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Hecate's Hollow
A Snow White and Rose Red retelling
Besides the blood drinking and international crime, she’s the perfect woman…
Lemon has spent the last twenty years hidden away from her abusive father in the mountain town of Hecate’s Hollow, a safe haven for witches like Lemon and her family. But that safety comes to an end the day she trips down an embankment and is honest-to-god swept off her feet by Claudia. It would be just like the romantic movies she loves, except Claudia is an international thief, cursed to live like a vampire by her witch hunter ex-boss, Julian. Lemon knows she should stay out of it, but curiosity and the urge to play the hero for a beautiful woman get the better of her. Talented at divining the ingredients for potions, Lemon agrees to help brew a cure, not expecting to find herself caught up in the very life her mother ran from years ago. Lemon thinks it will be easy enough to help Claudia — a few hikes for obscure ingredients, some clandestine kisses, and favors from farmers, nothing too dangerous — until Julian comes to claim what’s his. With her girlfriend in the hands of a monster, Lemon can’t hide anymore. She must leave Hecate’s Hollow and learn just what she’s really capable of.
Besides the blood drinking and international crime, she’s the perfect woman…
Lemon has spent the last twenty years hidden away from her abusive father in the mountain town of Hecate’s Hollow, a safe haven for witches like Lemon and her family. But that safety comes to an end the day she trips down an embankment and is honest-to-god swept off her feet by Claudia. It would be just like the romantic movies she loves, except Claudia is an international thief, cursed to live like a vampire by her witch hunter ex-boss, Julian. Lemon knows she should stay out of it, but curiosity and the urge to play the hero for a beautiful woman get the better of her. Talented at divining the ingredients for potions, Lemon agrees to help brew a cure, not expecting to find herself caught up in the very life her mother ran from years ago. Lemon thinks it will be easy enough to help Claudia — a few hikes for obscure ingredients, some clandestine kisses, and favors from farmers, nothing too dangerous — until Julian comes to claim what’s his. With her girlfriend in the hands of a monster, Lemon can’t hide anymore. She must leave Hecate’s Hollow and learn just what she’s really capable of.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2022
39 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 24, 2023
Kindle Unlimited.
I personally struggled to be immersed or really care about the characters and story for this one. It may be the funk I am in - or just the story isn't for me. It's well written, and has a good plot and story overall, with some decent world-building.
But dragged for me, not really understanding the insta-attraction, and getting annoyed with the constant mentions of wanting to kiss and fuck. It felt like forced pining to add drama, that wasn't needed. (Just my opinion, others tend to love that stuff!) Very New or Young Adult.
Try it for yourself on KU.
I personally struggled to be immersed or really care about the characters and story for this one. It may be the funk I am in - or just the story isn't for me. It's well written, and has a good plot and story overall, with some decent world-building.
But dragged for me, not really understanding the insta-attraction, and getting annoyed with the constant mentions of wanting to kiss and fuck. It felt like forced pining to add drama, that wasn't needed. (Just my opinion, others tend to love that stuff!) Very New or Young Adult.
Try it for yourself on KU.
March 5, 2023
A lot of good things were happening in this book. It had a somewhat whimsical vibe. Very LBGTIA+. So cute! Witches and vampires? Love!
My four stars came because it was a little slow at times and other times it was like whiplash; just a pacing issue.
My four stars came because it was a little slow at times and other times it was like whiplash; just a pacing issue.
April 16, 2023
Rating: 4.3⭐️
Hecate’s Hollow is a safe haven for witches, especially for Lemon, her sister, Ruby, and their moms. Years ago, Lemon and her mom settled in the small town after Ruby and her mom helped them escape from Lemon’s abusive father, a descendent of the witch-hunting Hathornes, who possess anti-magic abilities and have amassed wealth and power in the government and within law enforcement, making them nearly untouchable.
Lemon and her family have been living safely in Hecate’s Hollow and running an apothecary to help others and provide natural ingredients and salves. One day, while Lemon and Ruby go to procure ingredients for the shop, Lemon is literally swept off her feet by a beautiful woman, Claudia.
Claudia, as it turns out, is a former witch who was cursed to be a vampire by the angry and possessive boss she stole from and refused to start a relationship with. She sought out Lemon and her abilities in hopes that Lemon can cure her.
Lemon, who’s always wanted to use her magic to help people, agrees to help Claudia. As they get together a rag-tag team of queers to figure out how to cure Claudia and as Lemon begins to trust her, an undeniable magic sparks between the two women. Should Lemon get involved with a woman she just met, who is clearly hiding something and is a freaking vampire?! And can Claudia even be cured?
This was the first book I’ve read by Tallie Rose, and I was definitely not disappointed. I automatically hit Add to Cart when I saw it was a sapphic fairytale retelling. I never read the Snow White and Rose Red fairytale, but, after a brief scan the Wikipedia summary, I definitely saw the inspiration.
I loved the found family aspect of the story, and Lemon and Claudia’s chemistry was palpable. There were a couple of places were I got confused at what was happening, but overall, the plot and the characters’ relationships.
