Greenglass House

Greenglass house was an enjoyable and captivating read for adults and children. The plot is intricate and woven together with great skill. I felt the chill of the winter air, smelled the hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon, and bathed in the green hue from the beautiful stained glass. The main characters were well developed and I watched my affinity for each one grow as I discovered what they were searching for and their reasons for visiting the house. My interest in uncovering the plot twist kept me turning the pages. I experienced a sense of great satisfaction and a warm fuzzy glow as the plot resolved and the story came to an end. Wonderful read!!

Greenglass House is a wonderful, well-written, interesting mystery story for kids set at Christmastime in a quiet NE smuggler's inn. The story has twists and turns to keep kids interested, and it provides lots of things to talk about with young readers. I think it would work well for a book discussion group.

Reading it with my kids. We find it extremely annoying that the main character and his friend assume the personalities of Dungeons and Dragons like characters in the book. Their true personalities/characters are likeable enough and the plot has enough interesting twists and turns without adding the whole role playing thing, which by the way, appeals only to someone like Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe.

A very cute read!
Greenglass House really touched on a variety of issues very tastefully. The protagonist deals with a mild anxiety problem as well as questions about his birth family (because he is adopted). Both were treated with respect, and I thought the author did an excellent job.
I really liked the integration of storytelling per Caterbury Tales tradition, and the depth of history surrounding the Greenglass House.

I selected "Greenglass House" because I really enjoyed Kate Milford's "The Broken Lands" and after reading "Greenglass House", I have decided that I really need to get a hold of "The Boneshaker" which was published before "Broken Lands" because I loved "Greenglass House".

Milford has a gift of storytelling that while targeted for children, an adult can easily slip into the world she builds for her characters. It may help that while the main protagonists are children, adults still function are viable characters. They aren't 'wah-wah-wah' adults like in the Peanuts world.

In "Greenglass House" which is set in a time period that may be modern or recently modern but charmingly devoid of current modern speak such as gmail, texting, etc, a boy named Milo Pine lived in a house that serves as an inn and run by his parents. The winter is supposed to be the quiet season but instead, there is a knock at the door during one icy night by one guest and then several more. The guests are suitably odd and interesting and from them, they trigger Milo and his friend, Meddy, on an investigative quest.

As noted, Milford stays away from modern techno-speak so there is a timelessness to the story which suits the plot which taps into mysteries and lore and magic and mischief. It is fun and charming and very, very enjoyable. If I wasn't already keeping an eye on Milford's book, I would start after this one.

Definitely a keeper to me.

This post originally appeared on Narrative Investigations

As I seem to say every time I talk about Milford's books, I truly love her word-crafting and it really stands out as a unique style amongst all the books I read. And, as seems to happen every time, I didn't think to grab any examples of the book while I had it so I can't be as precise about it as I would like which is an ironic shame. To put it simply, all authors care about what words they use but most of them try to make them unobtrusive, to not remind the reader that this is a book in front of them but Milford does, she shows the characters' thoughts and then guides the reader into thinking other things about the settings and situations that the characters within the story would never have come up with. She's careful with tone and overall mood, much more so than the current style of middle grade/young adult writing and it almost gives her books a fairy tale like flair to them. And every time I read her books I almost want to confuse her of creating too safe, too quaint of a world, where smugglers bring in silly things like ballpoint pens and seed bulbs, and every time there's a sharp rebuttal from the book, a mention of smuggled weapons and an explanation of a very strict customs committee, that reminds me that no, this is a complicated world but that part does not matter here. Very rarely do you get a feel for the setting beyond the characters' immediate lives, especially outside of high fantasy or dramatic science fiction, but Milford has included just enough that it feels like there are two worlds in this story, the larger world and the world of the Greenglass House.

