Thank you to North Star Editions and NetGalley for the eBook in exchange for my review.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. Set in a weird town that doesn't seem to know if it's the 17th or 19th century (they've got Puritanical names and some Puritan community traits, but whaling is the big industry...) , this tale features empowered women, mystery, romance and a bit of sci-fi as well.

The ending is gut wrenching, leaving big questions and hope for a sequel????

Thank you to netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, this book is a wild, atmospheric ride you’ll easily devour in one sitting!!

I absolutely loved The Lamplighter and recommend everyone check this book out when it comes out in May! If you like atmospheric seaside towns with horror elements and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end, then this book is for you!

The Lamplighter is set in the 19th century in a whaling town known for lucky ship figurehead and disappearances in the nightly fog. The book follows Temperence, a Lamplighter, as she fights for her voice and position as a young woman disappears under her watch when two of her lamps go out. Tempe is up against the town as she learns unsettling information about her father and the town’s famous figureheads. And on top of it all, Tempe has to protect her sister from a marriage proposal she doesn’t trust when more women go missing.

With talks of myths and folklore hiding in the fog, Tempe doesn’t know what to believe anymore. But time is running out and only she can unearth all the lies and secrets.

Tempe is a wonderful character to read from and goes through so much in this novel! She deserves so much and I loved seeing her go about her job as a Lamplighter. Her sister and Josiah were amazing supporting characters and that twist will stay with me for a long time – I still can’t believe what happened. Or the ending … I’m in shock, but I also still really liked the way it ended.

Overall, I was wildly impressed and will be picking up everything this author writes next! I adored the way they wrote and created this incredibly atmospheric setting that was hauntingly eery and mythical at the same time.

Lastly, this is incredibly niche and obscure and definitely probably just me, so bear with me. There’s this Ray Bradbury short story audio cassette my teacher played for my class in the 5th grade (I can never remember the name but there was a murderer, a river, a bridge, fog, and scissors I think) that has stuck with me for years. I’ve yearned to find a book that matches those terrifying, eery vibes with murder and disappearances in a foggy town and this book scratched that itch so well. From the first chapter I was hooked and this is probably just me, but it reminded me of that Ray Bradbury story and I’m obsessed!!!

Content Warnings: The Lamplighter contains discussions and/or depictions of sexual assault, violence, suicide, parental death, and string language.

This book grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go until the end! I absolutely loved it! The setting is creepy and adds to the story so well. I enjoyed how very real day to day subjects are dealt in the book. They weren’t depicted in offensive or harmful fashions, as has been my prior experience with most books that have touched on delicate subjects. The story was wonderfully crafted and kept me guessing as to what was really going on even when I thought I’d figured it out. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to anyone looking to read a story that’s as heartfelt as it is creepy.

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book exceeded my expectations vastly. I was drawn in by the description and the cover but was completely hooked by the atmosphere and story.

Tempe is a lamplighter. A position she inherited from her father. She brings light to her community, the small, dark, and foggy Warbler. She is the only line of defense against the fog that blankets the town each night. Because when someone goes missing in the fog, they are never seen again. But when a girl goes missing and the lamps go out the blame falls on the lamplighter. Tempe must search for the truth as more villagers go missing. But the secrets her small town hides may be horrible than she could have ever imagined.

This was a short spooky read and, while the first half started a little slow, the twist and ending threw me for a loop. My only complaint is I wish there was more. I wasn’t ready to leave Warbler.

Thank you NetGalley and North Star Editions for an early copy in exchange for an honest review

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

Okay first off, I did not expect this book to be so good???

Right from the beginning, we are introduced to the haunting whaling village of Warbler. Every night, a mysterious fog creeps into the village, held at bay by the bright lamps. Temperance (Tempe), our main character, is the lamplighter, a job she inherited after her father k!lled himself.

As a female lamplighter, Tempe already faces a lot of judgement and misogyny, something that is heightened when another village girl, Molly, goes missing during Tempe's shift. Struggling to keep her job to continue to support her mother and sister, Tempe throws all her effort into finding Molly, not knowing how much of the town's dark secrets she would uncover.