I’ll definitely be checking out more of Tallie Rose’s books!
Hecate’s Hollow is a safe haven for witches, especially for Lemon, her sister, Ruby, and their moms. Years ago, Lemon and her mom settled in the small town after Ruby and her mom helped them escape from Lemon’s abusive father, a descendent of the witch-hunting Hathornes, who possess anti-magic abilities and have amassed wealth and power in the government and within law enforcement, making them nearly untouchable.
Lemon and her family have been living safely in Hecate’s Hollow and running an apothecary to help others and provide natural ingredients and salves. One day, while Lemon and Ruby go to procure ingredients for the shop, Lemon is literally swept off her feet by a beautiful woman, Claudia.
Claudia, as it turns out, is a former witch who was cursed to be a vampire by the angry and possessive boss she stole from and refused to start a relationship with. She sought out Lemon and her abilities in hopes that Lemon can cure her.
Lemon, who’s always wanted to use her magic to help people, agrees to help Claudia. As they get together a rag-tag team of queers to figure out how to cure Claudia and as Lemon begins to trust her, an undeniable magic sparks between the two women. Should Lemon get involved with a woman she just met, who is clearly hiding something and is a freaking vampire?! And can Claudia even be cured?
This was the first book I’ve read by Tallie Rose, and I was definitely not disappointed. I automatically hit Add to Cart when I saw it was a sapphic fairytale retelling. I never read the Snow White and Rose Red fairytale, but, after a brief scan the Wikipedia summary, I definitely saw the inspiration.
I loved the found family aspect of the story, and Lemon and Claudia’s chemistry was palpable. There were a couple of places were I got confused at what was happening, but overall, the plot and the characters’ relationships.
I’ll definitely be checking out more of Tallie Rose’s books!
March 3, 2023
fantastic
A tale filled with fear, trauma and strong will. There are still places that one can live to feel protected and be able to live free to love, to grow and feel supported. Not everywhere in life has the evils of the world.
A tale filled with fear, trauma and strong will. There are still places that one can live to feel protected and be able to live free to love, to grow and feel supported. Not everywhere in life has the evils of the world.
January 23, 2023
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a story with a hot vampire. I think my favorite part was the type of magic abilities there were in the book. Everyone seemed to have something a little different and it wasn't your typical stuff. Hecate's Hollow should be a real place because I'd love to visit. I loved the sibling relationship between Lemon and Ruby as well. All in all, I'm totally checking out more of this author's works.
January 30, 2023
TLDR: A story of trauma, fear, and forgiveness that is a must-read.
The synopsis for this book, like the main character, is unassuming. It’s about a twenty-something character called Lemon, and her attempt to remove the vampire curse placed on Claudia. This sounds like the beginning of a Hallmark movie, which the author is well aware of, but it is more beautiful and complicated and worthy of your time than that. The plot is fun and, thankfully, gives the characters more to focus on than romance.
So, it stands to reason that I adore it when writers are self-aware. This author has taken on half of vampire media - from Twilight to Dracula - and made a mockery of them. Which is much appreciated. Many other cheeky references to pop culture appear throughout the story. It brings needed levity to dire circumstances.
And oh, yes, things get very dark. It’s not gothic, but it certainly dips in and out of the macabre. The theme is a revolving door of trauma, fear, and forgiveness and thusly demands a lot from its characters. Fortunately, the entire cast is well-rounded, charismatic, and likable. And that’s even more fortunate for readers considering that it’s going to take a village to tackle the climax.
Furthermore, while it’s subtle, there is an underlying social commentary on government, politics, and the abuse of power.
I hesitate to leave constructive criticism because I really enjoyed this book. But, I’m nothing if not thorough. I reported as many typos as I could find to Amazon because I enjoy helping lesser-known authors. So, sure, there’s an occasional hiccup in the text. However, the bigger sin is that the main character is repetitive with her insistence that she never wants to leave the town she lives in. Obviously, it’s important to reestablish facts as the plot progresses. Readers need the occasional refresher. It just happens too often.
Regardless, this was a joy to read from beginning to end. Though I may have puzzled out the big reveal, I had absolutely no idea how the book would end. I appreciate that this book shakes up tropes.
The synopsis for this book, like the main character, is unassuming. It’s about a twenty-something character called Lemon, and her attempt to remove the vampire curse placed on Claudia. This sounds like the beginning of a Hallmark movie, which the author is well aware of, but it is more beautiful and complicated and worthy of your time than that. The plot is fun and, thankfully, gives the characters more to focus on than romance.
So, it stands to reason that I adore it when writers are self-aware. This author has taken on half of vampire media - from Twilight to Dracula - and made a mockery of them. Which is much appreciated. Many other cheeky references to pop culture appear throughout the story. It brings needed levity to dire circumstances.
And oh, yes, things get very dark. It’s not gothic, but it certainly dips in and out of the macabre. The theme is a revolving door of trauma, fear, and forgiveness and thusly demands a lot from its characters. Fortunately, the entire cast is well-rounded, charismatic, and likable. And that’s even more fortunate for readers considering that it’s going to take a village to tackle the climax.
