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Helloween
Halloween comes once a year. HELLoween lasts forever!
On October 31st, 2001, five teens set out to make a horror film for a school project at a Halloween haunt in the small town of Crooks Corner.
When all hell breaks loose, a powerful entity emerges, able to control inanimate objects and use them to kill. The carnage is swift and deadly, a vicious attack that quickly overwhelms the town and its citizens.
Fighting for their lives, the teens - along with their teachers and the local sheriff - must use all of their skills and wit to survive the night and possibly even save the world.
...Or die trying.
Dean Koontz's Phantoms meets Stephen King's Desperation in this epic new horror novel from the twisted mind behind Woom and the Ghostland Trilogy.
On October 31st, 2001, five teens set out to make a horror film for a school project at a Halloween haunt in the small town of Crooks Corner.
When all hell breaks loose, a powerful entity emerges, able to control inanimate objects and use them to kill. The carnage is swift and deadly, a vicious attack that quickly overwhelms the town and its citizens.
Fighting for their lives, the teens - along with their teachers and the local sheriff - must use all of their skills and wit to survive the night and possibly even save the world.
...Or die trying.
Dean Koontz's Phantoms meets Stephen King's Desperation in this epic new horror novel from the twisted mind behind Woom and the Ghostland Trilogy.
584 pages, Paperback
Published December 24, 2024
545 people are currently reading
1109 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Ralston
82 books2,049 followers**CVLT: Lonely Motel Book 3 out now!!!**
**Sequel to the hit novel PUZZLE HOUSE coming Winter 2026**
Author of the cult smash-hit Woom and Ghostland and more than 15 other books that aren't the cult smash-hit Woom or Ghostland. His debut collection was blurbed positively by the legendary Jack Ketchum. His vampire novel, Pedo Island Bloodbath, was nominated for a 2024 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novel. His horror-thriller Ghostland will soon be a board game from Crystal Lake Publishing.
For 10 FREE dark fiction short stories/novellas including the prequel to GHOSTLAND, "The Moving House," signed copies of Woom, bookplates and merch, please visit www.duncanralston.com.
Photo © Josh Silver 2015
**Sequel to the hit novel PUZZLE HOUSE coming Winter 2026**
Author of the cult smash-hit Woom and Ghostland and more than 15 other books that aren't the cult smash-hit Woom or Ghostland. His debut collection was blurbed positively by the legendary Jack Ketchum. His vampire novel, Pedo Island Bloodbath, was nominated for a 2024 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novel. His horror-thriller Ghostland will soon be a board game from Crystal Lake Publishing.
For 10 FREE dark fiction short stories/novellas including the prequel to GHOSTLAND, "The Moving House," signed copies of Woom, bookplates and merch, please visit www.duncanralston.com.
Photo © Josh Silver 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
October 29, 2025
So disappointing!
I had to drag myself through this book. Every time I picked it up to continue reading, I had to psych myself up like Mickey did for Rocky before a boxing fight. "You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!” ::cue Gonna Fly Now theme music:: Wooo! Go Bella! You take that Helloweenie down, girl! 💥🥊💥 Sigh. It was just so boring and way too long. I absolutely loved Woom, so I had high hopes for another Ralston read, but I couldn't get into this at all.
I had to drag myself through this book. Every time I picked it up to continue reading, I had to psych myself up like Mickey did for Rocky before a boxing fight. "You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!” ::cue Gonna Fly Now theme music:: Wooo! Go Bella! You take that Helloweenie down, girl! 💥🥊💥 Sigh. It was just so boring and way too long. I absolutely loved Woom, so I had high hopes for another Ralston read, but I couldn't get into this at all.
April 29, 2025
What Happens in Crooks Corner Stays in Crooks Corner!
Small backstory:
A few high school students are assigned a task of working on a film project that is reminiscent of something like the Blair Witch project and as they get together to work on it things go south with crazy stuff that starts to happen in the town of Crooks Corner on Halloween night! When things go from happy to bad is when you need to look out!
That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
I had to stay focused on this book quite a bit as so much happens within the storyline that I had to make sure I was able to grasp it all. The book started a little slow for me though but it was mainly because of world/character building but around the 30% mark it busted wide open and there was so much going on that it was off to the races with keeping up with it all!
