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The Pumpkin Princess #1
The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night
A spooky yet heartwarming adventure about one girl's journey into the land of the undead, and the unexpected family she finds along the way. Perfect for fans of Nevermoor and the hit series Wednesday.
On Halloween, it is always wise to expect the unexpected, but no amount of planning could have prepared Eve for that particular night. Fleeing an unpleasant orphanage, she’s saved by someone who she never believed was real…the fabled Pumpkin King himself.
Throwing caution aside, Eve accepts the offer to become his daughter and is whisked away to the misty Hallowell Valley—home to witches and vampires, ghosts and goblins, and all that go bump in the night. But just when she believes she’s found her place among the undead, a sinister scheme unearths itself, threatening to take everything from Eve unless she can stop it.
From debut author Steven Banbury comes a cozy, magical adventure sure to delight anyone who loves the tricks of Halloween as much as the treats of autumn.
On Halloween, it is always wise to expect the unexpected, but no amount of planning could have prepared Eve for that particular night. Fleeing an unpleasant orphanage, she’s saved by someone who she never believed was real…the fabled Pumpkin King himself.
Throwing caution aside, Eve accepts the offer to become his daughter and is whisked away to the misty Hallowell Valley—home to witches and vampires, ghosts and goblins, and all that go bump in the night. But just when she believes she’s found her place among the undead, a sinister scheme unearths itself, threatening to take everything from Eve unless she can stop it.
From debut author Steven Banbury comes a cozy, magical adventure sure to delight anyone who loves the tricks of Halloween as much as the treats of autumn.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2024
85 people are currently reading
5852 people want to read
About the author
Steven Banbury
2 books52 followersSteven Banbury grew up surrounded by farmland before eventually moving to a part of California with notably fewer cows. Somewhere along the way he married his legend of a wife, adopted their annoyingly cute dog, and developed a penchant for writing he hasn’t seemed to shake. The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
October 14, 2024
not to be dramatic but I’d die for all of the characters in this book
November 3, 2024
3.0 Stars
This is an interesting middle grade read that would make for a good October read. I expected this one to be more fantastical but the narrative fell a touch flat. I wanted to love but I only liked it. I would still recommend it as a middle grade read Halloween read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is an interesting middle grade read that would make for a good October read. I expected this one to be more fantastical but the narrative fell a touch flat. I wanted to love but I only liked it. I would still recommend it as a middle grade read Halloween read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 12, 2024
Absolute perfection wrapped up in a cozy, autumnal MG package. Cannot wait for book two!
August 4, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the advanced copy.
This is one of the most autumnal, Halloween-y, cozy books I've ever read. Like, it is up there with Ray Bradbury's The October Country as being alllll about the F A L L. In capital letters, yes.
Young Eve is an orphan in an undisclosed time period and location (which feels turn of the century New England at times, but there turn of the century England at other times). She is adopted by The Pumpkin King pretty quickly and the story kicks off with Eve's introduction to Hallowell valley and it's various undead inhabitants. This introduction reminded me heavily of the Diagon Alley chapter in the first Harry Potter, with that sense of magical awe and unique setting and unique background characters.
Banbury does great with his world-building. It's familiar but unfamiliar, and it makes sense for its inhabitants. All of the side characters are somehow distinct and interesting in their own right as well, which is another point for Banbury - the main character of Eve, her best friends Lyla and Vlad, and of course The Pumpkin King and Scrags the scarecrow are all the most fleshed out of course, but I am impressed that we get to know the smaller side characters as well. It really makes this world feel robust and real.
I cannot WAIT to read this to my niece and nephew this October. They will be obsessed. I am obsessed. I am hoping this is the start of a Halloween-y series because I want to go back to this world so badly. This would absolutely have been one of my favorite books if I'd read it as a 10 year old!
Reminds me of: The October Country, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Halloween Tree, The Last Unicorn, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
By the way, the whole time I was reading this I was picturing adapted in animation, in a style somewhere between Howl's Moving Castle and The Last Unicorn, both of which I was strongly reminded of vibes-wise while reading The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night.
