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Pumpkin Man 2 : Origin
Fun horror for adults! YOU DO NOT NEED TO READ PUMPKIN MAN 1. This is a tasty, lightning fast, Halloweenie treat! Lots of gore and slasher fun on this wild ride through Birch Hollow, your favorite Halloween town. Find out what happened on the very first Pumpkin Man Halloween when Betty battles this odd, silly, weirdo-killer in this hilarious, slasher prequel. Guaranteed to entertain, dazzle and delight!
- GenresHorror
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 23, 2024
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 23, 2024
"The Pumpkin Man wiped his blade on his slacks. He gazed up the giant, orange fizzy moon. From his cracked stem, a thin vine twirled up, sprouting more pumpkin leaves, stretching into the darkness."
An enjoyable read when you are looking for a quick campy, goofy/quirky slasher to palette cleanse with. There are a lot of fun and crazy kills in this one. You get B-movie vibes and sort of upgraded version of Fear Street and Point Horror books.
3.5 🎃
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing / Penny Moonz for the arc 🖤
An enjoyable read when you are looking for a quick campy, goofy/quirky slasher to palette cleanse with. There are a lot of fun and crazy kills in this one. You get B-movie vibes and sort of upgraded version of Fear Street and Point Horror books.
3.5 🎃
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing / Penny Moonz for the arc 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2024
─ 𝟒★ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 🕷️🎃 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐟𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞-𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫
“𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔓𝔲𝔪𝔭𝔨𝔦𝔫 𝔐𝔞𝔫 𝔤𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔪 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔟𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔩𝔦𝔭𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔞 𝔟𝔦𝔤, 𝔠𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢.”
I suggest reading the trigger warnings before diving into the book, they are as follows:
🕷️Gore
🕷️ Slasher
🕷️ Lots of pumpkin goo
🕷️ Twisted child representation (this kid is really creepy lol)
🕷️ Trauma
Main tropes are: 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧
For me this book was fast-paced, ooky spooky, enthralling and also a very goofy experience. It depicts the 1950s in the start of the book and the 1970s at around the 20% mark I think, so those timelines we visited gave me such a feeling of nostalgia through the descriptions of scenery and also of the characters, at the beginning showing us a character babysitting a little boy for one of her neighbors, and then it starts getting dark and going downhill from there, and it started scaling up and up and up, and it got so unhinged that I really needed to just sit and continue, I needed to know what was going to happen in this silly small town that made Halloween the biggest event it could ever be.
“𝒯𝒾𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝓎 𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑜𝓇𝓌𝒶𝓎. ℋ𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶 𝓁𝒶𝓇𝑔𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓀𝓃𝒾𝒻𝑒. “𝒜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃, 𝓂𝒶𝓂𝓂𝒶?”
You know the feeling that those trashy horror movies give you? Where it’s so spooky, gory but also silly at the same time? That you just gag at the way the events start ramping up with all the gore, and then you laugh at how silly, for example, the character of the Pumpkin Man is!!!
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃 ℳ𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝒹𝑜𝓌 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇. ℋ𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝒸𝓊𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝒶 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒻𝓁𝓊𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒷 𝒾𝓉.”
See how silly he is? LOL, then moves on to do this next:
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃 ℳ𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒶𝒾𝓉𝑒𝒹, 𝑔𝓇𝒾𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓁𝑒. 𝒜𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝒸𝓀 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹, 𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝓊𝓉, 𝒹𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓅𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓃𝓊𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹.”
So, yeah, these feelings I mentioned are exactly what the book gives, a laugh and a shock at the same time. Overall, all those elements are really balanced in the book, which made for a very funny and spooky experience. I as a big time horror fan enjoyed the whole book, if I didn’t have chores to do when I started, I’d have finished it in one sitting, so yeah it’s a big page turner.
Thanks to Netgalley, Victory Editing and Penny Moonz for providing me with this fast-paced spooky vibe book.
“𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔓𝔲𝔪𝔭𝔨𝔦𝔫 𝔐𝔞𝔫 𝔤𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔞𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔪 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔴𝔦𝔡𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔟𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔩𝔦𝔭𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔞 𝔟𝔦𝔤, 𝔠𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔰𝔪𝔦𝔩𝔢.”
I suggest reading the trigger warnings before diving into the book, they are as follows:
🕷️Gore
🕷️ Slasher
🕷️ Lots of pumpkin goo
🕷️ Twisted child representation (this kid is really creepy lol)
🕷️ Trauma
Main tropes are: 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧
For me this book was fast-paced, ooky spooky, enthralling and also a very goofy experience. It depicts the 1950s in the start of the book and the 1970s at around the 20% mark I think, so those timelines we visited gave me such a feeling of nostalgia through the descriptions of scenery and also of the characters, at the beginning showing us a character babysitting a little boy for one of her neighbors, and then it starts getting dark and going downhill from there, and it started scaling up and up and up, and it got so unhinged that I really needed to just sit and continue, I needed to know what was going to happen in this silly small town that made Halloween the biggest event it could ever be.
