The Witch Queen of Halloween

Immortals After Dark #18.5

by Kresley Cole

Take a spooky Halloween tour of the mysterious Lore in this stand-alone installment of the Immortals After Dark series by #1 New York Times best-seller Kresley Cole.

A demon soldier of fortune . . .
Rök Kours dives into a dangerous mission, only to cross swords with the one woman who bewitched him.

A cursed Wiccan mercenary . . .
Poppy Dyer has never let her uncontrollable magic interfere with her work, but she can barely withstand one demon's charms.

Trapped in a terrifying lair.
If the two rivals can defeat Halloween's worst nightmares to escape a haunted castle, can they overcome their pasts to claim a spellbinding future together?

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Demons, Magic, Novella

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2024

About the author

Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series, the young adult Arcana Chronicles series, the erotic Gamemakers series, and five award-winning historical romances.

A master’s grad and former athlete, she has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings.
Her IAD books have been translated into 23 foreign languages, garnered three RITA awards, a RWA Hall of Fame induction, and consistently appear on the bestseller lists, in the U.S. and abroad.

Cole lives in Florida with her family. Learn more about Kresley at: www.kresleycole.com & www.thearcanachronicles.com

Reviews

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Halloween in March!

Kresley Cole is BACK with a new IAD romance. This time it's Rök's story, and this demon gets a novella with a witch named Poppy. They're been circling each other for years, until they finally get trapped together in a haunted mansion, where Poppy's uncontrollable magic comes to life in the form of Halloween related creatures. We're talking ghouls, skeletons, evil dolls, and even a headless horseman.

TWQOH is nothing short of entertaining. Once Rök and Poppy get trapped together, it's nonstop action and excitement. They have to try to survive long enough to break Poppy's curse and get out of the mansion safely. All the while, Rök is trying to show Poppy that they just might be fated mates and meant to be together.

It's always good to be back in the IAD world. I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading it. But I am looking forward to what's coming next! We get some small hints of what's to come in this novella, and I'm already eager for the next installment in the series.

[Hannah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Legend tells that if you close your eyes really tight and listen really closely, you’ll hear a witch and a demon 69ing in a haunted mansion on Halloween night 🎃✨

As a Certified Demon Girlie™ I’m definitely very pleased with this novella! I was a little wary since I don’t think we’ve met Poppy or her sisters before, but that was actually really fun. They didn’t seem out of place at all and I liked seeing their past history woven into what we already knew of Rök. Because I didn’t really know her, it was nice to see Poppy turn into a bad bitch by the end! She was seeming like a bit of a damsel for a good chunk of the story and I was a bit confused, but never fear.

Plus this was a second chance romance!! It added some extra drama and structure to their story, since this was a novella with less room for things to develop. It’s also funny for me to think of Loreans going on dates and being semi civil about the whole “getting to know you” process. So naturally, their second “date” escalated to being in a haunted house surrounded by murderous corporeal horror tropes. LOL I love this series!!

However, what I’m not is a Certified Horror Girlie™ so while I’m not an expert, I’d say this was more of an homage to horror tropes, so I really had a fun time. I’ll definitely make a point to read it during spooky season, just like I read Untouchable over the winter holidays. As it’s almost Easter right now, is it too much to ask for an IAD novella for every holiday?? Pretty please?? I’m sorry but Kresley could totally make an Arbor Day novella hot!!

I don’t think the voices in my head did Robert Petkoff justice, but it was fun to read them like him anyways. Plus it was a totally different experience reading Kresley’s writing, opposed to listening to it. Audio is still my preferred method, but I’m happy I got to experience it like this. This being my first ever real time launch of an IAD book! (I started reading the series a bit after Munro was released I think.)

Overall, while I enjoyed reading it on a rainy March day, I do think if I’d have had the willpower to wait until October, I would’ve enjoyed it even more. There was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end—not relating to the HEA—and I’m very curious to see how it plays into the Ascension as a whole. While you could try to read this as a standalone, I’d definitely read at least the first six or seven books in the series before jumping in!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️/5


I received an eARC from the author. All opinions are honest and my own.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Self-indulgent ramble warning, you can skip to the actual review below] I have been... not quite dreading, but definitely not looking forward to, writing this review. KC has always been one of my favourite authors - I've been reading her books since I was literally 12 or 13 years old. The very first review I ever wrote on Goodreads, aged 15, was for Sweet Ruin. So having to admit that this story falls flat for me is really not fun.