Now, I'm off to build The Pumpkin King's farm in The Sims 4 lol look for it on the gallery soon, I guess! I'll hashtag the lot with the book title #thepumpkinprincess. I'm excited to share this book with everyone and cannot recommend it enough.
Just such a cozy, warm, nice read.
eta 08/04/25 - omgggg the sequel is coming out soon and I just got the ARC! I super recommend this series to all lovers of Halloween and cozy autumnal spookiness. Seriously such a cute series and while I'm only at the start of the second novel, it's already got that same wonderful feeling to it. I cannot wait for more!
This is one of the most autumnal, Halloween-y, cozy books I've ever read. Like, it is up there with Ray Bradbury's The October Country as being alllll about the F A L L. In capital letters, yes.
Young Eve is an orphan in an undisclosed time period and location (which feels turn of the century New England at times, but there turn of the century England at other times). She is adopted by The Pumpkin King pretty quickly and the story kicks off with Eve's introduction to Hallowell valley and it's various undead inhabitants. This introduction reminded me heavily of the Diagon Alley chapter in the first Harry Potter, with that sense of magical awe and unique setting and unique background characters.
Banbury does great with his world-building. It's familiar but unfamiliar, and it makes sense for its inhabitants. All of the side characters are somehow distinct and interesting in their own right as well, which is another point for Banbury - the main character of Eve, her best friends Lyla and Vlad, and of course The Pumpkin King and Scrags the scarecrow are all the most fleshed out of course, but I am impressed that we get to know the smaller side characters as well. It really makes this world feel robust and real.
I cannot WAIT to read this to my niece and nephew this October. They will be obsessed. I am obsessed. I am hoping this is the start of a Halloween-y series because I want to go back to this world so badly. This would absolutely have been one of my favorite books if I'd read it as a 10 year old!
Reminds me of: The October Country, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Halloween Tree, The Last Unicorn, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
By the way, the whole time I was reading this I was picturing adapted in animation, in a style somewhere between Howl's Moving Castle and The Last Unicorn, both of which I was strongly reminded of vibes-wise while reading The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night.
Now, I'm off to build The Pumpkin King's farm in The Sims 4 lol look for it on the gallery soon, I guess! I'll hashtag the lot with the book title #thepumpkinprincess. I'm excited to share this book with everyone and cannot recommend it enough.
Just such a cozy, warm, nice read.
eta 08/04/25 - omgggg the sequel is coming out soon and I just got the ARC! I super recommend this series to all lovers of Halloween and cozy autumnal spookiness. Seriously such a cute series and while I'm only at the start of the second novel, it's already got that same wonderful feeling to it. I cannot wait for more!
October 9, 2024
Oh my goodness, this was just full of Halloween charm and whimsy! It really did remind me of Nevermoor set in Halloweentown. Loved it! :-) ... An absolute must-read for Halloween season!
November 13, 2024
Such a charming autumn read. 4 spooky ⭐️s!
October 16, 2025
“It's not WHAT you are that matters, but rather WHO you are…” Such a charming seasonal read!
October 26, 2025
It should be noted that I may not have been in the mood for this one.
I used to read spooky middle grade books all the time, but it’s been a while since I’ve read one. I thought this would be a cute Halloween read and a pallet cleanser between the other books I’ve been reading.
It’s an atmospheric, heartwarming Halloween tale with a mystery, but I was honestly bored for most of the book. I may have enjoyed this more as a kid, which is the target age range.
Content: fear of rejection, brief mentions of blood magic
I used to read spooky middle grade books all the time, but it’s been a while since I’ve read one. I thought this would be a cute Halloween read and a pallet cleanser between the other books I’ve been reading.
It’s an atmospheric, heartwarming Halloween tale with a mystery, but I was honestly bored for most of the book. I may have enjoyed this more as a kid, which is the target age range.
Content: fear of rejection, brief mentions of blood magic
August 18, 2024
I immediately got weird vibes from this book and couldn’t shake them. The setup doesn’t make any sense. What ruined it for me though was the poor scarecrows that were created by the pumpkin king to essentially be his slaves on his large plantation, and the way they talk seems too alike to the way slaves have been historically portrayed.
