Well, this was a weird little book in the best possible way! As a Milwaukeean, I was exceptionally excited to read about a book set in my hometown, and this was just the ticket for spooky season. The setup made it truly feel like I was reading fairytales or fables, and kept me turning the pages even if there were some chapters i was less into than others. If you’re looking for a unique spooky season read, this is it! I was thrilled to include this novel in my yearly Instagram Spooky Guide @maryreadsandmakes.

Dan Kois' "Hampton Heights" is a delightfully weird fable of a night in a Milwaukee neighborhood that goes awry in ways you could never imagine. The storytelling style makes this short novel feel like a fairy tale, and each of the sections is quite fun and surprisingly deep. Any book about Milwaukee that has this much specificity gets some easy bonus points from me, and I had a great time reading it.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

... Well. It's an interesting book, but what does it all mean? I like horror movies, and I love movies that have stories that have a wrap around beginning and ending. Think of the 2009 film Trick or Treat. Cult an pop-culture classic now (shown by merch in Halloween stores). The stories were simple, great, and wrapped together so well.

This? The stories are half-baked s0-and-so moments that just don't really hit to pay off the beginning and end of the book. Sure. Takes place in a town with a weird street that these boys have to push their newspaper subscription to. But, the pay-off is boring and feels lost in translation half the time. When the werewolf character showed up, it stopped feeling like a horror story and something like 'the joys of youth are lost to old age' stuff.

Blame it on me expecting something like Trick or Treat with a Goonies-esque vibe. This wasn't it.

This book was a delightful surprise. Even though pieces of it were hokey, overall it came together in a nice set of vignettes that came together like a mashup of Stranger Things and Paper Girls. Would've even enjoyed it being longer, which I don't often say.

This started out great and then fell flat for me. It’s labeled as horror but it’s not scary, just strange. I loved the late 80s setting and vibe, with kids on the paper route encountering something spooky, but it never went beyond that. There was so much potential for a truly horrific experience but, aside from a few fart jokes, there wasn’t enough there to really carry the story.

3.5/5!

One night in 1987, size paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons while visiting the haunted Milwaukee neighborhood of Hampton Heights. This one was a fun ride! There are chapters dedicated to pairs of the boys and their experiences as they separate to try to convince people to buy newspaper subscriptions. The cast is great! The monsters are great! All around a fun and creepy read!

I love this book I couldn’t put it down! Everything I’m into reading about is in this novel! Kois did an amazing job with this one and I’m looking forward to future works from him!

Hampton Heights took me on a thrill ride. I took a break from everything else to stay immersed in this wondrous novel.It's a fast-paced, captivating read.

I loved the strong characterizations, and the place comes alive complete with a sense of history–actual and fantastical. There's a diverse cast and fantastic suspense.

Harmon has a deft touch with tone, hitting notes ranging from poignant, through scary, sexy, freaky, gritty, raw, and truly funny. He gets kids, and he gets adults, too.

I’m impressed by the amount of sensitive material that he handles well. He has a masterful touch with real horrors faced by kids, and he serves up chills in a magical romp with great depth to it. I felt like I got to be part of a motley group where everyone gets to belong. Highly recommended.

Thank you, Harper Perennial for the ARC via NetGalley for consideration. This Is my unbiased opinion.

Really nice spooky tale for the season. Actually a few tales rolled into one. Loved the format and storytelling. The writing was easy to digest and an enjoyable read. The ending was handled very well which is rare these days. Each of the spooky stories stood alone on their own merit.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I LOVED this quirky book, and especially in the beginning, it gave me some moments of breathtaking laughter... 5 stars from this reviewer, and here are the details...

Dan Kois’s “Hampton Heights” is a thrilling and nostalgic dive into the supernatural, set against the backdrop of 1980s Milwaukee. This novel masterfully blends elements of horror, coming-of-age, and dark comedy, creating a story that is eerie yet heartwarming and somehow...familiar.

 The narrative follows six middle-school paperboys on a cold winter’s evening in 1987. What starts as a simple task quickly turns into a night of terror as they encounter a host of supernatural creatures, including familial werewolves!

Kois excels in creating a diverse cast of characters, each with a distinct voice and personality. Sigmone, one of the few Black kids at his school, teams up with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, struggling with his sexuality, pairs with his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al, both outsiders in their own right, navigate the night’s horrors with wit and imagination. The dynamics between these characters are authentic and engaging, capturing the essence of early adolescence with all its awkwardness and bravery.

The writing is delightfully immersive, with Kois capturing the era’s atmosphere and the boys’ camaraderie with a refreshing lack of cynicism. The dialogue is sharp and authentic, and the pacing keeps readers captivated.

“Hampton Heights” explores themes of friendship, bravery, and the transition from childhood to adolescence. 