There's also the added complication of having been an ARC reader, which - as I'm sure you can imagine - puts a massive amount of pressure on you to love the book, especially if it's an indie author. Not (to be clear) that KC or her PA Naomi have made any such implication to us, but it's such a strong imperative in a myriad of ways - from being in the ARC reader FB group full of gushing fans, to knowing that getting on the team was competitive and feeling like you have to make yourself a worthy investment to the author in order to stay on the team. When I first started blogging I knew I wanted to make honest reviews a cornerstone of my approach, but that has definitely cost me - I've been kicked out of multiple author's groups/ARC teams (most dramatically, Angel Lawson and Sam Rue's one) and blacklisted from a few PR companies too, like Social Butterfly and Valentine PR. That's just the price of honesty in the reviewing world, unfortunately...

Okay yes, I am a little amused at myself for having rambled on so long just for a 3-star review. Three stars is hardly one! But (as of now anyway) this will be the lowest ARC review rating for this book, so I figured I'd explain myself a bit. Onto the review now.

⤅ 2.5 stars, rounded up because... maths.

1200-year-old Rok Kours is a character whose story I've been dying for since he sauntered into the series. He's a smoke demon, second-in-command of Cadeon's demon mercenary band, and a famous manwhore. He's always seemed like he'd make a great hero, and although I was initially a little let down that this is a novella, in the grand scheme of things that's probably the least of my concerns.

My first disappointment was that his heroine, 100-year-old witch Poppy Dyer, is new to the series. Considering this is a) a long series with many exploitable characters; and b) the first installment in two years, with a long gap before that too, I really think we needed another established heroine to try and bridge the gap a bit more.

But my biggest issue - and I think, on analysis, most of the other issues stem from this - is that there's no chemistry between Rok and Poppy. Absolutely none. The incredibly low UST in this book... I honestly can't believe this is the same author who wrote Kiss of a Demon King, which has some of the spiciest, sharpest, most delicious sex scenes in romance novel history. The thing is, without exception, even when I'm furious at a KC hero - Uilleam, Murdoch, Rune, etc - the chemistry between the protagonists has never been in question. It's always been off the charts. But in this case, Poppy and Rok literally felt like acquaintances.

To unpack that a bit further: the two of them had a first date two years ago, then for certain reasons Poppy got angry and left. And dated another man. For TWO YEARS. Bear in mind that by this point, Rok says he knew she was his mate. And he let his mate date another man??? The fact that he himself remained celibate only marginally ameliorates this jaw-dropping fact. Even Poppy herself is astounded that he just let her be, and explicitly draws the comparison with how Cade besieged Val Hall to get Holly back, while Rok pretty much rolled over and showed his stomach. I'm sorry, but that kind of killed the romance for me. I don't really care that Rok says 'but Poppy, you wouldn't have wanted me to fight for you' - I think it's fairly apparent Poppy did actually want that, and in any case, stubborn alpha heroes is like the KC brand. I would honestly have rather had another Rune or Uilleam than this. In hindsight, Murdoch was also concerningly enlightened (i.e. bland...) and I really hope this trend doesn't continue. I fear the days when Nikolai would dub-con the hell out of Myst, in some truly awesome scenes, may be behind us - but I hope not.

It's also not clear exactly when Rok realised Poppy was his mate. Apparently they were mercenary competitors, and he never really thought she was even that attractive, but then he asked her on a date? I'm comparing this to the way Cade was so tongue-tied at first seeing Holly that he makes a fool of himself, and it's a dispiriting contrast. Again, this all leads back to the lack of chemistry.

I won't go into the plot too much, as this is only a novella. But it was very saturated and absolutely overshadowed the romance. In fact there's a certain budding character (appearing in the prologue) who fairly leapt off the page with personality, compared to Rok and Poppy, and I hope the overarching plot harks in her direction at some point.

