Quotes

Around Pru, it's easy to forget the shadows in the world. She is my sun.
- Tempe

I have fallen in love with the man, not his looks.
- Pru

'Never stop shining. For you are the sun.'
- Tempe

Review

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Likes:

First sentence is already exciting, making a reader want to read more.

Nice writing style. No words are too often used, great variety. Feelings are describes in literal and metaphorical way, giving a great variety as well.

Temperance, our main character has a rare British name. It's not the usual names one hears in books, at least not for the main character. It's gives the story it's certain originality.

It addresses the difficulty one has when they wear trousers as a girl in old times. I see that the author made some research, and that's good!

The ending wasn't predictable.

Dislikes:

I might not be triggered by the triggers in the book, but I would like for others that the trigger warning at the beginning of the book is also in the NetGalley description for the book before someone gets the book and can't read it 'cause they are triggered.

Pacing. The beginning of the book was exciting, but it got dull over time and nothing exciting happened anymore.

The characters are all a bit stupid. They make decisions too fast or without thinking logical. I was ripping at my hair at one scene where we almost caught the culprit but the main character was too stupid to leave everything open, so the culprit could erase the evidence before she comes back with the police.

Most side characters are flat. Gideon has his personality, we get to know him more and his past with the main character, but Josiah, Henry ans Leonard are all flat and just have a single purpose without making the reader actually getting to know them.

Overexplaining everything, leading to a slow pace and unnecessary information.

The culprit was predictable.

At the ending she didn't help Henry at all and just watched. That made me go so mad. I am certain that the main character was made to be liked by the reader, but that failed.


What to do for a higher rating:

The pacing should definitely be adjusted, it was the main reason for my lower rating. A reader only can enjoy a book if it's exciting, and not just at the end. The characters could think more logical and they should have more personality.

End note/Final thoughts:

Thank you for the advanced reader copy of The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell.



Started the book: 22. March 2024
Finished the book: 22. March 2024
Wrote the review: 22. March 2024

Believe the hype, as it were: this book is BLEAK. It's got some great world-building and solid character development, but it is dire indeed, and in some ways there's little levity to balance the darkness. I suppose that's apt for a book with this setting, and with an injection of horror into the already horrific 'real' circumstances, but it was difficult to read much of the time.

⭐⭐⭐3.75⭐⭐⭐
An atmospheric story in which we find a dark scenario that allows us to feel chills.

The main character is a bit desperate with his decisions, for someone as indecisive as me, this brought out the green grays in me. The author's writing was amazing, so that was a point.

It's still not quite my style of book, but for those expecting a big dark mystery with descriptions that pull you into the feeling of a deep, cold forest.

Historical mystery in a whaling town has been hovering on my radar for the last while, so I can now add this to my list, and it paints a picture that takes us through the streets of a town and a mystery that progresses along familiar and resilient lines.

Do I recommend it, possibly, if you like mystery, history, and a small-town setting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this ARC, whose reviews will be shared on Goodreads.
03/20/2024

#TheLamplighter #NetGalley.

I had high hopes for this one but it just fell a little bit short for me. The vibes were 100% there! Very atmospheric with pretty prose and eerie moments that had me wishing I was more engaged in the story

Pacing was probably my biggest issue. It felt like I had to force myself to continue and the main character’s choices drove me mad on a regular basis. I think that’s kinda common in YA though (for the mc to be pretty immature)

Overall I think a lot of people are going to really enjoy this one and I’ll definitely recommend it to my younger sisters. I think they’d love it!

While I think this book started out strong, as the story progressed and the main character kept making stupid decision after stupid decision, I became so bored that I had to force myself to finish this book. The writing style and atmosphere is wonderful and that was the only thing keeping me engaged. However, the ending did redeem the book a bit but I wouldn’t reread it. Maybe if I was in a different headspace, I would have enjoyed the book more.

4 stars

This book was eerie and unsettling. You can tell that something’s not quite right in this town but you’re not sure what it is. This is more of an atmospheric book than an action/adventure filled one which left me wondering what was going on. I was sucked into the mystery of the story and all the suspicious characters.
This book was dark and creepy and the authors descriptions made it really immersive. I could definitely picture how creepy everything was, especially with the fog and the lamplight.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for the ARC

Oh man I loved this - great sense of time and place, dripping with spooky detail, and twisty action that's gripping and infuriating right through the last 5%. It's timely, fierce, and exactly the right amount of grim.

5 star read for me. I've loved this book since the first page of it. The lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell is one of the most amazing books I've ever read this year so far.

