Jennifer Smith's Reviews > Hampton Heights: One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This short novel promises 80's nostalgia and a night filled with creepy and magical occurrences. A group of teen paperboys are brought to the Hampton Heights neighborhood in Milwaukee, WI one evening for their annual subscription canvassing. The boys partner up and hit the streets to go door to door to sell papers. Each set of boys ends up getting a dedicated magical adventure that reads more like a short story. However, the individual narratives are eventually woven back together with a cohesive ending. Witches, werewolves, trolls, and other monsters lurk within the Heights. Some of the boys ignore warnings of locals and end up in some terrifying situations. The danger was almost claustrophobic, and I was tense for the whole novel! I loved the diversity of the boys; from race, class, and sexuality, and how that influenced their perspective and experience in the Heights (as well as how universal 14 year old humor is regarding a 'fart tape').
Spooky, fun, and a reminder of teenage angst, this read is a fun coming-of-age story for readers who like their books a little on the strange side!