“𝒯𝒾𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒽𝓎 𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓃𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑜𝓇𝓌𝒶𝓎. ℋ𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶 𝓁𝒶𝓇𝑔𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓀𝓃𝒾𝒻𝑒. “𝒜𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃, 𝓂𝒶𝓂𝓂𝒶?”
You know the feeling that those trashy horror movies give you? Where it’s so spooky, gory but also silly at the same time? That you just gag at the way the events start ramping up with all the gore, and then you laugh at how silly, for example, the character of the Pumpkin Man is!!!
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃 ℳ𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝒹𝑜𝓌 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒹𝒾𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓇. ℋ𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒻𝑜𝒸𝓊𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝒶 𝒸𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒻𝓁𝓊𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝓂, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝑔𝓇𝒶𝒷 𝒾𝓉.”
See how silly he is? LOL, then moves on to do this next:
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝓊𝓂𝓅𝓀𝒾𝓃 ℳ𝒶𝓃 𝓌𝒶𝒾𝓉𝑒𝒹, 𝑔𝓇𝒾𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓁𝑒. 𝒜𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝒸𝓀 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹, 𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝑜𝓊𝓉, 𝒹𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓅𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓃𝓊𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹.”
So, yeah, these feelings I mentioned are exactly what the book gives, a laugh and a shock at the same time. Overall, all those elements are really balanced in the book, which made for a very funny and spooky experience. I as a big time horror fan enjoyed the whole book, if I didn’t have chores to do when I started, I’d have finished it in one sitting, so yeah it’s a big page turner.
Thanks to Netgalley, Victory Editing and Penny Moonz for providing me with this fast-paced spooky vibe book.
November 8, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
On Halloween, four-year-old Timothy Pipkin is at his neighbor’s house when he hears a pumpkin telling him to commit evil acts. Sweet, innocent Timothy does not want to do anything bad but before long, the neighbor has been stabbed to death and his mother is desperately trying to protect him.
Twenty years later, on Halloween day, the town is terrorized by what seems to be a man with a pumpkin over his head. No one is safe from this ‘pumpkin man’ who leaves a wake of death and devastation. Who is he? Why is he here? One woman may have some answers, only she is the pumpkin man’s main target. Can she survive the mayhem?
I found the premise intriguing but the execution fell short for several reasons. Firstly, the writing was a bit too simplistic. I was looking forward to more of an extreme and gory horror story but instead felt the story more closely resembled an RL Stine Goosebumps tale with a bit more bite. Secondly, I felt that the dialog between the characters was unrealistic. Likewise, the way the characters reacted to the various situations was not at all believable. I understand that this is a work of supernatural fiction so suspension of disbelief is necessary, and perhaps the author was striving to produce something more fun and amusing—more like a B movie—but I found it incredibly frustrating. Thirdly, this book is supposed to be a stand-alone origin story but I feel as though nothing was fully explained. I still don’t know exactly what brought the pumpkin man into being. Was it just a demon that took over a pumpkin? Why did it take twenty years to emerge as a pumpkin man?
Lastly, this book could benefit from additional editing as there were far too many typos.
Despite the flaws, the story was largely entertaining and did have a few decent scenes of violence and gore. Overall, it’s a fun, short Halloween story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
On Halloween, four-year-old Timothy Pipkin is at his neighbor’s house when he hears a pumpkin telling him to commit evil acts. Sweet, innocent Timothy does not want to do anything bad but before long, the neighbor has been stabbed to death and his mother is desperately trying to protect him.
Twenty years later, on Halloween day, the town is terrorized by what seems to be a man with a pumpkin over his head. No one is safe from this ‘pumpkin man’ who leaves a wake of death and devastation. Who is he? Why is he here? One woman may have some answers, only she is the pumpkin man’s main target. Can she survive the mayhem?
I found the premise intriguing but the execution fell short for several reasons. Firstly, the writing was a bit too simplistic. I was looking forward to more of an extreme and gory horror story but instead felt the story more closely resembled an RL Stine Goosebumps tale with a bit more bite. Secondly, I felt that the dialog between the characters was unrealistic. Likewise, the way the characters reacted to the various situations was not at all believable. I understand that this is a work of supernatural fiction so suspension of disbelief is necessary, and perhaps the author was striving to produce something more fun and amusing—more like a B movie—but I found it incredibly frustrating. Thirdly, this book is supposed to be a stand-alone origin story but I feel as though nothing was fully explained. I still don’t know exactly what brought the pumpkin man into being. Was it just a demon that took over a pumpkin? Why did it take twenty years to emerge as a pumpkin man?
Lastly, this book could benefit from additional editing as there were far too many typos.
Despite the flaws, the story was largely entertaining and did have a few decent scenes of violence and gore. Overall, it’s a fun, short Halloween story.
February 24, 2025
I really wanted to like this book. It’s meant to be a fun slasher horror featuring a pumpkin-headed killer - an origin story and the second book in the series (though it can be read first for background before book one). Unfortunately, it desperately needed an editor.
November 14, 2024
“Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of the pumpkin.”
Simone Schwarzbart
You do not need to have read Pumpkin Man 1; this story stands alone.
