House of Hollow

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

Stacks of Strange Book Club Pick: MayPeppathon 2021: mixed reviews, trope you dislike, horror, & savage main characterBuzzword-a-thon May Pick: House or Home

I absolutely adored this book. House of Hollow was so hyped in my circle of bookish friends, and it started off so strong I was scared I wouldn't like the direction it went. But trust me it didn't disappoint.

House of Hollow is an urban fairytale inspired by the Grimm brothers that is straight up unputdownable. There was always something pulling me in whether it was the writing, the mystery, or the action. I always wanted to keep reading. We follow the three Hollow sisters who disappeared New Year's Eve 10 years prior. A month later the three girls reappear out of thin air, naked, with no memory of what occurred, and with a moon shaped scar at their base of their throats. Nobody could figure out what happened to them and theories about what could have possibly occurred started swirling on the internet for years to come. The girls came back changed which impacted their family forever. In present day we follow the youngest sister, Iris, and her other sister Viv as they begin investigating the recent disappearance of their oldest sister, which is reminiscent of what happened to them years ago.

The biggest thing that stood out to me in this book was obviously the writing. It was so lyrical and whimsical but is a horrifying way. The way the prose was string together was beautiful but also gross and terrifying at the same time. The writing also incorporated a lot of nature elements which I really loved. I know some people think the writing was repetitive, but I think it was just the perfect amount.

Krystal Sutherland was able to create one of the creepiest and unsettling books I've read. The way she twisted things we generally see as beautiful and innocent into demonic and grotesque was stunning. I was actually anxious while reading this which is not something I feel often when reading.

Within only a couple hundred pages, there were so many layers backed into this book. There was the extremely horrifying mystery, grief, and sister relationships. This story is absolutely brilliant in the way it was woven together, and I just loved every second of reading it. The ending had me absolutely shook and mind blown! This book is incredibly haunting, and it will definitely stick with me for a long time.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books, Krystal Sutherland, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: blood, gore, violence, murder, attempted murder, death, death of a loved one, self-harm, suicide, body horror, attempted sexual assault, PTSD, and alcoholism