The Forsaken and the Fated: The Hollow and the Haunted duology

The Hollow and the Haunted #2

by Camilla Raines

In this much anticipated sequel to The Hollow and the Haunted, Miles and Gabriel find themselves ensnared in a web of dark magic beyond their wildest imaginings. Time is running out to change their future, and the dead are hungry...

Perfect for fans of atmospheric queer fantasy romance, including The Raven Cycle, Cemetery Boys and Sixteen Souls.

With Gabriel missing and the death premonition still unbroken, Miles and Charlee race to work out where he is. Armed with the grimoire, they might stand a chance of breaking the curse on Gabriel’s family and preventing his death—but only if they can find him. 

Miles’s parents are furious to learn he's been helping Gabriel—and they don’t even know the half of it. Miles is sure understanding the feud between their families is key to lifting the curse. Plus, he’d like them to get to know the boy he’s hoping he's maybe, sort-of dating.

With new premonitions changing everything they thought they knew and the dark power of the grimoire whispering in their ears, Miles and Gabriel are running out of time. Both their lives are on the line, and danger might be closer to home than they realize…

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Queer, LGBT, Paranormal, Mystery

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2025

About the author

Camilla Raines was born and raised in a small town in Northern Washington with lots of Evergreen trees, seaside fog, and rainy days. Her writing career began in elementary school, where she spent years scribbling down stories for friends that were usually just knock-offs of whatever book she was devouring at the time. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and someone who openly struggles with chronic anxiety and depression, the most important things to her as a writer are representation, diversity, identity, and acceptance.

When she’s not writing, Camilla is reading to her heart’s content, running local writer meet-ups, living her best PNW life with two spoiled cats in a tiny house on wheels, and hunting down exciting finds at local thrift stores.

Reviews

[Alexia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scooby-Doo, the new but less enjoyable version.

[Teru · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hollow and the Haunted was the first book of this duology and as a pretty solid queer YA paranormal mystery, I loved it and was looking forward to the sequel. So the rating I’m giving here is breaking my heart, but let me explain myself.

I definitely expected to enjoy it at least as much as I did the first book, and let me assure you that I tried very hard to enjoy myself, but ultimately I couldn’t. It took me a while to get into the story (I recommend either rereading the first installment or simply reading both books back to back), and I struggled to reestablish the connection to both Miles and Gabriel. But I managed, and I was glad to be back with the boys, seeing them grow closer and work together as a team to uncover the Hawthorne curse mystery and, preferably, save their own lives.

Something didn’t feel quite right, though. Because in comparison to The Hollow and the Haunted, this sequel reads much younger on the YA scale, particularly in terms of the plot progression. Especially the last 30% read like I was seeing the author painstakingly taking all the threads and weaving them together so everything fits perfectly. Conveniently, so everything could make sense in the most obvious way possible; in reality, it led to some questionable decision-making on the characters’ part over and over again.

And that doesn’t necessarily mean a negative thing. It just makes for a much easier read than I anticipated and made me think I’m suddenly not the right target audience.

Unfortunately, I also don’t think the romance and the mystery-solving meshed very well, not as seamlessly as in the first book. It felt like two separate little stories - when one was in focus, the other fell completely into the background.

Miles and Gabriel are still lovely together, no worries there. And Miles was still such a relatable character I sympathized with (mostly). But honestly, the side characters absolutely shone, especially Charlee and Emily; those two girls could easily rule the world while our boys just watch and hold hands.
Though don’t get me started on all the adult characters and their shitty parenting, they were useless at best.

So, do I recommend picking the sequel up? Yes, yes I do. Do so with slightly adjusted expectations, though, especially if you don’t usually love books in the younger scale of YA.

I BR this with Ditte, and that elevated my reading experience immensely, thanks to our “conversations” (🤭), so thank you, girl! ❤️

Many thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC!

