Hollow: A Novel

By Ava Conway

Girl, Interrupted meet Beautiful Disaster in this thrilling and sexy debut novel, in which a college student learns her perfect life is a lie and finds new love where she least expects it—a mental institution.

Freaks, misfits, and psychopaths. Those are the kinds of people found at Newton Heights Psychiatric Hospital, and high-society girl Lucy White’s new home.

Freaks, misfits, and Jayden McCray. Jayden has his own set of rules for life at Newton Heights, and in this enigma, Lucy finds a way to live with the events that left her cheating boyfriend and best friend dead—and Lucy in the middle of the investigation into their demise.

The problem? Jayden makes her want things she’s not supposed to have, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality and making Lucy feel more at home in Newton Heights than she ever did at home. But this isn’t how her life is supposed to be…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pocket Star
• Release date: Aug 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781476773360

Ava Conway

At fourteen, Ava Conway snuck her first romance novel into bed and read it by flashlight. There she met her first “book boyfriend” and has been hooked on reading ever since. When she’s not writing, she’s stumbling through her Zumba class, obsessing over the latest P!nk song, or feeding her addiction to reality television. She lives in central Massachusetts.

Book preview

ONE

I STARED at the watermelon-colored liquid in the bottom of my paper cup and wondered how my life had gotten so fucked up. Here I was, pickling my brain with vodka punch in the corner of the dance room, while my boyfriend did God-only-knew-what with his fraternity brothers. We’d had a fight—again. And he had stormed off—again. This seemed to be the norm for our on-again, off-again relationship.

If that fight had been the only bad thing that happened today, I could’ve dealt with it. Kyle would’ve come around eventually and found some way to make it up to me, I’m sure. Unfortunately, something far worse led me to fight with my boyfriend. It was the same something that made me want to drink the sticky-sweet fraternity punch until the memory of it became a vodka-filled haze.

That afternoon I’d had a surprise visit from my mother. Evidently, I had won a full scholarship to a top-ranked veterinary school in the fall. My mother had made the four-hour drive from Washington, D.C., to Virginia Tech to tell me that all our hard work was paying off and my dreams were coming true.

Or perhaps I should say her dreams were coming true. Mine were irrelevant.

I had tried to tell her that I didn’t want to go to vet school, but she didn’t want to hear about it. In her world, I was going to become a world-renowned veterinarian and help give more credibility to her lobbying efforts for animal rights on Capitol Hill. It didn’t matter that I hated confrontation and felt awkward speaking in front of a group. All that mattered was that I’d be carrying on the family legacy and making my parents happy.

Learning that my mother had put one more nail into the coffin of my future was enough to change my mind about going to my boyfriend’s fraternity party. I needed a drink.

The party didn’t turn out to be as much fun as I had hoped. Kyle had wanted to try sex in the infamous Den of Pleasure at his fraternity house, but I didn’t want to get intimate on a beer-stained mattress in front of a bunch of cheering drunk guys. After a few Jell-O shots, he tried to change my mind. We argued, which led to more shots and more arguing. Our raised voices drew a crowd, and before I realized it, our entire relationship was aired in front of a bunch of drunk college students. Every little mistake, every hurt feeling, was on public display. God, I loathed being the center of attention. Part of me was relieved when Kyle let out a string of swears and staggered off to search for his fraternity brothers. In an hour or two he’d cool off and we’d make up, so I wasn’t worried. His departure caused the small crowd’s attention to be diverted to other, more important things, like drinking and sex, and I was left blissfully alone.

After drinking four cups of punch, I was no closer to telling my mom that I didn’t want to join her lobbying organization, but much closer to going home and crying into my pillow. I tossed my paper cup in the trash and decided to find Kyle so that he could take me home. The fun distraction I had hoped for was an epic fail. Not only did my clothes smell like booze and watermelon, but I was starting to get double vision, a sure sign that I had overindulged.

Holding the punch table for support, I scanned the sea of dancers for my boyfriend. I felt guilty that we had argued, and wanted to make it up to him. Perhaps I’d let him fondle my tits in the car before we headed home. He really wasn’t that bad, despite the constant comparison of me to his fraternity brothers’ girlfriends. Evidently, my ample breasts had slipped me into the number one spot on their hot girlfriends list, giving me the edge over Tanya Capanelli’s backside. Kyle liked to brag about how he got to touch the best tits in the house.

I kept my gaze fixed on the stairway as I wove through the crowd. If Kyle wasn’t dancing, then he was probably in one of the rooms upstairs. With a little luck, he wouldn’t be anywhere near the Den of Pleasure. The thought of him cheering on one of his roommates in some macho fraternity sex game made me ill.

No such luck. After searching all the rooms and interrupting a few make-out sessions, I knew that there was only one place my boyfriend could be.

I steeled my jaw and stared at the closed door in front of me. The Den of Pleasure was nothing more than an extra-large bedroom with balloons taped to the door. A necktie had been tied around the knob, and a sheet of notebook paper had been fixed with Scotch tape in the center at about eye level. The words Den of Pleasure had been scrawled on the paper in marker.

Classy. I couldn’t believe Kyle wanted us to sleep together in that place. It seemed so . . . I don’t know, cheap.

As I approached, I heard the voices of Kyle’s friends.

Ooh, that’s it. Take it off her.

Pinch those tits harder, man. I want to hear her scream.

A giggle rose up from under the door. It sounded familiar.

Bethany? I frowned as I turned the knob and tentatively stepped inside.

I immediately recognized the mass of blond curls and tight orange sweater of my roommate, Bethany, on the bed in the middle of the room. The construction-paper crown on her head made her look like an innocent preschooler, even though I knew that what she was doing was anything but innocent.

She was one of my closest friends, and even though she could be a bit promiscuous, I had never known her to writhe like that in front of an audience. It looked like she was lying on top of something, but her body obstructed my view of what that something was.

Bethany? I tried to get my bearings as I made my way into the dark room. The combined scents of watermelon, beer and sex hit me hard, making me gag. Three of Kyle’s fraternity brothers stood off to one side, all with paper cups in their hands. The room itself was sparsely furnished. I swept my gaze around the open area, taking in the sticky hardwood floors, large metal bed frame and the crude shrine in one corner. It was widely known that the flowers, incense, candles and poster board had been assembled in dedication to the women who had previously participated in the fraternity’s disgusting sex game.

Ooh, look. Kyle’s girlfriend has come to play, said one of the spectators.

Hey! I slapped the hands suddenly appearing at my shoulder and hip. It only fueled their fun. The three boys passed me back and forth, grabbing my chest, ass and hair. My heart pounded against my ribs as I started swaying. Someone grabbed my wrist and twisted it behind my back. I yelped as pain shot up my arm and numbed my brain with fear. One of them tried to kiss me, but I bit his lip when he jammed his mouth against mine.

Stop it, Brad, Bethany said from somewhere behind me. She’s not playing the game. I am.

