Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for an arc of Bittersweet in the Hollow.

For me, this was the right amount of spookiness. I’m not into traditional thriller or horror, but have learned I like more gothic, southern gothic, and supernatural elements in my version of an unsettling mystery.

While I figured who the big bad was quickly, I still enjoyed the build up to that point. Overall it was well written, a good story, very atmospheric and had multiple elements that made it a good ending. I really liked this book!

In the rural town of Caball Hollow, Linden James, and the women of her family dole out delicious food at the Harvest Moon diner, but their generational recipes aren't their only secrets. She and every woman in her family was born with a unique, unusual ability, and her gift is being able to taste the emotions of the people around her.

One fateful night a year ago, Linden's world fell apart when her gift soured her relationship with Cole Spencer before she disappeared into the National Forest only to be discovered the next morning with no memories of what happened to her. A year later, Linden is plagued with nightmares, which leave her with more questions than answers. When another girl vanishes in a similar way only to be found dead soon after, Linden searches for the truth--about who murdered the girl, who or what the Moth-Winged Man is, and the secrets surrounding her family. Relying on her sisters and reluctantly Cole, Linden ventures headfirst down a path from where there might be no return.

I without a doubt loved this book!! The world that Kate painted into words made me feel as though I was walking the streets of Caball Hollow and the paths of Forest alongside Linden as she raced to find answers. The twists and turns of the present weaved together with the nightmares of the past had me unable to put it down. The depth of the characters is exquisite, and each one connects to the story in a meaningful way.

I LOVED Linden, especially her grit and unwavering determination to uncover the truth at any cost. Each of her relationships with her sisters was unique but the commitment they had to each other truly showed how close their bonds that transcended any petty squabbles, which reminded me so much of my own relationship with my big sister. The one-sided Hadrian-Rowan feud was a delightful comic relief. Despite the tension between them, the possibility of mending a lost friendship with Cole was genuine, and I loved the moments when it was so clear that he cared about her. The added excerpts from the James Family Book of Mountain Wisdom were a special touch that I absolutely loved!

This will definitely be one I will be re-reading and recommending to everyone! Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for the opportunity to reach this outstanding novel!

“𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰” 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

A wonderfully dark ya fantasy full of mystery and magic!

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘈, 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴!

This was the absolute perfect fall read and I loved it. It has such great world building that you really feel like you’re in Caball Hallow. Everything from the atmospheric small town to the whodunnit mystery all weaved through with magic was really well done. The James sisters, the four witches at the center of the story, each have unique magic but are trying to maintain a normal life. I’m a huge fan of magical realism and this one was wonderful. I recommend this for any and all YA fantasy readers, especially those looking for wonderful autumn reads! 𝐁𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 is out October 10, 2023!

Thank you so much to @penguinteen and NetGalley for my early review copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a mysterious and riveting tale of a small towns famous folklore come to real life ✨

I loved the character & the story building of the sisters and family, the town and dinner - I really felt like I was in the kitchen with mama, gran and the girls slinging pies with my besties while trying to simultaneously figure out a murder mystery!

I honestly loved the book and the overall direction it went - sometimes I was a little bit confused but honestly that’s more of a me issue because it happens to me with almost everything 😂

This was on my list before I was welcomed to the NetGalley family and I’m so glad I was able to read this ARC, thank you!

If you’re a book lover like me, I’m sure you’ve come across books that you wish would never end. I felt that way with Bittersweet in the Hollow, and lucky for me it looks like there’s a sequel in the works, which I will be eagerly awaiting. I’ve gotten ahead of myself though, first I must try to put into words why I enjoyed this book so much and convince you to pick up this book ASAP!

I suppose I am partial to this book for one reason, which is that it is set in the small town of Caball Hollow and focused specifically on a family with four girls who help their Mama and Gran serve up the best food around at their little diner. I, too, have four girls in my family and though we didn’t have a family-owned diner, we did all work at a small local coffee shop for several years, so there are some nostalgic feelings there for me. Something my sisters and I didn’t have that the James sisters and many generations of the women in their family do, is subtle special abilities that are unique to each of them. And none of us disappeared for several hours in a dark wood, only to be found hours later, covered in mud and all torn up, unable to recall what had happened.

Linden James can taste emotions. (I know it sounds weird, but once I got used to the idea, it actually felt very intuitive and was an interesting addition to the story). This ability is something that throughout the book is very prevalent to the reader, making it easy to forget that Linden and most of the living women in her family are whispered about and called witches. Linden and her sisters have always kept their abilities under wraps and used them for good. But when a young girl goes missing on the anniversary of Linden’s brief disappearance last year, Linden is unwittingly pulled into the mysterious disappearance, which seems almost too similar to her own.