I did have two problems with this book, thankfully they aren't deal breakers for recommending it but still sufficiently large enough to annoy me. One is that Milo and Meddy play a role-playing game while exploring the house, it's not a full-fledged larp but they create some characters, some backstory, and then map out the house, that part was fine if a bit complex for something a pair of kids to think of on their own. My problem is that Milo is introduced in the first few pages to be someone who worries a lot, someone who likes things to be just so and is grumpy about change, I am exactly the same way so the idea that he could just ignore that and not have it leak over into his character was unbelievable. His character does slip a few times but never in that way and I would have liked to have seen that, I felt like Milford didn't get just how important routine is to that kind of person and what kinds of situations it takes to break that. I like his character otherwise, he was very easy to connect with because of his faults and I liked that he's an adopted, Chinese character and how that's only a part of his life, although Meddy came off a little flatter I will admit that's a symptom of the story only diving deeper into her character at the very end.

My other problem is that the eventual villain of the story was not a very satisfying on. On the one hand it made sense, the story had sufficiently convinced me that none of the other characters were the ones who were sabotaging things and meant other characters harm but the villains motivations were just, too fictional for me. In real life life is strange, my family's motto is practically "fact is stranger than fiction" but whenever something weird happens (in your personal life or the news), you file it away in your mind as "this happened but it's not the normal thing to happen" so it's still surprising. Therefore, in fiction we still expect a modicum of realism unless the story has telegraphed that this is a time when non-normal events happen and happen often which just wasn't the case here. If this had been Milford's other books then I would have expected strange things since they had more fantastical settings but even that wouldn't have solved my problem here, the villain is motivated by petty revenge and it just didn't come off well. Thankfully this only occupies the very end of the book but it still left me a bit grumpy (it also doesn't quite explain why there were so many guests at the same time, at least half of them are connected but several other people aren't and it's a bit odd in retrospect).

I'm months past finishing Greenglass House, and I *still* don't understand how Milford wove together the story threads and buried the secrets that she did. Looking back, I can clearly see all the plot twists and how she layered them together, but while reading, they were so elegantly done that I had absolutely NO IDEA what was about to come! This is one of the most surprising (as in, the twists at the end had me gasping and running to talk with book-friends as fast as I could!) books I read in 2017!

This is a story of stories involving secrets, treasures, games and adventures where fantasy and reality mingle. It begins on a snowy evening when Milo and his parents are looking forward to spending the winter holidays together in their inn, which is regularly empty at this time of year. But to Mill's dismay, despite the heavy snows,one by one guests begin to arrive. The cook brings her granddaughter with her when she comes to help out and the girl convinces Milo to begin a role playing game to discover the secrets of the inn's guests.

This is wonderful story, deep enough for the reader to immerse him or herself into. A book to be savored and not rushed through.

"Greenglass House" by Kate Milford is the perfect, delightful read for young mystery lovers. My fourth-grader loved it and I have to admit that I enjoyed it too. It made me think of my childhood favorites like the Enid Blyton mysteries. Set during the winter, young Milo is hoping for the usual quiet winter at the inn his family operates. However, his vision of an idyllic time comes to an end with the arrival of several mysterious visitors. Through a role-playing game with the cook's daughter, Milo sets out to investigate the mystery.

Do not be deceived. This book explores more than the mystery of the inn's guests. Milo experiences confusion about his identity and the role-playing game plays a part in helping him deal with this confusion and anxiety. There's plenty more to engage young reader's interest here, and the characters, including the house itself, round out the story nicely. Recommended for grades 3-6.

Miles is readdddy to party...or rather enjoy a quiet winter holiday break with just his parents in their smuggler friendly inn, Greenglass House, so named for the beautiful stained glass windows and rumored to be the site of the founders hidden treasure. Winter break usually means an empty inn instead of the usual motley crew of offbeat smugglers, and Miles is just cracking the spine on a good book when he is interrupted by the jingling summons that portends a guest. One guest leads to another and then yet another, and suddenly, unexpectedly, the inn is nearly full of a curious cast of characters. Even more curious is that each guest seems to have some prior knowledge of the others, and soon things become even more complicated when break-ins occur resulting in the disappearance of personal items that have a curious connection to the Inn and it’s founder, and a massive snowstorm rolls through and traps them all for the forseeable future. Miles is understandably perturbed that his vacation has been a bit ruined, until Meddy, who arrives with the housekeepers, enlists his help in a role playing game that may or may not double as a way to find out the secrets the guests all seem to be keeping before anything else goes missing. Before long, Miles realizes he may be on a hunt for more than personal treasures, as might the thief in their midst.

