Unusually, I really liked all the characters in this. In Miya I saw pieces of myself. It was in the way she believed in something more than just the world around us, her stubbornness to do it all herself and to not ask for help, the sanctuary of being alone, and I appreciated that even though she grew braver and understood her role in the larger world, she didn't falter from her morality.
Kai was pure sass wrapped up in a hot wolf man. Brash, often abrasive, and deeply damaged, but he cared, he loved, and he has purpose as he goes forward.
Mason is the characterisation of your general human population, the majority of whom don't believe in the supernatural, in the other, and however little believe in the science of things. Mason too is struggling, he is reeling from the loss of his young patient, feeling unwarranted guilt at his role as her doctor. He becomes entangled with Miya and Kai without noticing almost as soon as he arrives in Black Hollow and I have a feeling his role isn't done yet.
It is always so hard to review a good story without giving anything away, but what I can say is that this is pulled together beautifully, very well thought out and planned to give us not only this world and a town full of crazy, but a realm that leaves you questioning if you have guessed right and lets you think that you know where the story is going, but leaves you missing the fork in the road.
The Hollow Gods is book 1 of a duology with the second expected next year, and I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes. I liked the way it ended and it would absolutely work as a stand alone, but it will be good to get more of Miya, Kai, and Mason.
4.5/5 stars, rounded up for review as it definitely deserved the half star!

2.5 stars.

Another disappointed read for me : (
I'm honestly feeling guilty for giving low reviews at this point but it's how I really feel.

The beginning of the story was getting interesting until it got to Dr. Mason. I honestly found him boring and slow witted despite being a doctor. It was obvious why the townspeople don't want to tell him about the town's secret but he's grilling every person and being too thickheaded to understand. Besides that, I don't understand the whole point of his character except to throw in some mystery then cutting it off to keep it "suspenseful". He got worse and I hated him more once he met Kai and Miya.

About the mystery, there was so much thrown around the keeps contradicting the previous ones but most were predictable. The book didn't have many action scenes besides towards the ending. It made me be not in the mood for the whole mysterious vibe and dialogues as well as the dry and forced banter between Kai and Miya.

Even after 200 pages through the book, it still felt like an introduction. Everything was all talk and no action besides the last portion of the book.

As for the characters, most were good besides Mason for me. The romance between Kai and Miya feels forced and I honestly feel no chemistry between them. They act like they've known each other for years when they only met 3 times.

Overall, I didn't like the book as much as I thought I would especially with all the good reviews. What I liked the most was the Dreamwalker and the whole lore around it but it would get cut off every single time that I couldn't enjoy it much. I'm kind of interested as to what will happen next but at the same time I don't want to waste my time anymore on it.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

I really wanted to enjoy The Hollow Gods. From the blurb, it sounded right up my street — spooky fantasy with some folklore and mystery thrown in. Sadly, though, it didn’t quite hit the mark with me; I really struggled to connect with both the story and the three main characters, often finding my mind wandering whilst I was reading. I can’t put my finger on it, but something in the storytelling failed to keep my attention — not that it’s badly written, because it’s not; it just failed to click with me.

I think my own expectation and internal comparison dampened my enjoyment of this read; I really wanted it to be on a par with Leigh Bardugo’s excellent genre-defying adult debut, Ninth House, and sadly The Hollow Gods doesn’t come close. I really wanted more to draw me into the story. I found it okay, but I would have liked more atmosphere. I suspect because it defies genres — straddling folklore, myth, horror, fantasy, suspense, mystery, and more — it’s harder for me to pin down, but if you like any of these genres, and especially where they blend, you may enjoy this.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, The Parliament House, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is one of the best debuts I’ve read this year. The Hollow Gods surprisingly has everything I want in contemporary fantasy. The story centers in a local folklore about the Dreamwalker who lures young women into the woods and possess them. And after they’re found, they almost always end up dead anyway. The mystery and suspense surrounding the folklore is what initially kept my interest. The town of Black Hollow is so mysterious, including its people, and definitely so atmospheric. I can imagine it as one of those movies where the main characters visit a town that’s filled with secrets, just like one of the MCs, Mason, did.

Speaking of MCs, I love the characters. First, there’s Miya who’s struggling in life, but especially financially. Her reality is gloomy and maybe that’s why she’s a bit drawn to the mystery of the woods in Black Hollow. There’s also the mystery of the wolf she once saw and can’t totally forget. By the way, the belief of the people about wolves in this story is fascinating, along with the “Dreamwalker” I really find the concept very interesting. Kai, another main character, is a wolf and what I like about him is he has certain behaviours that are still wolf-ish even if he’s in his human form. But that’s not the only reason why Kai is my favorite among all the characters. I like everything about him. Sure, when he was first introduced I was worried because his actions are definitely not for a protagonist but he grew on me. He has the foulest mouth and the softest heart. Also, I like the hint of romance in this book. Yes, it’s just a hint for now, more like a beginning of a romance, which I think I’ll see more in book 2. For now, I love the banters between Kai and Miya. I even find some of their interaction sexy.

