Hollow Girls

by Jessica Drake-Thomas

Twenty four years ago, Olive and Stacia went into the woods. Only Olive returned. She does not remember what happened after she followed Stacia into a cave in the woods. Now, Olive's father has vanished, leaving behind research which indicates that he has found out what lives in the woods. It wakes up every twelve years, taking only children. It has been doing so for at least two hundred years. Forced to return to her hometown, Olive finds her memories returning.

What she remembers in the days leading up to Stacia's disappearance are magical, almost impossible to believe. She knows that she has to return to the woods, to face what lurks there to save her father, and to find out what happened to Stacia.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Audiobook, Fairies, Folklore

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2024

About the author

Jessica Drake-Thomas is a poet and PhD student. She's a poetry editor at Coffin Bell Journal. She's the author of Burials, a gothic horror poetry collection.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many years young girls are missing in a small town. Where have they gone? Who took them? A young mortician comes back to Blackwell to find out the truth. Her father is among the missing. Her best friend Stacia vanished 20 years ago. Now the series of vanished girls starts again... eerie tale with good references to Nightmare on Elm Street and other horror classics. Who is abducting the girls? Why did mother leave the family? A good mystery with reference to some old local lore come true. Really recommended!

[Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades ago, two friends went into the woods amid a slew of other vanished girls over the years. Only one returned.

Happy release day, and thank you to the author for a copy to review!

Hollow Girls had the feel of a good Friday horror flick - girls going missing for years in the small town of Blackwell, whisperings of fae in the woods, a dual timeline of Then and Now Olive to investigate it all.

The prose was excellent, embellished perfectly when it came to the creepiest moments, and straightforward in keeping the mystery fast-paced during others. It really kept me guessing - kids going missing? An otherwordly monster, or a more human evil?

Olive was an interesting protagonist. Quiet and traumatized after the disappearance of her best friend Stacia, she moves away to become a mortician, consoling people amid some of the worst moments of their lives. I liked that we didn't get too much detail on Olive's life - it let the reader step into her shoes better to solve what's going on. She's admirably calm during some of the scariest moments.

The ending was terrific. This is a great new release from Cemetery Dance, a mystery with friendship, magic and deep affection at its core.

[Sara Tantlinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this beautiful, heartbreaking story. What a journey! Lovers of dark fairy tales, twisted mythology, and all things witchy are going to devour it. I really don't want to say too much because this book unravels its layers so wonderfully throughout -- and discovering the secrets along the way is part of the fun!

[Shainlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mkay, well— that ending felt like a door slammed in my face.
The rest was good. I didn’t know anything about it… I just saw the cover. A sequel could be written.
A revenge sequel. I mean justice. Yes, justice.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

Wow 😯 what a great creepy book.
Every page I read had me wanting more!
I almost finished this is one setting but had to attend to something, if not for that I would have finished.

This book has a witch, fae, "goblins" and the ending is such a twist 🙀

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

What started out a bit clunky and confusing, almost as if I were entering into the middle of the story, slowly turned into a compelling thriller.

Olive's backstory is revealed through flashbacks and her sole intent for returning home with her father's disappearance is realized only during the very last pages. Drake-Thomas, however, does string the reader along with bits and pieces through three separate timelines all told in first-person from Olive's point of view. I believe this method of storytelling is what kept me interested although, at times, was also frustrating.

The writing was okay at first, but it was almost as if her writing improved while she was working on this.

I really liked the narrative of toxic, girlhood friends with supernatural thriller/horror elements. It gets really intense towards the end and the twist was predictable but also expertly placed for maximum effect.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book!!! There were enough twists and turns to keep me from wanting to put the book down! The darkness and mystery of what happened years ago was an awesome storyline. I definitely wasn’t able to guess what was going to happen next and how things all played out in the end. There was a little confusion for me towards the ends of the story with some of the flashbacks, and current timelines, but overall it was a very exciting read!

[Amanda S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa. This book was so good! I will definitely be looking at the woods differently. I was so emersed in this story, I simply couldn't stop reading. I love a good witch story and a creepy fae tale, and this book delivered both, merged so well.

[Haley Newlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t want to say too much about Hollow Girls, because I have the upmost honor of providing a blurb for the cover. If you like Darcy Coates or Katrina Monroe, you have to read this one. I loved it

[Debra Castaneda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took a few chapters for me to settle into the story, but the more I read, the more it reeled me in with its mystery and atmospheric setting. This story is about a woman named Olive who returns to the hometown where her friend disappeared in the woods. They had been together at the time, except Olive can't remember a thing about it. When her dad goes missing, Olive follows the clues that lead her back into the woods. It's not the first time girls have disappeared there. Read this book for the creeping dread that builds as the story progresses, and stay for the final twist that's a whopper I should have seen coming, but didn't.

