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The Corruption of Hollis Brown: A Psychological Queer YA Thriller Where Two Boys Share One Body
From acclaimed author K. Ancrum comes a queer romantic thriller in which the lives of Hollis, a boy in search of meaning, and Walt, a spirit with unfinished business, collide when Walt takes possession of Hollis's body...and maybe his heart. For fans of Adam Silvera and Aiden Thomas!
Hollis Brown is stuck. Born to a blue-collar American Dream, Hollis lives in a rotting small town where no one can afford to leave. Hollis's only bright spots are his two best friends, cool girls Annie and Yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates.
As if his circumstances couldn’t get worse, a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger named Walt results in a frightening trap. After unknowingly making a deal at the crossroads, Hollis finds himself losing control of his body and mind, falling victim to possession. Walt, the ghost making a home inside him, has a deep and violent history rooted in the town Hollis grew up in and he has unfinished business to take care of.
As Walt and Hollis begin working together to put Walt’s spirit to rest, an unspeakable bond forms between them, and the boys begin falling for one another in unexpected ways. But it’s only a matter of time before Hollis’s best friends begin to notice that something about Hollis isn’t quite…right.
With the threat of a long-overdue exorcism looming before them, will Walt and Hollis be able to protect their love and undo the curse that turned their town from a garden of possibility into a place where dreams go to die?
Praise for
"The sparse prose in this unconventional, must-read of a trauma-infused borderline thriller is packed with emotional breadth." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"In this intimate poetic reimagining of the Icarus myth, Ancrum crafts a subversive triumph that is a love letter both to healing from trauma and to the importance of connection and empathy." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Beautifully written...Psychologically acute, subtle, and sophisticated." —ALA Booklist (starred review)
"In her extraordinary fifth novel, Icarus, K. Ancrum performs a confident high-wire act, balancing the weighty manifestations of connection, desire, and contradiction." —BookPage (starred review)
"Both romance and thriller fans will likely be gripped by this memorable love story, tinged with mythology, built around a mystery made up of bitter secrets between the two families." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
Hollis Brown is stuck. Born to a blue-collar American Dream, Hollis lives in a rotting small town where no one can afford to leave. Hollis's only bright spots are his two best friends, cool girls Annie and Yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates.
As if his circumstances couldn’t get worse, a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger named Walt results in a frightening trap. After unknowingly making a deal at the crossroads, Hollis finds himself losing control of his body and mind, falling victim to possession. Walt, the ghost making a home inside him, has a deep and violent history rooted in the town Hollis grew up in and he has unfinished business to take care of.
As Walt and Hollis begin working together to put Walt’s spirit to rest, an unspeakable bond forms between them, and the boys begin falling for one another in unexpected ways. But it’s only a matter of time before Hollis’s best friends begin to notice that something about Hollis isn’t quite…right.
With the threat of a long-overdue exorcism looming before them, will Walt and Hollis be able to protect their love and undo the curse that turned their town from a garden of possibility into a place where dreams go to die?
Praise for
"The sparse prose in this unconventional, must-read of a trauma-infused borderline thriller is packed with emotional breadth." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"In this intimate poetic reimagining of the Icarus myth, Ancrum crafts a subversive triumph that is a love letter both to healing from trauma and to the importance of connection and empathy." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Beautifully written...Psychologically acute, subtle, and sophisticated." —ALA Booklist (starred review)
"In her extraordinary fifth novel, Icarus, K. Ancrum performs a confident high-wire act, balancing the weighty manifestations of connection, desire, and contradiction." —BookPage (starred review)
"Both romance and thriller fans will likely be gripped by this memorable love story, tinged with mythology, built around a mystery made up of bitter secrets between the two families." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2025
83 people are currently reading
11745 people want to read
About the author
K. Ancrum
13 books2,038 followersK. Ancrum, is an author of award winning speculative contemporary YA notably THE WICKER KING, DARLING and most recently the critically acclaimed ICARUS. K. is a Chicago native passionate about diversity and representation in young adult fiction. She currently writes most of her work in the lush gardens of the Chicago Art Institute.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
June 24, 2025
I was very intrigued to see what the author would do with a premise like this one. It didn’t turn out the way I expected, but I think it made sense in the end.
The story is beautifully written and with so much depth. All the elements fit so well together – the setting, the atmosphere and the characters. I really liked Hollis, his friendship with Annie and Yulia, his character development throughout the story, and his unique relationship with Walt.
I listened to the audio version of the book and I think that the narrator, Andrew Gibson, captured the tone of the story perfectly. Loved the short chapters.
The story is beautifully written and with so much depth. All the elements fit so well together – the setting, the atmosphere and the characters. I really liked Hollis, his friendship with Annie and Yulia, his character development throughout the story, and his unique relationship with Walt.
I listened to the audio version of the book and I think that the narrator, Andrew Gibson, captured the tone of the story perfectly. Loved the short chapters.
April 25, 2025
Ancrum has this utterly beautiful way of using language, sentence structure and snappy chapters that makes it feel like you are reading poetry when reading her work. Every time I read one of Ancrums books they leave me with the sense that I have just consumed something really special.
Hollis Brown is a 17 year old boy, full of self loathing, hopelessness and anger, living in impoverished blue collar community in America, where no one ever leaves or escapes the cycle of poverty. One night, after crossing paths a mysterious stranger, Hollis finds himself possessed by the ghost of the 17 year old Walt, a spirit who has been jumping from host to host for 90 years, leaving a trail of burnt out shells behind him.
This story explores all of Ancrums favourite themes; young men in codependent relationships that are always a smidge toxic, both suffering from their own loneliness and isolation and finding safe haven within each other. This was also filled to the brim with her special brand of desperate yearning and romantic tension which is so thick you can chew on it.
I was curious how Ancrum would pull off a love story where the two love interests share the same body, but this was just so beautiful.
I preordered this by way of audiobook and thought the narration enhanced the story in a really wonderful way. Andrew Gibson did a great job moving between Hollis and Walt voices and I think it added a vibrancy to the story which really enriched the reaching experience.
I have loved all of Ancrums previous books but The Corruption of Hollis Brown has easily fallen into place as my favourite of her works.
