Devilishly fun and delightfully wicked, this book was an absolute joy to read. For the people who like their fantasy on the sillier side, this brought so much humor to a heartfelt story.

You know, sometimes I forget how much I like a good demonic contemporary fantasy. It’s not really a heaven vs. hell thing like Good Omens, but a pact with the devil (or demon) gone wrong can be so entertaining. It’s even better when the demon is a bit of a git.

Speaking of gits, our demon of the hour is Laszlo. He’s gotten to the lowly rank of a Tier 3 demon working as a Curse Keeper purely through the power of nepotism. All that comes crashing down as a much higher ranking demon called an Overseer shows up to audit his job performance and finds him lacking. Rather than going straight into the sludge-machine, Laszlo’s parentage gets him six days to generate some misery and despair from the cursed Drakeford family.

The Drakefords are a miserable bunch with a miserable lot in life. They live in a small town in the Catskills where they act as the village sin-eaters, paid in cash and a cruel peppering of stones for their services. The Drakeford curse goes back centuries to when a Drakeford interrupted a witch’s ritual and burned her at the stake. As she died, she cursed the Drakeford line to complete the spell that was interrupted and until then each Drakeford reaches a certain age and begins to slowly deform into a monstrous figure. Maggie, it seems, has begun that horrid transformation even earlier than her father did, so when Laszlo shows up on her front porch promising help in breaking the curse she’s… well, she’s skeptical. I can’t blame her - handsome guy shows up claiming to be a demon there to help break a curse that’s gone on for centuries? Yeah, right.

Anyway, to the reader and the Drakefords it’s clear that Laszlo has something up his sleeve, but at some point I began to wonder if he was really trying to do the right thing (skeptical) while still trying to save his own skin. Laszlo is basically an expert in all the self-serving sins du jour. He’ll steal, lie, cheat, gluttonously quaff large chocolate milkshakes, and in general, live for the finer things in life. His journey with the Drakefords across New York City, Liechtenstein, and Rome is quite the adventure and he’s trying to live his best life for the next six days while also achieving his nefarious goals.

The Drakefords themselves - specifically Maggie and her younger brother Lump (George) - are a tough, determined bunch and I couldn’t help but to love them. Maggie just wants a proper life for herself and now that she has even an inkling of a chance, she’s damn well going to try to fix things. Lump is an incredibly intelligent but sheltered kid with a newfound addiction to soda. He’s hard not to love, especially as the story progresses. 

The Witchstone definitely took me by surprise with its quality storytelling. It’s darkly humorous and really kept me on my toes because Laszlo, Maggie, and Lump were always on the brink of peril. Considering Laszlo is such a self-indulgent demon and has an unsurprisingly irreverent sense of humor (he refers to Bill Drakeford as a human sloppy joe) he’s actually good. The Witchstone has a ton of heart, plenty of action, and a hell of a finale, so I’d definitely recommend it especially for those who may have read and enjoyed Claudia Lux’s Sign Here.

4⭐️ “The Witchstone” by Henry H. Neff - available now!

This urban fantasy/paranormal novel had my attention from chapter one. The novel follows the adventure of Laszlo (demon & a Curse Keeper), Maggie Drakeford (19-year-old curse bearer), and Lump Drakeford (11-year-old curse bearer) from the nowhere town of the Catskills around the world in six days to break the Drakeford Family curse.

The banter, character growth, vivid descriptions (sometimes grotesquely descriptive 🤢), and wild deceptions made this book so captivating. My favorite character was of course Laszlo. A sassy, trickster, playboy 800-year-old demon makes for a hilarious character you can’t help but root for even when it’s hard to say what his end game is — besides helping himself out.

The only thing I will say, is as someone who has trypophobia (fear of holes) in relation to skin there were some spots that I had to skim because it made me nauseous reading. It played a significant enough role in the novel that at points it did get a lot for me. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book.

❗️Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.❗️

The Witchstone is the first adult book by Henry H. Neff. Do not confuse this book with a children's book! I hope this review isn't nonsensical, because I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. as I could NOT go to bed until I read the ending; I just HAD to find out what happens! This book had disgusting body horror, curses and demons. In a word, it was AWESOME! Who knew a book starring a snarky demon could be so much fun?!