Caball Hollow is a small community with big superstitions. So when news of the disappearance is spread, the whispers and accusations start. The Moth-Winged Man is probably just an old tale that was told to keep kids from going too far into the forest, but someone (or something) is behind these disappearances and Linden keeps feeling something watching her from the edge of the woods. The story wouldn’t be complete without a young man that Linden used to be close friends with popping up everywhere, who eventually helps her look for her missing friend. When they begin to uncover more about the history of their town, their families, and the stories that have been passed through generations, they know the only way to get to the bottom of whatever is haunting their town is to keep investigating.

Reading this book felt like the best little spooky getaway. I was feeling under the weather when I read it, and it was nice to read about what was happening in the world of Caball Hollow for a bit of an escape. This book is perfect to read any time of year, but if you’re gearing up for fall it will surely help put you in the Halloween spirit!

Review of a Digital Advance Readers Copy from Penguin Young Readers Group

Bittersweet in the Hollow was a perfect introductory read for this spooky season. It wasn’t insanely terrifying but gave off all the spooky, backwoods vibes. My only complaint is that there were a lot of characters introduced right off the bat with not much backstory or explanation that in the beginning were hard to keep up with. One character she alternates referring to by either his first or last name (both of which are common first names) which also was confusing for a while. Other than that, great story.

The James women of Caball Hollow were each born with a unique gift. Most call it witchcraft, but Linden often views it as a burden. Her ability to taste the emotions of others has always made it hard for her to interact with people and seemed to ruin her relationship with Cole Spencer. After spilling her deepest secret to Cole, Linden vanished into the forest surrounding their town and was found the next morning, with no memory of what happened. A year later, another girl goes missing in the woods, unlike Linden, who doesn't make it home. When Linden starts regaining some memories of that night, she realizes something dangerous is lurking in the woods, and some secrets should stay buried.

The first thing about this that caught my eye was the cover, but then I read the synopsis and was hooked. This had so many elements that I loved. Creepy small-town setting? Check. A family with generational magic? Check. A murder mystery? Check. Character-wise, I liked Linden and her family a lot. They felt like such a staple in this town, and I liked how rooted they were in the old mountain ways. I thought it was cool how they all had their own ability, but I wished it was more prominent in the plot. I liked seeing Linden unravel the mystery of what happened to her, and how it tied into her family's history. My only complaint was that the pacing felt very slow until the last 15-20%, and then it wrapped up super fast. I still found it enjoyable, and recommend it if you like atmospheric reads.

A must Autumn read! Bonus the book cover is gorgeous.

- Buried secrets
- Murder Mystery
- Witches
- Folk Magic

Firstly I loved that this book had a great spin on the moth man legend and it takes place in West Virginia.

Bittersweet In The Hallow is full of twist and turns, it kept me on my toes.

The characters were really compelling.
The story held my attention the entire time. I didn’t want to put it down.
Absolutely recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and PenguinTeen for the chance to read this remarkable novel!

In the small town of Caball Hollow, Linden and the rest of the James women not only serve at their Harvest Moon restaurant, they also have unusual abilities. Linden is able to taste what others are feeling, which unfortunately sours her relationship with handsome Cole Spencer the previous summer. The James women also quite the secret keepers even from each other.

For the past year, Linden has been haunted through her nightmares by what happened to her in The Forest, if only she could remember everything. She was found in the Forest with no memory of what had happened to her, other than that she had been lost. Linden must now work through her fears to figure out the mysterious murder of another girl that happened in their small town. She enlists the help of her sisters to figure out the secrets the Forest holds. As Linden learns more about her hometown, she discovers more about the Moth-Winged Man legend, as well as secrets within her own family. Will she be ablet o figure out the secrets of the Forest or will they be kept in the dark forever?

I absolutely loved this novel and truly felt like I was transported to this little town in Appalacia. Pearsall does a great job with weaving the setting of the story with the characters and the plot. She also did a fantastic job of twisting the narrative to keep the reader guessing and asking questions to try to figure out the mystery.

I delighted in Linden's grit and determination to set things right within this town to protect it from further kidnappings or murders. The relationships between the sisters was so fun to read about, because though they are all different, they support each other when absolutely needed. It reminded me of my own relationship with my sister. I was a big fan of Cole and the way he was always there to protect Linden, despite their strained friendship. Finally, I was mesmerized by the twists and turns this novel took me while I was reading throughout this mystery.

This book could have majorly benefited from having more description (particularly with the goal of enhancing spooky vibes or personifying the forest or giving the characters a bigger impression than just their names and the one guy with tattoos) and fewer but more dimensional characters. I had a very hard time placing any of the sisters (who all basically bled together they were so bland) in the context of their town, particularly in their age group. Linden is a pariah now, but that doesn't account for the space she used to take up (and lost) after the previous year's events.