The author, Duncan Ralston threw everything into this horror book to keep the reader's attention and it worked as I had a hard time putting this book down! As with anything that Ralston writes you will have graphic blood, gore and crazy twisted stuff going on that will keep you on the edge of your seat and this book was no exception as I was "definitely" on the edge of my seat throughout the book! Another great book by this author and looking forward to more of his twisted mind! Giving this book five "Twisted Halloween Terror" stars!
Small backstory:
A few high school students are assigned a task of working on a film project that is reminiscent of something like the Blair Witch project and as they get together to work on it things go south with crazy stuff that starts to happen in the town of Crooks Corner on Halloween night! When things go from happy to bad is when you need to look out!
That is about all I can hand out with a small backstory without giving away spoilers so if you want to know more then go read this book!
Thoughts:
I had to stay focused on this book quite a bit as so much happens within the storyline that I had to make sure I was able to grasp it all. The book started a little slow for me though but it was mainly because of world/character building but around the 30% mark it busted wide open and there was so much going on that it was off to the races with keeping up with it all!
The author, Duncan Ralston threw everything into this horror book to keep the reader's attention and it worked as I had a hard time putting this book down! As with anything that Ralston writes you will have graphic blood, gore and crazy twisted stuff going on that will keep you on the edge of your seat and this book was no exception as I was "definitely" on the edge of my seat throughout the book! Another great book by this author and looking forward to more of his twisted mind! Giving this book five "Twisted Halloween Terror" stars!
dnf
October 28, 2025dnf on pg 170
this far into the book & nothing even remotely interesting or spooky is happening? no thanks. there's no reason this has 88000 different povs & there's too many extraneous details that literally did nothing but put me to sleep (literally, I fell asleep twice while trying to read this).
A book about ONE chaotic Halloween night should not be almost 600 pgs. this could have been a top read for spooky szn for me...but I'll never know because I'm not going to torture myself through another 405 pgs to find out.
this far into the book & nothing even remotely interesting or spooky is happening? no thanks. there's no reason this has 88000 different povs & there's too many extraneous details that literally did nothing but put me to sleep (literally, I fell asleep twice while trying to read this).
A book about ONE chaotic Halloween night should not be almost 600 pgs. this could have been a top read for spooky szn for me...but I'll never know because I'm not going to torture myself through another 405 pgs to find out.
September 12, 2025
All I can say is wow!!!
Anything Duncan Ralston writes I will definitely have a good time with. He has a very unique writing style which I love. Who doesn’t love a book written about Halloween!? It’s the perfect setting. Spooky season, costumes , fear etc. All of this combined leads to this amazing book.
I did love the year the author decided to use as a base for this book. This is the year where things changed the world that left an impression on everyone and it marked a historical time in the world.
This book is about a small town that has their own secrets and unexplainable events that have occurred. Two scientists awake something that defies all logical explanation and changes one Halloween night into a Helloween endless nightmare night.
I loved the hero’s and the villains in this book. The characters were very likable and believable which is always important in a book. I couldn’t put this book down at all.
The book definitely add elements that are amazing. Think of Dean Koontz “Phantoms” added with Stephen King “Maximum Override” with a tiny dash of “The Stand” with a small town feel with a dash of comedy only Duncan can write, leads to this amazing book.
Thank you NetGalley and Duncan Ralston for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
Anything Duncan Ralston writes I will definitely have a good time with. He has a very unique writing style which I love. Who doesn’t love a book written about Halloween!? It’s the perfect setting. Spooky season, costumes , fear etc. All of this combined leads to this amazing book.
I did love the year the author decided to use as a base for this book. This is the year where things changed the world that left an impression on everyone and it marked a historical time in the world.
This book is about a small town that has their own secrets and unexplainable events that have occurred. Two scientists awake something that defies all logical explanation and changes one Halloween night into a Helloween endless nightmare night.
I loved the hero’s and the villains in this book. The characters were very likable and believable which is always important in a book. I couldn’t put this book down at all.
The book definitely add elements that are amazing. Think of Dean Koontz “Phantoms” added with Stephen King “Maximum Override” with a tiny dash of “The Stand” with a small town feel with a dash of comedy only Duncan can write, leads to this amazing book.
Thank you NetGalley and Duncan Ralston for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
August 2, 2025
“Do you think she’s right? Right about what? About Hell, do you think it’s you and your thoughts all alone forever?”
July 6, 2025
This book has everything a horror fan would want!
What starts off with a bunch of high school students wanting to make a movie together as part of a school project quickly turns into a night of chaos.
