An easy 5-star read!

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell is a hauntingly atmospheric novel set in the 1800s, with an evocatively strong female lead named Temperance.

Long story short, going in blind on this story as if there's actual fog (no pun intended) is the best thing ever. The dreary setting, the horror genre, and the gothic plot simultaneously kept me hooked right through the mouth like a dumb fish.

Do I recommend it? Definitely, yes!

This book is as warm as the litted wicks as it is metaphorical. It is eerily gorgeous as if the locally-carved figureheads. Most importantly, it is all-too unique as the Byrnes family.

Chills, literal massive chills on this one.

I've been sitting with this ARC for a couple of months, trying so hard to push through, and unfortunately, I just can't.
Crystal J. Bell has such atmospheric and creepy writing, but it fails to keep my attention and make me feel connected to or interested in the characters.
I see that this author has potential, and once it has been edited out of typos and released into the world, I would consider picking it up again one day, but this was a a DNF for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Flux for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Lamplighter" by Crystal J. Bell is a haunting and atmospheric YA horror novel that grips you from the very first page, weaving a tale of mystery and suspense set in the eerie whaling village of Warbler. Since this is a horror novel, make sure to check out the trigger warnings for this book before going in.

Bell masterfully crafts a slow-burning narrative that unfolds against the backdrop of the 19th Century, with protagonist Temperance—known as Tempe—grappling with the weight of her responsibilities as the town's lamplighter. As a young woman in a male-dominated profession, Tempe faces relentless judgment and misogyny, adding layers of tension to her already precarious situation. The writing throughout this novel is extremely beautiful and poignant; however, be aware that this is a slow-paced novel, which definitely works with Bell’s writing and the story, but some readers may not like the slow pace.

The story's strength lies in its vivid and chilling descriptions, which transport you to the fog-shrouded streets of Warbler. Bell's portrayal of the village evokes a sense of unease and foreboding, setting the stage for the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. I could visualize the setting, which definitely added to the creepy atmosphere needed for a horror novel. I was immersed in the story, and that feeling of foreboding would just continue building as the plot thickened, and I almost felt like I was a part of the story.

The characters, though flawed, feel painfully lifelike, navigating the complexities of their relationships and the sinister forces at play in their small village. I really felt connected to Tempe and her experiences; the other characters felt incredibly realistic in their actions, especially with the small-town setting influencing them. Bell also deftly explores themes of feminism and empowerment, infusing the narrative with a sense of urgency and depth. Those who appreciate a slow-burning mystery will find much to enjoy in this book.

Overall, "The Lamplighter" is a captivating and immersive read that will keep you engrossed and guessing until the very end. With its evocative prose and atmospheric setting, it's a must-read for fans of gothic horror and mystery alike. While this may not be a book you consume in an entire sitting, this book is definitely one that will consume you and have you thinking about the story for days to come.

Admittedly, I struggled initially to get into this book. It was a slow burn in the beginning, a young women disquieted about the circumstances of her father’s death while filling his shoes to light the lampposts of Warbler and protect it’s people from the fog and the whalers that are brought to port. But as the chapters go on, there’s a little more hook, a little more question, and then suddenly I’m plunged into this truly mysterious horror that’s not like any other I’ve read, with an absolutely mind blowing and perfect ending, and a strong female protagonist in a man’s world.

“It’s an honor to bring light to the dark. Now she must follow the light out of her own fog of despair, as she faces the choice to look the other way or risk speaking out and possibly dooming herself and her sister to be among the lost.”

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

TW: abuse, adult/minor relationship, alcoholism, animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, grief, injury/injury detail, mental illness, misogyny, murder, pedophilia, physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, suicide, violence.

I truly loved how this book started off the plot. It left you wondering what was truly going on in the town of Warbler and what or who could be the culprit. While there were a few twists and turns that surprised me throughout the book, it was overall predictable and a bit of a let down by the end.