Hollis Brown is a 17 year old boy, full of self loathing, hopelessness and anger, living in impoverished blue collar community in America, where no one ever leaves or escapes the cycle of poverty. One night, after crossing paths a mysterious stranger, Hollis finds himself possessed by the ghost of the 17 year old Walt, a spirit who has been jumping from host to host for 90 years, leaving a trail of burnt out shells behind him.
This story explores all of Ancrums favourite themes; young men in codependent relationships that are always a smidge toxic, both suffering from their own loneliness and isolation and finding safe haven within each other. This was also filled to the brim with her special brand of desperate yearning and romantic tension which is so thick you can chew on it.
I was curious how Ancrum would pull off a love story where the two love interests share the same body, but this was just so beautiful.
I preordered this by way of audiobook and thought the narration enhanced the story in a really wonderful way. Andrew Gibson did a great job moving between Hollis and Walt voices and I think it added a vibrancy to the story which really enriched the reaching experience.
I have loved all of Ancrums previous books but The Corruption of Hollis Brown has easily fallen into place as my favourite of her works.
June 16, 2025
Hollis was too thankful that Walt was back inside him to be angry, too desperate. He wanted to tear Walt out of him so he could eat him back up like a beast. He wanted and wanted until it made him feel grotesque.
You know the feeling when you start a book, and after reading a mere few sentences, you have to chew on your knuckles to stop yourself from grinning like a loon because you know it’s been written to suit your tastes perfectly?
I don’t even have to ruminate on The Corruption of Hollis Brown. Instant new favorite, no question. Why did I sit on K. Ancrum’s work for so long?! Never mind, The Wicker King is already waiting for me on my shelf.
I love love LOVED everything about this book - the interesting formatting of short, sharp chapters, the bleak atmosphere turned hopeful and full of perseverance, the top-notch writing. The way this ghost story transforms into an incredible love story. And most of all, the characters. Hollis. Walt. Yulia and Annie. Hollis’ ma. Timothy and James, even.
But mainly Hollis and Walt, of course. I fucking adore these boys and nothing they do could be wrong in my eyes. Toxic codependent gays is becoming a sub-genre, and there’s nothing more codependent than sharing a body with a ghost. I was going feral over the flawless progression from “intruder in Hollis’ body” to “two sad boys inhabiting one body” - the best and most unique execution of a body possession I’ve ever seen.
Also - how the hell were some of the scenes so erotic and sensual?? I was blushing in public on a bus ride and swallowing back giggles. A crudely written anal fisting couldn’t make me squirm the way Ancrum did here and I’m in awe 😳
Honestly, I’m filled to the brim with so many emotions that I haven’t been able to do anything other than blink away tears for the last ten minutes. This is a must read for everyone who don’t mind a dash of supernatural in their queer love stories.
You know the feeling when you start a book, and after reading a mere few sentences, you have to chew on your knuckles to stop yourself from grinning like a loon because you know it’s been written to suit your tastes perfectly?
I don’t even have to ruminate on The Corruption of Hollis Brown. Instant new favorite, no question. Why did I sit on K. Ancrum’s work for so long?! Never mind, The Wicker King is already waiting for me on my shelf.
I love love LOVED everything about this book - the interesting formatting of short, sharp chapters, the bleak atmosphere turned hopeful and full of perseverance, the top-notch writing. The way this ghost story transforms into an incredible love story. And most of all, the characters. Hollis. Walt. Yulia and Annie. Hollis’ ma. Timothy and James, even.
But mainly Hollis and Walt, of course. I fucking adore these boys and nothing they do could be wrong in my eyes. Toxic codependent gays is becoming a sub-genre, and there’s nothing more codependent than sharing a body with a ghost. I was going feral over the flawless progression from “intruder in Hollis’ body” to “two sad boys inhabiting one body” - the best and most unique execution of a body possession I’ve ever seen.
Also - how the hell were some of the scenes so erotic and sensual?? I was blushing in public on a bus ride and swallowing back giggles. A crudely written anal fisting couldn’t make me squirm the way Ancrum did here and I’m in awe 😳
Honestly, I’m filled to the brim with so many emotions that I haven’t been able to do anything other than blink away tears for the last ten minutes. This is a must read for everyone who don’t mind a dash of supernatural in their queer love stories.
April 27, 2025
Think of the grittiness of a small village without any prospect that affects its youth. Darkness looms over Hollis Brown, and he constantly pushes the boundaries. A lonely boy who lets other teens beat him, who doesn’t care, and goes to the train tracks to … well, train hopping and do other things that are not safe. The movie Trainspotting came to mind, even though that story is way different. It’s the atmosphere, I guess.
Kayla Ancrum has a specific way of writing, and I love it. I already said it before: her chapters are short, blunt, and bitten off, and her lyrical writing feels almost like writing in verse. You can’t do anything but surrender, and from the first page on, my heart got stuck in my throat.
Just like Icarus, this story is about loneliness and finally believing in a future. Walt and Hollis were so good for each other. Two boys living in one body, Hollis is angry at Walt, but soon, they start to cooperate as one. Hollis, the one who doesn’t care; Walt, the one who might care too much—two boys who complete each other.
I’m afraid of a lot of things.
And I’m not afraid of anything. Maybe we were meant to teach each other shit or something. I can teach you to face your fears, and you can teach me to actually be nice to people.
Even though The Corruption of Hollis Brown is an eerie and gritty story, it also warms you on the inside. There’s so much love, and I believe we need books full of love these days. And if you like baking: Kayla included several recipes, especially of bread.
Thank you, HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this fantastic ARC!
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Kayla Ancrum has a specific way of writing, and I love it. I already said it before: her chapters are short, blunt, and bitten off, and her lyrical writing feels almost like writing in verse. You can’t do anything but surrender, and from the first page on, my heart got stuck in my throat.
Just like Icarus, this story is about loneliness and finally believing in a future. Walt and Hollis were so good for each other. Two boys living in one body, Hollis is angry at Walt, but soon, they start to cooperate as one. Hollis, the one who doesn’t care; Walt, the one who might care too much—two boys who complete each other.
I’m afraid of a lot of things.
