I will definitely be re-reading this come Halloween time! I enjoyed this take on the jack-o-lantern story, and all of the supernatural creatures who haunted its (simulated) pages. I did feel at times that the writing was a bit stilted, and the author really just wanted to get to the point, and that she could have taken her time, described things more thoroughly. For a ya, however, not too shabby! Will be rereading in the fall.

This was a cool little story. I didn't like the character of Ember though. I wasn't super crazy about Jack either but I love the background and how Houck used Sleepy Hollow as an inspiration. The ending had a little twist and wrapped up very neatly.

First off, I absolutely love the cover! It’s what grabbed my attention right away. It’s so beautiful and intriguing!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for the book itself. I found it really boring. I couldn’t connect with the characters and I actually began skimming after a few pages. It’s not necessarily a bad book, it’s just not my type.

The cover of this book is amazing and the synopsis definitely had me intrigued but while both held the promise of something both deliciously creepy and nefarious, this book sadly did not deliver. This story was a steampunk mashup retelling of the origins of Halloween bringing back all of all the classic cast of characters, like werewolves, vampires, and even Frankenstein. Here's the problem, the synopsis described a completely different book. That would have been ok if there weren't so many other issues with the plot and character development throughout the story.

Ember has no character growth throughout this story and consistently makes decisions that make absolutely no sense. Most of the male characters in this book have no depth and seem to have no purpose other than to be madly in love with Ember. The plot was under-developed and predictable but I did like the way Ms. Houck tied everything together at the end to explain the origins of Halloween. So, if you're looking for a quick-read about Halloween, you should enjoy this.

Disappointed would the be the best word to describe my reading experience. I went into The Lantern's Ember expecting a cool, spooky story similar to urban legends like Sleepy Hallow full of paranormal creatures and magic. Instead, I got a strange steampunk version of Halloweentown. I actually would have been okay with that, but the writing was mediocre and the story seemed a bit juvenile for my tastes. Ember was the super special heroine that acted naively and never bothered to follow common sense, much less warnings given to her by other people. And yet despite her shortcomings, all three of the male characters happen to be in love with her. None of the characters felt fleshed out or any kind of character growth has the story went on. The book is written in third person omniscient, which I think heavily contributed to the fact that the characters didn't have much depth. The plot itself didn't have much substance to it either; it was predictable, boring at times, and many of the conflicts were resolved with a little too conveniently.

Jack is a resourceful but caring guardian who feels a strong desire to protect a young witch growing up near his crossroads. Ember is a powerful but untrained witch who has no idea of how powerful she is. This book is full of adventure, vampires, pirates, werewolves and many other fun and fascinating characters. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. The author has several other popular books but this is the most different of the lot and the most fun.

*I received an ARC copy from Delacorte Press (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.*

As a big fan of Colleen Houck’s Tiger’s Curse series, I was excited to start this Halloween spin-off tale. I was surprised at the difference in style between the two (having not read the Reawakened series, I can only compare to Tiger’s Curse). For a quick summary of what this book is about, click here.

First, Houck chose to write in third person omniscient (looking into the point of view of all main characters). While it was interesting to get inside the heads of so many distinct characters like witches, lanterns, vampires, and humans, I felt I was missing the character depth I felt familiar with in Tiger’s Curse. Because of this, my connection to the main characters felt dry. Often, I asked myself, “This is interesting and all, but why should I care?” Additionally, so many characters were introduced at different parts of the novel that the omniscient view became disorienting. BUT, I thought the different “Halloween” characters were entertaining. Houck’s imagination created interesting characters based on folklore we all know: the boogeyman, jack o’ lanterns, witches, vampires, and Frankenstein’s monster. So I will give her that.

Another thing I struggled with was the worlds in which The Lantern’s Ember takes place: the mortal world and the Otherworld. I never felt like I could fully settle into the setting. Although it was consistent, it felt too strange and unbelievable to me. This is probably because it combined folklore, a world of corsets and bustles, science, and technology. It was a bit overwhelming.

As for the plot, Houck did well with making it feel like a fairytale retelling. However, I did lose interest before I reached the midpoint and didn’t regain it until 70% through the book. The middle section was, frankly, boring and missing some tension and character growth. Not to mention having random, long sections of exposition.

This all being said, I’m giving it three stars despite of its faults because of creativity and a satisfying ending. Here’s a further breakdown:

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 2
Overall: 3

Would I recommend? Sure. I would especially recommend to those who love fantasy, Halloween, and folklore.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this book prior to it’s release.