Go on, Beth. Show us a little girl-on-girl action. One of the three—I couldn’t tell who—shoved me at the smelly mattress.

Bethany rolled out of the way as I crashed onto the bed. Fuck. I covered my face with my hands as the room started spinning. Those vodka punches were going to come up at any moment. I had to get out of there.

Come on, Beth. Don’t disappoint us, someone said.

Yeah, we want to see a threesome, said another.

It was then that I became aware of someone else besides Bethany on the bed. Slowly, I lowered my hands and turned my head to the side.

Kyle? I rotated my head and gaped at Bethany’s guilty expression. Beth?

Suddenly everything was clear. I sat up and ignored the lurching of my stomach.

How could you?

I forced myself to stand. The room dipped, but I held my ground.

Lucy, stop it. We were just having fun, Kyle said.

Having fun? I turned and faced my boyfriend. His shirt was off, revealing the results of his steady beer-and-burger diet. His dirty-blond hair was tousled, and the tip of his cock poked out of his briefs. His yellow construction-paper crown fell off his head and onto the mattress.

Yeah, it didn’t mean anything. Bethany pulled down her sweater and avoided my gaze. We’re just messing around.

You were about to fuck my boyfriend. I waved my hand at the three idiots along the wall. In front of an audience.

Come on, Lucy, you know I’ve always wanted to be part of the shrine.

Yeah, I knew of Bethany’s lofty ambitions, I just never thought she’d pursue them with my boyfriend.

You didn’t want to come up here. Kyle stood and shrugged on his pants. The guys and I were bored. He flashed a knowing grin to his buddies.

Bored? I stared at him as his words sunk into my fuzzy brain. Yesterday, when I had called him on his cell, he said something similar, and I was beginning to wonder if bored was some sort of fraternity code word for horny.

If this is what you do when you’re bored, then we’re done. I held out my hand. Give me the keys.

The keys?

The car keys, you asshole. I’m going home.

He considered me for a moment, then removed his keys from his jeans pocket and handed them over. Think about this, baby. Don’t do anything stupid.

Fuck you. I turned to the three other men in the room and shook my finger at them. All of you.

Hell, yeah, someone said.

I made a noise of disgust and strode purposefully down the stairs.

Lucy, wait. Think about what you’re doing, Bethany’s voice rose up from somewhere behind me, but I didn’t care. My head was swimming and I just wanted another drink. No, I wanted to go home and go to bed. Yes, I wanted to go to sleep and forget that this day ever happened.

I shoved my way through the dancers and marched out the front door.

Lucy, fuck. Be reasonable. Kyle’s drunken curses followed me across the lawn.

I rolled my eyes and stomped across the street to Kyle’s beat-up sedan. My stomach churned as those vodka punches fought for escape.

Why the hell did you give her the keys? I heard Bethany ask.

I didn’t think she’d take them, Kyle answered. His voice sounded hurt, but I was too pissed—and too drunk—to care.

God, you’re so stupid. Lucy!

I jammed my key into the driver’s-side door. It took me three tries to get the stupid thing to fit. All I could think about was how Bethany had planned to fuck my boyfriend so her name could be engraved on some fraternity shrine.

My whole body felt numb as I flung open the car door. Everything spun as I grabbed the metal frame for support and silently ordered my weak stomach to hold together until I got back to the dorm room. Acid burned the back of my throat. I swallowed it down, determined not to make an even bigger fool of myself than I already had.

Oh, no, you don’t. Kyle wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me away from the car. You shouldn’t be driving.

Fuck you. I fought him with everything I had. I hate you. Tears streamed down my face as I beat my arms and legs in the air. My breathing quickened and sweat beaded at my temples. If I could just make contact with his body, I knew I could hit him hard enough so he’d let go of me.

Calm down. Ouch!

I must have hit a sweet spot, because his grip around my waist went slack. I bolted for the driver’s-side door as Bethany started shouting.

Stop it, Lucy. Be reasonable. I can explain.

I paused and turned to her. "Explain what? Why you were going to fuck my boyfriend?" Another crowd was gathering. This was going to be all over the gossip mill in the morning, but I was too drunk to care.

I focused on Bethany, my friend, and shook my head. I don’t want to hear your explanations, thank you very much. I just want to go home. Go home and sleep it off. Hopefully tomorrow morning I’d wake up and learn that this was just some horrible nightmare.

Kyle’s cheating wasn’t a shock. His infidelity was the biggest reason why we kept breaking up and getting back together. He’d cheat. I’d leave him. He’d do something sweet and ask for forgiveness, swearing it was an accident and he couldn’t live without me. I’d pity him and think how nice it felt to be needed by someone and then, before I realized what I was doing, we were back together again. He had cheated twice already—well, three times if you included what had just happened a few minutes ago—and I was tired of his lies and games. This time, we were breaking up for good.

No, it was Bethany’s betrayal that hurt the most right now. She was my closest friend at college—my roommate, for Christ’s sake. It never occurred to me that she’d throw away three years of friendship for a paper crown and a plastic trophy shaped like a penis.

I sat in the driver’s seat as Bethany opened the back door of the sedan and climbed in.

I turned around and scowled at my roommate. What are you doing?

Going home with you. She slammed the door. I’m not leaving until we talk this out.

Get out of the car, Beth.

No.

I fisted my hands. Get out of the fucking car.

The driver’s-side door opened and Kyle’s large frame blocked my exit. He nodded to the passenger’s seat. Move over.

You can’t drive, Kyle. You’re more drunk than she is. Bethany lunged over the gearshift in between the two front seats and grabbed the wheel. I should drive. I’ve only had two drinks. She put her foot on the console and attempted to hoist herself into the front seat.

Two at the party, but three in the dorm room before we left. I shoved her away from the wheel and into the back. She fell sideways into the seat behind me and let out a string of curses.

Get out of my way, Kyle. I grabbed the handle and tried to close the door, but he wedged himself in the opening, stopping my movements.

Move over, he repeated. "This is my car. I’m driving."

Fuck you. I glanced over my shoulder at Bethany. Both of you. I jammed the key in the ignition and noticed that the party had spilled out onto the lawn. Half the school must have been watching us argue. Lovely. Just what I needed, to be the center of attention once more. The clunky sedan sputtered to life, and I slammed my foot on the accelerator.

AFTER I PRESSED the accelerator, things get a little fuzzy, I said.

Hmm . . . The lawyer twirled his monogrammed pen between his fingers and scribbled something into his notebook. The same thing’s written in the police report.

I tried to move my hands, but remembered they were strapped to the bed. After I ripped all the lifesaving tubes out of my arms last night, the hospital staff wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything so stupid again.

Does it look as bad as the papers are suggesting? My father pushed his fingers through his hair, which had turned more salt than pepper since I had gone to college.

