The dog days of summer came early this year to southeast Texas and with them came requests from family and friends for summer reading recommendations.  If you or your teens are looking for a series of fantastic thrillers, let me wholeheartedly recommend Robert Liparulo's Dreamhouse Kings series.  These books follow the cliffhanging, time-traveling adventures of the King family after they move to a new house in a new town, only to find the home contains eerie portals to other times and places.  What should pose great adventure for the King children turns quickly to terror as a trespasser from one of the portals kidnaps their mother...beginning one of the most harrowing rescue missions ever!

I have previously reviewed and recommended House of Dark Shadows.  Recently, I have finished up Watcher in the Woods and Gatekeepers, Liparulo's second and third releases in the series, and recommend those with equal enthusiasm.  Liparulo writes with lucid, dramatic prose and fashions stories that draw readers in to his fantastic world.  After finishing up each book in little more than a day, my wife asked if I thought the reading too easy for our twelve year-old daughter.  My reply?  "You don't read  Dreamhouse Kings books quickly because they are too easy but because they're too hard...to put down!"

While you may get through these books in rapid succession, that is no cause for concern, because the next book in the series, Timescape, is due for release July 7th!

What could be better than all this?  Well, there are two more volumes (at least) in the works and rumors of a movie!  Read all the latest news about this series at Robert Liparulo's DHK blog.