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobbed my way through the epilogue and now I'm deciding if I'm unhinged enough to immediately reread, stay tuned

Real talk, this duology is top tier. The delicious angst, the sweetest slow burn, the ACTUALLY HEALTHY relationship that had me screaming into a pillow, the gut-wrenching twists and turns, the scary dark magic... what a ride. I went from giggling and kicking my feet to gasping in disbelief to tearing up all in like, one chapter

Miles and Gabriel might be my favorite couple I've read in a long time, these sweet beans are so messy and real and their romance KILLED ME. I'm so sad to say goodbye, someone hold me

Also, shoutout to every single side character in this book... Charlee, Emily, Nadia, Bram, Edmund, I would kill for each and every single one of you. New book for each of them, please???

[Fernanda (ivyfer_isreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun series. It is so reminiscent of the old ya fantasy days, I love it.
The conclusion of the duology is very satisfactory, the ending was good and the character growth is there. I loved seeing these characters again after how much I got attached to them in the first book. This is a 4.5 rating where the .5 is for Bram and Balthazar, I love them so much it's unbelievable.
I'm very excited to see what the author does next.

Thank you Titan Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via the publishers.

The Forsaken and the Fated is the sequel to The Hollow and the Haunted, and I loved stepping back into this world of magic, danger, and gothic vibes.
Continuing the plot from book one, Miles and Gabriel are facing even more danger to try to stop the death premonition of one of them from happening. As Miles races to find Gabriel, he enlists the help of his cousin and battles with trust, his feelings for Gabriel, and whether to seek help from his family to break the curse on Gabriel's.
I loved learning more about Gabriel's mum and the curse in this book, and the unhinged ending was just fantastic!
Miles and Gabriel are so cute together (grumpy sunshine), and my heart was racing so much reading this - I couldn't get to the ending fast enough!

[Nael_dok · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sat and ready, pls come home soon

[Ditte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5

If I was a tween, I might've liked this book. Alas, I'm not and I did not.

The Forsaken and the Fated skews much younger than its prequel, The Hollow and the Haunted, infuriatingly so. It didn't feel like the continuation of a book I honestly really enjoyed but rather like one I had to force myself through while rolling my eyes at dumb, weirdly convenient, and/or much too obvious plot points and characterizations.

I'm really bummed The Forsaken and the Fated didn't live up to its prequel since I've excitedly waited a year for the continuation of Miles's and Gabriel's story. There were a few good scenes but I'm pretty sure I would've dnf'ed if it hadn't been an ARC.

I buddy read this book with Teru which was probably the best part of this reading experience.

Thanks to Titan Books for the eARC.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disaster gays with no survival instincts dealing with ghosts, a curse, death premonitions, and first crushes.

This duology is just a feel-good, sweet time with non-scary haunting.
Miles has anxiety and Gabriel has no idea how to act like a normal teenage boy. Sunshine and grumpy.

Trust is such a key aspect of this book in all of the relationships present. Between our disaster boys, but also with Miles’s family and friends. Everything felt so authentic, everyone’s feelings and expectations were expressed, and it felt like the most normal occult family possible.

Charlee is badass just like book one and I would love to read a spin off on her.

I do think that the plot wasn’t quite as strong as book one, and the ending used a plot device I always consider a cheat, but this was perfect for getting me in the cosy autumnal, spooky mood (even if I’m still holding onto the sun).

Arc gifted by Titan.

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[Vi]

The way I am foaming at the mouth in anticipation of this book. I needed this like, YESTERDAY!

I've been scanning sites for a pre-order link and will absolutely have this baby ordered as soon as it drops.

Yes this WILL become my whole personality as soon as I have it in my grubby little mitts and I will not be sorry about it.

[Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

I love it when a sequel lives up to the first book. In my personal opinion, this book was even better than the first one. It kept me engaged the whole time (which the first book did not) and it was nice returning to a book with characters I’m already familiar with.
This book was a nice combination of spooky action and cozy romance. The romance was much more angsty this time around but I actually enjoyed that. And it was nice to see the boys making new friends and working together with them. I loved all the side characters especially Nadia. Once again I’m asking why all the cool nonbinary characters are always just side characters. Where are my cool nonbinary main characters?
Anyway, I loved the ending of this duology. It was the perfect amount of emotional, mysterious, and eerie. Just the right book for the spooky season.

[Esmé · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forsaken and the Fated is the second, and final, book in The Hollow and the Haunted duology, and my God was it worth waiting for! Compelling, romantic, shot through with humour, heaving with yearning, and suffuse with heartfelt emotion, Camilla Raines has mastered the complex YA paranormal mystery.