[Sarah Leis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Maria Perdana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was beautifully written. The characters are sound and well-built without much hassle and unnecessary dramas. This is one book that I regret not buying (I listen to this as an audiobook). Looking forward to reading the sequel! Please make a sequel pleaaaaseee 😭

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Drake-Thomas' 'Hollow Girls' is a plainly told, cool-headed story of Olive, a young mortician who's forced to return to her hometown and solve the mystery of her best friend's disappearance in the woods a quarter century ago. The cool-headedness is only apparent though; Olive is a deeply traumatized soul, marked by issues of abandonment: first her mom left the family, then her best friend vanished, and now, seemingly out of the blue, her father is also missing. The disappearances are nothing new: small children keep disappearing in the area for at least a couple of centuries. What explains these disappearances? And why has Olive herself been spared? The book has answers, and the resolution combines many horror tropes otherwise unconnected: a sort of coming-of-age story, a creature feature, a haunted cabin, persons with uncanny abilities, queer horror. The prose is beautiful, occasionally making the story feel more like part of something far larger than a creepy story in the woods. The ending is satisfying; perhaps more than satisfying, it matters. I'll definitely read more by this author!

[Rhonda Bobbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is creeping in the woods? For over 200 years, children are going missing. Two young girls go searching for the missing children ... but only 1 comes out.  After losing her memory, Olive finds herself remembering that horrible day when her own father goes missing. This book was a fast and satisfying horror read. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author. 

Creepy insert from the book...
A chill travels over my skin. As I watch, horrified, the creature’s breath spreads across the surface of the glass. The finger, nail dragging across the glass, writes in the fog. It’s in a language that I don’t understand, but I know I once did.

[Diana2U · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic yarn that centers around two young girls who go into the forbidden woods. They are visited on these trips by the fae, but something far more ominous waits for them. I can only hope that there’s a sequel, because I would really love to know more about the fae as well as their queen.

[Book Tea 🫖 with Jai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Hollow Girls
Author: Jessica Drake Thomas
Genre: Supernatural horror, mythology, mystery
Pages: 185

The Deeping Woods have a dark history that has haunted the local community for generations. Young girls disappear mysteriously without a trace whenever they get too close to or venture into the woods. Olive's best friend, Stacia, was one of these tragic victims at just twelve years old. Desperate for answers, Olive has distanced herself from her small Kentucky hometown and the memories of that tragic day. The only person she still stays in touch with is her father, who works at the local historical society. But everything changes with one phone call. Olive's carefully planned life is thrown into chaos when her father goes missing after he too entered the woods.
As Olive reluctantly returns to her hometown after 24 years, her forgotten memories of the woods and what lives within them start to surface. According to her father's research, a malevolent force has been silently preying on children every twelve years for at least two centuries. And now, it has awakened once again. With no other choice, Olive must confront her fears and venture into the heart of the woods, racing against time to save her father and uncover the truth about Stacia's disappearance.
But as her memories slowly resurface, Olive realizes that what she experienced all those years ago was truly magical and impossible to understand. Now, she must return to the woods, armed with new knowledge and determination, to face the unknown, rescue her loved ones, and finally uncover the chilling truth behind the Deeping Woods.

Recommendation:
It Always Finds Me, Bad Omen, Burials, HWA Poetry Showcase Volume X, Social Distance.
I have not read any of these books above, but I will check them out!!!!

https://www.tumblr.com/thebookteawithjai

[Jen (noelle w. ihli's version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hollow Girls started off strong, I knocked out 63 pages in one sitting at the bar, so I think that says good things. However, it really ended up being v clunky, and the pacing was totally off after that.

I fear that this wasn't the book for me. Even though it's right up my alley? Dark, witchy vibes, missing girl in the woods storyline, 90's nostalgia of wanting to be a witch with your friends- i love that shit.

It most definitely is suffering from lack of editing. Some descriptors were repeated too much, and sentences were literally said a second time immediately after the first, just rephrased. Here's a few examples of the former, that stuck out to me the most that I had to count lmao:

- descriptions of being asleep for so long and feeling like she's just woken up - 4 mentions
- a combo of "oily" + "black" to describe eyes - 7 times

anyway. I have some questions about the book but I don't wanna spoil it for anyone else, so I'll just hide them under here:

why were moms in this town constantly asking the woods for help to have a baby? was there an infertility issue?

why would the Fae give up one of their own to said mothers, only to take them back 12 years later? it can't just be so someone will come look for them and be sacrificed, can it? That doesn't make sense. Also, they can leave the woods apparently, so why not just leave and lure someone in if you need blood??

I don't really understand why the girl that was taken was let back out, in exchange for Olive, bc they are both Fae so why not just keep them both? Does that mean Ada will be taken back in another 12 years?

I am sure there are more things I want to say, or have questions about, but I think that should be it. This review is almost as long as the book itself.

[Karen Mazzaferri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness!! What a great story. Jessica Drake Thomas hit it out of the park with this one.
A story that takes place over hundreds of years involving Fae, Witches and ghosts. It switches between three time frames. Year 2000, 2003 and 2024.
Olive and her childhood friend Stacia find a cabin in the woods that belonged to Annabelle Parker and her daughter Viola, 200 years before. They frequent the cabin often and experience unbelievable and magical moments as they also stumble across a beautiful and uplifting cave filled with warm embracing light belonging to the Fae. Until Stacia suddenly disappears. The story comes back to 2024 where more young girls have disappeared. Olives dad has been studying and documenting happenings in the Deading Woods since Stacia’s disappearance. And then he disappears no one knowing whether he was taken or followed his own path to find the truth about the woods and also his wife’s disappearance.
This story is well thought out. The writing concise and perfectly worded without an abundance of over exaggeration and embellishments, it’s all in the right amounts. Everything is perfectly stated, yet you want to savor all the details. I embraced all the characters and found myself very sad when some met untimely deaths.
I am hoping there will be another book by Thomas as the ending leads us to believe that revenge will be motive for Olive to find closure in the centuries old evil traditions. Olive deserves retribution for all the losses she has unknowingly experienced because of a promise.

[Harley · Rating 2 out of 5]

For 200 years children, mostly girls, have been vanishing into the Deeping Woods. When protagonist Olive loses her best friend Stacia to the forest in 2003, her world is shattered. Fast forward to current day 2024 and now her father is also missing. Olive vows to put an end to the thing that lives in the forest of Blackwell.

Shorter books generally warrant a lower rating for me personally as there just isn’t enough time to build a completely story with enough depth. This book has an amazing cover and great reviews so I blasted through it. The whole book is sort of based around black magic / witchcraft / faes/fairy lore. Normally I would absolutely love that but this book came off as very juvenile. I wasn’t a fan of the authors writing style. Sentences are extremely short and also bullet point like, dialogue felt very scripted (almost like watching bad acting), and there just wasn’t a natural progression of the characters or the story. The ending was really nice. It perfectly wrapped things up and truly was the best part of the entire book. Honestly, I think if this were a much longer book I’d have rated it higher since I felt it lacked depth but the actual premise of the story was great. Probably wouldn’t recommend this one and not quite sure if it really falls under the horror category. For me personally, I’d sooner just classify this as a creepy fairy tale (literally)

[Siiri Auroora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark fairy tales, messy friendships & the kind of woods I’d definitely get cursed in.

This was one of those books that starts out kinda clunky — like you’ve been dropped in halfway through the story and you’re scrambling to catch up — but if you stick with it, it rewards you.

We follow Olive, who's back in her hometown after her dad disappears. That alone sets the stage for a haunting, twisty tale, but then there are moretimelines told from her POV, weaving together her girlhood friendships, her present, and the mysteries in between. It’s a bit confusing at first, but honestly, that structure is what kept me hooked.

The writing felt a little rough at the beginning, but it seemed to improve as the story went on, or maybe I just got used to it. Either way, by the end, I was prettyinvested. Everything came together in a way that was both satisfying and a little devastating.

Also, the vibes? Immaculate. If you're into dark fairy tale energy, fae lore, witchy woods, and "best friend turned something darker" tropes, this one's for you. The twist was predictable ish, but it was still well placed and hit hard in the moment.

Pacing dragged in the middle a bit, but overall, Hollow Girls was eerie, emotional, and felt like reading a spell being slowly cast. Not perfect, but really memorable.

[Alex E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5: Hollow Girls

Dark fairy tale meets witch-in-the-woods meets girl friendships meets fae....

I was SO excited about this book (and had the privilege of meeting the author at a book event) but unfortunately this left me wanting more.

The CONCEPT is exquisite: two best friends find a mysterious cabin in the woods and meet dark fae along the way. (So good, right?? I love all things witchy so this should have been a slam dunk for me).

The execution just didn't quite land. It was rather clunky. Maybe a little too much of the, "told me vs showed me" writing problem. I didn't feel the creepy vibes or ambiance I was hoping for, and it felt more like I was looking from the outside in, vs swallowed up by the story itself.

The idea was so freaking good~ the ending showed that the author had this brilliant idea bubbling, but the writing just didn't flowwww for me.

But again: dude, the idea, the concept - absolutely brilliant. The vibes just didn't line up. I'll be curious to read other books by this author to see if this was maybe just a weird hiccup in her storytelling

If you are fans of fae/dark magic/goblins, maybe try this as an audiobook?