September 21, 2024
What a sweet and heartwarming story of found family, friendship, and overcoming your fears. This is the cozy Halloween read you are looking for 🎃
October 24, 2024
What this story most strongly reminds me of is a bad fanfiction. Sometimes, fanfic will have a really fantastic premise, but extremely out of character characters, poor pacing, and a really ridiculous plot. Unfortunately, this story is a lot like that. Now, can characters original to a story be out of character? No, but they can still be wildly mischaracterized for the roles they've been given, which is the case here.
We follow an orphan girl who is escaping from her prison-like orphanage (no really, there are guards and watchdogs) and runs into the Pumpkin King. Because she doesn't flinch from the big pumpkin head, he proposes to adopt her and she immediately agrees. Thus begins the saga of Eve, so named by the Pumpkin King for meeting her on Hallow's Eve.
I feel bad for saying this but I feel like this concept would have been really well done in the hands of a stronger writer. The concepts in this book are very fun. I love the Halloween town, the candle-spirit kids, the farm with living fields. But one of the more jarring things about this story is how young the prose feels -- there is no gravitas at all to how the Pumpkin King speaks (a thousands year old creature should not say "Wait, what?"), descriptions are very bland, facts are repeated frequently and we are given a LOT of explanations for things that readers don't normally need explanations for. (An early book example: Eve points out a loophole to a servant. The servant repeats the loophole to the Pumpkin King a whole page later. The prose tells us that the servant is repeating the loophole Eve told him. I know he was, I just read it.) It just doesn't read like middle grade fiction, but perhaps first grade or second grade? It's much more immature than I'd expected.
On a technical note, the writing is also just very poorly edited. Words are repeated often (how many times have I read "grumble"?) Characters rarely say "said" and instead grunt, whine, hum, answer, insist. It's very tiring to read.
Likewise the pacing in this book really does it no favors. The best word to describe most of the events is "unearned". We don't spend any time at the orphanage. Instead, Eve immediately meets the Pumpkin King, who immediately takes her to his home, where his servants and he are immediately devoted to her. There aren't stakes or trials for these rewards. We're told in passing that Eve had a hard time in the orphanage, but I wanted to see that happening and feel the visceral relief of escape with her. The relationship between Eve and the Pumpkin King is likewise quickly devoted, with no conflict at all between them or development of this bond. The servants of the Pumpkin King immediately love and adore Eve the second she shows up, for no reason whatsoever. Eve immediately makes best friends with two children who are not terribly different from any other child, so it's hard for me to understand why Eve was so isolated in the orphanage (a fact repeated to us many, many times).
Which falls into the other big problem with this story: the characters. Despite living in Eve's head for this narrative, I don't really care for her. She doesn't show really any concern for anyone other than herself, we don't see her being kind or brave or thoughtful, nothing that might win us or other characters over. I want to like her but I find her so bland and unrealistic. Even her most interesting feature, having horrific night terrors, is glossed over as something she repressed the hell out of. As a character Eve represses a lot of her feelings, but this is hardly addressed. What could have been excellent character development for Eve is brought up approximately twice in the story and is resolved by the end with little change from Eve.
Likewise, the Pumpkin King is real mess of contradictory characterizations. He's terrifying! But he's awkward and caring. He has a kingly duty to the valley! But he "learned" to stop interfering with ruling. He picks Eve as his successor because she is the first "brave" human to see him, but we don't see any reason why he needs a successor (he's immortal????) or why he wants a family. There really is no motivation for the start of this series other than "a child talked back to me so I took her home" which is a bizarre reason to adopt someone.
The villains in this are also just....bad? The vampires are these one dimension cliches that were pulled from any children's story about bullies. They have literally zero depth and zero reason to hate Eve as much as they do.
I really wanted to like this story but I just feel it's wasted potential. I see in the acknowledgements there were three editors on this project -- too many cooks in the kitchen? Or was it like the group project where everyone was expecting someone else to work on it and so no one did? What the book really needs is a writer's workshop or critique circle to really develop the characters, the plot, the stakes, the pacing. It's a neat idea that is absolutely not publish worthy yet.
