Hollow (A Gothic Shade of Romance, #1) (2024)

[dnf’ed @ 10%]

(before y’all come at me pls know that this is my PERSONAL opinion & preferences.)

he took her virginity when she was 15 and he’s 18… and then he left her. that’s the cue for me to dnf it bc i will definitely end up disliking/hating brom 😁 (kat & brom are childhood friends but that doesn’t make the scene any better and it’s still uncomfortable

“I would die to kiss you right now,” he says, leaning in closer, his charcoal eyes burning on my lips. “And I would happily accept that death.”

a VERY spicy, why choose, retelling of sleepy hollow. the cozy, spooky autumnal vibes of this book were 10/10, and the plot was 8/10, but Karina’s spice scenes are a little too much for me - THATS A PERSONAL PREFERENCE THO i’m not much of a dark romance/smut girly so take that with a grain of salt. and Crane felt a smidge predatory to me. however, if you took out the spice scenes, you would still have a solid plot and I would’ve rated it higher. will continue with the next book simply because I need to know what happens.

runyx added this to her tbr so i added it to my tbr

God, I’m such a sucker for retellings…and this October I learned that I’m an absolute whor* for Sleepy Hollow retellings!!! This one is my favorite so far. Come on, Brom Bones, Katrina Van Tassel, AND Ichabod Crane?! Me likey. Especially since they’re all witches. Did I get ahead of myself? Let me rewind.

Katrina is the apple of her father’s eye, and when he died, it left a void in her life. Specifically, a void usually filled by someone who loves her and has her best interests at heart. It seems as though her mother may not, but that’s just speculation. She’s been betrothed to Brom since birth, a pact between Brom’s parents and Sarah, Katrina’s mother. But after spending their lives growing up together, Katrina and Brom don’t really have a problem with it. Until Brom disappears when he’s 18. And doesn’t reappear for four years.

In the meantime, though broken hearted, Katrina has been living her life. Most recently, she’s been sent to the mysterious academy to hone her magic, where she meets brooding and handsome Professor Crane. Naturally, they become close, but everything grinds to a halt when Brom shows up from the ether, with no memory of where he has been or why. But he remembers one thing. He loves Katrina, and he’s not pleased to see her with Crane.

There is a supernatural/paranormal element at play, and of course the Headless Horseman we all hate to love, but I think I’ll keep the mystery alive. Suffice it to say, I’m salivating for book two to come out next week. I need more Crane/Katrina/Brom, and I need them in the form of a sandwich and STAT!

—gothic romance
—MF and MM romance (book two will be MMF)
—dark academia
—witchy
—perfect for spooky season
—second chance
—age gap

Karina Halle just knows how to write an absolutely thrilling gothic romance. With witches, ghosts, oh my, Hollow was a wonderful start to the spooky season with its suspense, spice, twist and just overall plot.

*I’m giving it 3.75/5 stars because I wasn’t drawn in to this story (wasn’t as connected) as other works I’ve read by Karina. There was something missing that I couldn’t put my finger on. And the part at the beginning with two of the characters did not sit right with me with the age difference.*

But other than that, I really did enjoy myself with Hollow. It kicked off my October TBR perfectly, and I cannot wait for book two. I love Karina’s work, and her writing style and cannot wait to get more of Kat, Brom, and Crane. They are absolutely delicious.

Check TW and enjoy!

Just in time for spooky season, Karina Halle drops a MMF romance loosely based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This was goooood!

This was the perfect amount of creepy and smutty. The book definitely leaves you with more questions than answers, but luckily this is a duet, so I'm assuming all of the answers will come in the next book. I was happy with the way this book ended. That last chapter was !!!!

I really enjoyed the world-building. I also loved that none of the characters were particularly stupid. I liked that they were all at least somewhat aware that the Sisters and Kat's mother are definitely part of the evil plot. I also really appreciated getting some insight on Brom's acceptance of being interested in men, particularly as the story is set in the 1800s. It seems like both Crane and Brom had to go through that self-discovery, and I appreciated that it was recognized/readers got background on their bi-awakening.

I know some readers chose to DNF because Brom and Kat first have sex when he was 18 and she was 15. I understand that decision completely. Obviously, I am not excusing this scene or justifying it. I personally tried to keep in mind that this book is set in the 1800s, and Kat and Brom were best friends who had known and loved each other their whole life (and Brom was a victim of sexual assault by a pastor and they're betrothed to be married). It's a Karina Halle book, so there are always some darker parts that might be triggering for some, so readers should keep in mind.