This is perhaps one of the most excellent middle grade novels I’ve read in years, and I don’t say that lightly (don’t worry Penderwicks, you still have real estate claims on my soul). It is incredibly fun to read, never panders to the age of the intended audience, keeps even seasoned readers guessing until the twist of an ending, and frankly, warms the cockles of the blackest hearts! It made me feel super cozy in the dead of the worst winter in my own memory. There is treasure, adventure, mystery, and friendship. Themes of challenging yourself, courage, and creativity abound, and this book deserves serious accolades for not only having a non-white (he’s Chinese) protagonist (huge snaps on this front alone), but one adopted by (white) parents of a different race. In short, Kate Milibrand doesn’t sugarcoat or tidily wrap up Miles’ occasional feelings of abandonment, deep love for his adoptive parents, shame about fantasizing about his birth parents, or about how he feels about the confusion he sees in strangers when they see him with his parents. It’s extraordinary and I hope all youth librarians take note to include this wonderful book in their arsonal. Excellent for kids aged 9-99, fans of the Goonies, and anyone who likes a good story!

I love that Kate Milford’s books trust that children will be intelligent. I love that they are complex stories with interesting characters and themes. Greenglass House by Kate Milford is a wintery read with quite the mystery to unravel and a rather fascinating cast of characters.

Milo is looking forward to vacation and some time alone with his parents. You see, they run an inn and winter is usually their quiet season. However, Milo’s hopes are dashed when several strangers begin arriving at the inn. The sudden influx of guests – many of which are smugglers by trade – causes Milo’s parents, the Pines to ask Mrs. Caraway, one of the employees to come help. And so, Mrs. Caraway comes with her daughters in tow, including one daughter Milo’s age named Meddy. Meddy and Milo decide to take on these personas in a role playing game called Odd Trails to discover who has been stealing things from other guests as well as to follow a mysterious map that they found that may lead to treasure. Milo takes on the character of Negret, a escaladeur who is much more bold than Milo actually is. Meddy takes on the role of Sirin, a scholiast whom only Negret can see and who assists Negret in solving the mystery.

The thing about Milford’s books is that you get multifaceted characters with these layers that never end up being overwhelming. First off, a large part of Milo’s identity is that he has been adopted by the Pines. He actually is Chinese and the Pines are White. I mention this because the idea of ethnicity as an identifier is explored in this book – Greenglass House is a smart read after all. Milo’s adoption causes him to feel guilt as he fantasizes about his birth parents. Beyond this, Milo is a quiet and unassuming person for the most part. It’s mentioned that he gets really bad anxiety and so, by adopting the persona of Negret, Milo finds he is better able to handle his anxiety. Being Negret makes Milo brave.

I would be absolutely remiss if I did not mention the side characters, but first the Greenglass House itself used to be owned by the most famous smuggler of all, Doc Holystone. The circumstances of his death were quite mysterious. Anyways, Milo’s parents now own the Greenglass house which has these cool stained glass windows on every floor. It also tends to serve as an inn for the local smugglers in Nagspeake and thus, a colorful cast of characters end up at the Greenglass House just before Christmas, interrupting Milo’s vacation. There’s a persnickety old lady. There’s a professor who is very interested in the stained glass, there’s Mr. Vinge who is really interested in the local waterways, there’s Clem O. Candler who is lightning fast on light feet, and then there’s Georgie who seems to already know Clem. These characters all are at the inn for different reasons and are actually all connected in some way to the mystery that surrounds the Greenglass House. I will say that I greatly appreciated the individual roles that each character plays.

Frankly, that’s the best thing about Kate Milford’s Greenglass House, how the mystery goes from being about this old map to being about some missing objects to being about actual legitimate mysteries that surround the house and it’s legend. I loved how the story evolved into something bigger and bigger. Yet, it never gets too big or out of control. It ends up being perfectly resolved in a way that I am very pleased with.

