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Project Virion #1
The Hollowed: Project Virion: Book One
The infected aren’t the only ones who should be feared.
Dr. Lucilla Castillo was never supposed to leave Sanctum Medical. Not after the outbreak turned her research lab into the last line of defense against the virus that hollowed out humanity, but when a vaccine of her creation proves to work, she is thrusted into a world far more dangerous than the flesh eating monsters outside.
Accompanied by Alejandro Ramirez, a soldier with too many scars and Luna, the dog who’s followed him through hell, Luci must journey west to the only facility left that might help mass-produce the cure. But freedom has a price, and trust is a currency no one parts with easily.
Prometheus, the institution that raised and educated her, claims to serve the greater good, but as Luci digs deeper, she begins to realize that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the greatest threats come from the very people who swore to protect you.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The Hollowed is a heart wrenching tale of love, resistance, and what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself, even after everything’s already been lost.
Dr. Lucilla Castillo was never supposed to leave Sanctum Medical. Not after the outbreak turned her research lab into the last line of defense against the virus that hollowed out humanity, but when a vaccine of her creation proves to work, she is thrusted into a world far more dangerous than the flesh eating monsters outside.
Accompanied by Alejandro Ramirez, a soldier with too many scars and Luna, the dog who’s followed him through hell, Luci must journey west to the only facility left that might help mass-produce the cure. But freedom has a price, and trust is a currency no one parts with easily.
Prometheus, the institution that raised and educated her, claims to serve the greater good, but as Luci digs deeper, she begins to realize that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the greatest threats come from the very people who swore to protect you.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The Hollowed is a heart wrenching tale of love, resistance, and what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself, even after everything’s already been lost.
- GenresPost Apocalyptic
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2025
31 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
Amilea Perez
3 books130 followersAmilea Perez is a Mexican-American author and full-time student based in Utah. When she’s not buried in textbooks or conducting research, she enjoys spending time with her family, binge watching TV shows, rewatching her favorite movies, and most of all, crafting stories that celebrate Mexican main characters and cultural pride.
Growing up, Amilea longed to see her heritage reflected in media and higher education. With the guidance of her parents, she learned that change only happens when we take action. Motivated by this belief, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biological Chemistry and was named Utah’s Young Humanitarian for her work in improving medical access to underserved communities.
While she takes great pride in her academic and humanitarian accomplishments, Amilea’s heart has always belonged to storytelling. She began writing in 2020 as an outlet for artistic expression, and in 2024, she released her debut novel, The Tournament of Heirs. Through her books, she hopes to continue bringing diverse stories to life and to inspire other Latinx writers to embrace their voices and heritage.
Follow Amilea Perez on social media to stay up to date on her latest projects and upcoming releases.
Website: Amileaauthor.com
Instagram: Amilea.writes
TikTok: Amilea.writes
Growing up, Amilea longed to see her heritage reflected in media and higher education. With the guidance of her parents, she learned that change only happens when we take action. Motivated by this belief, she pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biological Chemistry and was named Utah’s Young Humanitarian for her work in improving medical access to underserved communities.
While she takes great pride in her academic and humanitarian accomplishments, Amilea’s heart has always belonged to storytelling. She began writing in 2020 as an outlet for artistic expression, and in 2024, she released her debut novel, The Tournament of Heirs. Through her books, she hopes to continue bringing diverse stories to life and to inspire other Latinx writers to embrace their voices and heritage.
Follow Amilea Perez on social media to stay up to date on her latest projects and upcoming releases.
Website: Amileaauthor.com
Instagram: Amilea.writes
TikTok: Amilea.writes
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
October 29, 2025
First off, huge thank you to Amy & her team for the ARC 💌
Okay but LISTEN… Cipher owns my whole heart 😩❤️ I SAID WHAT I SAID!!! But Luna?? My girl Luna 🐶✨ is the sweetest lil baby German Shepherd who will 1000% bite your face off if you mess with her hoomans 😤💅
We’ve got a zombie apocalypse 🧟♀️🔥, a solider, and a doctor (Luci 🩺💗) who’s trying to find a cure while surviving a world gone mad. Alex 👀 is the protective “I’d die for you” type who’s been in love with Luci forever 🫠💘 When she’s sent to AZ with Alex, his team, and something that could save everyone, things get real messy… and I was eating it up 🍿🤭
This book is EVERYTHING !!! resilience 💪, bravery 🫶, found family 🫂, and love that never wavers 💋 Plus the Latina rep?? chef’s kiss 💃🌹 And the political parallels?? TOO real 😳 ifykyk 👀
Anyway, go read it on 12/12/2025. Like, run 🏃♀️💨 for Cipher and his slutty little glasses 🤓🔥
Okay but LISTEN… Cipher owns my whole heart 😩❤️ I SAID WHAT I SAID!!! But Luna?? My girl Luna 🐶✨ is the sweetest lil baby German Shepherd who will 1000% bite your face off if you mess with her hoomans 😤💅
We’ve got a zombie apocalypse 🧟♀️🔥, a solider, and a doctor (Luci 🩺💗) who’s trying to find a cure while surviving a world gone mad. Alex 👀 is the protective “I’d die for you” type who’s been in love with Luci forever 🫠💘 When she’s sent to AZ with Alex, his team, and something that could save everyone, things get real messy… and I was eating it up 🍿🤭
This book is EVERYTHING !!! resilience 💪, bravery 🫶, found family 🫂, and love that never wavers 💋 Plus the Latina rep?? chef’s kiss 💃🌹 And the political parallels?? TOO real 😳 ifykyk 👀
Anyway, go read it on 12/12/2025. Like, run 🏃♀️💨 for Cipher and his slutty little glasses 🤓🔥
December 12, 2025
*4.5
Many often read with the intention to use it for escapism especially in today’s society. This book does not do that. Instead it tackles concepts that can be seen in our day to day lives and reminds us as to what we are fighting for. Hope.
This book was everything I needed it to be! Lucilla and Alex are two amazing protagonists, who are just willing to do anything to keep each other safe. This is essential when the place you call home actively weaponizes the relationships closets to you. The fact that they’re Mexican 🇲🇽, makes them THAT much more iconic 😍
This is my favorite book from Amy, I really hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I did 🤭!!
Shout out to Luna for stealing the show, may she forever receive all the ear scratches and naps of the world.
Cipher and Myra 😛, I’m purely convinced they were added to the story to give me even more bisexual panic because wdym that Myra tops him and Cipher whimpers?!
Amilea puts so much passion into all her work, from the boxes she makes to the art that she commissions. You can feel her dedication and voice in this novel.
I seriously cannot recommend this book enough!!!
Dystopian December was made just for Amilea 🙂↕️❤️
Many often read with the intention to use it for escapism especially in today’s society. This book does not do that. Instead it tackles concepts that can be seen in our day to day lives and reminds us as to what we are fighting for. Hope.
This book was everything I needed it to be! Lucilla and Alex are two amazing protagonists, who are just willing to do anything to keep each other safe. This is essential when the place you call home actively weaponizes the relationships closets to you. The fact that they’re Mexican 🇲🇽, makes them THAT much more iconic 😍
This is my favorite book from Amy, I really hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I did 🤭!!
Shout out to Luna for stealing the show, may she forever receive all the ear scratches and naps of the world.
Cipher and Myra 😛, I’m purely convinced they were added to the story to give me even more bisexual panic because wdym that Myra tops him and Cipher whimpers?!
Amilea puts so much passion into all her work, from the boxes she makes to the art that she commissions. You can feel her dedication and voice in this novel.
I seriously cannot recommend this book enough!!!
Dystopian December was made just for Amilea 🙂↕️❤️
November 10, 2025
"Because hope inspires courage where there should be submission. Hope makes people question, resist, and rebel. And for a regime like Prometheus, that's dangerous."
Sometimes you finish a book and the words to describe what you felt and what it was about, comes easy. Other times, words evade you. The reason why I feel my words will never be enough to describe what was within the pages of The Hollowed, is because although fiction- the truth of what can happen, especially during the current political climate simmered off the pages. It's emotionally captivating, unforgiving, and brave.
This is a fast paced book set in New Chicago under the regime of Prometheus. The only thing they value is your loyalty, submission, and your time to help further their mission. The manipulation in this book used on the humanity left from the disease that spread 3 years prior, spoke volumes. There isn't anything Prometheus didn't use to help keep everyone in line. I was left speechless at the lengths they took and the lack of empathy they had for the community that kept them beating.
