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Tick tock, a murderous clock... 

When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan, comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmermann, are both magicians! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watching magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Selenna Izard. It seems that Selenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls—a clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!

Book Number: One 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I watched the movie of this a long while ago, but I hardly remembered anything about it, so it felt like delving into a brand new story with fragments of memories intermingled throughout. I thought that "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" was a fun, gothic tale perfect for spooky month.

After a tragic car accidents and the death of his parents, Lewis moves to Michigan with his uncle Jonathan. Uncle Jonathan is a bit strange and Lewis isn't quite sure what to think. But then he learns that his uncle is a sorcerer and that the mansion that he lives in has a secret: there's a magical clock in its walls with dubious origins. The story follows Lewis as he learns about the magical world that he now inhabits and things get a little more interesting as he begins to dabble in magic himself. . .

Though the story does feel a bit dated at times, I feel that it is still a tale that can easily be enjoyed today. I thought that Uncle Jonathan was a hoot and that Lewis had realistic issues among his peers that made him interesting to read about. Lewis is the picture perfect example of a sacred child who tries to do his best as he makes his way through the world, but his mistakes are quite grievous and help move the story along.

Overall, "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" was a fun read that kept me invested throughout its entirety. I doubt that I'll ever read all of the books in the series, but I really did enjoy my time with Lewis, Uncle Jonathan, and Mrs. Zimmermann. A suitable read for anyone looking for a lighthearted gothic tale containing necromancy and magic with a pinch of spookiness!

Back of Book: 

Lewis thought the amulet would bring him good luck--instead, it brought nothing but evil.

Lewis is sure that Grandpa Barnavelt's 1859 lucky coin is really a magic talisman in disguise. With its power, he could do anything he wante--like get back at bully Woody Mingo.

But as soon as he begins wearing the coin around his neck, strange things start to happen. Mysterious letters arrive in the dead of night. A strange, shadowy figure seems to be tracking him. And when Lewis finally gets his revenge on Woody, he feels as if someone else is inside his body, urging him to go even further. Has Lewis awakened a force beyond his control?

Book Number: Two 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

Back of Book: 

Rose Rita Pottinger is dreading summer. With her best friend, Lewis Barnavelt, away at Boy Scout camp, vacation threatens to be altogether boring. But when Mrs. Zimmermann, Lewis's next door neighbor and a genuine witch, receives a strange deathbed letter from an eccentric uncle, unexpected things start to happen.

Rose Rita and Mrs. Zimmermann set off on a trip to discover the meaning of the letter. A ransacked farmhouse, a missing ring, shadowy figures appearing in the night, and mysterious magic symbols are just the beginning as they are gradually drawn into a terrifying world of occult mysteries, where Mrs. Zimmermann's failing powers can't help them.

Book Number: Three 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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It started out as a two-week vacation—and turned into a terrifying journey back in time.

Rose Rita is thrilled when her parents agree to let her go on a two-week summer trip with her friend Mrs. Zimmermann—who is a witch. She knows that it will be a dangerous adventure, but suspects nothing until they drive through a tunnel on the highway—and find themselves in the snowbound winter of 1828, in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. Mrs. Zimmermann has returned to the past to regain her magical powers from her first teacher, Granny Wetherbee. But she didn't count on losing her memory, leaving the two of them stranded in time. . . 

Book Number: Four 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

Back of Book: 

Something evil has taken over. . . 

Lewis Barnavelt and his uncle are in England, visiting a cousin at Barnavelt Manor. Lewis quickly becomes friends with the housekeeper’s son, and as the two boys explore a garden maze, Lewis accidentally unleashes demonic forces that summon the ghost of an evil wizard bent on destroying his entire family.  Can Lewis fight the maniacal wizard, or will all the Barnavelts perish?

Book Number: Five 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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When Lewis Barnavelt and Rose Rita Pottinger explore an abandoned theater, they discover an unpublished opera score. Ignoring a strange omen, they show it to their music teacher, who heralds The Day of Doom as a masterpiece. Then eerie Henry Vanderhelm, the composer's grandson, arrives-with a plan to awaken the dead and enslave the world!

Book Number: Six 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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After Rose Rita Pottinger cuts her finger on an enchanted Egyptian scroll, Lewis must work together with his neighbor Florence and sorcerous uncle Jonathan to rescue Rose Rita from the tomb in which she's imprisoned.

Book Number: Seven 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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What is it about the old Wilder Creek Bridge that makes Lewis Barnavelt so curious-and so afraid? When Lewis and his best friend Rose Rita Pottinger set out to explore the bridge and the deserted farm nearby, they discover shocking secrets—and a horrifying monster. Even Lewis's Uncle Jonathan and the magical Mrs. Zimmermann may not be able to vanquish this ferocious creature! 

Book Number: Eight 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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After encountering the Ishmael Izard and hearing of his plans to destroy the world, Lewis, his uncle Jonathan, and their friends consider the threat serious and so, despite their own fears, quickly devise a plan to stop his evil plot.

Book Number: Nine 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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In the woods near his home in Michigan, thirteen-year-old Lewis Barnavelt stumbles upon an ancient grave and silver whistle that draw him, his best friend Rose Rita Pottinger, his uncle Jonathan, and their friend Mrs. Zimmermann into a battle with an ancient evil.

Book Number: Ten 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

Back of Book: 

The lovable underdog Lewis Barnavelt and his best friend Rose Rita are at it again—investigating the curious (and possibly supernatural?) goings-on in their town of New Zebedee. They get more than they bargained for when a new family moves into the Hawaii House, one of the oddest-looking houses in town, and Lewis and Rose Rita are drawn into a mystery involving forces far beyond the shores of their imagination. Why are there strange drumbeats emanating from the top floor of the Hawaii House? And why is Lewis having dreams about Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire? Incorporating actual Hawaiian legends with a spine-tingling story of suspense, this is another great addition to the Bellairs canon.

Book Number: Eleven 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ? 

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In Michigan in the mid-1950s, Lewis Barnavelt is convinced that the series of accidents he and his uncle are experiencing are the result of a curse by a mysterious, hooded figure that may be part of his uncle's past.

Book Number: Twelve (Last Book) 

Genre: Middle Grade | Horror | Fantasy | Mystery 

Review: ?