Honestly, if you are into books that have characters that are legitimately different and just plain engaging, you’ll like Greenglass House. If you’re looking for a book with a winter or Christmas setting, you will like Greenglass House. If you’re looking for a book where the house feels like a character, you’ll enjoy Greenglass House. If you want to read something that respects the intelligence of it’s readers regardless of age, you will enjoy Kate Milford’s latest book.

Five seemly unrelated strangers arrive at an inn famous for its stained-glass windows just days before Christmas. A giant snowstorm traps them there and things begin to disappear. In this cliché setting, a boy (the innkeepers’ adopted son) and a bossy girl investigate suspicious circumstances. This book has a mystery with no crime, a solution with no problem and a disappointing, contrived ending.

It is a lovely story for middle grade readers, with surprising ending.
Perfect for holiday break!
It is a story of adopted boy, who lives with his parents at GreenHouse Inn. Just before Christmas they have few unexpected customers. The house is feeling up with strangers. Some items go missing, the power is cut off, and some of the guests are not who they say they are.

This is mix of adventure, ghosts, folk tales and Sherlock Holmes like character.

I selected "Greenglass House" because I really enjoyed Kate Milford's "The Broken Lands" and after reading "Greenglass House", I have decided that I really need to get a hold of "The Boneshaker" which was published before "Broken Lands" because I loved "Greenglass House".

Milford has a gift of storytelling that while targeted for children, an adult can easily slip into the world she builds for her characters. It may help that while the main protagonists are children, adults still function are viable characters. They aren't 'wah-wah-wah' adults like in the Peanuts world.

In "Greenglass House" which is set in a time period that may be modern or recently modern but charmingly devoid of current modern speak such as gmail, texting, etc, a boy named Milo Pine lived in a house that serves as an inn and run by his parents. The winter is supposed to be the quiet season but instead, there is a knock at the door during one icy night by one guest and then several more. The guests are suitably odd and interesting and from them, they trigger Milo and his friend, Meddy, on an investigative quest.

As noted, Milford stays away from modern techno-speak so there is a timelessness to the story which suits the plot which taps into mysteries and lore and magic and mischief. It is fun and charming and very, very enjoyable. If I wasn't already keeping an eye on Milford's book, I would start after this one.

Definitely a keeper to me.

This post originally appeared on Narrative Investigations

As I seem to say every time I talk about Milford's books, I truly love her word-crafting and it really stands out as a unique style amongst all the books I read. And, as seems to happen every time, I didn't think to grab any examples of the book while I had it so I can't be as precise about it as I would like which is an ironic shame. To put it simply, all authors care about what words they use but most of them try to make them unobtrusive, to not remind the reader that this is a book in front of them but Milford does, she shows the characters' thoughts and then guides the reader into thinking other things about the settings and situations that the characters within the story would never have come up with. She's careful with tone and overall mood, much more so than the current style of middle grade/young adult writing and it almost gives her books a fairy tale like flair to them. And every time I read her books I almost want to confuse her of creating too safe, too quaint of a world, where smugglers bring in silly things like ballpoint pens and seed bulbs, and every time there's a sharp rebuttal from the book, a mention of smuggled weapons and an explanation of a very strict customs committee, that reminds me that no, this is a complicated world but that part does not matter here. Very rarely do you get a feel for the setting beyond the characters' immediate lives, especially outside of high fantasy or dramatic science fiction, but Milford has included just enough that it feels like there are two worlds in this story, the larger world and the world of the Greenglass House.

I did have two problems with this book, thankfully they aren't deal breakers for recommending it but still sufficiently large enough to annoy me. One is that Milo and Meddy play a role-playing game while exploring the house, it's not a full-fledged larp but they create some characters, some backstory, and then map out the house, that part was fine if a bit complex for something a pair of kids to think of on their own. My problem is that Milo is introduced in the first few pages to be someone who worries a lot, someone who likes things to be just so and is grumpy about change, I am exactly the same way so the idea that he could just ignore that and not have it leak over into his character was unbelievable. His character does slip a few times but never in that way and I would have liked to have seen that, I felt like Milford didn't get just how important routine is to that kind of person and what kinds of situations it takes to break that. I like his character otherwise, he was very easy to connect with because of his faults and I liked that he's an adopted, Chinese character and how that's only a part of his life, although Meddy came off a little flatter I will admit that's a symptom of the story only diving deeper into her character at the very end.

