If you like sleepy, atmospheric, gothic town setting then you will fall into this book so fast! The writing is so easy to get lost in and the story that Crystal Bell crafted is so haunting and beautiful. Definitely save this one for a rainy day!

What a stunningly unique and ambient YA horror! Set in the late nineteenth century on the docks of a town where death lurks around every corner, our main character, a female lamplighter, must light her town every night after the mysterious suicide of her father. Girls begin to go missing, and it’s up to our MC, Temperance, to figure out who’s behind it all before she vanishes, too.

The description in this book is bone-chilling, as is the way the author incorporates dread. The pace was perfect, the characters engaging, and the atmosphere so realistic I felt like I could reach out and touch it.

It’s a breath of fresh air to read something so well written in this genre, because all too often, YA horror can fall short. But not this. Pick up the Lamplighter as soon as it drops in May!

Lamplighter follows Temperence around as she performs her titular duties by lighting the gas lamps in Warbler, a small whaling village off the New England coast. In fact, we spend a lot of time watching her light the lamps and check the lamps and think about the lamps…

It’s important work for sure, but it’s very boring to watch. Action is dangled in front of us but never really acted upon: a drunk sailor makes a move toward sexual assualt, a scream in the distance, a girl goes missing off camera. We keep getting told about the darkness in Warbler and how the fog contains monsters and mysteries but by 50% of the way through, we simply aren’t shown it.

And 50% of a book is a long way to go without any sort of payoff.

I also found it difficult to relate emotionally to these characters, one is the MC’s sister’s secret admirer but also eeevvviiiillll but also the MC’s first kiss? The mother doesn’t speak. The MC must take care of her family and the sister takes care of the home.

Lamplighter had a really strong opening with the MC’s memory of finding her father hanging from one of the lights and there was definitely a lot of tention leading up to her lighting that lamp, but I just don’t feel like anything else came remotely close to how well the first chapter was done.

This book gave me a strong sense of helplessness. Wow. Almost everything went wrong and that added to the complexity of this book. It had an atmosphere that made you feel uneasy and just very creeped out especially in the second half of the book. My rage and hate was so heightened in this book because what the fck! The MC was going through so much. This book sees all eldest daughters and just women overall. It is a story for their voice and the fight against all that oppresses them. It really makes you want your voice heard so so much. Loved it.

my thoughts on this book are a mess. the novel’s atmosphere is great—a seaside town with whalers and a fog that swallows the night. i also really enjoyed the writing style. the prose has a sort of old-fashioned feel to it that contributes to the 19th century setting.

however, temperance is one of the most infuriating main characters i’ve read about in the past year. she constantly tells lies and half trues to protect her close ones, and blames it on the town when her ideas appear ludicrous.

minor spoilers ahead!! (as josiah, her love interest, how would you react when temperance complained about a certain character and then when asked to explain why she thought so of a certain person, she just dismissed it? tempe offered to explain herself at times but only up until the point where it was safe for her, where she thought she would be protecting other by coming up with half lies.)

back to no-spoiler zone: tempe loses the right to her claim when she makes a bunch of mistakes, and puts herself and her family in danger when in her head she was trying to protect them. she makes a lot of decisions without thinking twice, including ones that cost her so much more than if she had just opened up about everything and spoken to the authorities. she changes her mind, not once, but many times, and again, when she is granted the chance to elaborate or her reasons, she never discloses the full truth. temperance constantly makes herself a really hard person to trust. this infuriated me because the book could’ve gone through another path if tempe learned to express herself.

although the main character was not my favorite, it was a nice read. i enjoyed the ending and how it wasn’t perfectly tied nor completely left open. it felt right for the book.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to NetGalley, North Star Press, and Crystal J. Bell.

(This review was posted on my Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/152358901. It was posted on the 25th of January, 2024.)

I want to start this off by saying that this was written beautifully. You can feel what the MC is feeling, you see what she sees. Truly, one of the most beautifully written stories. The atmosphere is great - eerie - it paints the story right with the fog and the whalers, the ships and the lampposts.

However, Temperance is infuriating. She blindly makes decisions that she feels are justified or will shield someone else from the truth without realizing that she is hurting those she is trying to protect. She only half tells the truth and only always has a lie ready to go. She ends up hurting all those she claims to love becase she can’t seem to come up with a way to trust herself and others to tell the truth.

This books had me feeling many emotions, anxiety and frustration being the top two. It has a good twist at the end. A truly fantastic story that grips you in almost immediately.

4.5 stars

I had a great time reading The Lamplighter. The novel was very atmospheric and kept me immersed in the world from beginning to end. The characters were all well developed and well written. I am looking forward to reading more from Crystal J. Bell.

“The Lamplighter” by Crystal J. Bell is an eerie young adult historical horrors, making it the perfect fit for readers in search of a haunting read. Set in a nineteenth century whaling port, the town of Warbler is famous for its lucky ship figureheads and infamous for people going missing in its fog. In such a community, the lamplighter is a valued position that offers protection from the fog. It’s a job that Temperance takes on following the suicide of her father.

After a girl goes missing the same night two of Tempe’s lamps go out, her job thus the means to support her mother and younger sister, hangs in the balance. She is determined to uncover what really happened and prove to the town authorities that she should keep her position as lamplighter. During her investigation, Tempe makes an unsettling discovery about the renowned figureheads and her father’s death. But every time she warns someone about the monster lurking among them, she’s ignored. Tempe must decide whether to look the other way when more of her neighbors disappear or to make herself heard about her discoveries, which might doom herself and her sister to go missing next.

“The Lamplighter” was a haunting tale that perfectly suited the dreary winter weather my area had while I read it. I like a spooky book and this one was almost a little too spooky for me but I still enjoyed it!

Bell’s main character, Tempe, was a strong girl fiercely determined to protect her mother and younger sister after her father hanged himself on a lamppost after his route. Tempe does regularly face adversity from the townspeople regarding her holding the respected position of lamplighter as a woman, but it genuinely added to the plot and felt grounded without beating the reader down. The constant tragedies did that instead!

It took a few chapters for the plot to really get going, but when that ball was rolling it didn’t stop until the acknowledgements section at the end! I was on the edge of my seat as soon as Tempe made her first discovery about the mysterious disappearances and my jaw hit the floor at the twist ending. Although this is clearly a standalone novel, I would love to know what happened after the epilogue.

As with most historical books I read, there’s always a section where I say “I’m a professional historian and there was a part that was so inaccurate I couldn’t get over it.” This one is admittedly very petty, but would have been a very easy fix which is why I’m still going to mention it—Tempe references using bobby pins at several times through the book. The book is set at some point in the 1800s, but bobby pins weren’t invented until after World War I (“bobby pin” was originally a trademarked brand name, chosen for the bobbed hair styles of the 1920s and how the pins helped secure those hairstyles! Eventually bobby pin became the ubiquitous name, sort of like Kleenex.). Instead, Tempe should have been using either hair pins or a hat pin, depending on the situation. Does the use of bobby pins ruin the book? No, but I wouldn’t have been pulled out of the story so many times if Bell had used the correct terms.

Bobby pins aside, “The Lamplighter” is a haunting, atmospheric read. It gives all the autumn and winter vibes and would be a great addition to your TBR. But if you’re reading it after hours, consider keeping a light on…

“𝙇𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩. 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮. 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚”

I need to start this by saying how beautifully written this book is. I was unable to put it down from the second I started it because of how atmospheric it is and how well the author has portrayed the characters, their feelings and relationships as well as the overall storyline.

“𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚-𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙮-𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮.”

If there’s one thing I love, it‘s a strong, clever and sophisticated female main character and Tempe is exactly that. I loved reading about her journey of uncovering the truth behind the vanishing villagers of Warbler.

"The Lamplighter" is dark, haunting and mysterious but it is also empowering - it's captivating and makes you want to keep reading and find out what is going to happen next...

To me this is a fantastic debut and I cannot wait to hopefully read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

oh this was so stunning! it was beautifully written and so haunting and spooky! i wish i could sink into this world and be at peace forever! probably my favorite gothic horror i’ve read and i cannot wait to own a copy!

i read this as an arc from netgalley

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell : let me start by saying i love this book!! i don't give 5 star ratings very often, but this book deserves that and more. imagine my surprise to discover this was Crystal J. Bell's debut novel and girl, you slammed it out of the park!! the writing is fresh, and descriptive, not one word is wasted, building a world so vivid i could feel the fog swirling around my feet as i read. The Lamplighter is a remarkable tale of a young woman's struggle to provide for her family after her father's suicide, in a time when women are looked down upon as possessions rather than persons with hopes and dreams. add to this one of the most amazing villains I've seen in a long time. no matter how sure you are that you've guessed the next step in this story, trust me, you're wrong. Ms. Bell has crafted a dark and disturbing work that lingers in your mind for quite a while. i know i can't stop thinking about it and I'm eagerly waiting for Ms. Bell's next.
to sum up:
highly recommended.
5 stars out of 5.
Buy This Book!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars (rounded up)

I cannot begin to describe how much fun I had with this book. Although "fun" might be the wrong word for so much eerieness.. I specifically loved the protagonist, Tempe, who behaved very much like I would expect a 17-year-old, who has to provide for her family, to. Her constant fight against misogyny was admirable and heartbreaking at the same time.

For me, this book lives from the atmosphere and sprinkles of magic realism. People who love atmospheric books or are looking for a nice eerie read that also tackles important topics, should definitely pick it up. Might also be a great read for halloween/ october.

Lastly, I very much enjoyed the ending, leaving some things open for interpretation - or even a sequel?

If you are looking for a book filled with ambiance this is definitely something you would enjoy.
Dark and atmospheric.

Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Thank you to @crystaljbell and @netgalley for the eArc copy of this hauntingly wonderful debut novel!

Temperance is the lamp lighter for the small town of Warbler. There is something a mist in the fog. People are going missing, and suspicions are high. Superstitions are running rampant. Will Temperance get to the bottom of what's going on in time!?! The clock is ticking!

What a great debut novel! This is a young adult horror novel that will keep you on end. You'll end up thinking you know what happens and then bam... back to the drawing board.

The writing was easy to follow along with no confusion. The plot was chef kisses, and although this book is YA, I'm 30 years old, and I absolutely enjoyed it and loved the thrill!

If you're looking for your next bone-chilling story to creep you out but also keep you super intrigued, then buckle up because you've just found it!

This was terrifying. I was so scared reading this at night. It kept on my toes and I didn't saw any of the twists coming. Even thought I liked this, I didn't love the pacing of the story because it felt slow at times and it was hard to kept my interest. It was a good horror story. I loved the FMC, she was a badass.

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

This book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It'll keep you guessing until the very end.

"The LAMPLIGHTER" is a 19th-century slow burn of a book, but it's very much worth the wait. The ending is mind-blowing, and it leaves much to the imagination and room for a second installment, which I hope Crystal will take into consideration.

It follows Temperance (aka) Tempe, who has a critical job of keeping the lamps lit and the residents of Warbler safe from nightly fog, a role she aquired from her father who
'committed suicide.' Being set in the 19th century, the job isn't usually occupied by women.

When villagers start to go missing one by one, she is blamed. They start to question her competence as a lamplighter. She must fight not only for her life but to prove her innocence so she can keep her job to provide for her family. Most importantly, to uncover the monster she knows is responsible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an eARC of this book!

I was, and still am, super excited that I got to partake in reading this novel. It was very atmospheric and I enjoyed the whole seaside, portside town vibe that this story created. Furthermore, I enjoyed the author's writing style, characters (for the most part), and ability to write this story!

The only real problem I had with this book would be the main character herself. Now, that doesn't seem good, because who has a problem with the main character and sticks with the story? Well, me. My ONLY gripe is how Temperance cannot make a good decision to save her LIFE. This issue could've been resolved sooner, or maybe more people would be on her side if she had just shared the information with others. Keeping her sister and Josiah in the dark served no purpose, except some self-righteous tirade to protect other people. SHE IS 18! WHO CAN SHE PROTECT??? LET SOMEONE ELSE IN!!

Either way, I think this was an excellent debut novel, and I will enjoy reading more of her books.

This book was interesting, but missing something. I found that I was bored at points and my mind would often drift. I like the set up of the story, but I wished it had been fleshed out a bit more. I never felt truly invested with the characters which is an absolute must for me.

I wanted to like this book; the concept promises an intriguing premise with the mysterious disappearances, the significance of ship figureheads, and the struggle of the protagonist, Temperance. However, despite the potential, the execution falls short. The pacing was extremely slow, making it hard for me to keep returning, and it felt like a chore.

The Lamplighter has a captivating premise but struggles to deliver a cohesive and engaging narrative.

Following her father's suicide, Temperance Byrne has become the port town Warbler's lamplighter. Every night, she lights the oil lamps that keep Warbler's streets safe from the fog, and every morning, she snuffs out the light. On a night where one of the lights goes out, a young woman disappears, causing doubts to be cast on her competence. Between the drunken whalers who frequent the town and the wood carver who is wooing her younger sister, Tempe has suspicions in many, and few who will listen to her concerns.

I'm not quite sure what to make of 'The Lamplighter'. It's not a long book, but I wish it was shorter, as so much of the book focuses on the ins and outs of the lives of the characters who live in Warbler, who are relatively flat and uninteresting. Even with its low page count, it took me longer to read this book that a couple of 500 page novels just because the mystery at the core of the novel spent so long buried under a marital drama. I was much more interested when the 'twist' came into play, about halfway through the novel, but unfortunately I found it more silly than scary. There was some foreshadowing, but it felt like too much of a genre shift, and while I think horror and magic can go hand and hand, I'd be more accepting of it in a short story than in 200 page novel.

While it suits the time period, I found the gender essentialism a bit aggravating. Sexism is a big theme in the book, with Temperance being unable to confide in anyone about being wronged by the men in the town and her sister being at the mercy of a mysterious gentleman caller who turns out to be more than twice her age. Despite this, one of Temperance's confidants is her childhood friend and love interest, a chauvinist who is constantly treating her as a silly little thing with delusional thoughts. She's afraid to tell him about being taken advantage of by another man in fear that he'll reject her, and at one point he grabs her hard enough to leave a bruise. Despite this despicable behavior, Tempe sees him as the perfect man to spend the rest of her life with, and an escapism from the cruelty of drunken whalers. Similarly, while I don't expect modern gender theory from an 1800s small town, the villain's goals being rooted in 'women are more important than men because they can make babies' is deeply unpleasant. Sure, it fits the time period, but the 'all women are baby makers' seems so outdated for a book published in 2024.

While I think the ending is delightfully creepy, I can only give the novel a middling grade. I don't think it's bad, but I think trimming the fat would have made an average YA novel into a wonderful YA short story or novella.