The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing

by Marshall J. Moore, Ray Porter (Narrator)

“Quirky and hilarious but also deep and heartfelt, The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing is an unforgettable and fantastic story about being human. I loved it!”—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

As the laboratory assistant to the brilliant but demanding Doctor, Igor spends his nights robbing graves, stitching together body parts, and ensuring that his master doesn’t electrocute himself (too badly).

When a mob of peasants wielding torches and pitchforks drives them out of town (again), Igor and the Doctor relocate to the isolated Ravenwald Manor to resume their experiments creating new life from dead flesh. But Igor and the Doctor are not the only ones seeking refuge within the walls of Ravenwald. The manor is already home to a vampiric Count and his highly dissatisfied bride, Cornelia—and an enigmatic witch and her feline familiar, Grimalkin, intend to use it as the site of a magical ritual.

At Igor’s suggestion, the three pairs come to an uneasy agreement to cohabitate in Ravenwald, lest they attract the suspicion of the nearby village. In the wake of this truce, Igor, Cornelia, and Grimalkin soon begin to realize that they might have more common with one another than their respective masters. When the trio discovers that they’ve been unwitting participants in a horrible plan to destroy the world as they know it, they must work together to stop their masters from bringing on armageddon . . . and stop the increasingly suspicious villagers from reaching for their pitchforks and torches.

Igor, Grim, and Cornelia must unite to cast off the chains of their masters and embrace life on their own terms in the hilarious, heartwarming, and just-scary-enough The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Humor, Cozy, Paranormal, Audiobook

11 pages, Audible Audio

First published September 22, 2026

About the author

Marshall J. Moore is a writer, filmmaker, and martial artist who was born and raised on Kwajalein, a tiny Pacific island. He has trained a professional mercenary in unarmed combat, once sold a thousand dollars' worth of teapots to Jackie Chan, and on one occasion was tracked down by a bounty hunter for owing $300 in overdue fees to the Los Angeles Public Library.

He lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife Megan and their two cats.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. I mean, it's not the most unpredictable book ever and you pretty much know how it's going to end just from reading the publisher's blurb, but it's still cozy and heartwarming and fun. If you're looking for an entertaining, feel-good escape from the real world that doesn't tax your little grey cells too terribly, this is definitely your novel. Plus, there's a talking (kind of) cat and a talking animal is never a bad thing as far as I'm concerned. (Seriously. Name one book that was made worse by an anthropomorphized four-legged creature. I'll wait.)

Also, I originally had (the start of) a joke here about a hunchback, a talking cat, and a vampire walking into a mansion, but then I realized that the Goodreads synopsis has already been there and done that so whatever.

Anyway, The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing is a tale about friendship and belonging and found family, and it's narrated by a hunchback named Igor so what more is there to say, really? The moralizing gets a bit thick at times and I do wish that the author had explained the “hows” of certain mystical events in a little (or a lot) more detail, but overall this was an enjoyable and entertaining read and I have no major complaints. Well, except that I now desperately want a talking cat friend of my very own and there is no way that my husband is going to agree to me bringing another animal into this house, especially one that can use actual words to demand its dinner. So, yeah.

3.95 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 22, 2026.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing
By Marshall J. Moore
I loved this book so much! I plan to buy this for my friends and family for birthdays and Christmas. It is a smart, clever, silly, yet heartwarming book! The characters include a doctor similar to Frankenstein and his assistant Igor. A vampire couples and the husband is the one with power over the wife and makes her get the meals every night for the last several decades. Then there is an evil witch and her poor cat familiar, who she works constantly.
They all end up in this mansion and have an agreement to not harm each other. They each have their own evil projects to work on. Slowly, the cat, the vampire wife, and Igor come up with a plan to get rid of their evil half.
This is such a fun book. Lots of twists, turns, great plot and characters! This was amazing! It's one of the top books I've read this year!
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this wonderful book!