And I’m not afraid of anything. Maybe we were meant to teach each other shit or something. I can teach you to face your fears, and you can teach me to actually be nice to people.
Even though The Corruption of Hollis Brown is an eerie and gritty story, it also warms you on the inside. There’s so much love, and I believe we need books full of love these days. And if you like baking: Kayla included several recipes, especially of bread.
Thank you, HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this fantastic ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
November 16, 2024
Okay okay this was SO good. Kayla Ancrum really went 'oh you like codependent gays? hold my beer.' because nothing beats the inherent homoeroticism of sharing a body with cohabitating souls.
This was peak yearning. Beautiful and healing. Going feral over Hollis and Walt (and Annie and Yulia). Such a unique setting, obsessed with this book, I cannot wait to buy a physical copy.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins for the ARC!
This was peak yearning. Beautiful and healing. Going feral over Hollis and Walt (and Annie and Yulia). Such a unique setting, obsessed with this book, I cannot wait to buy a physical copy.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins for the ARC!
February 21, 2025
4.5
fellas is it really homoerotic codependency if you are literally sharing the same body bc you’re possessed by a ghost?
fellas is it really homoerotic codependency if you are literally sharing the same body bc you’re possessed by a ghost?
September 13, 2025
Extra extra: Messed up boys take toxic codependency to the next level! Weird, emotional, and HOT, this rivals to lovers and roommates to lovers horror/romance/delight/nightmare will make you both cry and go feral!
October 23, 2025
the most romantic book i've read all year. symbrock truthers RISE
November 22, 2024
an eerie and emotional fable of survival, the corruption of hollis brown follows hollis brown, an abrasive, isolated teenager living in a town whose industry left everyone behind. people subsist off what they're able to grow, repair, and share; everyone knows everyone; hardly anyone has the means to leave and find a life elsewhere; and the local high school kids chase thrills the only way they can afford to: gatherings at rose town, the abandoned community outside of town that's been deemed officially haunted. after a harrowing incident during their latest outing, hollis brown's life begins to come undone. in a bid to be alone, hollis goes deep into the woods, screaming into the soil where no one else can hear him. but there he meets a strange, sickly boy called walt, who strikes a faustian deal with him that will change them both—and the town—forever.
as hollis fights his way through the reputation he's carved for himself, he now has to deal with another precarious situation: he's been possessed by walt, a spirit who's survived into the current century by jumping from body to body, running away from his past and trying to find someone who will let him stay. he exists between hollis' bones and nerves, threaded through him like a curse: it's his eyes now, that look out from hollis's face; his voice that speaks inside hollis's head; his will that moves hollis's body as they go about their daily life, hiding in plain sight in front of hollis's closest friends and family. but, as time goes on, the two of them begin to fall in love with one another—for better or for worse.
with her signature boundless compassion, her sharp prose, her deft exploration of human nature, and her gorgeous rendition of possession and otherworldly love, kayla ancrum has written one of my favorite novels of all time. the corruption of hollis brown is a queer, passionate elegy to the ghosts of the past—the things and people we lose to time and to each other—and how we can claw our way to a better, more equitable future. this is unquestionably ancrum's finest work to date: at once a fresh new take on possession and a searing love story for the ages, this is a novel you can't afford to miss.
as hollis fights his way through the reputation he's carved for himself, he now has to deal with another precarious situation: he's been possessed by walt, a spirit who's survived into the current century by jumping from body to body, running away from his past and trying to find someone who will let him stay. he exists between hollis' bones and nerves, threaded through him like a curse: it's his eyes now, that look out from hollis's face; his voice that speaks inside hollis's head; his will that moves hollis's body as they go about their daily life, hiding in plain sight in front of hollis's closest friends and family. but, as time goes on, the two of them begin to fall in love with one another—for better or for worse.
with her signature boundless compassion, her sharp prose, her deft exploration of human nature, and her gorgeous rendition of possession and otherworldly love, kayla ancrum has written one of my favorite novels of all time. the corruption of hollis brown is a queer, passionate elegy to the ghosts of the past—the things and people we lose to time and to each other—and how we can claw our way to a better, more equitable future. this is unquestionably ancrum's finest work to date: at once a fresh new take on possession and a searing love story for the ages, this is a novel you can't afford to miss.
November 20, 2024
This book invented yearning, actually. 🥺👌
I have no words?? Like...I speak four languages, am learning a fifth and *none* of them have the right constellation of words to express just how much this book fucked with my mind but in the best way possible?
I have no words?? Like...I speak four languages, am learning a fifth and *none* of them have the right constellation of words to express just how much this book fucked with my mind but in the best way possible?
May 2, 2025
just. the quintessential gay experience.
I had to make up all the words myself. The way
they taste, the way they sound in the air. I passed
through the narrow gate, stumbled in, stumbled
around for a while, and stumbled back out. I made
this place for you. A place for you to love me.
If this isn't a kingdom then I don't know what is.
I had to make up all the words myself. The way
they taste, the way they sound in the air. I passed
through the narrow gate, stumbled in, stumbled
around for a while, and stumbled back out. I made
this place for you. A place for you to love me.
If this isn't a kingdom then I don't know what is.
July 4, 2025
Wow. wow wow wow wow!!
One of the most beautiful, heart achingly romantic books I've ever read. RTC 🌷
One of the most beautiful, heart achingly romantic books I've ever read. RTC 🌷
August 7, 2025
CLIMBING UP THE WALLS CRAWLING ON THE CEILING CHEWING ON BRICKS SPINNING IN CIRCLES SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS DOING BACKFLIPS THROWING THIS BOOK DIRECTLY AT UR FACE
July 26, 2025
4.5
2025 reads: 179/300
content warnings: body horror, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, violence, sexual content
hollis lives in a rotting small town no one can afford to leave. his only bright spots are his two best friends, annie and yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates. he doesn’t think his circumstances could get any worse, but he’s proven wrong when he accidentally agrees to being possessed. walt, the new temporary owner of hollis’s body, has a deep and violent history rooted in hollis’s town. as the two work together to finally put walt’s spirit to rest, they form an unimaginable bond and begin falling for each other. it’s only a matter of time before annie and yulia notice something’s off with hollis, though…
before i got even a quarter of the way through this book, i came to the realization that k. ancrum just might be one of my favorite authors. i love how unique all of her books are, and this one was no different. honestly, i never would have thought that a relationship between the possessed and their possessor could work, but i was happy to be proven wrong. overall, this was an incredible book. i’m looking forward to more from k. ancrum!