Mason is a very well-written character too. I like his backstory and loved how he let his curiosity drive his actions in Black Hollow. This, in particular, is a brilliant move for the author. The author used Mason’s character to introduce things so there is no issue of info-dumping or too much telling in this book. Everything I need to learn about Black Hollow and the folklore, I learned through Mason. But still, he has a character of his own and very likable too. There are other characters I also found interesting, like Ama and her Raven friend. But to share more about her might spoil a lot.

My only issue with the book is the beginning. It’s a bit slow but after a few chapters, things get more interesting and I couldn’t stop reading. I also think the book wrapped up neatly, at least for this book. I’m excited to read the sequel. And by the way, the prose is terrific and the author is really good at writing dialogues.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to ALL lovers of Contemporary Fantasy, magic realism, paranormal and atmospheric stories, and of course, if you love fun characters, this book is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was difficult for me to review, because I wanted to love this book and yet, by the end, I only liked it instead.
This was partly due to the characters. I immediately got attached to Miya and her struggles to the degree that I empathised and felt her unease and panic about the situation during her chapters. Miya deserves good things.
In conparison, I found myself rolling my eyes at both Kai's excessive swearing and Mason's inability to cope with death as a doctor. With Kai's chapters, I actually started glossing over each swear word, because they were so constant that they sometimes halted the flow of the sentence...
I would have connected better with Kai if he swore for emphasis rather than just constantly.
Meanwhile, with Mason, I think I would have had more sympathy if he was just starting his medical career, as opposed to have almost completed his training and focusing specifically on cancer patients.
However, the writing style flowed well and I enjoyed the delightfully dark fairy-tale atmosphere. Insta-love is nearly always a insta-hate from me, but given the context, I could forgive it more in this book.
Overall, whilst I felt satisfied after finishing 'The Hollow Gods', unfortunately, it did not leave me feeling hungry for more content. As always, I recommend this book to anyone who is intrigued by the synopsis, as well as those who enjoy dark fairy tales.

This book was awesome with an edgy Stephen King vibe. I loved the lore. The characters where very complex and well written and this book was a fantastic find!

This book is violent and gut wrenching and everything from the synopsis I hoped it would be!

I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Unpopular opinion: this was a rather dull read. Although I had read a lot of positive reviews about the book I DNF at 42%.

The main characters weren't very interesting. The dark and deadly mystery didn't keep me reading, probably also because the pacing of the story is slow and clunky for the most part of the book.

YA readers might like the Insta-love between wolf/man and witchy girl, they might also dig Mason's obsession with Kai's blood.

I’ll start saying that this novel combines Young Adult literature and Gothic fiction pretty well. There was a supernatural, horror feeling in all of the chapters, which increased the more I read, and the more I read the more I liked it. It was the perfect vicious circle, something it’s been a long since I last experienced.
Full review (August 28): https://tintanocturna.blogspot.com/2020/08/resena-review-hollow-gods.html

DNF @ 30%

Look, this was probably more me than the book, but it's a tough call.

I was reading an e-copy, which meant it was already likely to be neglected, and unfortunately it just wasn't captivating enough to remind me to go back to it.

It's clearly ambitious, but for me it just seemed a little too messy and sprawling and it always took me a while to pick the thread back up. There are multiple viewpoints, and Kai has some issues that are so vague they're confusing more than intriguing.

Overall, it seemed to be trying a little too hard. It felt amateur and messy and crass. It was clunky and awkward in the way it set scenes and crafted dialogue, and on the whole just made me want to cringe a lot.

I did enjoy Mason's POV to a degree, because he seemed like an interesting character, but some of the scenes were so cliche it was embarrassing. Kai's attitude was overdone, and the girl was so bland I can't even remember her name or the point of her even being in this story.

Perhaps if I had a physical copy of this book it'd be easier to read, but I think it's just a little under-edited so I'd probably still end up cringing a lot as I skimmed my way through it. There really are a lot of cheesy moments and scenes and the whole thing came off as unbelievable.

There's promise in the idea, and the creation of the world, but the delivery was off. The characters are two-dimensional and the story is so vague that 30% in it seemed that nothing had really happened and I wasn't even curious about what was to come.