[Maeghan 🦋 semi-hiatus · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I really love it when publishers sends us accesses to arcs they think we’ll love! It’s so thoughtful. Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!!
4.25✨

This novel was so good I just want to pick up everything the author ever wrote.
This story follows Igor, a doctor’s servant, as he opens his eyes to the mistreatment he’s been suffering from for years.
Needing shelter, unlikely characters all end up in the same house. Three of these characters are servants to their master ; and that’s who we follow closely. Igor has been servant to the mad scientist for decades, Cornelia to the count for centuries, and Grim the cat to the evil witch for a while as well.

We follow our three characters as they become friends & help each other find their worth & self esteem. The found family was truly the most precious aspect. It was so well written, I only wanted the best for our three protagonists. I loved how protective they grew of each other and I loved seeing them grow through their friendship. Igor was the character that had the most development and I was happy to see him become the best version of himself.

The pacing was good and I appreciated that the villains were real villains. The dilemmas the characters faced were relatable. I’m not a fan of horror but this type of horror is fine with me, it was mostly about the body parts so if you struggle with that - please check the trigger warnings.

I recommend this read, especially if you love stories in which the characters realize they deserve better & if you love truly precious found family.

« I’m no expert on friendship, but I do know that you either stand by your friends or you don’t. No matter who might be watching. »

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚡ The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing ⚡

I loved this entire set of characters! This book was filled with dark humor, friendship, redemption, hope and found family. And the epilogue 😍😍😍

5 Star read!

✨ What to Expect
• Found family
• Villain employers 👀
• Gothic manor setting
• Dark humor
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 22, 2026
📝 Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Rebecca]

Thanks to Bantam & Netgalley for access to this ARC

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was frankly interested in this just for the title and perhaps thought that it might be in line with Starter Villain or many other fairly recent books that dive pretty deep in the lives of side-villainous characters coming into their own, usually turning out to be decent people.

I mean, Unionizing? Hell yeah, get that collective bargaining on against all the super evil people out there. We're definitely not using fantasy as subtext here, no sir!

So imagine my sad face when I read about a cozy fiction with minor stakes as if it's all low-paid jobs for bad bosses, only it's Igor and the Bride of Dracula among other well-worn tropes just feeling ill-used and unappreciated even as they try to develop shy friendships and find a way out of loneliness?

I mean, don't get me wrong, it's low-key and slow paced and cozy and probably up a lot of people's alleys. But for me? Give me Zelazny or Scalzi. The plots are generally a lot more interesting. As are the characters.

[Stephanie]

I had to regretfully DNF my ARC of this one because my stomach is just too weak for the gruesome details involved in Igor’s graverobbing and surgery, but it really was regretful because the writing itself was so clever and funny and engaging. I think so many readers are going to love it! And I honestly really admired it and enjoyed the humor so much that I wanted to note it here anyway, because it is such a YMMV situation. Anyone with a strong stomach will have a fabulous time with this story!

[Melissa Stordahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Bantam for the gifted ebook, and to PRH Audio for the gifted audio!

I enjoyed this story mostly on audio because it’s narrated by the delightful Ray Porter who always does such a fantastic, entertaining job with the voices and acting.

I haven’t read many horror stories that I’d classify as cozy, but this one definitely qualifies (aside from some gory grave robbing bits.)

This is somewhat a Frankenstein reimagining but following the story of the doctor’s assistant Igor. He spends his days grave robbing, stitching body parts together, and all too frequently helping his boss flee from angry villagers. Igor wants more from life than simply following his abusive boss’s directions. When he meets a vampire’s wife and a witch’s cat familiar, they bond and give each other the courage to stand up for themselves.

This was such a fun read, just whimsical and humorous even amid the grim tasks. It would make the perfect palate cleanser between heavier reads!

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great mix of the paranormal, horror, but also fun and a cozy fantasy.

Igor is the doctor's hencheman which basically means he does all the work. He finds body parts as the doctor is on a quest to make the perfect human. When Igor and the doctor find themselves at Ravenwald Manor, Igor begins to make friends and find his true worth. He realizes just how much he has been taken advantage of and begins to think a little differently. However there is a lot going on at the manor. Tthere is an amulet called the Eye of Anthomset that can destroy the world and people are disapeerings around the village as well as the deer. The villagers might turn into a mob and kill them all. This is of course if the vampire or witch don't get them first.