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This book. THIS BOOK. It's slow. It's sinister. It's terrifyingly haunting.

I was instantly hooked.

There's just something about the vivid, yet chilling descriptions that immersed me so deeply into the story, I finished it within 5 hours. I can't say every chapter was exciting, but there was always something within them that pushed me to keep reading and find out what was coming next.

This book is very much a gothic mystery/horror, and the setting reminded me a lot of Sherlock Holmes! (disclaimer: I've only watched the Robert Downey Jr movies 🫣)

But it was creepy, VERY creepy, and not just because of the setting- you know what else was creepy? The men. A few central male characters here were disgustingly misogynistic and... well... terrifying... but you won't know what I mean with that second part unless you read it (you should).

> I'm the lamplighter. I'm here to bring light. To show the way.

Throughout the whole book, I just felt so bad for Tempe. She definitely has eldest daughter syndrome. Not only does she have to carry the livelihoods of her mother and sister on her back but when she discovers something important (and dangerous!), no one believes her because she's a "delusional woman" 🙄. Even characters (whose names I won't mention) that she loves dearly and works hard to protect don't believe her. The audacity 🙄

But, here are some of my favourite characters to make up for the annoying ones!

The fog:
> The trees whisper behind the fog, or maybe its the fog itself? Feeding on my sanity like termites.
There are so many descriptions of the fog in this book that I've grown to love it 🤠👍 ...not really actually, it's still creepy.

Mr. Landon:
This guy barely appears in the novel, but he deserves a mention because he is the absolute kindest and sweetest 🫶

Temperance:
And of course, Tempe herself!

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I did see some similarities to The Hunger Games in terms of characters, but only very loosely.
Tempe --> Katniss (overall protector of the house)
Da --> Katniss's dad (dead! 🤠👍)
Pru (Tempe's sister) --> Prim (different age, but same dependance)
Mother --> Katniss's mum (absent in grief)
Josiah --> Gale (I don't like them both)

Again, this is only a very loose comparison because this book's characters change a lot throughout the novel! This is based on first impressions only.

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Overall, I really, really loved this book! It's haunting, it makes you dread what's going to happen next... it's a fantastic debut, and I hope it gets all the love it deserves!

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Trigger warnings:
- sexual assault
- suicide
- misogyny

*I received an ARC from Netgalley and Flux in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating.

The beginning of the book is pretty slow. I understand that the plot is being established with the characters and backstories but I had to skim a lot. The mystery of the missing girls is nicely portrayed and the historical context is intact.

But I think a lot of the narratives could be slimmed down.

The only reason I did not DNF is the ending. The ending and revelation is amazing! I love how everything came together yet there is still a hanging mystery.

My advice - if you are a horror fan and can power through the book, you will be happy with the ending.

Thank you NetGalley, North Star Editions and Flux for giving me the opportunity to read this!

The moment I laid my eyes on the cover of The Lamplighter, I was immediately drawn in by its intense and atmospheric design. The opening sentence was equally captivating, and as someone who is a fan of gothic and 19th-century literature, I knew I was in for a treat. The story is set in a mysterious, damp town, and the plot unfolds slowly, building tension and intrigue with each passing page. The female protagonist’s job as a lamplighter was unusual for a woman of that time, and added a unique dynamic to the story. As the mystery unravels, she sets out to solve it, leading to a gradual descent into complete horror that had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t put the book down until I had read it cover to cover. I am eagerly anticipating its release on May 21, 2024, and I highly recommend that you get a copy as well. It’s a spine-chilling journey that you won’t soon forget.

This story was an absolute delight to read; a breath of fresh air (ironic, considering the suffocating nature of the fog itself), and unputdownable. Whilst I didn't entirely agree with Temperance's actions, and the repeated nature of her hesitancy towards seeking help, I did understand her and empathise with her—which is definitely a testament to the quality of writing from Bell. Warbler was as haunted, mysterious and dangerous as promised, and the twists and turns had my heart and my mind racing every time. The ending, whilst grief-filled, made total sense in the context of the world—and I appreciated the commitment to the overarching plot, whilst also finding satisfaction in the potential for hope held within the final lines. The Lamplighter was a treat of a book to devour and I can't wait to buy a copy when it releases in May this year. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available May 21,2024.