On a prior Halloween, a tragedy happens and Betty finds herself alone for years. But now she has a visitor she thought she left behind years ago. She will not be lonely this Halloween, but he won’t be safe either. A pumpkin man is in town, following her as she tries to escape the deadly rampage that’s been growing for years.
This was a fun, fast read, perfect for the holiday. I was impressed by the beginning story set-up, which was completely unexpected and inventive. I give the book points for this well-done exposition. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, because the best part for me here was being surprised by the early actions.
In the last portion of the book Betty is at a party, still trying to dodge the maniac. Yet for some unknown reason, she doesn’t warn the party about the monster directly attracted to her. He has been following her scent all over town and is on the hunt.
This is where the book lost me. Betty was whiny and not at all proactive. It got tiresome seeing her shrink herself to make everyone else happy, and then not ask for help when the time came for her. There was great development to the story at the beginning but then it felt like it stalled out.
There was no explanation for how the Pumpkin Man exists. Betty never evolved past a sullen woman who not only couldn’t deal with the Pumpkin Man but also seemed so socially awkward it was painful. Additionally, the people around her were just as bad, so self-centered they completely dismissed Betty’s odd behavior no matter how weird it got.
I too struggle with social situations so I could be wrong. Maybe that is how people act, but it seemed off to me. I wish there would have been more substance to the second half. Additionally, the ending is quite abrupt and left me wanting so many answers.
I would still recommend this as a fun read to get the Halloween feeling. I am happy I got the opportunity to read this book and would read the first book as well. Hopefully, this will be a longer series where perhaps we get more answers.
Simone Schwarzbart
You do not need to have read Pumpkin Man 1; this story stands alone.
On a prior Halloween, a tragedy happens and Betty finds herself alone for years. But now she has a visitor she thought she left behind years ago. She will not be lonely this Halloween, but he won’t be safe either. A pumpkin man is in town, following her as she tries to escape the deadly rampage that’s been growing for years.
This was a fun, fast read, perfect for the holiday. I was impressed by the beginning story set-up, which was completely unexpected and inventive. I give the book points for this well-done exposition. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, because the best part for me here was being surprised by the early actions.
In the last portion of the book Betty is at a party, still trying to dodge the maniac. Yet for some unknown reason, she doesn’t warn the party about the monster directly attracted to her. He has been following her scent all over town and is on the hunt.
This is where the book lost me. Betty was whiny and not at all proactive. It got tiresome seeing her shrink herself to make everyone else happy, and then not ask for help when the time came for her. There was great development to the story at the beginning but then it felt like it stalled out.
There was no explanation for how the Pumpkin Man exists. Betty never evolved past a sullen woman who not only couldn’t deal with the Pumpkin Man but also seemed so socially awkward it was painful. Additionally, the people around her were just as bad, so self-centered they completely dismissed Betty’s odd behavior no matter how weird it got.
I too struggle with social situations so I could be wrong. Maybe that is how people act, but it seemed off to me. I wish there would have been more substance to the second half. Additionally, the ending is quite abrupt and left me wanting so many answers.
I would still recommend this as a fun read to get the Halloween feeling. I am happy I got the opportunity to read this book and would read the first book as well. Hopefully, this will be a longer series where perhaps we get more answers.
November 2, 2024
After reading the first book, I was eager to find out more about the Pumpkin Man and here, I got my wish. I enjoyed the wild and weird story of how the Pumpkin Man came to be, that was my favorite part of the book.
The rest of it was just okay for me. There's definitely some fun, gory moments but there were a couple of scenes that went too far over the comedic line into goofy territory for me personally. Everyone has different tastes. What didn't work for me, might be right up your alley.
As with the first, this is a pretty quick read that feels like you're reading a low budget 80s horror movie (I mean this in a good way!) that doesn't skimp on the kills. It also stands on its own so you don't need to read the first if you're wanting to see what the Pumpkin Man is all about.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The rest of it was just okay for me. There's definitely some fun, gory moments but there were a couple of scenes that went too far over the comedic line into goofy territory for me personally. Everyone has different tastes. What didn't work for me, might be right up your alley.
As with the first, this is a pretty quick read that feels like you're reading a low budget 80s horror movie (I mean this in a good way!) that doesn't skimp on the kills. It also stands on its own so you don't need to read the first if you're wanting to see what the Pumpkin Man is all about.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 18, 2025
I’m not crazy. I’m fine. It’s not me. There really is a Pumpkin Man.
Though I hate to end my Halloween read-a-thon this way (sorry, I started early!), Penny Moonz's "Pumpkin Man 2 : Origin (Creeperslandia)" was truly, and thoroughly, awful. We're talking like "Plan 9 from Outer Space" bad, where the players and others involved don't even know just how bad their creation is, taking things far too "professionally" for any of what we see to just be blamed on any feeble attempt at humor along the way. Even some of the inexplicable typos seemed almost too comedic to be real. For example, was the local newspaper called the "Birch Hollow Herald" (used 1 time) or "The Birch Hollow Harold" (used 2 times)? I guess in the latter case the locals probably referred to it as "The Hollow Harry"! But I digress…
She took every Halloween off. Halloween was for being alone.