This novel was just fun! I love all things paranormal and this was done in such a way to make me invested in the story. I love a great underdog story and Igor was just that character. The supporting characters also made this novel enjoyable. I loved Grim and Spare. I also thought the ending was perfect. A great read for anyone looking for something a little different that hits all the right spots!

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Babis Kokovidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that until the moment of writing, I am the only one of the reviewers who actually bought the book and didn't get it as an advanced copy.

I judge a book by it's cover and this one won me instantly. Of course, the title and the whole concept played a really important role as well.

After the first judgment, I can say that it is such a beautiful story! It is about finding yourself or even better, finding yourself after finding other people who are like you.
It is about toxic relationships and toxic poisons, creating new people and creating bonds with new people, dead people who wake up and dead people who are woke.

In summary, it is funny, sad, kind of scary, and kind of gory. Exactly like life!

[lorenzodulac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I’ve read in a good minute. It was funny, heartwarming, a very new and improved cozy fantasy that even without all these huge stakes, still has a plot that makes sense and characters so unique you’ll have to love them.
The humor in this book was top tier. I actually laughed out loud in certain instances. I had to highlight the funniest bits, you know, in case I’m having a bad day, to cheer up. I wouldn’t say this humor is for everybody, it’s certainly for me though, it’s dark and it hits you unexpectedly, I don’t know it’s just amusing. Even just the way the people/creatures in this book expressed themselves, like the way they talked itself was funny.
But I will say, this book isn’t all laughs. Igor (I guess we could say he’s our main character, alongside others) realizing he’s being mistreated, the way we solve that, I’d say that’s a point the book becomes a bit more sad, more thought provoking. There’s also Cornelia and her situation. But overall, I’ll just say I laughed a lot. All the creatures, including but not limited to vampires and talking cat familiars! Against all odds, I loved Grim, the cat. Such a fun addition that in my opinion even elevated the book. Who knew I had it in me!
The writing also flowed so smoothly, it was fast, the chapters are short, this is one of those books you could read in one sitting if you wanted to. I didn’t get the chance to because life happens, but it still read super quickly. I feel so grateful to have been gifted this ARC, it’s becoming a favorite of mine, and I can tell because I already want to reread it.
The found family aspect was also impeccable, relatable even. Grave robbing and stitching bodies back together aside. Wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea. The friendship. The uniqueness of the characters. Do you know how difficult it is these days to read a cozy fantasy and not fall asleep in the middle of it because everything reads exactly the same as the previous one you’ve read? Pretty difficult. I really want to commend the author for actually writing something different, at least to me, because I’ve never read anything like this before. I don’t know what was put into this book but I adored it.
Overall, as I said, I enjoyed this book immensely and my final rating is a 4.5⭐️ I can’t recommend it enough!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for the gifted ebook.

My Review

I had such a blast with this book. Right from the beginning we have Igor working for the Doctor at Ravenwald Manor, and part of his job is finding body parts for his experiments. Of course I immediately got Frankenstein vibes, but this takes that familiar kind of story and does something completely different and so much fun with it.

There are vampires, witches, monsters, experiments, angry villagers, and a whole lot of chaos happening under one roof. I ended up laughing so many times while reading this. I especially loved watching Igor, Cornelia, and Grim start realizing that they have more in common with each other than they thought and that maybe blindly doing everything their masters expect isn't the life they want. I loved the friendship that grew between them while everything around them became more and more ridiculous.

And Grim. That cat was fabulous. Absolutely fabulous. With so many different monsters and personalities in this book, somehow the cat still managed to be one of my favorite parts.

This was such a surprising and different read for spooky season. It gave me the monsters and creepy old manor I wanted, but it was also funny, weird, charming, and had a lot more heart than I expected.

Would I Recommend?

Definitely. If you want something spooky without being really scary and you like monsters, dark humor, unlikely friendships, and a completely different take on some familiar horror characters, this was a really fun one.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review (and many others) plus essays and booklists are now available on my blog!

On the run from yet another peasant mob after their latest attempt to create new life from corpse parts, Doctor and his faithful assistant Igor end up in the isolated Ravenwald Manor, only to find out that they are not alone there. Increasingly disillusioned with the Doctor's quest, Igor befriends Grimalkin, a witch's familiar, and Cornelia, the bride of a vampiric Count. Feeling accepted for the first time, Igor begins to realize his own value, and the three work together to prevent the destruction they have helped bring on.