Gabriel Hawthorne is going to die, unless Miles Warren can save him. The sons of feuding families, their friendship was unexpected, and whatever has grown between them even more so. Aided by friends new and old, desperate to protect their families, and each other, the boys will go as far as it takes to save each other. Simultaneously navigating murderous ghosts, inexplicable monstrosities, and high school, Miles and Gabriel face off with creatures beyond their comprehension, and contend with their scariest, and most unpredictable of foes, or allies; their parents.

The Forsaken and the Fated is a multi-layered story, which does not shy away from emotional confrontations, hard subjects, or the reality of busy teenage lives. Paranormal investigation is squeezed in between extra credit assignments, being siblings, after-school jobs, spirit week. and soccer practice. Here life-or-death stakes must, nevertheless, occasionally take a back seat to family dinner or homework. Miles and Gabriel are realised characters, surrounded by other fully-fleshed supporting cast, and situated in a town that, whilst not minutely picked out, feels plausible and grounded.

This is the kind of world that, in more established author's, you may see begin to emerge in their third or fourth novel, or second multi-book series, the kind of character work that I find missing from bigger-budget releases. Raines is more than a good writer, she is a future all-timer, and I think, an undersold gem. To have produced as you first and second published works, such exceptionally well-written, paced, characterised, and conceived novels is, frankly, unbelievable. I am awed by Camilla Raines' talent and very much looking forward to whatever she writes next. 5 stars.

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books)]

That was fast …

I adored The Hollow and the Haunted, and after that ending, I couldn’t wait to be with Miles and Gabriel again.

But then I started reading The Forsaken and the Fated, and apparently, I need to remember everything (sorry, I’m far from a teen, and I blame my aging brain) or reread the first installment. Since I’m pretty busy right now and have several other ARCs waiting for me, I don’t have time to read the first one, so I decided to DNF instead of dragging myself through this story and giving it a bad rating in the end. I might come back to it in the future, though, because I’d love to read the ending of this story!

Thank you, Titan Books and NetGalley, for this ARC.

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[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for the eARC!!!

(this review will have mild spoilers)

wow. so, any person even mildly close to me knows that i have been BEGGING to read this story early (as in submitting multiple times to titan books asking them to send me a physical copy for review) for fear of spontaneous combustion if i did not get my grimy hands on it soon, because i absolutely adored the hollow and the haunted. after devouring this arc in record time, it did not disappoint! it may be because im a little dim in the brain department, but i genuinely could not figure out the mystery on my own and therefore was indeed surprised by the reveal.

okay who cares about plot. gabriel and miles. gabriel and miles!!!!!! GABRIEL AND MILESSSSSSSS OH MY DAYS. i love them. so dearly. their relationship was the kind of slow burn that was slow but didn't make me want to simultaneously rip my hair out of frustration, and felt right for two teenagers who are emotionally constipated in their own ways (i say about the empath unironically). i loved how supportive miles family was of everything after they found out about gabriel and his situation, it really did give the vibes of the ladies of 3oo fox way from the raven cycle. charlie you are still my goat i love you queen

as a debut duology from this author, it was absolutely a hit for me!!! extremely excited for what camilla raines will come out with next!!!

[Cherie • bookshelvesandtealeaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to Titan Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a fantastic sequel! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time desperate to see how it was all going to play out.

I loved seeing Gabriel’s vulnerability in this one. When he finally opened up to Miles, let him in fully, I just turned to absolute mush. I loved the progression of their relationship so much.

I also loved that Miles and his mum finally got to talk about everything, that she apologised, that he had a safe space with both his parents again.

There were small twists and turns that I absolutely didn’t see coming that kept this book so exciting.

Definitely a duology you don’t want to miss!

[Devon Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, just like with the first book, I read this all in one go.

I will definitely be looking for more from this author in the future!

The only things I had qualms about in this installment was that it could have been edited down a little bit. There was a bit of running in circles there in the middle and the repetitive scenes didn’t really serve any purpose for the plot or for character development. However, it wasn’t enough to stop me from being invested in the story so I can’t dock a star for it.

