A retelling of the classic tale of Sleepy Hollow , and its infamous Headless Horseman, this time told from the perspective of Katrina Van Tassel, the romantic interest of Ichabod Crane. Katrina is the daughter of a wealthy family, who falls in love with Crane , despite her father's plan to marry her off to the son of another local family.
In this version of the story , Crane and Katrina fall in love, and begin an affair, risking everything for their love. When Katrina falls pregnant, Crane approaches her Father to seek his blessing for their marriage, When this is refused he rushes into the night and is never seen again. Katrina is haunted by dreams of the Headless Horseman, a well known local legend, who seems to stand between her and Ichabod.
Despite the title, and the headless horseman, this book is more of a romance and less of a thrilling ghost story, as might be expected. It is still an enjoyable read, and in the final third or so of the book, it does take a more dramatic turn, While I am not a fan of romances in general, this one was well crafted and cleverly hung on an existing tale to give it an interesting twist. The character of Katrina in particular is well crafted and easy for the reader to feel sympathy for, given the difficult circumstances she finds herself in,. The book also focuses on the importance of female friendship, empowerment and loyalty, both in terms of Katrina's character, as well as that of her best friend, and the powerful bond between them.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own ,

I wanted this book to be moody and spooky. I wanted Katrina Van Tassel to be a witchy powerhouse. I wanted atmosphere and eerie mystery. It delivered - just not quite as fully as I would have liked.

That said, this was an interesting take on the classic story, told from Katrina Van Tassel's point of view. She was a great character - don't get me wrong. But there were a couple of things I didn't think were so great.

*The pacing. The first third of the book is very slow. It's definitely a slow build.
*The instalove. Katrina and Ichabod's attraction is immediate, and poof they're in love, and I think that's a cop-out.
*The lack of depth. Both Katrina and Ichabod are a bit under-developed, and it kept me from fully buying into the story. If I had known them better, I might have cared more about them, and about what happens to them. But I didn't really.

I love retellings, and Sleepy hollow is one of my favorite American classic reads. Sadly, in my opinion, this didn't live up.

Thank you NetGalley, Alyssa Palombo and St. Martin’s Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Katerina Van Tassel lives in the small town of Sleepy Hollow with her well to do farmer father. One day Icabod Crane arrives in the spooky village to be the new schoolmaster and they are instantly drawn to one another. Icabod starts giving Katerina singing lessons and as they spend more time together, their romance turns into passion. Icabod knows unlike Katerina’s other suitor Brom Van Brunt, he has nothing to offer her and her father will never give Icabod permission to marry his daughter. They begin sneaking off together into the woods, hoping never to experience the legend of the Headless Horseman. Then on All Hallow’s Eve Icabod disappears after leaving her home and Katerina is left alone in a difficult position. She will never stop looking for her love, but what she finds makes her question everything she thought she knew.

I love almost every single thing Sleepy Hallow! I have watched all the movies and read all I could about the Headless Horseman and watched the new TV show. You could say it’s one of my favorite stories and although it keeps changing, I love every new version. This is no different; I was drawn right into the story and found myself in Katerina’s shoes and found myself falling in love with Icabod’s character. This book was so descriptive, I could picture different parts of the Van Tassel estate and I could really feel the love Katerina and Icabod had for one another. I enjoyed their love story more than most others and found myself rooting for them. I felt so many emotions throughout this novel; hate, love, sadness and anger. I felt as if I was experiencing the same emotions as Katerina at any given time.

I didn’t want to put this book down because I was enthralled with where the story was going and it was unlike any other tale of Sleepy Hallow that I have ever experienced. I loved all the characters in this novel, especially Katerina’s best friend Charlotte and how they talk about how she may be a witch and I was appalled by the treatment that she received. The ending saddened me, but it was the way that it had to go and I can understand that, even though everyone wants to have a happier ending. But the twist at the end of this novel blew my mind! I was shocked and never did I ever imagine that this is what happened to our beloved Icabod.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this book prior to it's release.

