The atmosphere was super creepy with this read, so spooky. However, I couldn’t get past the different perspectives that this book had, there were too many and it made it very confusing. The ending was okay, but I think I just wanted a bit more

"All Hallows" by Christopher Golden is a chilling exploration into the depths of human fear and the supernatural. Golden masterfully weaves a haunting narrative that grips readers from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final, spine-tingling conclusion.

In this riveting novel, Golden introduces readers to a small New England town plagued by a dark and sinister presence. As Halloween approaches, strange occurrences begin to unfold, and the residents of All Hallows find themselves ensnared in a web of terror unlike anything they've ever experienced before.

One reviewer describes Golden's writing as "spellbinding," and it's easy to see why. His prose is atmospheric and evocative, painting a vivid portrait of a town gripped by fear and uncertainty. With each page turn, the tension mounts, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they eagerly devour every word.

Perhaps the greatest strength of All Hallows lies in its ability to tap into the primal fear that lurks within us all. Golden deftly explores themes of loss, redemption, and the thin veil between the natural and supernatural worlds, delivering a story that is as thought-provoking as it is terrifying.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for fans of horror and suspense. With its spine-chilling atmosphere, compelling characters, and gripping storyline, Golden has crafted a novel that is sure to haunt readers long after they've turned the final page.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I DNFed at around 60%. While I think that the writing was well paced and the plot pretty intriguing, I didn't find myself reaching for the book. I really enjoyed the horror elements, but I struggled to enjoy the characters. For example, the focus on Vanessa's sexuality from her own perspective felt uncomfortably 'men writing women,' and I felt like the 'good' characters tended to react a little 'too' righteously to complicated situations, as though the book didn't trust me to understand nuance. After putting it down for a spell and then not picking it up for several months, I realized I was never going to finish.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. In an effort to clear this off of my shelf, I did opt to listen to the final production version of the audiobook. I did enjoy the narration, both narrators did a great job with the multiple POVs as this was told from multiple characters and I thought they both did a good job differentiating between the various characters.

This is set on Halloween, so it is the perfect read for spooky season. The author did a good job giving this the feel of the 80's, which is when the book is set. The book bounces back and forth between several characters on the night of Halloween as the kids trick-or-treat, attend the annual Halloween party at a local neighbor's home, and walk through the haunted woods attraction. As the kids and adults prepare and attend the night's festivities, something much more sinister has come out to play.

Overall, this was just OK for me. For a Halloween horror book nothing much happens for much of the book. All of the action happens in the last 20-30% of the book. There are some creepy kids that no one knows walking around and the neighborhood seems to be going nuts airing all of its dirty laundry all in one night, but overall this was missing the suspense I was looking for. I feel like the concept of The Cunning Man was really unique, however I didn't find him creepy or terrifying. I actually don't understand his purpose at all. He and the creepy children aren't really well explained, and I felt their execution was lacking. The book focused too much on the family and teenage drama and not enough on the horror and suspense that I was looking for.

Tremendous, nostalgic novel from one of the best horror writers of our time. I loved every word of this Halloween tale.

I read All Hallows with my Fable book club as our October read, 2023. It was fun going through each chapter together as we made our way through a Halloween night (1984) in Coventry, Massachusetts.
The book starts strong as the reader is introduced to a large cast of characters through multiple POVs. The chapters are titled with the name of the character and what's going on--these chapters are extremely short so we switch back and forth so often, the story becomes splintered in an almost mosaic fashion.
It's tough to hold on to the threads as an overall, big-picture narrative.
Some narratives are more compelling than others but there is a lot going on.
I feel like this was intended to combine the nostalgia of Halloween in the 80s via Stranger Things mashed with the "small town secrets and domestic drama" vibes of Stephen King's Salem's Lot which has potential but fell apart in the execution.
The haunted woods, apparitions, "The Cunning Man", and too many supernatural elements paired with all the POVs watered down the scare factor.
I will say this would be a perfect entry-level horror book for a young adult looking to break into the Horror scene.

This started so strong for me. 1980s setting, going all out for Halloween, spook factor...here for it.
But ever since having kids, I can't handle anything that deals with people preying on kids without it being too triggering for me.

The last bit felt like a slasher film, which had its fun, but overall this one wasn't a homerun for me, but I do think a lot of people would like it!

I think teens and fans of horror would love this one!

Sometimes you come across a novel by a well established author and you think to yourself how on earth did this guy get published?!?! That is me with this book and Christopher Golden. I hate to be harsh but I'm always honest. You've been warned.

"All Hallows" unfolds on Halloween night in 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, with two families unraveling amidst secrets and eerie occurrences. As the tale weaves through the trick-or-treaters, four mysterious children appear, seeking refuge from The Cunning Man. However, the book's potential is marred by a lack of character development and a disjointed narrative.

The novel, unfortunately, falls short in allowing readers to connect with and understand the characters. It's only towards the very end that a glimpse of their personalities is offered, but by then, it feels too late to form a meaningful attachment. The narrative feels chaotic and disjointed throughout, leaving uncertainty about whether this was intentional to serve the plot's pacing. However, this aspect doesn't seem robust enough to lend purpose to the disjointed feel of the storytelling.