Now before you accuse me so rude as to think I should be allowed to express my own opinions, please note that this isn't necessary a death knell for this book. Because it IS so mind-numbingly bad - and here you can take your pick of the absolutely terrible editing, the absolutely weird plot, or even the occasional gory but amusing death scenes ("He did a flip, head down, aiming into the deep fryer. He plunged into the oil headfirst…") - that it's the kind of book where I can imagine sitting around with friends on Halloween and reading given passages to each other, you know, just for gits and shiggles! I'm not kidding in that I really wonder if there's an Audible version, even though I suspect that no one has ever read any of this book out loud, otherwise someone would have screamed about the short chapters (44 chapters over 184 pages ~ 4.2 average), the aforementioned typos, or just the ridiculous behavior of our "protagonist" and the many, many characters that insist on behaving in utterly fatal ways. Here's a tip, kids: do NOT go back into the library when the killer is still "browsing"!
There was a pumpkin! A live devil pumpkin! Eatin’ a rat!
I suspose you're also wondering why I put "protagonist" in quotation marks (there, I did it again just to prove my point). Well, Betty Pipkin is not what anyone would call an upstanding citizen … nor I guess in hindsight a very good mom. First of all, her sweet and precocious little boy Timothy winds up killing his baby-sitter because that's what the pumpkin under the bush told him to do (no, don't ask about that because it's just there, m'kay?). But rather than calling the police, Betty decides it'd be best just to bury her nice - and deceased - older colleague in the backyard. And if that weren't enough, Betty also later accidentally (hmm, I wonder) manages to kill wee Timothy as well. Quite a busy day, huh? So yeah, as you guessed it, there's another body to be planted in the rose garden out back. All of which is naturally then explained away as a kidnapping - where oh where is poor Timmy? - with no one noticing either the bloody mess of the first victim's kitchen (what with all the broken glass and blood everywhere) or even Betty's own house and/or backyard covered in freshly dug graves. Maybe what should be revealed is if Birch Hollow has the worst police force on the planet? Aw, who cares, right?
Her little boy had killed the elderly neighbor. Stabber (sic) her to death.
Now I don't want to provide too many spoilers - not that there's that many to give as there's not enough explained to any degree of satisfaction to spoil - but naturally when a story moves ahead in time like this (from Halloween Day 1950 to Halloween Day 1970) you just know all that has transpired up to this point will come back and haunt EVERYONE! Not just Ms. Pipkin, no ("Oh no! It’s happening again! I’m gonna have a flashback!") but the whole effing city is going to have to be made to suffer where again no law enforcement is ever present at all to assist in things. This all seems to be simply because of reasons … and a slow but steadily determined creature who also for whatever of these reasons has become "a big boy" now, including somehow managing to be wearing clothes that fit his new dimensions with no issue. I tell you, that's one hell of a pumpkin patch, oops, I mean, rose garden that she planted back there, huh? So along the way after this big moment, all sorts of folks die in all sorts of ways, usually with about the silliest and truly corny methodologies possible. Again, do. Not. Taunt. The. Angry. Zombie! Or whatever the hell it is…
She seemed very frazzled, almost hysterical, but in a quiet way.
Look, I got this via Kindle Unlimited so no harm, no foul. The book reads absurdly fast as it's mostly comprised of short, choppy sentences that explain every detail (she stood, she stepped, she found herself walking) and doesn't really stop to explain what happens to various people we meet along the way (I guess all the homeless folks lived… you know, except for the one that shows up inexplicably at the end and gets shot? Wait: was he the same one though that pointed out "Yeah. Defiantly (sic) dead man…"?). I also want to point out that I read Book 2 - The Prequel before checking out Book 1, which I can assure you know has been deleted utterly from my TBR list, simply because of, well again, reasons. Maybe I'm missing something by not reading it… but after just out of curiousity googling IMDB's list of "Funniest Extremely Bad Horror Movies" - noting that "Planet 9" only warrants 8th place on this list of vomit-inducing terribleness - I think I'll just be satisfied to check this book off my "fucket list" (sic) and move on.
Though I hate to end my Halloween read-a-thon this way (sorry, I started early!), Penny Moonz's "Pumpkin Man 2 : Origin (Creeperslandia)" was truly, and thoroughly, awful. We're talking like "Plan 9 from Outer Space" bad, where the players and others involved don't even know just how bad their creation is, taking things far too "professionally" for any of what we see to just be blamed on any feeble attempt at humor along the way. Even some of the inexplicable typos seemed almost too comedic to be real. For example, was the local newspaper called the "Birch Hollow Herald" (used 1 time) or "The Birch Hollow Harold" (used 2 times)? I guess in the latter case the locals probably referred to it as "The Hollow Harry"! But I digress…
She took every Halloween off. Halloween was for being alone.
