The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

A Story of Sleepy Hollow

By: Alyssa Palombo

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

"The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel enchants with a concoction of love, longing, and loss plucked from the bones of one of our most enduring and haunting legends." - Erin Lindsay McCabe, USA Today bestselling author of I Shall Be Near to You

When Ichabod Crane arrives in the spooky little village of Sleepy Hollow as the new schoolmaster, 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 favors.

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.

Critic reviews

<p>"An enthralling lovers' tale woven from 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,' Alyssa Palombo's captivating story, told through the eyes and heart of Katrina Van Tassel, is like visiting a treasured childhood friend and finding out all her secrets." - <b>Gwendolyn Womack, award-winning author of <i>The Memory Painter</i> and <i>The Fortune Teller</i> </b><br><br>"Palombo has conjured up a dark, sexy twist on Washington Irving's classic tale. <i>The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel</i> will satisfy romance fans who crave a dash of spine-tingling horror." - <b>Cat Winters, award-winning author of <i>The Uninvited</i> and <i>In the Shadow of Blackbirds</i></b></p>

So good!

I loved this book! I love anything Sleepy Hollow related & this was no exception! As for a review calling it just a bodice ripper- yes, there’s sex. Very well written sex scenes, mind you & the book is definitely NOT about sex or even those scenes. It’s a romance story with horror / supernatural elements & like any good adult romance, there is good sex involved. I love how Katrina is written in this book; she reminds me of Disney’s version of Belle in many ways. 5/5 stars from me, and I’ll probably listen to this one again next Halloween season!

The Sleepy Hollow story I've always wanted

I loved this in-depth re-imagining of the classic story. It was a perfect October read and took me right to the Hudson River Valley during the infancy of the United States. Each character was well-drawn, and the narrator did an especially good job of portraying each of them in a unique way.

Outstanding.

Loved it.
Excellent narration.
likeable and unlikeable characters.
Wonderful retelling of classic tales.
Would love to see more works by Alyssa Palombo.

You get what you expect

This is a retelling of the legend of sleepy hollow from the point of view of a character we don't get to hear from in the original. For this kind of retelling, you get basically what you would expect without any major surprises. The writing is decent, but I'm probably not the target audience. While there were not surprises, the ending was decent and it made me wonder what happened to the protagonist after the story ends. #magical #retelling #suspensful #earlyamerica #perspective #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Great Halloween Read

The legend of Sleepy Hollow has always been one of my favorite spooky stories. As a child I was riveted by Disney's version and Alyssa Palombo has brought this tale to life for me as an adult.
The retelling of this classic story follows a headstrong Katrina and gives life to her side of the events that we have all heard before.
This novel was a great read and impossible to put down. I was drawn in immediately and was sorry when it came to a close.