The characters personalities felt almost surface level and sometimes their decisions felt rash and unexplainable. I wish the reasons for their actions were explained a bit more to give them just a little bit more value than… I’m just going to do this. With that being said, I believe the author did a great job of describing gender dynamics for the time period it was set in and she clearly put in a lot of work to do the research to make sure it was accurate which I can appreciate.

The plot of the story was fairly well paced at the beginning but as it progressed, I felt that it was slow as some points, with some chapters that kind of felt like the same content was being repeated. I wasn’t quite sure how much time had truly passed between certain events which was a little difficult for me as well. There is also hinted abuse in the story which, in my opinion, didn’t really drive the plot forward and felt unnecessary in the long run. Overall, the plot was clearly well thought out and all the aspects that did drive the plot forward come full circle at the end which is great.

I want to preface this next part by mentioning that I am a grown adult (23) who is reading a book that is aimed for YA. I do understand that the following is more so just my preference and feelings towards the genres it was put into. In my opinion, I felt that the contents of the book that fit into these categories is appropriately written for YA readers:

I also thought that the “fantasy and magic” aspect of it was sub level as there wasn’t much explanation behind how it worked which I PERSONALLY like to have in a fantasy novel. I also feel that categorizing it as horror, which is the same category as Stephen King, may be a bit much for this book.

I think that this book is perfect for a younger YA reader who is looking to explore horror, mystery, and fantasy novels without having to get into the heavy stuff such as horrific explanations of things, world building, and magic systems. As an adult, I would recommend this book to people just starting to get into reading, someone looking to explore new genres on a basic level, or someone 14-17 years or age.

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell was a fun story with a creative idea and setting. I loved the theme and the first half of the book. The mystery had me intrigued and the terror and wonder of what is making people go missing in this small whaling town was a totally brilliant idea.

However, I did not enjoy much of the second half of the book. I got irritated a lot with Tempe and the choices that she made, which ultimately led to an ending that made me frustrated. I guess I just wanted more from the ending, or more suspense and thrill. I felt like I knew what was going to happen in the last 25% of the book which was saddening as there was so much potential.

These are just my thoughts though! Please read this story and build your own ideas and opinions!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this lovely story.

The Lamplighter' blurb had me in an instant, but I simply couldn't get around the typo's and language of the book. I always finish my books, however, when the grammer and spelling are concerned I simply cannot push through.

Review on Goodreads (GR)
My review :

◡̈ 3 stars
ׂ╰┈➤ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
●・○・●・○・●
┊ ┊ ⋆˚ This book is a debut novel from Crystal J.Bell
┊ ┊ ⋆˚ It is a very atmospheric read (horror).
┊ ┊ ⋆˚ I genuinely had mixed feelings while reading this, maybe it's because I don't like to read horror stories. I do recommend this book if you enjoy horror books, this one was well-written nonetheless.
┊ ┊ ⋆˚  The cover is so pretty, look at it

⁀➷ Trigger Warnings (TW) : abuse, adult/minor relationship, alcoholism, body horror, death, death of a loved one, injury/injury detail, misogyny, murder, pedophilia, physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, suicide, violence.

⁀➷I'm my father's daughter, after all.

The ending blew my mind, oh my god

While I appreciate NetGalley providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review, I'm afraid I cannot endorse it.
⭐️
The narrative pace suffered from significant lulls, and the dialogue lacked vibrancy, hindering the development of suspense. I was particularly troubled by the author's portrayal of assault. The protagonist's fabricated account to her sister regarding the perpetrator's actions felt incongruous and undermined the gravity of the situation. While discussing such sensitive topics presents challenges, if the intent is to convey concern for the sister's well-being, advocating honesty would have resonated more deeply.
She literally lies to her sister telling her that she had a consensual kiss with the man and then he rejected her…the truth was that he assaulted her and she spit in his face causing him to apologise? In what world would that be the case? And why on earth would she lie to her sister like this if the end goal is protecting her from that man?
Despite positive feedback on Goodreads, I struggled to find redeeming qualities.
The purported romantic connection between the protagonist and Josiah lacked emotional depth, failing to convince of their supposed childhood bond as well.
That being said, the premise held promise, and the cover art is undeniably captivating.
However, these isolated strengths are insufficient to overcome the narrative's shortcomings.

