Hollowed

by Jessica S. Taylor

Nothing is ever as it seems in Sleepy Hollow…

Sleepy Hollow is crumbling. To protect the supernatural town from the mundane world, each year a resident is sacrificed to The Dullahan, the Headless Horseman that protects the veil around the Hollow.
Nineteen-year-old Katrina van Tassel knows she’s a disappointment to her parents, for more reasons than one. But as the only daughter of the most prominent family in Sleepy Hollow, she never imagined that she would be chosen as the next sacrifice.
Or that in her attempt to escape, she would instead come face to face with the Horseman himself.
But the harbinger of death isn’t who they said he was, and Katrina begins to question everything she has ever been told. Evil forces far more dangerous than the mysterious Horseman are at work in the Hollow, and the Horseman is determined to protect Sleepy Hollow.
Katrina is tempted to take the Horseman’s offer of assistance in fleeing Sleepy Hollow, rather than staying to fight by his side to save the town. Until he reveals she’s the only one with the power to stop the evil being summoned…


A standalone gothic fantasy, Hollowed will pull you into the reimagined world of Sleepy Hollow and thrust you into a mysterious town filled with deadly magic, cunning betrayals, and secrets you never saw coming. Cross the bridge into the Hollow and pick up your next dark fantasy read.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic, Retellings, Audiobook, Halloween, Paranormal

419 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2023

About the author

Jessica was born and raised in Kentucky, but has been moving with the waves and is currently residing in southern Maine with her husband and cat, Nebula. 

As a child, Jessica all but lived at her local library, devouring whatever books she could get her hands on. When that wasn't enough, she began writing her own. After countless notebooks were filled with short stories and novels that would never see the light of day, Jessica took the plunge and began delving into the world of publishing.
​
Jessica's favorite things include anything mermaids or pirates, tattoos, music, things that smell nice (especially bookish candles), and anything shiny! 

Reviews

[Sammie Reads]

Dang, I had high hops for this one, but I could not connect with the story and the characters. I didn’t like any of them, I felt like it was laid on WAY too thick that Katrina was held down so much, to the point that it wasn’t believable and made her look like a martyr. I quit at 35%. The book was just too slow for me, I guess.

[Brittni | semi-hiatus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Katrina was annoying every single moment of this book. There wasn't a single time she wasn't crying throughout the entire novel. The author was trying to portray mental health and the effects of abuse, but it did not work in the way she intended at all.

The Headless Horseman was just some guy. I wanted a monster. He wasn't even a compelling guy, just a generic nice dude. He should have been in his headless form for 100% of this book and it would have been 100% more interesting.

There is 0 romance here because Katrina is so unbelievably over-the-top sad and pathetic that it makes zero sense why the Horseman, Alexander (really?) would be into that without some sketchy motives. Also, nothing sexy happens and the emotions from the "romance" to Katrina's crying are so whiplash-inducing as to remove anything possibly steamy or heartwarming in an instant.

Generic magic system and generic plot.

Also, the writing is insanely repetitive. This needed an editor, badly, to cut like 100 pages out of the book of repeated words and sentences and constant reminders that were unnecessary.

I skimmed the last 100 pages to get it over with, only because I paid for it.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollowed is a well written reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It follows Katrina, who is struggling to find herself in a world that keeps putting her down. The book is filled with the beloved tropes of:
-Touch him and die
-one bed/one horse
-forced proximity
-fake marriage

Personally, I loved the representation of having a hard of hearing FMC, and the MMC working to accommodate her. It really was a dark and spooky retelling perfect for autumn.

⭐️I am not ashamed to say I fell in love with the headless horseman⭐️

The only reason this book got 4 stars and not 5 is because I felt there was something really special missing from the characters that would make them just amazing. It is also fast paced (which I love), but the ending seemed a little rushed. That said, it still is a great story. Do not sit on Hollowed!

I’d like to thank Jessica S. Taylor for introducing me her amazing world of Hollowed. I received the eARC for an honest review.

[Mariah Hatch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank god it’s over.

