The youngest son of a noble demon family, Lazlo is a failure, by demon standards. He is a cursekeeper, but the humans who bear his curse seem to have resigned themselves to a cursed existence. He has given himself over to debauchery and human creature comforts, and hasn't even contacted his curse bearers in over 100 years. When his overseer decides that he is going to give Lazlo one week to up his curse bearer's misery upon pain of death, despite the lazy young demon's esteemed parentage, Lazlo decides it's time to visit his curse bearers, the Drakeford's, and put into play a complicated plan of his own devising that will save his skin by promising the Drakefords that their curse will be broken. This is a promise that he has no intention of keeping. But what he doesn't count on are 19 year old Maggie Drakeford and her brother Lump, and their ingenuity in the promise of breaking the hundreds-year-old curse that has plagued their family.

This was a fun book. I actually ended up really liking all of the characters. Lazlo was a slimy jerk, but managed to be there at the right times and redeem himself when necessary, Lump was kind and thoughtful, even in the face of a reality in which his sister was turning into a monster and everything was going wrong. Maggie was just badass. I would have liked a little more depth of character, but I like that the book ended with the potential for more stories of Maggie and Lazlo moving forward and working together. I liked the pacing of the book, and I liked the twists and turns of a story where things seemed to go wrong at every turn.

Ever notice how some books stick with you and others are sort of...forgettable? Sometimes I go to write a review and for the life of me, I can't remember what happened in the book even though I JUST READ IT!

This is not that type of book. It's so vivid that I could probably outline the whole plot for you almost a month after reading it. It's a new take on demons (slightly good omens-ish, I'd be surprised if the author wasn't influenced by Gaiman and Pratchett).

My ONLY beef with the book is the laugh out loud funny bit in the description. Is it humorous? Definitely. Did I LOL? No.

Would I read more from Mr. Neff? Absolutely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Audio for the Audiobook for review.

I received this audio DRC from NetGalley.

I enjoyed this one, and I think the narrator did a good job with the different voices and different languages. The story didn't have any lulls. The demon character gave it Good Omen vibes and was amusing in general. There was some body horror, which I wasn't expecting, and worked in the sense that it definitely grossed me out. Maybe some things at the end were a bit convenient, but it was fun overall.

Henry H. Neff weaves a captivating tale that immerses readers in a rich world of magic and mystery. I found the plot to be intricately crafted, with twists that kept me guessing until the very end. Neff's character development stood out, particularly the protagonist who grapples with formidable challenges while evolving throughout the story. The vivid descriptions and imaginative settings truly brought the enchanted realm to life, making it easy to lose myself in the narrative.
However, I did feel that some pacing issues arose in the middle, where the story slowed down, causing a slight dip in suspense. And while most characters are well-developed, a few felt a bit one-dimensional, leaving me wanting more depth from them.
Overall, The Witchstone offers a compelling blend of adventure and emotion that left me eager for more, despite its minor shortcomings.

I received this audiobook from Blackstone Publishing on NetGalley - thank you!

It’s not a genre I read often, so I wasn’t sure what to expect - but this was simply a delight! One of the books I didn’t know I needed in my life. I was hooked from the very beginning.

The characters are fully fledged, complex and so very human. It's impossible not to root for them. Seriously, I could hang out with Laszlo and Clarence every day. Laszlo and I share the same type of humor. Maggie, on the other hand, came across as stiff and a bit boring, but it was justified, taking into account her upbringing and current situation.

I loved the witty dialogue, humor, fast-paced action and the comical bureaucracy at Laszlo’s workplace. Also, I didn’t expect so many of my favorite locations to be mentioned in the book (for instance Liechtenstein, which is my all-time #1 location in Europe - how often do you get to read about Liechtenstein in a novel? Not often). These small surprises kept adding to my joy.

The ending seemed a bit stretched out and could have been much shorter, but it was still great - engaging and tense.

Ramiz Monsef did a great job with all the voices. My favorites were Clarence and Androvore.

It was one of the most enjoyable reads this year and I will definitely read other books by this author.

This was fun. A slick, charming, nepo demon and a determined and brave young woman with a generation curse team up as an unlikely and begrudging duo.

