Review Detail

Mabel lives on a mysterious island, where the inhabitants protect the rest of the world from the dead. There are eleven houses, each one with a family to maintain it. Mabel is from House Beuvry, which is the last house between the dead and commoners. To her, things seem like they’re spiraling ever since she lost her dad in the last storm, until the unthinkable happens. A new person around her age arrives on the island. She discover his name is Miles and he belongs to the Cabot house, which is the first house.

When Mabel meets Myles, there’s an immediate attraction that stands out from the newness feeling. It almost feels like he’s there for her, but he doesn’t even know what he’s getting himself into. The thirteen houses aren’t welcoming to outsiders, not even ones that belong by blood because they aren’t built and trained to survive the storms. But Miles won’t be deterred. Like everyone else, he’s trying to find where he belongs in the world. But the dead are restless and a storm like any they’ve seen before might be brewing.

ELEVEN HOUSES is a young adult romance that’s full of suspense, passion, friendship, grief, and horror. This book had me on a roller coaster and I was there for it. I love how one minute there’s a sweet scene and then the next it’s back to mystery and suspense. The characters are full of depth and even the minor characters had substance. While I love the romance between Myles and Mabel, I loved the friendship between Mabel and Norah more. Norah has supported her in all of the bad and their friendship touched me make than anything.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to teens aged 14 and older, especially those who like romance with a twist of horror and mystery. I don’t know why by I got Ghost Ship vibes even though there isn’t a ship involved. Maybe it’s just the way the dead are described.