“Hampton Heights” is a standout novel that combines the nostalgic charm of 1980s-themed adventures with the chilling thrills of supernatural horror. Dan Kois has crafted a story that is both heartwarming and terrifying, capturing the essence of youth and the universal quest for belonging. This book is a must-read for fans of character-driven horror and coming-of-age tales.

Beware the 12-year-old boy humor in this otherwise fun and campy horror adventure reminiscent of Stranger Things.

I generally like camp horror as long as it isn’t too gross, and this one is more fun than icky, and the ick of it is more about being trapped inside the minds of adolescent boys than anything too creepy or upsetting.

Milwaukee wouldn’t be my first choice for a setting for pretty much anything, but it works well here as the Anytown, USA locale where things aren’t quite what they seem as a group of kids attempt to sell newspaper subscriptions to earn the ultimate prize: 20 bucks and a trip to Burger King.

There’s not a lot here that we haven’t seen before, but it’s fun and funny and also sweet in a way, and a great horror lite read for spooky season.

This is subtitled "One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin", marketed as Stranger Things meets Stand by Me, and endorsed by Grady Hendrix. Obviously, I had to read it. I ended up switching back and forth between reading the digital copy and listening to the audiobook while I did a puzzle, drank apple cider, and burned a fall candle, and the whole vibe was just A+. I will start by saying don't confuse this with a kids book just because the main characters are mostly children. But for someone who wants a spooky read and isn't into dark or heavy horror, this is a fun way to dip your toe in for Halloween season. 

It's 1987 and we are following six middle schoolers and their adult chaperone as they go door to door in a strange town attempting to sell newspaper subscriptions. The book is divided into four sections, following the 3 pairs of boys and their chaperone separately, so the book almost reads like an anthology of four short stories. We get a succubus, werewolves, witches, trolls, and monsters, along with unique and interesting characters. There's definitely elements of the Losers Club (It) and the Party (Stranger Things) here, albeit less connection to characters because of length. 

All in all, this is good spooky fun, and I'll keep an eye out for this author's other works! Thanks to Harper Perennial for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hampton Heights is Dan Koi's latest release. I'm sure the cover caught your eye - it did for me. And it gives you a very good idea of what awaits you in the book. Not quite sure yet? How about the subtitle? - One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1987. Three pairs of newsboys are in the Hampton Heights neighborhood soliciting subscriptions to the local paper. At night. None of them have ever been in this part of town. It's kind of spooky - but the prize is too good to walk away from. One night changes so much with our paper boys- and. their manager Kevin.

There's a Stranger Things /Brothers Grimm / Stand by Me feel to Hampton Heights that's just right. The book is funny, spooky and yes, thoughtful.

I ended up binge reading Hampton Heights - I just had to know what happened. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Hampton Heights.

If you grew up wanting a spooky adventure night, this is a book for you. Each pairing & the guy who drops them off, have their own adventure. So you get a few stories, which I liked. They are very odd sometimes but in a good way, I got Tales From the Crypt meets fairytales/folklore vibes. Add in some coming of age. It’s such an odd combo, very unique, I haven’t read a book like this before. Overall I liked it, I just wish the stories melded better together, it felt more like an anthology.

It is a foggy, winter’s night in Hampton Heights, Wisconsin. Soon it will be getting dark, casting shadows in a neighborhood totally alien to the six paperboys roaming its streets. It is an odd time of day—and year—to be tasked with selling subscriptions. Kevin—their newspaper delivery manager—says it is mandatory. The young entrepreneurs are promised $20 to the highest sellers, and dinner at Burger King. For these boys, it is their Holy Grail.

Kevin divides the boys into three groups of two (warning: this action will send you into the horror genre! Never split up!). Al and Nishu head north; Ryan and Mark: south; Joel and Sigmone set off west; and Kevin heads off to a tavern. With instructions to return to the van by 8:30, the boys trudge through snow with their lists of names and addresses, while Kevin orders a beer. What ordeals will they encounter? Will Kevin get lucky?

After this introduction, each of the three groups and Kevin are given their own story lines. A drunk Kevin goes to the home of a women he meets at the bar. Sigmone and Joel run into the former’s grandfather. Ryan and Mark meet a friendly, grandmotherly woman. Al and Nishu get a run of luck. But Hampton Heights—and one’s experience there—are not what they may seem to appear. You may run into a troll, werewolf, or witch. And then there is Kevin and....

At only 208 pages, this is a quick and enjoyable read; the title is almost longer than the book itself (Hampton Heights One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin). The main narrative of selling newspaper subscriptions serves as the frame for the four stories contained within the book. The stories have flavors of mystery, horror, and fairy tale.
It is horror-lite, a cozy horror novel filled with humor and insight. Dan Kois is an experienced writer; he writes for and edits Slate, and has written other books, fiction and non-fiction. This book is well written. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Harper Collins and NetGalley for introducing me to a new author, and to read and review this book.