Now before you accuse me so rude as to think I should be allowed to express my own opinions, please note that this isn't necessary a death knell for this book. Because it IS so mind-numbingly bad - and here you can take your pick of the absolutely terrible editing, the absolutely weird plot, or even the occasional gory but amusing death scenes ("He did a flip, head down, aiming into the deep fryer. He plunged into the oil headfirst…") - that it's the kind of book where I can imagine sitting around with friends on Halloween and reading given passages to each other, you know, just for gits and shiggles! I'm not kidding in that I really wonder if there's an Audible version, even though I suspect that no one has ever read any of this book out loud, otherwise someone would have screamed about the short chapters (44 chapters over 184 pages ~ 4.2 average), the aforementioned typos, or just the ridiculous behavior of our "protagonist" and the many, many characters that insist on behaving in utterly fatal ways. Here's a tip, kids: do NOT go back into the library when the killer is still "browsing"!
There was a pumpkin! A live devil pumpkin! Eatin’ a rat!
I suspose you're also wondering why I put "protagonist" in quotation marks (there, I did it again just to prove my point). Well, Betty Pipkin is not what anyone would call an upstanding citizen … nor I guess in hindsight a very good mom. First of all, her sweet and precocious little boy Timothy winds up killing his baby-sitter because that's what the pumpkin under the bush told him to do (no, don't ask about that because it's just there, m'kay?). But rather than calling the police, Betty decides it'd be best just to bury her nice - and deceased - older colleague in the backyard. And if that weren't enough, Betty also later accidentally (hmm, I wonder) manages to kill wee Timothy as well. Quite a busy day, huh? So yeah, as you guessed it, there's another body to be planted in the rose garden out back. All of which is naturally then explained away as a kidnapping - where oh where is poor Timmy? - with no one noticing either the bloody mess of the first victim's kitchen (what with all the broken glass and blood everywhere) or even Betty's own house and/or backyard covered in freshly dug graves. Maybe what should be revealed is if Birch Hollow has the worst police force on the planet? Aw, who cares, right?
Her little boy had killed the elderly neighbor. Stabber (sic) her to death.
Now I don't want to provide too many spoilers - not that there's that many to give as there's not enough explained to any degree of satisfaction to spoil - but naturally when a story moves ahead in time like this (from Halloween Day 1950 to Halloween Day 1970) you just know all that has transpired up to this point will come back and haunt EVERYONE! Not just Ms. Pipkin, no ("Oh no! It’s happening again! I’m gonna have a flashback!") but the whole effing city is going to have to be made to suffer where again no law enforcement is ever present at all to assist in things. This all seems to be simply because of reasons … and a slow but steadily determined creature who also for whatever of these reasons has become "a big boy" now, including somehow managing to be wearing clothes that fit his new dimensions with no issue. I tell you, that's one hell of a pumpkin patch, oops, I mean, rose garden that she planted back there, huh? So along the way after this big moment, all sorts of folks die in all sorts of ways, usually with about the silliest and truly corny methodologies possible. Again, do. Not. Taunt. The. Angry. Zombie! Or whatever the hell it is…
She seemed very frazzled, almost hysterical, but in a quiet way.
Look, I got this via Kindle Unlimited so no harm, no foul. The book reads absurdly fast as it's mostly comprised of short, choppy sentences that explain every detail (she stood, she stepped, she found herself walking) and doesn't really stop to explain what happens to various people we meet along the way (I guess all the homeless folks lived… you know, except for the one that shows up inexplicably at the end and gets shot? Wait: was he the same one though that pointed out "Yeah. Defiantly (sic) dead man…"?). I also want to point out that I read Book 2 - The Prequel before checking out Book 1, which I can assure you know has been deleted utterly from my TBR list, simply because of, well again, reasons. Maybe I'm missing something by not reading it… but after just out of curiousity googling IMDB's list of "Funniest Extremely Bad Horror Movies" - noting that "Planet 9" only warrants 8th place on this list of vomit-inducing terribleness - I think I'll just be satisfied to check this book off my "fucket list" (sic) and move on.
September 28, 2024
Thank you, Penny Moonz and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!
It's definitely another favorite. There's plenty of gore, death, and twisted humor throughout this book. As for it being an origin story, it was a little hard for me to understand. I still have questions here and there, but I still enjoyed this book to the very end. There are moments when you feel so bad for the main character and others you could just roll your eyes at her. In full, I did really enjoy myself reading this book. It's a really good book to read during the spooky season, for sure.
Have you read the first book? Don't worry, you don't have to. All you need to know is there is something out there on the loose. It's killing people. It's Halloween, and it's not going to stop till it's had its fill of carnage. What will make it stop? Can it be stopped? Read to find out all your can about the Pumpkin Man!
This book definitely had me raising my eyebrow here and there. I still have questions, but I think that's normal when it comes to books like this. I truly enjoyed the carnage, gore, and just the Demented way that is the pumpkin man. I have enjoyed every book I've picked up from this author so far and will continue to read from them.