After the world building, things ready to kick off and move out of rapid pace, just when you get used to one type of monster, the whole new one emerges. There’s monsters there’s gods there’s a girl sharing her mind with a snake. This book has everything, and it’s all wrapped up in a well written package
Small town horror.
This will be a book I will revisit often. It might become a yearly fall read for me. 😊
What starts off with a bunch of high school students wanting to make a movie together as part of a school project quickly turns into a night of chaos.
After the world building, things ready to kick off and move out of rapid pace, just when you get used to one type of monster, the whole new one emerges. There’s monsters there’s gods there’s a girl sharing her mind with a snake. This book has everything, and it’s all wrapped up in a well written package
Small town horror.
This will be a book I will revisit often. It might become a yearly fall read for me. 😊
April 11, 2025
Usually I get on so well with Duncan's books, but I did struggle with this one. I don't know if it was the chunkiness of the book or the characters- I just felt I couldn't connect to them on any level. I was looking forward to getting really engrossed in this one, and it had all the elements that usually indicate a fun time courtesy of Ralston - Pin sharp writing, suspense, witty and dark one liners but I think ultimately I had just built it up too far in my head. I really failed to connect with any of the characters but I did really enjoy elements of it despite some parts feeling a big stagnant. Absolutely love the retro horror cover, which is initially what made me request it.
March 8, 2025
Firstly I need to state that I've been a huge fan of Duncan Ralston's stories over the last few years, so when I saw this I just had to read it.
This novel had all the elements that make his writing so fun to read but sadly as a whole it failed to live up to my expectations. This is mostly down to a fair few periods of the story that felt stagnant and unnecessary. I feel that if this had all been wrapped up in a smaller package then the end result would have been a far more enjoyable reading experience.
As I said just now, this novel had all the elements which I love from Duncan's work but lacked the usual punch that I've grown accustomed to.
Overall a good read but let down but a fair few dull moments.
This novel had all the elements that make his writing so fun to read but sadly as a whole it failed to live up to my expectations. This is mostly down to a fair few periods of the story that felt stagnant and unnecessary. I feel that if this had all been wrapped up in a smaller package then the end result would have been a far more enjoyable reading experience.
As I said just now, this novel had all the elements which I love from Duncan's work but lacked the usual punch that I've grown accustomed to.
Overall a good read but let down but a fair few dull moments.
October 23, 2025
a great read for october, esp so close to halloween!!! this book was wildly unpredictable with some really great story telling and character building, lots of great horror elements and scares! i did find it a bit overwhelming with all the POV changes, but otherwise a really good read
December 24, 2024
A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Helloween by Duncan Ralston
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Unusual things are happening to the sleepy little town of Crooks Corner, New Hampshire. It’s the night before Halloween and strange cult like symbols have been appearing in the local woods just beyond the cornfields. Thus, adding to the myth and rumors of a cult within the town. Blood, chaos and carnage…something far more sinister than what the town imagined has arrived.
Buckle up, Helloween by Duncan Ralston is one wild ride. From a low-budget kidnapped scream queen to a mid-term project of a found footage movie, Duncan Ralston creates some of the most sinister shenanigans this side of Evil Dead 2 and Waxwork put together. (I loved Waxwork and its “what is fake becomes real” aspect, and Helloween has that same comfy horror feel to it.)
This hefty novel cleverly blends many different horror aspects into one unique entertaining reading experience. Scary spiders, creepy baby dolls, reanimated scarecrows and yes…let’s not forget the living hummels. These diverse morbid cast-members trigger what screams of terror are made of. Helloween is a place where the lines between real and unreal become heavily blurred and where Halloween costumes can consume you.
Duncan Ralston once again has created a well-developed narrative based on unexpected elements of death, faith, violence and homicidal “possessors.” I mean seriously, who doesn’t like to be surrounded by ritualistic symbolism or become a host that feeds on fresh blood. With plenty of full frontal frights, Duncan has expanded the spooky season into a new menacing creepiness.
When you feel that humming vibration in the air while seeing stitched smiley faces with X’s for eyes, ya might wanna bring along that maroon-colored Bible with the gold foil lettering…anything might help. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
Helloween by Duncan Ralston
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
Unusual things are happening to the sleepy little town of Crooks Corner, New Hampshire. It’s the night before Halloween and strange cult like symbols have been appearing in the local woods just beyond the cornfields. Thus, adding to the myth and rumors of a cult within the town. Blood, chaos and carnage…something far more sinister than what the town imagined has arrived.