It was truly hard to pick a favorite character or not fall in love with them all. Lucilla, refuses to give into the hardness Prometheus teaches and is set on saving the world. Alejandro, a recruit to Prometheus' army was taught to be lethal no matter what, yet his feelings for Luci show him that there's more than one light at the end of the tunnel. Myra (the character I resonated with the most) is the sensitive gangster. She is badassry incarnate, but underneath her walls, is a woman who wants to keep those she loves alive and close. Cipher is the ride or die of the group, he would literally follow you into the dark. Amilea poetically depicted the softness during moments where each character needed a reminder that there's so much to fight for- a push for a better future.
While this book is action packed, romantic, and thrilling- it also serves as a mirror to the world we live in and what could happen should we stop fighting back, TOGETHER. I'm sat for book 2 and the hell the gang is going to raise. Thank you Amilea for allowing me the pleasure to ARC read for you.
The Hollowed will be releasing on 12/12/25. Trust me, and add to your TBR now.
Sometimes you finish a book and the words to describe what you felt and what it was about, comes easy. Other times, words evade you. The reason why I feel my words will never be enough to describe what was within the pages of The Hollowed, is because although fiction- the truth of what can happen, especially during the current political climate simmered off the pages. It's emotionally captivating, unforgiving, and brave.
This is a fast paced book set in New Chicago under the regime of Prometheus. The only thing they value is your loyalty, submission, and your time to help further their mission. The manipulation in this book used on the humanity left from the disease that spread 3 years prior, spoke volumes. There isn't anything Prometheus didn't use to help keep everyone in line. I was left speechless at the lengths they took and the lack of empathy they had for the community that kept them beating.
It was truly hard to pick a favorite character or not fall in love with them all. Lucilla, refuses to give into the hardness Prometheus teaches and is set on saving the world. Alejandro, a recruit to Prometheus' army was taught to be lethal no matter what, yet his feelings for Luci show him that there's more than one light at the end of the tunnel. Myra (the character I resonated with the most) is the sensitive gangster. She is badassry incarnate, but underneath her walls, is a woman who wants to keep those she loves alive and close. Cipher is the ride or die of the group, he would literally follow you into the dark. Amilea poetically depicted the softness during moments where each character needed a reminder that there's so much to fight for- a push for a better future.
While this book is action packed, romantic, and thrilling- it also serves as a mirror to the world we live in and what could happen should we stop fighting back, TOGETHER. I'm sat for book 2 and the hell the gang is going to raise. Thank you Amilea for allowing me the pleasure to ARC read for you.
The Hollowed will be releasing on 12/12/25. Trust me, and add to your TBR now.
December 26, 2025
Fresh and new is what I’d describe this book to be. While there is so much in this book being relatable to today’s world such as politics, science, and even being Latine in America, it made me feel seen.
We read for escapism and picking up a dystopian book may seem like something you won’t want to do when it relates so heavily to the bleak parts of our world but trust me you won’t regret it. This book shows you where perseverance and not bending to your governments will get you. That there’s hope, good people willing to fight for the greater good. All whilst having zombies, cool action scenes, and believable relationships impressively in under 300 pages.
Like I told Amy, I didn’t know what to do when I finished this, I loved it so so much and I feel like I can’t really explain it well enough but tell you I loved it and you should read it.
December 19, 2025
4.5/5 stars! This was a great book! Dystopian, zombie apocalypse, spice, and German Shepherd side kick. I really enjoyed this and it had me on the edge of my seat. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC.
It was so good, I purchased a signed book trophy.
Thank you BookSirens for this ARC.
It was so good, I purchased a signed book trophy.
December 9, 2025
Been looking for a forbidden romance set in the future where zombies roam, or as they are called in this book the Hollowed? Then this is for you! It is fast paced filled with romance, action, deception and hoards (iykyk).
I had the privilege to receive the ARC and it is so good that I am excited to read the book again when it releases!
If you liked the walking dead and the last of us then this is for you. Not only fighting the hollowed is hard but fighting the system and all you've ever known is a war in itself. Will love triumph? Will they be able to save the rest of humanity? Read to find out!
I had the privilege to receive the ARC and it is so good that I am excited to read the book again when it releases!
If you liked the walking dead and the last of us then this is for you. Not only fighting the hollowed is hard but fighting the system and all you've ever known is a war in itself. Will love triumph? Will they be able to save the rest of humanity? Read to find out!
November 16, 2025
I wanna thank the author for the chance to ARC read this because I love a good sci-fi novel! Not to mention, the author is a scientist and the FMC is a doctor doing vaccine research and that’s 100% up my alley as a research scientist myself.
I loved the beginning of this book because life is as normal as it can be in Lucilla’s world until she literally witnesses a man being hunted down and chomped on by another human. Fast forward a few years later and this virus has taken over. Humans are living essentially in quarantined settlements for safety but under the rule of Prometheus. This entity controls their every movement from jobs to reproduction.
During this lockdown, Dr Lucilla Castillo grows close with Alex, a young man who was brought into their program at a young age before the virus was even in play. He handles operations that involve collecting supplies from the city around them and taking down infected if needed. He also has the sweetest pup named Luna.
In her spare time, Lucilla is on the hunt for a vaccine to help either prevent infection or to revert it quickly once bitten to prevent it from taking over. And she’s finally done it. In order to get this distributed to all survivors the mission is simple, Alex and Lucilla + a team of operatives will transport the vaccine to AZ-7 from their current location in Chicago…but must also not get infected or killed along the way.
Oh, and did I mention Prometheus is hoping for their deaths? Because why would they want healing when they have so much control in this situation? Luci and Alex face a variety of troubles along their way and the ending was a cliffhanger that leads me to believe book 2 will do a deeper dive into all that Prometheus is hiding.
In the beginning of this book it says, “The politicians claimed it was out of their control.”
- Disease at a pandemic level
- The poor being taken advantage of by being forced into labor for accomodations and food
- Detrimental global climate change
- Greed being at the center of it all.
So painfully accurate and relatable. Amilea touches base on such bleak real world topics and I like the direct call out on these things. Her main characters speak to her love of her heritage and they are the heroes of this story. In our current state, we often see immigrants painted as a myriad of awful things. People carry their cultures and beliefs with them (food, stories, music, history, etc) and we would be missing out if we chose not to embrace each other. We learn and experience so much from being a diverse nation. And at the most basic level, humans deserve to be treated as humans regardless of the things that make us “different.”
I want to end on this note with a quote from the book,
“How the hell can hope be dangerous?”
Doc leaned back. “Because hope inspires courage where there should be submission. Hope makes people question, resist, and rebel. And for a regime like Prometheus, that’s dangerous.”
We should continue to hope and to inspire it in others. Otherwise, nothing changes and how shameful would that be?
I loved the beginning of this book because life is as normal as it can be in Lucilla’s world until she literally witnesses a man being hunted down and chomped on by another human. Fast forward a few years later and this virus has taken over. Humans are living essentially in quarantined settlements for safety but under the rule of Prometheus. This entity controls their every movement from jobs to reproduction.
During this lockdown, Dr Lucilla Castillo grows close with Alex, a young man who was brought into their program at a young age before the virus was even in play. He handles operations that involve collecting supplies from the city around them and taking down infected if needed. He also has the sweetest pup named Luna.
In her spare time, Lucilla is on the hunt for a vaccine to help either prevent infection or to revert it quickly once bitten to prevent it from taking over. And she’s finally done it. In order to get this distributed to all survivors the mission is simple, Alex and Lucilla + a team of operatives will transport the vaccine to AZ-7 from their current location in Chicago…but must also not get infected or killed along the way.
Oh, and did I mention Prometheus is hoping for their deaths? Because why would they want healing when they have so much control in this situation? Luci and Alex face a variety of troubles along their way and the ending was a cliffhanger that leads me to believe book 2 will do a deeper dive into all that Prometheus is hiding.
In the beginning of this book it says, “The politicians claimed it was out of their control.”
- Disease at a pandemic level
- The poor being taken advantage of by being forced into labor for accomodations and food
- Detrimental global climate change
- Greed being at the center of it all.
So painfully accurate and relatable. Amilea touches base on such bleak real world topics and I like the direct call out on these things. Her main characters speak to her love of her heritage and they are the heroes of this story. In our current state, we often see immigrants painted as a myriad of awful things. People carry their cultures and beliefs with them (food, stories, music, history, etc) and we would be missing out if we chose not to embrace each other. We learn and experience so much from being a diverse nation. And at the most basic level, humans deserve to be treated as humans regardless of the things that make us “different.”