Laszlo Zebul is an 800-year-old Class III demon. and the least productive of Hell's Curse Keepers. He oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a family in upstate New York and a mysterious black stone. The curse is interesting enough, having colonial origins and mutating victims, among other things. However, Laszlo couldn't be bothered with maximizing the curse's potential; he'd rather drink, hustle the hustlers on Manhattan's subway, sunbathe...basically anything but his work. Unfortunately for him, his division is under new management. Laszlo’s Curse Keeper ratings are so abysmal that he’s given six days to improve or he’ll be "crucibled" and returned to the Primordial Ooze...or be downed as an energy drink. Maggie Drakeford is a 19-year-old Curse Bearer who's been stuck in the Catskills and has been nowhere else. The Drakeford Curse has taken most of her father's humanity and is quickly claiming hers, too. All seems lost, until one night Laszlo shows up at the family farmhouse and informs the family that they have only six days to break the curse until it becomes permanent. He's a demon, and Maggie knows she can't trust him, but this may be her only opportunity to save herself and her family. Thus begins an international quest that takes them to Central Park, the mountains of Liechtenstein, a 5-Star Zurich hotel, and Rome (where they visit the time-traveling vault of a demonic crime boss). As time quickly runs out, they will uncover a secret that will threaten the Lords of Hell.

The cover of this book really caught my eye, and the description captured my interest. "Body horror" is not my thing, but I can bear to read about it as opposed to seeing it on the screen. (And may I say, simply, EWWWWWW!) The story sounded like a road trip to Hell and back, however, so I just had to read it. I was not prepared for the level of humor I would find. There were times I almost snorted water out through my nose! I love, love, LOVE Laszlo's snark! He was quite the interesting character. He was lazy, uncaring of his job, sexually sleazy; he was basically interested in having a good time. He was the youngest son of His Fiendishness Baal Zebul. Say that quickly, and you'll know who his daddy was. He was obviously not proud of his offspring; he had no problem with his son being melted down if he didn't raise his horrible ratings. Laszlo's goal, in order to stay alive, was to get the Drakefords believing their curse could be broken...and when he would finally reveal his deception, they would be broken by despair, which would boost his ratings. He worked hard to make Maggie believe he was on their side. And then there's Maggie. Her life has been nothing but heartache. The family lived in a rural farmhouse without an indoor toilet. Now THAT's depressing! Her father was losing all of his humanity to the Curse, so Maggie had taken on his duties as Sin-Eater for the townspeople...and they treated her abominably. The Curse was coming upon her earlier than it had her father, and she despaired of what was to come for her 11-year-old brother George, aka Lump. Maggie knew she couldn't trust Laszlo - he was a demon, after all - but what else could she do? She had to take any possible chance to break the Curse. She was a tough young woman; as their quest progressed, she learned more and more of what she was capable. Their quest to look for items necessary to break the Curse was horrifying at times; but oh, so funny, too. Their visit to a cave in the Liechtenstein mountains was especially terrifying; the huge crow-things were horror personified. It was the humor, though, that kept me entranced in the story. I can't give away the show-down which occurred near the end of the book, but I can tell you that it kept me on the edge of my seat! Supporting characters were wonderful. Father Angelo was a Catholic priest in Rome who gave shelter to Laszlo, Maggie and Lump. I just adored him; I loved when Laszlo asked him if he could go to confession! Fr. Angelo, though amusing, made one think deeply on the meaning of sin and redemption. My favorite characters, however, weren't the two leads, but Lump and Clarence, a co-worker of Laszlo. Lump was a whip-smart boy, terrified of things he saw and experienced, but yet brave enough to face them. He was eager to experience new things after having been stuck in his family's little corner of the world. Lump's relationship and discussions with Laszlo were especially amusing. And Clarence was an absolute hoot! He was a part-goblin shark demon, his lower half being that of a sheep or cow. How anyone that sweet and funny could be a demon is unthinkable. He helped out Laszlo from afar and would give him warning of the coming assassin. He shrieked and panicked a lot, but you just had to love him. I loved the ending of the story, and I'm seriously hoping Mr. Neff will turn this into a series. I don't want to let these characters go!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book wasn't what I expected exactly. But I loved ot. The banter is great, ans almost reads like a movie!!! Loved Laszalo and Maggiel. Only downfall is I would have liked to get to know Maggie's character better. I feel like we got a glimpse at the end :) a very fast paced and fun read. Thank you Netgally

Thank you very much for the ARC. This was EXCELLENT. I loved so much of this. It was exactly the kind of book I needed. The high stakes, the deception, the humor, the characters. It grossed me out some times (especially the airplane bathroom moment).and the ending was spectacular. Just when you think you knew how the twist was actually going to go it got more intense. It was truly the most fun I've had reading a book in a while.

