A review by ceruleanjen
Gilt Hollow, by Lorie Langdon

5.0

Plot:

The plot was right up my alley--a teen has just been released early for jail after serving time for supposedly killing his friend and returns to his hometown to find the real killer. His longtime best friend, Willow, must deal with his return and also finds herself wrapped up in the mystery of who was really responsible for the murder that happened over four years ago.

I haven't read many YA thriller/suspense and while some parts were predictable, some weren't. There's also a big focus on character development and relationships, which really helps with the overall plot. It felt realistic.


Setting:

Gilt Hollow is a neat little town and kind of reminds me of a city nearby me. The Keller house sounded really awesome and I loved the spooky Halloween atmosphere. Really added to the plot and overall tension. The author did a great job painting the scenery--it felt real.


Characters:

While the plot and setting won me over, the characters is really what makes this story shine.

Willow, the protagonist, felt like a realistic girl for the most part. She's had a rough four years since her best friend was sent off to jail and also lost her father before that. Her family struggles to make ends meet and she has a problem holding down a job or making friends because she stood up for the innocence of her friend.

She came across as your average, girl-next-door type of character. I admired her loyalty, liked that she made simple mistakes, and wears her heart on her sleeve. The only thing I didn't like is that a few points she becomes sorta "Mary Sueish" when a few guys/all the guys think she's the most beautiful girl in the room--though this could also be Ashton exaggerating? I do like that Willow has panic attacks and a way to get herself through them--it's something I've never seen in a book before.

Ashton is the boy who is released from jail, Willow's longtime best friend, and love interest. While he can come across as rash and spiky, deep down he's a good person. He just has a habit of jumping to conclusions, resorting to violence (taught to him in juvie) and trying to keep things to himself instead of getting help.

He's a bit on the cocky side but also has a vulnerable side. He has a lonely past where rich parents basically ignored him and complicated feelings when it comes to Willow and her family. I really liked him and he made a great love interest. He also has one of the best Halloween costumes ever later on.

I felt Lisa was a good side character and while she was ignored in favor of Ashton once or twice, for the most part Willow stuck by her (and vice versa). She was really sweet, cool, and supportive.

Brayden was also another character I kind of liked, though I suspected he could be involved with the murder somehow.

I felt Willow's mom, little brother, and the pastor came across as realistic and not too absent from Willow's life.


Relationships:

I loved Willow and Ashton's relationship because it was super complicated and also pretty intense. They were friends for a long time, went without speaking for years, and are finally together again. There's a lot of emotion, hurt, and confusion mixed with obvious attraction. I like that they don't try to hide the attraction they have for one another but that they also don't bring a lot of attention to it as they're still trying to figure things out. It felt realistic.

Willow and Lisa made good friends, and I liked the relationship Willow had with her quirky mom. I also liked the little odd acquaintance with Mrs. M.

Writing/Voice:

The writing was very easy to get wrapped into and if not for real life, I probably would have finished this a lot sooner. The plot is interesting, the setting comes to life, and the characters are easy to connect to.

Ending:

I was hoping for more of a plot twist because while I had a guess on who the real killer might be, I also wasn't shocked by who it was, either. Everything made sense, but it was slightly disappointing. The "fight" scene was intense, though.

The epilogue is cute and wraps up what happens in the aftermath of the climax nicely.

Overall, I loved this and will definitely check out more from this author. 4.5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.