I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just so-so for me. There were a lot of characters to follow. Some I would confuse with others. The storyline was okay but it didn’t really grab me or scare me too much.

This isn’t my typical genre, so maybe someone that likes horror might like it better than I did.

"'I don't understand,' Tony told her, going down on one knee so he could look her in the eye. He reached out and wiped some of her tears away. 'Who's the Cunning Man?'
'He's trick-or-treat,' she said. 'He's Halloween. And he's almost here.'"

I love a story set on Halloween, I love a story set in the 80s and I love creepy kids, so theoretically this should have been a homerun. Sticking with the baseball analogy it was probably more like a disappointing double that fails to reach home plate.

All Hallows follows multiple characters who live on the same block. Golden does a good job of bringing the 80s neighborhood alive and I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere. On this block, the Barbosas Haunted Woods is taking place, an immersive haunted trail through the woods in the Barbosas' backyard. There is also the annual Halloween block party at the Koenigs. The block is poppin. But unfortunately the Cunning Man is also making an appearance this Halloween, and his presence will change many families forever.

There is nothing wrong with the story here, I think Golden's writing style just isn't for me. Three stars for a solid, but unremarkable read.

2 star. DNF. I normally don’t like to review books that I don’t finish because I don’t think it’s really fair to the author but I really wanted to explain why I rated this one so low. I picked this up the day before Halloween, excited for a creepy read. Well I made it to 40% and I just couldn’t keep going. Too many characters with pointless storylines. SO Slow!!!! And mostly family drama, definitley not horror. I was disappointed and expected so much more by reading the description.

Christopher Golden’s “All Hallows” delivers a chilling, nostalgic trip into a suburban Halloween night in the 1980s, blending supernatural horror with the darker realities lurking behind closed doors. The story takes place in the small town of Coventry, where several families—each hiding secrets—prepare for Halloween, only to be haunted by strange, lost children seeking protection from an ominous figure known as the Cunning Man.

Golden captures the essence of the era, and the nostalgia is one of the book’s strongest elements. The setting feels authentic, with every street, costume, and detail evoking a sense of childhood Halloween memories. Fans of Stranger Things or Stephen King’s It will enjoy the blend of coming-of-age themes with supernatural intrigue.

However, the novel’s ambition to juggle multiple perspectives and character arcs ends up being a bit of a double-edged sword. While it offers a broad, community-wide view of the events, the constant switching between characters makes it difficult to connect deeply with any one storyline. Some characters feel underdeveloped or stereotypical, which slightly dulls the emotional impact.

The supernatural aspect is genuinely eerie, with the idea of children from different worlds appearing out of nowhere and the looming threat of the Cunning Man. But the lack of backstory didn’t make the Cunning Man as scary as he could be to me. The pacing falters at times—just as the tension builds, it’s interrupted by a shift in focus, slowing down the momentum.

Overall, All Hallows is an enjoyable read, perfect for fans of seasonal horror who enjoy stories about community secrets and nostalgia. While it doesn’t fully stick the landing due to pacing and character depth issues, Golden’s ability to create atmosphere and unsettling moments makes it a worthwhile read, especially for October nights.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have not known how to review this for ages, but that hasn't stopped me recommending to certain friends. I found myself wondering when the horror would begin and would have liked to see that show up sooner than later. This had a lot of pov to follow and track and I think had there been less of this we could have went deeper in other areas.

It was tough to review because I had some issues but also really enjoyed it overall.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

I’ve been a casual fan of horror since I was very young. I blame my dad letting me watch Night of the Living Dead when I was, like, eight or something, haha. I also blame that for my fear of zombies that persisted well into adulthood… thanks, Dad 😅😂 Either way, I’ve always been a fan of spooky things! So when I read the synopsis of All Hallows, I knew I wanted to read it! A horror book set in the 80’s on Halloween night?? Say less!

The story follows basically an entire neighborhood one fateful Halloween night in 1984. There’s a lot going on on Parmenter Street, from the final night of a local haunted trail to a Halloween party and, of course, trick or treating, the residents are geared up for spooky season. But something dark and mysterious also has plans this Halloween and they won’t be nearly as frivolous and fun.