I want to end on this note with a quote from the book,
“How the hell can hope be dangerous?”
Doc leaned back. “Because hope inspires courage where there should be submission. Hope makes people question, resist, and rebel. And for a regime like Prometheus, that’s dangerous.”
We should continue to hope and to inspire it in others. Otherwise, nothing changes and how shameful would that be?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2025
Genre: Adult/NA Apocalyptic Romance
Spice: 2/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to similar books in the same genre*
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝙰𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚊 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚣’𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚅𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.
The Catalog: F/M, friends to lovers, doctor FMC x bodyguard MMC, FMC in STEM, apocalyptic roadtrip, zombie apocalypse, forced proximity, touch her/him and die, governmental corruption, Mexican main characters, found family, band of survivors, doggo sidekick, Lantine author
CWs: gore, violence, gun violence, blood, medical content, racism (remembered)
Synopsis: Dr. Lucilla has dedicated her life to finding a vaccine for the virus that created the Hollowed, vicious zombies that seem to be getting smarter. However, on the brink of discovery, the Prometheus Collective tells her she’s out of time and will be joining the breeding program. With only a few days left, Lucilla strikes genius, but her work is a target as much as a miracle, a dangerous one.
Thoughts:
I am a major zombie apocalypse connoisseur, gobbling up all apocalyptic romances that involve zombies, survival, and found family. When I first saw this book teased by the author, I was already hooked. Now that I’ve read book one, I’m buzzing with excitement. I think this series is going to knock me off my feet.
The world building is very easy to digest for dystopian and apocalyptic genre readers, and although I wish there had been more zombie horror, I think the level is very approachable!
The story takes place in a slightly futuristic world ravaged by a virus that decimated the population and created zombies. The MCs live inside of a hospital compound ran by the Prometheus Collective, an overlord type agency with all of the power. No one leaves unless they are a soldier, like Alex and Myra. However, when Lucilla strikes vaccine gold, the rules of the game change, and she’s sent out with Alex and a team of soldiers to transport the vaccine from Chicago to Arizona.
I am obsessed with the four main characters: Alex, Dr. Lucilla, Myra, and the tech expert Cipher. We get to see their stories unfold separately before converging together. This book does end on a soft pause, not quite a cliffhanger, and I am already so excited to see where this team of fighters will go next. The setup for book two is fantastic.
As for the romance, I love that there are two couples, although the main romance seems to be mostly focused on Alex and Lucilla. Their love story is a friends to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn situation that was genuinely very sweet. I loved the contrast between their relationship and the harsh setting.
Overall, I’m just so excited to see where this series goes. I think this was an incredibly strong start and I’m so invested!!
Spice: 2/5🌶️
*spice ratings are relative to similar books in the same genre*
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝙰𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚊 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚣’𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚅𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.
The Catalog: F/M, friends to lovers, doctor FMC x bodyguard MMC, FMC in STEM, apocalyptic roadtrip, zombie apocalypse, forced proximity, touch her/him and die, governmental corruption, Mexican main characters, found family, band of survivors, doggo sidekick, Lantine author
CWs: gore, violence, gun violence, blood, medical content, racism (remembered)
Synopsis: Dr. Lucilla has dedicated her life to finding a vaccine for the virus that created the Hollowed, vicious zombies that seem to be getting smarter. However, on the brink of discovery, the Prometheus Collective tells her she’s out of time and will be joining the breeding program. With only a few days left, Lucilla strikes genius, but her work is a target as much as a miracle, a dangerous one.
Thoughts:
I am a major zombie apocalypse connoisseur, gobbling up all apocalyptic romances that involve zombies, survival, and found family. When I first saw this book teased by the author, I was already hooked. Now that I’ve read book one, I’m buzzing with excitement. I think this series is going to knock me off my feet.
The world building is very easy to digest for dystopian and apocalyptic genre readers, and although I wish there had been more zombie horror, I think the level is very approachable!
The story takes place in a slightly futuristic world ravaged by a virus that decimated the population and created zombies. The MCs live inside of a hospital compound ran by the Prometheus Collective, an overlord type agency with all of the power. No one leaves unless they are a soldier, like Alex and Myra. However, when Lucilla strikes vaccine gold, the rules of the game change, and she’s sent out with Alex and a team of soldiers to transport the vaccine from Chicago to Arizona.
I am obsessed with the four main characters: Alex, Dr. Lucilla, Myra, and the tech expert Cipher. We get to see their stories unfold separately before converging together. This book does end on a soft pause, not quite a cliffhanger, and I am already so excited to see where this team of fighters will go next. The setup for book two is fantastic.
As for the romance, I love that there are two couples, although the main romance seems to be mostly focused on Alex and Lucilla. Their love story is a friends to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn situation that was genuinely very sweet. I loved the contrast between their relationship and the harsh setting.
Overall, I’m just so excited to see where this series goes. I think this was an incredibly strong start and I’m so invested!!
December 13, 2025
'The Hollowed' is a book that I'm going to be wholeheartedly recommending going forward - it's fast-paced, laced with romance, and full of important political commentary that applies to our world today.
This book follows Luci, a doctor, as she works towards developing a vaccine against the infection turning humans into mindless zombies. She's essentially owned by Prometheus, a powerful corporation that educates and houses people in this post-apocalyptic America in exchange for owning years of their time and everything they produce. When Luci finally has a breakthrough, her friend Alex (and his amazing German Shepard Luna) is tasked with acting as her bodyguard on a dangerous mission to deliver the prototype vaccine to a larger, distant facility with the ability to replicate it at a larger scale. Of course as with any dystopian novel, not everything is as it seems and action ensues.
The highlight of 'The Hollowed' is it's characters. Amilea Perez has done an amazing job of writing authentic, believable characters that feel like they really would exist in the harrowing future world she has created. Luci is driven and strong, defying the expectations of others at every turn. Alex is a fierce protector type, but with a soft side. Myra is a good foil to Luci, acting as the character who is bitter about everything and with a hard exterior, but is also loyal. Cipher was an excellent addition to the cast in the latter half of the book, with the book smarts to help cover the weak spots of the tougher, more worldly members of the cast.
The setting is dark, with the main narrative taking place several years into a zombie outbreak, but in an already dystopian future. There was enough world-building to keep me happy, with explanations covering how this dystopia came to be and some of the alternative tech of the future. One thing I wanted to know a bit more about is how plasma became a source of power/energy, especially because the author is a biological chemist. I realise this is a niche area of interest, but as a regular plasma donor in the real world, I was fascinated by this concept as it subverted the generosity of donation. The real point of focus here is the romance between Luci and Alex (who I did love together!) but I did want just a little more build-up. Because there are already friends prior to the story starting, and the action kicks in so quickly, I just wished for a little more of them as friends to get a better picture of their pre-existing relationship.
I'm so excited to see where the rest of this series goes, and to check out the author's other series!
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Luci, a doctor, as she works towards developing a vaccine against the infection turning humans into mindless zombies. She's essentially owned by Prometheus, a powerful corporation that educates and houses people in this post-apocalyptic America in exchange for owning years of their time and everything they produce. When Luci finally has a breakthrough, her friend Alex (and his amazing German Shepard Luna) is tasked with acting as her bodyguard on a dangerous mission to deliver the prototype vaccine to a larger, distant facility with the ability to replicate it at a larger scale. Of course as with any dystopian novel, not everything is as it seems and action ensues.
The highlight of 'The Hollowed' is it's characters. Amilea Perez has done an amazing job of writing authentic, believable characters that feel like they really would exist in the harrowing future world she has created. Luci is driven and strong, defying the expectations of others at every turn. Alex is a fierce protector type, but with a soft side. Myra is a good foil to Luci, acting as the character who is bitter about everything and with a hard exterior, but is also loyal. Cipher was an excellent addition to the cast in the latter half of the book, with the book smarts to help cover the weak spots of the tougher, more worldly members of the cast.
The setting is dark, with the main narrative taking place several years into a zombie outbreak, but in an already dystopian future. There was enough world-building to keep me happy, with explanations covering how this dystopia came to be and some of the alternative tech of the future. One thing I wanted to know a bit more about is how plasma became a source of power/energy, especially because the author is a biological chemist. I realise this is a niche area of interest, but as a regular plasma donor in the real world, I was fascinated by this concept as it subverted the generosity of donation. The real point of focus here is the romance between Luci and Alex (who I did love together!) but I did want just a little more build-up. Because there are already friends prior to the story starting, and the action kicks in so quickly, I just wished for a little more of them as friends to get a better picture of their pre-existing relationship.