2025 reads: 179/300
content warnings: body horror, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, violence, sexual content
hollis lives in a rotting small town no one can afford to leave. his only bright spots are his two best friends, annie and yulia, and the thrill of fighting his classmates. he doesn’t think his circumstances could get any worse, but he’s proven wrong when he accidentally agrees to being possessed. walt, the new temporary owner of hollis’s body, has a deep and violent history rooted in hollis’s town. as the two work together to finally put walt’s spirit to rest, they form an unimaginable bond and begin falling for each other. it’s only a matter of time before annie and yulia notice something’s off with hollis, though…
before i got even a quarter of the way through this book, i came to the realization that k. ancrum just might be one of my favorite authors. i love how unique all of her books are, and this one was no different. honestly, i never would have thought that a relationship between the possessed and their possessor could work, but i was happy to be proven wrong. overall, this was an incredible book. i’m looking forward to more from k. ancrum!
June 29, 2025
“turn off the light, hollis brown, i can see you better in the dark.”
oh k. ancrum i was not at all familiar with your game. this book has left me so incapable of articulating my thoughts into anything coherent that i'm afraid nothing i could say will do this book justice.
the story took turns and twists that i could have never predicted and it has left me dazed, delirious, slightly unsettled and utterly convinced that the only way i will achieve true love is when someone co-inhabits my body with a yearning so unparalleled it creates chasms between space and time itself.
“i know every inch of me, walt. i was me before we were us.”
my skin is crawling, i think i'm going to be sick and i'm buzzing with enough energy to electrocute someone.
that is pretty much the only way i can sum up this reading experience.
oh k. ancrum i was not at all familiar with your game. this book has left me so incapable of articulating my thoughts into anything coherent that i'm afraid nothing i could say will do this book justice.
the story took turns and twists that i could have never predicted and it has left me dazed, delirious, slightly unsettled and utterly convinced that the only way i will achieve true love is when someone co-inhabits my body with a yearning so unparalleled it creates chasms between space and time itself.
“i know every inch of me, walt. i was me before we were us.”
my skin is crawling, i think i'm going to be sick and i'm buzzing with enough energy to electrocute someone.
that is pretty much the only way i can sum up this reading experience.
May 28, 2025
3.5/5
falling in love with the ghost that possessed your body? only k. ancrum can take a premise like that and turn it into the purest, most unabashed gay yearning possible. this is definitely a weird and experimental story in a lot of ways but ultimately, i loved seeing hollis and walt's relationship develop and how utterly devoted they become to each other. i do wish the plot could've been a bit stronger and that the friendships could've been more convincing for me - overall though, it's a quick, page-turner of a read with enough sweet moments to make me happy.
(i also wish the ending could've gone in a different direction but that's not the kind of story the author wanted to tell. i'm just happy to see the boys happy).
falling in love with the ghost that possessed your body? only k. ancrum can take a premise like that and turn it into the purest, most unabashed gay yearning possible. this is definitely a weird and experimental story in a lot of ways but ultimately, i loved seeing hollis and walt's relationship develop and how utterly devoted they become to each other. i do wish the plot could've been a bit stronger and that the friendships could've been more convincing for me - overall though, it's a quick, page-turner of a read with enough sweet moments to make me happy.
(i also wish the ending could've gone in a different direction but that's not the kind of story the author wanted to tell. i'm just happy to see the boys happy).
June 19, 2025
4.5 stars
Okay but who needs 'only one bed' when we can have 'only one body' instead?! This was DELICIOUS. So raw yet tender, so weird yet real, so hauntingly tragic yet heartachingly beautiful and just so gloriously gay.
There's just something dangerously enthralling and intoxicating about K. Ancrum's writing that always speaks to my soul, and as soon as I started this book I was completely hooked. I absolutely adored both Hollis and Walt, and the development of their unconventional yet intimately vulnerable relationship was simply perfect, no notes. The yearning, the tension, the banter, the sensuality... AAAH!!! Messy, slightly toxic codependent gays for the win :)))
But this not simply an angsty queer teen romance; it's a story that explores love in all its complicated beauty, be that self-love, platonic love, familial love, or romantic love. The friendships shine just as bright as the main romance, and I really appreciated the brutally raw and authentic exploration of trauma and mental health. Like, I felt all the feels SO deeply, both because these characters are so relatable and because K. Ancrum's knife-sharp yet poetic writing is just so emotionally charged and soul-stirring.
The ending was maybe a bit rushed and felt like a weird feverdream experience (which you could argue that the entire book is, really), but somehow all the emotional beats still hit so hard and I was totally along for the wild ride.
K. Ancrum truly outdid herself in The Corruption of Hollis Brown, I absolutely devoured this (or did it devour me?). Even if you think you don't enjoy YA storytelling anymore... YOU ARE WRONG, just read this and thank me later.
Okay but who needs 'only one bed' when we can have 'only one body' instead?! This was DELICIOUS. So raw yet tender, so weird yet real, so hauntingly tragic yet heartachingly beautiful and just so gloriously gay.
There's just something dangerously enthralling and intoxicating about K. Ancrum's writing that always speaks to my soul, and as soon as I started this book I was completely hooked. I absolutely adored both Hollis and Walt, and the development of their unconventional yet intimately vulnerable relationship was simply perfect, no notes. The yearning, the tension, the banter, the sensuality... AAAH!!! Messy, slightly toxic codependent gays for the win :)))
But this not simply an angsty queer teen romance; it's a story that explores love in all its complicated beauty, be that self-love, platonic love, familial love, or romantic love. The friendships shine just as bright as the main romance, and I really appreciated the brutally raw and authentic exploration of trauma and mental health. Like, I felt all the feels SO deeply, both because these characters are so relatable and because K. Ancrum's knife-sharp yet poetic writing is just so emotionally charged and soul-stirring.
The ending was maybe a bit rushed and felt like a weird feverdream experience (which you could argue that the entire book is, really), but somehow all the emotional beats still hit so hard and I was totally along for the wild ride.
K. Ancrum truly outdid herself in The Corruption of Hollis Brown, I absolutely devoured this (or did it devour me?). Even if you think you don't enjoy YA storytelling anymore... YOU ARE WRONG, just read this and thank me later.
February 12, 2025
"If you just stop running, you can walk with me."
I've never experienced a book like The Corruption of Hollis Brown, and I doubt I ever will again.
What do you call a story like this? Bizarre, certainly, but only in the greatest of ways. Heartbreaking? It hurts, but every shard of yourself is promptly dusted off, kissed sweetly, and fixed back into place until you're something better. There's no denying that The Corruption of Hollis Brown is a love story, but it takes until you're reading through tears to realize that half of that is about loving yourself.
Hollis and Walt are the co-dependent, yearning lovers I'd never thought to ask for, but now wonder how I could have possibly lived without. They spoke to each other--and to the vulnerable, private corners of my own heart--in ways I think every body might need. It's beautiful. Raw. They twist through you, and each other, until you reach that last page with a tears and a smile.
I've never experienced a book like The Corruption of Hollis Brown, and I doubt I ever will again.
What do you call a story like this? Bizarre, certainly, but only in the greatest of ways. Heartbreaking? It hurts, but every shard of yourself is promptly dusted off, kissed sweetly, and fixed back into place until you're something better. There's no denying that The Corruption of Hollis Brown is a love story, but it takes until you're reading through tears to realize that half of that is about loving yourself.
Hollis and Walt are the co-dependent, yearning lovers I'd never thought to ask for, but now wonder how I could have possibly lived without. They spoke to each other--and to the vulnerable, private corners of my own heart--in ways I think every body might need. It's beautiful. Raw. They twist through you, and each other, until you reach that last page with a tears and a smile.
June 16, 2025
you heard of codependency, now get ready for possession 🫶
"have they seen your face, lit by moonlight, terrible and grinning? seen you laugh to harmonize with screams? felt what it is to be small and in your hands?"
4.5 stars ⭐️ i loved this!! it was incredibly readable, a page turner, and the WRITING.... yeah 🙂↕️🙂↕️ k. ancrum please never stop writing weird little books 🙏
((it's not a full 5 star bc idk if i liked the ending?? i'm not even sure wHY but something. was missing somehow. but alsooo my expectations were really high tbh, so that might also have been a problem))
"have they seen your face, lit by moonlight, terrible and grinning? seen you laugh to harmonize with screams? felt what it is to be small and in your hands?"
4.5 stars ⭐️ i loved this!! it was incredibly readable, a page turner, and the WRITING.... yeah 🙂↕️🙂↕️ k. ancrum please never stop writing weird little books 🙏
((it's not a full 5 star bc idk if i liked the ending?? i'm not even sure wHY but something. was missing somehow. but alsooo my expectations were really high tbh, so that might also have been a problem))
March 23, 2025
5/5
Maybe the spirit possessing your body is just as touchstarved as you
Maybe the spirit possessing your body is just as touchstarved as you
July 30, 2025
I'd been eyeing this author's works for literal years now- but somehow, I never actually ended up picking one of them up. I'm usually not a huge fan of YA and wasn't really sure if I'd enjoy them.
But I couldn't resist Ancrum dangling the Inherent Horror of Being Forced to Share One's Body With a Foreign Entity™ in front of my face. There's just something incredibly intimate about the entire concept that draws me in. While I think the author could have leaned a bit more into the body horror aspect of it, I really loved how the relationship between the two leads played out. It was really heart-warming to see how Hollis's body went from a personal prison to a home for both of them. And sure, there was no actual smut, but some scenes still managed to feel extremely sensual- like I wasn't supposed to be looking.
And the atmosphere! The atmosphere was really great and went hand in hand with the beautiful prose. Although I do think that I'm someone who generally prefers their chapters to be a bit longer than 3 pages each, haha. It was still a pretty unique reading experience!
Something else that stood out to me were the themes and how they connected to the small town-setting. 'American nightmare', indeed. I myself grew up in a very small village surrounded by almost nothing at all, and I can totally understand this fear of never being able to get out of there.
So, in short- I came here for the toxic co-dependent gays and got exactly what I was looking for! It felt a bit low-stakes at times, but the characters and the atmosphere made up for it. I'm rating it 4 stars because it didn't quite pack the emotional punch I expected it would.
I'm also really excited for Ancrum's next book and will definitely be checking it out!
But I couldn't resist Ancrum dangling the Inherent Horror of Being Forced to Share One's Body With a Foreign Entity™ in front of my face. There's just something incredibly intimate about the entire concept that draws me in. While I think the author could have leaned a bit more into the body horror aspect of it, I really loved how the relationship between the two leads played out. It was really heart-warming to see how Hollis's body went from a personal prison to a home for both of them. And sure, there was no actual smut, but some scenes still managed to feel extremely sensual- like I wasn't supposed to be looking.
And the atmosphere! The atmosphere was really great and went hand in hand with the beautiful prose. Although I do think that I'm someone who generally prefers their chapters to be a bit longer than 3 pages each, haha. It was still a pretty unique reading experience!
Something else that stood out to me were the themes and how they connected to the small town-setting. 'American nightmare', indeed. I myself grew up in a very small village surrounded by almost nothing at all, and I can totally understand this fear of never being able to get out of there.
So, in short- I came here for the toxic co-dependent gays and got exactly what I was looking for! It felt a bit low-stakes at times, but the characters and the atmosphere made up for it. I'm rating it 4 stars because it didn't quite pack the emotional punch I expected it would.
I'm also really excited for Ancrum's next book and will definitely be checking it out!
October 16, 2025
Two souls with one heart--
No poverty of romance,
courage, redemption.
I loved this book. I think I love K. Ancrum. I cannot stand how good these not really YA YA books are. Like Icarus, this negotiates coming out, poverty, friendship, loyalty, and redemption. It's got a not-demon and not-fighter struggling to save each other and to save their way of life and it sounds so hokey and instead it's so true.
