Alyssa Palombo

I will admit, if someone told me a week ago that I would like this book more than I liked A Blade So Black, I wouldn't have believed them. But, here we are! I saw this book pop up on a friend's Goodreads feed and was intrigued (shout out to Kate, who has the best spooky book recommendations of anyone I know!). A retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that gives Katrina Von Tassel more agency and adds more badass female characters to a spooky story I love? YES, PLEASE!

Story- Katrina Von show more Tassel is the only child of a wealthy farmer living in Sleepy Hollow. Her father wants her to marry Brom Van Brunt, her former childhood friend who she now hates because of how he treats her best friend Charlotte. When the new school teacher Icabod Crane shows up in town, he and Katrina hit it off right away. Soon, a flirtatious friendship turns into a passionate forbidden romance. They sneak away for some sexy alone times and try to work out a plan to get married, despite differing social statuses. On Halloween night, Icabod disappears. It's rumored the Headless Horseman took him away. Devastated at the loss of her love, Katrina makes some difficult decisions to protect her reputation. She and Charlotte work together, using witchcraft and visions, to figure out what exactly happened to Icabod Crane.

I loved Katrina in this book. No offense to Christina Ricci, who did what she could with the role, but it needed MORE. This is the more the character needed. Spunk, realism, intellect, determination and ambition are all characteristics this version of Katrina has. Seeing her have some agency in her life and what happened was refreshing, especially compared to her character in the original version, which was just "pretty girl with a big inheritance."

The author, Alyssa Palombo also adds two other fantastic ladies to Katrina's inner circle. Charlotte, Katrina's best friend, works with her mother as an doctor and apothecary, mixing up herbs for medicines. Her and Katrina's friendship is wonderful and refreshing and was my favorite thing about this book. Other books with female friendships, take note. This book is a great example of how to write a female friendship.

Nancy, her nursemaid, is also a wonderful addition. She's a great ally and second mother to Katrina. Her backstory made my heart ache and she truly cares for Katrina.

Katrina's romance with Icabod is also more rewarding here than it is in the original story. He's not just a guy after her father's money. He loves her for her character, too. The story does follow the original story with Icabod's disappearance, which is heartbreaking here instead of just a creepy conclusion in the original.

Even the golden boy of the town, Brom Bones, gets some complexity added to his character, which was refreshing. He still sucks, as he does in pretty much every version he's in, but it was great to read more about what makes him tick. His character is also an interesting send up of toxic masculinity.

Let's not forget about that spooky Headless Horseman, who is worked into the plot of this story very well. No spoilers for how he plays into the narrative, but it works for the story being told here. I adore both the Disney and Burton Headless Horsemen, so this one had a lot to live up to.

Palombo's research into 1700's New York is also fantastic. When reading this book (and I highly recommend you do, if you're looking for a great Sleepy Hollow adaptation or for something spooky), make sure you find one with Author's notes. I had a blast reading this book, an adaptation done right. show less

I have a weakness for re-tellings. This one had me completely sucked into the story from the first line:

Washington Irving got it wrong.

Katrina Van Tassel tells her story. All the characters are there.....Ichabod Crane, Brom Van Brunt, the Headless Horseman. Only the tale doesn't unfold as Washington Irving told it. Katrina meets Ichabod, immediately forming a friendship with the new schoolmaster, which soon turns to romance. They begin sneaking off into the woods to meet. But the show more schoolmaster really has nothing to offer....he's poor and has no social standing. Katrina's father prefers his daughter choose Brom Van Brunt. But, Katrina wants nothing to do with him. Then Icabod disappears. With the help of her friend Charlotte, Katrina searches to find out what happened to Icabod....all the while worrying that the ghostly headless horseman might not be just a legend.

I loved getting the story from Katrina's point of view. She enjoys Icabod's company because they have similar interests, but she is afraid she will be forced into a marriage with Brom because of money. In a time where women were controlled by their families, Katrina wants a life with someone she can love. When Icabod disappears, she is determined to find out what happened to him, even if she has to call on the witchy talents of her best friend to accomplish it.

The Legend of Spooky Hollow is one of my favorite spooky reads for fall. This story puts a brand new spin on a favorite classic tale! I loved it! I feel the author stayed true to the feel of the classic, while giving it a completely new direction. Definitely a great book to read in October!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less

Like many people, I was introduced to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving at a young age, mostly thanks to Disney. I had read this Gothic classic before, but I couldn't really recall my initial impression of the story. I remember being terrified of the Headless Horseman. I remember thinking Ichabod was kinda ridiculous. I remember Katrina was the prize to be won. So I reread The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to refresh my memory of this classic, and now reading this story as an adult, show more I found I wanted more. Irving gives us a great characterization of Ichabod and Brom, but not so much about Katrina.

Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel is the answer to my bookish request. Palombo explores the inner life of the woman at the center of Irving's story. Palombo gives Katrina her own unique voice. She's smart; she's feisty; she's forward-thinking; she's brave. And she's in love with Ichabod Crane. I have to admit I had a hard time seeing Ichabod as a romantic lead. I blame Disney. Truly I do. I had this preconceived notion of what Ichabod looked like stuck in my head, and I'm afraid that image was hard to shake off. Palombo's Ichabod would have any girl swooning. It just took me a few minutes to adjust my thinking.

I was intrigued by the storyline of this book from the get-go. This Gothic story told from Katrina's point of view was more interesting than the original story--sorry Irving. There were a few twists and turns that kept this story fresh and exciting. The characters felt more fleshed out than in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and the story felt more complete. I love that Palombo was able to capture the romance without losing a bit of the mystery.

The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel is a great fall read. In fact, it's great any time of the year. Whenever I think of Sleepy Hollow from now on, Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel with be the first thing that comes to mind. And if you get the opportunity, you might want to pick it up. Be sure to clear your calendar for a day or two, you won't want to put it down.

Read more at https://www.toreadornottoread.net/2018/11/review-spellbook-of-katrina-van-tassel... show less

The main title of this book is very misleading - there isn't really a "spellbook" at all, and any witchcraft is faint at best. The vast majority of the novel focuses alternately on the love story between Katrina Van Tassel and Ichabod Crane, and later on the mystery of Ichabod's disappearance.

There are some spooky elements and I can see how this would be fun to read in autumn, with the wind moaning through the windows. However, if bodice-ripper romances aren't your thing, you probably won't show more care much for this book. show less