Greenglass House Kindle Edition

This book has definitely been one of my favourite reads of the year so far, and the funny thing is, I didn't think it would be.It is a middle grade book revolving around our main character Milo, who is the adopted son of the Pines'. He was looking forward to his Christmas break and some much needed downtime with his family, who happen to own and run an inn - The Greenglass House, that is known to welcome all kinds of visitors, including smugglers. However, just as Milo had finished all his schoolwork early to really enjoy the rest of his break, several guests show up at the doorstep of the inn, each with a stranger reason for the visit than the next. Milo, a lover of mysteries, and mainly just bored, begins an adventure, in which he tries to find out the real reason behind their stay, and how they might be connected to one another.In doing so, he meets a young girl his age, Meddy, who encourages him to role play and use his imagination. Something that proves to be quite difficult for Milo at first, as he is grounded in reality, but he soon learns to enjoy the role playing as it gives him a chance to pretend to be someone he is not. This is important for Milo's character development, as he struggles with his identity and the many unanswered questions regarding his background and birth parents, and seems to deal with a lot of guilt for wanting to know, given that his parents are great and loving and have never done anything for him to wish otherwise.At first, I was a little put off by the "game", maybe because it's way above my age group and so I couldn't help but think how childish these kids are being. Meddy, especially, came off as very annoying and clingy and her insistence on sticking to character could become quite irritating - Milo sure did get frustrated with her a few times, however, as they get closer and closer to solving the mystery the game begins to make more sense until it reaches a climax, which honestly left me sitting with my jaw on the floor and gave me goosebumps all over.I really enjoyed getting to know each of the guests separately, and trying to figure out who was up to what. They all act quite suspicious, and they all have bizarre backgrounds that sometimes don't add up. Suddenly, things start disappearing - guests belongings are being stolen, and everyone is a suspect. Milo makes it his mission to find these missing belongings, but more importantly to find out who is behind all this thievery - and why. When Milo suggests that they all begin sharing stories after dinner, as a way to pass the time and get to know each other a little better, you start seeing glimpses of each one's true intentions and Milo uses that time to try and assess the details for any clues and piece things together, with the help of Meddy.It all reminded me a little bit of Agatha Christie's, And Then There Were None. Obviously, a more innocent, child-friendly version, just in the way that these strangers are all stuck in a house and telling stories and hiding things and so on. Then again, I probably made that connection because I had recently read it.A great mystery, with some great characters that are all well developed and rounded. Milo is a great protagonist to have and root for, and his sidekick Meddy is a wonderful companion to him. The twist in the story took me completely off-guard, and I honestly didn't see it coming. I don't know if it's just me, or if Kate Milford played it well, but I was blindsided and found it one of the most unpredictable twists that I had read in a while. Very well done. That twist and ending alone quickly made this book one of my favorites, otherwise, it would have been just another regular old mystery.

I bought this for my 5th grade classroom library. Before I put a book in the library, I read it first. I thought the beginning was a little slow; however, I kept reading. About a third of the way through the book, I could not put it down! With about 2 chapters to go, I had the ending figured out and, NO, I will not even begin to offer a hint or spoil it for anyone else. I loved this book so much that when school begins, I will be telling my kids that it should be one for them to check out. As soon I reached the last page, I ordered the next two books in the series. Full of mystery, clues, and adventure. Can't wait to put it in the hands of my fifth graders!

A perfect kids book! Had it been around when I was young I would have read it a hundred times by now (like my other favorites: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A Wrinkle in Time, and Charlotte’s Web). It’s an adventure story complete with rambling houses, hidden treasures, eccentric characters, ghosts, and Mystery with a capital M.12-year old Milo Pine lives with his adoptive parents in Greenglass House — a rambling old Inn whose “regulars” are the smugglers who need a little “shore time.” Greenglass House is perched above a deep gorge — accessible only via a creaky cable car named the Whilforber Whirlwind or a 310 step stairway.As Christmas vacation commences, and Milo prepares to snuggle in for some serious R&R in the empty Inn, the cable car bell keeps ringing and the number of guests (and emergency helpers) grow until Milo finds himself amidst a sea of eccentric characters who all seem to be on delightfully connected personal quests that center on the house itself.Weaving together folk tales and local legend with a little paranormal thrown in, Milo uncovers the mysteries of Greenglass House and the odd set of characters who are so fixated on it. Milo — prone to anxiety and panic attacks — also develops delightfully through the twin instruments of literature and role playing games.Good writing — the story is complex enough to engage adults and yet completely accessible to the target kid audience.

This is a sweet little story. It's filled with mystery, intrigue, and a little magic. Throw in some smugglers, thieves, and strangers and you get a fun little escapade. I thoroughly enjoyed it.I will say, as an adoptive mom, I wasn't prepared to encounter the dark adoption theme here. I felt really sorry for the character that struggled so with his identity - and it was never really clarified for him. I would warn adoptive parents to read this one with their kids and expect some painful conversations. It's worth it, but just be ready.

Set in a creaky old house, brimming with interesting characters , lost 'treasure' and intriguing mysteries. The story takes place in the run up to Christmas, and as I read it during a cold and dark January, the story turned out to be a lovely way to capture the cosiness of Christmas. Some twists are clear from the get go, while others surprise along the way. Highly enjoyable, so much so, I've bought the sequel. Enjoy!

Don't let the 'for kids' tag put you off: like Narnia or Philip Pullman's work, this is every bit as good for adults looking to find a bit of escapism and magic in their lives. Absolutely adored the mix of adventure and heart and a bit of spookiness.

This book is so cute!

Bene imballato. Un pò impanato. Veloce la spedizione. Eh grazie, ha preso il piccione. Libro interessante, a volte inquietante. Tanto da farsela nelle mutande. Cmunque lo consiglio a chi la notte vuole fare un sbadiglio. Prezzo OK

I really enjoyed this, I think the 'twist' was quite well done. There were some things that weren't quite wrapped up by the end of the book, but I think it worked quite nicely and added to the mystery rather than feeling unfinished.