Ancrum describes it as a parable, and it works so well partly because it is out of time--Hollis' community is as stuck as Walt is. And it's true enemies to lovers slow-burn--Hollis truly hates the boy who's stolen his body but begins to pity and then desire him. And Walt is terrified to actually love someone, until he does (and admits it first, which I LOVED). Yulia and Anna are great (and great together) and the parents care enough but aren't especially important to the story until they are, which felt very realistic for high school seniors. It's surprisingly hot for a closed door (because 17) romance.
I wasn't sure how Ancrum would put together a satisfying resolution to the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but a little magic goes a long way. And that ship name--clearly, it was destiny.
No poverty of romance,
courage, redemption.
I loved this book. I think I love K. Ancrum. I cannot stand how good these not really YA YA books are. Like Icarus, this negotiates coming out, poverty, friendship, loyalty, and redemption. It's got a not-demon and not-fighter struggling to save each other and to save their way of life and it sounds so hokey and instead it's so true.
Ancrum describes it as a parable, and it works so well partly because it is out of time--Hollis' community is as stuck as Walt is. And it's true enemies to lovers slow-burn--Hollis truly hates the boy who's stolen his body but begins to pity and then desire him. And Walt is terrified to actually love someone, until he does (and admits it first, which I LOVED). Yulia and Anna are great (and great together) and the parents care enough but aren't especially important to the story until they are, which felt very realistic for high school seniors. It's surprisingly hot for a closed door (because 17) romance.
I wasn't sure how Ancrum would put together a satisfying resolution to the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but a little magic goes a long way. And that ship name--clearly, it was destiny.
May 8, 2025
#️⃣2️⃣0️⃣9️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🐠 🍭
Date 🌬️: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 ☄️
Word Count📃: 75k Words, average sized novel :D
╔⏤⏤⏤╝❀🌸💮🌸❀╚⏤⏤⏤╗
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡ My 17th read in summertime read-a-thon "since idk wtf to do with my life for one thousand — two hundred — twenty four hours straight" (^-^ )
5️⃣🌟, 5 stars for cute ya ghost story romance :D
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➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Hollis and Walt are like one of the most wholesome characters in the the history of gay ya romance, this ghost right here (Walt) posesses Hollis cuz duh thats what ghosts do then bad stuff happened, they both lift each other up IN THE MOST HEARTWARMING WAY AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. And then they fell in love ❤️❤️❤️, but somehow theyre in the same one body...😶😶😶 Dunno how that works but sokehow it does ://// youre like a ghost but you fell in love with the other consciousness that is also inside the body that you're in...Hmmmmm ye, im confused on how that works but this book explores this thing very well! And damn good God i am for everything this because this has like zero spice scenes (i don't even want to consider the possibility on how it will even happen because they're on the same body but i'm thinkful that it DOESN'T HAVE ANY SPICE SCENES) ITS PURE CUTENESS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS FROM START TO FINISHHH🥰🥰🥰 Annie and Yulia are pretty well written characters too! I love how both of them support Hollis and the sometimes misconceptions that (oh damn someone possessed our friend, what do we do uhh). And ye, good book overall
Date 🌬️: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 ☄️
Word Count📃: 75k Words, average sized novel :D
╔⏤⏤⏤╝❀🌸💮🌸❀╚⏤⏤⏤╗
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡ My 17th read in summertime read-a-thon "since idk wtf to do with my life for one thousand — two hundred — twenty four hours straight" (^-^ )
5️⃣🌟, 5 stars for cute ya ghost story romance :D
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Hollis and Walt are like one of the most wholesome characters in the the history of gay ya romance, this ghost right here (Walt) posesses Hollis cuz duh thats what ghosts do then bad stuff happened, they both lift each other up IN THE MOST HEARTWARMING WAY AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. And then they fell in love ❤️❤️❤️, but somehow theyre in the same one body...😶😶😶 Dunno how that works but sokehow it does ://// youre like a ghost but you fell in love with the other consciousness that is also inside the body that you're in...Hmmmmm ye, im confused on how that works but this book explores this thing very well! And damn good God i am for everything this because this has like zero spice scenes (i don't even want to consider the possibility on how it will even happen because they're on the same body but i'm thinkful that it DOESN'T HAVE ANY SPICE SCENES) ITS PURE CUTENESS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS FROM START TO FINISHHH🥰🥰🥰 Annie and Yulia are pretty well written characters too! I love how both of them support Hollis and the sometimes misconceptions that (oh damn someone possessed our friend, what do we do uhh). And ye, good book overall
April 27, 2025
no one does it like Kayla. I AM FUCKING GAGGED AND IN LOVE (rtc)
July 1, 2025
“Do you like our house? Is there a garden for your roses? Do you want to paint my fences white?”
I’ve never read a love story that resonated so deeply with my own experience. Love is brave and selfish, like Holst’s Jupiter (a comparison I cannot take credit for, read the book, please) and this book is a beautiful and unabashed reminder to strive for it. The Corruption of Hollis Brown would have changed my life as a queer kid growing up in Texas; I am so happy to be able to recommend it to the kids I work with now.
I’ve never read a love story that resonated so deeply with my own experience. Love is brave and selfish, like Holst’s Jupiter (a comparison I cannot take credit for, read the book, please) and this book is a beautiful and unabashed reminder to strive for it. The Corruption of Hollis Brown would have changed my life as a queer kid growing up in Texas; I am so happy to be able to recommend it to the kids I work with now.
June 17, 2025
3.5 stars
This was good. Not my favourite from Kayla but good nonetheless.
This was good. Not my favourite from Kayla but good nonetheless.
May 3, 2025
Man, I love K. Ancrum.
Hollis and his closest -- his only -- friends, Yulia Abimbola and Annie Watanabe, live with their families in a Michigan mill town: a former mill town, that is, because the mill closed decades ago and most people are barely scraping by. Hollis's mother is a teacher; his father spends the week in "the city" doing construction and comes home only on weekends. The family grows and preserves much of its own food, which also contributes to the town's thriving barter economy.