Soooo… first things first, once this book got to the scary stuff, I was absolutely sucked in! The author does a fantastic job of setting the atmosphere and giving you chills as you read. There were definitely moments that had me squirming and a few bits that genuinely had me spooked and I loved that!

The problem, though, is that it took over half the book to get to the good parts! This read was a struggle, y’all, and there were a few moments that I almost considered DNFing. If I didn’t have an e-ARC from Netgalley that I needed to review, I probably would have. The problem with this novel is that it felt more like a family drama with some horror bits dropped in and that’s not what I signed up for. This novel really left all the truly horrific stuff until the last third and, I’m not gonna lie, I felt a little cheated.

I think part of the issue, as well, is that there are far too many POVs in this book. It’s not long… only 325 pages… but I swear we get into the head of almost everyone that lives on the freakin’ block. I think the plethora of POVs also led to me guessing what was going on fairly quickly. Not ideal when it comes to horror or thriller novels. And it made it where I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, which made some of the later plot points fall a little flat.

Overall, the writing was solid in this, with an atmosphere that truly gave me chills, once things got going. But I really wanted more horror in my horror novel and there were far too many characters to follow, especially when you got to be in almost all of their heads. I’d check out something else from this author, but this was just fine for me.

All Hallows promises to be a scary thriller and has been compared to the Netflix hit Stranger Things. I enjoy both, but this book did not work for me.

All Hallows is a spooky horror that takes place in the 1980s on Halloween. As trick or treating starts, a strange portal opens up in the woods behind an unsuspecting suburban neighborhood. As the night progresses, mysterious children begin showing up, giving off creepy vibes. I really enjoyed the setting and timing of this book. I felt that the 1980s was perfect, too much technology and this would have been an entirely different story. There was also a decent amount of suspense and foreshadowing without being predictable. The children were creepy enough that you knew something was off, but didn't quite predict what they'd do. I also appreciate horror that doesn't wrap everything up nicely in a bow, and people are still left mourning, which this story did nicely.

Decidedly lightweight on both dramatic and psychological fronts for a novel that basically scans like The Ice Storm set at Halloween, but does just enough as a seasonal read with its imagery and mood to stay afloat. The effect is something like returning from Trick or Treating with a bag full of Mr Goodbars; disappointing, but at least its not erasers.

Oh I loved this premise - creepy, so creepy. Halloween, retro, costumes, a strange man. It just fell so flat for me. I'll try his next!

The atmosphere was super creepy with this read, so spooky. However, I couldn’t get past the different perspectives that this book had, there were too many and it made it very confusing. The ending was okay, but I think I just wanted a bit more

"All Hallows" by Christopher Golden is a chilling exploration into the depths of human fear and the supernatural. Golden masterfully weaves a haunting narrative that grips readers from the very first page and refuses to let go until the final, spine-tingling conclusion.

In this riveting novel, Golden introduces readers to a small New England town plagued by a dark and sinister presence. As Halloween approaches, strange occurrences begin to unfold, and the residents of All Hallows find themselves ensnared in a web of terror unlike anything they've ever experienced before.

One reviewer describes Golden's writing as "spellbinding," and it's easy to see why. His prose is atmospheric and evocative, painting a vivid portrait of a town gripped by fear and uncertainty. With each page turn, the tension mounts, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they eagerly devour every word.

Perhaps the greatest strength of All Hallows lies in its ability to tap into the primal fear that lurks within us all. Golden deftly explores themes of loss, redemption, and the thin veil between the natural and supernatural worlds, delivering a story that is as thought-provoking as it is terrifying.

Overall, this novel is a must-read for fans of horror and suspense. With its spine-chilling atmosphere, compelling characters, and gripping storyline, Golden has crafted a novel that is sure to haunt readers long after they've turned the final page.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I DNFed at around 60%. While I think that the writing was well paced and the plot pretty intriguing, I didn't find myself reaching for the book. I really enjoyed the horror elements, but I struggled to enjoy the characters. For example, the focus on Vanessa's sexuality from her own perspective felt uncomfortably 'men writing women,' and I felt like the 'good' characters tended to react a little 'too' righteously to complicated situations, as though the book didn't trust me to understand nuance. After putting it down for a spell and then not picking it up for several months, I realized I was never going to finish.