The only other critique I could possibly add is I think the first book shone a little brighter because Miles and Gabriel had more scenes of just them. It made the stakes feel more intimate and serious.

The side characters in this were all wonderful in their own way, but with the addition of so many this started to almost have the feeling of Harry Potter and his friends fighting off Voldemort. It was still fun to read, and there were moments that really stood out and characters I really loved, but it just added a Percy Jackson flavor to stuff. I know this is YA, but the first book felt more mature even though this one was supposed to be the one that dealt with the big themes and conflicts.

All in all, I enjoyed this duology very much! The conclusion was definitely worth waiting a whole year for!

[Jojo · Rating 4 out of 5]

„We’re literally surrounded by dead people, and you two are the nastiest thing in here.“

Ein würdiger zweiter Teil! So, so süße Charaktere, die sich grundsätzlich zwar wie Teenager/junge Erwachsene verhalten, aber überdurchschnittlich verständnisvoll miteinander kommunizieren und füreinander einstehen. Ich wertschätze auch den Fokus auf Nebencharaktere und die beiden Familien.

[Drakoulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully dark and cute at the same time!

The duology reaches its apex in The Forsaken and the Fated, as Miles and Gabriel face dead ends at every turn while the stakes increase even more: Gabriel has his own premonition and is not dealing with it well.

The first part of the book teased heading towards a path I don't approve of (heavy on miscommunication and "I'm cutting you off to protect you") but it was just this, a tease. Miles and Gabriel are more on the same page than ever, they start lowering the barriers they got so used to raise to protect themselves and let people in (and each other of course), and the grim, emotionally exhausting journey has several moments of flushing red faces and cute moments to keep them going. Miles and Gabriel slowly learn to listen to each other apart from loving each other.

The Hawthorne family mystery is as dark as we believed to be and then some more, the meaning of loyalty to the family is twisted in a horrific way. The Warren family is not immune from the corruption either. The price of power is more terrifying than ever, and there is no easy way out of this.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC!

[Delilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastically ghostly and wonderfully sweet, this sequel reminded me just how much I loved the hollow and the haunted. what a pleasure it was to spend time again with this cast of characters—I only wish we got even more of all the wonderful side characters! that's how much i loved them. miles & gabriel are both lovely protagonists, and I do appreciate that many of the typical trappings of YA conflict (miscommunication, withholding information, etc.) were avoided here. YA love interests who have complicated feelings but communicate them & move forward together? brilliant, I loved it, yes please, etc. adored the balance between sweet, normal teenage life and absolutely bonkers paranormal adventure. (also made me think of gideon the ninth in several places!!! as most things do these days.)

(thanks to titan books & netgalley for the eARC! <3)

[archivist13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am LITERALLY GOING INSANE OMG!!! THE WAIT WAS 100% WORTH IT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THANK YOU MS. RAINES FOR THIS WONDERFUL WONDERFUL GIFT. I WILL NOW IMMEDIATELY GO REREAD

edit: genuinely so stupid adorable im squealing

[Nawaal]

COME TO MOTHER, CHILD

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

I ADORED THIS!! I’ve been dying to read this duology since last year, but hadn’t gotten around to reading the first one until now. And wow, I am both sad I’ve waited this long but grateful to not have to deal with that cliffhanger from book 1!

The book opens with Gabriel missing, and continues with Miles and his companions continuing to find a cure for the curse and his premonitions. Filled with high stakes, yearning, ghosts, and magic, this is a wonderful novel. Miles and Gabriel’s… partnership is a stunning addition that ties it all together.

Speaking of Miles and Gabriel, I can’t get enough of them. They are quintessential dislike-to-lovers, and an excellent example of that not just disappearing once their feelings grow. They still bickered endlessly and I loved it so much.

I was audibly giggling during a lot of this book, the dialogue and Miles’ thoughts were so funny, I couldn’t get enough of it. It was incredibly realistic to how I feel people would act in these situations, yet also incredibly in character for everyone. Each character was so well done and unique, they all had very distinct voices and mannerisms that were brilliantly conveyed through the duology. There wasn’t a single character that I grew bored of, they all were so much fun and their interactions were perfection.

