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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Infidelity, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
I love retellings. And this one was unique and unpredictable.
The three main characters Kat, Brom and Crane are all intriguing characters.
There is so much depth and layers to each one of them.
Their story is complex, intense and utterly fascinating.
I was gripped from start to finish.
It’s a mystery slowly being revealed. A puzzle with each piece coming together to form the picture.
While the mystery hasn’t been yet solved nor the picture revealed.
Some of the things that have come to light are just jaw dropping.
Along with all the intrigue taking place.
There is an intricate and complex gritty relationship(s) forming.
That part of the story was spicy and extremely hot and sexy.
While reading you have to keep in mind the time and era the story and love relationships are taking place in. The forbidden and the taboo are so much more forbidden which elevated the story for me.
The chemistry and bond between each of the characters is so palpable.
I could feel their energy coming off the pages. Yes it’s that strong and that intense.
Needless to say I can’t wait to read Legend.
The three main characters Kat, Brom and Crane are all intriguing characters.
There is so much depth and layers to each one of them.
Their story is complex, intense and utterly fascinating.
I was gripped from start to finish.
It’s a mystery slowly being revealed. A puzzle with each piece coming together to form the picture.
While the mystery hasn’t been yet solved nor the picture revealed.
Some of the things that have come to light are just jaw dropping.
Along with all the intrigue taking place.
There is an intricate and complex gritty relationship(s) forming.
That part of the story was spicy and extremely hot and sexy.
While reading you have to keep in mind the time and era the story and love relationships are taking place in. The forbidden and the taboo are so much more forbidden which elevated the story for me.
The chemistry and bond between each of the characters is so palpable.
I could feel their energy coming off the pages. Yes it’s that strong and that intense.
Needless to say I can’t wait to read Legend.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was for the Sleepy Hollow girls that had a crush on Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane. It was spooky and mysterious at times and very spicy! A nice, quick read for a silly goofy time while bringing in the Halloween vibes. I will be reading the second book!
I am not really sure what to rate this. Some parts had me and some parts didn't. This is a why choose with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod, Katrina, and Brom. I don't mind a why choose or a student teacher so it seemed up my alley. It actually has a good plot. Brom just disappeared for four years and now he shows up after Katrina has fallen for her teacher, but it ends up Ichabod already knows Brom, but Brom can't remember the last four years. They are witches in this book so Ichabod wants to try to get Brom's memories back with Katrina's help. Katrina's mom is somehow involved as well and I was for trying to figure all of this out but the book is mostly sex and not figuring out what is going on. I get there is a second book so we can't find everything out but I would've liked a little more of what was going on. I don't mind sex but I would like some romance with it and there was none of that. I just felt like the men were using her.
-"You'll never want to leave Sleepy Hollow. Once you are one with us, you'll want to stay for life."
-And I'm left in the hall with a boy I once knew who has turned into a man I don't.
-"You'll never want to leave Sleepy Hollow. Once you are one with us, you'll want to stay for life."
-And I'm left in the hall with a boy I once knew who has turned into a man I don't.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hollow by Karina Halle is a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I was intrigued with the concept and the plot. A magical institution where Kat is forced to go because she’s a witch, her instructor Ichabod Crane, and her betrothed Brom that mysteriously disappeared 4 years ago that returns different.
I like the mystery of the story, the what’s going to happen next. I like that the Headless Horseman is almost a HILF (yes I said that lol.)
The spice is fun mostly (we’ll get to that below.) Brom is the most developed character. I could feel his angst. I felt so bad for him.
What I didn’t like and why this is three stars:
This is a spicy novel. I love me some spice don’t get me wrong but the author does it wrong on several occasions in this book. We’ll go chronologically.
The first instance is where Brom is 18 and Kat is 15. Brom takes Kat’s virginity in a quick sex scene that feels kind of rough. The consent age is a little iffy. She does consent but she doesn’t really know what’s going on and it’s over quick.
The one that bothers me the most is when Brom meets Crane. Brom is down on his luck in an opium den. Crane sees him and tells us that he needs him. He even says that he’s a predator looking at prey. He tells Brom that he has a place Brom can stay with the intent clear that he must sleep with him. In the retelling later in Brom’s POV you see that he doesn’t want to sleep in the slums and anywhere is better. Crane takes him home and bursts in on his bath and basically forces the man to give him a blow job. When Crane is finished he asks Brom want he wants and Brom states all he wants is a safe place to stay. Crane acknowledges for all of five seconds that maybe the way he acted was wrong, but then moved on. I hated this scene. This was almost rape. He wanted a place to stay, the only way Brom could get that was to blow Crane? No. Just no. The aggressive way Crane went about this sexual encounter was wrong. I didn’t like it and afterwards I never had any sympathy towards Crane. The author could have made Crane and Brom’s meet up a lot better.
And the last one: Brom’s first male partner was his older father figure pastor. Full stop. Do we not see the problem here?? Brom admits to giving the pastor a blow job at some point and then being screwed by him at 18. So that tells me that Brom most likely did this BJ at younger than 18. The grooming here. And the author never says anything about it! Never offers sympathy about the fact that a boy was coerced/groomed into sex with a father figure. It isn’t really even mentioned that this whole thing was wrong. This was a no bueno for me.