It's definitely another favorite. There's plenty of gore, death, and twisted humor throughout this book. As for it being an origin story, it was a little hard for me to understand. I still have questions here and there, but I still enjoyed this book to the very end. There are moments when you feel so bad for the main character and others you could just roll your eyes at her. In full, I did really enjoy myself reading this book. It's a really good book to read during the spooky season, for sure.
Have you read the first book? Don't worry, you don't have to. All you need to know is there is something out there on the loose. It's killing people. It's Halloween, and it's not going to stop till it's had its fill of carnage. What will make it stop? Can it be stopped? Read to find out all your can about the Pumpkin Man!
This book definitely had me raising my eyebrow here and there. I still have questions, but I think that's normal when it comes to books like this. I truly enjoyed the carnage, gore, and just the Demented way that is the pumpkin man. I have enjoyed every book I've picked up from this author so far and will continue to read from them.
September 24, 2024
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This is a prequel to Pumpkin Man: Jane, a book I had never heard of until I discovered this one. The author/publisher is correct, you don't need to have read the other book to understand this one. Beginning in 1950 and then jumping to 1970 it tells how an evil pumpkin entity turns a little boy into a killer, leading to his mother making terrible decisions, which lead to the formation of an even worse pumpkin-headed creature.
For the most part it was decently written and fairly enjoyable. The longer the story went, the more uneven it became. At times it's a throw-back, almost cozy horror tale, though the violence in it ramps up to splatterpunk levels at times. The closer to the finale it got, the weaker and sillier it became until a very sudden, abrupt ending. In reading the author's synopsis of the previous book, she purposely wrote it to be kinda silly and a send up of slasher horror, and I guess that pretty much continues here, although the first 2/3 or so of this book were pretty solid. All in all, it's a reasonably fun and quick Halloween read.
This is a prequel to Pumpkin Man: Jane, a book I had never heard of until I discovered this one. The author/publisher is correct, you don't need to have read the other book to understand this one. Beginning in 1950 and then jumping to 1970 it tells how an evil pumpkin entity turns a little boy into a killer, leading to his mother making terrible decisions, which lead to the formation of an even worse pumpkin-headed creature.
For the most part it was decently written and fairly enjoyable. The longer the story went, the more uneven it became. At times it's a throw-back, almost cozy horror tale, though the violence in it ramps up to splatterpunk levels at times. The closer to the finale it got, the weaker and sillier it became until a very sudden, abrupt ending. In reading the author's synopsis of the previous book, she purposely wrote it to be kinda silly and a send up of slasher horror, and I guess that pretty much continues here, although the first 2/3 or so of this book were pretty solid. All in all, it's a reasonably fun and quick Halloween read.
September 20, 2024
Thanks so much to Penny Moonz for sending me an advance copy of Pumpkin Man 2! It was such a fun read and towards the end I really couldn’t put it down. I loved the unique storyline and the characters were well-constructed. The short chapters, along with the unrelenting goriness, really seemed to give the novella a fast pace, which I love. The description of the bloodbaths committed by Pumpkin Man and the whole backstory at the beginning are phenomenal! The nun scene was my favorite 😉
The reason for the 4-star rating (this could easily be 5 stars!) is the repetition in some chapters and some awkward tone shifts. For me, it causes a clunkiness that draws me out of the reading. Sometimes a character’s name would be repeated redundantly in a sentence or a few consecutive ones, or the tone of a chapter will abruptly shift with one sentence for no apparent reason.
Anyways, go read Pumpkin Man 2!! It’s such a great read for this time of year 😁
Already ordered Pumpkin Man: Jane 🤩
The reason for the 4-star rating (this could easily be 5 stars!) is the repetition in some chapters and some awkward tone shifts. For me, it causes a clunkiness that draws me out of the reading. Sometimes a character’s name would be repeated redundantly in a sentence or a few consecutive ones, or the tone of a chapter will abruptly shift with one sentence for no apparent reason.
Anyways, go read Pumpkin Man 2!! It’s such a great read for this time of year 😁
Already ordered Pumpkin Man: Jane 🤩
October 29, 2024
We start out in the 1950's and then progress to the 1970's...with a character babysitting a little boy. Seems pretty innocent, right?
WRONG. This pumpkin thingy/monster/entity, whatever you want to call it turns this little boy into a killer, which leads to far more sinister/creepier things to come...
To me this screams trashy/horror/gorey/silly, but all in the best ways possible. The author/publisher is right in that you don't have to read the first one to understand this one. I will still probably go back and read it though! Blood, gore, murder, Halloween and of course pumpkins...this was a good October read for me!
"The Pumpkin Man wiped his blade on his slacks. He gazed up at the giant, orange fizzy moon. From his cracked stem, a thin vine twirled up, sprouting more pumpkin leaves, stretching into the darkness."
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this digital ARC!
WRONG. This pumpkin thingy/monster/entity, whatever you want to call it turns this little boy into a killer, which leads to far more sinister/creepier things to come...