The Lamplighter was an excellent read!
It's beautifully written, atmospheric and haunting, slow paced and building and building...

Temperance has lost her father after he killed himself, and now inherited his work as the town lamplighter. A woman to do this job?
The time she spends at work is a constant struggle between pride and anguish, while girls go missing and she is blamed for the disappearances. She doesn’t know how to explain many of the creepy things she witnesses while out there, alone in the dark. There is something in the fog, or has she gone completely mad? They will never believe her, she sounds like she’s lost her mind.

While we’re trying to find the culprit, as reader we’re always questioning ourselves as much as Tempe. In this creepy environment, suffocating and horrific in many aspects, we’re following our protagonist in her coming of age story, fighting for herself and what’s left of her family while trying not to get eaten alive by everything. The writing is an excellent tool that makes the reader doubt all the time, it wants you to shiver and have chills and, at the same time, you feel so much for Tempe. I really really liked it! An excellent horror take on many themes and a shocking finale!

The Lamplighter is a YA novel which tend to be hit or miss for me, and this one has some of the pitfalls that make it a miss, such as overwrought, almost melodramatic language, but inconsistently so which makes it feel unintentional and unnecessary. However, there was a lot I liked about it. The Lamplighter started out as a light gothic romance with a feminist twist as the titular character Temperance, has taken over lamplighter duties - typically a man's job - from her father in a whaling town - but it turned into a folk horror murder mystery, and I was happy to be along for the ride. Thanks to #NetGalley for the review copy. 3.5 rounding up to 4 stars.

a fun, atmospheric historical horror! although the pacing was a bit sluggish, i liked the setting of the book and the scares were definitely engaging and interesting. i feel like this would be a really good entry-level horror for a YA/middle grade audience!

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for this arc.

I have slightly mixed opinions about this book. Starting with the positive, I think the prose is quite good, especially for a debut work. The atmosphere really works. The town of Warbler truly feels like a character in its own right, which I think is important for atmosphere centric works like this.

Unfortunately, I think there were some issues with the pacing. The first two thirds or so felt fairly slow, and than it rushes the ending. I’m also not sure I really buy the protagonist as being a member of the society she’s a part of. She doesn’t seem like she has the values of her peers, to a level that somewhat pushed my suspension of disbelief. She makes enough bad decisions that I struggled to connect with her. Additionally many side characters seemed one dimensional.

Overall this book didn’t really resonate with me, but I can absolutely see that this would be very up some people’s alley.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this E-Arc.

I give this read a 4.5! What a terribly beautiful read. It’s been a while since I’ve been hooked on a book so much that I cannot put it down. This did just that and more ! Every chapter left me with such a eerie feeling that had me at the edge of my seat. It was as though i was right there in the fog with Temperance! I usually do not read horror of any kind but I feel like this read might’ve changed my mind !

I rated it 4.5 because the epilogue didn’t feel too *final* for me!

TW: Suicide, Physical/Sexual Abuse, Parental Death, Murder

THE WRITING. Seriously. I don't often see in a story without it feeling clunky and forced; however, Bell's writing is so beautiful and vivid without being overwhelming. It felt like I could actually visualize the sights and sounds. BRAVO FOR THAT!

With the plot, the pacing is solid. Temperance takes over the job of town lamplighter following her father's suicide, and while she earns an income, her sister Prudence watches over their withdrawn mother at home. Meanwhile, people go missing and danger lurks in the fog that covers the small town every night. While Tempe tries to figure out the mystery, she puts herself in danger, pushes those who care about her away, and threatens her own livelihood--but she can't stop until she protects those around her.

I wasn't particularly drawn to anyone, nor were any of them particularly off-putting, so I'd give the character development a 3/5. Feeling like a detached observer allowed me to race through the story while making several (inaccurate) guesses along the way. I wish there was a little more finality in the epilogue, but still appreciated the ending.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: violence/murder/gore, suicide, parental death, language, sexual assault, alcohol

**Thank you to NetGalley & North Star Editions, Flux for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

“ Why is it so easy to allow the darkness to take precedence in our lives? To shape us?”

[Thank you to Netgalley, North Star Editions, and Crystal J. Bell for the eARC!]

