Reading HOLLOW was the perfect seasonal treat to get me in a fall state of mind (which can be difficult when you live in Florida). Now that I have read it, the spooky season has officially started.

The book explores the Legend of Sleepy Hollow from the perspective of a group of teens (one a newcomer) living in the aforementioned town. When the headless horseman himself appears, they have to figure out how to stay safe -- and how to get him out. The story explores the relationships between the characters (and I do mean relationships, wink wink) as much as the spooks and scares of the horseman.

The novel had the prettiest, softest illustrations, which perfectly complimented the diverse cast of characters and the heartfelt story. I appreciated the excellent LGBTQI+ representation, which was part of the main story and not just a hint or subplot. Overall, I was completely spellbound. The only thing that would make it better would be more conversations and interactions between characters, but I always feel that way about graphic novels. Some of the detail I crave is sacrificed for the gorgeous artwork.

I'd give it 9/10 stars and recommend it to anyone looking for some spooky, heartwarming, inclusive fun.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Hollow” puts a modern twist with LGBTQIA+ representation on the popular “Sleepy Hollow” tale. Not only that, it’s in graphic novel form so that you get some fun visualizations that make this new retelling even more imaginative.

The book follows Izzy Crane as her family relocates to Sleepy Hollow after her mom gets an amazing opportunity in the town’s Michelin Star restaurant. Once there, Izzy realizes how much much the story of the Headless Horseman is engrained into the town’s history and traditions, especially after meeting Vicky Van Tassel, descendent of Katrina Van Tassel. While Vicky is considered a hometown icon, she hates the expectations put on her and and wants to chart her own path in life.

While Izzy is a skeptic of all things supernatural, things change once she comes face to face with the Headless Horseman. After a standoff, she realizes that this perceived villain is actually just trying to help protect Katrina, but has never had the chance to explain because he’s been feared for so long. Adding in Croc, the school prankster into the mix, the trio help the Headless Horseman unravel the mystery around a ghastly being who’s wreaking havoc on the town with Katrina as his main focus of his evil deeds.

I really enjoyed it, and liked the love story between Izzy and Katrina throughout. Since there are multiple illustrators, the illustrations sometimes have weird juxtapositions from one frame to another. They’re not bad, but it’s super noticeable when they’re all intwined together. There were a few points where I had to stop and make sure that these were the same characters that I was following because they looked so different.


This is going to be a new seasonal favorite for me to get into those spooky fall vibes! I hope they add more to this series down the line.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This story was so fun! This feel of this story reminded me a lot of Hocus Pocus or Halloweentown. It has a great blend of spookiness while also remaining pretty low stakes. A perfect Halloween season read! The art style in this graphic novel is fantastic, I love how everything is drawn. The cast is wonderfully diverse and full of very fun characters. The main trio themselves have such a fun dynamic with each other. Also, the writer clearly did their research! Without spoiling the story, there is something a side character talks about, that made me realize she's a practitioner of the craft! How lovely! It's so rare to see pagans' or practitioners' magical practices accurately depicted in stories! It's a small thing, but it made me really happy. The story itself feels well-paced to me, nothing is too rushed. The romance plot, felt a bit sidelined, but it's honestly not a make-or-break thing. I'm just delighted there is LGBT romance at all! All in all, this is a fun modern retelling of the original "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". A perfect graphic novel to curl up and read on a chilly autumn day!

I grabbed this YA graphic novel, Hollow, from @netgalley because I just could not hold back my spooky Halloween urges any longer. 🎃

Hollow is about Izzy, a girl who moves to the legendary town of Sleepy Hollow and quickly finds out about the town’s illustrious history and the residents’ dedication to celebrating it. She is trying to adjust to her new town and meets a few new friends, including a revered member of the Van Tassel family. Spooky hijinks ensue.

This was a fun, short, satisfying Halloween read. The illustrations were beautiful, the characters were lovable and diverse in many different ways, including a minor sapphic sub-plot. The plot itself was okay, a modern YA take on the notorious legend.

This really felt like cozy horror. Is that a thing? High spooky vibes, low stakes. Exactly what I was looking for!

It releases October 4, 2022.

Hollow is a cute and cozy modern day take on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. I thought the graphic novel format was a perfect fit for this story, as the visual style and design of the town and the Headless Horseman added heaps of charm to the reading experience.

In this story, we follow teenagers Izzy Crane, Vicky Van Tassel, and Croc Byun as they unravel the mystery of Sleepy Hollow's Headless Horseman tale and the seemingly cursed lineage of the Van Tassel family. I will say the story definitely assumes the reader has a degree of familiarity with the original Sleepy Hollow narrative, which threw me off a bit at first, but I quickly caught on and had a fun time following these charming characters on their adventure. The friendship and romantic dynamics were cute and I found myself consistently smiling throughout the book.

As I mentioned before, I thought the art style was lovely. Definitely suited the fall vibes that the story called for and was very visually pleasing. My only critique on this would be that sometimes the flow between panels felt a bit jumpy and I had to double check that I read it in the correct order.

My biggest issue with this story overall is that the villain is incredibly one-noted. I thought their motivation was really shallow and therefore the victory at the end doesn't hit very hard. It was still an enjoyable read, but perhaps not as memorable as it could have been.

Overall, I think this is a great read to pick up to segue into the fall season. I think if you enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's Pumpkinheads, this graphic novel will appeal to you as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boom!Box for access to the eARC!

This book follows Izzy who recently moved to Sleepy Hollow as she creates friends in her new school, learns all about the history of Sleepy Hollow, and starts her very own research on strange things happening around her.
I loved this book, it had a wonderfully developed main character and the found family and romance she formed along her adventures were so warming and wholesome. I do wish we got to hear more about Croc (one of her friends) and his life.
The best thing about this book is probably the fact that you can know nothing about Sleepy Hollow or a lot about it and still enjoy it. The setting has been completely made new while still holding onto the interesting parts of the original tale, and it is all introduced to you in small doses which is wonderful.
Plus the art is beautiful.

(Note: the pictures in my e-arc were blurry but that might just have been because of the e-arc copy.)

Thanks to the publisher for this e-arch!
I love graphic novels and manga but I always end up feeling like I’m missing some part of the story. Here it was more a case of everything moved too quickly between the two main love interests.
Hollow isn’t a love story, it’s more about a group of friends trying to save one of their own. Of course this is based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I really liked the take on this well known story, however I felt like more volumes could have been dedicated to character development because the evolution of their relationships kind of feel rushed.
Otherwise I really liked the art style and the colours which add a certain ambiance to this story.
If you like graphic novels and you’re more of a plot driven person then I’m sure you’ll love it, I should also mentioned that it made me think of an episode of scooby-doo (WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING).

Sleepy Hollow is my favorite American Folktale and this Boom Box adaptation of the story is so good! Izzy and Vicky are great. Croc is such a hoot. Makes me so excited for the fall season! Will be preordering right away

Hollow is a kinder, far more diverse, and delightfully sapphic retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I don't believe you have to be intimately familiar with the story in order to enjoy this graphic novel but I do think at least watching the 1999 movie will give you some context to appreciate all the little nods sprinkled throughout. a reader who has never encountered Sleepy Hollow in any iteration (the original story, the '99 Tim Burton film, or the '13 TV show) will still enjoy this, I think. background knowledge of the legend is not necessary for the plot to make sense.

the art is very cute. I was especially fond of the Headless Horseman's horse, they were a lovely creature and startlingly expressive. the plot is fairly simple and you'd recognize the villain a mile away (seriously, you really would) but I still had fun.

p.s. to anybody reading this who is unfamiliar with the story and trying to figure out the importance of the Van Tassels, since it's emphasized in the summary and a dozen times in the book -- Katrina Van Tassel is Ichabod Crane's original love interest in the 1819 story. the whole emphasis behind her name is that her family was extremely filthy rich.

my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Hollow is a clever spin on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Izzy Crane moves to a new town and finds it is obsessed with its place in history as the setting for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The headless horseman is on billboards, street signs and is the high school mascot. Vicky Van Tassel is a direct descendent and is tired of having to represent her family in all of the town reenactments. Izzy finds the truth behind the horseman but it means that Vicky is in danger. Teaming up with big prankster Croc Byun they need to find a way to stop the threat to Vicky.

This is written sweetly and the color graphic illustrations tell much of the story. The sapphic attraction and start of a romance is handled nicely. I also like that Vicky stands up for herself about her feelings of always representing the family history. I thought this was a delight heading into Halloween season and could easily see this on a shelf for teens and YAs. Thank you to Boom! Studios, Boom! Box and the authors for a temporary ARC in exchange for a review.

This was a really fun new take on a popular story filled with magic, witches, friendly ghosts, curses and friendship. It would be a perfect read on an autumn evening.

4.5*

sleepy hollow, the town that izzy just moved to, is obsessed with the legend of the headless horseman. she makes friendships with vicky, who’s family is deeply connected to the legend, and croc, the town prankster. when the three of them start being haunted by the ghost of the headless horseman, they start to uncover a curse that wants to destroy vicky’s family line.

this was really adorable! izzy and vicky’s relationship was so cute and i loved the friendship between them and croc. croc is more of a comic relief character but i still liked him and i lovedddd who he ended up getting together with! vicky was the character who i felt connected to the most. she hides behind her outfits and is frustrated with the amount of pressure her family puts on her. izzy was a good main character but i didn’t feel as connected with her.

i liked the illustrations a lot but they were pretty blurry compared to the text. i’m not sure if this is just the e-arc or if it’s actually going to be printed like that but it made it less enjoyable and harder to make out all the details.

thank you to netgalley and boom! studios for giving me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Salt & Sage books for the ARC in exchange for this review.

This was SO good.

Hollow is a charming modern twist on an old spooky favorite. I instantly fell in love with the main trio Izzy, Vicky, and Croc, three high school students in Sleepy Hollow that find themselves pulled into the mystery of the Headless Horseman, but not in the way they may have expected. The writing is funny and with just enough creepy to make this a great read for the upcoming spooky season.

The cover art makes the whole thing look super threatening when the inside content and art is actually uber cute and full of October/autumn sunshine. I love the characters' energy and their sense of humour! I think the funniest thing to witness was the headless horseman being used as a logo for every possible shop sign. I don't know if this is the first installment in a series or just a standalone graphic novel, but either way, I loved it to bits. This was awesome, thank you!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC! i LOVE the story of sleepy hollow and this was such an incredible spin on it! the art was so fun and the storyline and romance was adorable! can’t wait to buy a physical copy!

Isabel (Izzy) Crane is chased by a mysterious ghost her first day in a new town and a new school. The town of Sleepy Hollow, yes that sleepy hollow. Everything in town is decked out in pride for the headless horseman, the school, the local pizza joint, the library. Izzy makes friends easily with lovable and silly Water Polo Jock Croc.

But then there is Victoria Van Tassel, who is a descendent from the original Van Tassel family and refuses to be around Izzy since her last name is Crane, and names carry a lot of weight.

The horse man usually is seen throughout the town, and has already been spotted more than usual this year. Along with the horseman sightings, a strange new man has come to town as well, and is the kids new substitute teacher Professor Mort Tenebrous. It just so happens that around this mysterious professor Vicky keeps getting into danger, possibly even life or death situations.

But after 200 years one fateful night Izzy is braver than any human has ever been and turns to face the ghost of the headless horseman, and is struck with a surprise of a life time.

I read this graphic novel in one sitting! I couldn’t put it down. I loved the representation in it, the new take on the old story of Sleepy Hollow and the love story! I also really enjoyed the bond between Izzy and her mom. How loving and supportive her mom was about literally everything in Izzy’s life. Also THE GAY PANIC LOVE STORY between Izzy and Vicky was *Chef’s kiss*. I will absolutely be adding this to my spooky season graphic novel line up for years to come!


Rep
Sapphic (mass and fem)
Latinx
Disability side rep

Many thanks to Netgalley and Boom! Box for this e-ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

I really appreciated the Scooby-Doo-esque take on a classic Spooky Season tale! Hollow is a retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, with wonderful sapphic themes and representation, as well as delightful seasonal illustrations that made me even more excited for October than I usually am in the months preceeding. This book is perfect to read on a dark and stormy night in October, following your yearly reread of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I thought this story was super cute. I loved the trio of main characters, and the romance was adorable. I thought it was really interesting making the headless horseman the goo guy and not the scary ghost everybody believes him to be. It gave me slight Hocus Pocus vibes with the town's obsession over the story. I would highly recommend it.

Every year I go to Sleepy Hollow, NY in the fall, so when I saw this graphic novel available I had to check it out. I was so happy to see parts of the town had been drawn out just like they are in life. This story was fun and kept me engaged the whole way through. I thought our cast of characters was great, and the twist on the Horseman was refreshing. While the cover doesn't reflect the art style inside, and I wish it had, that's my only glaring critic.

Thank you Netgalley and Boom! Box for this e-ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

If you're looking for the most unique and fun LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW retelling since WISHBONE, look no further than this graphic novel. This sapphic next generation homage to the classic Halloween story will make for the perfect addition to your October TBR.

Not only does it center around HS students and spins humor into the tale, HOLLOW also features colorful and lively artwork that beautifully supports the narration. The only reason Izzy and Vicky's journey earned 4 stars instead of 5 is because I was hoping for a deeper dive into the dynamic of their burgeoning love story or a more purposeful comparison to Ichabod and Katrina from the original story.

Overall, this was an excellent way to begin celebrating Halloween in August. Highly recommend you all check it out!