The main character Katrina was a terrible protagonist. Petulant, vindictive, weak, emotionally volatile, and crying on just about every single page. There was absolutely no reason for Alexander to be in love with her. First of all, they spent next to no time together. And in the time she did spend with him, she was whiny, pathetic, and toxic towards him.

I can appreciate that the author was intending to incorporate themes of mental health into the story but it just didn’t work. There wasn’t enough depth to Katrina (or any of the other characters for that matter) for it to be a meaningful portrayal of things like anxiety.

The plot had potential but was so dragged down by the characters. I think it needed to be way more fleshed out for it to be effective.

I skimmed the last 30% or so just to get through it. The only reason it wasn’t a DNF is because unfortunately I paid for it.

[acupofteaandabookplease · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I asked to be on Jessica S. Taylor "street team" for the promotion of her new book because I LOVE her writing... and once again I'm fully convinced that I'm gonna love everything she's writing! The characters are always so well described and... so perfectly imperfect at the same time. I really enjoyed the journey she put us through... the story is well-constructed and so original even if it's a retelling! I've definitely spent some great time in Sleepy Hollow and I recommend you to go down this path as well!

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25!

This is a dark gothic fantasy with light romantic themes.

This had a really strong start and an impressive writing style throughout the book. Such vivid imagery and what a beautifully though, planned and crafted world. I loved the sleepy hollow and I honestly felt like I was in it.

The plot, I was honestly expecting what I got so I was pretty happy with it and I do think that it could be a little better by the end because that is where I started to loose my interest.

Romance, I honestly feel robbed because I wanted some angsty smutty scenes but we got passionate closed door scenes. I loved the slowburn and the tension though. The magic system is pretty heavily influenced on the plot and it was not that in depth but enough to know what you are reading.

The characters, this where I felt a little let down the FMC Katrina was great, I loved her but the MMC I was expecting a broody smug enemies to lovers thingy but that guy was a not at all like that he was a cinnamon roll and very caring and I mean I liked it but yk the feeling when youa re expectimg something and it's not that yeah so well that is what happened.

Also that one touch her and die scene 🤭🤭

[Sisi G · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 100 pages were good. That’s all. The FMC’s trauma at the hands of her parents and the way it impacted her was written very well but this girl is just dumb and she didn’t stop being dumb in the 311 pages that I was able to actually read before giving up. Also, the MMC was boring and there is such a thing as too nice, and for no good reason.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was enjoying this in the beginning, and it was settling into a 3 star read for me. Then big things happened around 77% and I thought we were near the end and when I saw how much time was left, I wanted to hit my head against a metaphorical wall.

This really needed to be a YA book. If it had been, I probably wouldn't have read it and all would be right in the world.

There is a lack of depth in the characters and in the world building that really hinders this book. The MC just has a constant pity party and is the leader of Meek (You know, until it works for the storyline for her to be suddenly confident and strong in herself when it suits).

The ideas are there, and the writing isn't bad. But the bad guys are just bad guys because they can be. There's zero substance to that. Especially when one of them is the MC's mother. So there should be so much depth and reasoning and it really could be SOMETHING INTERESTING, but instead she's just a bad person because she is.

Same with the love interest. There's no reasoning or proof behind it, it just happened.

I'm glad it's over. MOVING ON

[⊹ Gabriela | Asternyx ⊹ · Rating 3 out of 5]

‧₊˚ ⋅ Actual rating: 3.5🌟‧₊˚ ⋅

⇢ What to expect:
• Gothic Fantasy
• Sleepy Hollow Retelling
• Elemental Magic
• Witches, spirits
• Forced Proximity
• Headless Horseman
• Slowburn
• Fake Marriage
• Hidden Identities
• "Touch him & die"
• Chosen One

I haven't read many Sleepy Hollow retellings, but I enjoyed the ones I did, and this one is no exception.It was a captivating love story, though a bit rushed in some places.

I might have enjoyed it more if it focused less on the romance and more on the spookiness 👀

That said, it still delivered on the eerie atmosphere, and I loved the portrayal of the town. Overall, it was a nice, light introduction to the spooky season 😌🍂

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was severely disappointing. It lacked depth that moved the story along. I wish there was more conflict and angst, but there was very little that was resolved almost before the issue arose.

Let me start with the FMC, Katrina. She was a whiney little girl. She was supposed to be all powerful, and her character NEVER developed to be a person who needed to save an entire town. She was just wildly annoying the entire time. She had so much potential to grow into the character the town never expected, and unfortunately, the big reveal never came.

The horseman, Alexander, was a massive disappointment also. The number of times he said sorry, or I apologize, to Katrina was just... annoying. He was underwritten, with no character development here either.

I had extremely high hopes for this book, and they just didn't hit their mark.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐/2🌶️

I love a good Sleep Hollow retelling and had high hopes for this one. The narration on the audiobook was good and it started out really well! The premise was interesting and I loved the idea of this power struggle idea in this settled town that honestly gave me "The Village" Vibes.

But the more it progressed the more meh it became...starting with how crappy literally EVERYONE treated this poor girl because of her lack of knowledge about the town and her own power. Even the stupid love interest. It reeked of belittled woman staying with a crappy guy even if he apologized after the fact.

[Dee]

This is the perfect romantasy for spooky season. It's a dark, gothic standalone retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The romance is sweet (with mild spice) and there's amazing mental health rep. I completely resonated with the author's depiction of anxiety and panic attacks, and Katrina's journey was so healing to follow as she finds her way. It's great for fans of Belladonna or One Dark Window!

[Melanie Jakusz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t find much, if any excitement in this book. I felt there was a lot of repetition. And the amount of times Alexander said Katrina’s name reminded me of the “That 70s Show” scene where Fes kept saying Jackie’s name over and over again in attempt to seduce her. No one talks like that. 🙃

[CristoC · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ⭐

“For once, no tears burned my throat, no anxiety wrapped around my throat, no fear squeezed my lungs”. About time, I might add.

This is the second time I pick up the book, and the first time I manage to finish it. The first time I read two pages and decided I was not in the right mindset. This time I had the right mindset but did not like the book at all.

The review might be spoilery? I don’t know if there’s much to be spoiled.

Story
The first issue that comes to mind, is the story itself. It had nothing to do with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the only links to it are the names, and that’s it. Which is why I cannot understand for the life of me…why was this a reimagining? To use the fame of the original to successfully market the book to fans of Sleepy Hollow that would then be tricked into buying a book that has nothing to do with it? I don’t know, but the fact that if we were to change the names of people and places, nothing would actually change. The other link to the original is the timeframe, which sets the story after the War of Independence, so in the late eighteenth century, but it’s not an important element apparently. I understand that asking for even a sliver of ‘historical accuracy’ in a romantantasy book might sound stupid to some, but if you bother to set said book in a specific timeframe, why not use it to create imagery? No, better to spit out inaccuracies, like corsets being torture devices and parchment used everywhere, and be as generic as possible about dresses, hair (a bun? Really?), books, and everything that could give a distinct look to the setting.

Writing
The writing was appallingly bad. The constant repetitions of the same formulas (tears burning down her throat, Alexander gripping her chin, sweat going down her spine and dampening the dress, yadda yadda…) made them feel ridiculous after a short while. Descriptions were either excessively long and useless, or seemed to be taken from a 2014 wattpad story written by a twelve years old, like “orbs of blue”. Referents were missing; the same concept is introduced in a dialogue, then put on hold, then repeated to continue explaining it; the work day starts but a few moments later it’s evening,…I wonder if an editor was involved. How does a tear go down you temple and hairline if you’re laying on you side and pressing your hear to the pillow?

Also, a lot just didn’t make sense, and I attribute it to the bad writing, because it’s either that or the author thinks that readers are just that dumb. If things are not exactly reasonable, you have to make them seem like they are, make them plausible in the context of the story. But if you make Katrina, who just learned that she has to be sacrificed, think that “Maybe there was another haven for me” and immediately after “Too big a risk for me to take without proof, and too big a risk for me to leave without proof”, you’re either trying to tell me that she’s an idiot that would die instead of taking a chance at the outside world, or you think that readers are stupid for thinking that yes, her reasoning is perfectly sensible. ALSO this reasoning is completely forgotten a few pages later, when Henry says “Have you considered leaving the Hollow?” and she’s like “What? Can I leave? In all my years, I’d never imagined leaving Sleepy Hollow.” And then she thinks “If I was to die, I would die in Sleepy Hollow, not at the hands of fearful humans whose path I crossed attempting to escape”. I understand she’s closeted, abused, insecure, and probably has no self preservation instinct, but THEN SHOW THAT instead of having her make stupid reasonings. Show that she doesn’t think she deserves to live, show that she is afraid of leaving because that place, that abuse, that life is all she’s ever known. But still, this would only work so much, because it’s not all she’s ever known. She’s met Henry who is kind to her, and takes care of her, and listens and values her. But she needs a hot guy to come and tell her that she matters to heal, which just makes her a badly written character.
Again, she’s about to die from hypothermia, but her primary concern is asking the Headless Horseman “Why should I go with you? How do I know you are being truthful?”. Does it matter if you die anyway?
She literally asks the Headless Horseman if the fact that he can make his head disappear is the reason they call him that.

The context is often put aside to have tropey scenes that are supposed to develop the characters’ relationship, but fail to feel important because of how disconnected they feel to the context. Alexander and Katrina are in disguise in Sleepy Hollow but they argue meters away from a gathering talking about very personal stuff that would give Katrina away immediately. But this has no consequences of course, just as sitting at the front of the bookshop without her magical disguise on is a perfectly logical thing to do. No one would ever see her from the street and no one would enter the bookshop.

Another frustrating aspect is the disproportionate significance given to ‘revelations’ that even the most distracted of readers could figure out eons before said ‘revelations’ are made. For example, Alexander tells the town leaders that the sacrifices are not necessary but they dismiss him. And yet, he doesn’t know why they’d do that. Anyone with common sense understands that they’re targeting people and killing them off for their own benefit, but it’s presented as a big twist way later, consequently obliterating any chance this book had of creating tension and suspense. Any threat presented as such is never shown, except for the thick mist that appears a few times and the actual villain of the story. How am I supposed to feel the threat of the monsters and creatures mentioned if they never appear in the same room as the main character? How am I supposed to feel anticipation if the main character sits patiently waiting for news when she has a deadline that is threatening not only her life but the life of others? Why isn’t she frantically working, training and looking for a solution? This book has a first person narration that doesn’t put the main character in the necessary situations for the point of view to be relevant and have a successful impact on the reader’s experience. The usual ‘telling and not showing’ essentially but a ‘telling’ that tells both too much in its fruitless descriptions and too little in its narrow perspective.

The formidable writing makes for formidable clumsiness in dialogue and character dynamics. The dialogue between Katrina, Brom and Ichabod in the pottery shop was unintentionally funny. Alexander touches Katrina multiple times since they first meet, but he says that he’ll only touch her with her permission only after another man enters the picture and touches her arm. Katrina is constantly pampered with ‘you are important’, ‘your words matter’, ‘you deserve to live’, and every time it felt like reading a book of positive affirmations. It pretty much summarises Alexander’s role pretty well. He’s her book of positive affirmations. He’s the guy that helps her train for like an hour. He’s the guy that has to tell her that men should ask for permission to touch her. He’s the means to get her powers to work so that she can defeat the villain. Alexander is such an ordinary, plain, stale, blonde, white piece of carboard that, oh, is also a child of death, but who cares about that. His magic is for changing Katrina’s features only and creating purple smoke barriers that don’t even work. And the insta-attraction-turned-deep love-romance is just as stale. Not to mention the fact that it’s another case of ‘how long have you been 17’ kind of situation, so that we’re met with “I have been here for a long time. I stopped aging at twenty-one years, but I’ve been alive for nearly one hundred years”, while Katrina, as we’re repeatedly told, has “almost twenty years of life”. So she’s a teenager and he’s like 95 years old. Does that sound sexy and mysterious now?


I’d like to conclude with my favourite line from the book, which perfectly sums up the character of Katrina: “I was now just a naked girl kneeling in the grass with tears streaming down her face. It was pathetic. I was pathetic.”