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. In an effort to clear this off of my shelf, I did opt to listen to the final production version of the audiobook. I did enjoy the narration, both narrators did a great job with the multiple POVs as this was told from multiple characters and I thought they both did a good job differentiating between the various characters.

This is set on Halloween, so it is the perfect read for spooky season. The author did a good job giving this the feel of the 80's, which is when the book is set. The book bounces back and forth between several characters on the night of Halloween as the kids trick-or-treat, attend the annual Halloween party at a local neighbor's home, and walk through the haunted woods attraction. As the kids and adults prepare and attend the night's festivities, something much more sinister has come out to play.

Overall, this was just OK for me. For a Halloween horror book nothing much happens for much of the book. All of the action happens in the last 20-30% of the book. There are some creepy kids that no one knows walking around and the neighborhood seems to be going nuts airing all of its dirty laundry all in one night, but overall this was missing the suspense I was looking for. I feel like the concept of The Cunning Man was really unique, however I didn't find him creepy or terrifying. I actually don't understand his purpose at all. He and the creepy children aren't really well explained, and I felt their execution was lacking. The book focused too much on the family and teenage drama and not enough on the horror and suspense that I was looking for.

Tremendous, nostalgic novel from one of the best horror writers of our time. I loved every word of this Halloween tale.

I read All Hallows with my Fable book club as our October read, 2023. It was fun going through each chapter together as we made our way through a Halloween night (1984) in Coventry, Massachusetts.
The book starts strong as the reader is introduced to a large cast of characters through multiple POVs. The chapters are titled with the name of the character and what's going on--these chapters are extremely short so we switch back and forth so often, the story becomes splintered in an almost mosaic fashion.
It's tough to hold on to the threads as an overall, big-picture narrative.
Some narratives are more compelling than others but there is a lot going on.
I feel like this was intended to combine the nostalgia of Halloween in the 80s via Stranger Things mashed with the "small town secrets and domestic drama" vibes of Stephen King's Salem's Lot which has potential but fell apart in the execution.
The haunted woods, apparitions, "The Cunning Man", and too many supernatural elements paired with all the POVs watered down the scare factor.
I will say this would be a perfect entry-level horror book for a young adult looking to break into the Horror scene.

This started so strong for me. 1980s setting, going all out for Halloween, spook factor...here for it.
But ever since having kids, I can't handle anything that deals with people preying on kids without it being too triggering for me.

The last bit felt like a slasher film, which had its fun, but overall this one wasn't a homerun for me, but I do think a lot of people would like it!

I think teens and fans of horror would love this one!

Sometimes you come across a novel by a well established author and you think to yourself how on earth did this guy get published?!?! That is me with this book and Christopher Golden. I hate to be harsh but I'm always honest. You've been warned.

"All Hallows" unfolds on Halloween night in 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, with two families unraveling amidst secrets and eerie occurrences. As the tale weaves through the trick-or-treaters, four mysterious children appear, seeking refuge from The Cunning Man. However, the book's potential is marred by a lack of character development and a disjointed narrative.

The novel, unfortunately, falls short in allowing readers to connect with and understand the characters. It's only towards the very end that a glimpse of their personalities is offered, but by then, it feels too late to form a meaningful attachment. The narrative feels chaotic and disjointed throughout, leaving uncertainty about whether this was intentional to serve the plot's pacing. However, this aspect doesn't seem robust enough to lend purpose to the disjointed feel of the storytelling.

While the premise holds promise with its Halloween night setting and the mysterious arrival of the children, the execution falters in providing a cohesive and engaging narrative. "All Hallows" struggles to establish a strong connection with its characters, hindering the overall impact of the story. As a reader, the lack of a solid foundation for character relationships and development left the unraveling of events feeling less impactful than it could have been.