I saw this pop up one day on my goodreads feed and thought that since we were nearly on the cusp of one of the most favorite holidays belonging to the Autumn season that this was the best time to take a moment to read this.

And I was not at all disappointed in this book. It had everything from the historical setting of the Sleepy Hollow to the downright ghostly ride of the Headless Horseman. Of course, there is much more of the element of romance lingering between two star-crossed lovers whom share a moment in this mythical setting.

This story is basically a retelling of Icabod Crane but from the point-of-view belonging to the lovely Katrina Van Tassel. Katrina's parent's own the largest farm in the sleepy town of Sleepy Hollow. They often even play hosts to the many people that pass through this lovely town. One day, Icabod arrives in town and Katrina's world is turned upside down by the handsome school teacher. She finds him intelligent and engaging where she never found that with Brom. And even worse Brom is hinting to her father that Katrina would make a lovely bride for himself, something Katrina completely despises. Yet, her feelings for Icabod continue to grow and so do her dreams of the Headless Horseman.

I have always loved the story of Sleepy Hollow ever since I was a kid. I used to love it when October would roll around and Disney would have those Halloween specials which always included The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I was even more thrilled when the idea of Sleepy Hollow came to television in a series. Unfortunately they could only draw upon the story for so long before it would ultimately lead to its death.

This book was a wonderful addition to all of that. I was happy to finally see it from another point view - Katrina's. We always see it from others but not really from her. She is everything I had hoped. Lately of all the YA females have been nothing but Mary Sue but Katrina isn't. She doesn't make you think she is perfect and she has her own flaws and faults. Something that had been lacking in the other females of the YA universe. I was so very happy with that.

This book was a wonderful read. It was engaging and kept you turning the page to the very end (unfortunately for myself work kept me from finishing up in a day). This book is worth the read. You will enjoy the characters, the historical Sleepy Hollow, and the Horseman himself.

Do you love the legend of Sleepy Hollow?? Check out this book! **For Mature Audiences**

Sleepy Hollow gets a facelift in this new story. Told from the perspective of Katrina Van Tassel, we see the legend in an entirely new light. Katrina falls in love with the new schoolteacher, Icabod Crane, and their secret affair could ruin everything both of them truly want.
When Icabod disappears, Katrina finds herself stuck in a predicament that could prove to be her undoing....

This was an interesting read. I have always loved the Sleepy Hollow story, but I am not sure I totally loved this new re-telling. It had its highs and lows. Overall, it was a fun read!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow is a Sleepy Hollow retelling from the point-of-view of Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane’s lost interest. I am not familiar with the original story, but I loved that it was from another character’s point-of-view from the original story.
I loved the romance and the slow-burn, more historical courting that went on between Ichabod and Katrina. The characters and their relationships were well-developed and felt genuine. Katrina is more of an individual and not just a trophy bride as she is depicted in the original story. The story was very atmospheric, especially with the fall weather and Halloween around the corner. The only disappointment was that I went into the story expecting more supernatural vibes. It doesn’t take away from the overall story that the supernatural aspects aren’t at the fore-front, it was just an expectation considering the title is about a spellbook. Definitely a must-read for this time of year.

First line: Washington Irving got it wrong.

Summary: When schoolteacher, Ichabod Crane, comes to the village of Sleepy Hollow he meets the daughter of a wealthy farmer. Their friendship and shared loved of books and music lead to a love affair that will sweep them both off their feet. Katrina’s admirer, Brom Van Brunt, is determined to win her and scare off the newcomer. Then on All Hallow’s Eve Ichabod disappears without a trace. Katrina enlists the help of her friend and rumored witch, Charlotte Jansen, to assist in finding Ichabod using any means necessary.

