I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I started out really liking this one but it became a bit of a slog around Liechtenstein and traveling to Madame Bellascura. I appreciated most of the humor and Maggie’s body horror but Lazlo didn’t have a lot of depth.

I really wanted to like this one, but i quickly grew bored. The premise was fun and the demon was hilarious, but the was just meh for me. I DNF'd at 45%. Thank you for the ARC opportunity.

This was so fun! A fabulously fun October read.

The Witchstone by Henry H. Neff felt like Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with some of the body horror of Hell Followed With Us. The Witchstone follows a 800-year-old demon bureaucrat named Laszlo and the family whose curse he manages - the Drakefords. Laszlo has been fairly lax on his curse keeping, and when his department comes under new management he is told he has six days to maximize misery, stop a curse breaking, or bargain for a human soul, or he'll be broken into composite pieces. Laszlo comes up with the diabolic plan to help the Drakefords gather the materials necessary to break their curse, before stopping them at the last minute. Bam! Maximum despair and curse breaking interrupted. Unfortunately, the young Drakefords he teams up with to do this - 19-year-old Maggie and her 11-year-old brother, Lump - have a certain bumpkin charm that appeals to Laszlo against his better judgement. In the romp that follows, as they steal a magic porridge pot and hunt for crown jewels and holy relics, Laszlo will have to decide if maximizing misery, and getting that corner office, is worth it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 - 4.5 Stars. Somewhere between I really liked it and I loved it!

✅ Demons
✅ Curses (and hopefully curse-breaking!)
✅ Mild body horror
✅ Transcontinental adventuring
✅ Children/young adult main characters in an adult book

📅 - The Witchstone is available now!

🙏 Thank you so much to Henry H. Neff & Blackstone Publishing for this ARC through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

4.5/5

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Ok this book was straight up a good time. The characters leapt off the pages in all their disastrous glory, and I was enthralled with their (mis)adventures. I typically gravitate towards more serious urban fantasies (think The Green Bone Saga), but this one sat right on the opposite side of the spectrum and still kept me turning pages. The story doesn’t take itself too seriously, the dialogue is witty, and the worldbuilding quirky and lustrous.

And as we inch into fall and winter, a perfect cozy weather read.

The Witchstone is a standalone humorous fantasy novel with light horror by Henry H. Neff. Released 18th June 2024 by Blackstone Publishing, it's 474 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out from the same publisher in May 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is an absurdist romp featuring a demonic presence (Lazlo, a curse keeper) who, under threat of annihilation, has to team up with Maggie (his curse bearer) to break her generational family curse. It's wide ranging, often genuinely funny, and surprisingly well constructed. There's light body horror involved, but not egregious or extremely graphic.

Four stars. It's not at all derivative stylistically or plotwise, but fans of Good Omens and American Gods will likely enjoy this one as well. It would make a good choice for a buddy read or for library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

fun tale, with hilarious escapades and adventures between a great cast with some awesome ideas, which is worth a reread

This book is genuinely one of the funniest books I've ever read. Laszlo as a character was incredible but the plot wasn't as interesting to me as I wanted it to be. Overall I had a good time with this book and recommend it to people who are interested! It's just not a new favorite of mine.

As usual, sliding into this review months after it was actually published.

I'm not sure that I would have recommended this book to anyone - I was consistently confused on the intended audience; a lot of the humor of the book reads on the juvenile side, but the body horror elements feel intended for a mature audience. The ~vibe~ if there is one, reminded me very vaguely of The Guncle, but if you replaced Hollywood for demons and witches and ancient curses.

What a fun book! The writing, especially the dialogue, had me laughing right up until the end. Laszlo is one of my favorite characters - he’s nuanced, witty & a Paul Newman lookalike. Lump & Maggie were perfectly written siblings - between the spats & tender moments I feel like Neff really encapsulated a true brother/sister dynamic. The ending definitely seemed open to the possibility of more adventures from this trio & I really hope that’s the case!

The Witchstone is such a fantastic book! I loved everything about it. The characters were funny and smart, especially Lazlo and the Drakeford kids. There is so much to like about this one, the writing style was very fast which had me flying through the book. The setting was great and believable. I loved Lazlo and his snark. I hope if I am ever cursed, he is my curse keeper. While not super dependable, he does follow through when it matters. The Drakefords were also great. Maggie was strong, kind, and funny as heck. Lump is the little brother with the questions and even some answers. I loved this one and hope the author will revisit this motley crew, there are more stories to tell.

An amusing and chuckle-out-loud adventure, considering the subject matter. Proof that abject humour could make anything involving demons and Hell Much Less Frightening.

⭐️: 4.75 / 5

Publication Date: June 18, 2024

I want to thank Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The first chapter had me immediately hooked. Some of the coolest aspects of this story, was the balance in tone between being both eerie and ominous while light with comedic moments. This starts set in a modern day New York following a demon and the Drakefords. The story focuses around a family curse that has been following the Drakefords for generations.

As for my reservations, I didn’t always find some of the characters and their interpersonal relationships to be all that believable. There were a few minor pacing issues towards the end of the book when the drama had built to a crescendo but also seemed to slow down unnecessarily.