This was very sweet, just not particularly standout for me. Igor, Grim, and Cornelia are all very charming characters, and each of them have had their sense of self-value torn down by their respective masters in some way. I know we love to say that you have to find value in yourself before others can find value in you, but I think in some cases it does take someone extending that love and respect for you first for you to truly see your self-worth. The short chapters were also nice since I was reading this during my first few days of classes and really had to consume it in crumbs between running all over the place. Spare was also an absolute delight and I smiled whenever they were on page.

Unfortunately, I generally need a little more bite to get fully invested in characters. In this book, the henchmen are all pretty pure of heart and all of the villains/masters are pretty straightforwardly bad people, and I could have used some more complexity and moral greyness. Cozy books don't really do it for me, but I keep reading them because I'm chasing the few books that manage the perfect balance of humor/warmth and angst (Hench, Kaiju Preservation Society, and any of Becky Chambers' books are some examples that get it perfectly). I liked this well-enough when I was reading it, but ultimately I wasn't that connected to the characters and I don't think it will stick with me.

If you love cozy fantasy, I think this you'll enjoy this a lot! For my fellow sadists, I fear this probably won't scratch the itch.

Thank you to Marshall J. Moore and Bantam for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute cozy-adjacent fantasy. I think the publisher is doing the author a disservice with the cover and the title, because they don’t match the vibe of the book. I expected something edgier and wittier and got something simple and feel-good. It read more YA to me than adult, except for the ages of the characters.

The book was enjoyable and it was a pleasant read. The character development could have been better and the messaging lacked subtlety. The allegory between the feline familiar and trans identity was a bit heavy-handed, although I agree with the sentiment.

Still, despite these quibbles, this was an easy read and a nice change of pace from darker fantasy books.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing
Author: Marshall J. Moore
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Bantam, for sending me an ARC. This one took me by surprise. I really enjoyed it and found myself being very quickly swept up into the story. There was just something about the found family, the world, and the overall writing that quickly pulled me in and made me want to keep reading.


Igor has spent years working as the laboratory assistant to a brilliant but demanding mad scientist. His job involves robbing graves, collecting body parts, assisting with questionable experiments, and trying to keep his master from accidentally killing himself. When angry villagers once again chase them out of town, Igor and the Doctor seek refuge at the isolated Ravenwald Manor. Unfortunately, the manor is already occupied. A vampire Count and his unhappy wife, Cornelia, are living there, while an enigmatic witch and her cat familiar, Grimalkin, have arrived with plans of their own. Rather than risk attracting the attention of the nearby villagers, the three unlikely pairs agree to share the manor and keep their activities hidden. As Igor, Cornelia, and Grimalkin spend more time together, they discover that they have far more in common than they realized, especially when it comes to their dissatisfaction with the masters they serve. Their uneasy friendship takes a much more serious turn when they uncover a terrible plan that could destroy the world. Now the three must work together to stop their masters, protect themselves from the increasingly suspicious villagers, and figure out what it means to live life on their own terms. Filled with gothic humor, friendship, found family, and just enough horror to keep things spooky, the story follows three unlikely henchpeople as they discover that sometimes the best way to deal with an evil boss is to unionize.