I'm so excited to see where the rest of this series goes, and to check out the author's other series!
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2025
First, I need to say this with my whole chest: this book beautifully represents my people. As a Mexican-American, seeing our culture, resilience, strength, traditions, and brilliance portrayed with pride hit me right in the heart. And the STEM rep? Chef’s kiss. Having a Latina doctor leading a story, giving voice to women of color in science, is powerful. Representation matters, and Amilea delivered it with love and authenticity. Thank you for that. ❤️
Okay, now to the chaos.
This book is a fast-paced, heart-pounding zombie dystopian thriller with a heavy dose of political intrigue. Think The Last of Us meets a corrupt regime… with a Latina scientist leading the resistance.
We follow Dr. Lucilla Castillo (Luci) as she fights to find a cure in a world overrun by a deadly virus that turned people into zombies. The science in this book? Real, thoughtful, and exciting. As a fellow science geek, I loved being inside Luci’s brain as she worked through research, reasoning, and experimentation. She’s a powerhouse, intelligent, brave, passionate, and compassionate.
And then there’s Alex, her bodyguard, plus Luna, his canine sidekick and Luci’s fierce protector. Alex gives total touch her and 💀 energy. Their romance thread is soft, protective, and grounded in trust, not rushed or forced.
The found family is another highlight. Every side character brings warmth, depth, humor, or heartbreak. This isn’t just a story of surviving zombies, it’s a story of surviving with people, rebuilding, trusting, and choosing hope.
The ending sets up book 2 perfectly, twists, danger, new stakes, and a whole lot of questions.
If you love zombie survival stories, dystopian governments, scientific thrillers, found family, and protective MMC energy? Add The Hollowed to your TBR immediately.
Okay, now to the chaos.
This book is a fast-paced, heart-pounding zombie dystopian thriller with a heavy dose of political intrigue. Think The Last of Us meets a corrupt regime… with a Latina scientist leading the resistance.
We follow Dr. Lucilla Castillo (Luci) as she fights to find a cure in a world overrun by a deadly virus that turned people into zombies. The science in this book? Real, thoughtful, and exciting. As a fellow science geek, I loved being inside Luci’s brain as she worked through research, reasoning, and experimentation. She’s a powerhouse, intelligent, brave, passionate, and compassionate.
And then there’s Alex, her bodyguard, plus Luna, his canine sidekick and Luci’s fierce protector. Alex gives total touch her and 💀 energy. Their romance thread is soft, protective, and grounded in trust, not rushed or forced.
The found family is another highlight. Every side character brings warmth, depth, humor, or heartbreak. This isn’t just a story of surviving zombies, it’s a story of surviving with people, rebuilding, trusting, and choosing hope.
The ending sets up book 2 perfectly, twists, danger, new stakes, and a whole lot of questions.
If you love zombie survival stories, dystopian governments, scientific thrillers, found family, and protective MMC energy? Add The Hollowed to your TBR immediately.
Read
November 19, 2025Special thanks to the author for making this eARC available!
Things I loved:
-Representation/Diversity, especially in a zombie apocalypse. I don’t see that very often and I enjoyed reading about it.
-Myra’s storyline. I think she’s technically a side character but Myra really stood out to me. I loved her drive, her love for her found family, and her confidence.
-The action scenes felt very tense! There’s a scene in a high school that’s particularly good.
-The dog! We love a dog. Don’t worry, no harm comes to our queen.
-The multiple POV’s were fun!
Things That Felt Off:
-Lucilla starts the book searching for her best friend, and talks a lot about her, but then Lucilla only thinks about her friend one more time during the entire rest of the book. I kept wondering if she was Lucilla’s imaginary friend.
-There was a lot of info-dumping at the beginning of the book.
-I couldn’t always follow the world building. Cars can run on plasma? Like human plasma? Lucilla has always lived in a hospital or just after the zombie apocalypse? The big bad government has alway controlled everything? These were all unclear to me.
-The “evil” characters felt very one-dimensional to me.
-The romances were rushed to me, but I also prefer a slow-burn, so that’s on me.
Overall, this was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I enjoyed the fun action and quick read.
Thanks again to the author for providing an eARC!
Things I loved:
-Representation/Diversity, especially in a zombie apocalypse. I don’t see that very often and I enjoyed reading about it.
-Myra’s storyline. I think she’s technically a side character but Myra really stood out to me. I loved her drive, her love for her found family, and her confidence.
-The action scenes felt very tense! There’s a scene in a high school that’s particularly good.
-The dog! We love a dog. Don’t worry, no harm comes to our queen.
-The multiple POV’s were fun!
Things That Felt Off:
-Lucilla starts the book searching for her best friend, and talks a lot about her, but then Lucilla only thinks about her friend one more time during the entire rest of the book. I kept wondering if she was Lucilla’s imaginary friend.
-There was a lot of info-dumping at the beginning of the book.
-I couldn’t always follow the world building. Cars can run on plasma? Like human plasma? Lucilla has always lived in a hospital or just after the zombie apocalypse? The big bad government has alway controlled everything? These were all unclear to me.
-The “evil” characters felt very one-dimensional to me.
-The romances were rushed to me, but I also prefer a slow-burn, so that’s on me.
Overall, this was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but I enjoyed the fun action and quick read.
Thanks again to the author for providing an eARC!
November 22, 2025
Thank you so much to Amilea Perez for the arc!!
Luna es preciosa 100% 💖
4.5 rounded up bc I loved the characters so much.
I really enjoyed this book, I'm so happy to see more Hispanic representation, and heroes in 2025.
There's a whole social commentary of corporate greed and overlords who run the world and control the population? It feels scarily accurate.
Who wouldn't love an smart woman who endlessly works in a lab for a cure to an infectious zombie disease?
Also, who wouldn't love a tough mercenary guy who admires her intelligence and doesn't let anything bad happen to her? (Cough) Any Pedro fans in the chat?
Lastly, who wouldn't love a big softie of a dog who is also fiercely protective and bites any zombies who get too close. She's also immune to their bites. 💅
The book is less than 300 pages, and I feel like so much is packed in without feeling overwhelming.
It takes serious talent as an author to accomplish so much with less pages.
There are also side characters who get fleshed out.
It would be so easy to have them fall into one dimensional stereotypes, but you get the feeling that they're people too with wants and needs.
There were only a few things that were unclear:
- The plasma for the vehicles. Is it human plasma? Or different?
- What about the brother storyline?
I'd love for there to be a sequel where more of this gets clarified, in addition to the growing world.
Luna es preciosa 100% 💖
4.5 rounded up bc I loved the characters so much.
I really enjoyed this book, I'm so happy to see more Hispanic representation, and heroes in 2025.
There's a whole social commentary of corporate greed and overlords who run the world and control the population? It feels scarily accurate.
Who wouldn't love an smart woman who endlessly works in a lab for a cure to an infectious zombie disease?
Also, who wouldn't love a tough mercenary guy who admires her intelligence and doesn't let anything bad happen to her? (Cough) Any Pedro fans in the chat?
Lastly, who wouldn't love a big softie of a dog who is also fiercely protective and bites any zombies who get too close. She's also immune to their bites. 💅
The book is less than 300 pages, and I feel like so much is packed in without feeling overwhelming.
It takes serious talent as an author to accomplish so much with less pages.
There are also side characters who get fleshed out.
It would be so easy to have them fall into one dimensional stereotypes, but you get the feeling that they're people too with wants and needs.
There were only a few things that were unclear:
- The plasma for the vehicles. Is it human plasma? Or different?
- What about the brother storyline?
I'd love for there to be a sequel where more of this gets clarified, in addition to the growing world.
November 22, 2025
"Then we do this my way. We'll find a way to make this work." He leaned in closer, his voice soft but firm. "But understand that if it comes down to it, if this world tries to take you from me, I'll burn everything — I'll kill everyone before I let that happen." (Swoon)
I loved this book it had everything I’ve ever needed and now I need more……. Book 2 asap! How is this my first zombie apocalypse book I’ve read when I live for movies along this line!
I loved the characters especially the main ones Dr. Lucilla Castello and Sargent Alejandro Ramirez. They had chemistry, sweetness, wholesomeness in a world where Zombies are taking over and evolving. They were exactly what each other needs in a time where it’s hard to keep going, keep trying when it all feels impossible. Throw in a corrupt government, a mission, a team and a badass dog named Luna.