(Aside: This aspect of Ancrum's worldbuilding didn't quite ring true for me: it seemed as if Hollis's family would need to have quite a lot of land to produce such plentiful and varied crops, to say nothing of the olives Mrs. Brown has supposedly canned -- possible, but just barely, DuckDuckGo informs me.)
The only people who have any money are Yulia's family, who moved to the town because Mr. Abimbola had an interest in building there. But somehow that project hasn't worked out ...
... which has something to do with the district called Rose Town, which centers on the old mill and which is haunted. Even the police don't go there after sundown; even Hollis's daylight forays to pick the abundant fruit that grows there present serious risk.
Oh, and one night Hollis meets a frail young man named Walt. Who, it turns out, is a wandering spirit, and who possesses him -- though why the book's title seems to imply that this, or anything else that happens to Hollis, is corruption, never became clear to me.
As suggested above, my experience of reading K. Ancrum is that if I examine her plots and worldbuilding too carefully they start looking a little shaky. The barter economy of Hollis's town is thriving, but the materials with which to produce items for barter cost money, so where is that coming from? (Notably, Hollis does an awful lot of baking, and I'm here to tell you that the ingredients for six kinds of holiday cookies do not come cheap.) Nobody seems to resent Yulia for having so much more money than they do. Yulia and Annie twice do something to Hollis that in his shoes I would forgive much, much less readily. Et cetera.
And yet! And yet! The course of Hollis and Walt's relationship is so imaginatively told and so startlingly credible, that it carries everything along with it. Who can make you believe that a person would fall in love with the spirit possessing him, and that the love would be requited? K. Ancrum, that's who. Who can write a set piece in which a young man and a spirit strive to end the curse on their town, and make you believe it? K. Ancrum, that's who.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books (!) for the ARC.
Hollis and his closest -- his only -- friends, Yulia Abimbola and Annie Watanabe, live with their families in a Michigan mill town: a former mill town, that is, because the mill closed decades ago and most people are barely scraping by. Hollis's mother is a teacher; his father spends the week in "the city" doing construction and comes home only on weekends. The family grows and preserves much of its own food, which also contributes to the town's thriving barter economy.
(Aside: This aspect of Ancrum's worldbuilding didn't quite ring true for me: it seemed as if Hollis's family would need to have quite a lot of land to produce such plentiful and varied crops, to say nothing of the olives Mrs. Brown has supposedly canned -- possible, but just barely, DuckDuckGo informs me.)
The only people who have any money are Yulia's family, who moved to the town because Mr. Abimbola had an interest in building there. But somehow that project hasn't worked out ...
... which has something to do with the district called Rose Town, which centers on the old mill and which is haunted. Even the police don't go there after sundown; even Hollis's daylight forays to pick the abundant fruit that grows there present serious risk.
Oh, and one night Hollis meets a frail young man named Walt. Who, it turns out, is a wandering spirit, and who possesses him -- though why the book's title seems to imply that this, or anything else that happens to Hollis, is corruption, never became clear to me.
As suggested above, my experience of reading K. Ancrum is that if I examine her plots and worldbuilding too carefully they start looking a little shaky. The barter economy of Hollis's town is thriving, but the materials with which to produce items for barter cost money, so where is that coming from? (Notably, Hollis does an awful lot of baking, and I'm here to tell you that the ingredients for six kinds of holiday cookies do not come cheap.) Nobody seems to resent Yulia for having so much more money than they do. Yulia and Annie twice do something to Hollis that in his shoes I would forgive much, much less readily. Et cetera.
And yet! And yet! The course of Hollis and Walt's relationship is so imaginatively told and so startlingly credible, that it carries everything along with it. Who can make you believe that a person would fall in love with the spirit possessing him, and that the love would be requited? K. Ancrum, that's who. Who can write a set piece in which a young man and a spirit strive to end the curse on their town, and make you believe it? K. Ancrum, that's who.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books (!) for the ARC.
September 13, 2025
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
It's disheartening to see that with each K. Ancrum, my rating seems to be falling lower and lower; perhaps, for personal reasons, but I can't ignore how they seem to weigh on me and prevent me from appreciating the finer points. 😔
For the Author's Note certainly conveys a lot of what the story was meant to be; a craving for something and a hunger of something. And maybe by trying to touch upon so much, the essence of the story was lost in its wake and did not allow for the stories to be fully developed or even convincing enough.
Aside from Jorge's attack serving as a catalyst to the awakening of Rose Town's hauntings, I did not really feel the need for the bullying arc, nor how it was resolved. 🙅🏻♀️ I know the author provided a reason for it, but it did not work and seemed more like an inconvenience to the plot, rather than offering anything constructive to it - in spite of the author's good intentions behind it.
“I picked you because you were there. I was dying, again, and you were kind.”
I respect how the author attempted to show the different facets of hunger and the lengths one goes to satiate it, even at the risk of losing everything. How The Corruption of Hollis Brown was more than just a simple possession. However, the inclusion of the recipes served no essential purpose. 😮💨 I'm sorry; I've known hunger. I have had nights of no food, so don't think I'm heartless. But, the recipes could have easily been removed to make the read tighter so that it would resonate more. And then even a playlist thrown in without any basis to it??? 🤦🏻♀️
Annie - wow, what was she?? Who was she?? I was not a fan of how Yulia and Annie attempted to confront the change in hollis; it was poorly handled - yes, I know they're teenagers - but, c'mon. Talk about whiny and clingy and demanding of expectations, just because they've known each other since they were nine (as we are repeatedly told), does that mean she has ownership of him? And then to throw shade back at Hollis for hurting them??? 😒 When it was not even deliberate or his fault? It's not like he planned it? nor was he even aware of what they were about to do??? And then why the unnecessary stress of constantly admitting and admiring the attraction towards them - even as friends?? To normalize it between friends??? 🤨
“It means I’m glad it’s you, in the end. Even if you’re angry, even though you don’t know me, I don’t mind it being you.”