I really enjoyed this book and found myself being very quickly swept up into the story. There was just something about the found family, the world, and the overall writing that pulled me in almost immediately and made me want to keep reading. I went into this expecting something fun and a little quirky, and I definitely got that, but I also found myself becoming much more invested in these characters than I expected. There is a warmth underneath everything that made this such an enjoyable read.
This is cozy fantasy, and it is the type of cozy fantasy that I really enjoy. We follow a group of people who find themselves brought together because of their bosses. Their bosses have all done them wrong in one way or another, and they are all just trying to hold everything together while figuring out what comes next. What I really loved is that none of them simply accept that this is how their lives have to be. Instead of allowing their horrible bosses to completely ruin their lives, they begin to realize that they have each other. From there, they slowly start creating a family and a place in the world that actually belongs to them.
The found family aspect was probably my favorite part of the entire story. These characters are so different from one another, yet they fit together in a way that feels completely natural. They are not immediately best friends, and their relationships take time to develop. Watching that happen made it feel much more genuine. They begin by simply trying to coexist, but little by little, they start looking out for one another. They become people who can rely on each other, and that friendship eventually turns into something that feels much deeper.
There is also something incredibly satisfying about watching characters who have spent so much time being treated as though they are only useful because of what they can do for someone else finally realize that they deserve more. They are not just henchpeople, assistants, wives, or familiars. They are individuals with their own wants, needs, talents, and dreams. I loved watching them slowly figure that out for themselves.
The world also added a lot to the cozy feeling of the story. There is a wonderful gothic quality to it, with mad scientists, vampires, witches, haunted spaces, villagers with pitchforks, and all sorts of wonderfully strange situations. It should feel darker than it does, yet there is so much humor and warmth woven into everything that it never becomes too heavy. The combination of spooky and comforting worked really well for me.
This is not always an easy ride for the characters. They have plenty of problems to deal with, and there are moments when things become genuinely dangerous. Even with all of that, the story maintains this underlying feeling that these characters are going to find their way through it together. That is what made it so comforting for me. It is the kind of situation that makes you want to wrap the characters up in a warm blanket, give them something hot to drink, and tell them that everything is going to be okay.
Overall, this was just a really fun and heartwarming read. I loved the humor, the gothic setting, the characters, and especially the found family at the center of it all. It has that perfect combination of quirky, spooky, funny, and sweet that made it very easy for me to fall into. It is not always an easy ride, but it is a good one, and sometimes that is exactly what I want from a cozy fantasy.

This book comes out on September 22, 2026.

[Kat(ja) · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing is the quirky and heartfelt tale of laboratory assistant Igor finding his voice and the people he belongs to. Igor was truly such a wonderful protagonist and the most human of them all. He was kind, generous, loyal and yet still full of doubts having grown up underappreciated by those around him. I was glad to see him find his true friends and family, having people who would not only stand up for him but also encourage him to do the same for himself and others.
I wouldn’t say that I was surprised by many turns and twists in the book. In fact, I found myself predicting quite a few of the turn of events, but that was one of the best bits. It just proved that the author had managed to sprinkle that information in between the chapters quite nicely, leading us to the always intended outcome.
My one quarrel with the book is that I think it took a while for all the characters to show up and I would’ve liked to have a couple more scenes showing how these curious relationships were established. Don’t get me wrong, I can absolutely see how they were drawn together by their shared experiences under their “masters”, however, their bond formed rather quickly.
Still, I had a blast reading The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing! It was funny and curious but also emotional at times.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Maria · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Now this one was such a great time! Since the beginning I knew I’d love it, and my only regret is that my slump made me read this one a lot longer than I thought I would.

However, no regrets! This is exactly the type of a book that I enjoy when I’m up for a good time, amazing friend’s group with amazing found family, and it was such a heartfelt story too. I was cheering up for all of them from the start because they’re all such amazing characters!

Heads up though, if you can’t handle horror, body horror, detailed scenes when body parts are being cut, used, and put back together, then it probably won’t be that enjoyable for you!

While this is a mix of comedy and horror, and the writing is quite light and entertaining, while the plot gives us the classic fairytale with secured happy ending where the good saves the world, it’s still quite gorish on its own. Which I ate up, but I’d say someone with weaker stomach and not very fond of horror, might have hard type with it.

Now to my babies. We have Igor, he’s my boy just adding this here, I love him, he’s the crazy Doctor’s assistant that helps him to create the perfect human. After certain events they move to a place where we get introduced to Grim, our best girl and talking cat familiar, she’s so much more but sadly her master is another crazy witch. And they move in with a couple of vampires, the Count and his bride, Cornelia, who’s so much more than that.

Honestly Igor, Grim and Cornelia are such a great trio. They worked so well together, slowly growing close, becoming friends and then a family with strong bonds. They’re probably my favorite found family of this year and I don’t know if anyone would beat them anytime soon!

