A review by alibrarymouse
Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was gorgeously atmospheric. The sense of magical realism makes this the perfect book to curl up with as summer winds down. 

Reading it felt a little bit like exploring a lush small town through fog. As we got more pieces of the mystery, everything became clearer but also progressively twistier in a way that built suspense without overdoing it. The characters were well-placed to discover clues while the clues themselves worked well into the magic behind the creation of the town.

The exploration of the James’ women’s magic made the fantasy elements in this book work with the story to give it a mystical feel while being believable, which I loved. It was complex, developed every character’s personality into something that fit with what they could do, and supported the possibility of the Moth-Winged Man being real. 

This is he or isn’t he truly lurking in the forest is a gorgeous way of building suspense while pushing character growth and putting Linden and others in the right situations to figure everything out. It was also a well-crafted urban legend that was integrated amazing into the overall plot and worldbuilding.

Although set in our world, the history of the town was easy to gather and an interesting addition to the story. Pearsall gave great depth to every aspect she introduced while neatly solving a mystery. However, there’s definitely enough to go on for a second book, and I’m absolutely excited to read what happens next and get answers to the “loose ends.” 

Overall, this is such a beautiful book with fantastic end-of-summer vibes that lend well to bridging that gap between August and spooky season. It was interesting to read, and great for those who like witchy vibes, small town mysteries, and cryptids.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early copy of this book for review!