The only particularly interesting part of the whole book were the sisters' magical abilities, but even they weren't much used. It all felt so surface level.

Bittersweet in the Hollow's characterization of the Appalachian region was realistic and accurate. This book is beautifully written and represents folk magic in an interesting way. The visual descriptions were easy to see in my mind, and I could visualize the farm and the diner and the woods perfectly. Having grown up in a small town, the close knit community brought up memories of spring festivals and church potlucks. The folk magic of Linden and her family, especially her sisters, is something I would love to see explored in more depth. I loved the details of their unique talents. I've never seen a book that uses taste as an allegory for emotion, so that was my favorite. Rowan's power to smell lies was also great. Excellent, vivid book!

Lately, I have only been wanting to read horror, and creepy books. This one fit the bill! I really enjoyed the themes in this one.

Linden is from a small town in the Appalachian Mountains. She works at her family diner along side her mom, grandmother, and her three other sisters. They serve some of the most delicious sounding dishes. But thats not all they do. All of the women in her family have a special ability. Linden can taste what other people feel and a year ago this ability ends her friendship with, Cole. He no longer can trust her and thinks it’s an invasion of peoples privacy. That night Linden disappears in the woods, and comes back with no memory of the night. One the one year anniversary her disappearance, a murder happens. Now Linden needs to search for the truth along side her sisters, and an unlikely ally. Are the rumors and legend of the moth man true? Who can Linden trust?

What I enjoyed:
- this book is SO perfect for spooky season! I loved the southern gothic vibes. I also felt like it was a darker version of Practical Magic. I loved the magical elements mixed with the eerie vibes of the small town.
- This felt like a unique premise and I enjoyed the twists. The pacing was well done and I was interested through the whole book
- Linden’s relationship with her sisters was adorable. I loved how close these four were
- Did not expect a few things! I was absolutely pleasantly surprised by a few things

This book was a great YA horror/mystery! I enjoyed the book and quickly devoured it. I was able to finish this read with in a day. I can’t wait to see what this author writes in the future. 4 stars out of 5! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

"We all think we're trying to protect each other, but really we're just keeping secrets."

If you are looking for an atmospheric, spooky thriller about Appalachian folklore, this is absolutely for you. This book follows Linden and her matriarchal family, known to some townsfolk as women with strange powers who sell healing wares, but are considered actual witches by others. Set in fictional Caball Hollow, West Virginia, Linden went missing the night of last year's Moth-Winged Man Festival. While Linden was found the next day, she's left with more questions than answers and is forced to reckon with her mysterious disappearance when another local girl goes missing one year later.

The writing and atmosphere in this book are reminiscent of Rebecca Ross's Elements of Cadence series and make you feel like you're living the story along with the characters. Linden's special ability to taste others' emotions colors the story with illustrative descriptions of Appalachian foods, further developing the book's atmosphere. This book also perfectly describes what it's like growing up in a small town in West Virginia, from being unsure if you want to leave your hometown to the small-town gossip that follows tragic events. Pearsall's ability to create an atmospheric setting and make a fictional town feel real to readers is a highlight of this book.

Another highlight of this book is the James women themselves and their family's rich generational history and practice of magic. If you were a fan of the Sargent women from The Raven Cycle, you will love these characters. These characters were incredibly unique and well-developed and I absolutely loved each of their personalities and quirks.

As for the plot of the book itself, I enjoyed Pearsall's interpretation of the Mothman/Moth-Winged Man story and how it was interwoven with the James family magic. Teenagers and kids disappearing in small towns is nothing new for thriller novels, but Pearsall's atmospheric writing and inclusion of the Moth-Winged Man story made this book's plot feel refreshing and new. Unfortunately, the plot fell slightly short for me. The book's pacing was fairly slow and then picked up right at the end, making the conclusion feel rushed and confusing. Additionally, while I did enjoy the final twists, more clues being woven throughout the book would have made the twists more believable and enjoyable.

That being said, the characters and writing really made up for the issues I had with the plot. This book was a thrill to read, especially during the same weekend as the real Mothman Festival here in West Virginia. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases from Pearsall!

I absolutely loved this YA horror set in Caball Hollow WV (heck I read a chunk of it while IN Caball County WV). This rural folk horror subgenre is one of my favorites and I very much liked Linden and her family, a family who had lived in the area for generations and they all have their form of magic. Linden's sister can detect lies for example. Linden reads (and projects) emotion.

The story opens a year almost to the day since Linden disappeared into the woods only to come back with next to no memory of what had happened to her and the town decided she merely got lost and frightened while participating in a local ritual of baiting the Moth-Winged man (a spin on Mothman which is huge here). It caused a rift between her and her friends, especially her boyfriend, Cole, the mayor's son and everyone's golden boy, the boy who shouldn't have survived his heart defect but did.