In “The Lantern’s Ember”, we meet Jack. Once upon a time long ago, Jack was a mortal whom met the devil and made a deal. In this deal, Jack became bound to a pumpkin and now his job was to be keeper of all things that went bump in the night. In becoming this, he was also the reason for the legend of the Headless Horseman. One day, he meets a young witch named Ember and finds himself trying to protect her from the creatures of the Otherworld whom would enjoy tasting her magic. Because you see, the witches have left Otherworld and with them so was their magic.

When I first saw this book, I was excited because this book had a different premise from those of recent reads. Here, I thought, things would be different and the book would take me on an adventure that most of the ya books seemed to have lacked lately.

Unfortunately I found the same qualities in this heroine that I keep finding in other heroines - brainless, never listening, and taking off on their own despite the fact there is danger. I get that authors are trying to make their heroines brave and the ideal for those younger readers but at the same time, they are not changing the heroine personality. This is unfortunate because all heroines have potential to become something much more than just brainless twits.

I wanted to like Ember but she seemed to be one-dimension and too predictable. Her reactions to situations seemed off. While others reacted to something accordingly, she didn’t. I don’t know why but it bothered me. It was like she was in another world and she was reacting to something entirely different.

And who the hell allows themselves to follow someone they don’t know into a world they have no idea about!? This has been reoccuring theme in the ya universe. We meet heroine and heroine goes off on an adventure into a world she has followed someone into. This has started putting me off on reading ya lately. :/ The heroines have gotten annoying and brainless. There is no personality growth and they always seem to be in some world of their own.

As for Jack? Well I liked him, if that helps, but he isn’t something I would be jumping for joy over or writing to people about. I loved the idea of how he is the reason behind the legend of Sleepy Hollow. This was the most awesome part of his story. Otherwise he could be part of the background and would not be newsworthy.

Overall the world building was interesting and I really enjoyed it but the secondary characters were just like Ember - predictable. No growth, no personality, no anything.

If you enjoy movie monsters and a little bit steampunk, then this book you will definitely enjoy.

My question after finishing this book is can this book be saved by the ending?
The Lantern's Ember is a book by an author with a stack of books on my "to read" list and that cover, guys, is perfect. This one is a Halloween story about a "lantern" named Jack who protects entrances to the Otherworld. He really likes this witch, Ember, she's totally gorgeous and he can't do the right thing by turning her in the the high witch and Lord of the Otherworld. Then comes this vampire named Dev, he also super loves Ember, but takes her to the Otherworld cause he was hired to. Then there's the human, Finney, hired by Jack to help find Ember and surprise, surprise, he also loves Ember. Overdone triple romance triangle aside, sounds cool, right?
Wrong, because nothing happens. The wander from place to place without any good reason. Dev wants to take her to the witch, but can't for some weird reason so they go to this inventor for some weird reason also? There are enough random plot holes in this book that I'm not even 100% sure how to describe the plot.
The characters are troublesome as well. The male characters don't really have any qualities besides their undying love for Ember. I'm not joking. I couldn't tell you anything interesting about them besides their "race" and what they love most about this witch. The secondary characters are even more problematic. We meet a villain of sorts near the end of the book and he imprisons the witch for destruction of the worlds. Even though he imprisons them he says, "Hey, Ember. I know you are, like, the most powerful witch we have ever seen and I should totally keep you trapped here in your room forever; but you can totally use my lab to rebuild your weapons and potions. You won't kill me right? Cool."
The ending (not epilogue) was actually good. I won't say amazing or fantastic, but it was good. I liked the way all the characters contributed to the ending in a way that solved the problems (and not random feeling). Oh, except Delia, cause she was trapped and no one really cares? All the relationship issues just melt away too, isn't that precious? Just like real life, you find out something about people and you just hug them.
The more I write about this book, the more I am convinced that this book is not for me and it's not very good. A good ending doesn't save a less than mediocre book. There are some big rewrites needed to make the characters relatable, interesting, and active in this book.Such re-writes could also improve the plot and provide adequate explanations for the character's choices and direction.
Read at your own risk.

recieved this as an arc* I love the cover od this book, and woth this being my first book by Colleen, I wasnt sure what to expect. I always try to be honest in my reviews, without spoiling the book. SO, this story is a little bit of sleepy Hollow, with witches, vanpires, werewolves and wait for it....steampunk. This book started off flawless. And i quickly got halfway through. But the first half of the story is so different from the second half. I loved jack the lantern, dev the vampire and even ember. But after they get onto the steam ship it just transformed into something im not into. And so its hard to review this book. Honestly if it wasnt so wild during the second half id probably enjoy it more. And its not the writers story telling. Its based more on my preferences.

