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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
DO NOT READ THIS FOR THE COVER OR THE PROMO STUFF ON BOOKTOK
DNF at 50%
Unfortunately this book was *incredibly* boring. A wasted premise with a cover that doesn’t match the contents. This is a thriller with the bare minimum of magical elements. I repeat- THIS IS A THRILLER. (one that wasn’t thrilling at all)
This had characters that took up way too much space for giving nothing, writing that for the most part was just alright- though certain phrasing choices had me wtf-ing, and a plot that was all talk and no show. It was a lot of nothing.
DNF at 50%
Unfortunately this book was *incredibly* boring. A wasted premise with a cover that doesn’t match the contents. This is a thriller with the bare minimum of magical elements. I repeat- THIS IS A THRILLER. (one that wasn’t thrilling at all)
This had characters that took up way too much space for giving nothing, writing that for the most part was just alright- though certain phrasing choices had me wtf-ing, and a plot that was all talk and no show. It was a lot of nothing.
This is part one of a duology and is told from three different character POVs. I enjoyed the stark differences between the characters and wanting to know how they would all connect kept me engaged. (I will say that the three don't meet until 80% of the way through the book, but I'm interested to see if they work together more in the second book.)
There are quite a few dreamlike sequences throughout that kept me guessing at what was reality and what wasn't. The sleep paralysis demons were an especially creepy touch. There was also so much rich folklore included that added to the macabre feel of the book.
I loved the haunted feel of Black Hollow and that all the residents seemed to accept the horrible things that kept happening to them without question. This made things even more challenging for our three main characters to overcome, on top of all the nightmarelike creatures they faced.
There are quite a few dreamlike sequences throughout that kept me guessing at what was reality and what wasn't. The sleep paralysis demons were an especially creepy touch. There was also so much rich folklore included that added to the macabre feel of the book.
I loved the haunted feel of Black Hollow and that all the residents seemed to accept the horrible things that kept happening to them without question. This made things even more challenging for our three main characters to overcome, on top of all the nightmarelike creatures they faced.
This book was like nothing that I thought it was going to be and it was the best surprise ever.
Told from the point of view of three people..Miya, Kai and Mason. Each one was like a lost soul searching for home. Miya and Kai were drawn to each other in a way they don't understand or can remember. Mason was struggling with guilt and ran away to a place the opposite of where he came from to get away only to find that the truth follows you wherever you go.
The beauty of this book is the slow burn atmosphere through out the whole book. This is not a guns blazing book. It's more of a slow simmer, seep into your brain situation. It deals with generational trauma/curse, mental health, the very thin line between fact, fiction and the truth. This book went deep. Mentally and emotionally. But there was also a hint of humor here and there that gave it all a beautiful balance. I know it's fantasy but A. J. gave it all such a real feel.
By the end of it I felt very connected to the characters...even to Mason and he wasn't even my favorite. Kai was my favorite. He was very raw and animalistic. I found myself relating to Miya a lot with her thought processes. Even if I didn't already know it was a duology I would have taken the ending as is. It was a very inception like ending that left my mind open to so many possibilities...but with that being said I'm definitely ready for more.
Told from the point of view of three people..Miya, Kai and Mason. Each one was like a lost soul searching for home. Miya and Kai were drawn to each other in a way they don't understand or can remember. Mason was struggling with guilt and ran away to a place the opposite of where he came from to get away only to find that the truth follows you wherever you go.
The beauty of this book is the slow burn atmosphere through out the whole book. This is not a guns blazing book. It's more of a slow simmer, seep into your brain situation. It deals with generational trauma/curse, mental health, the very thin line between fact, fiction and the truth. This book went deep. Mentally and emotionally. But there was also a hint of humor here and there that gave it all a beautiful balance. I know it's fantasy but A. J. gave it all such a real feel.
By the end of it I felt very connected to the characters...even to Mason and he wasn't even my favorite. Kai was my favorite. He was very raw and animalistic. I found myself relating to Miya a lot with her thought processes. Even if I didn't already know it was a duology I would have taken the ending as is. It was a very inception like ending that left my mind open to so many possibilities...but with that being said I'm definitely ready for more.
slow-paced
Vrana provides a twisty, dark, lyrical tales where dreams and reality beat together as one, a turning cycle of past, present, and imagination. AJ filters in dark imagery, literary references, and dry, dark humor that had me quickly flipping the pages to consume more.
Told from three different POVs -- Miya, Kai, and Mason -- this story will take you on a dark ride as you along with the three MCs dive into the mysterious happenings in Black Hollow. AJ does this amazing job of giving you these crumbs of folklore, past town hysteria, and present day happenings. The crumbs draw you further into a twisted tale of cycles, past lives, and the consequences of failed learned lessons.
Mason, Miya, and Kai (along with some other characters including Ama and Kafka) are the perfect narrators to tell this story. Each at a specific moment in their lives - Kai fighting his own demons, Mason struggling to make sense of loss and grief, and Miya dealing with what comes next in her life. They are all pulled into the larger story of Black Hollow in different ways and it is fun to watch them stumble into the larger plot with their own motivations. And the cliffhanger...oof, I cannot wait to see what happens for the group next.