To end with the positives: I really like that Rok's summoning-by-other-women problem is actually dissected, and isn't just brushed aside by Poppy. The technical writing was also good, although I never felt particularly horror-struck or disquieted (then again, I have a high tolerance for horror). Although this is meant to be a Halloween novella, I didn't particularly feel like I'd lost anything by reading it in March.

My final observation - not criticism - is that from what I can remember, there is only one recurrent non-white character in this entire series, and it would be nice to see some more diverse heroines. But that's certainly not required for me to enjoy a book. I'd just settle for some good tension between the characters.

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating: 3.5

a fast-paced, halloween action fever dream. it's always a good time coming back to kresley cole's world of Lore. this might be too deep into the world/story for new readers despite this being a standalone novella, but the devoted IAD fan will probably have a good time w this one. exciting fight scenes, quippy humor, and sexy romance. the spoopy vibes are peak as well w the halloween setting and various horror film character cameos.

[Laila]

Finally something from this series it's been so long😭

[Rose]

This is cute and all...but whennnnn are we going to get Nix's HEA!? Who cares about these characters? 😭😭😭

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little romp on Halloween night.

Rok and Poppy were a sassy and entertaining pair. They find themselves trapped in a House of Horrors on Halloween Night. They are forced to face some of the creepiest nightmares and scary situations that had my skin crawling. I won't pretend I wasn't a bit freaked out at how descriptive and real it all felt to me. I had to read with one eye on my Kindle.

Luckily, we know these two must be Fated Mates and that an HEA is possible for them. I'm not a horror reader but Kresley Cole often can push me right to the edge and still give me a safe place to fall. Their history and dynamic were electric and I loved how they sparked off each other.

I can't really say much more, as this is only a novella. However, it was great to find out more about how Rok gets summoned so often and how that might be an issue or get solved by finding a mate. A clever solution, I might add.

I will say, I feel like there was just SO much packed into this and maybe upon reread (which I will do by audio as SOON as it's available) I may catch more. I felt a bit lost at times and a bit overwhelmed. But it was still written with Kresley Cole charm.

I look forward to where this saga goes next!

4 stars
1.5 on the spice scale

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

You are all temptation, aren’t you?”
“I am a demon.”
“And in exchange for your protection you only asked for a mere kiss.” She was playing with him, and he was going to let her! “Maybe I could give you a down payment.”
“I should have asked for more.”
“Then earn a tip.”
“Fucking hell, witch, you drive me crazy.”

It's embarrassing the level of giddiness that a new Kresley Cole book gives me. And oh how I've been craving another installment in the IaD series. This may not have been the full length novel I had hoped for, but it was an immensely satisfying longer novella that hit the spot just right.

This would have been a perfect Halloween read, and if you're craving something spooky and steamy, this is not to be missed. If you've read the series, then you would be familiar with Rök and Poppy; the smoke demon mercenary and the witch. If you haven't read this incredible series, this is the perfect way to introduce yourself because you can easily enjoy it as a standalone. However, it really is the most enjoyable read in order. And considering this is still one of my absolute favorite PNR series, I will never stop trying to get everyone to read it. But I digress.

Woman, understand me: I’ll take on hell for you.”

Poppy is a mission that lands her in a haunted mansion alongside with the demon who she can't seem to stop thinking about even two years after their failed date. Now they have to rely on each other to survive the spooky inhabitants and forced to work through the unresolved issues left from their ill fated date and feelings. Suffice it to say that the slow burn was extra delicious here. I loved the way that Rok pined for Poppy and the way that Poppy made him work for it. Their chemistry was incendiary. And for a novella, this was still chuck full of action, laughs, and passion.

If you've wanted to try this series but may be intimidated by the amount of books in the series, this is a perfect way to start. I can't recommend it enough!

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:

[Warda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost caught up with this series and blown away by how much every instalment has been a hit.

[Teela (bookdragontee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A priestess, a sorceress, and a Valkyrie meet in a graveyard..."