My other problem is that the eventual villain of the story was not a very satisfying on. On the one hand it made sense, the story had sufficiently convinced me that none of the other characters were the ones who were sabotaging things and meant other characters harm but the villains motivations were just, too fictional for me. In real life life is strange, my family's motto is practically "fact is stranger than fiction" but whenever something weird happens (in your personal life or the news), you file it away in your mind as "this happened but it's not the normal thing to happen" so it's still surprising. Therefore, in fiction we still expect a modicum of realism unless the story has telegraphed that this is a time when non-normal events happen and happen often which just wasn't the case here. If this had been Milford's other books then I would have expected strange things since they had more fantastical settings but even that wouldn't have solved my problem here, the villain is motivated by petty revenge and it just didn't come off well. Thankfully this only occupies the very end of the book but it still left me a bit grumpy (it also doesn't quite explain why there were so many guests at the same time, at least half of them are connected but several other people aren't and it's a bit odd in retrospect).

I'm months past finishing Greenglass House, and I *still* don't understand how Milford wove together the story threads and buried the secrets that she did. Looking back, I can clearly see all the plot twists and how she layered them together, but while reading, they were so elegantly done that I had absolutely NO IDEA what was about to come! This is one of the most surprising (as in, the twists at the end had me gasping and running to talk with book-friends as fast as I could!) books I read in 2017!

This is a story of stories involving secrets, treasures, games and adventures where fantasy and reality mingle. It begins on a snowy evening when Milo and his parents are looking forward to spending the winter holidays together in their inn, which is regularly empty at this time of year. But to Mill's dismay, despite the heavy snows,one by one guests begin to arrive. The cook brings her granddaughter with her when she comes to help out and the girl convinces Milo to begin a role playing game to discover the secrets of the inn's guests.

This is wonderful story, deep enough for the reader to immerse him or herself into. A book to be savored and not rushed through.

"Greenglass House" by Kate Milford is the perfect, delightful read for young mystery lovers. My fourth-grader loved it and I have to admit that I enjoyed it too. It made me think of my childhood favorites like the Enid Blyton mysteries. Set during the winter, young Milo is hoping for the usual quiet winter at the inn his family operates. However, his vision of an idyllic time comes to an end with the arrival of several mysterious visitors. Through a role-playing game with the cook's daughter, Milo sets out to investigate the mystery.

Do not be deceived. This book explores more than the mystery of the inn's guests. Milo experiences confusion about his identity and the role-playing game plays a part in helping him deal with this confusion and anxiety. There's plenty more to engage young reader's interest here, and the characters, including the house itself, round out the story nicely. Recommended for grades 3-6.

Miles is readdddy to party...or rather enjoy a quiet winter holiday break with just his parents in their smuggler friendly inn, Greenglass House, so named for the beautiful stained glass windows and rumored to be the site of the founders hidden treasure. Winter break usually means an empty inn instead of the usual motley crew of offbeat smugglers, and Miles is just cracking the spine on a good book when he is interrupted by the jingling summons that portends a guest. One guest leads to another and then yet another, and suddenly, unexpectedly, the inn is nearly full of a curious cast of characters. Even more curious is that each guest seems to have some prior knowledge of the others, and soon things become even more complicated when break-ins occur resulting in the disappearance of personal items that have a curious connection to the Inn and it’s founder, and a massive snowstorm rolls through and traps them all for the forseeable future. Miles is understandably perturbed that his vacation has been a bit ruined, until Meddy, who arrives with the housekeepers, enlists his help in a role playing game that may or may not double as a way to find out the secrets the guests all seem to be keeping before anything else goes missing. Before long, Miles realizes he may be on a hunt for more than personal treasures, as might the thief in their midst.

