hazedandconfused's review against another edition
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Sexual assault
sofiacanread's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-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 loved this book!! As of late, I’ve steered clear of “YA” because I find the tropes and forced romance annoying, but this book was not at all like that. I would say it’s most comparable to Wilder Girls and Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power (both excellent books as well). It’s very well written and the mystery will have you guessing until the end. So good!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, and Self harm
aweeks77's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
el_catimi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Spoiler
#justicefortyler
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Minor: Sexual assault
elaudreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Body horror, Vomit, Gun violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Dementia, Death, Death of parent, Bullying, and Child death
void_heart's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, and Child abuse
goatsrsexy's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, and Child death
Minor: Body horror
dovewrites's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
3.5 - 4. The writing is of good quality and I appreciated that the author managed to keep the tone despite the book being set in modern times. This book has an incredible fairy-tale quality and it’s impressive that mentions of social media and the sims 4 did not disrupt that feeling. The explorations of femininity and the grotesque were very compelling and exciting to read in a YA novel. The character building was so interesting, I’ve read that some people feel like Iris is bland My only grips are that the Americanisms did disjoint me a little and If this book is a stand-alone why was the ending written like it’s setting up for a second book?
Spoiler
but I think she’s supposed to be, she is so intimately linked to her sisters and especially to Grey- she has no self- until the end, when we see a glimmer of her becoming something more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Vomit, Child death, Child abuse, Suicide, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Self harm
camillaloe's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/injury detail, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Sexual assault, and Murder
Minor: Car accident
bookbelle5_17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Review of House of Hollow
By: Krystal Sutherland
Iris and her older sisters Viv & Grey disappeared for 31 days when visiting their grandparents in Scotland, but when they came back, they weren’t the same. They looked different and they now had a special ability to put people under their spell. They also don’t remember what happened. One day Grey goes missing, so Iris and Viv go searching for her as they piece together what happened to them all those years ago.
A dark modern fairytale with themes of sisterhood weaves through this novel about the Hollow sisters and what happened to them when they disappeared. It is creepy and undeniably atmospheric as you feel unsettled along with Iris, because everything is only revealed bit by bit. It made me intrigued to know what happened as I turned each page. The graphic descriptions of the rotting plants, beautiful white flowers, and ants creeping directly out of their flesh is eerie and shivering inducing. There is one point where it is thrown up by one, so be warned if you don’t have a strong stomach, it might be gag worthy. Iris is a good protagonist as she is someone, who is still innocent, but not entirely naïve. She’s likable and not annoying, taking action, when necessary, but still hopeful for them as she tries to stay loyal to her divided family. The character of Tyler started out as annoying, but I grew to like him as a secondary character. I didn’t hate any characters as they were all sympathetic, though they might not have made the best choices. There was a twist during the climax that I thought was really good and Sutherland built it up rather nicely. I didn’t read this in the Spring (maybe in the evening) or Autumn, but it does feel like a perfect read for those seasons
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Body horror, Death of parent, Violence, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, Bullying, Murder, Suicide, and Vomit