I really loved the different familial dynamics as well. It was so different between the Hawthornes and the Warrens, and incredibly interesting to see how each family acted and how they both had their issues, whether it be Felicity as a whole to Aunt Robin unable to deal with her grief.

I loved all of it so much, and am devastated it’s over but incredibly glad that I got to experience it nonetheless. This is a perfect book for fans of Lockwood and Co., The Raven Cycle, and Jujutsu Kaisen.

[Lou Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deuxième et dernier livre de la série. Après le cliffhanger du premier tome, je m'attendais à une suite encore plus intéressante et des conséquences encore plus importantes.

Malheureusement, je trouve que le scénario se déroule trop facilement, comme une accumulation de problèmes aussitôt résolus.

La fin en particulier est assez décevante, surtout après les deux tomes ayant bien souligné l'importance de certains éléments et le caractère tragique de l'histoire.

Néanmoins, le style d'écriture reste solidement bon et drôle, on ne passe pas un mauvais moment à lire ce livre malgré les facilités du scénario.

[Nicola Orzelski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a spin-off series about them in Seattle or wherever they are going next

[Amanda P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a perfect conclusion 🥰🥰🥰 4.5🌟 rounded up!

Like many readers, the cliffhanger of book 1 killed me and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book! And it didn’t disappoint! The book had exactly the same spooky and cute vibes that made me fall in love with the first one!

🪦👻🪦👻

Synopsis :

Following on from book 1, with the help of Charlee and Emily, Miles is trying to hunt down Gabriel who’s vanished! As well as unlock the secrets of the deadly grimoire and prevent both their deaths.

But Miles is having to do this alongside trying to not fail school and convince his parents to give his ‘maybe sort of boyfriend’, Gabriel, a chance. Which may just finally unlock the history between their two families!

🪦👻🪦👻

This book was a whirlwind! The dynamic between the characters as always, was perfect, and I was laughing from the start with a few tender moments along the way!

What I loved:

🪦 Uncovering all the mystery! FINALLY! Firstly uncovering the past family drama! It really was not the story I expected with Felicity! And also seeing the history of Jocelyn and understanding why she was helping.

👻 The emotional element! Miles and his mum 🥰 Oh it was such a cute moment and felt so accurate as a mother / son dynamic. But also whilst it was a happy ending overall, there were some rather bittersweet elements that really pulled on my heartstrings. I was teary at the end! And seeing Miles and Gabriel’s relationship grow this book was so adorable.

🪦 All the supporting characters! Honestly this book has no bad characters. I adored the little dark forces fighting gang that formed. And I love Bram and the twins. And frankly would love one of them to get a spin off in this world. And Nadia was a fun edition. They were so smooth with their flirting!! 👀 Also side note - Go Balthazar! 🐈‍⬛

👻 The shock and tension! Honestly I think my blood pressure went up in the final few chapters. I felt so so stressed for them all. And some of the twists we saw in the build up… oh my god!

All in all, loved it! And can’t wait to see what Camilla does next! (*Cough* I vote a Jenna book!)

[Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this; I think it was just as good as The Hollow and the Haunted. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read the book early in exchange for an honest review.

The plot was sometimes a little too predictable, but it was such a fun ride I genuinely didn't care. I've had a hunch about a certain character from the very first time they appeared in book 1, and I was right!! I felt very vindicated about that lol.

The relationships in the book were definitely a highlight, especially the familial ones. It was really refreshing to see such good conflict resolution in a YA book when it would've been so easy to just throw in typical teenage angst to add spice to the story instead. Even Gabriel and Miles honestly acted very mature for their age when they faced communication problems.

It was such a comfort read (despite, you know, all the ghosts, cemeteries, evil magic curses, and death premonitions), and I see myself rereading the duology in the future. It's a sweet coming-of-age story with an adorable queer relationship and a spooky horror atmosphere. What more could you want?

[Thebookwitches_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forsaken and the Fated by Camilla Raines

5/5 Stars 🌟

Thank you Camilla, NetGalley and Titan for this opportunity ❤️

This has to be the most fantastic second book I’ve ever read and honestly my heart breaks that the Duology is over. Honestly it picked up so quickly from where it had left off it book one and there was so much mystery and suspense throughout.