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a creepy novella where the premise might sound familiar but the execution makes it simply fantastic.

Stacia and Olivia went into the woods together but only Stacia returned, lost and dazed and not remembering anything. Decades later, she gets word that her father is missing along with another child. When she returns to her hometown, the secrets she'll uncover about the history of missing children from those woods is terrifying.

As I said, the execution of this novella is what makes this so frightening. It's tense, fraught with folklore and horrific supernatural beings, and gets right to the horrors without a lot of preamble.

The mystery of what happened on that day years ago is sewn together slowly as Stacia's memory returns over time while making connections about how this involves her father. But even then, once that last dark secret is made known it'll blow you away. I didn't see that ending coming!

This is a great, chill inducing supernatural horror novella and I highly recommend it.

[Jess Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine book. It's fun that it is set in Kentucky, and the problems I have with it could've been solved by a better editor and two or three more rounds of revision,

I agree with others that it seemed like the writing slightly improved as the book went on. It's still a bit clunky and relies too heavily on telling rather than showing. The author heavily relies on the same phrases: Olive "felt malice" from a creature or a place literally dozens of times.

The narrative is non-linear, which I appreciated, and the characters are compelling, but the plot is often predictable and at times disjointed. The "twist" is somewhat lazy and ignores facts presented earlier in the text. The idea of a cycle doesn't match with other disappearances, and honestly, I was more interested in the completely unexplained vanishing 5-year-olds than the older girls.

[G Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing read!!! Though short, <200 pages, it is one of the best horror stories in recent times. It was chilling from the very beginning and held the reader in it's grip all the way through. And the end...? I did not see that coming!!! WOW!!!

If you want to read a GOOD horror story, this is a required read. Many who write horror these days fall into cliches and too much purple prose in an attempt to set the eerie atmosphere which ends up being more annoying than menacing. Ms. Drake-Thomas did not fall into that trap. Her writing was sharp and concise and the foreboding atmosphere she created kept the reader entranced.

If you are a fan of horror, then I highly recommend Hollow Girls as a must read.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t mess with the Fae; Tinkerbell, they are not.

There is so much to love with this book. The MC is a strong female who is smart, down to Earth, relatable, and likable. The story initially seems like one you’ve read before, but as it unfolds, you realize it is delightfully not. There’s magick, folklore, creepy woods and caves, and a reveal that I didn’t see coming, which is a rare treat for me. I’ve seen folks complain that the end is too abrupt, but I enjoyed it. I think the end gives us enough closure for this book to be complete, while also leaving open the possibility for the author to write a sequel. I definitely look forward to reading more by this author!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two twelve-year old girls venture into the woods, drawn by stories of the Fae. They find an old cabin and use it as a clubhouse of sorts, becoming the best of friends. But there comes a day when only one girls leaves the forest, and she can't remember what happened, why her friend didn't come out with her.

3.5 stars - I liked the story for the most part, and the last 10-15 pages are dynamite. But the pacing in the middle dragged a bit, and the writing itself was sometimes clunky and awkward.

[Elizabeth Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow…..
I don’t even know if I can formulate a review that gives this author enough credit for her work. This book is a straight MASTERPIECE in my opinion. It’s everything my cryptid, appalachian, folklore, lovin’ heart could want (& MORE). 🖤 The ending is beautiful, heartbreaking, perfect, and a complete and utter SHOCK. I never saw it coming and I couldn’t have dreamed up a better tale. It’s so powerful and I’m so caught off guard….I feel the need to just sit in silence and reflect. Imma need a minute to come back to reality after this one!

Read. This. Book 🤯📖

[Alyx W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two friends go into the woods but only one returns. This premise of this book had me hooked when I first read it what could be going on in these woods that’s taking all these kids,,,and parents?

Got a decent amount of the way through this book just for it to be supernatural/ witchy which isn’t a problem inherently I just don’t really like supernatural or witch books that much.

Despite that I persisted and finished this book it was decent I would even recommend it to people who do like supernatural stuff.

[Jonnalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The alternating timelines did a good job building suspense around Olive’s missing memories and Stacia’s disappearance, but for some reason, it didn’t really pull me back in once I put it down. I was listening to the audiobook, so it should’ve been easy to keep going, but I kept choosing to watch a movie instead. I finally finished it, though. Stacia just wasn’t that interesting to me, so her chapters dragged a bit. But once the folklore investigation kicked in near the end, the pace really picked up and I actually liked the twist.

[Chrisanne Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous surprise!!!

When I first chose this book, it looks kind of intriguing, but I figured it would be just another lost girl kind of story wow was I pleasantly surprised. The story was nothing that I imagined it would be, it was so good I couldn’t put it down. I am an avid reader, and I haven’t run across this story type before, so that was also a pleasant surprise. There was nothing predictable about it give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.