This was such a fantastic debut novel with all the wild and witchy vibes! The first chapter was enticing enough to pull you in and the mystery was enthralling enough to kept you reading! This is reminiscent of Practical Magic with a Mothman twist.

In the small secluded Appalachian town of Caball Hollow, four sisters of the James women who were born with unusual abilities investigate the mysterious disappearance in their rural town surrounded by the National Forrest. Linden is born with the ability to taste feelings and each sister had their own unique ability. The magic in the book was wonderful to explore along with the family bond included with all the James women.

Linden went missing a year ago during the Moth Festival and hardly remembers the events of that night. Now a year later when another girl goes missing and the circumstances are similar to what happened to Linden, she looks into her disappearance and the disappearance of a little boy from many years ago. The mystery of this story was so well written and just kept you guessing. The twists were fantastic and truly caught me off guard! There’s a little bit of a small town romance, family secrets, Mothman folklore, and magical realism. Kate explores sisterly love, and the folklore of Mothman in a unique perspective that made this a page turning thrill of a book to read! This had a Practical Magic feel to the story in several spots, especially the ending and I absolutely adored that! Such a great book that release October 10, 2023!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

Appalachian thriller about Mothman? With congenital heart disease representation? Sign me the heck up for so much more!

From the very start, this book really captured what it means to be from rural Appalachia, and I ate up every second of it. We don't look in the woods and we season our cast-iron skillets properly. I love the way that this book really brings Appalachia to life and shows the heart of it. Through it all, it really showcases family and community and the way that small towns can either come together for people or push them away.

The mystery of this book was spectacular and it had me thinking the entire time. I definitely couldn't put all the pieces together, and the more magical twists only added to the depth of the book in a way that sparkled.

Don't even get me started about the moment I discovered the congenital heart disease representation. It gave me absolute life in so many ways!

If you're looking for a spooky read full of culture and magic, please pick up this book! You will not regret it!

I seriously, without a doubt, LOVED this book! The author captured family and magic in just the right way and I couldn’t stop reading it. Most of the time, Appalachian stories are hokey and a little corny. This was done just right and I was sucked into the story as a result! I also adored the bond between the James women. It came across clearly, in every sentence and struck the perfect balance between sweet and strong. I can’t wait to see more from her, she will have a very promising future indeed!

"And as much as I want to forget, I know that sometimes
secrets are seeds, just waiting for the right conditions to
sprout. The deeper you bury them, the stronger they grow."

I've always loved stories about forbidden forests. I was very excited to receive this ARC. While this doesn't affect the actual novel, the cover is eye-catchingly beautiful.The book has a slower pace so it took me a bit to get invested, but when you get to the climax, the slower pace makes it pop. The bits of the James Family Book of Mountain Wisdom were a nice touch.

This book is spine-tingling. You won't regret reading this... but you've been warned... stay out of the woods. "The dead are often hungry for any taste of life." 4.5 ⭐

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. All quote(s) used in my review have been unedited.

"The Appalachians are among the oldest mountains in the world, once connected to the same ancient range as the Scottish Highlands. These hills and hollows are where legends and lore thrive, alive and well. Mine is a story of being lost for a night in the vastness of the National Forest, of fearing the unknown and what may be hiding in shadows of the deepest dark."

I have been waiting for a book like this for ages. Pearsall’s debut is a story about a young woman in a holler of West Virginia who went missing in the national forest the year prior—but can’t remember that night. But now, a year later during the hottest summer, another girl has gone missing and Linden must try to remember what happened to her.

Pearsall’s writing is so lyrical and atmospheric. I felt like I was in the Harvest Moon diner, suffering from the heat and smelling the delicious food they were making. I have a tendency to read books very quickly but with this one, I wanted to take my time and savor it. The way the author has weaved one of the most popular supernatural legends of West Virginia to make it her own is *chefs kiss*. I will no doubt be putting this on my shelf and re-reading it soon.

If this is Pearsall’s debut, I absolutely cannot wait to see what else she has to offer. I have a feeling she will be added to my auto-buy list.

There’s going to be more?!

“Bittersweet in the Hollow” whispers an incantation akin to Practical Magic as the James women have a certain specialties when it comes to sending lies, seeing into the beyond and tasting emotions and when a creature of folklore seems to be taking people in the night they must work to uncover the truth that lurks in the forest.

This book is so so good I want to scream it from the rooftops! Every piece of this feels very much like Practical Magic and in a way that is fresh and exciting as we get this murder mystery with a sprinkle of enchantment.