Overall I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish. Every time I thought I had figured out the direction it was going in there would be a shocking twist. I would absolutely recommend it for people interested in a spooky story with elements of humor, but I’ll admit this is not for the faint of heart.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Linear timelines
- Settings around the world
- Demons, curses and ghosts
- October

⚠️ violence, gore, body horror

What a fun and simultaneously emotional novel. It's hard to nail flippant humor in writing. It can often come off as either snide or simple, but Neff manages to create an endearing character in Laszlo that isn't grating. The reader is rooting for everyone to get their best outcomes, even demons.

While sweet, I think this book fails to capture its audience well, leading to an oddly paced plot, unmemorable characters, and a somewhat boring time.

Received as an ARC from Netgalley:

THIS WAS A MASSIVE SURPRISE in all of the best ways. The novel is very epic in scope but manages to make a globetrotting adventure feel very character focused. The main cast is endlessly loveable and the main plot keeps you guessing until the very end.

A fail son nepo-Demon is forced to take charge of a curse he's been mismanaging for years. I won't delve more into the plot as the ride is really worth it. You begin the book thinking it's going to be more strictly comedy focused but it manages to balance comedy, horror, and action exceptionally well.

Easily one of my favourite reads of the year that left me with tears by the end because you just love the main cast so much.

Stepping into "The Witchstone" by Neff, readers are treated to a devilishly delightful blend of urban fantasy and caper, where curses and corporate Hell collide in an unexpectedly humorous narrative. Laszlo, a demon cursed with the mundane job of Curse Keeper in Hell, begrudgingly navigates through his days until he meets Maggie Drakeford, a young Curse Bearer whose journey thrusts them into an unlikely partnership.

Neff's narrative shines with a sardonic wit that permeates every page, making Laszlo a standout character with his nonchalant demeanor and sharp humor. The dynamic between Laszlo and Maggie is refreshingly platonic, eschewing romantic tropes for a deep, friendship-based bond that anchors the story. Maggie, though initially reserved, evolves throughout the tale, offering glimpses of her resilience and growth.

The world-building in "The Witchstone" is both imaginative and grounded, with Hell depicted as a corporate office complete with bureaucratic demons and unexpected twists. Neff deftly balances humor with darker themes, delivering an engaging plot that keeps readers entertained and invested. From the grotesque yet effective scenes to the witty dialogue and intriguing characters like Lump and Signora Bellascura, the story unfolds with cinematic flair.

While Maggie's character development could have been more pronounced, especially towards the end, the overall narrative remains a compelling read. Neff's ability to blend supernatural elements with a caper-like quest adds layers of intrigue, leaving readers curious about the alternate directions the story could have taken.

In conclusion, "The Witchstone" is a standout urban fantasy that captivates with its humor, richly drawn characters, and imaginative world-building. Whether it sparks the beginning of a series or stands alone, this book is a testament to Neff's storytelling prowess and leaves readers eagerly anticipating what's next in store from this talented author.

Such a unique story!

This felt like a fantasy/horror comedy adjacent to a season of Buffy or Supernatural. It had banter, morally grey characters who were demons, and two fun kids seeking to end their family curse.

At points, it felt a bit sluggish, but it was still amusing to listen to. The one liners are many and I think of everything, that’s what I enjoyed the most.

This book is such a charmer! Fast-paced, funny, emotional without being devastating, and I unwittingly picked it to read while on a family vacay in the Catskills, very near the area where part of the story is set. A really compelling and satisfying read!

I always love a charming devil, and the demon Laszlo is a prime example of the species. He's a smooth talker, a gadabout, glowing when he succeeds and hilarious when he fails—and he's got one of those secret soft hearts essential to a good hopeful story. He shares the spotlight with Maggie, the human bearer of the monstrous curse Laszlo is supposed to be in charge of, brilliant and badass in extremely relatable ways, determined and clever and loyal! And little brother Lump, who is just precious, and in my mind looks like a ten-year-old Elton John, rounds out a perfect trio for rollicking adventure.

This story is so well-paced, and so carefully wrought, imo! It's just predictable enough to be intensely compelling and satisfying; it's just touching enough to make me cry a little; there are just enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and it ends with much-awaited triumph that really soared. For me it never tips too far over into its tropes, and always takes itself just seriously enough. On reflection I think this is partly because of the excellent character development, but also there were moments in here that truly surprised me, despite the structure of the story being a very familiar one.

Truly a hidden gem, and I hope Neff is planning a sequel!

Henry H. Neff's book The Witchstone follows an idle rake of a demon named Laszlo who works in curse management. In order to save his job and his life following a bad performance review, he is given 6 days to bring misery to his assigned curse bearers, a human family cursed by a witch centuries ago. The humans, siblings Maggie and George "Lump" Drakeford, are eager at the prospect of breaking their family curse when Laszlo appears, claiming that he can help them before it becomes unbreakable. As they journey from a small rural town to NYC and across the globe, the demon and his companions learn that the curse is more than meets the eye, carrying a secret millennia in the making.
Heff brings a bureaucratic hierarchy of demons to life in a way that would entertain any fan of Terry Gilliam or What We Do in the Shadows. But with it also comes a great sense of adventure and scale, as the book handles family drama both human and other worldly.
Readers may have issues with the length of the book, especially when reveals may come to the reader before they are explained in the book. And the writing for the main human characters comes off a bit flat and repetitive, especially when we constantly hear how much Laszlo is exhausted by Lump's explanations of important details.
Overall the book holds up well and I would recommend it to other dark fantasy readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free ARC.