I absolutely LOVED this book. There is an underlying tension through all of it. You know things are not going to go well and the author pulls no punches. If you were a kid in the early 80s, this will take you back to a time when kids Halloween was a time of parties and big neighborhood scares. Older kids would be able to trick or treat without adults tagging along. Parents had their own celebrations and didn’t try to live through the lives of their children or try to somehow hang on to their childhood like it was something you could keep in a box.

Evil comes out once a year. It seems it comes to different places. Once it is out, is has just a small window to get what it needs.

I found it to be a very satisfying ending, too. Which is sometimes hard for horror writers. Loved it all around.

I love horror stories. This one didn’t quite hit the mark. It took too long for anything suspenseful to happen. If this had been a book about cheating spouses and troubled marriages or a coming of age story, I would have considered it a great book. I’m perfectly fine with a slow burn in those kinds of stories. Nothing in this horror book scared me.

I loved the touching friendships and relationships of the younger characters who didn’t share the same bigoted hang-ups about race and sexuality as their parents.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

The story got off to a slow start. Once it picked up, it hit a nice stride. The exposition about the children who lived in Coventry was a little overdone, and a little underdone for the ones from the previous era. When we were allowed inside the Cunning Man’s thoughts, I would have enjoyed learning much more about his world.

When reading the description, this book seemed like the perfect read for Halloween, yet it is being released in January. It is Halloween in this neighborhood and the Barbosa family is preparing to present their last haunted house to their fellow neighbors. Things do not go as planned as secrets are exposed and unusual guests show up. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? That's what I thought!

I expected to finish this in one sitting, but I found myself struggling to remain attentive because this book was a slow burn. The narration was confusing in the beginning due to all the characters that were being introduced. I had to switch between the ebook and the audiobook to push through but the half of the book really picked up and grasped my attention. While I appreciated knowing about the characters, their introductions and business took up most of the book and did not tie into the main plot at all. The concept was interesting, and I wish more information about why everything was happening in that way was provided. Was this annual or a "every 23 years" type of occurence. This would make a pretty decent movie on Tubi!

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for providing a free copy of the ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

✨ Review ✨ All Hallows by Christopher Golden; Narrated by Ronnie Butler and January LaVoy

I've been trying to read more horror to experiment and see what I like (weirdly I hate watching horror but have been enjoying reading it??!?!), and this hit just the spot.

Focused in on a single neighborhood in Coventry, Massachusetts in 1984 on Halloween, the book follows the POV of kids and parents alike. Focusing especially on 3-4 families, over the course of this book, marriages unravel and lives are lost as spooky circumstances descend on this night of All Hallows.

While in audio this many POVs would often be overwhelming, the perspectives were added slowly enough (and tied to larger families?) in a way that I didn't feel uncomfortable tracing all the threads (at least after the first few chapters passed).

I loved the storyline and sense of impending doom that just flooded through these pages, especially with the haunted woods and the creepy mystery children in mystery costumes. This was a quick and fun haunted read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: horror
Location: a neighborhood in Massachusetts, 1984
Reminds me of: some low key Stranger Things vibes
Pub Date: out now!

Read this if you like:
⭕️ horror set on Halloween
⭕️ creepy kids and haunted woods
⭕️ 1980s vibes

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, OrangeSky Audio, and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy and audio copy of this book!

This was a slow start as we delve into the lives, hopes and fears of each character in this novel's cast. While there was the hint of spook initially, my fear was that it would turn into a family drama.

Because that's what Golden wants you to think … then, when you are unawares and just about to click 'pause', it all happens. And once it starts, it really lets loose. I'd give this 5 stars for the creep factor, I think I've settled on 4.5 overall for story. If you enjoy Stephen King, Dean Koontz or Darren Shan, this will be something you enjoy (and then hate at night when you hear whispering in the dark).

* Received this audiobook to review from Netgalley. I am always honest with these reviews, but when supplied a free copy, I will review if I love it and not review at all if I dislike it.

All Hallows is an adult horror novel by Christopher Golden. This book is set on Halloween night in 1984 and follows a cast of characters, both young and older, as they experience the joys and terrors that come from Halloween night.

My 4 star rating reflects my opinion on the audiobook version of All Hallows. I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives between multiple characters, but one feature I didn’t enjoy was the alternating narrators. I found myself trying to figure out if each narrator was for specific characters or if there was another reason for them alternating (I never did figure that part out). I think the book would have been a bit better with a single narrator. The author writes characters that are true to the time (the 1980s), so readers should remember that as there are parts of the story that would be much more cringeworthy if it was in a modern context. Overall, I feel like the cast of characters was well developed and although it felt difficult to keep track of them all at the beginning, once the story picked up it was all worthwhile. I wouldn’t describe the book as terrifying, but it was creepy. I feel like it would be the perfect read for a crisp fall night!

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the opportunity to review an eARC of this audiobook.

#netgalley #allhallows #christophergolden #audiobook #bookreview #horrornovel #horroraudiobook #autumnreading #fallvibes #bookstagram

I really enjoyed All Hallows! This has the perfect creepy Halloween vibe I wish I could've captured in the spooky season, rather than in the dead of winter - it's untimely release has me scratching my head a bit.
The drama and relationships between the huge cast of characters is intricate and incredibly human; I think Golden's strengths lie in this incredible narrative he weaves between an entire street's worth of families. This component was extremely well done.
The "horror" element missed its mark just a bit for me. It does, decidedly, take quite the climax in a horror novel to hold my attention - for some reason, my brain starts to space out when the real "scary" parts take over. I think the action and the act of fighting the evil is very hard to compose in an interesting way, when we've spent the whole of the novel fearing the unknown. Confronting it head on reduces the scare factor. Unfortunately, this novel falls firmly in that camp for me, but I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the fear that Golden creates in the first half of the novel from the unknown, of these creatures and their origins and their mysterious behaviors. That really had me, and that's the component that falls into good horror for me.
The narrator was also fantastic, I fell into the story through their narration.
I picked this book up as a horror recommendation but I ended up loving it because of the way Golden writes about the people in the story. I think tweaked expectations would've had me giving it five stars. It was quite a wonderful book, and I really enjoyed it!

First and foremost I have to say given the book revolves around Halloween it felt a bit odd listening to this book right when I did…which was right after New Years. It also seems strange that it’s being released at the end of January and not in October. I’m sure if it has something to do with the publisher’s schedule, though I seem to remember Golden’s last novel, Road of Bones, coming out around this same time last year so perhaps this is just his preferred release time. And while I think this is definitely a book you can read anytime, it really does make a great Halloween read.

It’s Halloween 1984 and for one neighborhood it’s a night they’ll never forget…at least for those that survive the night. You see this isn’t going to be a regular Halloween…this year something evil is coming that is going to tear this peaceful neighbored apart. There are an awful lot of moving parts in this one, and not all the disturbing things are supernatural. Take this warning seriously, we have alcohol abuse, adultery, bigotry, pedophilia, and of course the supernatural ‘demons’ on a bloody, gore-filled rampage. I have to say you also need to pay attention because there are a multitude of interconnected storylines and frequent POV changes. The story (stories really) are complex, intense, and at times quite disturbing. I would have liked to know more about the lore of the story and The Cunning man in particular, but perhaps having some of it left in shadows makes it a bit more disturbing. I can potentially envision reading this again when Halloween roles around. The book is narrated by Ronnie Butler and January LaVoy and both do excellent jobs bringing the characters and story to life. I’d like to thank OrangeSky Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audio version of Christopher Golden’s All Hallows

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1676F621YSYTM/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I went into this one blind and ended up enjoying it a lot! I thought the characters were well fleshed out and the story was entertaining. I found it was a bit slow until the end but the narration and audio was excellent! I'll be recommending this one as October rolls around. Thank you OrangeSky Audio for the ALC of this one.

All Hallows by Christopher Golden is a masterpiece of horror. Set on Halloween night in 1984 Massachusetts, multiple parents and their children get the fright of their lives. With multiple viewpoints and storylines as well as frightening plot points, All Hallows is an instant favorite for me. Brilliant sequencing and pacing; superb writing and storytelling, this book was unputdownable! The audio and narrators add an extra dose of spooky to the experience. All Hallows will be among my annual spooky rereads for years to come.

I received an advanced audio review copy of this book from OrangeSky Audio through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was really good! I was in the mood for something a little creepy and this book set on Halloween night 1984 was just what I needed. It did take me a minute to really get into the story since there are a lot of characters to get to know and keep straight but it didn’t take long for me to be hooked. There was a lot going on in this book and I couldn’t wait to find out how everything would turn out.

There was so much drama in this neighborhood that could have played a part in my worst nightmare, not to mention the actual threat of the creepy kids showing up and The Cunning Man. The book is told from various points of view of different people living in the neighborhood it is set in. I liked that we get a variety of perspectives from a wide range of characters since it really paints a clear picture of what is going on. There was a lot of intense family drama in addition to the threat to the lives of the people that encounter The Cunning Man.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Ronnie Butler and January LaVoy did a great job with the story. I have enjoyed January LaVoy’s narration in the past but I believe this was my first time listening to Ronnie Butler. I think that they both handled a large cast of characters very well and really helped to bring the story to life. I thought that their voices complemented each other incredibly well and I can certain that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I loved the ’80s setting and the creepy vibe that was present throughout the story. I thought that the story had a lot of excitement along with more than a few surprises. I would definitely read more of this talented author’s work.

I received a digital review copy of this book from OrangeSky Audio and St. Martin’s Press.

All Hallows promises to be a scary thriller and has been compared to the Netflix hit Stranger Things. I enjoy both, but this book did not work for me.

Let me introduce my first DNF of 2023…

Wow, this was a super slow burn. If this is a thriller, I’m not sure where it starts.
I made it to 40%, but couldn’t keep any of the long list of characters straight and really didn’t care about any of them.

The plot is almost non-existent up until this point, and I just couldn’t stick around to find out what happens to them.

Scary? Not at all.

But, if you enjoy YA, this book might be for you.

I listened to the audiobook read by Ronnie Butler and January LaVoy. They both do an excellent reading, so the fault does not lie in the audio.

This is the first book I have read by Christopher Golden, so maybe his writing is just not for me.

Expected publication date: 1/24/23

1.5/5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Orange Sky Audio for the ARC of All Hallows’ in exchange for an honest review.

All Hallows was a perfect read or listen during a thunderstorm book. It wasn't quite as action packed enough for me until the last 25% of the book and I could have done without some of the profiling/labeling of certain groups, but in all it was a solid story that mixes a bit of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" & "children of the Corn."
Views are my own and a HUGE thank you to OrangeSky Audio & NetGalley for the AudioARC, and Christopher Golden for his creation.

This is a multi perspective story told from points of view from adults, children, and teenagers. I really liked the back stories of the characters and getting to know each before choosing to either hate or love them, but it was all a bit much. This took up a LARGE chunk of the story telling so that I what was left at the end felt rushed and a bit...done before. I am highly intrigued by The Cunning Man and wanted to have more about who he is/was and why he specifically hunts these children. I thought it was a bit in poor taste to point out that parent that calls one of the characters out for being a lesbian was described as a older, white male conservative. Bigots come in all political parties and walks of life. It was unnecessary to point this out since the character was minor and that fact had no bearing on the scene.

I LOVED the last 25% OF THIS BOOK!!!!!! It was everything I was looking for from the description and everything I like in my horror stories. I wanted so much more of this kind of tale.
Long review story short...I neither hated, nor loved this spooky tale about a dad's swan song to his days throwing a haunted forest. Plus, those kids were creepy and they gave me chills. I love that!

No regrets!

This was a deliciously creepy domestic horror story that takes place in a small town on Halloween in 1984. There's so much nostalgia and Stranger Things vibes as a murderous 'Cunning Man' starts attacking residents. Told from multiple POVs, this is a perfect book for #SpookySeason - be sure to mark it on your reading list for Halloween this year. Great on audio narrated by Ronnie Butler and January LaVoy. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

All Hallows has, at the outset, a winning hand: an '80s flair, a spooky Halloween backdrop, an ensemble cast of families, and a monster in the distance. The dark, unfurling atmosphere works in places, but in others is relegated to a domestic drama that feels, admittedly, underwhelming. What this book does well is the FEELING of Halloween. Golden's writing has a perfect autumnal tone; he's able to conjure the memories of trick-or-treating, haunted attractions, the spookiness of the night. The novel has two pitfalls, however: its characters and its pacing, both going hand-in-hand with one another.

I admire ensemble fiction, especially when individual plot lines slowly begin to intersect. All Hallows, quite simply, has too many characters. At least within the audiobook, keeping track of the members of different families was difficult. I still don't know exactly how many characters were in this book, but it felt like too much—or maybe too many characters not fully realised, without a strong personality to hold onto. And the pacing (especially in the first half) is stilted. The threat of the Cunning Man is looming, slowly getting closer. I loved the slow dread, the gradual build-up of it. But whenever the scarier intrigue was getting good, the plot shifted to a b-story (perhaps a C-story) of Barb chasing down her unfaithful husband, which added so little to the story but took up so much space. I'm confused by Golden's decision to intercut what could've been a very atmospheric horror piece with b-plots that felt like a domestic drama from a completely different book. I found that it only slowed down the main plot and diluted the tension.

With regards to the audiobook specifically: January LaVoy is incredible. Completely enrapturing. I was hooked to her chapters. Ronnie Butler's delivery was... different? Much softer, at times almost a whisper. I don't think I would've minded if he read the entire book, but because he and LaVoy brought different reading styles, it created an off-kilter listening experience.

All Hallows will definitely find its audience, and it will be a wonderful addition to bookshelves come October, but this was simply not for me. There's a strong payoff in the third act, but there's too much story to wade through in order to get there.

This wasn’t what I was expecting, but I’m not disappointed! It felt kind of like a daytime drama at first, with the neighbourhood dynamics at play, and then it drifted into some dark dark Stephen King meets the trio from Nightmare Before Christmas. Overall, I had a good time!

Another Christopher Golden horror/paranormal, and I loved it! My first exposure to the author's work was with Road of Bones, and I was hooked from the first page of that book. This one started with a much slower buildup, but got increasingly creepier and more haunted the further I got into the story. For the first third (roughly) of the book, I had trouble keeping all of the characters straight since we were learning everyone's back stories--but there were a handful of seemingly innocuous characters who were terrifying from the beginning (helloooo Raggedy Ann-costumed tiny girl in the woods!!!)

As with other Golden books, when the action starts, it really starts and doesn't let up for the rest of the book--so if you're finding the beginning a little slow, stick with it and wait for the horror (fun) to start. Worth it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an advance copy of this book. I appreciate it!

Honestly, this book was a fun ride. I really enjoyed the fact that all characters have clear strengths and flaws, and their stories meshed so well. I also really appreciated that the plot twist was slowly revealed as opposed to one, jaw dropping moment- I haven’t read a thriller like that before. My only criticism in this book is that if this takes place on Halloween, wouldn’t it happen every year and the people on the street would know about it? The fact that everyone was acting like it was a normal evening makes it seem like the plot of this book only happens every so often, but that wasn’t actually stated. I also had a hard time following all the characters at first (via audiobook) going between children and adults, but eventually got into the swing of things

Set in 1984 on Halloween night, this books is right up there w/ the awesomeness that is Stephen King. Creepy characters, costumes, neighborhood drama, spooky woods….it is EVERYTHING you’d want in Halloween horror novel. I’m only sad that this book releases is January and not October. It’s absolutely perfect for Halloween, And the bad guy isn’t who you may think….
Two amazing narrators he’ll bring this story to life. It was so enjoyable I was sad when it was over,

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-arc.*