With a "Halloween" in the title, you might be wondering why release it in March? I'm wondering about that too and I just know that The Witch Queen of Halloween planned to be released on Halloween last year, but got delayed. At this point, I don't want to sounds whiny because we are lucky that Cole release it in just few months late compared to Munro that delayed for so many years, lel. Also, this is just me, but I'm surprised to find that this one is a novella rather than a novel. I mean (yeah, I may sound whiny again), with the price (6,99$) I expect a full novel NOT a novella. The fault is mine tho since I don't did my due diligence and the fact that it's a novella didn't affect my ratings. It's something else.

Look, from I don't know how many books, Cole already tease about Ascension. How the event is near and then there's this threat from another plane called The Morior. Do this novella bring some hints about Ascension? I'm afraid, not. The Witch Queen of Halloween pretty much a Halloween read. The only hint about Ascension that I got is just from prologue that feature our batshit crazy Valkyrie soothsayer, Nix and two Witches Queen, Loa and Dorada. A tidbit about maybe the fate of Furie and Kristoff? Nope and nope, lel. The ending promise some new threat though, but just that.

Do I like Poppy and Rok? Umm, yeah, I think they are okay. They are not my favorite IAD couple, but they are also not that bad. Except maybe I got annoyed by Poppy because she's sometimes playing hard to get and her jealousy can be too much to read. I like Rok, he's one of the oldies but goldies of Cole's alpha heroes. Honestly, if there's no mention of Cadeon, I kinda forget who is Rok at the first place, lol. His ability as a smoke demon is unique but also make things complicated especially in romance department. I know that some of Poppy's jealousy about Rok's past lover/FWB that can summon him as they please because of pact that they formed, is justified. But didn't mean I like to read it. For an immortal and a hundred year and more witches, Poppy's act like a teenager when it come to romance. By the way, I still like Poppy and Rok's witty banter, another Cole's trademark for sure. The sexual tension is of course rocketing although I just wish their first love making didn't happen in the castle of the horror and their fate is in peril. I mean, you can be horny in those situation and conditions? I'm really sure that I'm not, lol!

The strength of this novella is the horror and macabre nightmare come to life. Cole really know her homework and she write so many horror movie creatures. The mystery behind the Raven castle is pretty light and the reason behind Poppy's curse is easily solved. I mean, the entire novella is pretty simple and straightforward story that focusing more in how Poppy and Rok make their relationship work. So, after all the misunderstanding cleared and Rok admit that Poppy is his mate and he start attempting (aka boning), all is well. 

The Witch Queen of Halloween is perfect for a light and fast read without too much angst. It's not the best of the IAD series, but not the worst either. I still manage to enjoy reading it, although I hope can we get through Furie and Kristoff story already before Cole add so many new characters and the story will never reach its ending? *sigh

PS: I read some reviews, both from this novella and Munro, and there's a wild speculation that both Munro and Witch Queen written by a ghostwriter because the lack of Cole's signature. I'm not really sure maybe because even I read all IAD books, the interval between the book release is a year or so and don't forget that Munro got delayed for almost 5 years! I think, maybe Cole don't get her mojo back yet? Both Munro and Witch Queen still have some Cole's trademark and still feels like IAD novels. Or maybe, because with Munro, Cole now go in self publishing route so the quality of the book is not the same with her old novels? Only time and the next book release will tell, though.