This an atmospheric ya horror that builds upon the suspense and then slaps you in the face with it.

Temperance is the main character and she is the Lamplighter for the sea side town of Warbler which is famous for its Lucky Ship Figureheads made by the creepy Gideon. Tempe gets the job because of the death of her father(which if you have a trigger for abrupt deaths mind it because it’s literally the first sentence of the first chapter). There is a lot of push back because this is a man’s job and well Tempe is a teenage girl dressing as a man because climbing ladders in a dress would be difficult. There is a bit of a mystery when 2 lamps go out and a young girl goes missing. So naturally because she is a woman the towns folk call for her removal. There is something in the fog. Something her father knew and died for. Something that broke her mother. Gideon knows. And the figureheads? What is off about them? Such a haunting atmospheric and truly creepy read.

I really do highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed reading this - however found the pacing somewhat difficult to get into. Once I was in though I was hooked. I adored the characters and loved the ending!

This feels like an old timer version of the fog mixed with folklore, and with the added worry Temperance has to provide for her family after her fathers death.

Temperance is a woman who sees what is going on in her community but is unsure of how to be accepted and have her thoughts and concerns heard as a young woman in a male driven sea port.

The story digs deep into the idea of assault and not wanting to speak out. At the heart of the story there’s an ask for help message, don’t bottle everything up moral.

The build up is natural and when the secrets start to unravel they start coming at you fast!

Gideon’s reveal and the secret behind his skill was a twist that kept me reading and wanting to know more!

This book was so beautiful and amazingly written I don’t know how I will overcome the feeling of emptiness left by it. You know the feeling after you finish a great book and then you don’t know what to do with yourself anymore? Yup that’s what I’m feeling and I really didn’t want to go into 2024 in a book slump.
Join Temperance, the lightlighter as she tries to battle the fog that buries Warbler every night and it’s people and secrets with it.
It’s a YA book with creeping dread and a character that tries to so the right choice but fails to do so terribly. There’s just so muchI could say about this book, but I can’t spoil. I wish I could’ve been longer yet at the same time I love the way it ended.

3/5

Set in a whaling town in the 19th century the story follows Temperance, a young woman who's been forced to take up her late father's job as a lamplighter in order to provide for her mother and younger sister. It's a very important job, the fog in this village is dangerous and it's common for people to disappear in the dark. The responsability is heavy on her shoulders, not helped by the distrust of the men in power who consider her less competent for being a woman. When a girl goes missing the same night two lights go out not only is Tempe's job on the line but also her safety, as something is haunting the streets and endangering everyone.

The concept is quite solid, I picked this up because I was intrigued by the choice of a lamplighter as a protagonist. The writing is good and I generally liked the characters. My issue with this book was how much the middle dragged. The first chapters do a great job of setting the scene and the plot, and then the book just meanders until the middle or so when a very obvious reveal happens. After that it starts picking up again but the previous slog had lost my attention.

There was something else that took me out of the immersion and it was how heavy handed the author handled certain messages. I get it, it's a YA but the constant (very obvious!) references to how bad the misogyny was and how men were ruining everything felt like getting hit in the face by a shovel. I think a lot of my complaints can be traced to me not being the target audience for this book and that's fine, perhaps a young teenaged girl will appreciate the message way more. I will say I did enjoy the ending, it felt like a perfect way to wrap up the book. I'm glad the author decided to go there, this is (after all) a horror book. I also want to mention the cover, the illustrator did a fantastic job.

The atmosphere of this book was exquisite. That, matched with the haunting and lyrical prose, really made it such a pleasant read. I also found the main character to be well mapped out in a way that I think a lot of people could find her relatable. It is a slowburn read, which removed some of the plot impact for me. But still a wonderfully written story.

First the positives. I liked the prose and the atmosphere of the book. I also like the characterization of the main character and her sister. However the story was a little dull for me. However I'm not in the target audience so take what I say with a grain of salt.

4.5 stars

Please please look out for this fantastic gothic horror coming out next year, and how gorgeously mysterious is that cover? Being gothic, this book is a slow burn atmospheric portrayal of an isolated seaside town riddled with local haunted stories and mysteries, as well as fully fleshed out characters who are flawed but are so real and easy to empathise with.

From page one, this book is bleak, and I mean bleaaaaak. Beautifully, mysteriously bleak.
I adore the setting of a Victorian seaside village with a load of local lore, particularly the fog that overwhelms the village every night, one that has allegedly claimed several missing people. I also felt immediately attached to Temperance, who lost her father to suicide, and subsequently completely takes over responsibility for her family's well being, a mother lost to grief and a younger sister. As the village lamplighter, a position Temperance assumes after her father's death, she provides safety to the villagers from the fog after sunset even though the village seems to find it difficult to trust a woman with the role. As an eldest daughter who takes on too much, she tries her damdenest to feed and protect her family from harm.
I mean come onnnnn, these are only crumbs of the entire meal that this book provides. The village's mysteries, Temperance and her family's character and trauma, there is so much going on.

While the slow burn is truly slow and I found it a little tedious to get to the halfway point, the picture painted by the build up makes the whirlwind of emotional turmoil and plot progression past that point so vivid and gripping.

The Lamplighter is a fantastic blend of horror/fantasy. Excellent atmospheric imagery given from Author Crystal J. Bell. (Releasing on May 21, 2024) The scene-setting through writing gives the story a steady beat to build momentum from, as well as a perfectly foggy setting to haunt as the story moved along. If you like spooky, dark stories with a FMC, this is for you! The Lamplighter is an instant classic to me. I’ll be purchasing when the book releases! Bravo to the Author, and thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

3,5 stars
This book was truly not what I expected and I meant it in a good way. The atmosphere was chilling; it trapped you like the fog did with the characters. In fact, the fog was almost a character on its own, a constant presence, like a ghost watching you from the shadows. Speaking of characters, Tempe felt so real; she was not perfect by any means, she makes mistakes, and sometimes, at the begining, she is not brave enough to act, but the love she has for her family leads her to rise from the terrible situation she's in and fight like a hero, or more like a lamplighter, trying to dispel the shadows that threaten to consume her town.

I think the views about women in that time were well portrayed, though I'm no expert. It's not black and white; there are men in the story that are sexist by our standards, but are not portrayed as necesarily being evil for it, just as a product of their time. My favourite part was how not even the protagonist was completely free from its influence.

There are twist I didn't see coming and a villain with a very unique concept. I won't spoil but I wished to know more about them and their origin. In that part, I was left a little dissapointed but not that much. One could argue that leaving some things to the imagination leave room for more magical explanations.

A very interesting story and I thank netgalley for allowing me to read it in exhange for an honest review.

I'll publish a review in spanish soon.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell.

In the Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," there is a line that says, "we'll tell scary ghost stories..." you guys, this is one of those scary stories that they're talking about!

For some reason, reading this between Thanksgiving and Christmas felt apropos. This story is dark, and cold, and feels very Dickensian, like A Christmas Carol vibe.

Temperance is the town lamplighter, a position that I never appreciated until now. Without her, this small whaling town would fall very dangerous at sundown, and she takes her job very seriously, facing the cold for hours to light and check the lamps. But being a young women around bawdy sailors comes with it's own risk, especially after a string of young women start to go missing. Who is responsible for these missing girls, and how close are they to Temperance...

I was NOT expecting this book to go in the direction that it did, especially the further in we got. But I absolutely loved it. It has villains, magic, horror, and hope. This is definitely a scary story worthy of a fireside audience.

The Lamplighter was such an utterly unique read and although a slow paced storyline it kept me in its grips. This was a rich story in describing its setting and helped me to be immersed in the foggy seaside village of Warbler. I enjoyed Tempe's character as the Lamplighter immensely as she navigated her way through grief, love and keeping her family safe. The twist with the figureheads was absolutely fascinating and I loved all the horror and detail that went into this idea. I also really enjoyed that this was a read not of happy endings but of horrors. Although it was not a spooky read it had it's elements of unease as Tempe's world and her discoveries in the fog and the wood unravel. This was one of the most unique stories I've read in a long time!