One of Linden's friends, a young lady who did escape the town via a scholarship is back wanting to talk to her but disappears just like Linden did, only she's not as lucky. Her death has echoes of Linden's disappearance and the disappearance of a young boy some 20 years before. Linden and her family try to work out what is going on, how is it connected to Linden and before the town explodes (mostly at them because their 'powers' are an open secret.

I loved Linden though I would have liked more definition of some of the characters like her sisters. I did have some quibbles, like Linden realizing something is important to the case but not telling anyone but Cole seeing as her dad IS the detective on the case. (though later it seems maybe she had but off page), or why she was so convinced Cole didn't like her any more. There is some explanation but it comes late in the game and doesn't seem to be how Cole feels judging by his actions on screen. The thing that bothered me most was the danger of losing the farm. I'm like you've lived there for generations, did they build a new house that needs a house payment? (I was thinking this because we have two generational houses in my family and we would be in no danger of losing them in a month because we're out of work, maybe when taxes came due) It seemed tacked in there to up tension but it felt unnecessary.

Still, it's a solid debut and I will be hunting for her next book.

If you are a fan of the movie Practical Magic run do not walk. So many things about this book feel like a sister to that movie in all of the best ways. Matriarchal family, cursed love, small town that doesn't know what to make of the witches on the hill. I LOVED this book, Linden is a deeply sympathetic main character that guides us through this book and her world with ease. She's missing parts of what happened to her when she disappeared last year and the conclusion to that and other mysteries is very satisfying. The line this book walks between never quite knowing whether or not the supernatural elements are real is phenomenal. The sisters and their mother and grandmother all practice Appalachian folk magic that is very clearly grounded in tradition and ancestral history. Throughout the book there are interludes that discuss the in season produce and best practices for that season which I found to be a lovely touch. Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Equal parts cozy and creepy, the James women have always had talents, and the townspeople have always been a little wary of them and their "gifts".

Linden has had a rough year, and is slowly coming to terms with it. But when her friend goes missing, she realizes that what happened to her a year ago might be connected, and she needs to remember what happened.

But some mysteries are better left buried, and some people may do anything to make sure it does.

I really enjoyed this atmospheric story about family, magic, and the toll it can take on the people who surround them. Also excited that this is the beginning of a series, I can't wait to read more!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

This is a 2.75 for me.

I liked the beginning. The setup of the family. The way the main “felt” emotions as different food tastes. But then it started dragging its feet. The main characters dreary emotions and obnoxious love interest didn’t help.

I soon myself reading just to get it over with, and only by 85% did the plot interest me again, only to lose me again the next scene when grandma made her big speech.

I love a book with a creepy yet cozy small town vibe, especially with autumn around the corner. This is a story about family, magic, folklore, and mysteries. The characters are strong and the writing is beautiful, especially the food descriptions and how Linden associates tastes with feelings. The murder mystery was really intriguing with a lot of different things to figure out and most of them left me surprised. I also appreciated the hint of romance. I’m looking forward to seeing what the sequel is going to be about since this part of the story was wrapped up pretty nicely.

Thank you to Penguin Group for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it's the first one in a brand new series by Kate Pearsall.

I expected the book to be scarier than it was because of the blurb I read calling it a dark fantasy. I didn't feel that description covered all the various elements of the story. It had some dark moments--the way unsolved murders often do, but it was also filled with hope and new beginnings.

I loved how the author brought so many little details in her descriptions of the James family. Those details not only described them, but also showed characteristics through their actions that brought them to life in a way that made them feel as if they were real people.

While it is called a fantasy book, the story also has elements of magical realism that I really enjoyed. I loved the plot that was at once original and yet also made the story seem somewhat like a fairy tale. The author is truly a master story teller, and this book is worth every one of the five stars I am giving it.

I can't wait for the next book in this series, and I hope to read many more books by this author.

I devoured Bittersweet In the Hollow down to the very last crumb. This is just the type of story I love - a scrumptious blend of thriller, horror, folklore, and mystery with a dash of romance. It had flavors of The May Queen Murders, another favorite book of mine.

The writing style and character development were consistent, seamless and engaging. World building and pacing were executed with effortless expertise. It kept me guessing until the very end! I was truly impressed by every aspect of this book and it is very hard to believe this author does not have more published work. This author is now absolutely on my radar and may become an auto-buy in the future.

Now I have to find a perfect hardback copy of Bittersweet In the Hollow for my favorite books collection. This book was high on my 2023 "To be read" list due to the gorgeous cover, appealing title, and exciting blurb, and it exceeded my expectations. I rarely give a five star review but Bittersweet In the Hollow wholeheartedly deserves it. Thank you to NetGalley for offering this title in their catalogue.