Buckle up, Helloween by Duncan Ralston is one wild ride. From a low-budget kidnapped scream queen to a mid-term project of a found footage movie, Duncan Ralston creates some of the most sinister shenanigans this side of Evil Dead 2 and Waxwork put together. (I loved Waxwork and its “what is fake becomes real” aspect, and Helloween has that same comfy horror feel to it.)
This hefty novel cleverly blends many different horror aspects into one unique entertaining reading experience. Scary spiders, creepy baby dolls, reanimated scarecrows and yes…let’s not forget the living hummels. These diverse morbid cast-members trigger what screams of terror are made of. Helloween is a place where the lines between real and unreal become heavily blurred and where Halloween costumes can consume you.
Duncan Ralston once again has created a well-developed narrative based on unexpected elements of death, faith, violence and homicidal “possessors.” I mean seriously, who doesn’t like to be surrounded by ritualistic symbolism or become a host that feeds on fresh blood. With plenty of full frontal frights, Duncan has expanded the spooky season into a new menacing creepiness.
When you feel that humming vibration in the air while seeing stitched smiley faces with X’s for eyes, ya might wanna bring along that maroon-colored Bible with the gold foil lettering…anything might help. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.
October 10, 2025
I’ve already mentioned on my IG how much I love this cover. As a cover lover, I will purchase a book based on that alone. However, the pages in between is just as awesome. Helloween is a perfect mix of horror, humor, early 2000s nostalgia, and classic Halloween fun and fright. There is so much packed inside this book, you won't find yourself bored.
Helloween unfolds on... can you guess it? Halloween. 2001 to be exact. When a dark entity overruns the town of Crooks Corner, it’s up to a group of high schoolers, a couple of their teachers, and a decades old serial killer who is occupying one of the students' minds to save their town and send the evil back to where it came from in a fight til the death, which seems more likely. You can sign that on the dotted line.
The characters were likable, with some being downright lovable (Philbert being my favorite, reminding me of Tom Cullen from Stephen King's The Stand), while those who weren't so likable may or may not have redeemed themselves.
This is a great read for anyone seeking the perfect Halloween story this spooky season. So kick back, turn on some Nickelback, open a can of Rockstar energy, trash your Furbys, and get ready to worship Geth, the Great Pumpkin!
Helloween unfolds on... can you guess it? Halloween. 2001 to be exact. When a dark entity overruns the town of Crooks Corner, it’s up to a group of high schoolers, a couple of their teachers, and a decades old serial killer who is occupying one of the students' minds to save their town and send the evil back to where it came from in a fight til the death, which seems more likely. You can sign that on the dotted line.
The characters were likable, with some being downright lovable (Philbert being my favorite, reminding me of Tom Cullen from Stephen King's The Stand), while those who weren't so likable may or may not have redeemed themselves.
This is a great read for anyone seeking the perfect Halloween story this spooky season. So kick back, turn on some Nickelback, open a can of Rockstar energy, trash your Furbys, and get ready to worship Geth, the Great Pumpkin!
Read
October 27, 2025I was able to make to a little over half way before I gave up on this one. I love Duncan’s books but, this one just wasn’t for me. I may try to finish it at a later date.
August 27, 2025
This was an absolute blast! The story brings us to a group of students just trying to make a movie for a class they’re all in. Halloween night, and you guessed. Hell unleashes. The violence is sudden and brutal, exactly the way small-town horror should be. What really surprised me, though, is the heart. This isn’t just gore for the sake of it—there’s a story about survival, about unlikely friendships, about facing the parts of yourself you’d rather keep buried.
By the end, I was genuinely tense, and by the end I was exhausted. But completely satisfied. If you want supernatural mayhem, inventive kills, and a cast of characters you’ll actually feel are real, this one is for you. It’s messy, bloody, nostalgic, and so much fun.
By the end, I was genuinely tense, and by the end I was exhausted. But completely satisfied. If you want supernatural mayhem, inventive kills, and a cast of characters you’ll actually feel are real, this one is for you. It’s messy, bloody, nostalgic, and so much fun.
December 18, 2024
I love all things Halloween, so I jumped at the chance to read this novel which features delightful cover artwork. I've read several of Ralston's novels, and they have been hit or miss for me. This book has an interesting premise, but unfortunately I found it a bit of a chore to get through. Helloween seems to take inspiration from Maximum Overdrive and Desperation, but it's lacking what makes Stephen King novels great, namely characters that you care about. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC for me to review.