🎬 Read this if you like:
Stranger Things
True Blood
⏰ Best time to read:
When you’re feeling nostalgic about your childhood
📝 Themes:
1980s, Male Coming-of-Age, Monsters, Fairy Tales, Social Issues, Vignettes, Milwaukee
👍 What I liked:
I am THE target audience for this book:
✓ I was born and raised in Milwaukee
✓ I was a kid during the 1980s
✓ I’m a huge fan of horror and coming-of-age fiction
❓ Synopsis: Six adolescent paperboys are enticed into an evening of door-to-door subscription sales by the promise of Burger King. Mostly unknown to one another before being picked up in a white conversion van by their adult supervisor Kevin, the boys find themselves in the Milwaukee neighborhood of Hampton Heights, a place none had previously visited. During a night of scary encounters with a series of monsters, the boys (and Kevin) make discoveries about themselves and the meaning of friendship.
📣 Review: You had me at Holton and Concordia! I was absolutely smitten by this book about my hometown, but the author’s razor-sharp and often humorous portrayal of the horrors of adolescence (anthropomorphized into monsters) was what really made this book great. Great writing, great characters, and (dare I say) great monsters! I’ll be looking for more by Kois.

Dan Kois is a new author for me, and the premise for this one seemed so fun, especially for this time of year! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was…interesting. I’m a little torn on how I felt about it. On the one hand, the book was very well written and also really unique—it’s spooky with the monsters and mythological creatures the boys encounter, but it’s also really funny at parts and even heartwarming, at least certain chapters. On the other hand, I didn’t totally understand how the monsters and the spookiness related to the underlying story/the characters. I wanted more explanation about the monsters too—if I’m going to suspend belief in a book and believe in fantasy elements, I want some explanation, lol. Why were there so many monsters in this neighborhood in Milwaukee??

Reading about the boy’s lives and different backgrounds and experiences in the same town was my favorite part of the book, and I enjoyed reading them coming together to deal with whatever they encountered. The Ryan and Mark chapter was far and away my favorite one and had the best message of the book, in my opinion. Kevin’s chapter confused me a lot, and maybe that’s where my confusion on the whole story started, since it was one of the earliest chapters. The ending was a little weird too…I don’t want to spoil it, but the very last scene I’m literally unsure what was happening.

All in all, I don’t think this kind of book is for me, but I didn’t hate it either because of the great writing and the boy’s characters. This is a great spooky season book with all the monsters and if you’re into unique/genre bending books, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

OMG this was fun. The author manages to capture 80s lightning in a bottle in this cross between Stranger Things, Stand By Me and Grimm's Fairy Tales. This novella tells the story of 6 boys and their boss selling newspaper subscriptions in a very peculiar neighborhood in Milwaukee late in the evening. Thr boys pair off in groups of 2 and run headfirst into the more unorthodox members of the neighborhood. As with many 80s movies, this story transforms all the anxieties that could not be spoken of at that time and transforms them into monsters that these young boys can grapple with and become a little more mature and powerful themselves. The characters are fantastic and the warmth is palpable. I love that the ending revolves around Burger King. I'm so glad I requested this book on NetGalley.

"From the author of the Washington Post notable novel Vintage Contemporaries, something completely unexpected: a hair-raising and rollicking adventure set on one night in 1987, when six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood.

On a cold winter's evening in 1987, six middle-school paperboys wander an unfamiliar Milwaukee neighborhood, selling newspaper subscriptions, fueled by their manager Kevin's promises of cash bonuses and dinner at Burger King. But the freaks come out at night in Hampton Heights. Sent out into the neighborhood in pairs, the boys will encounter a host of primordial monsters - and triumph over them.

Sigmone, who is bussed to a white school, is stuck with Joel, a white kid who idolizes Black culture. Mark, who's wrestling with his sexuality, joins his secret crush, Ryan. Nishu and Al are outsiders; one is a second-generation immigrant, the other a poor kid in a rich school. Over the course of one eventful evening, the three pairs will encounter the wild things of Hampton Heights - werewolves, witches with a centuries-old story to tell, and a creepy, ancient monster who feeds on memories. Meanwhile, Kevin is having an adventure of his own, seducing a beautiful woman in the neighborhood's tavern...but who is actually in control?

Funny, thrilling, outrageous, and sneakily beautiful, Dan Kois's Hampton Heights captures without sentimentality the dreams and fears of teenage boys in a tender horror-comedy about camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and the terrifying prospect of growing up."

Paper Girls for those who prefer prose.

This is 100% middle grade, with some slight adult language. I did get lost for quite awhile when everyone was a werewolf, but while this wasn’t fully for me, it’s a specific audience.