Highlights: I really enjoyed this book. It was fun twist on the original classic. I have seen the movies and loved the TV series. However, this was just different enough from them that it made it fresh and new. The book is a mix between historical fiction, romance and ghost story. There were lots of interesting details about the time and culture of the Dutch settlement in Sleepy Hollow. The romance was a main theme but it was not a bodice ripper by any means. I loved the dark undertones of the Headless Horseman haunting her dreams and roaming the village on All Hallow’s Eve. This is a great read for October!

Lowlights: The story seemed to drag on a little bit in the middle. In addition, I think that title is a little misleading. I expected more witchcraft and magic. Katrina and her friend, Charlotte, do seem to have some sort of second sight but it was not what I had expected.

FYI: If you like this then try the author’s other book, The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence.

“The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel” draws its readers into a world where ghostly folklore is more than just stories told around a bonfire, passed down from generation to generation. Alyssa Palombo gives readers an old, sleepy village rife with its own set of beloved specters—ghosts still haunted by their own heartbreaks, misdeeds, and misfortunes. In many ways, the otherworldly residents co-exist peacefully and are even venerated by, the residents of Sleepy Hollow.

In this “feminist” retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Katrina Van Tassel records her own encounters with the town’s most infamous ghost, the Headless Horseman. From the beginning, the Horseman forms an intricate bond with Katrina’s life, her happiness, and ultimately, her fate.

I loved the sense of mystery and the atmosphere of foreboding that permeated the pages of “The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.” A dangerous surprise lurked around every corner despite Katrina’s air of joy and hopefulness. This quiet suspense, along with the hints of magical folklore, lured me into reading this book and I found it really was perfect for fall reading.

However, I was surprised that sex was featured so prominently throughout the novel. Considering the novel is set right after the American Revolution, I thought that Palombo’s characters were quite flippant about their interactions with the opposite sex. I know this isn’t necessarily a historical text but it didn’t feel believable to me as a reader with expectations about the novel’s time and place. Also, without spoiling any of the plotlines, I found another featured sexual relationship distracting and out of place for the story.

Overall, there was a lot to love about “The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.” The setting, atmosphere, and otherworldly essence set the stage for a fantastic fall reading experience; it was haunting and suspenseful without being too much for this highly sensitive reader. Unfortunately, sex was featured more than I thought was necessary. It detracted from my enjoyment and the overall ambiance and allure of Palombo’s Sleepy Hollow tale.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel: A Story of Sleepy Hollow by Alyssa Palombo is of course a retelling of Sleepy Hollow told from the point of view of Ichabod Crane’s love, Katrina Van Tassel. With the fantasy of the headless horseman, the romance of Ichabod and Katrina all wrapped in the historic setting this one was a must read and couldn’t come at a better time of year leading into fall and the Halloween season.

The story begins as Ichabod Crane comes to the small town of Sleepy Hollow to become their new school teacher. Katrina’s parents own the largest farm in the town and hr parents often play host to newcomers or those passing through the town so Ichabod comes to their home to stay until suitable arrangements can be made for his lodging.

Katrina and Ichabod find that they have a lot in common with their love of reading and music and before they know it they are falling in love. However, with Ichabod only being a schoolteacher the pair fear Katrina’s father may not approve of their marriage as he’s had his eye on the son of another wealthy farm owner at Katrina’s dismay.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this retelling from Katrina’s point of view and immediately became totally engaged in the era and their romance. I would warn readers that this one is a bit heavy on the historical romance and lighter on the fantasy but being someone that enjoys a bit of everything I didn’t mind at all to wait for the witchcraft and more spookier happenings of the book. Definitely great read this time of year and would recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

"When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new schoolmaster, Katrina Van Tassel is instantly drawn to him. Through their shared love of books and music, they form a friendship that quickly develops into romance. Ichabod knows that as an itinerant schoolteacher of little social standing, he has nothing to offer the wealthy Katrina - unlike her childhood friend-turned-enemy, Brom Van Brunt, who is the suitor Katrina’s father favors.