The lawyer slapped his notebook shut and slid it into his leather briefcase. You know the media will exaggerate anything to get a story. Although I have to admit, an attempted suicide one week after the accident won’t help her defense. He clicked the briefcase shut with a loud, purposeful snap and smoothed his designer suit. The jury will think she has a guilty conscience.

Come on, honey. Think. My mother drew her neatly trimmed brows together, bringing attention to her large, round eyes. Normally my mother’s baby blues were her best feature, but the clumpy mascara and bronze eye shadow she’d chosen that morning made her look tired and worn out.

There must be something else you remember. Some little bit of information that could help the police drop the charges. She took my hand with her long, manicured fingers. People said that we looked alike, but besides the raven-colored hair and blue eyes, I didn’t see very much in common. It was almost as if we came from two different worlds. Hers was stoic and orderly. Mine was a neurotic mess.

I shook my head and turned to the lawyer. There’s nothing more. My voice sounded hoarse and strained. Probably because of all the tubes they had to jam down my throat while trying to keep me alive.

My father swore and started pacing the hospital room. Even tired he looked magnificent, like some great stallion in an Armani suit. His angular features, tanned skin and outgoing personality drew people to him and made him an outstanding lobbyist. It was a damn shame that it was for show. Only my mom and I knew that the charismatic lobbyist waged an inner war with himself every night, armed with his trusty bottle of bourbon and a Cuban cigar.

Your friend was right. You shouldn’t have been driving that night. The lawyer leaned against the bottom of the bed and arched his brow. None of you should have. The high-handed tone grated on my nerves. All my life I had been trying to live up to my parents’ impossibly high standards. The last thing I needed was this greasy-looking rent-a-lawyer talking to me in such a condescending tone. I opened my mouth to tell him this, but was cut off by my father.

They can’t prove she was driving, he said. The car flipped over and no one was wearing a seat belt.

He’s right. My mother dropped my hand and stood. The other two were thrown from the car.

I know, and that’s why there’s still a chance of overturning the manslaughter charges. The lawyer studied me for a long moment with his beady, green eyes. From day one, I didn’t like this guy. It wasn’t just that he was conceited or condescending, it was how he always seemed to be calculating his next step, as if life was this massive board game and he was playing to win. While I had no doubt that his decisions were the best for him and his law practice, I wondered if they were the best for me.

My mother certainly seemed to think so. She hung on his every word.

What if we send her away to live with extended family for a while? she asked. It will keep her out of the press until things calm down.

No, my father said. We can’t send her out of state while she’s facing charges.

You have no relatives close by? the lawyer asked.

We moved away from them to be closer to work, my mother explained.

I didn’t like how these people were discussing my future as if I wasn’t in the room. I don’t need to hide from the press.

Don’t be silly, Lucy, my mother said. You know we can’t afford the negative publicity right now. If you stay with us, then reporters will set up tents on our lawn, waiting for some crumb of information that they could use to tear us down.

She’s right, unfortunately, my father said. We have to find a way to keep her in state, but out of the public eye until this all blows over.

I’m twenty-two. I can handle myself.

Of course you can, dear, my mother soothed. Now hush, we’re thinking.

The lawyer studied my face. Uneasiness crawled over my skin as his beady eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I’ve got it.

What? my parents both asked at the same time.

The lawyer’s gaze never left mine as he addressed my parents. Is there any history of mental illness in the family?

Of what? My mother stiffened and exchanged glances with my father.

Of mental illness, the lawyer repeated, turning toward her. If there is, I could talk to her doctor about arranging an evaluation while we wait for a court date. He straightened away from the bed railing and began to pace. If we can prove she’s mentally unstable, it would help with the defense. He drummed his fingers together as he walked, as if closing a steel trap.

You want to put my daughter in a loony bin? My mother swayed and grabbed the bed railing.

Not a loony bin—a mental hospital. And only if she needs it. The lawyer cracked his knuckles. The loud noise reminded me of how both of Bethany’s legs had been broken in the crash. Yes, putting her in an upscale institution like Newton Heights until the investigation is over will help gain sympathy for our cause.

Newton Heights. That’s where that celebrity went last year when she announced she was being treated for depression, isn’t it? my father asked.

Yes, but . . . My mother waved her hand in the air, as if struggling to find the right words.

It’s expensive, but for those who can afford the high costs, it offers a sanctuary from the outside world. The lawyer waved his hands to the sides and flashed his slick smile. There’s also a teaching hospital on site, so if she should need physical treatment . . . The implication was clear. If I was ever to try to kill myself again, emergency personnel would be on site to save my life.

Fear sliced through me at the thought of going to Newton Heights. I didn’t want to be locked away with all of the crazy people, like some reject in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. I wasn’t sure what they did to patients at Newton Heights, but if it was anything like that movie, I wanted no part of it.

I’m not going. My voice sounded small and weak to my ears.

You might not have a choice in the matter, kid, the lawyer said. Not if you want to beat these charges.

My father bowed his head and ran his hand over his face. I can’t believe this is happening to us again . . .

Clark—

My father lowered his arm and nodded to me. She’s turning out just like him.

Who? I asked.

The air became thick with tension. I switched my focus from my father to my mother, but neither was willing to expand on my father’s mutterings. Instead they stood there, staring at each other, and I couldn’t help but think that some silent war was being waged in front of me.

"Mom, what’s Dad talking about? I’m turning out like who?" Hair fell into my eyes. I shook my head, trying to remove the offending strands from my field of vision.

Whom, my mother corrected, her gaze still fixed on my father.

I was so convinced Lucy would turn out differently . . . The vein in my father’s temple pulsed, but otherwise his face remained an expressionless mask.

My mother let go of the bed railing and put her hand on my father’s arm. "Clark, she is different—"

Would someone tell me what’s going on? I raised my voice, desperate for some answers.

We can’t keep up appearances under so much scrutiny. My father unfolded his arms and placed his hand over hers.

No.

I tried to sit up, but the restraints forced me back on the pillows. Mom, what’s he talking about?

My mother moved to my side. Not now, Lucy. She swiped the hair from my face and smiled reassuringly. To answer your question, Mr. Jameson, yes, there’s a history of mental illness in the family, but I will die before that information is leaked to the press. Her voice was a sharp contrast to the gentleness of her touch.

There’s no need to tell the press, the lawyer reassured her. Just the doctor. All we need is an evaluation. He glanced at me. Since she’s technically not a minor, we’ll also need her signature.

Leave that to me, my father said.

A disoriented feeling settled into my core as I mentally flipped through all of my extended family members. Who was mentally unstable? I whispered to my mother. Was it Aunt Heather? Cousin Paul?

Not now, Lucy. My mother turned to the lawyer. Her face became a cool, expressionless mask. Will that be all, Mr. Jameson?

The lawyer shifted his gaze between the three of us, as if weighing his options. For now, yes. The police are still going through evidence at the crime scene. They’ll probably want to question her again at some point.

What happens if Lucy’s found guilty? my father asked.