To me this screams trashy/horror/gorey/silly, but all in the best ways possible. The author/publisher is right in that you don't have to read the first one to understand this one. I will still probably go back and read it though! Blood, gore, murder, Halloween and of course pumpkins...this was a good October read for me!
"The Pumpkin Man wiped his blade on his slacks. He gazed up at the giant, orange fizzy moon. From his cracked stem, a thin vine twirled up, sprouting more pumpkin leaves, stretching into the darkness."
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this digital ARC!
September 19, 2024
ARC REVIEW 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 !!!
First off I want to thank Penny Moonz for allowing me to check this book out! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, let’s just say I was blown away!
I guess this is the second book about Pumpkin man, hence the title Origin! Omg this story has it all!!! Blood, guts, murder, Halloween (duh), and my personal favorite rolling cut nuns heads!!!! Like I said it has it all. I really can’t go into the story too much as much as I would love to. I can say, has to do with a woman named Betty, who is being chased by the pumpkin man on Halloween. Now why is he chasing her? Get this book on September 23rd! It’s great and you will not be disappointed!! While talking to the author, she told me that her books are a lot like Goosebumps for adults! Hell yeah I’m hooked!!!!
First off I want to thank Penny Moonz for allowing me to check this book out! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, let’s just say I was blown away!
I guess this is the second book about Pumpkin man, hence the title Origin! Omg this story has it all!!! Blood, guts, murder, Halloween (duh), and my personal favorite rolling cut nuns heads!!!! Like I said it has it all. I really can’t go into the story too much as much as I would love to. I can say, has to do with a woman named Betty, who is being chased by the pumpkin man on Halloween. Now why is he chasing her? Get this book on September 23rd! It’s great and you will not be disappointed!! While talking to the author, she told me that her books are a lot like Goosebumps for adults! Hell yeah I’m hooked!!!!
September 25, 2024
Pumpkin Man 2 by Penny Moonz is definitely a fun horror for adults! Just a mad story that perfectly fits on a Halloween shelf! You do not need to read the first one, everything is just there!
This one is a fast-paced horror story that most of the time made me laugh instead of being scared :D The storyline, oh my, oh my! A perfect Halloween slasher story.
No one would like to swap places with Betty, even she would like to not be a Betty anymore!
20 years ago horrible things happened and now she must deal with this horrific pumpkin man who will not stop for anything, he is out for blood!
Thank you, NetGalley, publisher and author for this book! It's not my usual read but I enjoyed it!
This one is a fast-paced horror story that most of the time made me laugh instead of being scared :D The storyline, oh my, oh my! A perfect Halloween slasher story.
No one would like to swap places with Betty, even she would like to not be a Betty anymore!
20 years ago horrible things happened and now she must deal with this horrific pumpkin man who will not stop for anything, he is out for blood!
Thank you, NetGalley, publisher and author for this book! It's not my usual read but I enjoyed it!
September 22, 2024
This is a perfect Halloween slasher story. It's a very quick read and it's spooky yet cosy. This has definitely got me into the Halloween spirit and I would really love to read more by this author now. I was given an ARC of this short story, and I'm so happy about it!
The story is set in a small town, and follows the main character Betty and her frightful encounter with the Pumpkin Man, a seemingly supernatural creature. It was so fun to read and I highly recommend if you want a short Halloween story
The story is set in a small town, and follows the main character Betty and her frightful encounter with the Pumpkin Man, a seemingly supernatural creature. It was so fun to read and I highly recommend if you want a short Halloween story
September 30, 2024
Pumpkin Man 2: Origin by Penny Moonz is a fun horror treat perfect for the Halloween season. This sequel delves deeper into the origins of its titular character, blending chilling moments with a playful sense of dark humor. Moonz’s storytelling captures the essence of spooky tales, making it an enjoyable read for adult fans of horror. With its intriguing plot and engaging characters, it offers a fresh twist on classic Halloween themes. If you're in the mood for some light horror this October, this book is definitely worth a look!
October 3, 2024
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. You find out how The Pumpkin Man came to be and a little history on others in the town. It also answers some other questions I had from book one.
It was gory, gross, and imaginative. I think my favorite side characters in this one were the nuns. Read it to find out why. 😂 It was pretty creepy and tense and the end really went off the rails. The ending was wild! I would expect nothing less from a Penny Moonz book.
I had a blast reading this! It had all the Halloween vibes and plenty of slashing to go around.
It was gory, gross, and imaginative. I think my favorite side characters in this one were the nuns. Read it to find out why. 😂 It was pretty creepy and tense and the end really went off the rails. The ending was wild! I would expect nothing less from a Penny Moonz book.
I had a blast reading this! It had all the Halloween vibes and plenty of slashing to go around.
September 13, 2024
This is exactly the kind of Halloween books I love!
The vibe is perfect, it’s spooky, somewhat gory, mysterious, and also funny at times.
I really really love the writing style, it felt like watching a movie.
This was my first book by penny moonz, but I’ll definitely have to read the other ones now too!
If you’re looking for a fun, spooky Halloween read, look no further, pumpkin man 2 is exactly what you need!