Other things: the world building. It was an 1875 book that did not act like an 1875 book. The characters did not act the way they would in that timeline. Indoor plumbing was only available to the wealthy at this time so no private bathroom in a slum rental. Kat never had a real chaperone (she starts with a young boy, but it’s only because her mom is scared she’ll run away, not about her purity.) A black character was introduced and made as a friend, this story was set right after the Civil War. Black people still had few rights and many still looked at them as second class citizens. This book doesnt acknowledge any of that. I’d understand it if the author stated “oh the school is progressive,” or something a long those lines but it was never even a thing.
The characters: Kat was fairly one dimensional. Crane I did not like. His first sexual encounter with Kat he takes a horse whip to her. You would think we may ease our way in? Nope he goes extreme. Crane’s own backstory just makes me not like him especially with the whole Brom situation. Brom is the only character I feel anything for.
The story itself: the first majority of this book is a setup for Kat and Crane to have sex. Once this happens we get a slog of more sex scenes. I just wish we would have got to the gist of the story sooner. It was slow getting to the point: Brom coming back to Sleepy Hollow and people being murdered. This could have started at 25% instead of 55%. The first half was just first day of school, meeting the hot teacher, learning about magic, weird dreams. Nothing that needed to be over wrote.
Did I like this story? Yes. Did it have problems? Also yes. Will I read the next book? Maybe. Once we dug into the material and got past the spice and see some plot it was really good. So there is potential that I’ll read the conclusion.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the arc.
I like the mystery of the story, the what’s going to happen next. I like that the Headless Horseman is almost a HILF (yes I said that lol.)
The spice is fun mostly (we’ll get to that below.) Brom is the most developed character. I could feel his angst. I felt so bad for him.
What I didn’t like and why this is three stars:
This is a spicy novel. I love me some spice don’t get me wrong but the author does it wrong on several occasions in this book. We’ll go chronologically.
The first instance is where Brom is 18 and Kat is 15. Brom takes Kat’s virginity in a quick sex scene that feels kind of rough. The consent age is a little iffy. She does consent but she doesn’t really know what’s going on and it’s over quick.
The one that bothers me the most is when Brom meets Crane. Brom is down on his luck in an opium den. Crane sees him and tells us that he needs him. He even says that he’s a predator looking at prey. He tells Brom that he has a place Brom can stay with the intent clear that he must sleep with him. In the retelling later in Brom’s POV you see that he doesn’t want to sleep in the slums and anywhere is better. Crane takes him home and bursts in on his bath and basically forces the man to give him a blow job. When Crane is finished he asks Brom want he wants and Brom states all he wants is a safe place to stay. Crane acknowledges for all of five seconds that maybe the way he acted was wrong, but then moved on. I hated this scene. This was almost rape. He wanted a place to stay, the only way Brom could get that was to blow Crane? No. Just no. The aggressive way Crane went about this sexual encounter was wrong. I didn’t like it and afterwards I never had any sympathy towards Crane. The author could have made Crane and Brom’s meet up a lot better.
And the last one: Brom’s first male partner was his older father figure pastor. Full stop. Do we not see the problem here?? Brom admits to giving the pastor a blow job at some point and then being screwed by him at 18. So that tells me that Brom most likely did this BJ at younger than 18. The grooming here. And the author never says anything about it! Never offers sympathy about the fact that a boy was coerced/groomed into sex with a father figure. It isn’t really even mentioned that this whole thing was wrong. This was a no bueno for me.
Other things: the world building. It was an 1875 book that did not act like an 1875 book. The characters did not act the way they would in that timeline. Indoor plumbing was only available to the wealthy at this time so no private bathroom in a slum rental. Kat never had a real chaperone (she starts with a young boy, but it’s only because her mom is scared she’ll run away, not about her purity.) A black character was introduced and made as a friend, this story was set right after the Civil War. Black people still had few rights and many still looked at them as second class citizens. This book doesnt acknowledge any of that. I’d understand it if the author stated “oh the school is progressive,” or something a long those lines but it was never even a thing.
The characters: Kat was fairly one dimensional. Crane I did not like. His first sexual encounter with Kat he takes a horse whip to her. You would think we may ease our way in? Nope he goes extreme. Crane’s own backstory just makes me not like him especially with the whole Brom situation. Brom is the only character I feel anything for.
The story itself: the first majority of this book is a setup for Kat and Crane to have sex. Once this happens we get a slog of more sex scenes. I just wish we would have got to the gist of the story sooner. It was slow getting to the point: Brom coming back to Sleepy Hollow and people being murdered. This could have started at 25% instead of 55%. The first half was just first day of school, meeting the hot teacher, learning about magic, weird dreams. Nothing that needed to be over wrote.