I received an eARC of the book and this represents my honest opinion

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
I am so bummed. I wanted to love this book so much and kept wanting it to get better even up to the last page.
The pros: I really loved the idea and storyline of this book. The art of this book is a 5⭐️
The cons:
Katrina really never became a likable character for me. I had high hopes that the self deprecation would turn into confidence and in some ways it did, but she was so wishy washy with it that she came off as annoying, whiney, desperate, and overall unlikable, especially with her constant “victim mentality”. She was so sheltered and abused by her parents, yet as soon as someone SHE was interested in gave her any attention she came across and a know it all when really she was just naïve. If you are a young sheltered naïve woman—and a century old being who was created from Death-wants you to accept his knowledge about Death—I promise you don’t know better than he does on this subject.

Katrina being deaf in one ear. This bothered me throughout the entire book. There was no actual purpose for this-and yet it kept coming up over and over…and OVER again (like a my fav review ever on a separate book—the ear needed its own separate POV).

Alexander-okay I felt like his head disappearing when he used his magic was a lazy attempt to explain his sometimes lack of a head. I feel like bouncing around ideas with friends, editors, and other writers could have come up with a way better explanation of why his head disappears and reappears. I will say that I feel Alexander was not given enough character building to really get to know him, get to know why he would be drawn to someone like Katrina. I feel like the Headless Horseman would be an absolute and utter badass, shadow daddy and this just fell completely short.

Henry-I loved this character! I do however, think the story would have flowed better if he would have been a Healer rather than a dude that makes and sells pottery. This would have tied together her and her treatment of her dislocated shoulder.

I will say kudos to the author. Writing a book is far more difficult that most would imagine and I feel like she has a lot of potential to grow as an author as she keeps writing. Like I said I loved the idea of this book and the storyline. I have loved the Legend of Sleepy Hollow since I was a kid so that may be why I am giving the rating as high as I did.

[Rikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hollowed is a Sleepy Hollow retelling featuring the headless horseman known as the Dullahan and our FMC Katrina. Katrina is selected as the chosen sacrifice or Rognaithe for the year but finds out there are secrets to be uncovered in Sleepy Hollow. I truly enjoyed seeing Katrina’s character development over the course of the story. She is a character who does not quit no matter what hardships she has faced in her life. I loved how Jessica includes anxiety, disability and mental health rep into the story. Overall this story was easy to follow and had great pacing. I truly enjoyed this story and loved Jessica’s reimagining of Sleepy Hollow.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Alex Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. The only reason I finished it is because it was for my book club, and I refused to dnf out of spite.

[Yanny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hollowed is a good read for the upcoming spooky season. In this book, you'll find a new spin on well-known characters Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane, and the Headless Horseman. In this version of Sleepy Hollow, the residents are all paranormal and magical, adding to the already ominous setting of the original tale. I very much enjoyed seeing all the new magical elements woven into the story.

Katrina is a relatable FMC who struggles to see her own value, something that I think many young women can relate to. She's spent her whole life in this town trying to prove herself, only for them to turn their back on her and change their fates forever.

The main plot was engaging and exciting with a sweet romantic side plot. I got sucked into this world and this story pretty quickly. I was invested in the outcome and trying to solve the puzzle before Katrina did. I even found myself wanting to message my bookclub with theories, only to remind myself that I was reading an ARC and so none of them have the book yet.

I came very close to giving this book a four-star rating because I truly really enjoyed the development across the first three-quarters of the book. My concern with the last part of the book is that it felt rushed and a little anti-climatic as a result. I think this easily could have been a duology. I would have loved to see some additional scenes after the big reveal and before the climax to help build a sense of dread, fear, and anticipation.

Don't let that turn you off from the book though, and despite feeling rushed, I was satisfied with the ending of the book - even if it could have used a little more groveling from certain characters. It is absolutely worth a spot on your shelf this fall.

Thank you to Jessica S. Taylor for sharing your world with me. I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review of Hollowed.

[Kathryn Sorensen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 60%...

