Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - House of Hollow

to begin i would like to say, i’m unapologetically 100% team grey. the author’s attention to details and really setting the scene was a nice touch. this was my first YA since no longer being a young adult myself but i didn’t mind it! i was looking for a little bit of a more spooky vibe and a little bit more into the lore but as a whole this was a good book especially if you’re just beginning to get into this genre!

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featherinthewind's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this book in one sitting. It was like I couldn’t get enough and I needed more. It was sickening and suspenseful with the perfect mix of horror and mystery.

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sphinxofblackquartz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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emmaegerb's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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goatsrsexy's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This book was definitely full of surprises for a plot that seemed like it would be fairly predictable at first glance. The writing was beautiful but I felt that the beginning dragged a little bit. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone fond of dark fairytales.

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chilivanilli28's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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r1vana's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Strangeness only bred strangeness, and it felt dangerous to tempt fate, to invite in the darkness that seemed already naturally drawn to us.

This book had me on edge the whole time.

The plot twist was completely unexpected. Mind blowing.

Never seen or something like this before. Even though the chapters were “short”, it did kept me hanging.

The cover is beautiful. And the plot is dark, twisted and mysterious. I would probably guessed the plot, if I didn’t binged this book.

I really enjoyed how the author brought the Halfway aka the place between life and death.

It did remind me of Stranger Things; the parallel world.

When it comes to characters we see the three sisters: Grey, Vivi and Iris:

"My sisters. My blood. My skin. What a gruesome bond we shared."

One day, all three of them disappeared for a month and when they come back, their life, the town and their parents were never the same.

The town taught that they might be dark witches. Their father realizes that their daughters are not the ones he raised. And the girls do not have any memory of their “previous” life.

Now, in present time, all three Hallow sisters are different:

Grey is a really popular model

Vivi is in a music band and loves women

Iris is in high school and is shown as quiet and loner-ish.

I love the bond they share. They can understand each other’s feelings and can locate where the others are….

The plot had me engaging. But the characters seemed unfortunately bland. Maybe it’s bcz it’s only in Iris’s pov.

I did like Tyler’s character. He grew on me.

he didn’t have to be skinned alive and death tho… and also the plot twist?! Grey killing the old Hallow sisters in order to take their place… that was so F-up…

I wished we had a chapter with the “few years later”.

TW: bullying; PTSD; self harm and alcohol consummation; kidnapping; murder; blood; nudity

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waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

House of Hollow is a gorgeously written, dark and twisted fairytale set in modern-day Scotland. Iris knows she and her two sisters haven't been normal since they were kidnapped as children. She is determined to figure out exactly who took them, what happened to them, and why they seem to have otherworldly powers. Iris leads readers on a nightmarish journey: through magic doors, coming face-to-face with the walking dead, cursed kisses, and long-lost family members.

This book is totally out of my wheelhouse, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance! It's a fast, fun read, but you should definitely check out trigger/content warnings before reading as the book can get fairly graphic in its depiction of gruesome imagery. If you like Stranger Things, you'll like this book.

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