This is perhaps one of the most excellent middle grade novels I’ve read in years, and I don’t say that lightly (don’t worry Penderwicks, you still have real estate claims on my soul). It is incredibly fun to read, never panders to the age of the intended audience, keeps even seasoned readers guessing until the twist of an ending, and frankly, warms the cockles of the blackest hearts! It made me feel super cozy in the dead of the worst winter in my own memory. There is treasure, adventure, mystery, and friendship. Themes of challenging yourself, courage, and creativity abound, and this book deserves serious accolades for not only having a non-white (he’s Chinese) protagonist (huge snaps on this front alone), but one adopted by (white) parents of a different race. In short, Kate Milibrand doesn’t sugarcoat or tidily wrap up Miles’ occasional feelings of abandonment, deep love for his adoptive parents, shame about fantasizing about his birth parents, or about how he feels about the confusion he sees in strangers when they see him with his parents. It’s extraordinary and I hope all youth librarians take note to include this wonderful book in their arsonal. Excellent for kids aged 9-99, fans of the Goonies, and anyone who likes a good story!

I love that Kate Milford’s books trust that children will be intelligent. I love that they are complex stories with interesting characters and themes. Greenglass House by Kate Milford is a wintery read with quite the mystery to unravel and a rather fascinating cast of characters.

Milo is looking forward to vacation and some time alone with his parents. You see, they run an inn and winter is usually their quiet season. However, Milo’s hopes are dashed when several strangers begin arriving at the inn. The sudden influx of guests – many of which are smugglers by trade – causes Milo’s parents, the Pines to ask Mrs. Caraway, one of the employees to come help. And so, Mrs. Caraway comes with her daughters in tow, including one daughter Milo’s age named Meddy. Meddy and Milo decide to take on these personas in a role playing game called Odd Trails to discover who has been stealing things from other guests as well as to follow a mysterious map that they found that may lead to treasure. Milo takes on the character of Negret, a escaladeur who is much more bold than Milo actually is. Meddy takes on the role of Sirin, a scholiast whom only Negret can see and who assists Negret in solving the mystery.

The thing about Milford’s books is that you get multifaceted characters with these layers that never end up being overwhelming. First off, a large part of Milo’s identity is that he has been adopted by the Pines. He actually is Chinese and the Pines are White. I mention this because the idea of ethnicity as an identifier is explored in this book – Greenglass House is a smart read after all. Milo’s adoption causes him to feel guilt as he fantasizes about his birth parents. Beyond this, Milo is a quiet and unassuming person for the most part. It’s mentioned that he gets really bad anxiety and so, by adopting the persona of Negret, Milo finds he is better able to handle his anxiety. Being Negret makes Milo brave.

I would be absolutely remiss if I did not mention the side characters, but first the Greenglass House itself used to be owned by the most famous smuggler of all, Doc Holystone. The circumstances of his death were quite mysterious. Anyways, Milo’s parents now own the Greenglass house which has these cool stained glass windows on every floor. It also tends to serve as an inn for the local smugglers in Nagspeake and thus, a colorful cast of characters end up at the Greenglass House just before Christmas, interrupting Milo’s vacation. There’s a persnickety old lady. There’s a professor who is very interested in the stained glass, there’s Mr. Vinge who is really interested in the local waterways, there’s Clem O. Candler who is lightning fast on light feet, and then there’s Georgie who seems to already know Clem. These characters all are at the inn for different reasons and are actually all connected in some way to the mystery that surrounds the Greenglass House. I will say that I greatly appreciated the individual roles that each character plays.

Frankly, that’s the best thing about Kate Milford’s Greenglass House, how the mystery goes from being about this old map to being about some missing objects to being about actual legitimate mysteries that surround the house and it’s legend. I loved how the story evolved into something bigger and bigger. Yet, it never gets too big or out of control. It ends up being perfectly resolved in a way that I am very pleased with.

Honestly, if you are into books that have characters that are legitimately different and just plain engaging, you’ll like Greenglass House. If you’re looking for a book with a winter or Christmas setting, you will like Greenglass House. If you’re looking for a book where the house feels like a character, you’ll enjoy Greenglass House. If you want to read something that respects the intelligence of it’s readers regardless of age, you will enjoy Kate Milford’s latest book.

