr. Firesmith, do hurry!

~Keith Katsikas, TopShelf Reviews