Thank you Netgalley, Blackstone, and Henry H. Neff for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Witchstone is the most fun I’ve had in a book in a long time. The book is fast paced and hilarious. I love the banter between Lazlo, Maggie and Lump. Lazlo is like their weird uncle who can’t help but be an asshole, Maggie is this protective fierce sister who occasionally gives into the joy to have a laugh, and Lump is just this dorky kid discovering the world for the first time and winning the hearts of those around him. It’s darkly funny, and weirdly heartwarming in places and.

A family without hope who really is losing everything, a demon who desperately is trying to save himself and one epic adventure.

This is definitely I novel I have already told my friends about and I will definitely be buying a copy for myself.

DNF @ 53%. Strike one was introducing the female character via attempted sexual assault, strikes two and three were subjecting that same character to sexual assault via her own body being hijacked from the inside. With pretty clear indications this would only escalate. I'm really disappointed as I was otherwise enjoying the book, but seriously?? Is this necessary?? In 2024??? Surely we can do better than this.

In this darkly humorous tale of curses and supernatural beings, a sleazy demon must help a desperate family break their centuries-long curse before the curse becomes permanent. Lazlo, a low-level demon and Curse Keeper, oversees the Drakeford Curse on Hell's behalf. 'Oversees' is putting it loosely, as Lazlo is notoriously useless and has never even met his Curse Bearers, the Drakeford family, whose curse he is supposed to manage. But when a new boss from Hell comes into town, Lazlo must shape up and do his job--but he's only got six days to prove himself. Enter Maggie Drakeford, nineteen years old and already afflicted by the family curse. Maggie and her younger brother Lump agree to help Lazlo break the curse and save their family, and a crazy romp through New York, Liechtenstein, and Rome ensues as they race against the clock to find curse-breaking items, get information from ever-stranger supernatural beings, and discover life-altering secrets. Naturally, though, Lazlo has his own plans for the successful end to their six day trial.

This story was funny and original. Maggie was a sympathetic character, but it did take a while for her to really pop of the page. Her realism and despair paired nicely with Lazlo's carefree attitude so the story didn't get *too* dark and depressing. Also, it was refreshing that the main male/female characters remained platonic friends. While I don't normally hope for books to be turned into movies or shows, I feel like this one would make a great Netflix special.

I went in with zero expectations and finished with The Witchstone being my first five-star read of the year. Seriously. I'm still thinking about this book weeks later!

Hilarious, debaucherous, and weirdly heartfelt (emphasis on the weirdly), Maggie, Lump, and Lazlo are the strange cousins at Thanksgiving you're both eager to see and a little afraid of what trouble they're going to cause...because they will cause it. The banter is sharp and witty, the adventure refreshing, and the magic and creatures unique. Each character, including the villains, feels well-rounded, and the plot is never so obscure you feel left out of the loop or find yourself doubling back to ensure you didn't miss anything.

Fast-paced but never rushed, charming and sarcastic, The Witchstone is breaking my book-buying ban. I loved every minute of it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the eARC of The Witchstone.

I finished this book last week and I'm still thinking about multiple times a day. How is a book about a generational curse and demons so funny?! I loved it from beginning to end. Laszlo is an endearing asshole— I shouldn’t be able to love a demon but I do. The Ancient Infernal Society of Curses Keepers reminds me of a more adult version of Monsters Inc. Keep that image in mind and you'll thank me later.
Somehow Maggie feels super relatable even though she’s a 19 year old who is literally turning into a monster. And Lump. My dear sweet Lump. I wanted to jump into the book to hug and protect him. I love that kid.

The Witchstone is perfect for fans of Christopher Moore. It's been a long time since I had such a fun reading experience.

The narrator is fantastic. I was able to differentiate between characters and that made this book completely come alive. I was lucky enough to be able to read and listen to the audio version of this and neither disappoints. Fantasy is not a genre that I normally read. As a matter of fact, I barely dip my toes in it. But this was so real and the places and things that the demons do are in current, actual locations. The characters have depth and feelings and the emotions they expressed made them come alive. How can one laugh at and become a fan of a demon such as Lazslo? I have no idea. But I do know there is comedy and true laugh out loud moments. There is suspense and mystery. There is a generational curse and plenty of magic and this should be added to your summer TBR as fast as possible.