I really loved this historical modern mystery with a fantasy element.
The murder mystery central to the plot was a compelling story that made me want to keep reading.
I will certainly be looking out for this authors next book.

Lampposts. Murder. Glass Cages. Cast Iron.

"It's an honor to bring light to the dark."

Absolutely adore this writing style, it's so engaging! "A whisper as loud as a swarm of bees", crashing waves, and buoyant ships anchored in the harbor. Very atmospheric.

Black locust, dancing, balls, missing girls, Temperance and Josiah. Wraiths in the fog. Secret admirers. Monsters in the dark.

Voices coming from the fog. Ravenous. Flames being snuffed out. The Gathering.

A shifty character claiming the love of her sister. Suspicion. Intrigue. Tempe playing detective, no one taking her seriously while a dark storm is rolling in with the tide and the eery fog.

Pru. Gideon. Visions of Da at the lamppost. Falling candles. Ghosts of the missing girls pleading for their murderer to receive his commupence.

"A fire in your blood. In your spirit."

Girls turned to wood. Deadly bargains. Black wrist bruises. A failed arson rid the world of a cruel beast. This was truly a horrifying read, and I look forward to the next books that this author pens. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

** spoiler alert ** ⊰ 5 stars

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

“It’s an honor to bring light to the dark.”

And what an honor it has been to read this book before it has been published. This book took my breath away. I laughed, I cried and at the end I simply couldn’t put it down.

In a small whaling village called Warbler, best known for its lucky ship figureheads, every night a fog creeps up from the forest. Over time, people have disappeared into the fog to never return. When Temperance’s father dies, she takes over his role as the lamplighter; a position synonymous with safety and protection.
After the disappearance of a young local girl, Tempe struggles to keep her livelihood and tries to find answers to the girl’s disappearance in order to secure her position and ease her consciousness. When the answers she finds consists of a monster, death and lies, Tempe must choose which path to take in order to protect herself and the people she loves.

The Lamplighter is an atmospheric gothic horror novel with supernatural tones set in the 19th Century. We follow Temperance in her journey as she faces accusations, problems and obstacles as a young local girl goes missing in Warbler. The world building is done very well, the author did a good job in giving Warbler a certain macabre feeling. I loved that the book was packed with enough detail to give me a clear image in my mind of what Warbler looks like, but not too much to be annoying.

“The truth is I have nothing to prove. I am enough and always have been. I learn from my mistakes and become stronger because of them.”

Our protagonist Temperance is a very headstrong young woman trying to navigate life after losing her father and generating income for her family. Tempe doesn’t trust easily and is determined to fix every problem herself without burdening her loved ones with her problems. Tempe sometimes got on my nerves, because she doesn’t seem to learn from her mistakes. After getting in so much trouble for withholding information/”lying”, you would think she would stop diving head first into things by herself. Her struggle with being a woman in her time, her word being worth less than that of a man, is heartbreaking. Tempe always had the best interest of the people around her at heart and in the end that was her undoing.

“A man can make mistakes. A man can change his mind. A woman? No. If she makes a mistake, she is unfit. If she changes her mind, she is fickle.”

I am so grateful to have received an e-arc from this book and am hoping that the epilogue gives promise to a sequel to this beautiful story. I would love to see a redemption arc for Tempe, spearheaded by her sister Prudence.
The fact that this is the author’s debut is giving me chills. This book is now one of my absolutely favorites thanks to the ambience the author gave this book. I cannot wait to see what else Crystal J. Bell has in store for us!