May 22, 2025
Do you remember the rush you got from seeing your first scary movie at a theater? Well, get ready for that rush with Helloween. Because this book has it all, small town horror, zombies, cults, and a very nostalgic slasher horror feel.
These characters are extremely well written and come alive on paper.
The people of Crooks Corner are in for the fight of their lives on Halloween night.
I thought I would take my time reading this one ... read a little each day. Nope, I devoured it in 2 days.
These characters are extremely well written and come alive on paper.
The people of Crooks Corner are in for the fight of their lives on Halloween night.
I thought I would take my time reading this one ... read a little each day. Nope, I devoured it in 2 days.
November 7, 2025
4.4*
Un viatge ferotge als límits del terror durant una de les nits més esperades de l'any. En un poble obsessionat amb Halloween, la combinació de diversos esdeveniments desencadenen el caos.
Ralston construeix un relat coral amb prosa directa i cinematogràfica, on secrets i venjances s'entrellacen amb violència sobrenatural i molt més. L'autor aprofita el simbolisme de la festa per explorar les màscares que tots portem i com jugar amb la por pot convocar el veritable horror.
En resum, un homenatge sagnant al gènere que combina l'adrenalina del slasher amb una mirada fosca sobre la naturalesa humana. Una lectura addictiva i sense concessions, perfecta per als qui busquen un terror que no es dissol amb la llum del dia.
Un viatge ferotge als límits del terror durant una de les nits més esperades de l'any. En un poble obsessionat amb Halloween, la combinació de diversos esdeveniments desencadenen el caos.
Ralston construeix un relat coral amb prosa directa i cinematogràfica, on secrets i venjances s'entrellacen amb violència sobrenatural i molt més. L'autor aprofita el simbolisme de la festa per explorar les màscares que tots portem i com jugar amb la por pot convocar el veritable horror.
En resum, un homenatge sagnant al gènere que combina l'adrenalina del slasher amb una mirada fosca sobre la naturalesa humana. Una lectura addictiva i sense concessions, perfecta per als qui busquen un terror que no es dissol amb la llum del dia.
December 23, 2024
Someone must have asked "Can anyone do a horror version of Stranger Things, set in the 2000s? With zombies, crazy machines, cars that drive themselves, and a haunted attraction? Plus an eldritch god on top? And with several nods to the Blair Witch Project, Maximum Overdrive, and Scream? And all of it set on Halloween?"
And Duncan Ralston must have said, "Hold my beer!"
That's my own (imaginary) take on how "Helloween" seems to have been born: how else to explain this wonderful mashup of the best the 90s and 2000s have to offer? With absolutely no sex scenes or LGBTQ representation at all, no slasher vibes or any cop bashing, but with 9/11 on everyone's mind? Chock-full of references to every movie, game and music of the time? How else to make sense of this beautifullly campy horror doorstopper, with its huge cast, its scenes of pure adrenaline adventure, and a complex plot to rival every Stephen King book in existence? Everything feels familiar, yet it isn't: the dark humor, the blunt honesty, the self-mockery, and the choices of who does what, I believe these would have placed this novel ahead of its time if it had been published in 2001, the year it takes place - the year shit got serious. Ralston takes a familiar premise -kids and teenagers trying to save their small town from an otherdimensional menace- and turns it into a binge-worthy sequence of wtf-did-I-just-read moments, delivering an entertaining corn maze trip into survival and terror, friendship and sacrifice, all of his own! Common tropes -kids facing down the bullies, annoying the religious fanatic, disturbing the law, defying the godlike entity- coalesce into an uncommon blend of death and heroism, driven by characters you root for and villains you just can't hate enough, with just the right amount of darkness and light, nostalgia and self-criticism.
This is a huge book (literally and figuratively)! Once I realized that it all takes place in a single Halloween night, I had to slow down my reading, else I'd end up devouring the thing in a couple of days. Revelations come fast, but you have to work for them (with Ralston always shouting, "Wait! There's even more ahead!"): they never seemed to come up when I expected them! Still, the investment was worth it: the end hit hard (he killed my favorite character darn it), but the absurd amount of plotlines came together with such tremendous skill - my jaw dropped.
And that cover?! Right?