The marketing invoking Good Omens isn't far off on this one. In some ways this is more coherent with better pacing. The cast of characters more personable and the narrative more straightforward. That said, Laszlo as a protagonist is at first glance the kind of inept and unlikable that is often endearingly hilarious, and the Drakeford siblings are sweet and ill-fated. But as the story chugs along, something about Laszlo seems persistently unempathetic and the Drakeford curse is horribly menacing to the point of forcing the reader to sit through multiple attempted sexual assault in service of said curse. That element is so jarring and uncomfortable, it often broke the playful and whimsical tone of the overall narrative. That said, it is largely a romp with personable cast of characters which is at best, fun, and at worst, derivative.

I really really enjoyed this, it was a lot of fun to read. It’s a blend of humour and fantasy, fast paced with high stakes, I had a hard time putting it down. The world building was really good, blending fantasy elements within a contemporary setting. All of the characters were well developed and I was invested in almost all of them. I also think this would be a great audiobook. I think there could have been a bit more about the Drakeford family in the beginning but I think that’s just my personal preference. Overall a really interesting read with a unique plot. The Witchstone comes out on June 18

Thanks to NetGalley, Henry H Neff and Blackstone Publishing for this e-ARC

When I first saw this book, it reminded me of CS Lewis’s The Screwtape letters, in which a demon writes advice to his nephew, an apprentice in the demon trade. The only real resemblance here is that this is also a book featuring a demon as one of its main characters. Laszlo is a Grade 3, not a very demanding job, but he can’t be bothered to do anything to keep watch over the curse he’s supposed to be keeping. Not until upper management drops in at the office and threatens to turn Laszlo into primordial goo unless he shapes up by making his cursed family, the Drakefords, much more miserable. Off Laszlo goes to the hinterlands, planning to trick the family into thinking he’s there to help them break the curse that turns the Drakefords into monsters when they reach full maturity.

Maggie’s father is fully a monster now, and she, a teenager, hates the half-life her family must live. She’s all over the idea of breaking the curse, though she rightfully suspects Laszlo isn’t on the up and up. Off Maggie and Laszlo go on a grand adventure, with Maggie’s little brother, polymath George, a/k/a Lump, to gather up all the scavenger-hunt-type items needed to break the curse. Along the way, there will be much danger, many other demons and other dangers met, and Laszlo’s bad habits to be indulged.

For me, the first few chapters (a little shy of one-quarter) of the book are not a ton of fun, because they’re all about the miseries of the Drakeford curse and what a mess Laszlo is. But once the quest is underway, it’s a wild ride; thrilling, often funny, and even touching. It would make a good movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC of The Witchstone! There has not been a moment since I picked this book up that I have been able to think about anything else! Henry H. Neff writes some of the most compelling, lovable and eccentric characters I've seen in quite some time. This is a hilarious, touching and wild story that I have not and will not shut up about, probably ever. I'm practically begging for Neff to delve further into adult novels, because I am insatiably hungry for more! Grab your copy this upcoming Tuesday, June 18th!

DNF at 50%

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book and I'm not sure why. It has a lot of elements that I should like (demons, curses, quest to save ones soul), but in the end, I just wasn't into it.

The writing is fine, the pacing is fine, the premise is fine, it just turns out, it wasn't for me

"The Witchstone" offers an exciting and unique blend of humor, fantasy, and high stakes, which makes for an engaging read. The fast pacing and witty banter contribute to its cinematic feel, drawing readers into a fantastical world filled with intriguing challenges.

While the premise and plot are captivating, rich character development can elevate a story to another level by creating more depth and complexity. Perhaps exploring the characters' backgrounds, motivations, and internal conflicts could add layers to their personalities, making them more relatable and memorable to readers.

"The Witchstone" has a lot of potential, and with some additional focus on character development, it could become an even more immersive and satisfying read.

I REALLY enjoyed The Witchstone! This book is smart, witty, funny, and fast paced. The story follows Laszlo, a demon, and Maggie, a girl from a cursed family in upstate New York as they try to break this familial curse.... with very different motivations. I found the characters to be amazingly vivid, and I absolutely adored Lump, the younger brother who made me laugh out loud more than once. The Witchstone is a great pick for a reader who's looking for magical realism and can appreciate a bit of snark!

I'm so grateful to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!

This was a hell of a read (pun intended). Fast paced, clever, funny, there were times I was on the edge of my seat. You go through an emotional rollercoaster of feelings for the characters because you're never sure what their fates hold. The twists in this story were unpredictable I could hardly put this book down. 10/10 no notes.