Vehicular manslaughter is a serious crime. It would most likely involve prison time.

My mouth went dry. Prison? I don’t want to go to prison. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of myself behind bars. I wasn’t tough enough to deal with inmates. If I got sent to jail, I’d probably be raped or stabbed or something. Oh God.

Creases of concern marred my mother’s otherwise flawless features. But it was an accident.

How long would she have to stay in prison? my father asked.

It would depend on her mental evaluation and the judgment of the jury. Classical music rose up from the lawyer’s suit pocket. He took out his phone. I have to take this. He nodded to me. Good day, Ms. White. Mr. White. Be sure to call me if the police try to contact you.

I started to feel queasy as the lawyer walked out into the hall. I didn’t want to go to Newton Heights, but I didn’t want to go to jail, either. As I stared at my parents, I felt this weird sense of detachment, like I was in some sort of awful dream. This couldn’t really be happening to me, could it?

My father was the first to break the silence. You can’t stop it from coming out, Marion. Once this goes to trial, the media attention will be intense. They’ve already been rabid for details about the accident. The reporters—

This will never go to trial.

My father sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. I’m too old for this.

My mother placed her hand on my father’s cheek and waited for him to meet her gaze. It will never go to trial, Clark. I promise. We already have our own media people spinning a plausible explanation.

The public will be hungry for more information, and once they start digging, it’s only a matter of time before . . . He glanced at me and cleared his throat. Media spin won’t be enough to sweep this under the blanket. My father covered my mom’s hand and

Reviews for Hollow

[e.a.walsh · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

2.5 stars, and a sad face :(.

When I first picked up this book, I got all three because I was going on a three month sail, so I didn't get around to reading the first book until a few weeks in. Sad face, sad face, and yes you guessed it, sad face. :'(

I love stories about Sleepy Hollow, and I was under the impression that this book would be a modern day retelling or close to it. All I got was a sad punch to the face and a book series that I had to finish or face the fact I wasted closed to $50 on stupidness. (I'm still refusing to face that fact)

There was too much description about the little things, like taking a bath, it took her three pages to take a damn bath. There was no need for it. It took away form the story, and it just became boring filler.

The story itself was way too dragged out, and the big revel, wasn't that big but, at the same time I was left with more questions the answers. Even when I finished the book series, though I must say the third book was better then the other two, I was still left with this unfinished feeling. Like there should have been something more, more feeling, more story, more I don't, I can't pin point it, it's just how I feel.

I really wish I could rewind time and tell my past-self to put the damn books back and move on. I would have saved myself from sad disappointment and a literary black eye to my reader soul.

The Hollow killed my dreams of Sleepy Hollow, now I'm going to watch the movie - 1999- to make my soul happy again.

Bye now. :)

Emily

[issacdiamond · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Hollow was a good book all-in -all. I especially enjoyed the ending.(For once, I didn't see it coming.) Caspian being a ghost, I mean. I think the characters were well written and while the book focused more on romance then ghosts, the writing was entertaing.

[neddieb-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first book in the Hollow series: I read this because of the setting is Sleepy Hollow NY (really exists) and I love Washington Irving. For a first novel, Verday rocked it!

[aj_fairchild · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cover Thoughts:

The cover of The Hollow depicts an intense moment that happens about midway through the book. The colors and image on the cover are deep, gem tones that are very fitting to the nature of the story. Overall, I’d give it an A.

Book Thoughts:

The story begins with Abbey, the main character, trying to deal with the disappearance of her friend, Kristen, and preparing for her funeral. She meets Caspian, and begins to fall in love. But as the story unfolds secrets are revealed that rock Abbey’s world.

While I did enjoy The Hollow and it kept my attention, I feel like it suffered from ‘first novel’ syndrome. You know, there are big plans for a series and the first book is spent explaining a lot, setting up for subsequent books. I LOVED Verday’s writing style, and I think she did a great job conveying the feelings of Abbey throughout the novel. I knew what Caspian would turn out to be from the get go, but it didn’t bother me. The “big reveals” in the story didn’t seem big or revealing enough, but I am hoping as the story continues, more will come together.

As a first novel in a series, I did enjoy it. I also acquired The Haunted, the second novel in the series at the same time and will be reading it soon. I can’t wait to see how the story continues.

Rating: 4/5

[becky_jean_12 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I had a really hard time dragging myself through this book, and weirdly enough, an even harder time coming up with anything to say about it. You'd think I could, seeing as how I obviously didn't like it, but I didn't like it because it was so boring. Considering the blurb, I expected ghosts, mysteries, and general creepiness. Instead, all I got was a blow-by-blow of Abbey and her daily life--she gets up, brushes her teeth, puts on clothes, goes to school, so on--and some vague ghostiness at the end (which was too-little, too-late territory, as far as I'm concerned).

The writing is flat and shallow. If Abbey is supposed to feel sad, she tells the reader she's sad. If she misses Kristen, her dead best friend, she says so. There's no flow or nuance to anything: what you see is what you get. And what you see is a pretty self-centered and boring protagonist. Apparently, Abbey is incapable of feeling more than one emotion at a time, because she's either a.) obsessed with Caspian, her maybe-boyfriend (80% of the book) or b.) sad that her best friend is dead (about 20% of the book). Apparently, the seven stages of grief do not exist in Ms. Verday's world, because these are the two emotions Abbey displays during the entire novel. About the only thing this book had going for it was a creepy setting, which it squandered shamelessly.

[nicola26 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was so unimpressed by this one. It was just so... empty. It was five hundred pages but really could have been condensed down to a short story. I could not identify with or bring myself to like Abbey. She seemed to think she was clever and witty but she just sounded foolish most of the time. The dialogue was forced and flat. A lot of the book consists of Abbey going to bed, taking a nap, complaining about getting out of bed or talking about how she'd like to go back to bed- seriously, she takes a nap every twenty pages or so. It was so dull! I really wasn't feeling the 'relationship' between Abbey and Caspian. He had no real personality and I couldn't figure out what either or them saw in each other. There was literally nothing happening (except Abbey sleeping, eating, going to school) until about the last thirty pages. Overall, it was really void of substance and I'm puzzled about how anyone could find this book compelling.

[sparkleponies · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book but it could have been better. I like the Sleepy Hollow legend and I like it when people make new stories from that story. But it is too reminiscent of Twilight. Mooning teenage girl, mysterious boy, girl is too clueless to see what is really going on.