Furthermore, while it’s subtle, there is an underlying social commentary on government, politics, and the abuse of power.
I hesitate to leave constructive criticism because I really enjoyed this book. But, I’m nothing if not thorough. I reported as many typos as I could find to Amazon because I enjoy helping lesser-known authors. So, sure, there’s an occasional hiccup in the text. However, the bigger sin is that the main character is repetitive with her insistence that she never wants to leave the town she lives in. Obviously, it’s important to reestablish facts as the plot progresses. Readers need the occasional refresher. It just happens too often.
Regardless, this was a joy to read from beginning to end. Though I may have puzzled out the big reveal, I had absolutely no idea how the book would end. I appreciate that this book shakes up tropes.
July 8, 2025
this book TRULY did not do it for me. i feel like it barely constituted a rose red and snow white retelling - and i had to search a decent amount before i found out that was the retelling it was trying to be in the first place.
everybody talked like they were in a teen drama or a CW show despite everyone being in their early to mid 20s, the twist was predictable and the smut, travel scenes and fight scenes were messy, hard to follow and uninteresting.
it has a nice message at the end, and i slightly enjoyed the ancillary cast who lived in the town, but everything felt so surface level. this might hit the mark for some people, but this was an absolute slog for me. cannot recommend in good conscience tbqh
everybody talked like they were in a teen drama or a CW show despite everyone being in their early to mid 20s, the twist was predictable and the smut, travel scenes and fight scenes were messy, hard to follow and uninteresting.
it has a nice message at the end, and i slightly enjoyed the ancillary cast who lived in the town, but everything felt so surface level. this might hit the mark for some people, but this was an absolute slog for me. cannot recommend in good conscience tbqh
December 12, 2022
Great book! The characters are all amazing. Also I like how there's a theme of the power of the community since a lot of marginalized folks rely on the community to help each other out, since the government fails them. 10/10 would recommend.
December 30, 2022
This was a very good paranormal romance book. I will be looking forward to reading more of Tallie Rose's books.
The book has it all from vampire and witches to mystery and romance. I enjoyed the journey that Lemon and Claudia take as the two work together to help break Claudia's curse. There is a surprise twist that answers a lot of the mystery surrounding Claudia and adds to the plot of the story. Overall a very good book.
The book has it all from vampire and witches to mystery and romance. I enjoyed the journey that Lemon and Claudia take as the two work together to help break Claudia's curse. There is a surprise twist that answers a lot of the mystery surrounding Claudia and adds to the plot of the story. Overall a very good book.
December 8, 2022
Oh my good lord. I will not spoil anything but the pacing, the storyline, the characters - THE TWIST?? Absolutely incredible. Also it's gay as hell so if I could add more stars, I would.
The characters feel so REAL and complex and sympathetic.
My only complaint is I want an epilogue that shows the boring day to day life after the events where everyone is happy :)
The characters feel so REAL and complex and sympathetic.
My only complaint is I want an epilogue that shows the boring day to day life after the events where everyone is happy :)
December 29, 2022
I want to experience this for the first time again
I truly enjoyed this easy, breezy tale. Finished in a day. Immediately pre-ordered Tallie Rose's next upcoming title.
More than gorgeous cursed vampire women and witches with grit and talent though, I felt the love story for a Hollow that holds the best of everything small town. The story shines because of it!
I truly enjoyed this easy, breezy tale. Finished in a day. Immediately pre-ordered Tallie Rose's next upcoming title.
More than gorgeous cursed vampire women and witches with grit and talent though, I felt the love story for a Hollow that holds the best of everything small town. The story shines because of it!
December 28, 2023
DNF, really wanted to like this book, I mean it’s a sapphic fairy tale retelling for gods sake. However, the mc had literally no personality, this could have been told from the point of view of a brick and made little difference. Also, the dialogue in this book was so clunky and unrealistic. Could have been great if it had a couple more drafts.
March 29, 2023
I wanted to like this book. The premise is interesting and the plot points are compelling.
However, I struggled reading this. I thought the pacing was off and the characters felt more like tropes than developed people. Loads of cliches and even some no -consensual blood sucking.
However, I struggled reading this. I thought the pacing was off and the characters felt more like tropes than developed people. Loads of cliches and even some no -consensual blood sucking.
April 24, 2023
DNF
A sapphic Snow White retelling.
There is no world building and the author kind of just thrusts you into the thick of things. I felt confused and like I was drunk.
Rating: ⭐️
Spice: ???
POV: Solo 3rd
A sapphic Snow White retelling.
There is no world building and the author kind of just thrusts you into the thick of things. I felt confused and like I was drunk.
Rating: ⭐️
Spice: ???
POV: Solo 3rd
July 2, 2024
This was an entertaining listen. There isn't too much drama, nor did the author focus too much attention on the negative events in the story, which was really nice. The narrator did a good job. She has a silky voice.
Book - 3
Narrator - 5
Book - 3
Narrator - 5
April 19, 2023
Starts a little rough tbh, maybe needed some better editing for plot clarity, but I was into it by the end.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews