Hampton Heights is about a group of teenage paperboys, their boss, and one fateful night in the creepy neighborhood of Hampton Heights. Each chapter features a different teenage pair as they attempt to sell newspaper subscriptions door to door and the creepy experiences they all encounter. This should have worked for me. It had all the elements I like: mythical creatures, spooky vibes, multiple povs. But, it read somehow both very young and had very adult content. I wasn't quite sure who the audience was supposed to be: a teenage boy who likes raunchy, immature humor, or an adult reading a scary story. As a result, I didn't find too much about this book I found interesting. The concept was compelling and I could see this being a good pitch for a mini-series (geared toward children probably), but as a book it did not work for me. 2/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is a dark, mysterious and bizarre book. It has horror elements. With words, author has painted vivid horror scenes where evil and supernatural creatures exist. And as soon as paperboys witness such happenings, they must confront them. Filled with horror descriptions and adventure. Six paperboys experience different monsters. The stories are really deep and each of them weaved a unique story.

Thanks to the Publisher

A strange little story about a group of teen boys going to sell newspaper subscriptions in Hampton Heights in Milwaukee, WI. Between Kevin, the adult driver, and the three group of boys, each has their own adventure. Whether it's witches or weargs or trolls, each boy has a moment of exhilaration while they try to persuade people that a newspaper subscription and a commerative Packer plate is worth the $10. For those that know Milwaukee, it's got a lot of nods to local elements and even brings in a hodag. Lots of fun.

Closer to 3.5. This was a lot of silly fun, but there were some stories that were more compelling than others for me. Felt more MG, but still, lots of fun to read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy!

𝙼𝚈 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂:

I enjoyed this book tremendously! It filled my GenX heart with joy! I was transported back to the 80’s and could really feel the nostalgia. Each story touched on the awkwardness of being a teenager, the need to belong and unexpected friendships but also tackled racism, religion and culture differences. The author weaved all of it quite masterfully without overdoing anything. One of the stories has a sapphic fairytale within it that was done so beautifully I felt it could have been a book on its own! I’m not sure there is such a genre but I would call this “cozy horror”. I recommend it to anyone who wants just a little scare! I look forward to more from Mr. Kois!

Taking place in 1987 is six middle school boys that are paperboys. Their manager Kevin cons the boys into selling subscriptions in a weird neighborhood. They are split into groups of two going from house to house trying their best to sell but each house is weirder than the last.

Even the manager Kevin has an encounter.

This gives you a Stranger Things vibe. It’s not scary but just fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to the publisher Harper Perennial.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
“Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighbourhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin” by Dan Kois has a “Stand by Me” vibe, where stories within a story intersect to create a haunting, coming-of-age tale that would make Stephen King proud.
It is a cold winter’s evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1987. Six middle school boys have gathered together with one aim in mind- to go door-to-door and sell newspaper subscriptions. The pair that sells the most will be rewarded with a meal from Burger King, which is what brings Sigmone, Mark, Joel, Ryan, Nishu and Al to the “most haunted neighbourhood” in Milwaukee. As the boys pair off, they all begin to have paranormal experiences that will have them forgetting all about their newspaper and just trying to survive the night.
“Hampton” starts off with all of the boys, and their manager, a young adult named Kevin, meeting at Kevin’s van, where they discuss their sales plans and pair off, each group heading to a specific part of the neighbourhood. After this, each pair gets their own (rather lengthy) chapter, where their experiences in their section of the community are as varied as they are terrifying. Kois’ writing talent is evident in the multiple interconnected stories, which are not only spooky and haunting, but also manage to flow together with a connected plot and ending. This is most definitely not an easy feat to do and Kois does it with style.
All six of the boys, three groups of two, are very different, not only in their economic backgrounds but also their schools and friendships groups. They are innocent and awkward but likable and their pairings are perfectly matched to their personalities. Readers learn who the boys are as they form friendships with each other, rallying around a common goal. There is a coming-of-age aspect to “Hampton” that was completely endearing.
“Hampton” has werewolves, witches, trolls and a wide selection of other creepy, paranormal ghouls and ghosts. Each chapter deals with one of these, and as much as I enjoy the paranormal, I was unable to pick a favourite. “Hampton” will remind readers of Paul Tremblay or Grady Hendrix, as well as the aforementioned King, with the writing style showing similarities to Stranger Things or The Twilight Zone. That being said though, Kois stands out as an individual and deserves all the accolades. “Haunting” is an unpredictable and delightful read that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did.

Ended up not being my thing, unfortunately. Great premise and fantastic cover, but fell flat once they got to the neighborhood.

Weird, fun, and crazy in all the right ways. This read a little more Middle Grade horror to me, which is actually fine because I do love some MG! I think this could make for quite a fun adaptation to screen, too.

Creepy. Atmospheric. Characterization. This author knows what he’s doing and I will be keeping an eye out for his work in the future.

Never been a paperboy, never been to Milwaukee, wasn't alive in 1987 -- and yet! The feeling of nostalgia was fun, as were the adventures. A little dark, not scary. Had a nice time with this one.

Hampton Heights was such a great read. I loved the character development and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

Told over the course of one hair-raising and incredibly scary night in 1987, six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood. This tender horror-comedy is full of camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and how we all confront the terrifying situation that is growing up. Dan Kois' character's read as authentically likeable and the well-crafted dialogue combined with the atmospheric style of the story really ground it. Unlike anything I've read in quite a long time! Dare I say this book was unputdownable?!

A truly creepy and atmospheric period piece. I’ve spent a lot of time in Milwaukee, and reading this book transported me right back to the neighborhoods in winter with the corner bars. I loved that the ensemble of characters had their own distinct voices — rather than blending together through similar writing style and prose, Kois’ characters each felt individual and unique.

Kois latest is a coming of age story that reminded me of Steven King’s The Body in many ways. I enjoyed the adventures each pair went on and how they were designed as lessons, if you were paying attention.

I’m not really what I was expecting going into this read but it was a pleasant surprise despite being very different to what reads I normally go for.
I would necessarily call this a horror but more of a strange, quirky, interesting and very unique read.
Well written & easy to absorb with great characters, it reminded me a lot of Stranger Things mixed with The Goonies, both of which I love.

I had high(ish) expectations for this book, but to tell the truth, it mostly just bored me. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, as this type of cis boy-centric nostalgia-fest was something I appreciated in my own youth but have long fallen out of love with.

This was a fun little read. It felt very nostalgic and had the right vibes. Was not scary though, more weird than anything. Still a fun little book of you're looking for this vibe

This book was fantastic. Now I want Burger King hahaha!
I really liked how each group of kids had their own chapter and the spooky stories had some how intertwined with events from their life.
Hoping for a sequel. Maybe?

I think I’m going to need some time to process this one. Six Pre-teen boys head out on a mission to make some
Money and score some Burger King by selling newspaper subscriptions in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. They pair off and experience run ins with several horrific creatures. There are interesting nuances in their experiences that tie into race, social class and sexuality. I could totally see this as a fun indie horror film.
I was hooked the whole way through and it really has me thinking. The setting matched the vibe of the book perfectly.