[belleofthebook_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very rarely does a title grab me the way that The Hollow did, but I couldn't resist a story centered around Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Mourning the loss of her best friend, Abbey is a loner who spends most of her time in a cemetery visiting the grave of Mr. Washington. It is in this place of eternal rest that she meets three people who become important roles in her life: a harmless old man and his wife and a boy with a streak of black hair she falls too quickly for. While the title may have caused the initial intrigue for reading this book, I was encaptured by the plot idea. A quick and easy read, it didn't take me long to get through the entirety of the story. Verday did a great job of casting a beautiful light on a place that is usually filled with so much sadness: the cemetery. However, as I delved further into the story I kept waiting to grasp the meat and potatoes. Unfortunately, the true thickness of the plot doesn't come until literally the end of the book. While the author had a very great concept, her execution was somewhat lacking because she really only brushed the surface of each story element instead of investing into them. I'm hoping that questions are answered in the second one.Overall, The Hollow isn't a bad read. It feels more like a preface to the second novel, but it was intriguing enough for me to continue into the series.

[glamourgirl_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"The Hollow" is an intriguing YA novel inspired by "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Abbey is a young teen girl that is trying to keep herself together after the tragic death of her best friend. She meets Caspian during the process, a mysterious boy with a secret (a secret which the reader does not know, even at the end of the book-- a clear indication that the author was planning to write another). It is a little lengthy for a YA novel, a fact I would have embraced if it had not been so repetitive (easily could have been cut down by 50+ pages). That being said, it is very well-written with clear characters-- a trait most YA novels lack. However, the romance between Abbey and Caspian as well as the mystery of the central storyline are enough to override the minor annoyances throughout the novel (repetition, random scenes, etc.)and will keep you turning the pages into the middle of the night. This is one of those books you don't mind sacrificing sleep for.

[shanons_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I found this book to be completely awesome, for lack of a better word! Although, I do need to get one thing that irked me about this book off of my chest- and that is the fact that Abbey never promts Caspian to give her a straight/concrete answer as to why he was at her friend's after-funeral gathering when she had never seen him before that day, in her life. When asked how he knew Kristen, he basically shrugged off the question and she never once thought about it again. I guess it just bothers me because it should have been a crucial/obvious question to ask him since her funeral was the reason they met and started hanging out in the first place. Yes, we later learn why things went down the way they did, but this piece of unanswered knowledge bothered me until I finally got the information I was looking for in the end. Speaking of the end, I was floored (in a good way) by everything I read in the last few chapters of this book. I commend the author for her creativity and cunning in how she tied this entire story with "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". It was fantastic and I cannot wait to dive into the second book and find out even more about Sleepy Hollow, Abbey and Caspian.

[jessiadams · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I should have followed my first instinct with this one. A woman that I work with was pretty much continuously gushing about this book. As in...talking about it on FB 2-3 times a week and bringing it up in unrelated conversation. Upon first conversation with her, I had kind of decided the book was teenager romance literature of the Twilight variety. I could not understand why this grown woman, who's intelligence I had complete faith in, was so obsessed with it (I guess that happens with Twilight, too.)Finally, I was like...seriously? Fine. I'll read it. I looked it up on Amazon and upon seeing the cover, which is of a pale, goth-looking girl wearing a large pendant, I sighed inwardly. This wasn't looking good. I decided to reserve it at the library, since I didn't want to pay money for it. I was kind of embarrassed to be seen reading it, much less owning it. I actually read it after coming home from night shift, after my husband had left for work because I knew he'd laugh at me. I actually almost stopped reading it like 5 times because it was just too much teenage angst for me.On a maybe unrelated note, what is going on with the font size in teenage literature? As far as I can tell, teenage girls have perfectly good eyesight, there is no need to enlarge the type in their books until a 90 year old woman can read it from 50 feet away. This 350 page book is about 4 inches thick due to the large lettering and huge spaces between lines. The synopsis of the book is this : (Which DOES contain spoilers.)Abbey is a junior in high school when her best friend since they were toddlers, Kristen, turns up missing and is presumed dead (her body is actually found later in the book.) Abby is of course, crushed, and miserable. Not much else along that plot line is brought into the book, other than the discovery of Kristen's diary, which still doesn't add much to the plot.Abbey starts spending a lot of time in the cemetery where Kristen is buried (although it does sound like she spent a lot of time there before Kristen died, as well.) She visits Washington Irving's grave fairly often as well, as this all takes place in Sleepy Hollow... She starts to see this boy, Caspian, around. First at Kristen's funeral, then at the cemetery and of course she falls immediately in love (because, after all, he is hot.) She starts to meet him on a regular basis at the cemetery, and other places, and the book starts to become consumed with every little one of his actions, which she analyzes and re analyzes. She can't understand why he won't hold her hand, kiss her...why he won't give her his cell phone number...blah blah blah. Meanwhile, I'm realizing that this book is centered around one single element of surprise, which my coworker has already spoiled for me. Caspian is a ghost. So are a few other people in the book, but since they don't advance the story one iota, I'm not even sure why they're included.The book pretty much ends after that, triumphant in its ability to completely and utterly shock you, to make up for the complete lack of a story before or after.So this series is a trilogy, but I can only picture it going downward from here, so I will not be participating.

[ctmskaor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

 “You can’t have a viewing of the body if there is no body.” The fact is obvious to Abbey, but it’s not stopping the residents of Sleepy Hollow. The fact of the matter is, Kristen’s only been gone for a couple of weeks. Abbey won’t accept that she is gone for good.So Abbey’s life has been horrible since the disappearance. Senior year sucks. How is she supposed to enjoy it without her best friend? But when a cute mysterious boy shows up, Abbey is finally getting her life back. But why does he show up right where Kristen disappeared? And how does he appear out of nowhere? All of these questions are answered in this suspenseful drama about a girl who is losing everything, maybe even her mind.

[idroskicinia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow… wow… wow.This book is something I wasn't expecting at all. And I don't know yet if those "wow" are good or bad… or maybe they are both… What I want to say is that this book can be good or bad… it just depends of the way you look at it.The story started really good. Abbey is a young girl who is passing through a bad moment. Her best friend vanished at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and everybody thinks that she is dead, something that Abbey cannot accept. She is trying to get used to her new life, a new life without her friend, Kristen.The good thing about this, is that Abbey's character is realistic, you can feel her pain, her frustration…she is suffering, she feels bad, and you can feel those emotions, too. The bad thing is that a lot of people can get tired of those feelings. The story continues telling you over and over again her monotonous life. Wake up, go to school, talk about mom and dad, feel sorry about yourself and Kristen and go to sleep. So, this can be really tiring to read.But of course, there is a lot mystery that keeps you motivated to read. What happened to her friend? Was an accident, or was something else? Who is that hot and mysterious guy? And everything about Sleepy Hollow Legend was amazing… I didn't know that story until I read this book, so everything was so new to me and so different. The only thing I didn't like too much about the story, is that it takes a lot of pages to see the development and the story ends abruptly, leaving you with a lot of doubts and unanswered questions, which I suppose will be answered in the following books. About the audiobook:I'm not a huge fan of audiobooks, and is because sometimes after spending a lot of money (Audiobooks are expensive) I end up hating the story because I didn't like the narrator. And this has happened to me on several occasions. I needed to stop listening and look for a printed version or an e-book. So I wasn't sure whether to buy it or not. But I'm glad I did it. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell is just amazing. I'm one hundred percent sure that if I were reading this book instead of listen to it, I wouldn't finish it. The intonation and the way she narrated the story was just phenomenal. I really enjoyed it, and I hope to listen more books narrated by her.