The Lantern’s Ember ~ Colleen Houck



What drew me into this book besides the beautiful cover art, is that its a tale that I have yet to read. A spin on America's past and its relationship to Halloween. Taking us through Roanoke and Salem and even Sleepy Hallow. This book was yelling my name.

I will admit that I did have a hard time getting lost in the story. It is a slow read. HOWEVER this is not a negative. Because the story is written in such a way that you are forced to pay attention more. I was following what was happening. I was making logical jumps to yet revealed plot points.

Meeting Jack. You cant help but empathize with Jack. Everything he did for the town he grew up in. To save those who couldn't save themselves. It unfortunately had a high price. He is a Hero is his own right. Not only was he selfless, he also lived with the price of his bargain without complaint. If anything he tried to be the best Lantern there was. With one exception, Ember O'Dare...

Ember O'Dare. The main protagonist of the tale. Young, curious, full of spark and life. The perfect opposite to Jack the Lantern. This orphaned witch was able to steal the heart of the Lantern who watched over her in the shadows from the time she was a wee babe, to this very day. Smart, beautiful, Loyal yet all to human in her mistakes.

The Cunning Dev. Vampire by birth, without any of those pesky half breed restrictions like avoiding daylight. Sent to fetch the beauteous young witch. He manages to whisk her away to the otherworld where they form a close bond.

One thing that is interesting is that the story challenges all of your pre assumed notions about the characters. In the end though, not everything is black and white and the book gets wrapped up in a tidy bow. Maybe it will have a next installment. If not, the story was wrapped up and it can easily be a stand alone.

Tags: Book Review, Net Galley, The Lanterns Ember

Categories: Book Review, Book

This book was a fun read. It will definitely put you in the mood for Halloween. It’s very atmospheric. A little bit of steampunk with magic is in this book. Ember is a strong female character, that knows what she wants and is definitely stubborn. There was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming! I loved the ending of this book. It was great. While reading this, you’ll see a lot of different nods to spooky legends and characters, like Sleepy Hollow and Frankenstein. This book is coming out at the perfect time of year.

If you're in the mood for something that's just dripping with that Halloween atmosphere, look no further, because The Lantern's Ember absolutely DELIVERS. It's got witches, werewolves, vampires, the Headless Horseman, pumpkins, spells, the Loch Ness Monster, and still MORE because that's how Halloween it is. Plus that cover? Absolutely gorgeous and completely perfect for the book. Those were easily my two favorite things about this book.

The other favorite thing had to be the setting. It's a historical fantasy, set in some indistinct time period after the Salem Witch Trials but well before now, but that real world aspect is short lived because the book's focus is on Ember O'Dare's journey through the Otherworld, a land powered by witchlight and inhabited by all the things we know go bump in the night. The Otherworld is technologically ahead of the mortal world, which means it's got elevators, escalators, airships, submarines, electricity (in the form of witchlight), and soooo much more! It was amazing how well the tech we recognize so readily today was written in such a way that you actually could feel some of the characters' wonder and suspicion about being introduced to it for the first time. Not to mention the whole thing is this odd combination of fantasy and steampunk, I feel like, so it's absolutely enchanting. I just loved it so much.

As for favorite characters, I had to pick Ember and Finney, the only two characters from the mortal world. Ember may have been a little hotheaded and brash, but I love that she uses her witch magic for compassion and not power, plus I love that she's stubborn. Does it mean she sometimes makes poor decisions? Yes, it does. But does that mean she's interesting and flawed and exciting? Yes! I'm always going to be more inclined to like a character who sticks to her guns than a character who can always be persuaded into taking the smart, safe choice. As for Finney, he's a timid little inventor and a really loyal friend. His crush on Ember is so cute and I honestly think he's the only one of her love interests who deserves her and would treat her right 100% of the time. He puts her first and takes her non-interest in him like any decent human being would do by still caring about her but absolutely respecting her choices. Which also means (spoiler not spoiler, I guess, because this happens all the time), he doesn't get the girl.

It's okay, Finney. You're a good kid anyway.

But that means I spent the rest of the book, when we weren't deep in plot and exploration territory, hating the romance. Ember's options are as follows: Finney, sweet inventor boy and childhood friend, overlooked constantly. Jack, lantern who is about 500 years old and has been watching over her since she was a child. Dev, the equally old (if not older) vampire with a possessive streak and past emotional trauma about his last witch love.

Now, I'm going to be really blunt here: I'm sick of stories where the seventeen year-old girl is caught in a love triangle between two adult men much, much older than her. I don't care if Jack is seventeen in appearance. The fact is that he's 500+, has spent most of those 500 years as judge, jury, and executioner for those who stray from the Otherworld without permission, and he's Ember's guardian, watching out for her since she was small. But he's mysterious and attractive, so apparently it's okay (it's not, it's mostly just really creepy and I hate it).

As for Dev, he's conniving, never tells Ember the whole truth about anything until it's nearly too late, he tries to trick her into loving him, he's possessive enough that he gets into a fight with Jack over who's the better suitor, and he's basically looking to replace his last love with Ember because she's a powerful witch and she makes him feel good. He creeped me out as much as Jack, especially because his predatory streak feels incredibly obvious.

Could someone explain to me why this is supposed to be romantic? Why mysterious and way too damn old for a seventeen year-old is considered acceptable and even sexy, but the kid of the same age who's a good person and does the right thing gets walked all over and it's funny or cute because he never had a chance? It makes me so, so uncomfortable because it feels so prevalent, especially in fantasy, especially when the female protagonist is super powerful in magical ways and that's what draws all these older men into her sphere in the first place.

Anyways, beyond my disgust with the romance, I was disappointed in the dialogue, which was way too stiff ALL THE TIME, and the ending, which felt incredible rushed. The turn-around in some character's attitudes toward one another was very simple (and honestly kind of ignored the bits where one character was totally willing to imprison or kill the others for fun/experiments/profit), and some things were really never resolved or remedied, like a kill switch implanted in one character and...spyware, I guess, in another, both unwittingly victims to the same person. It also lost the atmospheric majesty I was so pleased with earlier. However, it did slowly unveil how the characters have influenced Halloween in the mortal world, and I thought that was a cute "where are they now?" kind of ending.

On the whole, I think The Lantern's Ember is remarkable for its atmosphere and the shape it takes in the Otherworld. That is far and away my favorite aspect of this book. It is disappointing, though, in the romance and the resolution, and that brought my rating down a fair bit.

This book hits the shelves on September 11 this year, so if you need some early Halloween in your life and want to cruise through a world positively brimming with it, then The Lantern's Ember may be for you!

Thank you to Random house children’s books for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
I struggled to get into this book, it did intrigue me from the beginning but I found it hard to stay focused on it.
After a few chapters the struggle ended and I had trouble putting the book down.

First .... that cover! Even without reading the blurb the cover is strong enough to stand on its own. Stunning! Secondly, what's inside was good, too! This will be right in time for a great Halloween read.

I loved the fresh spin on what I thought would be a Sleepy Hollow retelling of sorts, and I guess it kinda is, but it's so much more than that. I loved the Steampunk theme, the Sleepy Hollow theme and historical facts (Salem Witch Trials) spun in a fictional way to coincide with this story. Well thought out!

So, the author is clever ... the title really says it all but I'm not going to spoil the story any more than that.

I loved all the characters (some more than others) and have to stay the ending was a complete surprise for me. I didn't not make that connection at all.

I loved Finney, Jack, especially loved Dev, and while I liked Ember, I did struggle a bit with everyone fussing over her. I totally understood that she is a witch and that alone makes her special, but all the fawning and fighting over her (at one point there appeared to be 3 suitors) just didn't match up with her character. I loved all her talent and power and she never led anyone on, I guess it was the instant attraction for no apparent reason that perhaps made me raise an eyebrow. Other than that, the other characters were super fleshed out and you definitely have favorites.

I LOVED the Otherworld! I adored the way the author detailed out a completely new realm. I envisioned myself there while I read about.

Overall, The Lantern's Ember was fresh, original and left me wanting more. The author did wrap things up, but as I said earlier, you do fall in love with secondary characters, so this is a world I would love to revisit.

Highly recommended!