I'm currently riding the mother of all highs after finishing this novella, so composing a coherent review that isn't all pterodactyl screeches and excited screaming is going to be challenging... but here we go anyway.

There's a reason why Kresley Cole is permanently fixed as my no. 1 favorite author, and why Immortals After Dark is my no. 1 favorite series of all time. The Witch Queen of Halloween may be a novella, but it still possesses examples of every single reason why I adore this series and Kresley so much.

The vivid and distinct characters.
The boundless imagination.
The brilliant foreshadowing.
The hysterical humor.
The cultural references.
The romance.
The heat.
The tension and suspense.
The twists and turns.
The masterful, tight storytelling.

All of it. All of it is just so damn good, I cannot.

"The die is cast. It's too late to change anything. Depending on what is unleashed tonight, the Lore will convulse. I hope you know what you're doing, because for once, I don't."

Mari swallowed. "That sounds less than ducky. I thought you'd still be acting as, like, the guardrails for me."

[SPOILER] smirked. "Looks like you're about to careen off the cliff and take all of us with you."

Nïx didn't deny it. "That's the thing about shaping fate, young witch." She stomped her bare foot into the puddle; lightning flashed again, and water splattered up to her face. "Sometimes it resists."

I'm not quite sure how to talk about this book without spoiling anything major, to be honest. Suffice it to say, this is absolutely making it into my annual spooky season rereads rotation, for one - and second, even if you've never read any books in this series before, The Witch Queen... actually makes for the perfect standalone read.

The references, hints, and foreshadowing relating to the broader story arcs will go completely missed and unappreciated, but that doesn't mean the core of the story itself can't be enjoyed when consumed otherwise totally blind. And that's an impressive feat to pull off. Usually, when there's a book in the middle of a series, even if its marketed as a standalone, I still feel like it should be consumed alongside the other books in said-series. The Witch Queen... is one of those extremely rare exceptions to the rule.

So not only does Kresley make a novella feel like a full-blown novel in terms of tight storytelling and masterful pacing. She also manages to pull off the whole "story in the middle of large series could legit be read on its own" thing, all while making it look absurdly easy.

Only Kresley could do that, I swear...

If he had to be trapped with anyone, he'd choose Poppy.

What a fitting name.

Pretty flower. Ruinous drug.

I've always had a soft spot for Rök, ever since that smoke demon appeared on the page alongside Cadeon and his crew of mercenaries. He's effortlessly charming and naturally funny, so it was wonderful to see more added depth to his character. His chemistry with Poppy (a new character in the series) is electric - even when they're bickering or there's an unresolved misunderstanding between them.

Their banter throughout the story, alongside the high-stakes and action, keeps the pace at an excellent clip. And even though Poppy is new to the IAD universe, it feels like she's been here this whole time. Again - how the fuck does Kresley do that? It's magic.

"... I'm surprised you can stand hanging with me. Witches broker in creepiness."

"Yeah, but your creepy is cute. I'm hexually attracted to you."

She stopped in her tracks. "Oh, my gods, you did't."

Unrepenant grin. "Did. Will do it all night."

Also - that sexual tension. The chemistry. The yearning. It's like a constant low-burn simmering off the page until things finally ignite and uggghhhhhh, it's so good!

Some other things of note:

This book feels like a classic Scooby-Doo episode with a whose-who of Halloween horrors, but R-rated, spicy, and definitely more terrifying. The setting with the spooky castle, Poppy's curse, the stakes, the tension - it's just all of the chef's kisses.

Oh - and can I just say that Poppy's innate power is fucking brilliant?! I don't know why I didn't see it before, but the revelation made me giddy. And it made that final battle sequence absolutely a thrill to imagine. I usually dislike the idea of my faves being put on the big screen (largely because studio executives and Hollywood in general have a terrible track record of ruining things I love), but I'd pay good money to see this novella in a visual medium. It's effortlessly cinematic and the perfect balance of horror, mystery, humor, and passion.

Honestly, it would make for a great flick.

TL;DR - Kresley is a goddess. This book is amazing. This series is S-Tier perfection and cannot be beat by literally anything else. I will die on this hill.

P.S. Nïx does make an appearance at the beginning, and while it was brief, it was also everything I could have wanted, by the way. 11/10 recommend.

Rök held her gaze. "When you love something, you protect it."

She swallowed, so caught up in this demon she could drown in him.

Caution warned, Just dip a toe.

Experience screamed, Do not head in deeper.

Desire whispered, Headfirst and make a splash.

[Ceros · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let down after two years since the last IAD book

In Kresley's previous novellas we had already met and gained curiosity about the main characters. This novella features Rök, who we have met before (very briefly) and an entirely new character- Poppy.

I admit had this actually been released in October as initially intended, it may have set the mood more for a book about a witch who is the Queen of Halloween. This book just did nothing for me except add two new pieces of information- a place that had been alluded to in SoS and a new character.

I'm just disappointed that after waiting over 2 years (Munroe was released in January 2022) we didn't get a book that (at least in my opinion) knocked my socks off. Also not even a book, since this is a novella and is about half the size of her other books. It was just lackluster and took a few chapters to get into since I didnt have any interest in the main characters prior (well at least the one we met previously). The spice was okay, maybe a 2 out of 5. Some of the merc banter between Rök and Popy had me cringing. Overall it read like a fan fic of IAD and Halloween.

[ReaderOfEbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. The setting of this haunted castle and her “visitors” is too left field. It took me hours to finish because this was so uninteresting to me. This book could have never existed in this series. I can’t even imagine why it was delayed from an October 2023 release. It was so unnecessary. I’m being extremely generous with a 2 star rating (blaming nostalgia and a love of the series overall) because this book won’t be reread ever again. Can only hope Mina’s book actually releases in 2024 but I’m already prepared for a 2025 announcement

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This for some reason was released in March but it is set at Halloween in a haunted mansion of all things so I think now is a better time to pick it up for a read, especially if you are a fan of IAD, which I am.

Rok (Demon) and Poppy (Witch) had a almost fantastic date a few years ago. It was going really well until Rok got summoned by one of his former lovers, apparently it is an issue all Smoke Demons have. Once you have sex with one you can summon them anytime you want later. While he warned Poppy this might happen he didn't make it back very fast and she assumed the worst of him.

Fast forward a few years and now Poppy is going to go into a haunted, enchanted castle on Halloween in an attempt to break a ever increasing curse that has been plaguing her for years and getting worse. Rok shows up just before the doors open and is determined to help Poppy out, no matter what she is there for. And the spooky times and love story begins.

This was a fun novella that had so many shout outs to the current horror industry as Poppy and Rok fight off random creatures from Halloween lore and discover just why they belong together. Overall I think this works really well as a novella during the fall Halloween season, so I'm glad I waited to read it until now.

Sparks fly and there are some sexy times all before the dawn when they have to get out or be stuck for 19 years in the creepy manse. I loved Rok and had such a good time with him as he tries to convince Poppy that he is the only man/Demon for her. If you've read any of the IAD books you know what you are in for there. There will be some powerful couples when the Accention final gets going.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun with this one. I think it delivered for me on what I wanted to see for Rok.

[lex (samkiel’s version ⚡︎) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ☆

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointed 😞

I am a long time fan of K. Cole and I this is well below her usual standards. A witch and a demon stuck in a haunted??castle. Annd...that's about the gist of it. Umm, they kill a bunch of creepys, have sex...repeat. This is not part of the series as we know it. Names are mentioned but it's not really part of the story. Neither character is particularly likeable, both are flat. Shorter than any of the others , not worth the money. Ghostwriter anyone.

[Ruth♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Cómo extrañaba a Kresley 🥹

Poppy tiene una hechizo que romper alguien se lo lanzo pero no sabe ni quién fue ni como quitarlo así que cuando una Valkiria le dice que todo está en ir a una mansión que te deja encerrado toda la noche y que además nadie ahí a sobrevivido, ella piensa que es pan comido hasta que se topa ahí con Rök su rival pero también el hombre que no puede sacarse de su cabeza, será que este encierro los una de la mejor forma?