There are amazing middle grade/children's literature stories out there. This is unfortunately not one of them. May I point to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairy Land in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente as an example of phenomenal writing and prose for a younger audience. Young readers deserve good stories too!
We follow an orphan girl who is escaping from her prison-like orphanage (no really, there are guards and watchdogs) and runs into the Pumpkin King. Because she doesn't flinch from the big pumpkin head, he proposes to adopt her and she immediately agrees. Thus begins the saga of Eve, so named by the Pumpkin King for meeting her on Hallow's Eve.
I feel bad for saying this but I feel like this concept would have been really well done in the hands of a stronger writer. The concepts in this book are very fun. I love the Halloween town, the candle-spirit kids, the farm with living fields. But one of the more jarring things about this story is how young the prose feels -- there is no gravitas at all to how the Pumpkin King speaks (a thousands year old creature should not say "Wait, what?"), descriptions are very bland, facts are repeated frequently and we are given a LOT of explanations for things that readers don't normally need explanations for. (An early book example: Eve points out a loophole to a servant. The servant repeats the loophole to the Pumpkin King a whole page later. The prose tells us that the servant is repeating the loophole Eve told him. I know he was, I just read it.) It just doesn't read like middle grade fiction, but perhaps first grade or second grade? It's much more immature than I'd expected.
On a technical note, the writing is also just very poorly edited. Words are repeated often (how many times have I read "grumble"?) Characters rarely say "said" and instead grunt, whine, hum, answer, insist. It's very tiring to read.
Likewise the pacing in this book really does it no favors. The best word to describe most of the events is "unearned". We don't spend any time at the orphanage. Instead, Eve immediately meets the Pumpkin King, who immediately takes her to his home, where his servants and he are immediately devoted to her. There aren't stakes or trials for these rewards. We're told in passing that Eve had a hard time in the orphanage, but I wanted to see that happening and feel the visceral relief of escape with her. The relationship between Eve and the Pumpkin King is likewise quickly devoted, with no conflict at all between them or development of this bond. The servants of the Pumpkin King immediately love and adore Eve the second she shows up, for no reason whatsoever. Eve immediately makes best friends with two children who are not terribly different from any other child, so it's hard for me to understand why Eve was so isolated in the orphanage (a fact repeated to us many, many times).
Which falls into the other big problem with this story: the characters. Despite living in Eve's head for this narrative, I don't really care for her. She doesn't show really any concern for anyone other than herself, we don't see her being kind or brave or thoughtful, nothing that might win us or other characters over. I want to like her but I find her so bland and unrealistic. Even her most interesting feature, having horrific night terrors, is glossed over as something she repressed the hell out of. As a character Eve represses a lot of her feelings, but this is hardly addressed. What could have been excellent character development for Eve is brought up approximately twice in the story and is resolved by the end with little change from Eve.
Likewise, the Pumpkin King is real mess of contradictory characterizations. He's terrifying! But he's awkward and caring. He has a kingly duty to the valley! But he "learned" to stop interfering with ruling. He picks Eve as his successor because she is the first "brave" human to see him, but we don't see any reason why he needs a successor (he's immortal????) or why he wants a family. There really is no motivation for the start of this series other than "a child talked back to me so I took her home" which is a bizarre reason to adopt someone.
The villains in this are also just....bad? The vampires are these one dimension cliches that were pulled from any children's story about bullies. They have literally zero depth and zero reason to hate Eve as much as they do.
I really wanted to like this story but I just feel it's wasted potential. I see in the acknowledgements there were three editors on this project -- too many cooks in the kitchen? Or was it like the group project where everyone was expecting someone else to work on it and so no one did? What the book really needs is a writer's workshop or critique circle to really develop the characters, the plot, the stakes, the pacing. It's a neat idea that is absolutely not publish worthy yet.
There are amazing middle grade/children's literature stories out there. This is unfortunately not one of them. May I point to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairy Land in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente as an example of phenomenal writing and prose for a younger audience. Young readers deserve good stories too!
