DNF at page 197 or around 75%.

I just didn’t care anymore. It started out great and then fizzled. The characters had no depth or growth, and the convo between Sarah and Jeb bothered me. Children need to learn critical thinking skills. I think it’s harmful for these characters to say that they believe everyone is good and wouldn’t lie to them.

I also didn’t like the thinly veiled heaven, hell, purgatory worlds. There are much more imaginative ways to do a story like this.

Also, what is with these first time authors writing the entire book except for one chapter from a single perspective? Why did we need one chapter halfway through from Billy’s perspective? Unnecessary. Just do dual perspective throughout otherwise it’s jarring.

If you like creepy mysteries then I recommend this book to you. Sarah and Billy will be spending their summer fixing up her late grandmother’s house to sell. Sarah’s mother just wants to get things done and the house sold. She has never liked the house and she believes that her own mother was a little crazy. The reason it that Sarah’s grandmother used to tell some pretty crazy stories to her mom. While cleaning things out Sarah finds an unfinished letter from her grandmother. She states that “strange things are happening behind the bookcase.” When Sarah finds an opening behind the bookcase she just has to see where it leads. Unfortunately it dumps her into the land of Scotopia. But things aren’t what they seem in Scotopia either. Why would her grandmother leave her an unfinished note and what is it that she is supposed to do or learn? Why is there a locked door in the basement that no one seems to have the key to?

This book is full of secrets, a talking cat with his own evil agenda and fantastic worlds. More importantly the message of the importance of family with all of their quirks is a main theme running throughout this book. I am sad that I had the book with me at home when we were forced into online school. None of this year’s students got the opportunity to read this wonderful book. However, I will make sure that next year’s students hear all about it. ( )

I wanted to like this book. I really did.
But I didn't.

I think the concepts and the creative characters were awesome.

What I didn't like was all the back and forth. The plot was interesting - sort of. But I got tired of it about 2/3 way through the book. By that time, reading the book felt like solving the riddle about the man, a fox, a chicken, and corn.

Not sure if anyone will feel this way. Maybe it's just me.

Props to the author for creating interesting characters though. ( )

This is indeed a book that the juvenile aged person would relish. Filled with the mystery of an old, dilapidated home, spooky rooms, and sounds that go bump in the night, the pages will turn quickly for the young reader who longs to find what lies beyond the bookcase.

The grandmother of two has died, leaving the house to their mother and father. Traveling from California to Pennsylvania countryside, the children enjoy the mystery of the house with rooms of books and mystery. Their parents, however, see a home that needs a lot of work before it can be sold.

As the children venture behind the bookcases in each of their rooms, another world awaits. The characters in the other world are unique. And, the children must learn who to trust and how to navigate back and forth from the portal that provides danger and excitement.

A book off my shelf, I can now donate it to a lucky child who loves to read about adventure. ( )

Background: Sarah and Billy are brother and sister and have come to their grandmothers old house to pack it up to sell it with their parents. The problem is, that while there, the children find out that behind the bookcases are secret passageways to other worlds and that their grandmother had a very important job to do.

Review: Go get this book for yourself, your children, your grandparents, it is adorable and full of surprises. There are illustrations throughout the book and they just add to its wonder. I loved the characters, Sarah and Billy act their ages and are also brave and defiant. The plot is adorable and I absolutely loved it. I am a huge fan of books and bookcases and I think that it would be amazing if there really were other worlds behind them, kind of like a play on books themselves- you can dive right into something completely different. I think that this book is great for all ages. I received an e-copy to review, but immediately went out and bought the hardback. I plan on passing it along to my sister and then friends. So cute! ( )