🧟 zombies
🧟♂️ friends to lovers
🧟♀️ missions
🧟 dog named Luna
🧟♂️ corrupt government
🧟♀️ made family
🧟 spice
🧟♂️ Mexican MC
🧟♀️ Quick easy but awesome read
Definitely will be suggesting this book to anyone and everyone. I cannot wait for more from this author.
Thanks for an amazing read. This is an honest arc review.
I loved this book it had everything I’ve ever needed and now I need more……. Book 2 asap! How is this my first zombie apocalypse book I’ve read when I live for movies along this line!
I loved the characters especially the main ones Dr. Lucilla Castello and Sargent Alejandro Ramirez. They had chemistry, sweetness, wholesomeness in a world where Zombies are taking over and evolving. They were exactly what each other needs in a time where it’s hard to keep going, keep trying when it all feels impossible. Throw in a corrupt government, a mission, a team and a badass dog named Luna.
🧟 zombies
🧟♂️ friends to lovers
🧟♀️ missions
🧟 dog named Luna
🧟♂️ corrupt government
🧟♀️ made family
🧟 spice
🧟♂️ Mexican MC
🧟♀️ Quick easy but awesome read
Definitely will be suggesting this book to anyone and everyone. I cannot wait for more from this author.
Thanks for an amazing read. This is an honest arc review.
December 9, 2025
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy of The Hollowed in exchange for my honest review.
The Hollowed turned out to be such a fantastic dystopian read. I’m always drawn to stories set in bleak, desolate futures where a small, determined group has to pull together to save what’s left of the world, and this book absolutely delivered on that front. It gave me a really fun blend of *The Maze Runner*, *Divergent*, and even *The Last of Us*…all the best elements of those worlds without feeling derivative.
One of the things I appreciated most was the pacing. The story moves quickly, but not at the expense of detail. Instead of dropping all the world building on the reader at once, the author wove it naturally into the plot as it progressed, which kept things engaging while still giving a clear sense of the world and its rules.
At its core, this book is about love, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect those they care about. There’s the constant tension of surviving under a controlling organization, the bravery required to step beyond everything familiar, and the resilience the characters show again and again.
I do, however, wish we had gotten more background on how the virus began. Where it came from, how it started, what triggered everything. I also found myself pretty upset by the death of certain characters. It felt barely acknowledged, almost brushed aside, like their loss didn’t matter as much as it should have, and that definitely stuck with me.
Still, if you’re even remotely a fan of dystopian stories, this is one you’re going to want to pick up.
The Hollowed turned out to be such a fantastic dystopian read. I’m always drawn to stories set in bleak, desolate futures where a small, determined group has to pull together to save what’s left of the world, and this book absolutely delivered on that front. It gave me a really fun blend of *The Maze Runner*, *Divergent*, and even *The Last of Us*…all the best elements of those worlds without feeling derivative.
One of the things I appreciated most was the pacing. The story moves quickly, but not at the expense of detail. Instead of dropping all the world building on the reader at once, the author wove it naturally into the plot as it progressed, which kept things engaging while still giving a clear sense of the world and its rules.
At its core, this book is about love, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to protect those they care about. There’s the constant tension of surviving under a controlling organization, the bravery required to step beyond everything familiar, and the resilience the characters show again and again.
I do, however, wish we had gotten more background on how the virus began. Where it came from, how it started, what triggered everything. I also found myself pretty upset by the death of certain characters. It felt barely acknowledged, almost brushed aside, like their loss didn’t matter as much as it should have, and that definitely stuck with me.
Still, if you’re even remotely a fan of dystopian stories, this is one you’re going to want to pick up.
October 23, 2025
PLEASEEEEEE do yourself a favor & me a favor & read this book !!!!
I read this book in one sitting ! It is sooo binge worthy. It will make you feel alll the emotions .
You get two love stories, a sick boy & a dog!
We have Luci & Alex, Myra & Cipher , Jace & Luna.
The setting is in a post apocalyptic world where Luci is a doctor trying to find a cure . However home girl has morals. She took an oath and she is determined to create a vaccine that will end the Hallowed & won’t allow anyone to stand in her way.
You have the most bad ass security Alex who will burn the world down for Luci, as he escorts her to AZ7 to take the vaccine to be developed further. But the Prometheus never fully intended on them being successful in their mission as it will inevitably lead to them losing control over the people.
My severe PTSD from 2020 had me sweatttting , remembering lockdown and quarantine, but I was triggered in the best way.
You get action filled scenes (I imagined Alex as John Wick, just killing everyone in slow motion) as he gets to AZ7 and realizes they were set up for failure. They want to keep Luci as their guinea pig & breed her & Alex said “not on my watch”.
They end up getting a tip to head to a safe place in Sonora Mexico where they are actually looking out for the good of the people . They are welcomed into a community , Nueva Esperanza , who welcomed them the way a Hispanic grandmother welcomes you home . Ready to take care of you and feed you and make sure you’re ok.
I knew it from the moment the sign said “ Los Sobrevivientes son bienvenidos” & “Bienvenidos a la comunidad de Nueva Esperanza” that they had found their sanctuary!
That ending was like a hug from my abuelita .
Amelia thank you for allowing me to be a part of your street team , I’m honored to have been able to read this early !
You wrote such a beautiful book in a time where our community is being degraded and painted as criminals.
What a way to honor the Mexican culture & to show our culture represented this way , the way we know them to be … welcoming , respectful , and willing to do anything for to protect their people .
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adored this book!! This is my honest review!
I read this book in one sitting ! It is sooo binge worthy. It will make you feel alll the emotions .
You get two love stories, a sick boy & a dog!
We have Luci & Alex, Myra & Cipher , Jace & Luna.
The setting is in a post apocalyptic world where Luci is a doctor trying to find a cure . However home girl has morals. She took an oath and she is determined to create a vaccine that will end the Hallowed & won’t allow anyone to stand in her way.
You have the most bad ass security Alex who will burn the world down for Luci, as he escorts her to AZ7 to take the vaccine to be developed further. But the Prometheus never fully intended on them being successful in their mission as it will inevitably lead to them losing control over the people.
My severe PTSD from 2020 had me sweatttting , remembering lockdown and quarantine, but I was triggered in the best way.
You get action filled scenes (I imagined Alex as John Wick, just killing everyone in slow motion) as he gets to AZ7 and realizes they were set up for failure. They want to keep Luci as their guinea pig & breed her & Alex said “not on my watch”.
They end up getting a tip to head to a safe place in Sonora Mexico where they are actually looking out for the good of the people . They are welcomed into a community , Nueva Esperanza , who welcomed them the way a Hispanic grandmother welcomes you home . Ready to take care of you and feed you and make sure you’re ok.
I knew it from the moment the sign said “ Los Sobrevivientes son bienvenidos” & “Bienvenidos a la comunidad de Nueva Esperanza” that they had found their sanctuary!
That ending was like a hug from my abuelita .
Amelia thank you for allowing me to be a part of your street team , I’m honored to have been able to read this early !
You wrote such a beautiful book in a time where our community is being degraded and painted as criminals.
What a way to honor the Mexican culture & to show our culture represented this way , the way we know them to be … welcoming , respectful , and willing to do anything for to protect their people .
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adored this book!! This is my honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2025
4.5 ⭐
"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎, 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔."
When I saw that Amilea was looking for ARC readers for The Hollowed I immediately applied and this is my honest review!
I'm not a horror fan on any kind, the pacing, characters and storyline intrigued me and kept me hooked, I ended up finishing it in one night!
I loved all the characters but Myra and Cipher are absolutely the standouts for me!
The writing keeps you feeling as though when you turn the page, something bad is going to happen!
The story explores many themes that don't feel forced, loss and trauma are just a couple of them, absolutely check trigger warnings before you start reading The Hollowed.
Thank you so much Amilea for choosing me to be apart of your ARC & Street Team. 💚
"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎, 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔."
When I saw that Amilea was looking for ARC readers for The Hollowed I immediately applied and this is my honest review!
I'm not a horror fan on any kind, the pacing, characters and storyline intrigued me and kept me hooked, I ended up finishing it in one night!
I loved all the characters but Myra and Cipher are absolutely the standouts for me!
The writing keeps you feeling as though when you turn the page, something bad is going to happen!
The story explores many themes that don't feel forced, loss and trauma are just a couple of them, absolutely check trigger warnings before you start reading The Hollowed.
Thank you so much Amilea for choosing me to be apart of your ARC & Street Team. 💚
December 13, 2025
▪️TRUST IS A CURRENCY NO ONE PARTS WITH EASILY ▪️
Happy Hollowed day!!!