It had super dark undertones yet very cute moments, we also get to see some of our favourite characters such as Charles, Emily, Bram and Edmund with the addition of a new character Nadia.

One thing that did worry me at first was I thought we were going backwards based on how Miles and Gabriel were beginning to act during this book, but eventually they learned to deal with each other in a more loving way and listen.

The book broke my heart throughout and also made me tear up more than I thought I would. Scenes were painful to see and the genuine understanding all the characters gave to eachother was so needed there was also a fear for multiple lives! 😩

In this new book, we rejoin Miles on his quest to break Gabriel’s curse and we start to dig deeper in the families history and so much more. As we can see this curse is getting worse and worse. If you wanna see how it all ends I highly recommend you getting this book when it comes out in October ❤️

[TeeReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Well, this was fun. This is the finale to this duology, and it picks up right where book one's cliffhanger left off. The magic is interesting, and the different dynamics are intriguing. The only reason this one isn't quite 5 stars is because it takes a minute to get going at first, which was surprising since it picks up after a cliffhanger. It also managed to somwhow be predictable and unpredictable at the same time for me, which was odd. I still had a good time, though. Miles and Gabriel are amazingly written and unique characters that help keep you hooked and add the necessary humanity for us to relate to. We see them, Miles especially, balance this life in the supernatural alongside life at a public high school, which was interesting and oddly relatable at times. All in all, this is great, and I fell in love with this series. I would absolutely love to see more from this universe, and I am excited to read more from Camilla Raines in the future.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kj]

DNF 35%

I really enjoyed book one: its simply but engagingly crafted magical world and the growing central relationship as it moves past prejudice towards possibility.

But book 2, despite picking up right where we left off, feels like a totally different tone, pace, and dynamic. The dialogue has devolved mostly to aggressively juvenile snark (often portrayed as if these are admirable and compelling character traits) and the narrative world feels drained of its intrigue and power (and as unrealistic as the version of Seattle that makes an appearance here). And while it can be annoying to have the first part of a sequel rehash the events of book one, this sequel acts more like remaining chapters from book one than its own novel. I read book one a month ago and still had to work hard to remember who people were and what events were being alluded to (and never actually reintroduced).

So I gave up at 35%. I might have soldiered on if the novel itself weren't so long, but 35% had already been quite a time investment. Didn't seem worth sticking it out. Perhaps I'll pick this up again if a Book 3 emerges, but having to start all the way from book one to remember things may be too big an ask at this point. Bummer.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forsaken and the Fated is the sequel to The Hollow and the Haunted, and it's a sweet supernatural story with a lovely romantic element threaded through. 

I can't say too much about this book because it will just be spoilers from the first one, but if you love found family, friendly (and unfriendly) ghosts and zombie graveyards with a little bit of threat thrown in, trust me that you'll enjoy this.

I love Miles and Gabriel and they both grow as characters in this second novel in the series in a way that feels incredibly consistent to the first - and I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. Not so much physically, but very much emotionally.


Charlee, Nadia and Emily were all brilliant side characters and hopefully they'll be more books featuring them in the future!


I would actually highly recommend reading the two books one after the other or at least close to each other as I had forgotten a few key elements from the first book so I was a little confused at first. I don't think it really works as a standalone. 


A very fun book - perfect for reading around Halloween!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC.

[Amanda R Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forsaken and the Fated is the conclusion to the story Raines began in The Hollow and the Haunted. I really enjoyed this little YA queer fantasy with complicated family dynamics, and Raines has a knack for writing loveable characters. The first half of this book was very slow, following a very similar formula as the first with a death premonition they are trying to prevent, but the stakes feel lukewarm because I formally believed Raines wouldn't kill off these beautiful characters she's made. I also didn't think the wrap up of the intense cliffhanger at the end of book 1 was at all satisfying. It took me a beat longer than the first one to read, and it really is because it felt stalled, but that was only until it leaned into the budding romance between our grumpy/sunshine MMCs. That part was very well done and rewarding to watch unfold. Dinner with the parents juxtaposes nicely with ritual sacrifice. Despite the slow start, I overall enjoyed this series so much. It was dark, but also filled with a lot of good too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC!