**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**The Lantern's Ember is a standalone young adult novel by Colleen Houck. I don't normally mention a book's cover, but I have to talk for a moment about just how stunning the cover of The Lantern's Ember is. I think it is the perfect cover for this story, and it helped to set the mood of the story for me. I really, really love it. And speaking of love, I thought this novel was the perfect read to get you into the Halloween spirit. I think this is a great read for young adult readers (even some on the younger end that are ok with a romance) . The characters are age appropriate and the novel has a wonderful magical atmosphere that will draw you in.

The Lantern's Ember gave me HalloweenTown vibes. In a strange way, because the setting is not really like Halloween Town but the concept of journeying into another magical world with a guide of sorts. Plus, while the atmosphere was totally spooky and had a hint of a darker vibe, the overall feel of the story was not overly scary. But  I kind of enjoyed that about the story. It gave me a chance to get to know the characters and feel a part of the world. Ember is our main character, and I think she was a very age appropriate young lady. (or should I say young witch...) She is someone that grew on me. She starts out a bit too trusting and naive, but we get to see her grow as the novel progresses, which is fantastic in a standalone novel. (I love seeing characters grow over the course of a series, but I always find it really impressive when an author can depict that type of growth in a standalone novel as well.) Despite Jack's warnings, Ember crosses over to the otherworld, which in turn makes Jack follow her, and off we go on Ember's adventure. 

I also really enjoyed Jack and Ember's friend Finney. Jack is Ember's guide to the Otherworld- he is a gatekeeper of sorts for the otherworld. I would personally like to see more of Jack's time as a portal guardian. And Finney is my favorite (but I love a nerd, so this should be a surprise to no one...)

If you are looking for a really scary, dark novel, this might not be your best bet. But if you are looking for a fantastic atmospheric Halloween read that still manages to be creepy, yet lighthearted, I think this will be the perfect novel for you. I think it will be perfect for the younger, young adult audience as well as anyone looking for a fun Halloween read with other world magic and some romance.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs