This review first appeared in Booklist on November 20, 2024.

Eve has spent much of her young life running away, be it from a cruel orphanage, an identity that never felt like her own, or loneliness and fear. Her repeated efforts to escape this dreary existence finally find success when she meets the Pumpkin King, an imposing figure with a jack-o’-lantern head, who helps Eve not only by giving her a proper name and a royal title but also by spiriting her away to the lands of the undead. In the bewitching Hallowell Valley, Eve hopes to find friendship, family, and a place to finally call home—though not without first facing the many challenges that come with bearing the noble rank of Pumpkin Princess. Full of wonderful world building, clever conceits, and autumnal abundance, debut author Banbury has written a cozy, heartwarming story that has all the makings of a seasonal staple. Reminiscent of books like Ray Bradbury’s The Halloween Tree and Joseph Fink’s The Halloween Moon (2021), readers will find similar festive delights here.

Oh hey here’s something new: I’m writing for Booklist. Continue reading “THE PUMPKIN PRINCESS AND THE FOREVER NIGHT by Steven Banbury” →