The vibe is perfect, it’s spooky, somewhat gory, mysterious, and also funny at times.
I really really love the writing style, it felt like watching a movie.
This was my first book by penny moonz, but I’ll definitely have to read the other ones now too!
If you’re looking for a fun, spooky Halloween read, look no further, pumpkin man 2 is exactly what you need!
October 5, 2024
Pumpkin Man 2 was a quick, fun story. I would have enjoyed it more if the characters didn’t make the dumbest possible decisions in every situation. I’m looking forward to more books by this author and will be reading the first Pumpkin Man.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 7, 2024
This novella was awesome. It's the second book about the Pumpkin Man.
Twenty years ago Betty’s son went missing along with a neighbor. A friend invites Betty to a Halloween party. After accepting the invitation all hell breaks out. Read this really great sequel.
Penny Moonz has a great way of writing comedy horror.
Twenty years ago Betty’s son went missing along with a neighbor. A friend invites Betty to a Halloween party. After accepting the invitation all hell breaks out. Read this really great sequel.
Penny Moonz has a great way of writing comedy horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2024
Pumpkin Man 2 by Penny Moonz
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This was a super fast paced gorey novel that had everything you could possibly want!
Psycho Children
Man Eating Pumpkins
Drunken Halloween Parties
AND OF COURSE MY FAVORITE - insanely campy kill scenes!!
Thank you Penny for the copy! Can’t wait to read the other ones!
November 10, 2024
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook.
First off, the cover is great! The story itself was actually really fun! It is completely perfection for Halloween if you are looking for a fast short read. It was engaging, and all in all, I really enjoyed the story and had the right amount of scares and gore. Highly recommend.
First off, the cover is great! The story itself was actually really fun! It is completely perfection for Halloween if you are looking for a fast short read. It was engaging, and all in all, I really enjoyed the story and had the right amount of scares and gore. Highly recommend.
October 17, 2025
I enjoyed this book on a gloomy autumn day, curled up with a cup of tea. I started and finished the book in one day, the pacing was perfect.
Pumpkin Man 2 was a fantastic Halloween read. I haven’t read the prequel, but that was fine. I loved the backstory which perfectly explains why the authorities can’t get involved. I definitely recommend adding this one to your pre-Halloween reads.
Pumpkin Man 2 was a fantastic Halloween read. I haven’t read the prequel, but that was fine. I loved the backstory which perfectly explains why the authorities can’t get involved. I definitely recommend adding this one to your pre-Halloween reads.
September 14, 2024
Another fun and blood filled Halloween in Creeperslandia!
I really love how the author takes horror and humor and combines them into a story that will tickle your funny bone and make you cringe. Gorey, but not too extreme.
Moonz knows how to entertain!
I really love how the author takes horror and humor and combines them into a story that will tickle your funny bone and make you cringe. Gorey, but not too extreme.
Moonz knows how to entertain!
September 30, 2024
This is pretty similar to the Goosebumps series but more gory. It's a super quick Novella, and great for Halloween.
Essentially a child becomes influenced but a evil pumpkin then he kills, gets killed, and rises from the dead and terrorizes the town.
Essentially a child becomes influenced but a evil pumpkin then he kills, gets killed, and rises from the dead and terrorizes the town.
November 1, 2024
This was a cool, fun read it was like Goosebumps, but gorier, and I absolutely loved it. The kills were awesome and bloody. It's the perfect book for spooky season, I can't wait to read more of these.
June 14, 2025
Pumpkin Man 2 reminded me of one of those 90s slasher movies. I got confused a little with the characters because new ones came in here and there. I'm ready for the next book, I love this genre. Who is Pumpkin Man? Does Betty really know?
November 8, 2024
Welcome to Birch hollow. A perfect little town. This year Halloween is not going as planned. Fast paced bloody good read.
May 5, 2025
This is not highbrow entertainment. But if you just enjoy a good story and you like horror and slashers where nothing is off the table, you will enjoy this as much as I did. I actually read it a couple of times because I forgot to review it and I read it again, because it's short and dark and hilariously violent. The pumpkin man is quite an interesting villain, and I kind of hope there will be more stories like this.
November 11, 2024
Thank you Book Sirens for the ARC! This was such a fun read! The characters were well written and kept me invested in what came next. It was bloody and gory, with a supernatural twist - my favorite kind of horror.
January 18, 2025
While this book is the second in the series, it can be read as a standalone, as it is an origin story.
The book moves along at a quick pace and wastes very little time in bringing the titular monster to life. The body count rises with each passing page and sets up nicely for the first book in the series.
If I had one complaint, it was that there were some issues with head-hopping and a few grammatical issues, but neither were enough to pull me out of the story.
The book moves along at a quick pace and wastes very little time in bringing the titular monster to life. The body count rises with each passing page and sets up nicely for the first book in the series.
If I had one complaint, it was that there were some issues with head-hopping and a few grammatical issues, but neither were enough to pull me out of the story.
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