[allizabeth · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Satisfying read, liked the tie-in to the Sleepy Hollow mythology. Good plot and enjoyable characters. Will read the next book in the series to see how the characters fare; kind of interested in where the plot will go from here. Recommend to anyone who loves a paranormal romance-ish read.

[kreagsheehan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So, this book was amazing! It was so good, i just wanted to keep reading. Plus, I always love boks that start with deaths!So, the story line of the book was so great. It was unusual as in you get a very late reveal of the truth behind everything, but it is all worth it. It is fast paced and just hooks you in. You want to find out who Caspian really is and why he is so interested in Abbey and why he is so quirky. Trust me, the story holds onto you and will keep you reading until all four hundred someodd pages are done. so, overall 5/5.So, the setting of the story is Sleepy Hollow, New York. I thought it was really cool that Ms. Verday chose this as the location becuase it adds to the whole mythology of the story and I find it just to be a really interseting place. (also maybe it has something to do with me playing the farmer in my school's production of Sleepy Hollow in 7th grade that I have a special place in my heart for Sleepy Hollow, but anyways..) It is very nice and I really like the scenes in the graveyard. They are very descriptive but not so much that they overwhelm you. I also really liked the secenes in which there was snow, probably becuase I love the snow mixed with the north west. (cause i live here !!) Anyways, the setting was perfect for the story and I think you will all love it. 5/5The writing is great for a debut. It was smooth and flowed perfectly. I was never confused on anything and I never found myself going back to reread anything. I will look forward to reading anything else by Jessica Verday. 5/5The characters: they were all so great! They all fit perfectly into the story and I love the friendship that develops between them all. I also find it sad that we never really get to meet Abbey's friend Kirsten. She sounded like she would have been a great friend. But shes dead so... (and no spoilers there, it happens in the first chapter! Yay another book starting with the tragic death of a friend/loved one! They are always so promising!) 5/5And the cover. There are two covers I have seen for this one. The hardcover and the paperback. The hardcover that I have seen has Abbey floating in water with the necklace on. I like that cover, but not a ton. The cover I own for the paperback goes with the rest of the series (The Haunted, The Hidden) and is just the necklace with a beautiful background. I love this cover. It is so dark, yet it is simple, and sometimes that is all a cover needs to be. So, I will give a 5/5 for the cover I own. So, once again, another 25/25, and seriously, I have some books that are not perfect, I will review those soon. But this book was definetly one of my favorites of 2010 and one of the most refreshing. I can't wit to read The Haunted, which is the sequel. I have it waiting, but I have so many other things I need to read first. But it just might find its way higher up on my list now that I think about it. Anyways, this book was unique and took a diferent path than the common angel/vampire/werewolfbooks that I love, yet i see eveywhere. You don't find books like The Hollow everywhere. I recommend getting this book as soon as possible, and on a time when you have nothing else to do. Thanks for reading! Please comment!If you like this, you might also like Prophecy Of The Sisters By Michelle Zink. There will be a review coming for that soon.

[tfs93 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this story. It contains a little of everything mystery, death, love, friendship, suspense, and ghosts. It was like Verday took all my favorite things and made a novel about them. Even though this is considered a YA book, I am an adult and I enjoyed it! If you like Stephenie Meyers you should try Jessica Verday! Starting the next book now!

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a great twist on such a great classic story! I had no idea what to expect other than I bought the book for the cover! (I know) After a few pages in, I just loved it. Abbey has lost her best friend and now has no one. Lost in her depression Abbey meet a cute boy who captivated her heart the moment she met him. He brings her hope and now she is falling in love. The only problem is the boy is hiding a something.I love The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. So with this story and the perspective on it really took me for a ride. I mourned with Abbey in losing her best friend. I like how she honored her and stood up for for friend with all of those nasty rumors. Abbey remained strong and move on with her life without completely eliminating her best friend.The love interest was an obvious but surprising one. I had no idea what the boy was hiding but when all was revealed I was heart broken. Just to fall in love and them BAM! So not fair... My only gripe about the book was that there was a lot of unnecessary parts and it did slow down the book a bit. I honestly got bored with these parts and just read fast just to get to the next interesting section.

[amberic · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It had everything you could want. From tragedy and mystery humor and a good love story. I couldn't put it down! I finished within the day even with 3 kids to take care of. I was so enchanted with this book, I had to find out what happens next.The summary:Abbey is in high school. Her best and only friend goes missing. The police assume she fell into the river and her body will soon turn up. Abbey is obviously devastated. She just can't figure out why Kristen went there in the first place. They made a pact to never go there alone. At Kristens funeral (which there is no body) Abbey sees this mysterious boy looking at her. She ignores it but later encounters him at Kristens house. They talk but she can't really figure out how he knows Kristen let alone her. They meet again but it is always so mysterious. He has no phone no email no nothing that she can reach him. They always meet under the bridge or at the cemetery. Which the cemetery is Abbeys favorite place. But there is just this crazy mystery about him and in the last couple pages it comes to light.This is just a really light overview. Not only will you get a good book from it also you get to know more about Sleepy Hollow where it takes place and Washington Irving.

[fabricatedtruth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was satisfying enough. I found it to be a quick read, with plenty of dialogue! I was invested in the main character, and awaiting each new development along with her. The book, I think, realistically showed how losing a friend can impact someone. However, as with many teen books the romance aspect made me a bit mad. It wasn't as bad as most, but still...you DON'T fall in love with someone after a day or so. Especially if the guy keeps leaving and giving mixed signals, which was pretty frustrating! I'll probably read the next installment, but it won't be at the top of my list.

[sensitivemuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I will warn you all ahead of time: be prepared for a VERY LONG novel. Although 544 pages may not seem big, the book is filled with endless descriptions of sounds, sights, and smells. The plot is quite slow moving. In fact, it’s very slow moving. I was about halfway through the novel and I was still wondering where this was going. I don’t really recommend this to people who just want a fast moving plot to read through in one sitting. It’s just not done with this book. This book was meant to be slowly read, taking in the setting, and the descriptions but at the same time reading a slowly evolving plot.So then we ask; did I enjoy this book or not? I’d have to say despite the slow moving plot and there were a few times here and there where I almost gave up reading it. However I really did like how the scenes were described, the smells were so well written I could almost literally smell them myself. It felt as if you were there, as the descriptions were rich and filled with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow references. I thought Sleepy Hollow was a nice quaint little place to live in and just the way it was described really took me there. (I wouldn’t mind living there myself!)There is a sense of mystery throughout the novel, regarding Kristen’s death and it still remains unsolved. I thought Abbey was a likable character although she did not stand out as much and could be considered “normal” (as opposed to characters we are used to reading). I did like reading about her hobby on making perfumes. I thought that was interesting and haven’t read a character that’s set in present day who is into that sort of thing. It’s definitely different. Abbey’s relationship with Caspian is nice to read, although I wish more was added to it. The story behind Caspian is a bit obvious and easy to guess but it was still an interesting read. I wanted to know more about Kristen and her secrets. There was so much more to go into but not much has been revealed.The mystery surrounding Caspian, Nikolas, and Katy was interesting, however it was a little predictable. It was well thought out though, and it ties nicely with the Sleepy Hollow legend. I think this is a perfect novel to read around Autumn/Halloween. The setting is perfect and suits the season, and although the plot was slow moving, and reading the book felt like a very slow walk in the park, I suggest to stick with it and read it through. It’s a beautifully written book and certainly deserves to be read.

[iceybooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Abbey should be hanging out at The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery with her best friend Kristen, not mourning her death. There is no body, just an empty casket, and it feels all wrong. Kristen Maxwell, Abbey's one and only friend, is dead - at sixteen. All their life, Abbey and Kristen promised to one another never to cross the river, but that's what Kristen was doing on the day of her death. But why? Abbey doesn't think she'll be able to cope with it all, but at the funeral, she meets Caspian, the only one who can erase her pain and make her feel normal again. Spending time at the cemetry, meeting Caspian at the weirdest places, and working on her perfumes (which is a pretty unique part of Abbey's life) consume Abbey's time, and ease her pain. But Caspian seems to be keeping secrets of his own. And Abbey finds out a side she never knew of in Kristen - in a hidden diary. Who was she meeting, and why was she keeping secrets from Abbey, who never kept anything from Kristen? Heartbreaking and personal, The Hollow is the first in Jessica Verday's debut trilogy. Parts of it revolve around Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Its more than 500 pages long, and by the end of the book, you'll feel a personal connection to Abbey and her pain. The second book (called The Haunted) in this trilogy was released today, and because I'm broke (yup, I am) I have to wait until its available at my library :'(

[jrlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes, and everyone except Abbey believes that she fell or jumped into the river and drowned. At the funeral, Abbey sees a boy, Caspian, that she's never seen before and eventually befriends him. But Caspian is not what he appears, and constantly sends out mixed messages which Abbey has a really hard time interpreting. Then Kristen's body is found, and Abbey has to accept the fact that her best friend really is dead. It is Caspian who suggests that they try to find a reason for why Kristen was down by the river at night, and what really happened to her. Can Abbey stand to find out the truth about everything? The Hollow, which is book one of a trilogy, was a fast, easy read. The plot moves along at a decent pace, and thankfully not all is revealed when the book ends. I will definitely be reading book two.

[pattylouise_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The HollowBy Jessica VerdayI am not quite sure how to describe this book because it was not an intense reading experience for me. I really loved the book and the characters and I was totally caught up in the slow moving story. The book had quite interesting events but again everything that happened seemed to happen so slowly. Perhaps I should say that the story unfolded and evolved slowly. I think what was different for me was that it wasn’t a page turner and yet it was a well told interesting story with unique and interesting characters. I enjoyed learning about Abbey and her differentness…and she was not different in the sense that she was a vampire or a werewolf. She was just sort of an odd character within a high school of conformists. I loved the way she dealt with her differentness. She just accepted it even when she had to deal with it all by herself. I truly enjoyed The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow parts within this story. I never really appreciated it before but it was fascinating to learn about it. The story didn’t scare me at all but sort of gradually led me to a surprising ending but one which the author had well prepped me for. I don’t think it was predictable and I was left with some unanswered questions. I have read that a sequel is in the works to help answer all of these questions. That would be a good thing.

[ylin20621 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I must admit I’ve been dying to read this book since last year when word leaked out. In some areas The Hollow impressed me but in others, it fell short. First off judging from the summary you can presume that the story will heavily revolve on the death of Kristen or some feature of her correct? Sadly it was about 10% Kristen and 75% Caspian swooning, 5% Sleepy Hollow legend, and 10% daily life activity. Just chapters after the funeral with Kristen, Abbey somewhat falls in love with Caspian. I was a bit shocked and miffed at this development. Even more so when Kristen is practically dismissed for the next couple of chapters while Abbey continues to swoon over Caspian. Verday though manages to deal with Abbey’s grief in the middle of novel of Kristen while inserting several flashbacks of their friendships throughout some chapters. We then get a peak of Kristen’s secret diary and a mystery “D” whom Kristen falls in love with. We dealt with that for about a chapter then nothing more until seemingly the last few chapters (only about a line or two). It’s all very much frustrating. I enjoyed the little tidbits of how Abby creates perfumes, the fact that the author talked about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow for readers who may have never heard of it, and the many twists. The old couples? Yup. Caspian? Yup. Abbey running away when nothing makes sense? Definitely yes! Seriously I’m tired of people poking their noses into things that you shouldn’t. You know those scary movies where you’re screaming at the screen “No! You stupid idiot, run! Don’t open that door!” From that moment on I gained respect for Abbey (too bad it was like the last chapter when it happened). And finally Caspian. I liked him in the very beginning with his weird, funky do (very pale yellow with a jet black streak) but then he plummeted on my “like” scale when he confessed to Abbey that he never loved her. Wow. You suck. Can’t believe you led her on for…24 chapters just to shoot her down. He started out promising; kind, sweet, a bit secretive for my taste, and edgy. The twist in the end I should have expected…. The secrets and mysteries of The Hollow are never fully answered. It just builds and builds, up until the point where I’m frighten that Verday may not be able to answer them all...or at least to the expectation that the readers may want. Overall: A many missing holes.

[bookjunkie806 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This a long, involved story and by the end you really know the main character. The only letdown is the story's continuation in the next installment. We don't learn who the mysterious boy truly is. One of my favorite reads from this past summer. This one is a keeper on my bookshelf.

[kperry_64 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Abbey’s best friend, Kristen, is dead. Finding it hard to accept, Abbey just goes through the motions of the funeral service and the burial. It seems wrong that Kristen isn’t standing next to her like she always has been in the past. Nothing seems right anymore.Abbey and Kristen spent much of their free time at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. They enjoyed visiting Washington Irving’s grave and seeing what gifts people have left for him. Abbey and Kristen felt a connection to Irving since he was the author to make their little town so famous by writing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Now, with Kristen gone, Abbey is left to wander the cemetery alone – until she meets Caspian.Abbey struggles with the process of healing while distracting herself with Caspian. He is mysterious and beautiful and all she can think about. Feelings of guilt sometimes overwhelm Abbey since she is focusing so much on her complicated emotions for Caspian instead of preserving her memories of Kristen. It turns out there are many secrets in the town of Sleepy Hollow and Abbey is smack dab in the middle of all of them. Why was Kristen alone at the river the night she died? Who is Caspian and why doesn’t he give her any information about himself? Will Abbey learn the truth behind The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?THE HOLLOW was a book I was really looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. There were so many opportunities for the author to suck us into a wonderful mystery, but then seemed to drop the ball. I kept reading, hoping to learn about Caspian and Kristen’s death, but even after 513 pages I still don’t know what’s going on. I felt completely let down by the ending. It could have been SO good. THE HOLLOW is the first book in a planned trilogy – and yes, before you even ask – I’ll probably read the next one hoping to get some answers. Please Jessica Verday, don’t wait until the third book to give us some answers.