Others who have more patience than I (and a better track record with e-books) might appreciate this one a little more, and perhaps the reward is beyond the 30% mark. But for me there just hasn't been enough to hook me into reading further.

I really liked this! I can’t wait to read the second instalment! It’s a great blend of magical realism, legend & fantasy!

I wasn’t sure what Mason’s character really added to the story though.

I was not sure of this but man was I surprised! The storytelling was impeccable. I was drawn in right away and could not put the book down. It is truly a gripping story with a great plot and well-developed characters. The best part though was the world-building.

I Adored this book. It had me hooked from page one. Drawing me in and making me feel as if i was there living it myself. It is one of my top reads for this year by far

The lore and visual writing style is so impactful! The banter is an added plus, a touch of humor that breaks up the horror very nicely.

Digital ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review:
I was really impressed with this title. It had all the edgy, perspective changing, superstitious, paranormal shenanigans that I enjoy. I always enjoy the subtle plot shifts that come with a well-done shift from one character perspective to another. Also, I don't usually pick a favorite character (because they invariably die nasty deaths), but I love Kai's character. I think it's because he reminds me of my husband... which says a lot about my life when I think about it.

4.5 stars

I'm late! I know that... and I'm sorry.

The Hollow Gods is a book that reminded me how much I like folklore in books. I'm bewitched by Kai. Every moment he shows himself I lost a heartbeat.

I like Vrana's writing style: you're stuck in those pages, feeling a sense of fear, pain and anxiety - it's like a majestic dark fairytale.

The book tells a story of Black Hollow, the town where girls go missing in the woods, and when they come back their family members are driven to madness and kill them. Everyone thinks it’s because of Dreamwalker, a girl who was outcasted a long time ago and by killing the girls she seeks her revenge.
Kai, Miya, and Mason are the main characters and I'm in love with their characterization. I like when characters can be so real, how you can be in tune with them and see through their eyes all the story, even if the POV is in third person.
Kai is the boy that could have my heart. He is shapeshifting wolf who is trying to chase away demons inside his head. He has the wolf's mood even when he's human. Firstly he's not only snarky dialogues and jokes, but also
Miya is a girl who came back in town after leaving university and feels lost and like a failure. She has always been near the woods until she realizes she may be the next Dreamwalker’s victim.
Mason is a doctor who has just moved to the town and he decides to find out just what the legend of Dreamwalker is about.

The worldbuilding focuses on Black Hollow and a place that you could call "other place" - a dark and scary one - both are described in detail and it gave me even more dark vibes that made the story even better.

Now, I'm curious about how the second book of this duology could surprise me.

I absolutely love a good spooky story steeped in folklore, and The Hollow Gods delivers perfectly on that. Based on Slavic Folklore we stumble upon this quaint little town that has a dark secret at it’s core. It’s here in this town that we meet our three main characters Kai, Miya, and Mason. Each of their journeys leads us one step closer to the truth.

The world building and finite details of the setting and history are so beautifully crafted that I almost felt like I had stepped through time to an alternate universe and into a reality that was this book. You almost start to sink into the hysteria with the townspeople as young women start disappearing only to reappear and die shortly after. It’s hard not to suspect some grisly curse or fate settled on the town, or som other dark culprit.

Miya, Kai and Mason are fantastic characters! I truly felt for Mason and his story, he reasoning for escaping city life is truly heartbreaking. Meanwhile, can I just get a round of applause for the sizzling tension between Kai and Miya? I absolutely adored Kai’s character. Lone wolf, bad boy ego with a dark secret…. yess pleaseee! Excuse me while I drool a little. I felt that Kai’s character was so well crafted, I’d never read a werewolf character like him before!!

All in all I have The Hollow Gods a solid 4 stars!! I couldn’t put it down, it grasped my interest right and I simply cannot wait for the finale to this dark and fantastical duology!

I don't think that I am the target audience for this book. I had hoped to really like it, as I saw it had good reviews, and there were a lot of elements in the story that I usually love. Maybe I would have liked it more when I was younger.
The basic premise of an ancient legend haunting a small town, werewolves, and the dark, fairy-tale type atmosphere was very intriguing to me originally. But I found myself struggling to connect to any of the characters. I felt that there was too much "throw-away" information given and not enough time spent developing the relevant parts of the story.
This, was, at the heart, a love story. Miya and Kai had to overcome a repeating cycle of past betrayals and trauma in order to solve the legend and save themselves and the town (or maybe that is from the town). Mason was a grieving, young doctor who was there for... maybe legend research? I'm not really sure what role Mason was supposed to play, as he didn't even really meet the main characters until the final chapters of the book. I just didn't get why so much time was spent with Mason, as I did not feel he was necessary to the story at all.
There were a bunch of dream sequences throughout the book that I found a bit confusing. Half the time, the characters seemed to be wandering around in a foggy, half-asleep state; which, for a reader, can be quite confusing/irritating.
I didn't feel that there was any real resolution to the story either. I do think that the author took a bit too much on, and then got a bit lost. At least, that was the way this story read to me.
Of course, this is just my opinion - and I really do think that if I had read this years ago, when I was much younger, I would have liked it more.
As this book does have a bunch of great reviews, I just chalk it up to me not being the right audience.