Tenía meses sin leer nada de esta saga y como se venía octubre 🎃 y este libros es ideal dije por qué no?

La historia se me hizo muy interesante, todo lo que tuvieron que pasar estos dos en esa mansión fue algo que no ví venir, me imagina otra cosa pero me sorprendió, creo que fue muy ingenioso esas trampas y bueno de la pareja en si, también me gustó bastante al inicio sabía que estos dos iban a tener problemas de comunicación y quería que pasáramos de eso pero una vez que todo se solucionó fui feliz y me gustó verlos felices, creo que fue un gran comienzo para los libros spooky.

[Canan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cadılar bayramında ortaya çıkan tüm canavarların teker teker karşına canlı bir şekilde çıkması şoku 🤣😁
Yani temaya anlam veremedim ama sevenlerin kavuşmasına okeyim 😅

Ama kitabın sonu...uuuu kim o canavarcık merak ettim.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all, "The Witch Queen of Halloween," let me tell you-
KC is so clever. That title...100%. Poppy's name...100%. The curse...100% She never friggin' misses.
Poppy is a great Heroine and Rok had some swoony lines. It gets very emotional towards the end. And I think the main trope she used for Poppy and Rok is a new one for IAD!? I don't want to give it away, but iyk, let me know if I'm right or wrong.
To me, the Halloween aspect was heavy in the horror department. It was more than I usually choose to read, so I am glad this was a novella. I get scared easily, which is why I read romance or self-help books! But I can list 3 friends rn who will love this spooky aspect.
KC's author's note at the beginning tells us of her love for Halloween and horror in general. I don't know if it's becuase of that that I was predispositioned to think this, but it feels like KC had a lot of fun writing this. Can you ever just "feel" the love an author has for a story? It also makes me happy for KC that she got the chance to write this book. We gotta keep our girl happy so she keeps giving us books to obsess over. 
I'm very curious to see how/if the character in the epilogue will play out in the rest of the series. She always leaves us wanting more.
Alrighty, they kissed, KC always knocks it out the park, and- WAIT! DO YOU HEAR THAT?! (jk, spooky mansion joke)- I've told you about it.

[sarah ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

when i heard about this novella coming out instead of a full length novel i was dissapointed but excited because IAD started with a novella —The Warlord Wants Forever—and that novella is in my top 5 of the IAD books, that’s how good it was

so i had high hopes for this book. i religiously checked KC’s twitter for teasers and tried to retouch on IAD details by rereading some of the novels—only to be let down by this novella completely

because it is a novella i wasn’t expecting much in terms of plot and i was really just hoping this would be a fun read, however the story fell so flat too me that i don’t think i’d even consider rereading it just for fun like i do with all of the other IAD books

poppy’s character fell soooooo extremely flat to me. KC usually does an outstanding job in making wonderfully likable and attractive FMCs, but poppy was so unremarkable and boring that i didn’t care for her much. rök was funny but he doesn’t hold a candle to ANY of the other MMCs in the IAD universe so he’s also a bit forgettable.

i also regrettably couldn’t feel the chemistry between them. i would brush it off as “maybe it’s because it’s a novella!!” but i know KC is more than capable of making great chemistry between two characters in a novella because she did it with Myst & Nikolai in the very first story of the series and it was brilliant

in terms of plot, the story was a bit boring and i found myself sadly skimming after the 70% mark i was just not very interested

i will say the ending had me intrigued though so i hope that will be a redeeming quality

overall? 2.5 stars but im rounding up because despite it all Kresley Cole is still one of my favorite authors and I hope Heath or Mina (or both) are the next characters in the upcoming book because i’ve missed the IAD universe —especially Nyx—a lot

i do think it’s time for kresley to start wrapping up her IAD series and put it to an end. maybe she could start a new series or try something new because i can tell the well is drying up with IAD right now and she should finish up heath and mina and just finish us off with nyx and the wrap up of the accession