Each of them had their own struggles, living under the strong hold of their cruel masters, but eventually finding their own strengths and voice and oppose their own fears while fighting for their freedom. And they did so well!! I loved every moment of their character growth.

I could talk about this book a lot more, but I think experiencing it on its own without much details is the best way to go about it, so I’ll stop here. But really I love it so much!!

Thank you so much Random House, Dan Denning and Bantam Books for inviting me and pre-approving me to read this one in advance! I appreciate it!

[ellie ♈︎ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

The most wholesome book I've read all year <3 This was so sweet and so much fun! Igor is the henchman to the brilliant Doctor and is helping him create his new Frankenstein-esque creature. But the Doctor treats poor Igor terribly, and when they arrive at the Doctor's ancestral home of Ravenwald and encounter other supernatural creatures and their poor hench-people, Igor becomes the hero we all know he had inside him. Grim the cat is the familiar to a witch and Cornelia the vampire is married and enslaved to the ancient Count. The three of them form a lovely little found family, which is always a favourite trope of mine, and honestly it's just incredibly fun to read.

Please give this one a go!! Especially if you love cozy fantasy with some humour! Totally recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Ry Herman · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This is cute. I mean, you'll pretty much know what's going to happen well in advance, but if you don't mind that, it's a fun book.

[Emma De Vos Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a wonderfully whimsical and happy book, and I had an absolute joy reading it. First off, the characters were all fantastic, especially Igor, our main character, who I found myself rooting for the entire time. His kind heart really shines through, and I loved all of the creatures and people he meets along the way. Cornelia was another favorite of mine, though that might just be because I will always have a soft spot for vampires.

On paper, this story seems like it has a lot going on, with three different types of magic and fantasy elements, each with their own problems and climaxes, but the author does a fantastic job weaving everything together. There was never a point where I found the story confusing or convoluted, which honestly felt like an impressive feat.

And the writing itself was fantastic. The descriptions of the setting and characters were already vivid and lovely, but I especially appreciated how well the author conveyed the right emotion and tone for each scene. It helps that this book isn’t meant to take itself too seriously, and there were definitely comedic moments that had me chuckling, but the writing still felt poetic and had all the gravitas it needed during the more emotional scenes.

My only real qualm was the pacing, although I’m not sure most readers would agree with me on this one. I tend to love books that are quite slow, with plenty of worldbuilding between plot points so I can fully immerse myself in the setting, and this did feel a little rushed at times, especially toward the end. But honestly, that might just be because I wanted more time in the manor with Igor, Cornelia, and Grim.

All in all, this was a wonderfully cozy and whimsical read, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read it. A huge thanks to Ballantine, Bantam, and NetGalley for the chance to review this book in advance of its release.

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. This was a phenomenal storyline it had me laughing with the banter and crying at times with the bullying this was a heartfelt story! I love Igor and his whole personality he is caring and always thinking of others!! This has redemption, found family and banter!! Absolutely loved the last few chapters where he found himself and finally sticks up for himself and his friends!! Thank you to Penguin Random House and to Author Marshall J. Moore!! Absolutely phenomenal story!!

“Quirky and hilarious but also deep and heartfelt, The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing is an unforgettable and fantastic story about being human. I loved it!”—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.”

[ChipmunksandDandelion (Cinnamon&Pine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mad scientist’s apprentice, a witch’s cat, and a vampire’s wife walk into a haunted mansion…

Is cozy comedic horror a thing? What a delightful heartwarming macabre story, if you can stomach the details. If you can’t handle blood and gore, this is not for you, check your Trigger Warnings.

I loved Igor, Cornelia and Grim, their evolving friendship and the characters added along the way, cute Spare, the gravedigger Laura and the latecomer Kitty. Their masters are despicable villains full-stop, no redemption here!
Giggling at the absurdity and enjoying the warm fuzzy friendship forming I got so captivated that I couldn’t stop reading till finished.

If you liked eyeball-golf or watched „What we do in the shadows“ and love a true found family trope, put this on your TBR!

„Everyone’s got the potential to be a little monstrous, or a little saintly. That it’s a matter of our choices, not our natures.“

„The real monsters are the ones who look like you and me. The ones who know to hide their true selves behind an everyday mask rather than wear it openly.”