Venom x The Summer Hikaru (hollis???) Died vibes were too eerily familiar to be ignored. It's not only the abstract way in which Walt and Hollis' mind and souls touched and communicated - definitely two different guys in one guy - but the past of Rose Town with the troubled and angered souls, and the soul-hopping was similar to the point of distracting. 🙄 The past itself was also portrayed in a disoriented fashion, worsened by a haphazard and rushed finish that even if it soothed Walt's soul, it was not a pivotal or poignant moment.
Hollis going from a spitfire sullen brooding self to suddenly waxing poetic feels was not only abrupt, it felt imbalanced. I know he mentions that Walt changed him - not just metaphorically or metaphysically - but rather, made him feel comfortable with himself, but the love confessions were so sensual for themselves, that a few times even I felt uncomfortable at how unnatural it sounded. 🥺 Uhhh, maybe that's the point??!! But, the writing was so very abstract and it would cut off, maybe because it concerned one body and two minds - each trying to finish off each other's thoughts and sentences and then some... And the fact that it was so airy, or rather up in the air - made it less concrete for me.
“But I feel . . . lucky. I don’t feel cursed, and I don’t feel possessed, I feel lucky.”
The author successfully captured Hollis' disbelief and genuine anger and fear when he submitted to the horror of being known - forcibly so - in a convincing and shocking light. I was angry with Walt's lazy, if not purely unapologetic tone for what he did to him. But, I did see how Walt changed Hollis for the better, how Hollis learned to adjust and adapt to his presence within him, and then the eventual acceptance of what he meant to him and how much so. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 But, it did not quite justify his desperation and determination to keep Walt within him.
There may be a deeper meaning behind the story, itself, one I may be decidedly choosing to ignore in the face of my disgruntlement with my personal grievances, for which I do slightly feel guilty, but not enough to give it a more generous rating. 😕 If this truly is the writing style that the author excels at - short chapters that feel like snippets rather than gradual pacing - maybe I should either accept it or choose to live without it. 🙆🏻♀️
“I don’t need to touch you to know that I want to.”
It's disheartening to see that with each K. Ancrum, my rating seems to be falling lower and lower; perhaps, for personal reasons, but I can't ignore how they seem to weigh on me and prevent me from appreciating the finer points. 😔
For the Author's Note certainly conveys a lot of what the story was meant to be; a craving for something and a hunger of something. And maybe by trying to touch upon so much, the essence of the story was lost in its wake and did not allow for the stories to be fully developed or even convincing enough.
Aside from Jorge's attack serving as a catalyst to the awakening of Rose Town's hauntings, I did not really feel the need for the bullying arc, nor how it was resolved. 🙅🏻♀️ I know the author provided a reason for it, but it did not work and seemed more like an inconvenience to the plot, rather than offering anything constructive to it - in spite of the author's good intentions behind it.
“I picked you because you were there. I was dying, again, and you were kind.”
I respect how the author attempted to show the different facets of hunger and the lengths one goes to satiate it, even at the risk of losing everything. How The Corruption of Hollis Brown was more than just a simple possession. However, the inclusion of the recipes served no essential purpose. 😮💨 I'm sorry; I've known hunger. I have had nights of no food, so don't think I'm heartless. But, the recipes could have easily been removed to make the read tighter so that it would resonate more. And then even a playlist thrown in without any basis to it??? 🤦🏻♀️
Annie - wow, what was she?? Who was she?? I was not a fan of how Yulia and Annie attempted to confront the change in hollis; it was poorly handled - yes, I know they're teenagers - but, c'mon. Talk about whiny and clingy and demanding of expectations, just because they've known each other since they were nine (as we are repeatedly told), does that mean she has ownership of him? And then to throw shade back at Hollis for hurting them??? 😒 When it was not even deliberate or his fault? It's not like he planned it? nor was he even aware of what they were about to do??? And then why the unnecessary stress of constantly admitting and admiring the attraction towards them - even as friends?? To normalize it between friends??? 🤨
“It means I’m glad it’s you, in the end. Even if you’re angry, even though you don’t know me, I don’t mind it being you.”
Venom x The Summer Hikaru (hollis???) Died vibes were too eerily familiar to be ignored. It's not only the abstract way in which Walt and Hollis' mind and souls touched and communicated - definitely two different guys in one guy - but the past of Rose Town with the troubled and angered souls, and the soul-hopping was similar to the point of distracting. 🙄 The past itself was also portrayed in a disoriented fashion, worsened by a haphazard and rushed finish that even if it soothed Walt's soul, it was not a pivotal or poignant moment.
Hollis going from a spitfire sullen brooding self to suddenly waxing poetic feels was not only abrupt, it felt imbalanced. I know he mentions that Walt changed him - not just metaphorically or metaphysically - but rather, made him feel comfortable with himself, but the love confessions were so sensual for themselves, that a few times even I felt uncomfortable at how unnatural it sounded. 🥺 Uhhh, maybe that's the point??!! But, the writing was so very abstract and it would cut off, maybe because it concerned one body and two minds - each trying to finish off each other's thoughts and sentences and then some... And the fact that it was so airy, or rather up in the air - made it less concrete for me.
“But I feel . . . lucky. I don’t feel cursed, and I don’t feel possessed, I feel lucky.”
The author successfully captured Hollis' disbelief and genuine anger and fear when he submitted to the horror of being known - forcibly so - in a convincing and shocking light. I was angry with Walt's lazy, if not purely unapologetic tone for what he did to him. But, I did see how Walt changed Hollis for the better, how Hollis learned to adjust and adapt to his presence within him, and then the eventual acceptance of what he meant to him and how much so. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 But, it did not quite justify his desperation and determination to keep Walt within him.
There may be a deeper meaning behind the story, itself, one I may be decidedly choosing to ignore in the face of my disgruntlement with my personal grievances, for which I do slightly feel guilty, but not enough to give it a more generous rating. 😕 If this truly is the writing style that the author excels at - short chapters that feel like snippets rather than gradual pacing - maybe I should either accept it or choose to live without it. 🙆🏻♀️
July 11, 2025
k ancrum is very quickly becoming a new favorite author she does not miss
July 7, 2025
4.5 - the homoerotic tension between me and the ghost possessing my body 😛 this book was my kind of weird
Having ghosts is not so different from having nothing at all.
Having ghosts is not so different from having nothing at all.
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