Did I like this story? Yes. Did it have problems? Also yes. Will I read the next book? Maybe. Once we dug into the material and got past the spice and see some plot it was really good. So there is potential that I’ll read the conclusion.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the arc.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*My thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing/Ace for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
This piqued my interest first and foremost because it's a retelling of (or inspired by) <i>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow</i>, which is one of my favorite stories to read around Halloween. Also, ever since the TV show <i>Sleepy Hollow</i> had a brilliant first season and then kind of got lost afterward, I've been interested in other takes on the story (hopefully ones with more of a focus and not just throwing whatever at the wall to see what sticks). Romance, sure. I'm always a sucker for a good love story.
So, yes. I was absolutely going to request this when the email hit my inbox. And I was glad to have that request approved.
And what did I think of the story?
The characters are solid. I really liked this take on Crane, Katrina, and Brom. I also like the idea of Sleepy Hollow being the location for a secret school of magic. I was even into the "Why Choose?" aspect of the romance.
My biggest complaint? This story is supposed to take place in the late 1800s (even though the original short story is set in 1790 and was released in 1820). But all of the characters act and sound like they're in modern day. In fact, I enjoyed the story MUCH better if I pictured a modern day setting. If you're going to change the setting, just make it modern day and call it good. I haven't read anything else by this author, but I'd be shocked if she's written anything else in a historical setting.
But that's really it. Everything else is interesting and entertaining and a really good retelling of the story.
This piqued my interest first and foremost because it's a retelling of (or inspired by) <i>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow</i>, which is one of my favorite stories to read around Halloween. Also, ever since the TV show <i>Sleepy Hollow</i> had a brilliant first season and then kind of got lost afterward, I've been interested in other takes on the story (hopefully ones with more of a focus and not just throwing whatever at the wall to see what sticks). Romance, sure. I'm always a sucker for a good love story.
So, yes. I was absolutely going to request this when the email hit my inbox. And I was glad to have that request approved.
And what did I think of the story?
The characters are solid. I really liked this take on Crane, Katrina, and Brom. I also like the idea of Sleepy Hollow being the location for a secret school of magic. I was even into the "Why Choose?" aspect of the romance.
My biggest complaint? This story is supposed to take place in the late 1800s (even though the original short story is set in 1790 and was released in 1820). But all of the characters act and sound like they're in modern day. In fact, I enjoyed the story MUCH better if I pictured a modern day setting. If you're going to change the setting, just make it modern day and call it good. I haven't read anything else by this author, but I'd be shocked if she's written anything else in a historical setting.
But that's really it. Everything else is interesting and entertaining and a really good retelling of the story.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Once again I have fallen in love with a brooding man in a Karina Halle book- Crane can use his ruler on me any day. I remember when the Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci Sleepy Hollow came out in 1999- I was 15 and it tickled a Gothic bi-panic itch that I didn't know I had. This book threw me back into those memories, and the vibe is just as delicious now as it was then. I also didn't expect to be so emotional seeing that aspect of sexuality explored in this story- the bi-awakening experience and subsequent fear so many experience due to antiquated societal 'norms' that can taint love and acceptance. Yes, this is set in 1875, but that staggering reality makes this even more impactful- those same outdated beliefs are still so prevalent today. So, Bravo for this social commentary while delivering immaculate Gothic witchy vibes and delectable spicy scenes. The dark, suspenseful, sinister setting and characters makes you wonder who is truly good or evil. I cannot wait to dive into Legend!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you for the free book, Ace books and Berkley!
In this gothic reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Katrina Van Tassel is beginning her education at the Sleepy Hollow Institute, a school for magic and witchcraft. She hasn’t seen her first love, Brom, in four years, and she’s immediately drawn to her older professor Ichabod Crane. There are so many mysteries in Sleepy Hollow, including sightings of a Headless Horseman and the reappearance of a changed Brom. Kat and Crane are faced with danger at every turn, and feelings they can’t deny either.
This book isn’t quite what I expected, which was my own fault for going in blind. It was quite a surprise! There were many things to love about it, from the dark and gothic vibes to the Sleepy Hollow retelling. However, the spice and several plot lines were a bit beyond my comfort zone and my personal preference, and I’d encourage readers to look into content warnings prior to reading to ensure their comfort levels.
Readers can expect:
Dark, gothic setting and vibes
Witchcraft and ghosts
Sleepy Hollow reimagining
Paranormal historical romance
Dark themes (SA, violence)
MM and MF romance
In this gothic reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Katrina Van Tassel is beginning her education at the Sleepy Hollow Institute, a school for magic and witchcraft. She hasn’t seen her first love, Brom, in four years, and she’s immediately drawn to her older professor Ichabod Crane. There are so many mysteries in Sleepy Hollow, including sightings of a Headless Horseman and the reappearance of a changed Brom. Kat and Crane are faced with danger at every turn, and feelings they can’t deny either.
This book isn’t quite what I expected, which was my own fault for going in blind. It was quite a surprise! There were many things to love about it, from the dark and gothic vibes to the Sleepy Hollow retelling. However, the spice and several plot lines were a bit beyond my comfort zone and my personal preference, and I’d encourage readers to look into content warnings prior to reading to ensure their comfort levels.
Readers can expect:
Dark, gothic setting and vibes
Witchcraft and ghosts
Sleepy Hollow reimagining
Paranormal historical romance
Dark themes (SA, violence)
MM and MF romance