The House

October 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Delilah Blue would do anything for her crush, Gavin. She is sent to boarding school after beating up bullies who attacked him. Seven years later, she is back in Kansas and her obsession with Gavin hasn't changed. The two become inseparable. But a dark force threatens their relationship-the house that Gavin lives in. It provides everything that Gavin could possibly want and need in life. But the house doesn't want Delilah to be part of his life. When it gets mad, it becomes possessed and terrible things happen to the two teens. Gavin soon realizes how abnormal this is and begins to wonder about what happened to his mother, of whom he has only vague memories. What will happen when he graduates and leaves for college? Will the house let him go? This eerie work by the author team of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings is told in chapters that alternate between Delilah's and Gavin's accounts. With a swiftly moving plot and eerie elements that will surely raise goose bumps, this novel can be enjoyed by voracious horror fans and reluctant readers alike. VERDICT Give to teens who enjoy spine-tingling haunted house and ghost stories like The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn (Clarion, 2004) and The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (HarperCollins, 2008).-Shannon Seglin, San Antonio Public Library

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2015
A rebellious girl falls for a strange boy who lives in an even stranger house. This superior and unusual horror story opens with Delilah, who feels neglected by her unfeeling parents. She's attracted to Gavin, who has lived quite differently: he was raised by the house he dwells in, a living being that loves him and cares for him. He communicates with House and its various parts, such as Fireplace, which tends its own fire, Bed, which stretches at his request, and Piano, which taught him how to play music. He has no idea what happened to his mother, only that House has always cared for him, serving him abundant food and giving him toys. When he brings Delilah home, and she asks where he wants to go to college, the room becomes colder. House clearly doesn't like Delilah, but leaving it isn't going to be so easy. With great secrecy, they begin to plan their escape. Things will, of course, go horribly wrong. Lauren (a joint pen name for Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) taps into classic haunted-house memes, drawing those ideas to the max as they imbue House with a distinct, sinister personality. Intrigue builds, and suspense slowly creeps in as readers begin to realize the extent to which House can control events, and the real danger in which the teens find themselves constantly ratchets up. Don't read it at night. (Horror. 12-18)

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October 1, 2015
Grades 9-12 Delilah's return to her sleepy Kansas hometown is an unpleasant one, until she runs into her old crush Gavin. Delilah wastes no time getting closer to see if the chemistry's mutual, but Gavin has some secrets to hide, and none as big as House: his ever-vigilant, protective, and vindictive guardian. Ever since Gavin's parents disappeared when he was a toddler, Houseliterally the house in which he liveshas been his whole world. Clothes appear in his closet, food is lovingly cooked and served, and Piano invites him to learn a few chords whenever he wants. But this paranormal creep-fest is just getting started: House decides that Delilah is out to steal Gavin, and she is not happy. Some crucial characters aren't as well delineated as they could be. But Delilah and Gavin's relationship is intense, and House itself is an impressive character, the force that pushes along this unique portrayal of an abusive relationship. It will send chills down your spineor worse if House gets angry.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)