But when romance gives way to passion, Ichabod and Katrina embark on a secret love affair, sneaking away into the woods after dark to be together - all while praying they do not catch sight of Sleepy Hollow’s legendary Headless Horseman. That is, until All Hallows’s Eve, when Ichabod suddenly disappears, leaving Katrina alone and in a perilous position.

Enlisting the help of her friend - and rumored witch - Charlotte Jansen, Katrina seeks the truth of Ichabod Crane’s disappearance, investigating the forest around Sleepy Hollow using unconventional - often magical - means. What they find forces Katrina to question everything she once knew, and to wonder if the Headless Horseman is perhaps more than just a story after all. In Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel nothing is as it seems, and love is a thing even death won't erase."

October leads to thoughts of Sleepy Hollow... and throw in some witches, and I'm sold.

I'd largely forgotten the story of Ichabod Crane (it has been years since I read it so this seemed fresh to me beyond the way that Palombo changed the telling to Katrina. The twists and turns were wonderfully done, the characters engaging (or boo-hiss worthy) and the story, well the story was terrific. I liked this more than I expected to, chiefly because it's so well written and the romance so vibrant. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this more than I expected to. Recommend for fans of novels with a new twist to a classic tale.

I feel like this is another example of me expecting a book to be something it's not (like yesterday's review of The Witch of Willow Hall). I wanted a novel full of spells like the Sanderson sisters read from their Book, I wanted a witch's grimoire, I wanted supernatural creepy magic. Alas, this book is a romance novel, filled with all the same elements of suitable/unsuitable suitors and marriage arrangements that I just read about in The Witch of Willow Hall.

My only exposure to the tale of Sleepy Hollow came from the Disney animated adaption of the tale. That means that I came into this reading without any preconceived notions about how the plot should truly unfold. I really enjoyed how Palombo's interpretation. She developed the characters and their relationships with each other exceedingly well. The level of passion and romance balanced out the fear and desperation brilliantly. This is a quick and fun read and can be appreciated without any knowledge of the tale. It stands alone while also doing justice to a long lived American tale.

Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel in exchange for a honest review.

This will not be a positive review so fair warning.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel suffers from false advertising.

There is no "spell book.' There is no magic, supernatural elements, horror or enough Headless Horseman.

I was never scared or horrified or frightened but I am a difficult person to surprise.

There is the usual cliche tropes of characters having 'visions' and blessed with 'second sight' and using tarot cards. These elements are not scary. At least, not to me.

But if you're interested in lots of unnecessary filler lovemaking scenes, then you'll like the Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel.

If you enjoy reading a long, tedious book in which nothing happens 90% of the time except for the two main characters singing love songs and making moony eyes at each other and tumbling around like a couple of horny teenagers, then you'll like this book.

If you enjoy long, dragged out scenes in which nothing happens but Katrina bemoaning her fate and visiting her BFF, then read this.

The writing wasn't bad and the descriptions of old timey Sleepy Hollow was decent, but not compelling enough to warrant an extra star.

If you're looking for a romance, and not a scare, then you'll enjoy this.

If you want a scare, watch Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow or the 1949 animated version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow or visit Sleepy Hollow at Halloween. It's a charming town!

An amusing version of the legend of sleepy hollow with ichabod crane as the sought after teacher. of Katrina Van Tassel, daughter of wealth. Told in the voice of Katrina, the story is funny.

As a child, I grew up with the spooky tales of Sleepy Hollow, so this book called my name just by the title. I received this as an ebook ARC and only wish I had waited to read this during the Halloween Season (or maybe I’ll just reread it). I highly recommend this book to those who love scary stories!

Katrina Van Tassel, heiress to rich farmlands isn’t your average girl. She loves to read and is very independent for a woman in this time period. When a traveler comes to lodge in her home, she immediately is smitten by this schoolmaster, Ichabod Crane. Seeking to know of her future between her and Crane she seeks out help from her best friend Charlotte, deemed a witch by Brom Bones. When Crane mysteriously disappears on All Hallows’ Eve, Katrina vows to find out what has become of her lover and will not stop until she learns the truth.

Romance. Mystery. Jealousy. Ghost Stories. This book is filled with all of that and more. Palombo did a fantastic job in retelling Washington Irving’s legends of Sleepy Hollow, with an added sprinkle of feminism.
Every page was a different twist. Every chapter left you wanting more and more to find out the fate of all the characters and most importantly Katrina.

As soon as I saw The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel by Alyssa Palombo available to request on Netgalley, I immediately knew I has to read it. Described as a feminist retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, it follows the story of Katrina Van Tassel and her love affair with Ichabod Crane. I have always had a fascination with the story of the Headless Horseman. I have watched the many movies and TV shows, all with their unique interpretations of the tale and I was excited to add this novel to the mix.

This novel was an interesting retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In the original tale, Katrina was just a minor character, her only purpose was to provide a woman that Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones could fight over. In this novel, she is a strong and intelligent woman in a time were education was not valued and women were expected to play a specific role in the household. I enjoyed Palombo’s take on Katrina’s side of the story. She introduced the character of Charlotte, who I thought added a lot of depth to the story. Charlotte is a healer and herbalist in the town of Sleepy Hollow, and Katrina’s best friend. She was accused of being a witch and while she was never harmed physically because of it, it hurt her reputation and the people of the town are distrustful of her, though they are still willing to take advantage of her services. I loved that the author added another strong female character and that the two women supported each other throughout the story, no matter what happened.
I felt that the author did a solid job, keeping the major characters and plot points, and still creating an original retelling.

This novel is the perfect read for this time of year and leading up to Halloween. It has a wonderfully spooky setting and the author tells some entertaining and creepy ghost stories throughout the novel.

Wow! As a child, I loved the story of the Headless Horseman and Sleepy Hollow. Everyone knows Ichabod Crane and I was ecstatic when I was given an ARC copy from NetGalley. This story is told from the viewpoint of Katrina Van Tassel and is fueled with suspense, mystery, heartache and love. The first few chapters were a little slow for me, but the pace picked up and I was hooked!

I have mad love for historical retellings, and The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow has always been one of my favorite spooky Halloween time stories, so to say I was excited when I saw this book available for review on NetGalley would be an understatement.

So did I enjoy it? Yes, quite a lot. Was it perfect? No, I think it was maybe a tad too long. My attention started to waver a bit around the 70% mark. That said, it was an exciting take on the legend. A little bit more ADULT if you will (Katrina and Ichabod get it on...often). The characters were well developed and interesting. Although, I thought Katrina layed on the "bitch-tude" a little heavy when it came to Brom. Perhaps if she had toned it down a notch, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. Then again, if you know the legend than you know this isn't going to end in the couple riding off into the sunset. Still, even though my poor little romance-loving heart broke, the ending was satisfying.

So yea, I enjoyed it...

I love a good retelling and this one was wonderful. I don't think I have ever read the actual story of Sleepy Hallow. I remembered the gist of it from when I was young, aspects such as the headless horseman and Ichabod crane but that's as far as my knowledge went. Now I have an urge to go read the original but I doubt I will love it as much I loved this story.

This retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is told from the perspective of Katrina Van Tassell. The reader is able to experience her joy and love for Ichabod, and her utter devastation when he disappears. Her feelings are so real it heartbreaking and the ending to her tale is bittersweet. The story had a good amount of steamy scenes that were romantic and didn't feel out of place in this story of love and tragedy. The author does a wonderful job of weaving spooky sleepy hallow legends throughout the story line without it feeling forced.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassell had me lost in its pages and I couldn't put it down. It's a love story with witches, murder and a headless horseman. I couldn't have asked for more and I highly recommend it.