A review by adoseofcozy
The Hollow and the Haunted by Camilla Raines

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I had the opportunity to read an ARC of The Hollow and the Haunted by Camilla Raines, and I picked it up right after finishing A Court of Mist and Fury. I was still deep in a book hangover from ACOMAF, so I'll admit, my head wasn't entirely in this book at first. I was even tempted to DNF it early on, but I decided to keep reading and push through. I'm glad I did because the story did pick up. 

As a debut, this one had it's strengths, particularly with the mysterious plot and character relationships. Charlee was easily my favorite character. I loved her dynamic with Miles; their close-knit relationship felt genuine and gave the story a lot of its heart. There were some really sweet and funny moments between them that I really enjoyed. 

However, while the book had a few aspects I enjoyed, I did have a few issues with it. The parental situation for starters, not to mention that there were a lot of unanswered questions by the end. It honestly felt like this story was setting up for a series. I kept waiting for more to be revealed, with characters and plot, but it turns out this is a standalone – at least for now. 

Overall, this wasn't a bad read. It had potential, and as a debut it shows promise. I'd love to see where Camilla Raines goes from here, and if she ever revisits this storyline, I'll be interested to see how it continues to evolve.