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this mysterious historical-horror debut. While the pacing and tension had issues - especially for a horror book - and were not helped by the frequent long expositions, the horror scenes themselves were excellent. The atmosphere is eerie and by the end I was definitely rooting for Temperance, the main character. I enjoyed the epilogue and appreciated the semi-mysterious ending.

A great pick for fans of atmospheric historical mysteries.

“There's an evil in Warbler, and I am the only one who knows about it.”

TW: abuse, adult/minor relationship, alcoholism, animal death, blood, body horror, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, grief, injury/injury detail, mental illness, misogyny, murder, pedophilia, physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, suicide, violence.

Incredibly sad to say that I truly, wholeheartedly disliked everything about this book.

I keep writing and rewriting this review because I feel I am coming off too harsh and that's never my intention. However, I also don't know how to express any of my feelings on this book without sounding incredibly harsh.

The characters were dull, insufferable, and incapable of making a single good decision. The pacing was an absolute mess. The suspense was non-existent. The conversations on feminism and misogyny were so incredibly poorly handled that it would be impressive, if I wasn't so disheartened by it. The suicide plotline is used as a jump-scare throughout the novel.

There's also a weird element that makes it feel like age doesn't exist in this world. Whenever there are flashbacks to when Temperance was 16, she was seen as a child (which is correct) but then her 16 year old sister is in a rush to get married to the same man that took advantage of her sister, and none of the adults have a problem with it, simply because they want to get married first?

On that topic, assault is mentioned so often that it almost loses any poignancy. This, connected with Temperance lying (/telling partial truths) to her little sister about her experiences* making the assault seem like it was really just a case of her getting her feelings hurt, was just... painful in every way.

*I don't believe survivors are ever required to share their stories with anyone. However, in what world would you try to warn your sister away from your abuser by making it sound like he simply rebuffed your attentions? And then she had the audacity to be upset that no one listened to her or took her seriously. (Not that her sister would have, even if she had told her the truth. Her sister was a trash character with zero redeemable qualities, that probably would have lit other women on fire to keep a known abuser warm but! I still think everything should have been handled differently.)


Overall, I'm clearly in the minority when it comes to this book and I truly wish I had something positive to say about it, other than 'that's a lovely cover'. Unfortunately, I don't and I genuinely cannot think of a person that I would ever suggest this to.

I'm grateful for the chance to read it, but I'm even more grateful to be done.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, North Star Editions, for this ARC!

3.5 ⭐️

“ Be careful out there, Tempe. Even lamplighters fall victim to the fog”

Crystal J. Bell's debut novel, "The Lamplighter," immerses readers in the eerie world of Warbler, a nineteenth-century whaling port with a mysterious fog that conceals its secrets.

The story follows Temperance Byrne, or Tempe, who takes on the role of the town's lamplighter after her father's tragic death. The unsettling disappearance of young girls coincides with the extinguishing of Tempe's lamps, putting her job and her family's well-being at stake. As she investigates, she uncovers disturbing truths about the town's figureheads and her father's demise.

Although I longed for a bit more character development in Temperance and in the over arching antagonist, those who appreciate historical horror with a strong sense of place may find it worth exploring. Bell's debut lays the foundation for potential future successes, and readers can look forward to her growth as an author in subsequent works.

I had to get used to the writing style at first and it took me a bit to get into but once I was in it I really enjoyed the story. The characters were well thought out and the story line in general was very interesting.

Warble, Connecticut is known for two things: The beautiful figuredheads it's woodcarver, Gideon creates and its fog. Fog so thick and eerie that many have lost their lives to it. Which is where the Lamplighters come in, Temperance being Warbler's most recent and only female Lamplighter, stepping into her father's shoes after his suicide. A death that many suspicious citizen believes was no suicide but the fog itself claiming another victim. For her part Temperance doesn't believe the fog killed her father and chalks others whispers of his death to the overactive imaginations of the sailors who call Warbler home. That is until a young local girl vanishes without a trace, on a night when two of Temperance's lamps go out. Now under suspicion of not being able to her job properly Temperance discovers that Gideon has taken her family under his wing for reasons she can't fathom and he has no alibi for the night the young girl went missing. Temperance is not sure if there is something in the fog but she is sure that Gideon is at the heart of all of Warble's troubles and with no one to turn to she realizes she must stop him herself before it's too late.

Full disclosure I almost stopped reading this at about the halfway mark. Temperance is singlehandedly one of the most annoying characters I've ever read. Half of the book is her whining about how she has no one to turn to for help and the other half is her whining that if she was a man none of this would be happening. And to be clear her Dad goes through the same thing she does so that's definitely not the case. There is one scene where her little sister calls her a martyr and basically that sums of Temperance perfectly. And to be clear if there had been *any* growth in Temperance at all I may have enjoyed her and this book a bit more but there just wasn't. If Temperance has taken at least one person's advice at some point in this book this book would have been more enjoyable.

I also really didn't find anything redeeming in Gideon either, a bad protagonist is okay if the bad guy is well written but he's not. He's absolutely boring beyond all belief and like I'm not even sure what he's doing is bad in the grand scheme of things. Like yes, it's murder but I mean his reasons are semi valid. Hell, if he was real we may actually reverse or halt climate change. You'll have to read the book to get that.

Finally the pacing on this was just off. There's too much time between important things happening and we spend way too much time trapped in Temperance's head, which is not a place one wants to be trapped in for any period of time. And it was predictable at about the point where Temperance finds proof of Gideon's role in the disappearance of the girl it just all kinda clicks together and from there it's slow going to the climax.

Overall, this was just not for me. And that's okay because it's not for my age group. I think my kids would enjoy this immensely which is why I decided to go with a three star rating, instead of a two. And I'm actually willing to go so far as saying that's a 3.5 star rating. So if you're into YA horror/mysteries this book is for you.

Thanks to North Star Editions for sending me an arc of this book through Netgally !!
The Lamplighter was a delight to read, set in a costal town where people go missing in the haunting fog. The main character has to light all the lamps in town everyday to keep the villagers safe. The setting was haunting and beautiful and the prose of the author was to die for it really transported me. The main character helps solve a mystery and tried to help the girl around town even when not even her family and loved ones believe her. The amount of things that she has to deal with made me feel so much for her an empathize with her ( older sister syndrome) and the ending was so sad but so good.

ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

In the whaling town of Warber people keep disappearing in the dense fog that plagues the town come nightfall. Temperance is the towns lamplighter, an essential job in protecting those from the nightly fog. When two of her friends go missing back to back she decides to investigate. Tempreance’s search for answers leads her down a path of unsettling secrets and a reality containing otherworldly monsters.

The Lamplighter is a debut haunting YA horror with dark gothic atmosphere and slow building dread. The setting of Warber was incredibly effective with portraying the books chilling and sinister plot. This book does have a bit of slower start but once you hit the 60% mark it does pick up speed and the horror elements really start to shine thru. Temperance as an FMC was both resilient and also insufferable. I say this as her decision making for most of the story was rather questionable and centered around her own secrets. This lead the plot to almost venture into the “miscommunication trope” territory which to be fair is not one of my personal favorites. I can appreciate where the author was going in making Tempe this way to showcase her as a strong protector however it missed the mark for me. There are some trigger warnings that the author does note prior to the start of the book which along with the horror elements would lead me to suggest this to the upper YA readers and not the younger ones.
Overall as a debut YA horror novel I do think that this will be successful and enjoyed by many of its targeted audience.

The Lamplighter comes out May 3, 2024.

Thank you again NetGalley and North Star Editions, Flux for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

i’ve certainly fallen in love with gothic novels. i received this ARC from NetGalley and i am so glad.

this book was captivating. extremely atmospheric. i thought of Temperance even when i wasn’t reading. i loved the mystery element of the story, and the strong family connection.

definitely a must-read!!