Five seemly unrelated strangers arrive at an inn famous for its stained-glass windows just days before Christmas. A giant snowstorm traps them there and things begin to disappear. In this cliché setting, a boy (the innkeepers’ adopted son) and a bossy girl investigate suspicious circumstances. This book has a mystery with no crime, a solution with no problem and a disappointing, contrived ending.

It is a lovely story for middle grade readers, with surprising ending.
Perfect for holiday break!
It is a story of adopted boy, who lives with his parents at GreenHouse Inn. Just before Christmas they have few unexpected customers. The house is feeling up with strangers. Some items go missing, the power is cut off, and some of the guests are not who they say they are.

This is mix of adventure, ghosts, folk tales and Sherlock Holmes like character.

I realize that kids’ books sometimes require a larger suspension of belief for adults but this was beyond my capacity. The characters are extremely well-drawn and Milford gets major points for not having another run-of-the-mill protagonist in Milo. While it has an engaging plot that shows excellent potential, the final twist with the armed visitors (trying to avoid spoilers) undid much of the story’s charm for me.

Please check out my friend, Cheryl's, review on GoodReads on this book as it was what prompted me to go find this at my public e-library. That is by far a better-written review than I expect to write today. Fibro has me in its grips so I barely have a brain.

Even so, here are my thoughts. I loved that the parents were a part of this story and adventures still happened. I loved the mixture of very fantasy games and real (though fantasy) life. The book kept me wondering what was happening, what would happen next, how could they solve this or that problem. And I loved the vocabulary, invented or real there was a stretch for the reader to work on. I even had to stop the text-to-speech for a moment to highlight a word or two that were easily found in the online dictionary. (Oh, what a modern miracle that I don't have to pick up a tome of a book to find a word that sends me on a dictionary search for hours! Online dictionaries start with the most logical definitions and don't stop the story for long.)

I do want to warn the parents of the future readers to read this first themselves. I can see that an inn that is there for thieves and other not-so-law-abiding customers might not be the greatest of settings. And there is a bit of danger for the family involved that the young reader might need their own guidance understanding. For that, I might recommend late middle grades or young adult. But adults will find this a delight and just as exciting as a child reader.

Now I miss the characters and the story. It ended very nicely, yet I wish we could go back and visit again sometime. I couldn't sleep after finishing last night. It left me wondering about how this author did that. How did she pull me in so thoroughly? Great writing!

Greenglass House is such an amazing and fun novel for young readers. I would say this book is perfect for any child fourth grade and up, but as an adult, I enjoyed it as well! Kate Milford has created a wonderful book, full of mystery, magic and adventure. I know that the students in my elementary library will eat this one up! I can't wait to share it with them. The story is complex, but don't let that scare you off. Greenglass House flows easily, pulling the reader into it's magical world and holding on tightly. Fans of fantasy and adventure will eat this one up!

A fun adventure/mystery story geared for young readers but also fun for adults. I would recommend reading it during winter as it oozes with great imagery of snow drifts, fire places, creepy hotel hallways, dazzling windows and more. Intermixed between the mysterious adventure are interludes of heartfelt emotion regarding adoption. Sometimes the story loses focus and becomes distracted, but quickly gets back on pace. There are a LOT of characters, many of which never developed well enough to have any mental picture of them. Still, the writing is good and keeps you turning the pages.

OVERALL: while this is no Harry Potter, it is a well-written story for young readers. It reminded me a lot of movies like Clue [Blu-ray] (1985) and books like The Westing Game (Puffin Modern Classics). The fast-paced adventures and plot twists keep you on your toes and makes you feel warm and cozy all over while reading. I was able to finish reading it in just a few days which is worth significant praise.

This is a very exciting mystery that takes place over the days leading up to Christmas. A group of strangers are stranded together at the Greenglass House, each seeking a treasure that they keep to themselves. Milo and Meddy, the owners' son and cook's daughter, respectively, try to discover the secrets. It reminded me of Chasing Vermeer http://the store.com/Chasing-Vermeer-Blue-Balliett/dp/0439372976/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419287442&sr=1-1&keywords=chasing+vermeer

Warm and delicious and so much fun, like a peppermint hot chocolate you can really sink into on a day when you're snowed in but very cozy inside a wonderful, eccentric old house. It's that kind of book! I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it. Full of fabulous stories, intriguing mysteries, and totally delightful characters, especially Milo, the hero, who is full of heart and courage and vulnerability. Total love!