While the premise holds promise with its Halloween night setting and the mysterious arrival of the children, the execution falters in providing a cohesive and engaging narrative. "All Hallows" struggles to establish a strong connection with its characters, hindering the overall impact of the story. As a reader, the lack of a solid foundation for character relationships and development left the unraveling of events feeling less impactful than it could have been.

There is no better Halloween than Halloween in the 80s, end of story. This book used that nostalgia and makes it so much more. I was all in on the vibes in this one.

Thank you #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I had high hopes for this book as the reviews were great but i couldnt get into the story. Sadly i couldnt finish.

On Halloween night in 1984, in the quiet town of Coventry, Massachusetts, two families are coming undone. As the night unfolds, chilling secrets are exposed up and down Parmenter Road. Amidst the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four mysterious children, dressed in vintage costumes with faded, unsettling makeup, wander door to door, seamlessly blending in with the local kids. These displaced children appear to be in distress, seeking refuge from a sinister figure known as The Cunning Man. A strange clearing in the woods and an out-of-place blackthorn tree add to the eerie atmosphere. They implore the neighborhood kids to protect them from the impending threat of The Cunning Man, who they believe is closing in on them.

As the families on Parmenter Road struggle with their own internal turmoil and tensions, who will ultimately step up to save the enigmatic children from the clutches of The Cunning Man? The narrative initially unfolds at a measured pace, allowing readers to get acquainted with both the children and the adults, delving into the challenges they face in their lives. All Hallows is a truly engrossing novel that maintains a subtle undercurrent of creepiness. While it remains mostly restrained, there are a few chapters that deliver spine-tingling moments. Notably, the writing in this book is superb, and it left me deeply impressed. I highly recommend this book for those who appreciate a well-crafted and haunting story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this is the best book i've read in a long time! i was not expecting this to be one of my favorite reads but here we are!

it's very slow (in the best way). not a whole lot of spooky things even start to happen until around the half way mark. but i was still fully engaged because i loved the set up of small town secrets being revealed on Halloween night, and the characters were great. plus the audio book was fantastic.

i hope someone makes this into a mini series!

‘Tis the time of year where the leaves change color, I bake red velvet skull cakes, and read gruesome horror by candle light.

Eek! ‘All Hallows’ by Christopher Golden! What a cozy book to curl up with.

▪️Halloween Night, 1984, Massachusetts.
Up and down the road horrifying secrets are being revealed and families are spiraling out of control. Creepy children are found running away from a creature they call ‘The Cunning Man’ and the adults are too busy drinking and having affairs to help them. Of course there’s a haunted woods, mayhem, and death. That’s the gist. Lol

The first half of this book was basically neighborhood drama and in the second half $h!t hit the fan! Was this the same book?! No one was safe from The Cunning Man. Because of this, it felt like too separate stories… not super cohesive.

Thank you to @netgalley for this digital copy! Liked the story enough but LOVE THAT COVER. There I go, judging again.

Q. Do you like haunted houses? My favorite haunted house (if you consider it that) is Zak Bagan’s Haunted Museum in Las Vagas. I LOVED IT AND I NEED TO GO BACK. I hear he has acquired some new items!!

🖤🎃👻

All Hallows is the perfect October read. (Why was this book published in January?) It follows a neighborhood of families on Halloween night. There are adults dealing with adult troubles - financial struggles, cheating, drinking. There are also teens dealing with friendships and relationships, and there are children excited to trick or treat with their friends. Mixed in with all of these people are four children in vintage costumes who are trying to hide from the cunning man.

This book starts out great introducing us to the various families and their plans for Halloween night. Then the pace picks up as everyone begins their Halloween night plans and the real horror starts.

This book was the perfect atmospheric read to get you in the mood for spooky season.

I’m definitely more of a ‘Scream’ or ‘Halloween’ horror person, the ones where it’s real people terrorizing a small town BUT as one of my first paranormal horror books, I really enjoyed this! I did decide to saving it for spooky season, because I knew I’d enjoy it most then and I was right! Since it all takes place on Halloween night and has creep kids dressed up and the cunning man (who sounds like a scarecrow type with candles for eyes) is running around.. it definitely brings the right spooky vibes to the Halloween season.

This didn’t scare me that much or give me any thrills, which is why I gave it three stars but I still think overall, it’s the perfect vibe for this time of year!

The story had some good aspects of horror and tension but at times it felt like it wasn't sure what genre it was trying to be.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed within this review are my own.

I wanted to like this book but it didn't work for me. The main problem is the amount of POV's. I got lost trying to keep up with who was who and what was going on with them. There were some creepy moments though and feel that it could be better with some extra editing.

I loved the timing of the novel however, it moved very slow. It also seemed almost juvenile with all of the characters being unbelievable in their ages. There were good horror moments but it was lost in the pages with too much detailing of mundane things.