This was a really good read. It has a little bit of everything, some light horror, dark themes along with a really pissed off wolf. Kai has to be one of my all-time favorite characters and the thing that I loved most about this entire book was that he was never treated as though the wolf was "part" of him. The wolf actually was him. That was a refreshing turn from the standard "he could feel the beast inside him raging to get out" that is normally found in other books.

The story has a lot of turns and levels with dreamscapes, in-verse folklore and myths. Those things were interesting but hard to keep track of, which is why I gave it 4 stars, I would have given 5 otherwise.

My Rating : 4.5🌟
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Kindle/ e-Arc/ August2020
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Thank you Netgalley for the gifted e-Arc which lets me give you my unbiased opinion.
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This book follows our three main characters Kai, Miya and Mason and their journey as they navigate the old local folklore haunting the town of Hollow Gods. Its really different from what I've read, told in third person POV, and made my head hurt in a good way trying to figure out, whether what happened was real or overactive village imagination.
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First, I absolutely loved all the characters in this book! Mia is an absolute fierce lady with so much passion and character flaws. Kai was an absolute bundle of grumpy joy who I fell in love with because of his snarky dialogues. Seriously there was so much drama happening when he was concerned and it was quite funny even when the situation was serious. Mason was the clueless one finding out about everything for the first time and that gives us readers time to understand the town, the folklore, past murders and the plot as a whole. Even though I loved Kai with all my heart, I think I have a soft spot for Mason because he went into everything with an open mind and helped keep the 'band' together. I think my favorite character of all times in this book was the Raven. Seriously, I could feel the eye roll or the face tilt while reading those scenes. It was quite creepy and I loved it.
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Second, the storyline was amazing, with amazing character arcs, plot twists and uncovered secrets of reality. You get the chills at times not because of the grumpy wolf, but few scenes were realistically written. And I lived for it ! I think I ship the romance in this book so much, with all the sexy banter and poop references and the swearing.
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Now coming to the development, I think the way certain scenes were described added a lot of life to the story and made it memorable. Especially the scenes in the woods and the discussion of the disappearances. I think the only thing I didn't like was how the pacing was erratic at times and it took me a while to get into the book when it started.
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Overall, I absolutely loved this book, and there were a lot of wood references, small town gossips, amazing dialogues, creeps vibes, snarky characters, amazing character arcs and that ending!! I can't wait for the next book to come out now!!

The Hollow Gods
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an eerie, dark book with some interesting twists. This was a book I found that I could not put down after the initial confusion I found with trying to get my head around the different character perspectives. Once I did that I loved it.
Miya lives in Black Hollow and feels lost and like a failure. There was so much that she was struggling with but did not feel able to talk to anyone as she did not want to disappoint them. She was there to study journalism but she was finding that the subject matter was not what she was looking for and so was failing big time. To get away she goes to an abandoned playground at the edge of the forest. On one of those visits she finds a girls who has been missing, still alive. A few weeks later the same girl is found dead. Killed by her own father who said she was not her daughter.
Mason wanted to get away from his work as a doctor after losing his first patient and he is blaming himself for wanting to try everything to fix her. He comes to Black Hollow to get away for a while but discovers that the legend of the Dreamwalker is front and centre for the town. Not that he believes in it and he decides to become an amateur sleuth to find out just what this legend is all about and why young women are dying at the hands of their family members after returning from being lost in the forest.
Kai is on his own and fighting something inside of him that wants to hurt him. He lives in the forest near Black Hollow, the same forest that the young girls of Black Hollow go missing in. The same forest that the Dreamwalker is said to haunt. I loved his character. His dark sarcastic humour has me laughing out loud regularly. He was tough and had a hard protective shell that he used to protect himself but there were soft compassionate bits that poked through during the story.
Mason initially was someone that you could feel pity for given he had just lost a patient but as his character evolved, I found him to be quite annoying as he was looking for an answer to his problem and thought he could solve that by discounting the legend of the Dreamwalker.