If you like multi-POVs, a dark mystery, tales of the past and present, witty humor, and psychologically and emotionally dark tales infused with folklore, grab a copy of this book.
4.5/5
Told from three different POVs -- Miya, Kai, and Mason -- this story will take you on a dark ride as you along with the three MCs dive into the mysterious happenings in Black Hollow. AJ does this amazing job of giving you these crumbs of folklore, past town hysteria, and present day happenings. The crumbs draw you further into a twisted tale of cycles, past lives, and the consequences of failed learned lessons.
Mason, Miya, and Kai (along with some other characters including Ama and Kafka) are the perfect narrators to tell this story. Each at a specific moment in their lives - Kai fighting his own demons, Mason struggling to make sense of loss and grief, and Miya dealing with what comes next in her life. They are all pulled into the larger story of Black Hollow in different ways and it is fun to watch them stumble into the larger plot with their own motivations. And the cliffhanger...oof, I cannot wait to see what happens for the group next.
If you like multi-POVs, a dark mystery, tales of the past and present, witty humor, and psychologically and emotionally dark tales infused with folklore, grab a copy of this book.
4.5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this awesome ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Horror: 5/5
Fantasy: 4/5
Contemporary: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Blurb: This shifting perspective contemporary Horror-fantasy fiction cum Fairy Tale is a novel for ages with its ghastly setting, cryptic plot which all the protagonists are trying to solve, not knowing how deep this rabbit hole goes LITERALLY. Meet Kai, the big bad; Miya the damsel-not-so-much-in-distress and Mason the doctor who has a detective bug up his brain. They will keep meeting each other, but also not? What is happening? No one knows. Or no one who is from this realm knows. By the end, you will be gasping for air, which is ironical to say in the least.
Ease of language: written in very beautiful, to the point language, with NO WORDS WASTED. Kudos to Author who is also a fellow literature PhD scholar....Cheers!
Strength: Shifting perspective makes it interesting. This formula is although used by many, but its always a hit and miss. And here it was a hit. Also everyone gets equal screentime. Witty writing is topnotch as well. Take a look at this quote below
Weakness: somewhat predictable end if you know this genre and is familiar with tropes. But even then the ending doesn't matter. Its the journey that counted.
Why to Read: Right amount of Horror, with enough spices to make a Lasagna. Not too sweet, not too salty and many layers.
Why not to Read: if Horror gives you creeps, and shifting perspectives make your head spin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QOTD: What was your favorite Fairy Tale growing up?
For more book reviews, Follow my Instagram account
Horror: 5/5
Fantasy: 4/5
Contemporary: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
“Only two reasons why people go looking for monsters,” Miya mimicked his didactics, and not without a touch of mockery. “Either they’re bored, or they want something from the monster.”
Blurb: This shifting perspective contemporary Horror-fantasy fiction cum Fairy Tale is a novel for ages with its ghastly setting, cryptic plot which all the protagonists are trying to solve, not knowing how deep this rabbit hole goes LITERALLY. Meet Kai, the big bad; Miya the damsel-not-so-much-in-distress and Mason the doctor who has a detective bug up his brain. They will keep meeting each other, but also not? What is happening? No one knows. Or no one who is from this realm knows. By the end, you will be gasping for air, which is ironical to say in the least.
Ease of language: written in very beautiful, to the point language, with NO WORDS WASTED. Kudos to Author who is also a fellow literature PhD scholar....Cheers!
Strength: Shifting perspective makes it interesting. This formula is although used by many, but its always a hit and miss. And here it was a hit. Also everyone gets equal screentime. Witty writing is topnotch as well. Take a look at this quote below
August was a bitch even the devil wouldn’t want to fuck.
Weakness: somewhat predictable end if you know this genre and is familiar with tropes. But even then the ending doesn't matter. Its the journey that counted.
Why to Read: Right amount of Horror, with enough spices to make a Lasagna. Not too sweet, not too salty and many layers.
Why not to Read: if Horror gives you creeps, and shifting perspectives make your head spin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
QOTD: What was your favorite Fairy Tale growing up?
For more book reviews, Follow my Instagram account
I enjoyed this book. I will say I read wild blood first and that book was great! It was nice to go back to the roots though and see how Kai and Miya met. As well as understand the lore behind them.
Have you ever read a book where there’s so much happening throughout but by the time you get to the end you wonder what the hell just happened? That’s how this book felt.
I want to start off by saying that I really liked the atmosphere of this book. I loved the small town vibe, with local folklore. I thought the story was a little slow but I didn't really mind it while I was reading. I really liked Miya and Kai as characters, although Kai was a little tough guy for me. But overall I liked his character -- I mean, he is literally a wild animal I guess. I wouldn't really classify this as a horror, although some aspects of it are creepy - more a supernatural fantasy in my opinion. I liked the writing, I liked the vibe and I immediately went out and got The Echoed Realm.