Excellent writing and the story has a smooth style to it. I enjoyed the character development. I have found a new author that I will want to keep an eye on.

Thank you #NetGalley for sharing #TheLamplighter with me!

I really wanted to like this book. The cover design is phenomenal and the first few chapters are lush with descriptions of this whaling town. Personally, I found the pacing to be unbearably slow, especially considering that the end of the book what I guessed was happening from the villain's first introduction. I was hopeful that there would be a deeper twist or a red herring, but alas, it's exactly what it says on the tin.

Regrettably, 3 out of 5 stars

The Lamplighter
By Crystal J Bell

Top 5 reasons to read

1. Gothic Horror
2. Incredible dark atmosphere
3. Strong Female Protagonist
4. Haunting Mystery
5. Genre Bending

Brilliant, rich writing, excellent characterization, and immersive storytelling. Those looking for an atmospheric and disturbing read filled with drama, will love it.

This was such a gorgeous read and PERFECT for fall. It's creepy (but cozy!), dark, atmospheric, and definitely haunting.

The Lamplighter is the first book by Crystal J. Bell and everything about it sounds so awesome!

In her biography she writes that she is an author who "writes horror and fantasy with the intent to make readers both eager and uneasy to turn the pages of her books". Unfortunately for me I wasn't that eager to turn the pages - rather I felt queasy and uncomfortable for what is found on the ones I read.

Let me explain: Bell is excellent in creating atmosphere. There was a scene with a dead fox in which a flower bloomed. I wanted more of that. I love those kind of images. But the atmosphere is destroyed as soon as there are other people with which our protagonist interacts or thinks about.
I really disliked the description of sexism in this world. It is so heavy handed. Also the introduction to those scenes and those which should create a feeling of disquiet were simply forced. Of course the drunken whaler grabs her ass. Of course she let's her bag fall so Gideon can stop his work and look at her.

Another creepy thing was the introduction of the secret admirer of her little sister. Temperance was jealous instead of utterly creeped out and I don't know why. In the context of her experienced sexism just a few pages ago that seemed totally out of character. But I got the feeling that the parts Bell wanted to show were never connected and only relevant when convenient for the plot.

I stopped reading circa 30 % into the book because I just couldn't read anymore of Temperances "Oh, what if THIS man is guilty for Molly disappearance?" - everything was a man's fault and yes, the sexism implies nasty men but it read forced and convenient.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me but I hope there are a lot of readers that can enjoy the atmosphere more than me! Thank you nethertheless for the chance of reviewing this book.

“I so long to be held by someone. To not be the strong one, even if it is just for a minute.”

If you live gothic horror, then add this TBR. Temperance’s story is one of heartbreak and tragedy and I’m in awe of the strength she exemplifies in spite of it. Her grief and journey makes her sooooo easy to relate to, you can’t help but fight for her to succeed.

“I can be the best thing to have ever happened in her life. Or I can be the worst.”

There were moments so chilling it was hard to put down! Despite being a slow paced story, it was full of moments that you will need to appreciate to enjoy the full experience.

The Lamplighter is an exquisite entry into the horror genre with it taking multiple tropes we have come to expect with horror and flipping them on their head.

Going into this novel I expected a straightforward narrator who understood the world around them, and while Temperance does the novel quickly descends into us, the reads, questioning if she is as reliable as she believes herself to be. This twist kept me reading until the very last page and marks this firmly are a page turner for me.

I also enjoyed its use of horror as a way to explore both sexism and SA. This novel dives into the way men view women as objects to be used and discarded, and how women react to this threat as a way to keep both themselves and the women around them safe. The idea of community among women is explored heavily in how it keeps us safe and warns us off of men we should be wary of.

I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy:
- Feminist Horror
- Tropes being flipped on their heads
- Books that make you question the narrator
- Horror set in historical periods
- Creeping dread horror

I would recommend reading the trigger warnings for this novel prior to picking up.

I received an advance review copy of this book and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book!

I had to take some time to figure out how I actually feel about this story. I struggled with the writing style all throughout the book and had issues connecting with the characters up until around the 70% mark. I enjoyed how atmospheric the setting was and the feminist discourse, especially the Jo and Meg March dynamic between Tempe and Pru. There were a few tears towards the end, I must admit.
Overall, I think "The Lamplighter" is a good book, somewhat thanks to how the story was wrapped up. Not a five star but definitely worth the read!

This was a moody, atmospheric fantasy that didn't shy from the horror of what our main character goes through. I loved this story. If you are a reader that likes novels where things are not always as they seem you will love this novel. If you are a reader that loves reading women's tales and stories of their struggles you will love this. If you like a twist or two you will love this!!

This book was tagged as horror which piqued my interest so I requested it. The atmosphere was there but I didn’t feel tense nor scared while reading, even towards the halfway point.

Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read this book!