August 22, 2025
Adorable and delightfully written, with deliciously spooky-cozy autumn vibes and heart-warming found family. Perfect for kids like my little sister who love spooky things and creepy creatures, with plenty of whimsy on the side.
October 31, 2024
RATING: 4/5⭐️
REVIEW
This book was the perfect Halloween day read. It was so comfy and cozy. The atmosphere was so fun, and I loved meeting all the creatures and characters. I also love a good found family story, and this one did it really well. I hope I can return to Hallowell!
REVIEW
This book was the perfect Halloween day read. It was so comfy and cozy. The atmosphere was so fun, and I loved meeting all the creatures and characters. I also love a good found family story, and this one did it really well. I hope I can return to Hallowell!
October 9, 2025
While I'm not crazy about the misunderstood monster trope, this book was delightfully spooky and charming. Ultimately what makes it a winner was the wholesome father-daughter dynamic between Eve and the giant pumpkin who adopts her (yes, it's a strange book).
A perfect blend of cozy and scary, with strong Autumn vibes 🍂 🎃
A perfect blend of cozy and scary, with strong Autumn vibes 🍂 🎃
September 6, 2024
This book was absolutely charming!! It was a little of Nightmare Before Christmas and any multitude of sad orphans findings new families and I adored every minute of it.
Eve (though she does not get called this at first) is determined to make her escape from the orphanage she was placed at after the death of her parents. She is not sure where she is going to go or what to do when she gets there but she has to get away. Just as she thinks she will be caught for the umpteenth time, she is surprised by a tall talking Jack-O-Lantern who is amused by her lack of fear. He adopts her and takes her back to Hallowell, where he is the Pumpkin King, and she becomes his pumpkin princess.
Hallowell reminds me of Halloweentown from NBC but this author did a lot to make it his own and I appreciated the finer details, especially the bookstore. Watching this little family find its way together, with TPK learning to be a "dad" and Eve learning what it's like to have friends and someone who wants her made my heart squeeze.
This book is not at all scary other than some of the residents of Hallowell might frighten younger readers. By the end I wanted very much to visit this place and meet these lovely characters. I hope perhaps the author may make this the beginning of a series, as I think many more adventures could be had with Eve and her friends in Hallowell.
This is definitely going to be a repeat read.
My thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Eve (though she does not get called this at first) is determined to make her escape from the orphanage she was placed at after the death of her parents. She is not sure where she is going to go or what to do when she gets there but she has to get away. Just as she thinks she will be caught for the umpteenth time, she is surprised by a tall talking Jack-O-Lantern who is amused by her lack of fear. He adopts her and takes her back to Hallowell, where he is the Pumpkin King, and she becomes his pumpkin princess.
Hallowell reminds me of Halloweentown from NBC but this author did a lot to make it his own and I appreciated the finer details, especially the bookstore. Watching this little family find its way together, with TPK learning to be a "dad" and Eve learning what it's like to have friends and someone who wants her made my heart squeeze.
This book is not at all scary other than some of the residents of Hallowell might frighten younger readers. By the end I wanted very much to visit this place and meet these lovely characters. I hope perhaps the author may make this the beginning of a series, as I think many more adventures could be had with Eve and her friends in Hallowell.
This is definitely going to be a repeat read.
My thanks to Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for this advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
August 29, 2024
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and read it with my 6 yo son, who is obsessed with Halloween and all things spooky. While meant for middle schoolers, it was great for my son! He loved the book and looked forward to reading it before bed each night. Witches, vampires, werewolves, magic - it had all of his favorite things but wasn’t graphic or overly scary for his tastes, though he did get really concerned for the main characters at the height of the conflict. I actually found myself reading ahead a few times because I wanted to know what happened and did not want to wait 25 hours to find out.
We highly recommend this and hope there are more Pumpkin Princess books to come!!!
We highly recommend this and hope there are more Pumpkin Princess books to come!!!
