Weird, fun, and crazy in all the right ways. This read a little more Middle Grade horror to me, which is actually fine because I do love some MG! I think this could make for quite a fun adaptation to screen, too.

Creepy. Atmospheric. Characterization. This author knows what he’s doing and I will be keeping an eye out for his work in the future.

Never been a paperboy, never been to Milwaukee, wasn't alive in 1987 -- and yet! The feeling of nostalgia was fun, as were the adventures. A little dark, not scary. Had a nice time with this one.

Hampton Heights was such a great read. I loved the character development and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

Told over the course of one hair-raising and incredibly scary night in 1987, six paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons in a haunted Midwestern neighborhood. This tender horror-comedy is full of camaraderie, bravery, vulnerability, and how we all confront the terrifying situation that is growing up. Dan Kois' character's read as authentically likeable and the well-crafted dialogue combined with the atmospheric style of the story really ground it. Unlike anything I've read in quite a long time! Dare I say this book was unputdownable?!

A truly creepy and atmospheric period piece. I’ve spent a lot of time in Milwaukee, and reading this book transported me right back to the neighborhoods in winter with the corner bars. I loved that the ensemble of characters had their own distinct voices — rather than blending together through similar writing style and prose, Kois’ characters each felt individual and unique.

Kois latest is a coming of age story that reminded me of Steven King’s The Body in many ways. I enjoyed the adventures each pair went on and how they were designed as lessons, if you were paying attention.

I’m not really what I was expecting going into this read but it was a pleasant surprise despite being very different to what reads I normally go for.
I would necessarily call this a horror but more of a strange, quirky, interesting and very unique read.
Well written & easy to absorb with great characters, it reminded me a lot of Stranger Things mixed with The Goonies, both of which I love.

I had high(ish) expectations for this book, but to tell the truth, it mostly just bored me. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, as this type of cis boy-centric nostalgia-fest was something I appreciated in my own youth but have long fallen out of love with.

This was a fun little read. It felt very nostalgic and had the right vibes. Was not scary though, more weird than anything. Still a fun little book of you're looking for this vibe

This book was fantastic. Now I want Burger King hahaha!
I really liked how each group of kids had their own chapter and the spooky stories had some how intertwined with events from their life.
Hoping for a sequel. Maybe?

I think I’m going to need some time to process this one. Six Pre-teen boys head out on a mission to make some
Money and score some Burger King by selling newspaper subscriptions in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. They pair off and experience run ins with several horrific creatures. There are interesting nuances in their experiences that tie into race, social class and sexuality. I could totally see this as a fun indie horror film.
I was hooked the whole way through and it really has me thinking. The setting matched the vibe of the book perfectly.

Well, this was a weird little book in the best possible way! As a Milwaukeean, I was exceptionally excited to read about a book set in my hometown, and this was just the ticket for spooky season. The setup made it truly feel like I was reading fairytales or fables, and kept me turning the pages even if there were some chapters i was less into than others. If you’re looking for a unique spooky season read, this is it! I was thrilled to include this novel in my yearly Instagram Spooky Guide @maryreadsandmakes.

Dan Kois' "Hampton Heights" is a delightfully weird fable of a night in a Milwaukee neighborhood that goes awry in ways you could never imagine. The storytelling style makes this short novel feel like a fairy tale, and each of the sections is quite fun and surprisingly deep. Any book about Milwaukee that has this much specificity gets some easy bonus points from me, and I had a great time reading it.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

... Well. It's an interesting book, but what does it all mean? I like horror movies, and I love movies that have stories that have a wrap around beginning and ending. Think of the 2009 film Trick or Treat. Cult an pop-culture classic now (shown by merch in Halloween stores). The stories were simple, great, and wrapped together so well.

This? The stories are half-baked s0-and-so moments that just don't really hit to pay off the beginning and end of the book. Sure. Takes place in a town with a weird street that these boys have to push their newspaper subscription to. But, the pay-off is boring and feels lost in translation half the time. When the werewolf character showed up, it stopped feeling like a horror story and something like 'the joys of youth are lost to old age' stuff.

Blame it on me expecting something like Trick or Treat with a Goonies-esque vibe. This wasn't it.

This book was a delightful surprise. Even though pieces of it were hokey, overall it came together in a nice set of vignettes that came together like a mashup of Stranger Things and Paper Girls. Would've even enjoyed it being longer, which I don't often say.

This started out great and then fell flat for me. It’s labeled as horror but it’s not scary, just strange. I loved the late 80s setting and vibe, with kids on the paper route encountering something spooky, but it never went beyond that. There was so much potential for a truly horrific experience but, aside from a few fart jokes, there wasn’t enough there to really carry the story.

3.5/5!

One night in 1987, size paperboys must confront a slew of monsters as well as their own personal demons while visiting the haunted Milwaukee neighborhood of Hampton Heights. This one was a fun ride! There are chapters dedicated to pairs of the boys and their experiences as they separate to try to convince people to buy newspaper subscriptions. The cast is great! The monsters are great! All around a fun and creepy read!

I love this book I couldn’t put it down! Everything I’m into reading about is in this novel! Kois did an amazing job with this one and I’m looking forward to future works from him!

Hampton Heights took me on a thrill ride. I took a break from everything else to stay immersed in this wondrous novel.It's a fast-paced, captivating read.

I loved the strong characterizations, and the place comes alive complete with a sense of history–actual and fantastical. There's a diverse cast and fantastic suspense.

Harmon has a deft touch with tone, hitting notes ranging from poignant, through scary, sexy, freaky, gritty, raw, and truly funny. He gets kids, and he gets adults, too.

I’m impressed by the amount of sensitive material that he handles well. He has a masterful touch with real horrors faced by kids, and he serves up chills in a magical romp with great depth to it. I felt like I got to be part of a motley group where everyone gets to belong. Highly recommended.

Thank you, Harper Perennial for the ARC via NetGalley for consideration. This Is my unbiased opinion.