First and foremost thank you so much to Amy for the incredible PR! This box was so incredible and I am so HUMBLED to have been included! It was such a privilege to receive this and you knocked it out the park!
This book was such an easy read. Amy’s craft is so easy to follow and flows so smoothly that this book was so digestible not only because it was a great plot/story but because it was so intentionally written. I love shorter books like this that pack such a punch. Like a lil heart attack 😅
It’s safe to say I’ve arrived in my dystopian era because I ate this upppppp! Luci and Alex are 👄😮💨 Real ones know that the most important thing about this book is that the furry sidekick was not harmed in the making of these pages 😆 basically, merry Christmas to you because you need this 😈💅🏻
🧪dystopian romance
🧪besties to lovers
🧪corrupt institutions
🧪doctor x bodyguard
🧪WOMEN IN STEM
🧪a mission to save the world
🧪zombie apocalypse
Grab this immediately! Out now on kindle and kindle unlimited!
Happy Hollowed day!!!
First and foremost thank you so much to Amy for the incredible PR! This box was so incredible and I am so HUMBLED to have been included! It was such a privilege to receive this and you knocked it out the park!
This book was such an easy read. Amy’s craft is so easy to follow and flows so smoothly that this book was so digestible not only because it was a great plot/story but because it was so intentionally written. I love shorter books like this that pack such a punch. Like a lil heart attack 😅
It’s safe to say I’ve arrived in my dystopian era because I ate this upppppp! Luci and Alex are 👄😮💨 Real ones know that the most important thing about this book is that the furry sidekick was not harmed in the making of these pages 😆 basically, merry Christmas to you because you need this 😈💅🏻
🧪dystopian romance
🧪besties to lovers
🧪corrupt institutions
🧪doctor x bodyguard
🧪WOMEN IN STEM
🧪a mission to save the world
🧪zombie apocalypse
Grab this immediately! Out now on kindle and kindle unlimited!
November 24, 2025
Such a great dystopian read!! It had elements that reminded me of a mix of The Maze Runner, The Walking Dead, Divergent, and Matched—but with a completely original storyline and characters.
I really liked and appreciated how fast paced the story was while still including lots of detail—instead of an info dump of world building and background details, all of that was woven into the story as the plot progressed which I LOVED.
And I really appreciated the standing-up-to-a-corrupt-institution vibes we had throughout the whole thing!
I truly loved everything about this book! No notes. Such a great dystopian read!
I really liked and appreciated how fast paced the story was while still including lots of detail—instead of an info dump of world building and background details, all of that was woven into the story as the plot progressed which I LOVED.
And I really appreciated the standing-up-to-a-corrupt-institution vibes we had throughout the whole thing!
I truly loved everything about this book! No notes. Such a great dystopian read!
November 25, 2025
⭐️ 4 stars for me!
I love apocalyptic romance! The hollowed is a fast-paced and short apocalyptic romance (at least for book one).
Alex and Luci’s chemistry is top notch! One’s a doctor and one’s a bodyguard. I think they really complement each other.
“For as long as you want me Luci — I’m yours.”
My heart!!! How could I not melt when reading that?????
Tbh, I love all the men in this book and the girls are total badasses. It’s multi-POV and there is also a second couple!!!!! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. There’s still so much waiting to unravel in this series!
I love apocalyptic romance! The hollowed is a fast-paced and short apocalyptic romance (at least for book one).
Alex and Luci’s chemistry is top notch! One’s a doctor and one’s a bodyguard. I think they really complement each other.
“For as long as you want me Luci — I’m yours.”
My heart!!! How could I not melt when reading that?????
Tbh, I love all the men in this book and the girls are total badasses. It’s multi-POV and there is also a second couple!!!!! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. There’s still so much waiting to unravel in this series!
December 17, 2025
The Hollowed is everything I love about great dystopian fiction and MORE! Yes, you get the post-apocalyptic setting, shady organizations, & plots to overthrow them, but you ALSO get Mexican-American main characters, an absolutely brilliant FMC of color in STEM, an action-packed, suspenseful plot with SERIOUSLY high stakes, a little romance, & a German Shepherd. Do I need to say more?
I absolutely LOVED this book, & I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
I absolutely LOVED this book, & I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
December 13, 2025
Thank you so much to the author for an eARC in exchange for this honest review. I had such a great time reading The Hollowed, once I started I couldn’t put it down. It had all of the elements I personally enjoy from dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories like The Last of Us, Resident Evil, The Walking Dead, etc. all while still being a story unique to itself that holds up on it’s own. As a latinx person myself, I very much resonated with our main characters and was very touched by the topics discussed throughout the book. I can’t wait to read about what’s next for Luci and the gang, Prometheus is surely cooking up something absolutely horrifying for them in the future. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author and will continue supporting them.
October 26, 2025
I’ve always loved dystopian! But this one? Really, I’ll say it’s the best contemporary and sci fi actually dystopian I’ve ever read.
The world Amy weaved was so heartfelt, so relevant, and hit so many emotions in me that I could sadly see this as a real future. But then she gave us real heroes who were willing to fight for something better, and I just know that would be the reality.
Amy showed us the best and worst parts of humanity and everything in between. Ahhh I can’t wait for the next one.
**I was given an ARC for this book in return for an honest review**
The world Amy weaved was so heartfelt, so relevant, and hit so many emotions in me that I could sadly see this as a real future. But then she gave us real heroes who were willing to fight for something better, and I just know that would be the reality.
Amy showed us the best and worst parts of humanity and everything in between. Ahhh I can’t wait for the next one.
**I was given an ARC for this book in return for an honest review**
October 25, 2025
I had the privilege of reading the ARC for this book and this was very well done! I’m mad there isn’t more to read! I’m ready for the next book! This grabbed my attention so quickly and it wasn’t too fast paced but enough to keep you engaged til the end! I LOVE IT! I’m a sucker for any apocalypse book. My jaw dropped a few times while reading 😭 the SPICE OMGGGGGG
Thank you Amelia for giving me the opportunity to read this!!
Thank you Amelia for giving me the opportunity to read this!!
December 4, 2025
A new adult apocalyptic thriller featuring a hearty helping of romance, positive Latinx rep, and a lovable German Shepherd.
After a viral outbreak that turns humans into zombie-like creatures called the Infected, humanity is quarantined for good. Dr. Lucilla "Luci" Castillo is determined to find a vaccine and save humanity though. When she creates something that she thinks will be viable, she is thrust into the dangerous outdoors with only her best friend, Alejandro "Alex" Ramirez, and his trusty team of soldiers to get her to a neighboring facility. The team sets off with the hopes of getting the vaccine into the hands of those that can replicate it, but they soon learn that there is a darker side to Prometheus, the prevailing government, than even they could have imagined.
I have been following Perez for a bit now on Instagram and thought her first fantasy duology looked very intriguing, so when I saw ARC sign ups for this new sci-fi series she is starting, I knew I had to give it a go. I'm usually a big fan of romantic science fiction stories and I am always down for a good apocalypse story (as long as it's not too gory), so I'm glad to report that I enjoyed this one.
Perez's story definitely reflects much of the current political situation going on in America today. This book obviously draws some inspiration from the pandemic, but it is more a reflection on how Latine people are often viewed poorly despite all of their contributions to society. Luci is a doctor/scientist and Alex is a soldier, so the ways that they contribute to their quarantined society is quite obvious.
This book did have a nice thrill to it. There are many parts of this book in which Luci, Alex and the crew are trying to escape the Infected and some of them get to be quite intense. Also, the one scene where they were in the vents was so freaky, and I was not ready for it at all.
The found family vibes of this book are so sweet. In a dystopian future run by a corrupt government, one has to form some strong bonds if they want to survive. Luci, Alex, Luna, Myra, Grayson, Cipher, and Jace are such a tight crew. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow together more in future installments of this series.
The romance in this one is also pretty peak. Alex is one of those wholesome "touch her and die" book boyfriends, so he was a joy. Luci definitely has a caring nature and tends to want to nurture those around her. Pairing these two natures together makes for a cute and wholesome relationship. I'm not saying that these two don't get down and there aren't steamy scenes between them, but these two are so sweet together.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with "The Hollowed." It is a great romantic sci-fi thriller with an awesome found family and a really adorable German Shepherd. I love how this apocalyptic world mirrors much of what America is facing today, both in society and politics. The positive Latine representation is great; I love seeing more Latine characters in literature. I really enjoy both Alex and Luci as characters, so I'm very excited to read the next installment in this series!