This is definitely a five-stars from me, and I recommend it highly!
And Duncan Ralston must have said, "Hold my beer!"
That's my own (imaginary) take on how "Helloween" seems to have been born: how else to explain this wonderful mashup of the best the 90s and 2000s have to offer? With absolutely no sex scenes or LGBTQ representation at all, no slasher vibes or any cop bashing, but with 9/11 on everyone's mind? Chock-full of references to every movie, game and music of the time? How else to make sense of this beautifullly campy horror doorstopper, with its huge cast, its scenes of pure adrenaline adventure, and a complex plot to rival every Stephen King book in existence? Everything feels familiar, yet it isn't: the dark humor, the blunt honesty, the self-mockery, and the choices of who does what, I believe these would have placed this novel ahead of its time if it had been published in 2001, the year it takes place - the year shit got serious. Ralston takes a familiar premise -kids and teenagers trying to save their small town from an otherdimensional menace- and turns it into a binge-worthy sequence of wtf-did-I-just-read moments, delivering an entertaining corn maze trip into survival and terror, friendship and sacrifice, all of his own! Common tropes -kids facing down the bullies, annoying the religious fanatic, disturbing the law, defying the godlike entity- coalesce into an uncommon blend of death and heroism, driven by characters you root for and villains you just can't hate enough, with just the right amount of darkness and light, nostalgia and self-criticism.
This is a huge book (literally and figuratively)! Once I realized that it all takes place in a single Halloween night, I had to slow down my reading, else I'd end up devouring the thing in a couple of days. Revelations come fast, but you have to work for them (with Ralston always shouting, "Wait! There's even more ahead!"): they never seemed to come up when I expected them! Still, the investment was worth it: the end hit hard (he killed my favorite character darn it), but the absurd amount of plotlines came together with such tremendous skill - my jaw dropped.
And that cover?! Right?
This is definitely a five-stars from me, and I recommend it highly!
July 19, 2025
Read and finished. Selected purely on a cool cover. I really wanted to like this book more. The core problem early on was fun, some of the plot twists were cool and unexpected and the characters and story were compelling BUT:
This story is way too long. It has a tendency to repeat itself, where something happens, then a character thinks in disbelief about the thing that just happens, then they feel terror, ‘which made sense, considering they just encountered (thing we have already described twice)’
It also has a habit of replaying the spectacle one person sees when we cut to another chapter and see it from a different person’s eyes, as well as digressing from current action to provide internal monologue info dumps.
It all adds up to a story I wanted to know the end of (plus) but that I felt the dragging passage of time as I ‘got through it’ (minus)
Mad props for some details: I was an AV kid and appreciated the attention to camera tech, I’m also a big fan of many of movies and other pop culture references throughout the book!
Again: I really wanted to like this book more than I did..
This story is way too long. It has a tendency to repeat itself, where something happens, then a character thinks in disbelief about the thing that just happens, then they feel terror, ‘which made sense, considering they just encountered (thing we have already described twice)’
It also has a habit of replaying the spectacle one person sees when we cut to another chapter and see it from a different person’s eyes, as well as digressing from current action to provide internal monologue info dumps.
It all adds up to a story I wanted to know the end of (plus) but that I felt the dragging passage of time as I ‘got through it’ (minus)
Mad props for some details: I was an AV kid and appreciated the attention to camera tech, I’m also a big fan of many of movies and other pop culture references throughout the book!
Again: I really wanted to like this book more than I did..
January 17, 2025
I love a Halloween, spooky vibe book, and this book definitely falls in that category. Helloween does start out slow, I thought during this time it would develop the characters more so that you make a connection. Unfortunately I never did, there are a lot of characters, and I think that is where it fell flat with me, there were too many characters to keep track of. The book does pick up and there is a lot of action, however it starts to slow back down, I think it was just longer then it needed to be, as it ends up dragging. I found myself skimming through just to get to parts where it is more fast paced. This was a fun premise, and overall a good book, but not my favorite by this author.
February 5, 2025
I had to skim to finish this one, which I hate doing, but I got to 160 pages and realized I wasn't even near the end of this book and bored to death. I had previously read Woom, also by Ralston, and though it was okay. The writing was fine, but like with this one I didn't really feel much for the characters or anything. My main issue with Helloween was it dragged, and in a bad way. I love some good description, and I appreciated all of the nostalgia thrown in, but it began to feel daunting.