I’m VERY picky with my five star reviews and five stars go to those books that I would recommend to literally any and everyone. This is one of those books. This books filled me with rage, sadness, relief, and pity all in less than 200 pages. The story is fantastic and reminds me of the movie “The Mist” crossed with an episode from the show “Supernatural.” The story, being set in the 19th century, focuses on the inequality between men and women. The main character, Temperance (Tempe), battles with internal challenges and holds in her emotions - as she fears if she relays the information she knows to be true to anyone - she risks being sent to an asylum. Gideon, the older man who takes a very odd interest in her MUCH younger sister, gave me the ick right away. The ending to this book filled me
with so much rage, but I feel maybe that’s the point. This story - minus the supernatural bits - could very well have happened to multiple women throughout history. So while this story is a fantastic work of fiction, it brings to light (no pun intended) a past that was a bit darker than we like to think.

i thought the characters were kind of boring and one dimensional but i really enjoyed the spooky part of the book.

thank you netgalley for an e arc!

"The Lamplighter" by Crystal J. Bell is a captivating historical mystery set in the atmospheric nineteenth-century whaling village of Warbler. At the heart of the tale is Temperance, a courageous young woman who takes on the role of the lamplighter after her father's tragic demise. Bell weaves a tale of intrigue, danger, and familial bonds that kept me engrossed from start to finish.

The author's prose is intelligent and evocative, painting a vivid picture of Warbler's fog-shrouded streets and the eerie disappearances that haunt the village. Bell skillfully captures the tension between tradition and progress, as Tempe faces resistance from the townsfolk who are hesitant to accept a woman in such a vital role.

Temperance is a compelling protagonist, with her determination and resilience shining through even in the darkest of times. Her journey to uncover the truth behind the disappearances is fraught with obstacles, but her unwavering spirit drives her forward. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers unsettling secrets about her own family and the village's famous figureheads.

What struck me most about "The Lamplighter" is its exploration of societal expectations and the power dynamics at play in a small, close-knit community. Tempe's struggle for acceptance and recognition is both relatable and inspiring, and her refusal to be silenced in the face of adversity is truly admirable.

Overall, "The Lamplighter" is a captivating read that seamlessly blends mystery, historical fiction, and themes of resilience and empowerment. Bell's intelligent prose and gripping storytelling make this a book not to be missed. I was fortunate to receive a copy through NetGalley, and I highly recommend it to fans of atmospheric mysteries and strong female protagonists.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This historical fiction novel by Crystal J. Bell follows the story of a young woman and her family as she continuous the legacy of her father as the lamplighter of Warbler. Each night she sets out with her ladder and oil canister to light the streetlamps of the small whaling town, but little does she know, something sinister lurks beyond the fog.
The premise of this story could have been really good, but the character development caused it to fall flat for me. I felt that the characters were generally shallow and left much to be desired. Temperance is selfishly selfless and doesn't consider anyone else in her decision making. Prudence is boy crazy over a "secret admirer" and doesn't care what anyone has to say about it. Mother is silent and faraway. Josiah just wants to get married. The characters just seemed so 2D and uninteresting. I had a difficult time trying to connect any kind of emotion to the story and often found myself wanting it to be over. It did eventually pick up towards the end, but the ending was disappointing overall. 2/5 stars, the potential was there, it just didn't measure up.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

TW// Suicide, Sexual Assault, Alcoholism

I give this book 3.5 stars. I thought overall this book was pretty good. I think the more mature themes of this book were brought up too frequently for them to truly have the effect they were supposed to. I did love the horror aspect of this book and the suspense was great. In my opinion the characters fell a little flat and didn’t have any truly redeeming qualities. I would still recommend this book for anyone who likes horror!

3.5/5 ⭐️

In the whaling village of Warbler, known for its lucky ship figureheads but also infamous for people disappearing into the nightly fog, Temperance assumes the role of lamplighter after her father's mysterious death. Despite proving her competence, she faces resistance from the town, especially after a girl vanishes when two lamps go out. As more villagers disappear, Tempe uncovers unsettling truths about the figureheads and her father, but her warnings of a monster are disregarded. Now, she must decide whether to remain silent or risk speaking out, potentially endangering herself and her sister.

In a mist-laden town where whalers roam and lampposts flicker like fading memories, the atmosphere wraps around the narrative with an eerie allure. Amidst this haunting backdrop, the character of Temperance emerges, a figure of vexing contradictions. Her decisions, though made with what she perceives as noble intentions, often inflict unintended wounds upon those she holds dear. Blind to the consequences of her half-truths and fabrications, she inadvertently becomes the harbinger of her loved ones' pain. Despite her professed love, her inability to trust herself and others with the truth only deepens the scars she leaves behind. And while the story unfolds with captivating beauty, the resolution falls short, leaving a sense of dissatisfaction lingering in its wake.

Thank you NetGalley and Flux for sending me an arc!