In this darkly humorous tale of curses and supernatural beings, a sleazy demon must help a desperate family break their centuries-long curse before the curse becomes permanent. Lazlo, a low-level demon and Curse Keeper, oversees the Drakeford Curse on Hell's behalf. 'Oversees' is putting it loosely, as Lazlo is notoriously useless and has never even met his Curse Bearers, the Drakeford family, whose curse he is supposed to manage. But when a new boss from Hell comes into town, Lazlo must shape up and do his job--but he's only got six days to prove himself. Enter Maggie Drakeford, nineteen years old and already afflicted by the family curse. Maggie and her younger brother Lump agree to help Lazlo break the curse and save their family, and a crazy romp through New York, Liechtenstein, and Rome ensues as they race against the clock to find curse-breaking items, get information from ever-stranger supernatural beings, and discover life-altering secrets. Naturally, though, Lazlo has his own plans for the successful end to their six day trial.

This story was funny and original. Maggie was a sympathetic character, but it did take a while for her to really pop of the page. Her realism and despair paired nicely with Lazlo's carefree attitude so the story didn't get *too* dark and depressing. Also, it was refreshing that the main male/female characters remained platonic friends. While I don't normally hope for books to be turned into movies or shows, I feel like this one would make a great Netflix special.

I went in with zero expectations and finished with The Witchstone being my first five-star read of the year. Seriously. I'm still thinking about this book weeks later!

Hilarious, debaucherous, and weirdly heartfelt (emphasis on the weirdly), Maggie, Lump, and Lazlo are the strange cousins at Thanksgiving you're both eager to see and a little afraid of what trouble they're going to cause...because they will cause it. The banter is sharp and witty, the adventure refreshing, and the magic and creatures unique. Each character, including the villains, feels well-rounded, and the plot is never so obscure you feel left out of the loop or find yourself doubling back to ensure you didn't miss anything.

Fast-paced but never rushed, charming and sarcastic, The Witchstone is breaking my book-buying ban. I loved every minute of it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC of The Witchstone.

I finished this book last week and I'm still thinking about multiple times a day. How is a book about a generational curse and demons so funny?! I loved it from beginning to end. Laszlo is an endearing asshole— I shouldn’t be able to love a demon but I do. The Ancient Infernal Society of Curses Keepers reminds me of a more adult version of Monsters Inc. Keep that image in mind and you'll thank me later.
Somehow Maggie feels super relatable even though she’s a 19 year old who is literally turning into a monster. And Lump. My dear sweet Lump. I wanted to jump into the book to hug and protect him. I love that kid.

The Witchstone is perfect for fans of Christopher Moore. It's been a long time since I had such a fun reading experience.

The narrator is fantastic. I was able to differentiate between characters and that made this book completely come alive. I was lucky enough to be able to read and listen to the audio version of this and neither disappoints. Fantasy is not a genre that I normally read. As a matter of fact, I barely dip my toes in it. But this was so real and the places and things that the demons do are in current, actual locations. The characters have depth and feelings and the emotions they expressed made them come alive. How can one laugh at and become a fan of a demon such as Lazslo? I have no idea. But I do know there is comedy and true laugh out loud moments. There is suspense and mystery. There is a generational curse and plenty of magic and this should be added to your summer TBR as fast as possible.

The marketing invoking Good Omens isn't far off on this one. In some ways this is more coherent with better pacing. The cast of characters more personable and the narrative more straightforward. That said, Laszlo as a protagonist is at first glance the kind of inept and unlikable that is often endearingly hilarious, and the Drakeford siblings are sweet and ill-fated. But as the story chugs along, something about Laszlo seems persistently unempathetic and the Drakeford curse is horribly menacing to the point of forcing the reader to sit through multiple attempted sexual assault in service of said curse. That element is so jarring and uncomfortable, it often broke the playful and whimsical tone of the overall narrative. That said, it is largely a romp with personable cast of characters which is at best, fun, and at worst, derivative.

I really really enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun to read. It’s a blend of humour and fantasy, fast paced with high stakes, I had a hard time putting it down. The world building was really good, blending fantasy elements within a contemporary setting. All of the characters were well developed and I was invested in almost all of them. I also think this would be a great audiobook. I think there could have been a bit more about the Drakeford family in the beginning but I think that’s just my personal preference. Overall a really interesting read with a unique plot. The Witchstone comes out on June 18

Thanks to NetGalley, Henry H Neff and Blackstone Publishing for this e-ARC

When I first saw this book, it reminded me of CS Lewis’s The Screwtape letters, in which a demon writes advice to his nephew, an apprentice in the demon trade. The only real resemblance here is that this is also a book featuring a demon as one of its main characters. Laszlo is a Grade 3, not a very demanding job, but he can’t be bothered to do anything to keep watch over the curse he’s supposed to be keeping. Not until upper management drops in at the office and threatens to turn Laszlo into primordial goo unless he shapes up by making his cursed family, the Drakefords, much more miserable. Off Laszlo goes to the hinterlands, planning to trick the family into thinking he’s there to help them break the curse that turns the Drakefords into monsters when they reach full maturity.

Maggie’s father is fully a monster now, and she, a teenager, hates the half-life her family must live. She’s all over the idea of breaking the curse, though she rightfully suspects Laszlo isn’t on the up and up. Off Maggie and Laszlo go on a grand adventure, with Maggie’s little brother, polymath George, a/k/a Lump, to gather up all the scavenger-hunt-type items needed to break the curse. Along the way, there will be much danger, many other demons and other dangers met, and Laszlo’s bad habits to be indulged.

For me, the first few chapters (a little shy of one-quarter) of the book are not a ton of fun, because they’re all about the miseries of the Drakeford curse and what a mess Laszlo is. But once the quest is underway, it’s a wild ride; thrilling, often funny, and even touching. It would make a good movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC of The Witchstone! There has not been a moment since I picked this book up that I have been able to think about anything else! Henry H. Neff writes some of the most compelling, lovable and eccentric characters I've seen in quite some time. This is a hilarious, touching and wild story that I have not and will not shut up about, probably ever. I'm practically begging for Neff to delve further into adult novels, because I am insatiably hungry for more! Grab your copy this upcoming Tuesday, June 18th!

DNF at 50%

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book and I'm not sure why. It has a lot of elements that I should like (demons, curses, quest to save ones soul), but in the end, I just wasn't into it.

The writing is fine, the pacing is fine, the premise is fine, it just turns out, it wasn't for me

"The Witchstone" offers an exciting and unique blend of humor, fantasy, and high stakes, which makes for an engaging read. The fast pacing and witty banter contribute to its cinematic feel, drawing readers into a fantastical world filled with intriguing challenges.

While the premise and plot are captivating, rich character development can elevate a story to another level by creating more depth and complexity. Perhaps exploring the characters' backgrounds, motivations, and internal conflicts could add layers to their personalities, making them more relatable and memorable to readers.

"The Witchstone" has a lot of potential, and with some additional focus on character development, it could become an even more immersive and satisfying read.

I REALLY enjoyed The Witchstone! This book is smart, witty, funny, and fast paced. The story follows Laszlo, a demon, and Maggie, a girl from a cursed family in upstate New York as they try to break this familial curse.... with very different motivations. I found the characters to be amazingly vivid, and I absolutely adored Lump, the younger brother who made me laugh out loud more than once. The Witchstone is a great pick for a reader who's looking for magical realism and can appreciate a bit of snark!

I'm so grateful to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!

This was a hell of a read (pun intended). Fast paced, clever, funny, there were times I was on the edge of my seat. You go through an emotional rollercoaster of feelings for the characters because you're never sure what their fates hold. The twists in this story were unpredictable I could hardly put this book down. 10/10 no notes.