Linden is such a fun character and equally matched with the rest of those we see throughout the story as she struggles with her gifts in relation to people but shines when using it in her baking adding a nice element of naturalism to this tale. Every sister and the matriarchs were fantastic and all they did was invite you deeper into this world and make you wish for a cup of tea at their table to listen to the rest of their stories.

The plot was also so much fun because as someone whose family is from West Virginia the myths that exist of a Moth Man is so prevalent and this twist on it was everything I could have hoped both staying true to the legend we all know but also breathing new life into it making it uniquely a part of this story. There’s some elements that are predictable but because I was wrapped up in everything else I didn’t mind and was somewhat more excited to see the payoff which is what you’d hope in these kinds of stories.

I absolutely adored this and read it so quickly I surprised even myself when it was over and now I learn there’s going to be more which is the greatest gift I can think of!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I loved this atmospheric, suspenseful read! It was completely captivating from the first page. The magical qualities, sisterly bonds and vividly detailed Appalachian locale spoke to my soul. I didn’t want it to end. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a richly plotted, haunting narrative featuring unforgettable characters.

Heartfelt thanks to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the gift of this ARC!

This is one of those books where when I think back to it, I can picture everything so vividly like I watched it in a movie. It's part thriller, part light fantasy/magical. I loved the family and sisterhood themes in this book. Family magic is my favorite trope in a book. I also enjoyed the romance plot line, the love interest and how that all tied together in the end.

Definitely would recommend this beautifully written story. I couldn’t put it down, I loved the way the characters blended together throughout the whole story.
10/10

Reviewed for NetGalley:

The James Women have a long history of magical abilities. The protagonist, Linden, is no different with her ability to taste the feelings of others and influence others with her own feelings with her baking.

However, not everything is great in the world of magic, as Linden is still recovering a year later from missing the memory of the night she went missing in the woods. But now, another girl is missing a year later.

Lots of twists and turns, strong familial bonds and pining thrown in for good measure. Cannot wait to read the sequel.

This was so atmospheric and good! The characters, plot, storylines, and details were great. The vibes were immaculate. Reading this felt slightly spooky and slightly magical.

As this book was unfolding with not only with Liden solving a mystery but the power of sisterhood and magic it gripped me and had me not wanting to put the book down. The connection from 20 years ago plus Liden plus the recent murder was woven in a way that made you want to understand the families magic more. It's perfect spooky book to pick up.

I absolutely loved “Bittersweet in the Hollow.” This is a lovely, smoothly paced YA mystery thriller with a slow-burn romantic arc about a family of four sisters with unusual abilities who all live in the small West Virginia town of Caball Hollow.

Linden James can taste feelings; another sister always knows when someone is lying; and so forth. The family runs a farm and a restaurant, and on the side prepares healing tinctures and tonics for the townspeople.

The town is dominated by the legend of the Moth-Winged Man, to whom they hold a festival every year. Last year, Linden went missing at that festival, the same night she told her crush, Cole, about her strange talent and was rejected. Linden doesn’t remember what happened to her that night, a traumatic gap in memory that becomes desperately important to recover when another girl is found dead in the same part of the forest where Linden went missing.

It turns out the James sisters’ unusual gifts aren’t the strangest things about Caball Hollow.

I loved the characters in this; Linden gives off the same vibes as Veronica Mars, with a magical twist. The mystery is well paced and unpredictable. The colorfulness of the side characters and the ebbs and flows of small town life and gossip is authentically portrayed. I often don’t like fiction about witches and magic because it’s usually over the top and the supernatural forces become a sort of deus ex machina plot device that become annoying.

But not so with “Bittersweet.” In this the supernatural forces are very real in a refreshingly logical presentation, existing side by side with very real human monsters. Who knows what bargains any of us will make with enough desperation?

I also loved the Linden/Cole arc and was rooting for them every time she hopped on his motorcycle. The nerd/jock with a quiet side trope is close to my heart.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This isn't a bad book by any means. I think the writing is fairly solid and there were things I did like about that. Lindens ability to read peoples emotions but attribute it to how certain things taste was really cool. I think also the lore that Pearsall created for this story was fairly well done and very interesting. I really enjoyed the interactions with Cole, but I wanted more of him.

My biggest things was I felt like many of the characters blur together. Linden and Cole seem to stick out, but Lindens sisters definitely blurred together and I had a hard time keeping track on who was talking. I also felt like there were many times we weren't shown other characters were there and then they magically appear and start talking. Things like that definitely took my out of the story.

I also felt like Pearsall had a lot of clues she wanted to lay out, but the way she did it - it was a bit confusing for me. I just easily got lost and confused on what I should be focusing on. Another thing that was bothersome, is not much really happens. We get a lot of just talking about things but not a lot of doing in my opinion.

I think this book suffers from debut syndrome and maybe needed a bit more editing and plotting. I feel like the twist of who did it was good but I also feel like it was a complete 180 of where we were going so I think more clear easter eggs would've helped.

Also, before you go spouting off this is good for people who liked House of Hollow...maybe read that book again. Cause that book was a completely different vibe. This book was definitely more witchy and thriller than creepy and based in weird and spooky shit. Just cause your cover is kind creepy like the House of Hollow cover, doesn't mean they're similar. I'd say the most similarities I got was the sisters has strange abilities and there was a sisterly bond. That's about it. (I think this is why I was kind of disappointed. I love House of Hollow and this definitely doesn't compare.)

Overall, I'd rate this 2 stars. I'm sure others will enjoy it but it wasn't for me.

First, I want to thank netgalley for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this book. It was recommended to me on Goodreads because of other books I have read and I have to say, they nailed it on this recommendation.

The story is intriguing, the characters are all very interesting and the touch of magic is perfect. I loved the family with their unique powers and the inclusion of the Moth man, though different as he is from the actual legend.

The one thing I will say as sort of a down side is that there was not a large amount of depth to most of the characters. The interactions were great between them and the conversations were well done but the actual characters were mostly all surface level. That being said, the story, the magic and the mystery were more than enough to keep me interested. I read the entire book in one sitting

Overall, I really loved this story and would absolutely read more from this author.

If Practical Magic had a baby with House of Hollow, this book would be it. In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling and her sisters, like all the James women before them, share other similar witchy talents. Linden enlists the help of her sisters to figure out what happened to her last summer in the forest, but as she starts digging for truth—about the Moth-Winged Man and her family—she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

Kate Pearsall has a beautiful talent for pulling you straight into the page and making Caball Hollow feel like home. Even if you’ve never travelled through the Appalachians before, experiencing it through Linden’s unique perspective in Bittersweet in the Hollow will make you feel like you’ve been there, done that, and shared a sweaty glass of sweet tea with the locals at The Harvest Moon.

This is by far the five-starriest five-star book of 2023.

What an atmosphere!! The writing was so good and so detailed it felt so real!! I think YA dark fantasies are my new favorite genre. This book really had me! Right from the start with the cover I was hooked. Honestly I’m so happy I decided to request it and I’m so thankful I was approved. This is one of my favorite books so far this year!!

Loved this witchy dark fantasy with all the vibes! This reminds me of house of hollow and a movie I once saw with my husband that I can’t for the life of me remember the title of. Absolutely would recommend!

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

🥧🦋🔐
(swipe for synopsis)

“There’s always room for another chair at the table. Love is worth fighting for. And if not for the bitter, we’d miss the magic of the sweet.”

Bittersweet in the Hollow had it all - Southern Gothic vibes, a coven of strong women with headed by a matriarch, mystery, magic, murder, romance … I LOVED it. The dynamic between Linden and her large family (3 sisters, mom, aunt, grandma, and dad living outside the home) was so well-written, and the themes of sacrifice for the people you love was really strong in this story.

All the women in Linden’s family have magical abilities, and Linden’s is the ability to taste people’s emotions, as well as influence them (often without meaning to). I really enjoyed seeing the flavors that Pearsall assigned to different emotions! I also really appreciated that while there was a love story happening in the book, it wasn’t a primary focus until the end. I love a good romance, but I also love when an author isn’t afraid to step back from romance being the primary motivation of the story.

A major element of the book, which is set in West Virginia, was a really cool spin on the Mothman legend, and it kept me on my toes! There were lots of twists and turns, and the story kept me guessing all the way to the end.

STARS:
⭐️strong story? Yes! I was so invested the entire time.
✨compelling characters? Absolutely. I especially loved Linden’s grandmother.
⭐️enjoyable writing style? Yes! It was really emotional and I really loved reading it.
⭐️did it make me think/have strong emotions? Yes! Some of the characters made choices that I had to really ponder over, and the ending was really touching.
⭐️recommend? Yes, especially for fans of Southern Gothic (and Mothman lovers).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5 stars)

Not exactly what I was thinking this was going to be, so was a disappointed from the start.
Writing wasn't my cup of tea either. Overall not great and I ended up DNFing sadly.

But if you want a fun new take on a "witchy" book, this might be for you!