I just kept feeling like it was never going to end, and I was tired of waiting for the action to really start. So, yes, I skimmed to get through. I'll still read other work by the author, this just was not for me.
I just kept feeling like it was never going to end, and I was tired of waiting for the action to really start. So, yes, I skimmed to get through. I'll still read other work by the author, this just was not for me.
April 15, 2025
Great title, great cover, great idea, excellent author!
Although I jumped at reading this, for all the reasons I listed in the title of this review, I just had a hard getting into the story and the characters. My favorite characters were Philbert and the sheriff as I found everyone else annoying. I wanted to like Walden but there wasn’t enough depth to his character with so much else going on. There were some promising scenes like when the bullies try to pick on the younger kids and get ambushed by snakes. I loved the idea of the story, but I just could not get into it the way I did with other Ralston masterpieces. It might have been me, but this just dragged.
It is a shame really because there is a lot to like about the timeframe Duncan chose and some concepts that are presented. There are some great pop culture references throughout.
My favorite quote from the book was: “All he had left at this point was the truth. Geth could go on and on about how it wanted to buy the world a goddamn Coke and make them live in perfect harmony, but it was all just a sham. Supernatural or not, powerful or not, Geth truly was just another in a long line of grifters. The epitome of grifters, even. And the best way to counter a grift was with the truth.”
It made me think…. Is that accurate? I have always believe that fact counters fiction every time and if we were talking about life in the year 2000, I would agree. However, I am not sure truth trumps (pun intended) the grift anymore when we have too many people living in the same reality as the grifter. But…. what do I know?
Thanks, Duncan! Can’t wait for your next output!
Although I jumped at reading this, for all the reasons I listed in the title of this review, I just had a hard getting into the story and the characters. My favorite characters were Philbert and the sheriff as I found everyone else annoying. I wanted to like Walden but there wasn’t enough depth to his character with so much else going on. There were some promising scenes like when the bullies try to pick on the younger kids and get ambushed by snakes. I loved the idea of the story, but I just could not get into it the way I did with other Ralston masterpieces. It might have been me, but this just dragged.
It is a shame really because there is a lot to like about the timeframe Duncan chose and some concepts that are presented. There are some great pop culture references throughout.
My favorite quote from the book was: “All he had left at this point was the truth. Geth could go on and on about how it wanted to buy the world a goddamn Coke and make them live in perfect harmony, but it was all just a sham. Supernatural or not, powerful or not, Geth truly was just another in a long line of grifters. The epitome of grifters, even. And the best way to counter a grift was with the truth.”
It made me think…. Is that accurate? I have always believe that fact counters fiction every time and if we were talking about life in the year 2000, I would agree. However, I am not sure truth trumps (pun intended) the grift anymore when we have too many people living in the same reality as the grifter. But…. what do I know?
Thanks, Duncan! Can’t wait for your next output!
December 15, 2024
Absolutely phenomenal read
I love the usual 80/90s horror slasher nostalgia type books, and this had all that but set in the 2000s which, made this a little more real for me as a 90s baby myself 😂
We have everything in this one yall, fucked up ancient rituals in a small town, which never good, murder, the usual teenage cringe and the most dangerous of them all, mother fucking furbys...
I kept catching myself giggling about things but this was such an intense read at time, I needed the giggle here and there, and this book caught the absolute best parts of nostalgia from the 90s and 2000s that I just haven't seen much of and appreciate.
Will our five friends survive this film they want to make?
Even if they do have back up in for form of teachers and the Sherrif, do they have that special something that only the group can provide to survive the night and save everyone, or is this another one of those small towns that mysteriously gets massacared and then fades into the past..
Don't get too attached to anyone, and remember, in a small town, it's not just the paranormal you have to watch for..
This was a ARC read ofc, so thanks Duncan, never a disappointment with one of his books.
I love the usual 80/90s horror slasher nostalgia type books, and this had all that but set in the 2000s which, made this a little more real for me as a 90s baby myself 😂
We have everything in this one yall, fucked up ancient rituals in a small town, which never good, murder, the usual teenage cringe and the most dangerous of them all, mother fucking furbys...
I kept catching myself giggling about things but this was such an intense read at time, I needed the giggle here and there, and this book caught the absolute best parts of nostalgia from the 90s and 2000s that I just haven't seen much of and appreciate.
Will our five friends survive this film they want to make?
