I'm always wary of YA horror because I often worry they won't be dark enough for my tastes. But guys. Oh my God. House of Hollow is on a whole other level.

This book is so deliciously dark and creepy and unsettling. The last fifty pages had me tensed up and staring at my closet door. Like, I may be an adult, but this book reminded me there are things to fear in the dark (and in (view spoiler). Thanks for that new fear, I guess).

There is some wonderful representation in regards to sexuality and gender expression in this book that warmed my heart. The main character, Iris, is bi, and we see her comfortable in her sexuality, discussing past crushes for women, and falling for a man over the course of the book. And if you don't already know, I love me some bi m/f relationships. That said, romance is very much so not a significant factor in this book, and I think I really enjoyed that -- our queer characters just... casually exist as queer people without it being shoved under the rug, and I think that's lovely.

And oh, man... the gore. I'll be honest, for those not too keen on gore in their readings, this might be a good one to stay away from. There are some dark, dark things in this book, and some dark, unnerving lines. It's very unsettling, but incredibly well done. The prose was so rich and unique and beautiful in such a twisted way, I found myself reading entire sections several times over just to gush over the writing.

Lastly, although I won't spoil anything... the plot twists, guys. Oh. My. God. Mind blown. Chef's kiss. MWA.

When the Hollow sisters Grey, Vivi, and Iris were younger, they mysteriously disappeared. A month later, they reappeared with zero memory of where they’d been or what had happened to them, but from then on, they were always a bit strange, and they all have the same bizarre half-moon scar at the base of their throats. Years later, odd, terrifying things begin to happen to them, and then Grey disappears again without a trace. It’s up to Iris and Vivi to retrace her steps, look for any clues she may have left behind, and finally get to the bottom of what actually happened all those years ago.

Okay WHOA 😱

I went into this book with zero expectations - I didn’t know much about it and I had never read anything by this author, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and ooooohhhh my goodness this book rocked my world.

This dark, morbid, hauntingly beautiful, genre-bending ride will haunt you and really get under your skin - I’m still thinking about it weeks later. And as far as genres go, it has absolutely everything. It’s YA, a little bit horror, a little bit mystery, a little bit missing person thriller, a little bit magical realism, a little bit fantasy, a little bit paranormal, a little bit Grimm’s fairytale.

RIGHT?! I wasn’t kidding. It has EVERYTHING. And the writing is stunning!

And can we talk about that cover?! I’m obsessed. 🤩

But like…wow. House Of Hollow is a surprising, creative, TWISTY, expertly spun story that will stay with you. This is going to be one of the most talked about YA books of the spring - mark my words. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ll admit that I was a little apprehensive about House of Hollow because I get creeped out easily.

But once I started reading this one last weekend, I couldn’t stop. It was beautiful, magical, unsettling, and extremely gross at times. I loved how Sutherland blended horror with mystery and fantasy to create such a unique, slightly chilling world. The bond between the sisters felt so realistic and really anchored the book. I ended up reading this book in a single sitting because I just had to know what happened next/how it ended.

Anyway, I’d highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a great mix between horror and urban fantasy! I’d also recommend going in as spoiler-free as possible (it is partially a mystery after all).

The three Hollow Sisters are well known for their disappearance— and subsequent reappearance— as children. When they miraculously returned to the street corner where they were lost, they were different. Their hair turned white and their eyes were black. Strange things seemed to happen around them. Now in her final year of high school, the youngest Hollow, Iris is just trying to graduate and move on. Her plans are put on hold when her high profile sister, Grey, goes missing. She and Vivi Hollow must team up to bring her back, but the closer they get to Grey, the more secrets they uncover.

This book is such a fun, dark, twisty read. It feels like earth, rot, and beauty all in one. I sped through this because I couldn’t wait to figure out what happened to the Hollow girls when they were young. I was not disappointed. Readers of dark, supernatural mysteries will adore this fairytale-like novel. Though this is intended for a YA audience, I would recommend it to those who read and enjoyed Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is a book I could not put down. The story was unique but had a classic fairy tale feel with a modern twist. If you are looking for a a little bit of horror, a little bit of fashion, and a little bit of mystery, this is the perfect book for you. The narration was interesting and the plot was fully developed. I think Sutherland has earned a place on my forever shelves and I can't wait to share this book with others.

Wow. This book definitely brings the creepy, unsettling vibes, and after a long night with some very weird dreams, I'd say I'm still recovering.

House of Hollow is a dark, atmospheric mystery/horror novel about three sisters who disappear when they are young, return a month later without any explanation, and are never the same. This story is plot driven, so I never felt fully connected to the characters, but I think that's intentional. These sisters are as much a mystery to themselves as they are to the world, so in a way, we as the readers are just along for the unnerving journey.

Here are some of my favorite aspects of House of Hollow:

Sexual/Female Empowerment: The Hollow sisters are gorgeous and have the power to make anyone fall under their spell (literally.) While each sister handles this ability differently, each knows that the world can be a dangerous place for a female. Walking alone at night. Dressing provocatively. Just simply being a woman does not mean we should become prey. And Sutherland drives this point home through Grey, the oldest Hollow sister. Grey makes sure anyone who poses a threat to her or her sisters pays the price. (Think Jennifer's Body)

Dark Fairytale Vibe: Folklore. Brothers Grimm. R.L. Stine. Charmed. This book reminded me of a variety of things mixed together perfectly to bring us this tale.

The Twists and Turns: Okay, so I may have figured out one twist before it was revealed, but the rest of this book definitely shocked me. Some answers left me applauding Sutherland. Others left me a bit nauseous. But the book as a whole is one I won't forget anytime soon.

Loved the world and magic of this book. Not the type of book that I usually pick up, but so thankful that I did. I talk more about it on my tiktok @bookaplenty!

I read this so fast. It was so amazingly creepy- like a modern Grimms Tale for teens. Love, love, love. How many books can I cram into my student's booklist? At least one more as I add this to the syllabus.

*ARC given to me by Penguinteen in exchange for an honest review*

4.5/5 stars

'House of Hollow' by Krystal Sutherland is a dark, twisted supernatural YA novel that follows 17-year-old Iris Hollow as she desperately tries to find her missing eldest sister, Grey, who holds the secret to the truth of their own childhood disappearance ten years ago.

When she was seven years old, Iris, along with her two older sisters (Grey & Vivi) were stolen from the streets of Edinburg and their parents' watchful gazes and found a month later with no memory of their disappearance and identical half-moon scars at the base of each of their throats.

Since then, the Hollow sisters have been known to be abnormal, mystifying. They're intoxicating, but their influence is tinged with something rotten and dead. Unlike her two sisters, Iris has tried to avoid the weirdness that they all share in common, but when Grey goes missing without a trace, the strange connection that ties them all together will be the only thing that can help her and Vivi find their sister.

Overall thoughts: I couldn't put this down! Sutherland is a skilled writer, and her use of descriptive language and story-telling is amazing. Each Hollow sister is so unique and intriguing, and I found myself hooked from the very first page. The bond between Iris, Vivi, and Grey transcends that of a normal bond between siblings, and it's evident in every interaction between the three. They would do more than just die for each other, which I won't get into for the sake of suspense and I don't want to spoil anything, but I loved this book so much!!

I was looking for a supplemental read for my mythology elective, and this fits the bill perfectly! Incorporating this title into my fairy tales unit will be seamless, and the storyline is appropriate for high school students.

4 stars

TW : murder, suicide, blood, and sexual assault.

House of Hollow was everything I expected it to be. It was magical, thrilling, and downright creepy.

There were lots of things I loved about this book. The first being the characters, the Hollow Sisters. Grey, Vivi, and Iris are interesting separately but together are something else. With the main character being Iris, we got to see everything through her eyes. Seeing her interactions with her older sisters was my favorite part. Anytime the sisters were together, I was entertained. Grey was the strangest, probably because she has all the secrets. Vivi was much more caring than I thought she would be. But Iris, she is the star of the show. The sisters were vastly different and usually apart but remained close. It was fantastic seeing that kind of sibling bond.

The only thing I disliked about this book was the constant descriptions of everything smelling like decay and being rotten. It got to be a little too much that I had to put the book down a time or two. And I am actually upset that this is standalone. I wish there was more to this story!

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this title. I truly did enjoy House of Hollow. If you enjoy strong sibling bonds, secrets, and strange happenings then this book is for you.

I read this book within A DAY. I couldn't put it down. it was atmospheric, creepy, and magical all at the same time. for a YA book, I do think the spooky factor was there. we follow 3 sisters who at a young age went missing on New Years eve. A month later, they were found wandering the street with no recollection about what happened in the month they were gone. After their return home, their appearance starts changing. Their hair and eyes change color, and they all notice that they have a scar on their necks shaped like a crescent moon. Years later, one of the three sisters goes missing mysteriously and as the other 2 sisters search for her, they start to unravel secrets to their past. This novel was so unique, I loved the bond between the sisters and it had me at the edge of my seat. SO GOOD!

"𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠."

Cue: Tiptoe through the Tulips by Tiny Tim

"𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐖𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐤. 𝐖𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬: 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐲, 𝐕𝐢𝐯𝐢, 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬."

This book.... I am still reeling. I'm writing the review and it’s been two weeks, and I'm still reeling. A haunting tale. I was immersed in the eerie creation of Krystal Sutherland. One chapter in and I was hooked on the pages of this dark fairytale. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it but it still felt like a spectral version of an original Grimm fairytale. No matter how beautiful, something darkly foreboding lay on the other side of the story.

"𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬."

Enter the tale of the three sisters: Grey, Vivi, and Iris. Grey, the eldest. Vivi, the middle-child. Iris, the youngest. An accident as children, leaves them with no memories of the event of going missing for a month and changes that can only be described as… strange. Our story starts with Iris, living alone with her mother. The two eldest, famous and estranged from their mother; Iris only seeing them when they draw one another back into their lives. When Grey, the eldest, goes missing, her sisters are on the hunt to find her… fearing the worst that Grey could be dead. This leads the sisters on a path of the occult and something sinister chases after them. The closer they get to finding Grey, the closer they are to getting their memories back of the time before the accident.

"𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬."

This story was like seeing something so beautiful, only to touch it and peel back the outer layer to reveal decay. There is beauty in wilting flowers, in death. I couldn’t put it down. I raced to the end all the more being utterly fascinated by the horror unfolding. From the land of the living, to the veil that shields the dead from us, this story takes us everywhere in between. It is enthralling and poetic. It’s the creepiest kind of strange and I swam in every second of it. A revealing light is shed on the bond of sisterhood and lengths you’re willing to go to protect it.

"𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝."

Cue: Bones by MS MR

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤."

This captivating story is about the hollow sisters; Grey, Vivi and Iris who have always been strange and stuck out since that one time they went missing as children and mysteriously appeared one month later; unharmed, safe and blank.

But then history repeats itself and grey Hollow (the eldest sister) goes missing, the clock finally starts ticking and the memories long forgotten take shape.
Chasing after their sister, Iris and Vivi face a lot of creepy events and finally the truth.

I really enjoyed the book. The characters and their personalities were unique. The vivid world the author created gripped my interest from the very first page. This book had a completely different concept which perked my interest even more. This book has this eerie vibe that I absolutely loved and honestly the suspense kept me up the whole night

Us meets Stranger Things in this haunting, unsettling, creepy, and shocking book.

I was so intrigued with this book from the start! Creepy things were already beginning to happen around our main character, Iris, when her sister went missing. That's when things really got interesting. The beautiful part about this book, and part of the reason I stayed so enraptured, was because of the way the author set this book up. She would feed us little nuggets of information, plant little seeds of secrets, throughout the book until she could reveal everything at the end. I was being strung along and I didn't mind one bit.

Also, I thought it was interesting that this was classified as a fairytale. I'm so used to the pleasant and cutesy fairytales with lovely endings and valiant characters. That was not this book. This book is horror through and through. Just when you think you know someone, BAM, you're hit with the bombshell that rocks your world. I need more fairytales like this!

Also, I thought the ending for this book was totally appropriate. It's a little open-ended, but I wouldn't have expected anything different. Things wouldn't have felt right if the book had been tied up with a bow at the end. The open-ended terror at the end allows my imagination to wander and wonder.

Overall, I'm not a fan of horror books, but I couldn't get enough of this one! It's incredibly unsettling so if you have a weak stomach, this one is probably not for you. For the rest of you, check this one out!

Rating: 4⭐️

House of Hollow is deemed a YA magical thriller that deals with three sister who are not who they used to be. I really enjoyed this story and it kept me entertained the whole time. I was intrigued by the mystery element but I didn’t really get thriller from it. It wasn’t very scary to me and I’m pretty much scared of everything. I found some parts creepy but the overall story was not very scary.
I liked the relationship between the Iris and Vivi as they work together to solve the disappearance of their older sister, Gray. I though the trauma they shared really brought them together despite their differences. There was minimal romance which was ok with me because of how the story played out. There wasn’t a ton of room for romance but what was included was nice too see.
The twist was predictable but I still enjoyed it. I have a hunch as to where the book was headed and I was right. I liked how it came to be though. All the clues the sisters found and how they figured it out.
The end was a bit more gruesome with the reveal of the mystery and it made me sad but I also really like how the author ended the novel. Everything came full circle.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! I highly recommend it!

I first came across House of Hollow on BookishFirst and after reading the first couple of chapters I knew I had to have it. I emailed around, trying to find a copy and then I finally got a digital arc through the Penguin Teen influencer group. And I’m so glad I persisted because this book was SO good.

Ten years ago the Hollow sisters disappeared without a trace—only to be found a month later, exactly where they had disappeared. And although their parents are excited to have them back, it quickly becomes apparent that the girls have come back different. Their eyes are now black and their dark hair turns white. They are always ravenously hungry and strange things happen around them And then Grey Hollow, the oldest of the three girls, disappears again.

This book has so much; part mystery, part dark fairy tale and through it all the tale of a family and three sisters. The bonds of sisterhood and what is it means to be a woman are also themes that come up again and again.
"We all knew too well what could happen to girls on poorly lit streets at night, because it had happened to us. Then again, all girls knew that."
Each sister is a little different too in the way she explores what it means to be female. There is Grey, the wild oldest sister who uses her beauty like a weapon.
"'What you don't understand,' she said to me once when I told her how dangerous it was, 'is that I am the thing in the dark.'"
There is Vivi, the middle child who has tried to deny her femininity by shaving her head and covering her body with tattoos and piercings, but still remains wildly irresistible.
And then there is Iris, our narrator, who is timid and sheltered and is trying her best to live a normal life.

House of Hollow is perfect for anyone who loves a dark fairy tale and beautiful, fantastical, feminist writing. I loved this achingly gorgeous book and haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished the book a few days ago. I can't wait to read it again. Five beautiful stars.

This was a fantastic read that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was fully invested in the Hollow sisters and what happened to them. The entire story was so creepy and gave me chills, yet I could not put the book down.

A dark, twisted fever dream of a read that oozes dangerous and wondrous things and drapes itself around you like magic.

One night, the young Hollow sisters vanish from a dark Edinburg street, right under their parents’ noses. A month later, the three reappear. The same, but different (other) — eyes turned black, brown hair turned to white-blond, bellies that can never be sated. Changes that could be (rationally) explained by trauma — a trauma they don’t remember. Still, an aura of otherness clings to the Hollows, a strange and uncanny power.

Now, ten years later, the eldest of the Hollows, Grey, is a supermodel and wildly successful fashion designer, middle sister, Vivi, plays in a punk band across Europe, while the youngest of the Hollows, Iris, still lives at home with mom, Cate. Iris wants nothing more than to be normal — to wipe every trace of the unnatural from her life. Until Grey disappears (off the face of the earth, it seems) and only Vivi and Iris (and their uncanniness) can find her.

From the get-go, it’s clear that things are far more twisted than even they at first appear. House of Hollow is a strange and wondrous story world. With a plot as layered as the secrets we find sown into gowns. Doors that once led somewhere now lead somewhere else. And, no, you should not (should never) enter (for you will not return). But our protagonist, Iris, must if she is to save her sister.

House of Hollow is a beautiful fever dream of a read. There is a tangible quality to the way Sutherland creates her setting. Her writing spools around your senses, adding to the overall sensation of being trapped in that place between waking and dream — or nightmare, because, yes, this book is dark. There is blood galore. Carrion flowers blossom from eyes. Ants escape scars. Despite its darkness, however, there is something indelibly comforting about this tale that deals with themes of loss and grief.

If I had to put this in a genre box (which is hard), I’d say modern fairytale with a strong magical realism vibe and a twist of horror. Rating wise? It doesn’t get much better than House of Hollow for me. Tens across the board.

Krystal Sutherland’s latest novel, House of Hollow, was one of my most anticipated reads for the first half of 2021. Upon reading the premise, characterized as a dark fairytale steeped in folklore, I was immediately enthralled. The story combined two of my favorite genres: dark fantasy and fairytales/folklore. I could not wait to learn more about the mysteries surrounding Grey, Vivi, and Iris Hollow. This was a story that I knew I would have to read upon its release. Thankfully, I was approved for an e-ARC on NetGalley!

While House of Hollow was an interesting read, I was still underwhelmed by the plot’s direction. The story is fast-paced, but the novel’s ending, which was heralded as a surprise twist that readers would not be able to foresee, was entirely predictable. Sutherland’s novel is actually eerily reminiscent of Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood (another anticipated release that did not meet my expectations). While reading House of Hollow, I could not help but compare the similarities between the two novels.

Although House of Hollow was a miss for me, fans of The Hazel Wood, or even Shea Ernshaw’s The Wicked Deep, would most likely find this novel to be an enjoyable read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.