In true Karina Halle fashion, this book has a truly shocking smut moment that I promise that you will never see elsewhere. When Crane started jerking off Brom when Brom was in his headless horsem*n form (aka he had NO HEAD ON HIS BODY), I was like holy sh*t this is weird...although disclaimer that it did not continue to completion LOL

Anyways, I'll read the next book. It was good and perfect for Halloween season.

spooky season, spicy, mmf sleepy hollow with hot witches and creepy mysteries.

i am obsessed. i need book two now.

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

Karina Halle's Hollow is like stepping into a world where desire and mystery dance hand in hand, drawing from the eerie legend of Sleepy Hollow. The trio of characters—Kat, Brom, and Crane—each have their own magnetic pull, creating a web of intriguing secrets and relationships.

“You may be getting under my skin, sweet witch. I won’t hide that from you. You’re unraveling all the threads that have been holding me together.”

While Kat and Crane's connection takes center stage, Brom's enigmatic presence hints at even more depth, leaving us hungry for what comes next. Hollow strikes a perfect balance between romance, otherworldly intrigue, and spine-tingling suspense. The atmosphere envelops you in a chilling embrace, firmly rooting you in the heart of Sleepy Hollow.

“He might be the devil, and so this might be Hell. But why does Hell feel so good?”

The intimate moments are passionate and unforgettable. Halle ignites the pages with desire and connection, adding an extra layer of heat to the tale. In Hollow, Karina Halle crafts a world where passion and fear intertwine, making hearts race from both fiery encounters and the lurking shadows. I'm dying to dive into the sequel, Legend.

4.5⭐️ So spooky and spicy! I had a lot of fun with this one.

Hollow is a gothic, dark academia retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and it’s perfect to read for spooky season. I didn’t expect to actually be creeped out, but I was! I wouldn’t say it’s scary, but it definitely made me shiver once or twice.

This book is a multi POV. Kat (19) is sent to attend the Sleepy Hollow Institute, which is a mysterious magical school for witches. She catches the eye of her handsome professor, Ichabod Crane. Her childhood bestie, Brom, has been missing for 4 years but he suddenly returns, and he attends the Institute as well. It’s all very dramatic and mysterious, I ate it up.

The vibes of this story were so dark and mysterious, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Such a fun reading experience.

There are MM/MF spicy scenes in this one, setting up a MMF situation. It’s hot hot hot!

I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

THANK YOU Karina for the gifted copy🖤

Getting started on Spooky season with this delicious and mysterious romance by the one and only Karina Halle!
🧙 Professor and Student
🌙Witches and ghosts
🧙Spooky and full of mystery
🌙Dark Academia
🧙MF and MM (with the second book hoping for MMF)
🌙 Amnesia/Possession
🧙Kinky with D/S vibes

Katrina Von tassel comes from a line of witches. Under her moms thumb, she does whatever she says even if she’s elusive about who she is, what she is, and the things she does at night….

Ichabod Crane is the new professor at Sleepy Hollow Institute. Also a witch, he realizes this academy is holding secrets. The magic here feels dark. And he’s seeing bloody ghost that go bump in the night.
What in hell is happening?

Brom Bones. Kat’s childhood best friend and lover. Also been in an arranged marriage to Kat since she was born.
But he went missing. For four years.
And he’s back without memory of where he went or why…

Strange things are happening in this Sleepy Hollow town. It’s year 1875. The history and rumors of this town starts now….

I really do fall in love with all of this authors books. But this one is totally spooky and steamy and full of mystery. I absolutely love the atmosphere that Karina Halle built for us. It’s a hot and steamy throuple romance and I’m all here for it!

Spooky, Victorian, why choose? Yes! A sleepy hollow retelling?! Double yes!

This story has everything it advertised and more. I struggled a bit with the story because I personally am not a fan of the teacher student trope (personal preference) and trying to read it during the chaos that was the week of my wedding made it hard for me to focus on the story. There were some moments where i had trouble connecting to the characters or found their responses to situations unbelievable but overall i thought the story was enjoyable and would recommend to anyone looking for a spicy spooky book.

I loved this Sleepy Hollow retelling. I will tell you I watched Sleepy Hollow such a long time ago, that I don’t really remember it. Other than Johnny Depp being his amazing self and Christina Ricci being gorgeous.

I had to set those images aside to enjoy this book. The Crane, Kat, and Brom I think of in my head are not the same as the movie versions. They're much taller and more muscular...

The spice in this book was ON POINT. Ms. Halle never disappoints with the spicy scenes. If you're looking for a spicy intriguing love story, go no further. This is it.

This why choose romance felt like such a good start to spooky season and I absolutely loved it. It was so atmospheric and I loved the academia setting! I also really enjoyed the underlying mystery that drive the plot forward…the spice and steam was great, but I loved the twists and turns of the story! Def recommend if you are looking for a steamy romance to kick off spooky season. This is a duet and book two comes out at the end of this month, so no long waits between books 🙌

Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a book for spooky season, then look no further as this book is the PERFECT read for that.

From the prologue this book had me on the edge of my seat, I mean I physically couldn’t put this book down. I read it in one sitting👀

This book follows Kat who is a young and growing witch who lives in Sleepy Hollow. Now two things you should know about going into this book is not everything is as it seems and be careful who you trust.

Kat was betrothed to her best friend Brom since birth and they were supposed to marry when she became of age but Brom mysteriously goes missing years before that is supposed to happen. Years later Kat attends a witchy university that is ran by her mysterious aunts (and let me say I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them- the. Vibes were off from the get-go) that is also located in her hometown.

It should be noted also that this school has a secret charm to it as in you will forget all about the school and what you learn if you leave the grounds but this of course doesn’t seem to effect Kat nor her new professor Crane (yes we have a teacher student relationship). A main reason for this is because when Kat and her new professor first meet they feel a connection or a sort of link between them (the reason for this is also revealed later in the book)

Now things get really spooky for both Kat and Crane as the book develops, but what’s most mind blowing of all is remember how Brom went missing? Yeah he just randomly turns up one day without a clue what has happened over the last 4 years he was missing… I mean weird right👀

I’ve said it before and I’ll said it again Karina knows what she’s doing when it comes to spice because there is some steamy moments that I’ll think about a lot from this book😅

I don’t want to spoil anything as it will take away from the book but if you love the following then I would definitely add this to your list:
- Dark gothic romance
- Witch Romance
- MMF
- Teacher x Student, childhood friends to lovers
- Twists/Turns
- Spice 🌶️

I had so many questions that I NEEDED to be answered and while this book originally was supposed to be a standalone Karina has made it a duet which will be out the end of October and let me just tell you I cannot wait to see where Kat, Brom and Cranes story will conclude.

Thank you so much to the author for providing this e-arc for my honest review✨

this is MY personal opinion: I picked this up bc “The legend of sleepy hollow” is one of my favorites movies but didn’t know it was a throuple and I absolutely never read the “why choose” trope (yeah I know is famous now and all but I prefer to bath my eyes in acid than read it) so yep definitely not for me

I have no idea wtf I just read. Dark academia/gothic/spooky vibes. A super twisted tale of Sleepy Hollow that I absolutely ✨ate up✨

I've learned my lesson: this author's writing just isn't for me. I've had issues in the past with a couple of her books, but I was intrigued by the premise of this and thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately the setting and headless horseman lore wasn't enough to save the book.

Right off the bat, there's a sex scene between the fmc at 15 years old and an 18 year old. That should have been enough for me to dnf the book, honestly.

Both male love interests are off-putting, full of red flags (and not the fun ones we like to ignore as dark romance readers 😈), and I didn't think they had any chemistry with the fmc.

The plot goes into entirely too many directions and absolutely ✨️nothing✨️ is solved or answered by the end of the book. Yes, I know this is a duet and more is to come, but there are just too many loose threads to make this book feel like it was anything but a waste of time.

3.5⭐️ 2.5🌶️

I wanted to love this so much more than I did because I love Karina Halle’s other books but I just could not get into this 🥺

Blood orange was a 5⭐️ read for me, but this just didn’t quite give me the same feeling 😭

I was quite confused for pretty much the whole entire book… I’m not familiar with the sleepy hollow legend but I do feel good story telling shouldn’t require me to know the story prior, unfortunately I just felt so confused!

I loved the spooky vibes, very witchy and haunting, lots of spells, creepy schools, etc I was enjoying the beginning of the book a lot more than the end of it

I also felt like Kat & Cranes relationship never really developed one minute there’s lust between them the next minute they have feelings for each other but there wasn’t a point where they truly spent time together I felt where I thought oh wow they’re clicking?

The tropes are forbidden love, teacher/student, age gap, paranormal

All great tropes but I think they weren’t explored with enough depth

And also.. Brom’s return didn’t have enough of an affect on me as I felt it was supposed to, which I think made the second half of the book underwhelming for me as I was expecting more from that part of the plot!

(I feel like I’ve slated it, the writing is actually great! But the characters are lacking 🙁)

When I heard that Karina Halle was writing a collection of gothic retellings, I became an immediate yes girl. And for the first story to be a why choose Sleepy Hollow retelling? I needed this like a spooky drug in my veins.

Hollow is the gothic romance retelling where Kat Van Tassel doesn't have to choose between Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones. Delicious, right? This is the first book in a duet with the conclusion, Legend, set to release October 30th.

Katrina is a witch, arranged to marry her childhood best friend Brom. That is, until he vanishes mysteriously. Years later, at the age of 17, Katrina embarks on her first year of school at Sleepy Hollow Institute to appease her mother. It's here where she meets Ichabod Crane, a dashing and flirtatious professor that quickly inspires Kat beyond a thirst for education. But when Brom returns with no recollection of the years he's lost, it's clear something is very wrong in Sleepy Hollow...

“I can only pretend to be a proper teacher for so long before the urges come out to plat. The urge to be her teacher in other ways.”

This was a really easy, spooky and entertaining adventure! It's nostalgic and familiar, but at the same time completely refreshing and enchanting. And the spooky vibes are on point!

I love how Halle took common romance tropes and reworked them with her classic flare of eccentricity. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't giggling throughout this story at the sheer ridiculousness of some of it... but this is exactly what I've come to expect (and love) from Halle's books!

“It can be terrifying living in a world that is primed to not accept who you truly are.”

I believe this is Halle's first why choose romance and though this book only brings us the beginning of their relationship, I thought she did a great job of balancing the emotions of all characters involved. There is still that feral level of possessiveness that we know and love in dark(ish) romance, but it's balanced with a unique respect for the other characters and a willingness to work together — not only on their dynamic, but on the mystery to be solved.

“Sometimes you can’t face the fire until you’re pushed right into the flames.”

I do wish this would have been a standalone rather than a duet, as I felt things were getting quite juicy and interesting at the end... Having said that, I really enjoyed the direction and I am very excited to read the conclusion because I have questions that need answers!

[I will say that I have no idea how Katrina will not be pregnant by the end of Legend based on the behaviours of all characters involved in this throuple and the lack of contraception.]

Ultimately, I recommend this to romance readers looking for a refreshing retelling that is light and entertaining but also perfectly themed for spooky season.

I am so grateful to have received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sleepy Hollow but steamy

This book is a retelling of the classic legend “sleepy hollow” but with a nice steamy twist. This book about a very prominent family in the community and the secrets that seems to involve them. This book follows Katrina (Kat) into womanhood and her best friend / future husband Brom everything is perfect until he disappears and this is where the story starts. Kat meets her professor the notable Ichabod Crane and just starts to discover herself. This book has some very steamy and hot scenes not suitable for minors. I can’t wait to read book 2!

Damn! Sleepy Hollow got sexy!! This was such a good read. Dark but not too dark and super gripping. Loved the mystery, the tension. A perfect spooky season delight

Can we take a second to acknowledge that Karina has an entire passage at the beginning of the book about how there is a scene between a 15//18 year old and how, in the 1800's where this book takes place, that it was not illegal but to either skip it or go into it knowing what's going to happen if it's triggering to you?? Really not understanding the 1 & 2 star reviews because of this scene. It's on YOU if you don't check triggers, she tried to warn you.

Anyway - 3.5 because, although I LOVE Karina Halle's way with a Gothic romance, this one just felt disconnected for me. More telling than showing. Most of the dialogue felt forced, I'm not sure how else to explain it. I just didn't love it as much as her other work.

4.5 stars

No one writes fantasy romance quite like Karina, I really enjoyed this and can't wait for the sequel, has tons of witchy spooky vibes!

・❥・DNF at 10% ✧.*

I saw that this was a sleepy hollow romance and without looking at the synopsis automatically started reading the book. I should have read the synopsis. One of the romance tropes that gives me major ick is a teacher/student romance. I realized like two chapters in that this book was way too confusing not to have read the synopsis which is where I realized my issue to come.

I instantly DNF’ed and will not be continuing. I don’t want to give a review either since I didn’t even make it that far. I think for certain people this is amazing, just not me.

4⭐️
2🌶️

Tropes:
•why choose
•gothic paranormal
•age gap
•mmf
•second chance

Thoughts:

This is perfect for spooky season! I accidentally didn’t finish it for the longest time. I was on page like 260 for a couple months when I thought I finished it 🤦🏻‍♀️

But this book was so fun! I had such a fun time reading it. I am such a sucker for like an academy learning setting. This was my first Karina Halle book and it def didn’t disappoint!

This was definitely a darker, creepier and smuttier version of the legend of Sleepy Hollow that I was totally into! This amazing author weaves a tale with incredible imagery and creative world building that keeps us readers captivated and highly entertained from beginning to end.

I always loved the legend of Sleepy Hollow, but the way Karina twists the plot around makes the story feel more sinister, eerier and definitely terrifying. The characters were fantastic and had me utterly enthralled with them.

Plus, the smut contained within the pages of this story was kinky, passionate and deliciously hot.

I enjoyed part one of this duet. It was filled with suspense, action, mystery, otherworldly intrigue, secrets, passion and spice. The story had my heart racing and my adrenaline pumping the whole way through. I can’t wait to read the second part.

“Sometimes you can’t face the fire until you’re pushed right into the flames.”

“𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒆𝒃.”

Thank you Karina Halle and RRS, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

𝐐: Have you reached your reading goal already? Because I realized that Hollow was the last book for my goal and it was a 5 ⭐, so yay! Celebration!

The story of 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 is both familiar and new. The wonderful Ms. Halle is in her spooky gothic romance era and I'm so here for it!

For her first book in ‘A Gothic Shade or Romance’ series, we are treated with a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow where Katrina Van Tassel doesn’t have to choose between Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones and there are worse things haunting them than the headless horseman.

Karina has created a perfect atmospheric read for this fall and you will easily fall in love with the chemistry that Kat, Brom and Crane share between each other. The spice and plot was there and the mystery aspect is ever present. What I especially enjoyed was Brom's pov - you can clearly see his chaotic thoughts and him questioning everything, everyone, and himself. My sad, pretty boy🥺

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
✨ Why Choose
✨ MM/MF
✨ Childhood Friends to Lovers
✨ Professor x Student x2
✨ Age Gap
✨ Second Chance Romance
✨ One Horse/Touch her and ☠️
✨ Who did this to you/Did I did this to you?
✨ Paranormal and Spooky/Twists & Turns
✨ Different Kinks
✨ Great Spotify Playlist
✨ & more.

𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝 (conclusion to this duet) comes out on October 30th. I CAN'T WAIT! Also - imagine the spice we will get!! Oh lord.. 🧎‍♀️

Great spicy take on the headless horseman/sleepy hollow story. Ends in a bit of a cliffhanger but satisfying enough (for now). Next part comes out in October.

My feelings about "Hollow" by Karina Halle are as intricate as a web spun in the Sleepy Hollow woods.
First, the writing style was a bit of a rollercoaster, swinging between moments of brilliance and others that felt somewhat lackluster, which, truth be told, proved to be a significant distraction.

In the book's favor, the premise was undeniably intriguing. The level of suspense and eeriness woven into the story reached commendable heights, particularly in the scenes where poor Ichabod Crane found himself in rather unsettling situations in his chamber. The way these moments were written shows a certain elegance that deserves recognition.

However, here's where things get a bit tricky. The main plot lost its momentum all too swiftly due to the abundance of spicy content. These steamy encounters, while not devoid of their merits, lacked finesse in their execution, ultimately feeling somewhat rushed. The sizzle between Kat and Crane and the dynamic between Kat and Brom might've benefited from a bit more build-up.

And then there were the dialogues – a bit forced at times, with moments that ventured into cringe-worthy territory. Plus, the insertion of modern micro-tropes, like terms such as daddy or be a good little witch, in a setting as distant as 1875 Sleepy Hollow seemed, well, a tad misplaced. I'm not insisting on historically accurate language and word choice, but not every micro-trope needs to be shoehorned into a spicy retelling just because it's popular. But that's obviously a “me” thing.

Moreover, it's evident that considerable effort went into developing the two male main characters, giving them depth and complexity. Regrettably, the same cannot be said for the FMC, Kat. It seemed like with Kat, the approach was more about telling rather than showing, making her appear like a silhouette of a character full of ambiguities.

At this point, Halle could have devoted more attention to developing the characters and gradually building up the central plot and romantic tension between the main characters.

The suspense aspect of the story was very well done and deserving of a 4.5-star rating. However, the smut had a polarizing effect on my overall experience with the book. As a result, I have decided to give it a three-star rating. I am hoping that “Legend” will provide the answers and the much-needed character development that I was looking for.