Even if they do have back up in for form of teachers and the Sherrif, do they have that special something that only the group can provide to survive the night and save everyone, or is this another one of those small towns that mysteriously gets massacared and then fades into the past..
Don't get too attached to anyone, and remember, in a small town, it's not just the paranormal you have to watch for..
This was a ARC read ofc, so thanks Duncan, never a disappointment with one of his books.
December 8, 2024
I have just finished reading Helloween by Duncan Ralston, and what a fantastic story it is! I was hooked from page one, and enjoyed it, right until the very end. I, highly recommend it to everyone! If you’re a fan of gripping stories, let this book take you along for the ride. There is a,seed of truth, in legends after all.
December 16, 2024
For me, this is far and away Ralston’s best. There’s something for everyone from classic King-esque vibes, 80s sci-fi/horror, Lovecraftian horror, 90s nostalgia… a real cornucopia that blends together seamlessly.
Each character is unique and has their own voice. Ralston spends a good amount of time letting you see them interact before the good stuff. Characters make successful horror and he nailed them in HELLOWEEN.
It’s a HELL of a lot of fun to watch the storylines intersect and get to the final pages.
HELLOWEEN is like GHOSTLAND on Red Bull. I loved it. My favorite Duncan Ralston to date. Highly recommended. One of my top 5 horror reads of 2024.
Each character is unique and has their own voice. Ralston spends a good amount of time letting you see them interact before the good stuff. Characters make successful horror and he nailed them in HELLOWEEN.
It’s a HELL of a lot of fun to watch the storylines intersect and get to the final pages.
HELLOWEEN is like GHOSTLAND on Red Bull. I loved it. My favorite Duncan Ralston to date. Highly recommended. One of my top 5 horror reads of 2024.
September 15, 2025
This would be the perfect book for an extended stay in lock-up or on that deserted island you hear about. I've read longer books, but this one felt like it just kept getting longer and longer. It was pretty entertaining at times and long winded at others. If you got the time, this might be for you.
December 10, 2024
Full review to come 🖤
December 13, 2024
Absolutely loved this story! It played out like a 90’s scream dream in my mind! Loved the cast of characters & the pacing of the plot! This would honestly make an amazing movie in my opinion! Love it when a friend group is pitted against evil in a small town!
September 26, 2025
Old school horror fun!
3 1/2 stars for me just because I felt it was a little too long in places but still enjoyed the whole vibe
3 1/2 stars for me just because I felt it was a little too long in places but still enjoyed the whole vibe
December 24, 2024
Well hot damn that was an adventure!! Helloween brought me back to my childhood in more ways than one and boy was it a chaotic ride!!!! It has 80s, 90s nostalgia with it taking place in the 2000s, humor, horror, great characters, this book has it all, even them damn furbys!!!!!! I was drawn in and was hooked right away, I thought Puzzle House was my favorite read by Duncan, but after reading this I now have a new favorite!
June 18, 2025
Started out great......then tanked all to Hell-O-Ween.
When I bought this upon its release, and it came in the mail.....it was a Chunker; and I thought: "Whoa, this is going to be really great"!........Wrong. I had decided to read this along with a great Halloween and Horror reader friend Larry Yonce as a Half O Ween Buddy Read......Larry beat me to the Helloween Horror finish line in just a couple weeks......how, I will NEVER know! lol.
What started out as an interestingly creepy and what I thought was going to be another fun Halloween night horror novel turned out to be a jumbled, stupid and WAYY toooooo long story about things from other dimensions, weird religious beliefs, then a bad fantasy induced tale of pure stupidity. Cann't recommend this, unless you collect horror novels for their cool covers! Most definitely NOT worth the cover price. Sorry.
2 Eh, So What's
When I bought this upon its release, and it came in the mail.....it was a Chunker; and I thought: "Whoa, this is going to be really great"!........Wrong. I had decided to read this along with a great Halloween and Horror reader friend Larry Yonce as a Half O Ween Buddy Read......Larry beat me to the Helloween Horror finish line in just a couple weeks......how, I will NEVER know! lol.
What started out as an interestingly creepy and what I thought was going to be another fun Halloween night horror novel turned out to be a jumbled, stupid and WAYY toooooo long story about things from other dimensions, weird religious beliefs, then a bad fantasy induced tale of pure stupidity. Cann't recommend this, unless you collect horror novels for their cool covers! Most definitely NOT worth the cover price. Sorry.
2 Eh, So What's
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