Thanks to the publisher for this e-arc, all opinions are my own.

[Jules (Real Life Kenma) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.


Oh. My. God.
Literally what can I say? This book was everything I hoped it would be and more!
The Henchperson’s Guide To Unionizing is at its core a story of found family, and the power of friendship.

The book itself does an excellent job on balancing the time given to characterization and actual plot. Even for the minor characters I felt like I knew them. As for the major players? Incredible. I could feel the care put into creating each one, and it absolutely payed off.
The characters are likable, and I loved watching them change and grow.

I found this to be the perfectly paced read. While on the slower side, I think that relaxed pace allowed for the fleshing out of the characters, as well as keeping the overall novel in Cozy territory rather than stressful.

The writing itself was very easy to read. The descriptions were vivid, and detailed without being excessive. I really felt like I was watching a movie unfold in my minds eye.

Overall an absolutely delightful read, and one I would recommend to anyone who wants a good found family story.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a quirky and unexpected read! I really liked the idea of Igor, Cornelia, and Grimalkin being stuck together at Ravenwald Manor and slowly realizing they had way more in common than they thought. The whole unionizing against their crazy masters concept was definitely fun, and I loved the found family aspect. Found family always gets me, and this one was packed full of it, which I loved.

That said, I think I was expecting to love this one more than I actually did. There were some genuinely funny moments and I enjoyed the spooky, gothic setup, but parts of the story felt a little slow for me and I didn’t connect with all of the characters as much as I wanted to. Still, it was creative, weird, and had a lot of charm. This would definitely be a fun read during spooky season with all the different supernatural beings and all their shenanigans. I would definitely still recommend this one to anyone looking for a quirky, fun time!

[Dominica (reading.with.moonbeam) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I enjoyed most about this book was the strong found family trope between its three central characters. They’re all dealing with their own versions of being undervalued, and I loved seeing their friendship grow into something genuinely protective and supportive.

There are definite horror elements here, but somehow the book still manages to feel cozy too. The pacing worked well for me, and I really enjoyed seeing these characters slowly realize they deserve more than what they’ve been settling for.

The story has some funny moments and it’s very relatable for anyone who has ever been tired of their boss 🤭 I enjoyed this book a lot and it’s a great story to read during the fall season!

Thank you to the author and to Bantam Books for this arc! All opinions are my own ☺️

[Susanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok read. I maybe expected a cleverer and funnier story based on the description, and I don't know why I thought it would have a modern setting, so it took me a moment to change gears. The chosen narrative style leans more on telling, but it works fine. Poor Igor had a lot on his plate, but Grim was my favourite.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Scott · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I thought the characters are what made this book shine through, though you needed them all in one room for it to work out. I think what this book suffers from the most is a pacing problem it takes a little too long to get going and sometimes too many things can happen one after the other. There is a lot to like about the book's tone though I think the ending rides a bit too high on the sunshine and rainbows school of conflict ending. And I think the epilogue was there just to justify the title name a bit more rather than make sense as a focus of the book. Other than a few character moments and one character whose motivations did not make sense this is a fun time.

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, quirky book! You should read this. Fantastic characters and humor. And if you know me those are a big win, win feature.

[Stacey Markle · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

My rating is 3.75
Do you love found family? This story is for you (and me!)
A little bit Frankenstein-esque, but with a twist. The villains are the good guys and the pitchfork wielding humans finally get it right (it takes them a while!)
Super cute, witty and actually heartwarming, I loved Igor, Cornelia, Grim and of course, Spare. There are definitely deeper more serious messages hidden in the plot and the emotional hit is front and center. Friendship and knowing/learning your worth is a theme I'm always invested in so I appreciated it in what comes across as a humourous "horror" story. I didn't find this very high on the horror scale, but it does have some body horror, mostly surgery related and grave desecration (if that is a trigger for you) but for me...it was just fun!

The Henchperson's Guide to Unionizing is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine/Bantam for the opportunity to read and review this title. My thoughts are my own.

[Sabrina Maisel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Absolutely charming.

Similar worldbuilding as Dreadful, with a wonderful reimagining of Igor, the loyal assistant.