When I stumbled upon this book I must admit that I was pretty excited to get a chance to read it early. First of all, just look at that cover. That is a work of art. The black skull with gold scroll work is simply gorgeous and whatever artist put that together needs some kind of award. I’m in love with the cover art. Secondly, doesn’t that book description just pull you in? I feel like it is promising thrills and chills and I was %100 on board for that.

Unfortunately, that isn’t what I got.

Let me start with the characters in general. None of them throughout the entirety of the book felt very well fleshed out. They are dumped into your lap like over eager puppies in want of your love and adoration. Ember, the lovely witch we are introduced to as our heroine, is the very same at the beginning of the story as she is at the end. She has no personal growth and is downright, utterly predictable. No matter what happened in the course of the book, and a lot does happen, she reacts exactly as expected in each instance and reacts exactly the same in every instance as well. I found her predictability as likable as rain on a day at the beach. That is to say, not at all.

Then, there is our hero Jack. He I found slightly more likable but that may be for personal reasons. He is presented to you as the inspiration for the old Sleepy Hollow stories. I for one have always loved the spooky tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman and to be handed Jack and told he was the Headless Horseman really had me excited. Now, outside of that, he seemed to just be a good boy out to save the damsel in distress. Jack had some interesting attributes that pulled my attention but, sadly, he really wasn’t anything to write home about either. Honestly, the most interesting character in this book was an actual pumpkin. No, I’m not kidding.

The story itself was also a pitfall of predictability. Our characters get in trouble and get out of it with conveniently presented solutions that are very little trouble at all. A conversation with romantic undertones then occurs. Then they are once again in trouble and another convenient solution presents itself. This happens over and over and over again to the point of tedium. At no point was I ever convinced that anyone was at risk and that, quite frankly, is a bit dull.

Lastly, and what bothered me the most, is that the support cast was, well, convenient. I know I have overused that word in this review but that is really this story in a nutshell. Oh no, something bad happens! Convenient solution. Oh no, there is an evil doer! Here is a convenient reason for them to no longer be evil. Oh no…you get the point. Everything was just so blasted convenient. Nothing felt spontaneous and the characters never seemed to be in actual peril.

Now, while I wasn’t a huge fan of this book I can easily see that it would appeal to a certain audience. The supposed romance was a huge plot point and, while I got quickly irritated with it, others may find it romantic. It also had very steampunk undertones which is not something that has ever been up my alley but I know it has a huge fan base. So, if you like a simple romantic plot with a smidge of adventure and an overall steampunk vibe, this book is for you. If you are like me and you want a plot that isn’t so predictable and your romance to not be sickeningly sweet, steer clear.

#NetGalley #TheLantern'sEmber
I must say The Lanter's Ember is a pleasant surprise in the world of magic and suspense. Colleen Houck has a great resume when it comes to novels, I wasn't expecting though to like this novel as much as I do. Jack, Ember, Finnley, and several other characters make this novel so likeable and wonderful. It is filled with magic, foes, monsters, creatures, and romance. The only issue I didn't really like is the changing POV in the novel. I would have like to follow one character all the way through. It was a little of a take away from the pace of the story changing POV several times. A great read!

I have always loved Colleen's books from Tiger's Curse and now this. Is this as gripping as her original series? No: but it is vey fascinating, spooky and reminiscent of a Hollow's story and Alice In Wonderland.

Ember is a witch that Jack has been keeping an eye on over the past few years. She wants to go to the Underworld but Jack refuses due to wanting her to be safe.

Soon after a gorgeous, hunky and fascinating vampire named Dev brings her over. But not out of kindness. He was paid by someone.

There are fancy dresses, talks of witchlight, her power...and I fall hard for Dev in this book. He is my main man crush Monday.

Jack however has fallen for Ember and takes her best friend Finnley to help find her.

Read this book and fall in love with the characters as I have!

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.



I've pretty much loved every single book by Colleen Houck and when I heard she was writing a standalone with a Halloween twist, I was immediately excited! The Lantern's Ember was a magical and delightful little read! It was rife with aspects of Halloween lore...it was pretty much perfect in that sense!


I'll admit though, I had a rough start, but that's also likely due to the timing of reading as well. I was very busy and the first two days of trying to read this I only read a chapter or two. Diving in was rough, but once I got to read more than a chapter at a time I was really getting into the story! We have Jack who is known as a lantern. He basically guides the doorways to the Otherworld which, as you can imagine is a world filled with supernatural beings. There's some history to it involved as well as Jack's situation and how he became to be a lantern that is revealed from the start which I really enjoyed instead of having to wait several chapters in order to get all this necessary background.


