The first thing I can think of to say is that these books must be read. Having spent much of my childhood reading YA fiction, I can honestly say that this is some of the best on the market. If YA is not your style, it's not a problem; if you're familiar with Liparulo's work at all (and if you're not, you need to fix that), he doesn't dumb it down or edit it. Basically, what makes it young adult is the age of the characters, and some of the more gruesome violence takes place “off-screen.” However, there are enough bumps, scrapes, bruises, broken bones, blood, scary situations, and dead bodies to rival his adult fiction, and the writing style is largely equivalent. So don't shy away from the “Young Adult” label.
The premise is that the King family has just moved into a creepy new house. They haven't spent one night in it before the mother gets kidnapped and taken through one of the portals in the secret third floor; portals that take you back in time. The series chronicles the adventures of David and Xander, their sister Toria, and their Dad, as they attempt to find her and bring her back. But there is an evil force at work, and it will do anything to uncover the house's secrets...
Liparulo is at his finest in this series. Even before the action kicked off into high gear (and once it does, don't expect it to let up until the series ends), I was amazed at how quickly I was drawn to the characters. The dynamic between 15- and 12-year-olds Xander and David captures the “brother” quality so well that I couldn't help but be reminded of my own relationship to my brothers. And when they explore the house for the first time, he sets the mood so well, creepy and foreboding, that I was hooked.
Added to that, the premise, which seems so simple at first, quickly becomes a plot so twisting and full of surprises that it is sure to leave you breathless. I was pleasantly surprised at the way he handles the “problems” of time travel, because I wasn't sure he would go into the paradox issue, but he pulls it off in a convincing and thought-provoking way. However, it's the places he sends the Kings, and the people they meet, that really blow your mind and ratchet up the excitement.
In short, the Dreamhouse Kings is a wild roller coaster ride of an adventure, and it's one you don't want to miss. Each book ends with a pretty strong cliffhanger, but now that the final book is released, that isn't as much of a problem. Speaking of final books, Frenzy is one of the best series closers that I have read in ages...and series openers. Because, although the story ended, not every end was tied up, and the author has already made plans for another Dreamhouse series. And that is some exciting news, to be sure.
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