It's funny, there's adventure, heart, an adorable younger sidekick, magic, demons, and twists. A perfect read for someone who enjoys a paranormal romp. I wouldn't exactly say it's cozy, but it's like a darker Legends & Lattes.

***Thank you to Blackstone for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley, Henry H. Neff and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read (in this case listen to) an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Ramiz Monsef narration makes this all that more enjoyable!
The characters are wonderfully imperfect, which aids in this wonderful blend of American Gods by Neil Gaiman and the television show The Good Place. It’s the perfect blend of curses, action and character building that we all want, but so frequently never get.

This was a very funny book. I enjoyed the banter between Laszlo and Maggie. The narrator was good as well!

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 549 / Genre: Fantasy
Audiobook Narrator: Ramiz Monsef
Duration: 17 hours 43 minutes

The Drakesfords have been suffering from a curse on their family for generations. Laszlo, their Curse Keeper, has largely ignored them for all this time. But now that his lackadaisical ways have finally caught the attention of his new boss down in Hell, he’s forced to actually do some work. Maggie Drakesford is the current Curse Bearer. At 19, she’s incredibly naive but still headstrong and determined enough to work with Laszlo on a quest to break the curse.

I just love a fantasy quest filled with magic, demons, and witty repartee. Although this story is based in the U.S. and written by an American writer, it’s filled with the dry humor and charm I’ve come to expect from British fiction. At 549 pages, this was lengthy yarn but well worth it, especially if you listen to the audiobook like I did. Ramos Monsef did a great job narrating.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @BlackstonePublishing, and @HenryHNeff for my gifted copy. I loved it!

So this is funny and exciting and endearing and sarcastic, which are some of my favorite things. Lazlo is a demon on a mission but he makes some choices that show him to really be his own person, not always choosing the most evil option. I loved the voices, too. They were a little over the top, but they were how I imagined they should be and made it easier to follow what was happening with different speakers.
There were some interesting relationships, such as his new friendship with someone fighting a curse, and even somehow a visit to a church. I hope there's more where this came from! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

This book was an awesome read! Such whimsical and fantastic characters as well as a really intriguing plot line!

I have had a hard time deciding how to rate this. The premise was interesting and there were a few points in the book that I enjoyed. The writing seemed to be done really well and was descriptive. However, I found the audiobook hard to get into. It was very slow at the beginning, which made didn't keep me interested at points. Thos caused me to have to constantly change my listening speed.

I'm not sure if I can recommend the book or it's audiobook. Just because my experience with it wasn't the greatest. I will be picking up physical copy of this to give it another chance, since audiobooks for me are hit or miss.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher/author for an advanced listening copy this title for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to listen to the ALC for this novel. I was sold when the synopsis included a cross between The Good Place (hilarious!) and Neil Gaiman's American God's (so good!) The author delivered on that promise, with many laugh out loud scenes. I truly enjoyed the refreshing take on the main character, Lazlo, a very lazy and selfish curse-keeper. It's not every day your main character is depicted this way. It was hard for me to get into the book initially, but Lazlo did redeem himself. The narrator did a fantastic job!

The Witchstone had all the parts to be a book I deeply enjoyed and had as a favorite for a long time, seeing the description of The Good Place meets American Gods had this very high on my list of books I was excited to read. I think in many ways it lived up to that description in its writing, but listening to the audio book version I found myself bored, listening at 2X speed to just try and get through it, and tired of listening to Lazzo complain non-stop about issues caused by his own stupidity.

I found the narrator hard to listen to, a touch drone-ish, and while overall speaking clearly and able to be easily understood the narration was definitely part if what bored me with this novel. To be able to keep my attention I had to speed the narration up as the narrator spoke slowly, meaning by the end I was listing to the novel at almost double speed in places.