Ember is a witch that Jack has been keeping an eye on over the past few years. There aren't any witches in the Otherworld for reasons we will soon learn, but Ember is fascinated with the idea of the Otherworld and beseeches Jack to take her, but he refuses to do so for her own safety. It's not long before a vampire named Dev brings her over, as he was tasked to do so by a particular someone. When Jack finds out she's missing, he recruits her best friend, Finney, to help him track her down and bring her back to her world.


This was quite an adventurous read! In some ways, it was like an Alice in Wonderland story as Ember enters this new world that is so strange and different, and quite dangerous. Witches are a hot commodity in this world and Ember's life is pretty much in danger from the moment she enters, but Dev, her vampire/sort of kidnapper, but not, is determined to keep her safe. In fact, his plans to bring Ember to his employer has changed, because yes, he finds he's falling in love with her. Though naturally, we already sense that Ember and Jack have a growing connection, but let's also add in the fact that Finney, her longtime best friend, also loves her. It makes for quite the array of suitors.


The romance wasn't a huge role in the story as well, I mean it was there throughout, as we had at least two of the characters trying to actively pursue Ember. I felt a little bad for Finney as he never really seemed to have a chance with Ember despite being the best friend and all. I felt like Ember's choice was obvious from the getgo however.


When the Lord of the Otherworld gets wind that a new and powerful witch has entered his domain, he's determined to have her. The Otherworld is powered by witchlight and with a ned budding witch, he will continue to remain an all powerful deity.


I think my favorite thing about this book was truly all the Halloween lore that was incorporated. Jack is sort of the new Jack that gave the name to the jack-o-lantern, he was also involved with scaring a man named Ichabod away from one of the Otherworld gates. We get to see how other traditions of Halloween were born as well as the story moves along. It was really fascinating the ways Colleen brought these traditions to life! It was probably my favorite part of the story!


There was a great deal of tension in this one too! Everyone had their own plan for Ember, and she had her own plans for her life as well! Some rather interesting twists came about in the grand finale that I thought was pretty shocking! Though I do like how Colleen was able to wrap everything up! I am so used to her highly detailed stories that stretch for several books--and that I enjoy as well--so this standalone was pretty amazing for her to write as well! I almost think that standalones can be harder to write than a series, but that's just me!


The Lantern's Ember was a marvelous read indeed! It's the perfect read for lovers of Halloween lore! It's not a scary read by any means, though there's a great deal of tension and suspense to it. Lots of twists and turns and a healthy sprinkling of romance as well. This is easily making my list of best reads of the year as I've always enjoyed the different myths and lore that surround Halloween! Colleen Houck has done it again and written yet another superb book rich with mythology!



Overall Rating 5/5 stars




The Lantern's Ember releases September 11, 2018

Have you ever wanted to love a book so much that you make excuses and push yourself to keep reading even though it’s doing absolutely nothing to keep your attention?

“The Lantern’s Ember” manages to intertwine urban legends, movie monsters and the Otherworld giving us the story of Jack, a once mortal man now bound to a pumpkin whose deal with the devil makes him the keeper of all things that go bump in the night and when his path crosses with the new witch in town he is determined to keep her out of harms way by those creatures who would kill for a taste of what her magic could offer.

I wanted to love this so much the cover is stunning and the premise checks all the boxes for things I enjoy but what it mastered as an idea it failed in the execution. I loved seeing the play on urban legends from Sleepy Hollow to Roanoke as well as the monsters in the Otherworld, however when you’re sold on the dark underbelly of a Halloweentown it’s very disappointing to find that it’s more like Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party. The characters lean heavily into a trope or stereotype depending on their species and it’s disappointing to see so many one note or otherwise flat versions of these monsters that could make this story so great.

There’s a bit of steampunk in this which also has a lot of promise as an idea but I spent so much of this book waiting for it to actual go there and instead we stayed rather still despite fight scenes and high stakes situations and I’ve never been so sad! Give this book the Penny Dreadful type atmosphere that it deserves and it would easily be a 5 star.

If you’re looking for creatures of the night that are no different from what you’ve seen hundreds of times in both tv and film this is for you but if you want something with more of a bite you’ll be just as disappointed as I am, but at least we have this cover.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**