[Dana Dara · Rating 2 out of 5]

not kresley cole

Sorry but it was apparently on page 1 that this IS NOT Kresley Cole. I know this because of the following 2 issues:
1) Rök is supposed to sound like a pirate; his speech always reflects that. This book doesn’t have those details. All of the other books did.
2) The writing is nothing like Cole’s previous books, aside from the last one, which everyone guessed also wasn’t written by her. The book just doesn’t flow and with these two profound details missing it’s so hard to follow and get into.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

After the disaster that was the last book, I was REALLY hoping she had gotten things back on track. This was truly terrible and I’m so disappointed to see this series go out like this. I’m not even sure I would read other books as I think they’d devastate me further. Oof!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy from the author's ARC team. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If Kresley Cole wasn't already my favorite author, this book would have solidified it. I had been anticipating this novella for months and it definitely surpassed my expectations. It didn't even feel like a novella. Everything was so fleshed out and described so richly that I forgot it wasn't a full length novel. Rok and Poppy were so well matched that I didn't mind it was a second chance romance. Their entire courtship was fully on page where the reader was given complete insight on their relationship. With the introduction of Poppy, I really hope her witchy sisters are further brought into to the series as potential fated mates. Wouldn't that be divine?!



The Witch Queen of Halloween was everything. It was so incredibly creative and immersive. I know this was slated for October, but it honestly works for every single day of the year. I never thought you could find romance in a haunted house, yet I was thankfully proven wrong. There were cameos from so many different spooky franchises that I lost count. There were a few references I didn't catch but it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story. Rok and Poppy were the perfect couple who kept me hooked as they explored deeper into the haunted mansion. There were nightmares in nearly every room and you wouldn't catch me taking one step on that property!



The Witch Queen of Halloween was a spectacular experience. Kresley Cole can do no wrong in my book. I've read the Immortals After Dark series nearly five times and I can't get enough of it. I think this was a clever novella that I hope opens the door for future installments in the collection. We definitely need more witches, demons, and even a few sirens that are still missing their fated mate. After this stellar book, I gladly pledge my fealty to Poppy as the Witch Queen of Halloween. These books bring me so much joy and I hope this series never ends!

[Katerina · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was what it was. I'm a huge fan of the IAD series, and I was aware that this was a novella, out of season for sure. Maybe if it was released during *gasp* Halloween, it would have been relevant. Only real treat was the prologue, where we get a Nix, Dorata, Loa and Mariketa meeting. Everything else was just a halloween story, without purpose. But as I said, I am a fan of the IAD and I have come from a very recent re-read, so I wanted some hint of something, it's been so long since we had an IAD book anyway.

Will I read this again? Nope. Am I picking up the next book? Yes, I'm owed a lot more than this novella, and Ms. Cole will deliver. Just have to be patient.

[Sarah Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had no right being this gooood! And as a novella! I laughed. I cried. I swooned. And it is setting up so much cool shit still to come in future IAD books. Kresley Cole is a mastermind.

😈 Rok was legitimately so funny to me. Cheese and all. idc.

"Yeah, but your creepy is cute. I'm hexually attracted to you.”
She stopped in her tracks. "Oh, my gods, you didn't.”
Unrepentant grin. "Did. Will do it all night."
Damn it, why'd he have to be fun?

🔥 And he had some great lines!

“…Woman, understand me: I'll take on hell for you."

🤭 And he’s down baddddd.

"You're ... obsessed with me?"
With weary acceptance, he said, "The definition of it."

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed after all this time

I’m going to be honest— I absolutely ADORE the IAD series. And Cole as a writer is one of my absolute favorites. I have recommended this series to so many people— and despite this installment I’ll continue to do so.

The major downer was the length. It’s under 200pgs and read and feels like a novella. While there is another novella in the series most of the installments are full length books. Because of its shortness I felt a lot of character development whiplash. I know we’ve met Rok several times as a background character— but I have no memory of ever having Poppy appear in any other IAD book. With that- it just felt like they didn’t have time to become characters. Furthermore, almost there entire relationship was viewed in memory and consisted of having similar circles (like all the Loreans honestly) and one date. It just made it so flimsy feeling that you didn’t particularly care once they got together- which is a first for me with these books.

While Rok had his moments, Poppy felt super underdeveloped and then out of no where insanely overpowered. It was just a looot of whiplash.

