This is one of those books that had a good idea for a book plot but the writing is so awful that it's just not readable. The dialogue reads like it was written by a robot. No middle schoolers talk the way this book is written. I couldn't get past the second chapter.

This is one of those books that I wanted to like more than I actually did. The idea was really good, but the characterizations and writing style just weren't for me. Things moved too quickly and easily (Lily sees a picture of a farm, asks to go see her cousins, and then is immediately told she can stay there). I also was not a big fan of Lily at the beginning of the book. She's upset about not getting invited to a Halloween party being thrown by someone she doesn't even like and then just abandons her best friend to spend Halloween alone. Why didn't she got trick or treating with Kate or spend the night with her? Instead it's all about Lily and what Lily wants. Then she gets the farm and doesn't see the need to follow the rules or instructions of the people she is staying with! The events that occur inside the book are interesting and it was nice to see some growth in Lily's character. I'm not sure why no one thought to tell Charlotte and Poppy about Betty now being in the house - seems pretty rude.

loved the cover - it was what grabbed my attention.

And I do enjoy pumpkin with my roasts.

I didn’t love the story - but it was a perfect Halloween read, and I cared about what happened to the young characters, even if I didn’t bond with them. The two young heroes, Lily (12) and Tom(13), had a really good adventure. But they were a little naughty playing around with a recipe book when they discovered that the resulting dishes produced magic - first they could fly, then they were invisible, then some scarecrows came into the house on the pumpkin farm and started attacking them. Trying to get away Lily and Tom jumped into a book in the library and ended up - somewhere else - another time, another place. Then their adventure really started as they had to escape from the danger they were in and find a way home.

The two children, and Lily’s second cousins who owned the farm, didn’t really grow on me. In fact the two second cousins were quite negligent if it was real and not fiction. Certainly suits middle school and older children.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to review.

The ebook is not formatted well for reading on a kindle. I read about 20% and can't get any further. There are line breaks all over. There were also some story continuity issues. I'm sure it's undergoing more editing before release and from what I read it was delightful but needs proper formatting. I'm also not sure how a Halloween book will do with a February release but I'll keep it in mind for Fall 2023 recommendation lists.

This sounded like the perfect middlegrade read for spooky season, which is why I requested it. When I read these books though, I'm looking for something immersive and atmospheric. This book proved to be neither, because the writing felt very detached, which didn't pull me into the story. I could tell fairly early on I wasn't going to enjoy this, so I decided to DNF it.

I really enjoyed this one. All the autumnal feels which made me feel all cosy. The characters were really likable and seeing their development was what made the book so enjoyable.

The House on Pumpkin Farm by Sarah Shadi is a quick and easy read. The story line is well written with characters growth that keeps you invested. This can be a great story for younger kids to read, enjoy, and to see that there is always some fun to be found.

When you are the only one not invited to a party you can experience a range of emotions, but for Lily, she decided to go out on her own adventure. Lily is such a great character. I enjoyed reading about her and how she worked with Tom. I wish the book was a little longer, so all the information and story line didn't feel so crammed and fast paced.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a very cute story with a lot of potential. But it needs a really good editor first. The writing was disjointed, crammed, and confused.

A quick, easy and cute read that I read in one sitting. It is well written with well developed characters some of which I fell in love with and showcases some great lessons for kids. I really liked it.

What to do when you are the only one not invited to a party? Discover unknown relatives and sleep away from yout parents for the first time. Stay up all night and break the rules. And make new friends.

I thought this book was very silly, but in a good way. I can already see my niece having an absolute blast reading this book. I thought Lily was very funny. I enjoyed how nothing really phased her which made the contrast between her and Tom more apparent. I enjoyed seeing how her and Tom worked together. I will say there's a lot going on in the book so I think the pacing could have been a bit better, but overall this is the perfect read for young ones that love Halloween and spooky stuff without the scary bits.

I would love to finish reading this but sadly the E-Arc is missing text! If by chance its fixed i would love to finish reading

Unfortunately, I am unable to finish reading 'The House on the Pumpkin Farm' at this time. I was so excited to read this for spooky season but after downloading this book on the Netgallery Shelf and Kindle, more than half the book had no text. When I got to the part with text, it made no sense on continuing since I did not know what happen in the book beforehand. I'm going to try to get a physical arc or copy so I can complete the book and update my review at a later time.