August 12, 2024
Oof the fall/Halloween vibes were just what I wanted!! It was giving the comfy vibes of Halloweentown and made me jealous that i couldn’t be in Hallowell Valley! And lol honestly the twist at the end actually surprised me so that’s fun. This is an ARC our bookstore received and it’s for middle schoolers but I feel any age could enjoy this book.
October 30, 2024
I don’t have a single complaint about this book! It was so wholesome, & bittersweet- I honestly didn’t want it to end! This book had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for the main character, & almost in tears. I adored most of the characters- especially Scrags, Peaty, and the Pumpkin King! I liked the twist at the end, it was well executed! Extremely well done writing, and the plot was well thought out! Fantasy meets Halloween Town essentially!
- A girl runs away from an orphanage, after the loss of her parents & after countless adoptions gone wrong. She stumbles upon (the last thing she’d ever expect) a walking Jack-o’-lantern, that refers to himself as the Pumpkin King. He extends an offer to adopt her, and she reluctantly accepts. And what she comes to find- she is welcomed by a magical world of the undead! As the only living being in this universe, can she peacefully coexist with the other creatures?
- A girl runs away from an orphanage, after the loss of her parents & after countless adoptions gone wrong. She stumbles upon (the last thing she’d ever expect) a walking Jack-o’-lantern, that refers to himself as the Pumpkin King. He extends an offer to adopt her, and she reluctantly accepts. And what she comes to find- she is welcomed by a magical world of the undead! As the only living being in this universe, can she peacefully coexist with the other creatures?
November 5, 2025
my favorite trope of all time will forever be the “lonely, strange little girl and equally lonely, grumpy father figure finding one another and coloring each other’s lives with love and warmth and belonging” trope.
now make said grumpy father a literal giant pumpkin man and set the story in halloweentown, and it’s essentially the greatest thing i’ve ever read.
this book makes me feel so at home. stories about lonely weird kids who fear they're unlovable finding people who love them like it's breathing mean everything to me!! (the delicious halloween whimsy and spooky charm of this one definitely help too, of course.)
sometimes, a family really is just a nightmare-ridden little girl, her grumbling, gentle giant pumpkin king father, and their button-eyed, party-throwing scarecrow caretakers. and i think that's beautiful ♡
now make said grumpy father a literal giant pumpkin man and set the story in halloweentown, and it’s essentially the greatest thing i’ve ever read.
this book makes me feel so at home. stories about lonely weird kids who fear they're unlovable finding people who love them like it's breathing mean everything to me!! (the delicious halloween whimsy and spooky charm of this one definitely help too, of course.)
sometimes, a family really is just a nightmare-ridden little girl, her grumbling, gentle giant pumpkin king father, and their button-eyed, party-throwing scarecrow caretakers. and i think that's beautiful ♡
October 19, 2025
4.25
In the past, I used to avoid middle grade books as I thought I was too old for them. I was so wrong! Ever since I read Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, I've been falling in love with this genre and, to my mind, it's way better than YA. This novel was no exception. It felt like a perfect blend between Harry Potter and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both of which I absolutely adore. Because of that, the story seemed so nostalgic. I loved the world building and the characters, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. The only downside was that the plot really took its time to develop, but it was worth it in the end. Highly recommended!
In the past, I used to avoid middle grade books as I thought I was too old for them. I was so wrong! Ever since I read Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, I've been falling in love with this genre and, to my mind, it's way better than YA. This novel was no exception. It felt like a perfect blend between Harry Potter and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both of which I absolutely adore. Because of that, the story seemed so nostalgic. I loved the world building and the characters, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment. The only downside was that the plot really took its time to develop, but it was worth it in the end. Highly recommended!
October 28, 2025
Omg I want the next book Now, but I need to start reading Christmas 🎄, but I don’t want to wait till next Halloween 🎃 aaaaahhhhhh
Also I love Scrags!
Also I love Scrags!
November 29, 2025
That was adorable
September 7, 2025
Halloween middle grade is always the right choice!