The Witchstone is, for the most part, a fun and enjoyable adventure in which two siblings team up with a demon to break a centuries-old family curse. The Drakefords, descendants of a judge who sentenced a witch to burn, are cursed to slowly turn into monsters once they near adulthood. Maggie has watched her father slowly devolve over the last few years from her dad into a horrifying monster in excruciating pain, and it’s starting to happen to her. Meanwhile, Laszlo is the demon in charge of the Drakeford curse as its Curse Keeper, and he’s been given one week to ramp up the Drakefords’ misery or else he will be destroyed. He crafts a foolproof plan: trick Maggie into thinking there is a way to break the curse, then pull the rug out from under the whole family. The ensuing journey to collect special and rare items needed to break the curse takes Maggie and her younger brother Lump on a whirlwind tour of Europe, chased by demons the whole way.
On the whole, this book was pretty enjoyable. I really enjoyed Maggie and Laszlo’s dynamic and struggle for power, and Lump was a hilarious genius child who added a lot to the story. However, one aspect bothered me a lot: a stipulation of the Drakeford curse is that members of the family must always have their own children in order for the curse to continue. Plot wise, I understand why this was done and makes sense; but its execution was pretty gross. Essentially the curse forces Drakefords to try and sleep with pretty much anyone nearby, and also compels those people to try, including via r*pe, to impregnate them. I think some more thought could have gone into this, because as it is, those sections are absolutely gross to read.

"An unforgettable, high-stakes, laugh-out-loud funny novel, The Witchstone blends the merciless humor of The Good Place with the spellbinding fantasy of Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell's least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black monolith. It's a sexy enough assignment - colonial origins, mutating victims, et cetera - but Laszlo has no interest in maximizing the curse's potential; he'd rather sunbathe in Ibiza, quaff martinis, and hustle the hustlers on Manhattan's subway. Unfortunately, his division has new management, and Laszlo's ratings are so abysmal that he's given six days to shape up or he'll be melted down and returned to the Primordial Ooze.

Meet Maggie Drakeford, nineteen-year-old Curse Bearer. All she's ever known is the dreary corner of the Catskills where the Drakeford Curse has devoured her father's humanity and is rapidly laying claim to her own. The future looks hopeless, until Laszlo appears at the Drakeford farmhouse one October night and informs them that they have six days - and six days only - to break the spell before it becomes permanent. Can Maggie trust the glib and handsome Laszlo? Of course not. But she also can't pass up an opportunity to save her family, even if it means having a demon as a guide...

Thus begins a breakneck international adventure that takes our unlikely duo from a hot dog stand in Central Park to the mountains of Liechtenstein. As the clock ticks down, tough-as-nails Maggie and conniving Laszlo will uncover a secret so profound that what began as a farcical quest to break a curse will eventually threaten the very Lords of Hell."

This has that Evil vibe. And Evil is one of my favorite shows ever.

So. Good. I was drawn in immediately and within the first chapter I was obsessed with Laszlo. The comments comparing this to something by Neil Gaiman are, in my opinion, perfectly justified. One of my recent faves.

Loved this title so much and can’t wait to recommend it to people. Funny and engaging with well developed characters and story. Absolute gem. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.

An unforgettable, high-stakes, laugh-out-loud funny novel, The Witchstone blends the merciless humor of The Good Place with the spellbinding fantasy of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

I loved this so much. I didn't know what to expect when I started it, but I smashed through it so fast because it was just so good.

I thought this sounded interesting but I had such a hard time getting into this story. I wasn't vibing with the characters and the story wasn't really going anywhere for me. I dnfed it at 10%

★ ★ ★ ★ • 4

The book was pretty entertaining, with the same type of sardonic humor and portrayal of demons as seen in other works like Good Omens. So if you enjoyed that? This book is a probably a safe bet.

The story itself is for the most part straightforward and not particularly dark despite having a demon as the main character. There wasn’t a lot of character development, but it didn’t affect the plot much that the characters were the same in the end of the story as they were in the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review!

I'm always looking for standalones these days and happened upon this one, an urban fantasy all about trying to break a curse. We have a demon main character who is tasked with increasing his mortal despair ratings in order to save his life pretty much. But in order to achieve this, he has to convince this family that the curse that turns them into monsters can be broken. This was really funny, not taking itself too seriously, quirky which are always fun to throw in between all the dark and epic fantasies so if you’re in the mood for something eccentric in June, this could be it.