After a viral outbreak that turns humans into zombie-like creatures called the Infected, humanity is quarantined for good. Dr. Lucilla "Luci" Castillo is determined to find a vaccine and save humanity though. When she creates something that she thinks will be viable, she is thrust into the dangerous outdoors with only her best friend, Alejandro "Alex" Ramirez, and his trusty team of soldiers to get her to a neighboring facility. The team sets off with the hopes of getting the vaccine into the hands of those that can replicate it, but they soon learn that there is a darker side to Prometheus, the prevailing government, than even they could have imagined.
I have been following Perez for a bit now on Instagram and thought her first fantasy duology looked very intriguing, so when I saw ARC sign ups for this new sci-fi series she is starting, I knew I had to give it a go. I'm usually a big fan of romantic science fiction stories and I am always down for a good apocalypse story (as long as it's not too gory), so I'm glad to report that I enjoyed this one.
Perez's story definitely reflects much of the current political situation going on in America today. This book obviously draws some inspiration from the pandemic, but it is more a reflection on how Latine people are often viewed poorly despite all of their contributions to society. Luci is a doctor/scientist and Alex is a soldier, so the ways that they contribute to their quarantined society is quite obvious.
This book did have a nice thrill to it. There are many parts of this book in which Luci, Alex and the crew are trying to escape the Infected and some of them get to be quite intense. Also, the one scene where they were in the vents was so freaky, and I was not ready for it at all.
The found family vibes of this book are so sweet. In a dystopian future run by a corrupt government, one has to form some strong bonds if they want to survive. Luci, Alex, Luna, Myra, Grayson, Cipher, and Jace are such a tight crew. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow together more in future installments of this series.
The romance in this one is also pretty peak. Alex is one of those wholesome "touch her and die" book boyfriends, so he was a joy. Luci definitely has a caring nature and tends to want to nurture those around her. Pairing these two natures together makes for a cute and wholesome relationship. I'm not saying that these two don't get down and there aren't steamy scenes between them, but these two are so sweet together.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with "The Hollowed." It is a great romantic sci-fi thriller with an awesome found family and a really adorable German Shepherd. I love how this apocalyptic world mirrors much of what America is facing today, both in society and politics. The positive Latine representation is great; I love seeing more Latine characters in literature. I really enjoy both Alex and Luci as characters, so I'm very excited to read the next installment in this series!
December 12, 2025
I want to start this by saying I love Amelia, I love her artwork, I love her special editions but I didn't love this book. This is my 1st ever review so let me try to break down why I gave it 3 🌟.
Plot:
So I didn't like the pace of this book because everything was just happening too fast for me before I could really digest what was happening. There are so many key elements in this book eg Prometheus, the reproduction programe, the zombies and the resistance. With the pacing of the book these elements didn't feel fully developed to me, like early on I did feel she gave us a good chunk of info but as the book went on I had more questions that answers. I will say though this was advertised as a fast paced book with 300 pages and you get just that. But it just seems like a wasted potiential to me, the world is so interesting and well thought out but I wish it was as I said fleshed out more.
Another thing is it was very predictable, I saw things happening from a mile away so because of that there was no shock value, no plot twist no omg I didn't see that coming, no screaming no crying nothing (I was sad when grayson died though). But yes the emotions I wanted to feed fell flat for me. I was excited at the start but as I went on it just felt like I was trying to finish the book. Maybe the book would work with less key elements to focus on. Like maybe just the zombies and the corrupt government would work.
Characters:
I'm going to preface this by saying Luci is a flawed individual but she has her strengths and I love her for that. But I didn't feel like she loved Alex like he loved her. When she confessed her love for him, it felt empty although by that time I was kinda disconnected from the characters but it didn't feel true.
Alex on the other hand is just as he's described a fierce protector and warrior that needs to cut himself some slack. It sucks what prometheus did to him (I think that's the only time i was
shocked).
To cut a long review short, this book has its ups and downs. If you're looking for fast paced dystopian novel with little world building and high stakes then this book is for you. I will still be continuing this book series because ofc I have to support Amelia.
I have so many other things I could say but I might post them on my Instagram.
I received an ARC for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily
Plot:
So I didn't like the pace of this book because everything was just happening too fast for me before I could really digest what was happening. There are so many key elements in this book eg Prometheus, the reproduction programe, the zombies and the resistance. With the pacing of the book these elements didn't feel fully developed to me, like early on I did feel she gave us a good chunk of info but as the book went on I had more questions that answers. I will say though this was advertised as a fast paced book with 300 pages and you get just that. But it just seems like a wasted potiential to me, the world is so interesting and well thought out but I wish it was as I said fleshed out more.
Another thing is it was very predictable, I saw things happening from a mile away so because of that there was no shock value, no plot twist no omg I didn't see that coming, no screaming no crying nothing (I was sad when grayson died though). But yes the emotions I wanted to feed fell flat for me. I was excited at the start but as I went on it just felt like I was trying to finish the book. Maybe the book would work with less key elements to focus on. Like maybe just the zombies and the corrupt government would work.
Characters:
I'm going to preface this by saying Luci is a flawed individual but she has her strengths and I love her for that. But I didn't feel like she loved Alex like he loved her. When she confessed her love for him, it felt empty although by that time I was kinda disconnected from the characters but it didn't feel true.
Alex on the other hand is just as he's described a fierce protector and warrior that needs to cut himself some slack. It sucks what prometheus did to him (I think that's the only time i was
shocked).
To cut a long review short, this book has its ups and downs. If you're looking for fast paced dystopian novel with little world building and high stakes then this book is for you. I will still be continuing this book series because ofc I have to support Amelia.
I have so many other things I could say but I might post them on my Instagram.
I received an ARC for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review: The Hollowed by Amilea Perez
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
Dystopian Romance
Zombie Apocalypse
STEM FMC × Military MMC
Best Friends-to-Lovers
Corrupt Institutions
Okay...wow. This completely surprised me in the best way. This one is hard to put into words, so just bare with me, and also trust me and add this one to your TBR!
The Hollowed is set in a dystopian world overrun by zombies and ruled by a powerful organization that may just be one of the greatest threats for our MCs as they try to make the world a better and safer place.
From the very first chapter, it felt like I was watching a TV series unfold in my head or playing through a cinematic video game. It was intense and impossible to put down. I didn’t realize how much I wasn’t one to reach for a dystopian setting; however, now I’m absolutely obsessed.
Luci is such a compelling main character — brilliant, determined, and deeply human in a world that’s lost so much of its humanity. Alex and Luna (yes, the dog) added so much heart to the chaos, and the relationships throughout this story gave me far more than I ever expected.
One of my favorite lines perfectly captures the tender moments:
“I love you.”
“And I love you,” Alex said...“I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you—way before the world fell apart. You’ve always been it for me. It’s always just been you.”
And just when I thought the story couldn’t give me more, we’re also given a third POV through Myra — and her relationship with Cipher (and Jace) absolutely stole my heart. Their dynamic added another layer to the story, expanding the world and making the emotional stakes even higher.
I will say, this book hit especially close to home given the current climate. The themes of control, survival, mistrust of institutions, and fighting to protect your people felt deeply personal and incredibly timely.
The story is told in third person, but please don’t let that deter you. The plot is immersive, the pacing is strong, and the world-building is gripping. This is, without question, my favorite Amilea Perez book to date. I didn’t want it to end, and I am more than ready for the next installment.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
Dystopian Romance
Zombie Apocalypse
STEM FMC × Military MMC
Best Friends-to-Lovers
Corrupt Institutions
Okay...wow. This completely surprised me in the best way. This one is hard to put into words, so just bare with me, and also trust me and add this one to your TBR!
The Hollowed is set in a dystopian world overrun by zombies and ruled by a powerful organization that may just be one of the greatest threats for our MCs as they try to make the world a better and safer place.
From the very first chapter, it felt like I was watching a TV series unfold in my head or playing through a cinematic video game. It was intense and impossible to put down. I didn’t realize how much I wasn’t one to reach for a dystopian setting; however, now I’m absolutely obsessed.
Luci is such a compelling main character — brilliant, determined, and deeply human in a world that’s lost so much of its humanity. Alex and Luna (yes, the dog) added so much heart to the chaos, and the relationships throughout this story gave me far more than I ever expected.
One of my favorite lines perfectly captures the tender moments:
“I love you.”
“And I love you,” Alex said...“I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you—way before the world fell apart. You’ve always been it for me. It’s always just been you.”
And just when I thought the story couldn’t give me more, we’re also given a third POV through Myra — and her relationship with Cipher (and Jace) absolutely stole my heart. Their dynamic added another layer to the story, expanding the world and making the emotional stakes even higher.