My (then) 7yo daughter and I both adored this book. It's a fabulous mystery, vivid scenery painted without being excessive, and definitely a great plot twist. We both highly recommend it!! My daughter gave it as a gift to several friends, too!

Marvelous! Everything about this book was enchanting - the cover, the art, the story, the characters. If you're looking for an absorbing, solid winter read, look no further. My hat's off to Kate Milford for another great middlegrade book.

Absolutely gorgeous, beautifully written novel! A curious characters, a fantastic setting, and a page-turning mystery make this MG novel a stand out. Kate Milford is definitely an author to have on your radar.

I really enjoyed this. The ending startled me. I might need to go back and see if I should have seen it coming. A fun mystery with curious characters and an unusual atmosphere. A captivating read. I received an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest reveiw.

The Westing Game meets Interstellar Pig meets The Children of Green Knowe.

This is a rich and satisfying tale where stories nest within stories. A motley crew of strange guests arrive at Greenglass House, all with their own personal agendas. (The Westing Game part) To unravel the mystery of the guests and a strange map that is found and then stolen, the main character, Milo, pretends to play a complex role-playing game where he takes on characteristics needed to investigate the puzzle. (The Interstellar Pig part) Meanwhile, the guests take turns telling stories that all somehow connect to the house and its past residents. (The Children of Green Knowe part) Thoroughly enjoyable!

An original story, well written about a cast of the most imaginative, entertaining and enjoyable characters. One part mystery, once part, adventure, all parts exciting to read. I just couldn’t put it down.

The Greenglass House is a charming, adventurous, mystery for kids and adults alike. You will fall in love with the kindhearted Milo as his winter vacation gets turned upside down.Taking place around Christmastime, this book is meant to be enjoyed while snow is falling with a steaming mug of hot chocolate in hand.

Greenglass House is a great mystery story that's totally relatable for the 5-8th grade set. I've been reading it aloud to my 4th & 6th graders as our before bed book each night and they love it! Some of the words could be more challenging for younger readers, but it's an exciting story that keeps them engaged.

This book was amazing. I loved the mystery that it had. It made it so much more interesting. I like mystery books a lot. I think it was cool to have made Meddy/Addie/Sirin a ghost in the book. I would never have guessed!

The Greenglass House is a well written book that most kids in the intended age group will find engaging. My son was a bit younger than the 10-14 year age range so could not really get through the book though he did try. From my reading the book definitely will hold attention with its unique storyline and development of characters. There is no lesson per say but it is just a fun and entertaining read.

This is a fantastic book, very well written and with a great mystery! I read it two years ago, during a several days long blizzard which left us with several feet of snow, so the endless snow in the book also made reading it an almost disconcertingly immersive experience. Magical!

The Green Glass House was astonishing. It had plot twists and details that proved important in the latter side of the book. I have read it multiple times with my kids, and they are always intrigued by the plot, andI have enjoyed reading it too! This is a must read for you and your kids, and it is so worth it!

Spoiler Alert. Parents please read if you are thinking of letting your child read this. My 12 year old daughter read this book. After she read the book I find out the one of the main characters in the story, Meddy, is dead. She died years earlier and lives in this house. She's a spirit and befriends Milo, the other main character in the book. Had I know this, I never would have bought the book and let my daughter read it. I try to read reviews to see if book choices are appropriate, but I never saw this mentioned anywhere. The description just sounded like it would be kind of mysterious with finding clues and maybe a little suspense. No mention anywhere that this is a supernatural book. I've since searched at other sites for reviews of this book and so far nothing about this is mentioned. This is very disappointing. So, maybe I'm the first one to mention it. So I'll say it again...if you don't approve of your child reading books with these themes: dead girl who is a ghost who lives in this house (in other words...this house is haunted), talk of the Devil, creepy games, etc...then don't let your child read Greenglass House. It's sad when an author has to throw in this stuff in a book that is geared for children. It's sickening that these things are made to look appealing and just innocent fun for kids to read. But it's not.