When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new school master, Katrina Van Tassel is instantly drawn to him. Through their shared love of books and music, they form a friendship that quickly develops into romance. Ichabod knows that as an itinerant schoolteacher of little social standing, he has nothing to offer the wealthy Katrina - unlike her childhood friend turned enemy, Brom Van Brunt, who is the suitor Katrina's father favours.
But when romance gives way to passion, Ichabod and Katrina embark on a secret love affair, sneaking away into the woods after dark to be together - all while praying they do not catch sight of Sleepy Hollow's legendary Headless Horseman. That is, until All Hallows's Eve, when Ichabod suddenly disappears, leaving Katrina alone and in a perilous position.
Enlisting the help of her friend - and rumored witch - Charlotte Jansen, Katrina seeks the truth of Ichabod Crane's disappearance, investigating the forest around Sleepy Hollow using unconventional - often magical - means. What they find forces Katrina to question everything she once knew, and to wonder if the Headless Horseman is perhaps more than just a story after all. In Alyssa Palombo's The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel nothing is as it seems, and love is a thing even death won't erase.
I have mad love for historical retellings, and The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow has always been one of my favorite spooky Halloween time stories, so to say I was excited when I saw this book available for review on NetGalley would be an understatement.
So did I enjoy it? Yes, quite a lot. Was it perfect? No, I think it was maybe a tad too long. My attention started to waver a bit around the 70% mark. That said, it was an exciting take on the legend. A little bit more ADULT if you will (Katrina and Ichabod get it on...often). The characters were well developed and interesting. Although, I thought Katrina layed on the "bitch-tude" a little heavy when it came to Brom. Perhaps if she had toned it down a notch, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. Then again, if you know the legend than you know this isn't going to end in the couple riding off into the sunset. Still, even though my poor little romance-loving heart broke, the ending was satisfying.