What makes the poor story construction worse is that it didn’t feel like a Kresley Cole book. Sure the themes and the details and the world building was all there— but it lacked the humor and the build of her other stories. The conversations between the characters and their internal dialogue felt so forced and campy it read almost like IAD fan fiction instead of the real thing.

Overall, it was disappointing. I have waited literal years for new installments to the series and when one finally comes up it’s short and lacking.

[LaBlue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not going on my reread list. Not especially creative. Not all that interesting as it was a rushed story. I had such high hopes for Rok’s story as he was such a prominent side character in the earlier books, much like Deshesior is now. But Halloween is a least favorite holiday for me and this story incorporated pop culture horror like dolls and Michael Myers’s as the monsters. Even an IAD version of Frankenstein. Nothing original or on par with the rest of this series. Some might like all that. But for me what made this series great was the original twists on mythology this author has created in the IAD universe.

The only interesting part of this story was the prologue with Loa, Nix and La Dorada. I’m still working out what all that was about.

Last but not least in what I disliked about this book was the three sex scenes in that creepy ass house. It really had a Rose Red decorator, even though the author was seriously trying to get the reader to visualize the shining hotel instead. The shining hotel I can see a sex scene in, but the Rose Red McMansion, not so much. Just my two cents on erotica in that scenario anyway.

Therefore, my low rating is very subjective and you can read or not at your leisure. I’ve waited almost a decade for this series to continue and I’m honestly not all that interested in it anymore. I know the author had years of issues she was fighting through but I think I’m in a different place in my life to feel any enjoyment with these highly delayed installments to this series. Idk. Good luck.

[b.andherbooks]

soft dnf; think i'll try to listen to this in audio when halloween is here.

[Lynsey A · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a bit since reading this series, well except for Monro last year but I was kinda rocky on this male hero, Rok. Regardless, it's Kresley and it is IAD so you know I'm going to love it. And I did!

Kresley Cole is just so great at the story telling and world building, really just creating creatures in general. Pure genius. Her stories, her writing is always so creative. Just the genius of Poppy being able to control the nightmares, that it wasn't a curse, but that she could basically use those nightmares, those horror movie characters to save herself and Rok. Very clever!

I really loved it. It was beautifully done. I really wish we'd gotten a longer book, to see more of Poppy's abilities and well, just time outside the haunted house with Poppy and Rok. I hope we see these two in future IAD books.

One big question is how long will we have to wait for the next book?? She isn't writing the Arcane Chronicles any longer so hopefully that means she is going to write about IAD full time now. Please, Kresley! :)

I've said it before but Kresley is a tremendous writer. Her ability to create this world and to just keep expanding it. Truly phenomenal.

I liked this story and their love story but again, wish it was longer and we got more. Novella's are good from favorite authors but they always leave me wanting more.

Rok willing to die for Poppy, to become a ghoul. I will always love a story where the hero or the heroine is willing to die to save the other. Swoon! I also love how they both knew right away that they were it for each other, that Rok knew that Poppy was his mate, even though it took some time for them to finally come together.

I give 3 stars for the romance but added a 4th because the world building and the story were just so creative!

[MissClo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading an IAD book, no matter how short it long always feels like coming home. This was no different. Although a novella, it packs a punch and gives us all the statement Cole hits:

🔥 Fast paced plot
🔥 Off charts chemistry
🔥 Loveable characters
🔥 Brief cameos
🔥 Spice

In this case, we meet Poppy and Rök. They weren’t ever big characters in previous books, but trust that you will love them dearly by the end.

Poppy is on a mission to break a curse. It’s a shame that in order to do so, she will have to face various Halloween creatures in a haunted castle. The last thing she needs is a mercenary from her past to be poking his head in, wanting part of the action.

Rök has been desperate to go on a second date with Poppy after the first ended abruptly. It’s a shame that she wants nothing to do with him. Now that they’re stuck in a castle, perhaps he can change her mind… whilst fighting for their lives!

I loved this book. Loved loved loved.

Cannot wait for the next one! This one leaves us wanting more for sure by the end!