I thought this would be so good for the spooky season..a reimagining of Sleepy Hollow but it's SO BORING. What a disappointment 😞

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really excited when I first heard about this book and I am glad to say Hollowed did not disappoint me at all! Hollowed was everything I wanted from a Sleepy Hollow imagining and I enjoyed every minute.

Katrina Van Tassel is a so-called failed magic user and the story starts out with her plans to move out of her parents' home. Her mother is the head of the Ciallmhar, which is the council that protects and keeps Sleepy Hollow secret from the outside world. Sleepy Hollow is a town of magic users set up as an enclave after the Salem Witchcraft Trials. But...it's protection is fueled by the human sacrifice each year to the Dullahan. In the 100 year existence of Sleepy Hollow, no one has questioned this horrific practice.

Until now...

When Katrina is selected as this year's Roghnaithe (the sacrifice), she suddenly realizes that this barbaric practice completely sucks and tries to find a way out of it, by leaving Sleepy Hollow.

Katrina is the best type of character because Taylor introduced her as an introverted stuck in her own problems type of character. She's focused on just basic survival in an abusive home and therefore she just doesn't have the capacity to form and hold up her end of relationships. There are signs that her relationship with her best friend Ciara is fracturing, but Katrina just can't see it. This allows so much room for character growth and development.

The Dullahan... despite being the sole reason for the sacrifices felt almost like a background character at times. He's a character that exists to help Katrina learn who she is and what she's capable of. And while he's the love interest in the best kind of way (he wants Katrina to be her best self), he stays in the background so that she can shine. He's the catalyst for her blossoming.  

The romantic scenes weren't edgy and fit into the story. These two people are on a deadline to save the town and don't have time for full on sexytimes. Not to mention they just met and really Katrina has trouble trusting anyone after what her parents have put her through all her life. She's not going to fall into bed immediately with a hot Headless Horseman. But she will get on only one horse with him

Overall I just adored Hollowed and I'm so excited for everyone to read this book and hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Thank you to Jessica Taylor for the arc for review purposes.

[Kirstin Briana Symmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ 0.5 🌶️

Hollowed is a Sleepy Hollow retelling / reimagining! I throughly loved this book. There are some things that I didn’t like but for the most part it was great in my opinion!

Katrina is a girl who has mental health issues. She was raised by parents who well aren’t great! Even tho my parents are great now my childhood was hard and I have mental health issues as an adult now due to it, so it was nice to be able to relate to a character who has panic attacks and doesn’t feel worthy of anything!

Her mother is a rotten soul and her dad has no spine!

The dullahan is the headless horseman who they send Sacrifices too in order to protect the town!

Katrina does all she can through out to fight for her friends that were her family, Henry and Ciara (kee-ruh) so she tries to learn how to hone in on her powers but it’s usually controlled by her emotions!

I loved this aspect of the story because everyone has troubles containing their anger and anxiety and it truly does feel like fire erupting from our skin at times (at least for me) so it was extremely relatable!

The story I thought I had figured out until one moment of the book where I’m like yup that character is the one causing issues haha but it SHOCKED ME!!!!!

The little spice in the book could have done without. It was okay but again I felt the story was good without it, it truly just felt like a filler to me and at the end of the road.

I love that she finally experienced what it’s like to feel loved and cared for tho!

Anyway if I didn’t ruin it for you I suggest reading it!!

[Nicole H. ✨️nicoledreamsofbooks✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

An amazingly beautiful retelling of Sleepy Hollow! A dark gothic retelling that just nails it. I loved the take on the headless horseman!

I loved the romance aspect, and it left me really wanting more, I wish there were some smut aspects..that being said, it did not take away from the story at all. I really felt for Katrina and so sad for her upbringing.

Katrina is offered as sacrifice to the Dullahan this year (headless horseman) and, of course, now wants to find a way to stop this yearly sacrifice and tries to leave Sleepy Hollow.

You'll love this if you like..
🔥Touch her and die
🔥One horse
🔥One bed
🔥Fake marriage
🔥Forced proximity
🔥Who did this to you?