[bookmagic_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

My review: If you've read the synopsis, you're probably thinking, "wow, this sounds really good". At least that's what I thought. It has all the makings to be really good. It's set in the town of Sleepy Hollow, made famous by Washington Irving. There is a mysterious death, a mysterious boy, a cemetery, and a protagonist misunderstood by her peers. What more could you ask for?However, the writing is a bit erratic, some parts interesting, some parts littered by terrible dialogue. I liked the main character, Abbey. Though she is of course captivated by Caspian, the mysterious boy, she still has interests, such as creating perfume and long-term plans of starting her own business. And I suppose the fact that she is alternating between missing her best friend and acting silly over a boy is part of being a teenager, so not problems with that part.What really disappointed me was the story; or lack of story. The whole book felt like background, waiting for a big plot twist or finale. But there isn't one. Well, there is a minor one but it was quite obvious from early on, so no big surprise. Now of course there is going to be a follow up book as is the trend in YA these days. But there is a way to do that and still write a great book, ie; Shiver, Once a Witch, Prophecy of the Sisters. This felt like a rip-off, like a trick to lure people to buy the next one. Either that or the editor was horrendous. Maybe both. Despite it's 500+ pages, the book was a quick read. Mostly due to large print and spacing issue, sort of when I would pad my term papers in college.A book that fails to live up to it's potential is more disappointing than a book that is just bad.my rating 2/5

[stapps_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I didn’t like this book. It starts off with Abbey at the memorial service of her best friend, Kristen, and it’s quite intriguing. Abbey doesn’t believe she’s dead, but she has no clue what happened. Questions spring to mind automatically for the reader, but you’ll have to wait a while for even a smidgen of an answer. Then Caspian enters, and Abbey falls for him. The only problem is, he’s hot, then he’s cold, and Abbey never really knows what’s going on with them.That’s pretty much the story; what happened to Kristen and what’s happening between the two of them? Things start picking up around the last 40 – 30 pages. Perhaps there will be some meaning in the next book in the series, but most of what happens in this book – walks through the cemetery, Abbey making perfume, going to school and coming home – it doesn’t really play any real part, and drags. I suppose you could say that it helps to build characterisation, and you could be right, but it just wasn’t interesting, in my opinion. I always read on author sites that scenes should make the story progress. For the most part, in my opinion, they didn’t in The Hollow.The characters; I really liked Ben. Who is Ben? A secondary character you don’t see very much of, but the only one who seemed real to me. Abbey and Caspian just don’t behave like normal teenagers. A lot of my friends are teenagers, and I watch American teenage movies; teenagers don’t behave the way Abbey and Caspian do. Abbey reads far too much into what Caspian says, and reacts more like a younger teenager, say 12 – 13, rather than a 16-year-old. Caspian is around 20, and nor does he say things someone his age would say, nor what guys would say generally – or at least not in the way Caspian says them. Neither character was all that believable, and I didn’t feel anything for them. I didn’t relate to them, and I didn’t care about them.On a positive note, the description in this novel was amazing. You can really see in your mind’s eye all the places Abbey goes to, and they sound so beautiful! Especially the cemetery! The setting of Sleepy Hollow for this novel is just awesome to imagine.For anyone expecting an action packed urban fantasy, be prepared to be disappointed. There is no action, and the only fantasy elements make an appearance in the last 40 – 30 pages. There aren’t really any concrete answers to the questions brought up throughout the book. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with The Hollow, especially as I was really looking forward to it.The Hollow wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you either. Read a few other reviews before you make a choice. But I think I can safely say I won’t be picking up the sequel when it comes out.

[bookwhisperer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After much deliberation I settled on 4 stars for The Hollow. Jessica Verday is a very talented author that we will see much more of in the future. Abbey is a lovable character that I look forward to following through a few more books. The abrupt changes in characters at the end of this book is leading the second book in a whole different direction; which leads to my reasoning for the 4 star rating. The overall feeling I had about this book is that there was too much effort put into building the picture, and not enough on moving the story along. I may come to regret this in the second book if there was underlying meaning behind all of the extra details; but that will have to present itself in later books. At this point I felt all of the information bogged down this book, and gave me the impression of having useless information. I enjoyed this story, but the pace was very slow and left me distracted several times during the duration of this book. This is a book that is overflowing with potential, and I look for the second book to sore, but this first book was slightly difficult to complete. This having been said all in all I enjoyed the book, and will follow this series.

[pacey1927 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in a trilogy. I thought I would put that out there upfront since I thought it was a stand alone novel and as I closed that book, boy was a ticked! Then I noticed that the author's blurb said she was working on the next Caspian an Abby story. I jumped on the computer to verify and found out there will be two more books. So I am now happily appeased and will give "The Hollow" the five-star rating it deserves. Abby is a grief-stricken teenager whose best (and pretty much, only) friend has died in a strange accident. Kristen broke a rule she and Abby had made to keep them safe. Amid Abby's grief she meets a boy named Caspian who hangs out at the bridge and the Hollow Cemetery, where Abby and Kristen used to always hang out. Some of the reviews have said that Abby acted like there was some great romance, and more of a romance then there really was. That's true, but rather realistically. Abby hadn't had a boyfriend before. She is grieving and ready to embrace new friendships and a little happiness. Abby's grief is realistic. I felt for Abby and a couple of times I wanted to strangle her parents for not being more aware and proactive in helping her cope. (Not to say they completely ignored her grief, because they didn't). They obviously love their daughter very much. The book takes a twist when Abby finds out Kristen had two diaries and one of them proved Kristen was keeping big secrets from her. On top of her grief Abby now feels betrayed. She finds her solace in Caspian's companionship and in her trips to the graveyard visiting Washington Irving's grave. What Abby is not aware of is that the Hollow cemetery is also keeping secrets from her. This author's voice is spot on and Abby is the most likeable and empathetic character I have seen in recent fiction. One reviewers said readers who enjoyed Swoon would probably enjoy this book. I dispute that comparison. The kids in Swoon were vulgar and dirty, surrounded by and feeding into darkness. But Abby is kindness and compassion. She is thoughtful even in her pain. This may be one of my favorite books of the year. I just hope that now Abby knows about some of things going on around her, the sequels can still remain as fresh and intriguing as "The Hollow".