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Greenglass House
Greenglass House
Greenglass House
Audiobook11 hours

Greenglass House

Written by Kate Milford

Narrated by Chris Henry Coffey

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo's home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House-and themselves. Longlisted for the 2014 National Book Award for Young People's Literature
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 16, 2015
ISBN9781490627786
Greenglass House
Author

Kate Milford

Kate Milford is the New York Times best-selling author of the Edgar Award–winning, National Book Award nominee Greenglass House, as well as Ghosts of Greenglass House, Bluecrowne, The Thief Knot, and many more. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. www.greenglasshousebooks.com and www.katemilfordwritesbooks.com, Twitter: @KateMilford

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Reviews for Greenglass House

Rating: 4.067885153002611 out of 5 stars
4/5

383 ratings40 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed this. At first, the beginning seemed a little slow and there a lot of characters to get to know, but it was still enjoyable. I wasn't able to figure out 'who done it,' but I figure out Meddy's story way before Milo did. I can't wait to read the sequel!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this book especially as a family read a loud for older teens. The DND references were awesome and it felt like I was in a campaign while reading. There were a lot of story lines to follow but that made the story even more in depth and interesting. How is it all going to connect no one is who you think they are. It was mysterious and adventurous. Definitely would recommend.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was a interesting book and I am a fifth grader and I love it it was easy to listen
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm speechless... This book is amazing! I highly recommend it!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I have really been enjoying middle grade stories lately, but I have to admit I struggled with this story. I am not sure if it was the time I was reading it, during the 2020 elections or that it just wasn't for me. I will say I really liked Milo as the main protagonist and loved his banter with the guest of Greenglass House. I also loved his spying and sleuthing but the story just seemed to move to slow for me. It did definitely pick up in the end and liked the way the author tyed things up. I do have the second book in series and look forward to see what I think of that one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It's a great mystery story for kids, with a fantastic plot twist, and deals with the topic of adoption very well. The pacing is weird sometimes, and there was one slcompelling storyline that I thought was resolved too easily. But overall a great book for kids and tweens.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    More like a 3.5! Loved the atmosphere and thought it was sooo inventive. The narrator was good but for some reason no one told him he was saying quay wrong??
    Loved the authors notes too, however scribd cut her off.
    Would recommend to anyone looking for a lighthearted, cozy read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm just following and enjoying through the journey of Milo and his friend with their detective game that I did not really expect or suspect the twist and that makes me enjoy the story even more. Pretty wholesome.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Interesting book with an intriguing cast of characters who come to stay at an inn right before Christmas, when it is usually just the innkeeper’s family. A mystery is unraveled when thefts occur, but with every guest hiding so many secrets, young Milo isn’t sure how he’ll be able to solve anything. Until the cook’s daughter, who has also come to stay due to the bad weather, helps him find a secret self thanks to role-playing games she’s a fan of. A nice twist at the end. I can see this being a great book for kids. It’s beautifully written but not too bogged down in description. I think the game descriptions and mystery will hook reluctant readers.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    We absolutely adored this book. Each character has a secret, a story (both their own and one they tell!). This book was our read aloud throughout December and January. We loved sitting around the table and wondering about each character and what would happen next. There were shocks, twists, tears, and heartwarming moments. Thank you, Mrs. Milford, for such an amazing story!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderful story, wonderful characters. Great atmosphere. I figured one of the plot twist almost from the beginning, but I still enjoyed it and everything made sense. But I think the best thing was the characters, i fell in love with some of them!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My favorite book of all time. I loved every minute of it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very clever mystery with lots of quirky characters and plot twists. It reminded me a bit of The Westing Game.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Oh, this is good. The first - two-thirds? Three-quarters? is a mildly interesting YA story, a couple kids making an adventure and a mystery game out of some odd circumstances in an interesting old house. Then the circumstances get odder and odder, there are revelations... And then the reveal of Meddy's secret, which I figured out about half a page before we're told. And everything that happened before gets realigned - suddenly I understand some of the oddities from earlier. The story gets a lot richer, and more complex. The end was lovely (and reasonable), and I really want to read the next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a special one -- puzzles on puzzles, weird characters and endearing ones, and at the heart of it Greenglass House -- a remote inn with many windows and secrets on every floor. I particularly loved the role-playing aspect to the storytelling, and the blurring of reality when you visit the author's realistic travel website about her fictional town.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book did and did not go where I think it was going to go. Some of the plot lines were predictable, but others I didn't figure out before they were revealed. This is one of those rare books that is written probably for a juvenile audience, but never feels juvenile. I also liked the sort of Dungeons and Dragons shout out (although in the novel it is called a benign "Odd Trails.")
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book had been on my list for a long time and I have many GR friends who’ve enjoyed it so I decided to read it and stick with it no matter how I felt about it. I’d been on a streak of reading nothing but great books right for my mood at the time but recently I’d been having a hard time finding a book I wanted to read. Either they didn’t feel worth picking up or I started them and could feel no enthusiasm for continuing. I’m in the mood for certain books not yet available. I know there must be many books that would be working for me but I haven’t been able to think of them. I enjoyed this book but until I was far into the book it did not call to me and it was a chore to pick it up. That was my mood more than the book. Once again I found it harder to want to start reading because of the very long chapters (maybe 30 minutes each, perfect for bedtime stories but not for me these days.) I did end up enjoying it though and I’m really glad I read it. I loved the humor.The foods & drinks described was scrumptious, especially all the hot chocolate.I hated the violence. Gun violence which seemed a tad out of place. I wish the bad guy(s) had been less villainous. It seemed a bit over the top, especially for this story.I knew that there was a supernatural aspect to this book but until the reveal I couldn’t quite figure out precisely what it was. There were certainly abundant clues but they went right over my head. It’s tempting to reread it (someday) to know from the beginning what is going on.I found the game tedious at times and fun at times. This is a great book about the adoption and I found the author’s note in the back of the book affecting. Even though I was enjoying the book, I didn’t think I’d be interested in reading any sequel and I probably won’t, but I found the last two chapters touching and fun and I could be being interested enough to read beyond this book. This would be a good book to read around Christmastime. For much of the book I thought it would be a 3 star book but it ended up being a solid 4 star worthy book for me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A kid book club pick and a nice alternative to the post-apocalyptic, dystopian stories that dominate the YA shelves. This is fanciful, heart-warming and mysterious. Milo and his adoptive parents live in and run an old Inn that is often frequented by smugglers due to its river port location. During a pre-Christmas snowstorm several guests show up unexpectedly, with agendas that center on the house and its history. To Milo's thinking their presence is simply to ruin his relaxing break and holiday with his family. However once he begins to investigate their secrets and background via a role-playing game, he learns a lot about the various characters, his house and his own family. Several unexpected plot turns make this a gripping read -- a good book to ingest with a warm drink and cozy fire.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a book I'd have enjoyed as young reader... 4th or 5th grade. I saw the anomaly as an adult, but I'm not sure I'd have caught when I was a kid. Very good. very fun.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Milo expects he and his parents will be celebrating a quiet Christmas when suddenly the inn fills up with strangers. But these strangers all have secrets that include his home. Milo and Meddy who comes to help with Mrs. Carraway and her daughter start playing a game to discover who and what these strangers are up to. Will Christmas just be the family or will it include these strangers?I enjoyed this book. Milo and Meddy are fun as they become the characters in the game they play. The strangers are an interesting group of people as are the regulars to the inn. Each tells a story as suggested by Milo and as I read the stories they told I figured each one was talking of him/herself through the story. Milo and Meddy listen and observe and put together their clues. I will admit I did not see the twists coming until I was hit over the head with them. A detective I'll never be but this story was an excellent read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Milo Pine lives in Greenglass House with his adoptive parents. Greenglass House was originally built by a famous smuggler. The Pines run an Inn in the house that caters, mostly, to smugglers. It's the start of Christmas vacation and Milo is looking forward to relaxing, sledding with his parents, drinking hot chocolate and all his other favorite Christmas and winter related activities. Then, unexpectedly, five guests show up with plans to stay over the holiday. Each of these guests has a connection to Greenglass House. When things start disappearing from the guests rooms Milo, and his new friend Meddy, begin playing an RPG with the goal of finding the missing objects and the identity of the thief. The mystery becomes bigger as the story progresses. So does the danger. There is also a paranormal plot twist near the end. This middle grade read was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it start to finish.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    One of the best middle grade mysteries I've read: well-written, deeply-plotted, insights into being adopted, fascinating setting with well-developed history and folklore, strong characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Started out a little slow and confusing for me as I couldn't figure out what the setting (time or place) or the genre was supposed to be. Eventually I just gave up and that's when I started enjoying the book. I still have no clue what the setting is besides a house on a cliff and they have electricity and only a vague idea of the genre- suitable for any age. It would have been a five star book for me had there been more background given for the actions of the "bad guys". They seemed to show up out of the blue though the character was there all along.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Twelve-year-old Milo and Meddy, a young girl apparently of the same age, are snowbound over the Christmas holiday in his parents’ inn. Five unexpected guests arrive, one after the other, out of the winter storm. The surprise influx of guests necessitates the return of the inn’s chef and her daughter (a baker and, Milo assumes, Meddy’s mother). Initially, Milo is upset because he was counting on a relaxing Christmas vacation alone with his parents, and he does not handle change well. While retrieving a book he accidentally left behind when helping the guests with their luggage Milo discovers a leather wallet that contains a mysterious navigational chart. The chart does not depict the local bays and rivers. Reluctantly, Milo agrees to Meddy’s suggestion that they “go in search of whatever this chart leads to.” Meddy insists that they adopt alternate personas for their quest so Milo becomes an escaladeur named Negret and Meddy adopts the persona of a scholiast, Sirin. Milford sets up an interesting premise—unexpected guests arriving out of the winter storm, a mysterious navigation chart, and the children’s intent to identify the location depicted in the chart. This is the first book I have read by Milford, however, and the names she invented for the location (e.g., Skidwrack, Magothy) were unfamiliar. I was unable to place the setting in a real or imagined universe and their use caused a “head-scratching pause”. I also found the decision to overlay the mystery with the gaming context interfered with my enjoyment of the story. The actions, discoveries, and conclusions of Milo and Meddy would have been every bit as feasible if Milford had adopted a more straightforward approach. In short, Milford provided no convincing reason that Milo needs to pretend to be Negret to investigate the mysterious actions occurring in the inn.As the plot builds towards a climax Milo and the others are in a precarious situation with no feasible means of escape. Milford then springs a stunning surprise that permits their ultimate triumph. Although she undoubtedly had this ending in mind, it struck me as an author “cheat” that diminished my affection for the book and some of the central characters.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was an enjoyable read, full of well-developed, believable characters, with twists and turns aplenty. I read it to my oldest daughter over the course of a few weeks around Christmas, which is when the book is set. I had an out loud "OH!" moment one night when I figured out part of the story well in advance, and it drove my daughter crazy when I wouldn't tell her what it was. I particularly enjoyed how the main characters moved between personas. The transitions were smooth and transparent but believable. This book was nominated in a Young Reader's Choice Awards contest in our local public library system but it certainly something that adults will enjoy as well. (4.5 / 5.0)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It is the start of the Christmas holidays, and Milo is looking forward to spending some time alone with his parents. Although the Pine family run Greenglass House, a hotel on the Skidwrack River, in the old smuggling district of Nagspeake, they usually don't have guests at this time of year. When the unexpected happens, and people - lots of people! - begin arriving, it looks like the holiday has been ruined. But a series of mysteries, in which it is revealed that each of the guests has some connection to Greenglass House, and a role-playing game that Milo becomes involved in with his new companion Meddy, end up making it one of the most memorable Christmases ever. A surprising turn of events at the conclusion of the story, in which one guest's most unexpected identity is revealed, helps to resolve the final crisis...I enjoyed Greenglass House immensely! It is an involving mystery, or rather, series of mysteries, whose resolutions are not immediately apparent, making the tale all the more entertaining. It is also an engaging tale of a young boy who is struggling to understand himself and his place in the world. Adopted from China as an infant, Milo is conscious of the fact that he does not look like his parents, Ben and Nora Pine, and fantasizes about his birth family. This aspect of the story is worked seamlessly into the larger narrative, which centers on the eponymous Greenglass House itself. Milford excels at creating a very strong sense of place here - something I particularly value, in stories - and she weaves an atmospheric tale in which each character's connection to the house and its fabled history of smuggling adds to the sense of excitement and discovery. The surprise ending, in which one character's true nature is revealed, took me completely by surprise, and had me reevaluating the entire store. Wholeheartedly recommended to anyone looking for engaging children's mysteries, or children's stories featuring old and mysterious houses and quirky characters. I know I'm already looking forward to the forthcoming sequel!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A classic mystery trope, a bunch of strangers arrive at an inn unexpectedly and are stuck there due to weather. Some of them know each other but pretend not to, and all of them are there for reasons connected to Greenglass House, which is known as a Smugglers Inn. Milo and his parents, the innkeepers, are not expecting to spend their Christmas holidays this way. Milo with the help of Meddy, decide to play a game to investigate the house and strange goings on. Lots of characters and pieces to track. Milo is a likeable, resourceful guy and the characters are quirkly. His parents are a little over-the-top supportive. Once I got into the story I enjoyed the read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Did not grab me, or hold onto me, even after I was more than half way through the book. There were interesting touches in the setting of the inn and a bunch of unexpected guests snowed in all at once, but the author did not take advantage of this to introduce an eerie or creepy vibe. I think perhaps one problem was that there was not much at stake for the protagonists, so that whatever happened in the end, it didn't really matter. The introduction of the role-playing game seemed forced and unnecessary. I thought she did a better job with "The Boneshaker".
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Greenglass House is also known as the smugglers’ inn because they have always housed smugglers coming in from the coast. The Greenglass House is a bed and breakfast in the mountains of the east coast. The story begins close to Christmas, and Milo is looking forward to a nice quiet house without any guests to look after. It is snowing and the family is looking forward to some family time. Unexpectedly, someone rings the bell to take the railway up to the house. As the weather gets worse, more guests show up all looking for answers to an old mystery. Milo makes fast friends with Meddy because she is the only one who is his age. She proposes they play and adventure game, which leads Milo to take risks he would not otherwise have taken. As the strange guests arrive, strange things happen around the inn. Things go missing and they are all stranded because the weather is so bad that they cannot get down the mountain. They all have to wait it out together and try to get along.I love how the cover art reflects the “Greenglass” of the title. The story is engaging, mysterious and strange. The game that Milo and Maddy play is quite strange and Milo’s parents notice a bit, but he’s not really doing anything wrong. Milo has a lot of responsibility for a kid because he has to help his parents run the inn. Milo is adopted and sometimes feels like an outsider and the author did a great job portraying his feelings. The story is set in a harbor town named Nagspeake, with enough history and folklore to seem real. There is even a Nagspeake website for readers who enjoyed the book. This quote from a Kirkus review is really perfect, “An abundantly diverting mystery seasoned with mild fantasy and just a little steampunk.” A shocking twist will have readers re-reading the beginning of the story. This book deservedly won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best juvenile mystery novel.This book does not have any controversial themes. It is appropriate for middle school to high school readers. It would be a good choice for students looking for mystery books. There are a few illustrations that really add to the story. It is just an all around fun read and a good selection for school libraries.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    At Greenglass House, a smuggler's inn, twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his winter holidays relaxing but soon guests are arriving with strange stories about the house sending Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, on an adventure.