I will say, this book hit especially close to home given the current climate. The themes of control, survival, mistrust of institutions, and fighting to protect your people felt deeply personal and incredibly timely.
The story is told in third person, but please don’t let that deter you. The plot is immersive, the pacing is strong, and the world-building is gripping. This is, without question, my favorite Amilea Perez book to date. I didn’t want it to end, and I am more than ready for the next installment.
November 12, 2025
ARC Review:
Inspired by the tensions of the current climate in the United States, author Amilea Perez created a story that presents Mexican heroines in a time when the community is unjustly demonized in the real world. This story presents a female doctor, Dr. Lucilla Castillo, who is trying to find a cure for a terrible zombie-like virus, the hollowed, that has taken over the human population. The second main character, Alejandro, is a young man who was labeled as deviant at a young age and forced into a soldier role. They have built a strong bond in the years since the lockdown left them trapped and disconnected from the outside world. When Dr. Castillo makes a breakthrough on a potential vaccine, they are tasked with taking the samples to another facility for further research and production.
This is a post-apocalyptic tale that explores themes of advanced technology, damaged infrastructure, survival, fascism, and fear. All the characters we follow are forced into boxes and roles within the medical center's social structure, which has become their home as well since the lockdown began. As they leave Prometheus and start their journey, Luci and Alex realize the promise of their aim to serve the greater good is not as genuine as they once believed.
I enjoyed having strong POC main characters having essential roles in the story. The different relationships between characters were enjoyable. Not just exploring romantic avenues, but also a found family aspect. The pacing was well done and kept the readers engaged. I also prefer stories with multiple POVs that give the reader different perspectives on situations as they unfold, providing greater immersion in the story. This book also leaves a good opening to continue their story, so I expect this is just the beginning, and we will have more time with these characters in the future. I look forward to revisiting this world and seeing what they can accomplish.
Inspired by the tensions of the current climate in the United States, author Amilea Perez created a story that presents Mexican heroines in a time when the community is unjustly demonized in the real world. This story presents a female doctor, Dr. Lucilla Castillo, who is trying to find a cure for a terrible zombie-like virus, the hollowed, that has taken over the human population. The second main character, Alejandro, is a young man who was labeled as deviant at a young age and forced into a soldier role. They have built a strong bond in the years since the lockdown left them trapped and disconnected from the outside world. When Dr. Castillo makes a breakthrough on a potential vaccine, they are tasked with taking the samples to another facility for further research and production.
This is a post-apocalyptic tale that explores themes of advanced technology, damaged infrastructure, survival, fascism, and fear. All the characters we follow are forced into boxes and roles within the medical center's social structure, which has become their home as well since the lockdown began. As they leave Prometheus and start their journey, Luci and Alex realize the promise of their aim to serve the greater good is not as genuine as they once believed.
I enjoyed having strong POC main characters having essential roles in the story. The different relationships between characters were enjoyable. Not just exploring romantic avenues, but also a found family aspect. The pacing was well done and kept the readers engaged. I also prefer stories with multiple POVs that give the reader different perspectives on situations as they unfold, providing greater immersion in the story. This book also leaves a good opening to continue their story, so I expect this is just the beginning, and we will have more time with these characters in the future. I look forward to revisiting this world and seeing what they can accomplish.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In a crumbling dystopian world, Luci is a doctor in the Prometheus Collective. Highly trained, but deeply in time debt to the regime. When the Hollow virus broke out, she was safe inside the hospital where she worked and lived with her brother, Noah, but he has just left for work when the hospital went into quarantine. Not knowing his fate haunts Luci, so she has dedicated the years since the outbreak researching and testing for a cure. She feels that she is close to a breakthrough, but no one in Prometheus cares like she does.
Prometheus cares more about having Luci join the reproductive program, which would force her to give up her research. After sharing her frustrations with her friend Alex, she has a breakthrough and discovered a viable vaccine. Luci immediately tells her mentor who brings her finding to the local leadership. They determine that Luci must travel through infected lands to take her finding to another facility where full scale production can begin. She is to be escorted by Alex and a small group of his trusted soldiers. Luci is reluctant at first, but she is promised that her debt will be cleared and to sweeten the pot, they tell Luci that her brother may be alive. She agrees to get whatever information they have. Alex only agrees in order to protect Luci.
This book was such a good zombie dystopian story! The stakes, of course, are life and death. I love Luci and Alex and seeing their devotion to each other grow from friends to more. I love that Luci only wants to help people and how she realizes that the organization she thought wanted the same thing only wants power and control and she now has to leave behind what she thought she knew in order to actually help. I can't wait fook two! I'm ready to see Luci tear it all down!
Thank you to the author Amilea Perez for the gifted ARC.
Prometheus cares more about having Luci join the reproductive program, which would force her to give up her research. After sharing her frustrations with her friend Alex, she has a breakthrough and discovered a viable vaccine. Luci immediately tells her mentor who brings her finding to the local leadership. They determine that Luci must travel through infected lands to take her finding to another facility where full scale production can begin. She is to be escorted by Alex and a small group of his trusted soldiers. Luci is reluctant at first, but she is promised that her debt will be cleared and to sweeten the pot, they tell Luci that her brother may be alive. She agrees to get whatever information they have. Alex only agrees in order to protect Luci.
This book was such a good zombie dystopian story! The stakes, of course, are life and death. I love Luci and Alex and seeing their devotion to each other grow from friends to more. I love that Luci only wants to help people and how she realizes that the organization she thought wanted the same thing only wants power and control and she now has to leave behind what she thought she knew in order to actually help. I can't wait fook two! I'm ready to see Luci tear it all down!
Thank you to the author Amilea Perez for the gifted ARC.
December 22, 2025
4 / 5 ⭐️
Wow this was one of the best books I’ve read this year! I was always interested in reading an Amilea Perez book since I heard about The Tournament of Heirs and this one lived up to my expectations. I want to start off by saying that it’s so refreshing to read about two Mexican main characters that aren’t the leads of a story about drugs, crime, etc. They’re the heroes of the story, and that’s something I really enjoyed.
The plot itself was very well done and I didn’t think it fell too heavily with basic zombie apocalypse storylines, and the ending was both satisfying and a cliffhanger (ugh!). Sometimes I can’t stand when a book bounces between multiple point of views, but I never thought twice when reading this because both storylines were interesting and moved the plot along. The world-building made complete sense and I really felt the stakes most of the time. I only wish there was more scenes with the Hollowed because I feel that the ones we got made the story so tense and kept me reading.
The characters also felt very fresh, and though some of them weren’t around for long, they still stood out and were meaningful to the story and other characters. Luci and Alex (maybe my favorite couple of the year) had such a loving relationship and they never fell into any stereotypes, which is something I’m unfortunately used to when reading about Latino (specifically Mexican) characters. They were both smart and resourceful, and i loved them so much (and Myra and Cipher kicked ass too!!)
This whole book just made me so happy, and I highly recommend not only reading it, but also the acknowledgments because of how right and beautiful Perez’s words are.
[🏢🚐🧪🦠🧟♂️🐕]
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
Wow this was one of the best books I’ve read this year! I was always interested in reading an Amilea Perez book since I heard about The Tournament of Heirs and this one lived up to my expectations. I want to start off by saying that it’s so refreshing to read about two Mexican main characters that aren’t the leads of a story about drugs, crime, etc. They’re the heroes of the story, and that’s something I really enjoyed.
The plot itself was very well done and I didn’t think it fell too heavily with basic zombie apocalypse storylines, and the ending was both satisfying and a cliffhanger (ugh!). Sometimes I can’t stand when a book bounces between multiple point of views, but I never thought twice when reading this because both storylines were interesting and moved the plot along. The world-building made complete sense and I really felt the stakes most of the time. I only wish there was more scenes with the Hollowed because I feel that the ones we got made the story so tense and kept me reading.
The characters also felt very fresh, and though some of them weren’t around for long, they still stood out and were meaningful to the story and other characters. Luci and Alex (maybe my favorite couple of the year) had such a loving relationship and they never fell into any stereotypes, which is something I’m unfortunately used to when reading about Latino (specifically Mexican) characters. They were both smart and resourceful, and i loved them so much (and Myra and Cipher kicked ass too!!)
This whole book just made me so happy, and I highly recommend not only reading it, but also the acknowledgments because of how right and beautiful Perez’s words are.
[🏢🚐🧪🦠🧟♂️🐕]
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
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