A creepy tale of a pervasive fog that takes over a seaside town every night and the light needed to safely traverse it. I was hooked by the beginning, a creepy fog and a woman haunted by her father's death while working his former job? Excellent stuff. The clues for what is really going are hinted at well in the text and I think I figured out most of what was going about halfway through. Unfortunately, that's also where it started to fall off for me. I had to push myself through the last half of the book, resorting to skimming my way through the last few chapters before the last chapter. I greatly enjoyed the premise and the characters but the pacing was off for me. Either way, a fairly decent read.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so atmospheric and just the right amount of spooky. I found the plot to move at a pace I liked where it didn't feel rushed but also didn't drag.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher North Star Editions/Flux for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: suicide, sexual assault, grief, death, misogyny, horror, violence

In 19th century Connecticut, in the tiny whaling village of Warbler, the job of a lamplighter is important to stop the terrifying fog from luring people to their deaths. This role has been taken by Temperance ever since the suicide of her father, but it isn’t a role traditionally held by women and the doubtful town knows it. Warbler is famous for its lucky shipheads despite the risk of deadly, nightly fog in the unlit areas. Struggling to support her traumatised mother and bright, vibrant sister Pru, Tempe takes the role of lamplighter seriously and is proud of her work. However, after a girl goes missing when two of her lamps go out, Tempe is disturbed to find that her sister has grown infatuated with a dangerous man- the same one who carves the protective shipheads, Gideon, who Tempe has her own experiences with. Increasingly blamed as more people vanish, Tempe has to fight against the village authorities as they try to remove her from her job. With her own family ignoring her warnings, Tempe discovers the hidden truths around Warbler, including ones about her father's death and the danger of the dark surrounding them but will she face them or continue to look away?

This is such a powerfully atmospheric debut, mixing ominous horror and tension with a powerful story about one woman’s determination to keep the lights burning in her tiny town. I enjoyed how Tempe dealt with the misogyny she experiences, even to some extent from the man she loves and how she knows her value despite what everyone makes out. The theme of mental health runs throughout this entire book- from the first line even, where Tempe remembers the death of her father- and leads to her doubting her own sanity once people start going missing. The entire book is set around Warbler and the way that the fog is used as something to be scared of is so well written, the scenes of Tempe lighting the lamps while surrounded by it were incredibly creepy. The writing is deeply descriptive and that adds to the atmosphere of fear and panic that runs throughout the entire book, even as the story builds up slowly and gradually- I know some people won’t enjoy this pacing but I did, it made every interaction so much sharper and significant. This is a brilliant debut, using so many Gothic tropes in a way that feels original and different, and I’m so glad that I read it.

Following her father's death, Tempe inherits his position as her town's Lamplighter. Her job is to keep the lamppost's lit so guide the townsfolk through the mysterious fog that plagues the land at night. However, as girls start to go missing, suspicion falls on her and her livelihood is threatened.

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell is a darkly atmospheric and dread-inducing coastal gothic.

At first glance, the premise sounded stellar and like something that would be right up my alley. A small, 1800s whaling seaport with creepy fog? Sign me up!

However, as I was reading, I found myself continuously frustrated at Tempe as a main character. For the first half the novel, she's incredibly impassive. She doesn't go searching for the first girl that went missing--like shouldn't she feel guilty and partly responsible? Then for the second half, she proceeds to make a series of baffling rash choices, making for a rushed and unsatisfying ending.

It's a shame because there's some cool concepts and moments of body horror buried in this book.

Some spoilers in this review. I really wish this book would have focused more on the horror aspect and not so much the mystery. The fog and origin of whatever the F Gideon is were very interesting. Tempe was not a great character. She lacked faith in people, was a poor communicator, and thought entirely too much of her own worth. She also strung Josiah along and which was abhorrent. Mother was a useless and Katniss Everdeen's mother in The Hunger Games. And the job of a lamplighter sounds incredibly boring. I also think Bell killed off too many characters--leave readers with a little hope! Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

Although the book is relatively short compared to what I usually read, it drags on forever.
The book is tagged as horror. I made it until just after the halfway point and I didn't feel scared or tense once. . Unfortunately,
I find Tempe rather annoying and sometimes I can't understand her train of thoughts.
I have to say that I found the setting of the foggy port city very cool. I also enjoyed accompanying Tempe while lighting the lantern. But somehow I expected something different from the story. More horror, more atmosphere.

Thanks Netgalley for providing the eARC.

2 Stars ~

Temperance took over the job of Lamplighter after her dad was found to have hung himself on one of the lamps after one of his job runs. Although this had happened in the past, more and more girls were going missing into the fog never to be seen again. One night, Temperance heard a scream, but didn't see anything so she ignored it, to find out the next day that a young girl had gone missing yet again.

Temperance was warned not to trust Gideon by her dad years ago, and she has an eerily bad feeling about him, but can't seem to get anyone to believe her.

Look, I think this is more of a me issue than the book itself. But I was just uninterested to the point I didn't care whether I finished it or not but, I persevered.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

For how short this book is, it sure does pack a punch! The atmosphere was so rich and had the perfect creepy vibes - I also loved our main character Tempe! This book was an emotional sucker punch but I loved it. Highly recommend!

The Lamplighter is getting added to my recent stack of stories that offer insanely beautiful atmosphere and little else...

Perhaps that is being to harsh but with the world and atmosphere being so incredibly evocative it was an immense letdown when I really got into the story and found the characters to be impulsive and annoying. Temperance was a hard character to connect with on any level and I felt like banging my head against the wall as we followed her journey. The supporting cast, while slightly less annoying, felt dull and one dimensional for my liking. The actual story offered some excitement, paired with the atmospheric elements, this book was a firm three star for me.