September 27, 2024
I usually don't read middle grade but all of the good reviews convinced me. This is such a great, wholesome read for the Fall season. I would LOVE to see a version of this for adults if the author ever decides to do that
October 8, 2024
As a lover of Harvest Moon and other farming games coupled with the found family and Halloween vibes, this was the perfect read for me. Such a heartwarming story in which Eve is trying to escape her orphanage and runs straight into the Pumpkin King. She isn't scared of the creature with a pumpkin for a head which is how she becomes his adopted daughter in a Halloweentown sort of place. She slowly settles in and makes friends with a very blunt witch and a skittish and inventive vampire. But most of the town is wary of this human when they are all supernatural beings so much so that there is a coup to get her out of the town and remove the Pumpkin King from the council. Although, I didn't feel the suspense within the story as this is more of a slow-paced read with lots of warm, cozy vibes.
One of the sweetest father-daughter relationships I've read in a while. I loved how kind and accepting the Pumpkin King was to his daughter. He would spoil her with an overabundance of blankets and books and would tell anyone off if they said anything rude about her. He even joined in her tradition of Christmas and made her feel special. I also enjoyed Eve learning all about the farm and how certain vegetables needed to be treated before they were planted or removed. I think it added to the quiet and cozy atmosphere of the story. The scarecrows were wonderful too especially Scrags who acted sort of like a mother at times. And then there were her new friends Lyla and Vlad. Lyla was so blunt and I loved that about her. She helped out at the local bookstore begrudgingly and so did Eve although she loved it (I loved all the different types and titles in the bookstore). Vlad has a tough home life and just wants to cook a good meal and work on his inventions. He's sweet but I really want more of him and Lyla's perspectives in the next book.
All in all, this was such a wonderful cozy, and touching read. If you are looking for a slow-paced sweet read this fall look no further than The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night in exchange for an honest review.
One of the sweetest father-daughter relationships I've read in a while. I loved how kind and accepting the Pumpkin King was to his daughter. He would spoil her with an overabundance of blankets and books and would tell anyone off if they said anything rude about her. He even joined in her tradition of Christmas and made her feel special. I also enjoyed Eve learning all about the farm and how certain vegetables needed to be treated before they were planted or removed. I think it added to the quiet and cozy atmosphere of the story. The scarecrows were wonderful too especially Scrags who acted sort of like a mother at times. And then there were her new friends Lyla and Vlad. Lyla was so blunt and I loved that about her. She helped out at the local bookstore begrudgingly and so did Eve although she loved it (I loved all the different types and titles in the bookstore). Vlad has a tough home life and just wants to cook a good meal and work on his inventions. He's sweet but I really want more of him and Lyla's perspectives in the next book.
All in all, this was such a wonderful cozy, and touching read. If you are looking for a slow-paced sweet read this fall look no further than The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2024
Hmm, this is tough for me to rate. Full disclosure: I'm pretty sure I gave Nevermoor 5 stars when I read it, and this gives me a lot of Nevermoor vibes. But I think something about it just so fully misses the magic for me.
I double checked that both books are marketed to the same age range (3-7th grade) but there's something about this writing that feels much simpler and younger. Some of the dialogue in particular reminds me of exchanges in I Want My Hat Back (age range varies from 2-5yo up to preschool to 3rd grade) but without the inherent humor that's heavily present in the hat trilogy.
My two major sticking points are probably these:
1. The world is not very magical. Yes it's Halloween. Yes they're active at night. Yes he's a talking pumpkin and her friends are a witch and a vampire. But there's not a lot of magic and imagination happening? Not in a way that feels fleshed out and interesting for me, anyway.
Would I know they're a witch and a vampire based on their actions if the text didn't explicitly tell me? No, I probably wouldn't. So that just falls flat for me.
2. There's not a strong plot, especially not one that Eve is a main player in. She's more like an observer who occasionally adds to the conversation by teaching them about humans/human culture & traditions. I loved that Morrigan Crow is constantly pursuing an adventure and very actively involved in trials and mysteries and pushing boundaries. Eve is a much more passive character, and traditionally that's not a POV I enjoy reading from.
It's cute. It's quaint. It's nice to see her be adopted and appreciated. But I feel like I'd rather recommend Nevermoor for books or Halloweentown for visual media. ymmv
I double checked that both books are marketed to the same age range (3-7th grade) but there's something about this writing that feels much simpler and younger. Some of the dialogue in particular reminds me of exchanges in I Want My Hat Back (age range varies from 2-5yo up to preschool to 3rd grade) but without the inherent humor that's heavily present in the hat trilogy.
My two major sticking points are probably these:
1. The world is not very magical. Yes it's Halloween. Yes they're active at night. Yes he's a talking pumpkin and her friends are a witch and a vampire. But there's not a lot of magic and imagination happening? Not in a way that feels fleshed out and interesting for me, anyway.
Would I know they're a witch and a vampire based on their actions if the text didn't explicitly tell me? No, I probably wouldn't. So that just falls flat for me.
2. There's not a strong plot, especially not one that Eve is a main player in. She's more like an observer who occasionally adds to the conversation by teaching them about humans/human culture & traditions. I loved that Morrigan Crow is constantly pursuing an adventure and very actively involved in trials and mysteries and pushing boundaries. Eve is a much more passive character, and traditionally that's not a POV I enjoy reading from.
It's cute. It's quaint. It's nice to see her be adopted and appreciated. But I feel like I'd rather recommend Nevermoor for books or Halloweentown for visual media. ymmv
December 10, 2024
As she's running away from the orphanage yet again, Eve bumps into the Pumpkin King, who agrees to adopt her and then whisks her away to Hallowell. At first, it seems everyone is delighted at their new living pumpkin princess, but some of the undead grow restless, and it soon becomes clear that the community values the haunted land holds dear have eroded, leaving Eve to pay the price.
No pumpkin king can supplant Jack Skellington in my heart, but this Pumpkin King comes very close. There's so much I love about this book. The biggest thing is probably the thing I love most about Nightmare Before Christmas: the deep and implicit acceptance that comes with just being a part of the halloween town. No matter how certain individuals behave, the culture is firmly set on not treating anyone as an outcast just for being themself. Of course, there's a cozy found family narrative in this book, and the world building is enchanting and spooky. I love the characters so much. The grumpy Pumpkin King. The confident but secretly afraid protagonist. The enthusiastic scarecrows. The outspoken and nonplussed young witch. The downtrodden yet sensitive and creative young vampire. Even the skeleton clothier and resentful werewolves have a special place. All together, the cast is the perfect blend of silly and dark, creating the ideal environment for a warm spooky tale.
I can't guarantee that you'll love this book, of course. But it's doing a lot of things right, and I suspect it will appeal to fans of Jack Skellington.
No pumpkin king can supplant Jack Skellington in my heart, but this Pumpkin King comes very close. There's so much I love about this book. The biggest thing is probably the thing I love most about Nightmare Before Christmas: the deep and implicit acceptance that comes with just being a part of the halloween town. No matter how certain individuals behave, the culture is firmly set on not treating anyone as an outcast just for being themself. Of course, there's a cozy found family narrative in this book, and the world building is enchanting and spooky. I love the characters so much. The grumpy Pumpkin King. The confident but secretly afraid protagonist. The enthusiastic scarecrows. The outspoken and nonplussed young witch. The downtrodden yet sensitive and creative young vampire. Even the skeleton clothier and resentful werewolves have a special place. All together, the cast is the perfect blend of silly and dark, creating the ideal environment for a warm spooky tale.
I can't guarantee that you'll love this book, of course. But it's doing a lot of things right, and I suspect it will appeal to fans of Jack Skellington.
November 18, 2024
This was the best middle grade I have ever read.
Loved it to bits! The themes are so gently explored, and the characters and story are in no way lacking.
I can't wait to return to Hallowell for more adventures of the Pumpkin Princess and company! ❤️
Loved it to bits! The themes are so gently explored, and the characters and story are in no way lacking.
I can't wait to return to Hallowell for more adventures of the Pumpkin Princess and company! ❤️
November 1, 2025
4.5 stars
September 17, 2025
This book is perfect for fans of " The Nightmare Before Christmas" / " Over The Garden Wall " / Hocus Pocus and Halloween Town 🍂My black heart is happy 🤎🤎🤎🤎
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