Thank you Jessica Taylor for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[lovingbooksandart]

DNF al 60%

Va bene trattare alcune tematiche ma ho trovato la protagonista al limite del vittimismo, il romance sciapo e praticamente inesistente, trama che non è...scorre lo stile e le vibes carine ma non quello che avrei voluto leggere e soprattutto di Sleepy Hollow a parte i nomi non ha nulla

(mi pento di aver comprato il cartaceo mannaggia a me che non l'ho letto prima in Kindle come sono solita😭)

[Salina Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I mean it, Katrina. You are valuable simply by existing. You burn with a fire brighter than the sun. Do not let anyone dim you.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Hollowed is a retelling of the legend of Sleepy Hollow🎃

This spooky little reimagining was so intriguing I loved it! Katrina our FMC is so strong with everything she is up against and the special powers she must learn to control. Alexander, oh how I love him! His story is so interesting to learn and I love how he never gives up on Katrina. There’s also some very lovable side character like Henry and Priscilla 🥹. Also, the lore in the story was interesting I liked it! Overall this is a perfect little story for spooky season!

Thank you to Jessica for giving me chance to read this ARC!!🖤

[Carolyn Matyus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and spooky but I’m gonna be so real the lack of spice annoyed me LOL only because it was teased 790817755892 times okay give me a crumb!

[Ashley | A Pair of Readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun reimagining of Washington Irving’s Sleepy Hollow.

I really enjoyed how Taylor took Katerina’s character and made her into something more. In the original story, she comes off as this two-dimensional character that does nothing more than lure Ichabod to his doom.

In the story, Katerina takes centerstage, and she thrives as a character. You get a young girl that’s been massively, constrained by the society that she lives in and by her parents' demands and wishes. When she becomes this year’s sacrifice to the headless horseman, she starts to take charge of her own life. I think that’s when the story really takes off. It gets even more interesting when you actually meet the headless horseman who is a much richer and Fuller character in the story than in Irving’s original tale.

I think Taylor does a beautiful job of making us rethink the characters that we knew from Sleepy Hollow, and giving them a little, spooky twist in all the best ways.

If you’re looking for a fun, quick, and richly character-driven Halloween story filled with magic and the importance of knowing your worth and your own power, you definitely want to grab a copy of this book.

[Dawn McGill Dalrymple · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I've never read a Sleepy Hollow retelling and enjoyed this one.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[❤️My Dog is my Best Friend❤️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

"You are valuable simply by existing.

*1.5

The fact that the headless horseman was just some guy is absolutely wrecking me.

This book had a lot of potential but I didn't really connect with any of the characters and it became less of a gothic fantasy and more of just a straight fantasy. Which is okay I guess but for a Sleepy Hollow retelling, the scare factor has got to be there.

Again, though, the most disappointing part is that the literal headless horseman is just spouting off "you matter" like a self-help book and he says all the right things (until randomly he doesn't for one scene???). Maybe it was my expectations of a little morally gray anti-hero but I couldn't even swoon when he was comforting the FMC because it just felt so forced.

Definitely would not recommend but I'm going to be keeping my eye out for a better retelling because this one left a bad taste in my mouth.

Spoiler: I'm wheezing though cause when Alexander, the headless horseman, was like "no girl you can't be a phoenix, we haven't see one in centuries" I was like "so she's a phoenix." And wouldn't you know--I was right. Actually laughed out loud at that point not gonna lie.

Content: Some language, violence, f/m making out heavily but nothing too crazy (she's naked at one point when they are kissing but nothing is really described), physical/verbal abuse by a parent

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Hollowed is the perfect fall/spooky season read with a small town and mystery. It fit the vibe check for sure!

Sleepy Hollow isn’t quite as it seems and Katrina starts to uncover secrets that leave her scared for her future. She tries to leave out of self preservation and finds that the horseman isn’t at all what she expected and she can’t help but fall for him.

I loved the Sleepy Hollow setting and the mystery aspect. Katrina and the Horseman fake a marriage to go undercover to try to solve the mystery of who is trying to hurt the town. FAKE MARRIAGE??? I was SOLD.

The magic is cool and I loved the twists and turns throughout the book that I didn’t see coming.

I wanted a little bit more from the story overall. More romance, more action, and more character development. I think it could have been a really good duology. I still thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend reading!