All Hallows' Eve by Annabelle Jacobs
Review by Lauren
source: copy from author; all opinions are my own
Official Summary: Dominic Ashworth is descended from a long line of witches, although the family practice of witchcraft died out generations ago. Forever connected to a dark history, the house he grew up in remained in the Ashworth family for generations until his estranged father sold it.
On a mission to check out the new owners, Dominic runs into Caleb Jones and gives the gorgeous man his phone number—but getting a date should be the last thing on Dominic’s agenda.
Caleb and his best friend, Zach Briceworth, are oblivious to the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything revolves around Caleb’s new love interest.
After a shaky start, Caleb and Dominic settle into an easy relationship, falling faster than either of them expected. But with Halloween approaching, the possibility of danger increases. The past is not always as it seems, and the ripples of a tragic event threaten to put an end to everything between them.
Review: Thanks to the author for allowing me to read her novel, which is obviously perfect for the month of October and Halloween. I love books that are spooky, so I was really excited to check this one out, especially because it's an m/m novel, which I also love. All Hallows' Eve was a really fascinating read, and I loved the twists thrown in throughout that kept me reading. The basics of the story is that Dominic is in a family of witches, and to keep a relative from years and years back from taking over their body and coming back, every member of the family needs to get a tattoo/protective mark. Dominic and his sister Alice have theirs, but when their estranged dad sells their old house (where the aforementioned ancestor was banished to the 'other side'), all they know is that one person has the mark...but what about the guy's son?
While trying to figure out if the son has the mark, Dominic meets his roommate, Caleb, and the two start a relationship. Alice urges Dominic to tell Caleb about them before they get too far into the relationship and everything comes out. Unfortunately, Dominic doesn't really get the chance until things start getting weird.
I loved the relationship between Dominic and Caleb. They had a quick connection, but obviously they do have some issues throughout the book, what with Dominic believing so strongly in magic. As for Dominic's old house, weirder and weirder things start happening as it gets closer to Halloween. Cold drafts, new cat avoiding rooms, an old diary that had no writing one day and was filled the next. The book gets spookier as it goes on, and while it's not outright scary, it does leave you wondering what will happen next and if everyone will be okay.
I do recommend this one!
4 comments:
This does sound spooky, but I like the idea that Caleb is from a long line of witches. There's a history there I like.
Sounds like a great story. And it is great to find spooky reads these days. A lot of times things are advertised as scary stories, but aren't really. Glad you enjoyed this one. Great review!
This sure sounds like a good read for this time of the year! Seems like there's a nice blend of romance and the weird/ spooky things that happen.
Oh, I real like the sound of this one! I always intend to read spooky books around Halloween, but for some reason I never get around to it :( If I do manage to remember to read something spooky, I will definitely keep this in mind.
I absolutely love LGBTQIA+ fiction that isn't just contemporary (although those are great, too, of course) because they are so rare! If you're looking for another m/m witchy book, I suggest checking out Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey - it's a YA trilogy and I really enjoyed it :D
I like the sound of the spooky things that happen in this book, and I think it's right up my alley.
Thanks for the lovely review, Lauren <3
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