As for the novel itself I found the writing to be descriptive, and original, but also very wordy and often taking longer then needed on smaller details that never came back up. The novel overall also had a touch of a pessimistic tone and was stuck on the worst parts of the world, and while that can be expected for a novel about a demon the point the novel seemed to be getting at was a very dark one.\

Overall I wouldn't really recommend this novel out to others and while I am glad to have read it I am gladder to be finished reading it.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

◆ Book Review: The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
◇ Synopsis
The Witchstone is a hilarious, high-stakes fantasy where Laszlo, a lazy eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s worst Curse Keeper, is forced to team up with Maggie Drakeford, a nineteen-year-old curse bearer, to break a family curse in just six days. Their wild adventure takes them across the globe, from Central Park to Zurich, uncovering a secret that could upend Hell itself.
◇ Thoughts
This novel is so much fun! First, let me say—you need this book in your life! The Witchstone is an exciting modern-day fantasy that follows deep, imperfect characters on their quest. It's an easy-to-read, addictive story. I connected with all the characters and found them unique and interesting. The world-building and magic are fresh but resonate with familiar elements. The dialogue is witty and humorous, and the action keeps things moving without ever slowing down. I appreciated that the novel was fun and engaging without forcing social issues, which many novels overdo. This book is the perfect palate cleanser after a hefty read. I loved the characters so much! The Witchstone is one of my favorite reads of 2024, and I highly recommend it!
Special thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

After some initial trouble to get into it, I quite enjoyed this playful romp with 800-year old Curse Keeper Laszlo and cursed Drakeford siblings Maggie and Lump. Honestly, any story that crafts clever banter between demons and their frenemy humans will probably have my heart. Like other reviews have mentioned, this story evoked The Good Place vibes in the best way.

The Witchstone is an incredibly fun ride that follows Lazlo, a demon charged with keeping a family curse going to ensure maximum misery and despair for the benefit of the legions of Hell, and the newest generation of the Drakeford family who have been living under the shadow of said curse. When a workplace shakeup puts Lazlo in the lethal crosshairs of a manager who is actually demanding results, Lazlo bends several rules and directly engages with the Drakeford family by promising to help them break the curse, a risky plan that has the potential to quickly turn his numbers around with the abject despair that will result when he pulls the rug on them at the last second. In short order, Maggie and George Drakeford are on a globe spanning quest with a demon to shatter the curse that has plagued them, and Lazlo realizes that things are way more complicated than he originally thought. He'll need to work things out on the fly, wrangle the Drakeford kids into doing his bidding (harder than it seems, with Maggie being quick on the uptake and slow to trust), and pull off what has the makings to be the biggest con of his eternal life.

This was a great audiobook, with a narrator that elevated the material and made it something I found myself making extra time to listen to. Lazlo, Maggie, and George are fun characters who play well off each other, the adventure is incredibly solid, and the conman schtick that Lazlo has got going is wildly endearing for the whole story. This is an audiobook you'll want to have on hand as soon as possible!

In regards to the audiobook narrator. I think he did an incredible job giving personality to each character. It was clear which voice was speaking and I especially enjoyed Laslo’s character.
In regards to the story. I was super intrigued by the setup. I think the 1960s style corporate office was a great choice and I would have liked to hear more about that. However Maggie and Lumps characters were not interesting to me and their adventure of breaking their curse was a bit boring. There was a lot of action but I just didnt resonate with their family’s story.

One of the most pleasure audiobook productions, I had pleasure listening to this year. In addition, the story had a great pacing, memorable characters and stakes high enough go keep me engaged. It felt a little bit like a Supernatural but fun Demon.

This was an interesting and unique read. One thing the author did well was writing the characters, making their motivations quite clear to the reader, providing some good depth to them, and making their personalities strong and engaging. My only real complaint was that I don’t think Maggie’s age was mentioned in the book until much later and she read like she was 11 years old. This was due to her being sheltered so it made sense, but it made me have to readjust some things when her age was finally mentioned.

Something else I enjoyed was the humor and style of the work. It certainly gets crass, absurd, and irreverent, which made for a great combination. The book was hilarious and honestly was a little more heartwarming than I was expecting at times. The world building was interesting, and I enjoyed how much travelling the characters got to do as it meant we got to see even more of the world. While the plot wasn’t that unexpected and it wasn’t hard to know where things were going, the journey and characters kept me hooked throughout.

A quick aside: there was a somewhat graphic/odd on-page sex scene, so keep that in mind if that’s not something you prefer. If you’re interested in magical realism/urban fantasy with irreverent characters and an interesting world, then you should check this one out. My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.