2.5 stars for me this time around.

As a fan of Kiersten Modglin, I cannot say I enjoyed this book. It felt more like a suspense romance? I could just be comparing it to all her other books I've read which are more psychological thrillers. If romance and suspense thriller is your thing, this may be an okay read. There are aspects I enjoy but I think the plots could've done better separately.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was an enjoyable read, although the romance was more of a focal point than I expected. It still worked really well, and while I didn't love the ending I also didn't expect it which was nice. The narrator did a good job as well!

If you want a quick thrill ride, KMOD is my go-to. "The Hollow" did not disappoint however , I wasn't crazy about the narrator voice. She sounded too young (very teen) to narrate the characters in this book. Overall, solid story!

I love how Kiersten Modglin’s books are never what I expect. From the cover, you’d expect them to be dark and super twisty. To be fair, they are kind of dark but they also have a light about them. This one in particular was a bit of romance mixed with thriller and I really enjoyed it. Reminded me a bit of Sandra Brown, who I also love. Will definitely be picking up more of Kiersten’s!

🌀Synopsis
Carmen grew up in Hunter’s Hallow, a campground, and now she’s finally coming back. Years ago she fell in love here and also watched as tragedy struck. When she fled, she left to heal her broken heart but Hunter’s Hallow didn’t leave her.
Dean’s family owns Hunter’s Hallow and it kills him to see Carmen in love with her brother Jack. When he finally gets a chance to be with Carmen he knows it what he wants. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right back then. This time is going to be different.
When the two crash back together, the sparks are still there. When strange things start to happen at the campground, everyone has a strange sense of deja vu. Carmen and Dean are determined to get to the bottom of it this time though, and it only drives them together more.

The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin (Audiobook)

Dreamscape
Audible Release: May 28, 2024
Listening Length: 7 hours 2 minutes
Narrator: Diana Bustelo
Genre: Domestic Thriller
KKECReads Overall Rating: 5/5
KKECReads Rating for Performance: 5/5
KKECReads Rating for Story: 5/5
I received a copy of this audiobook for free and leave my review voluntarily.

I loved reading this book, but listening to it being performed was such a delightful experience. Diana Bustelo was fantastic as the narrator. She brought the characters to life beautifully, captured the emotion, and delivered a superb performance.

This book is such a delicious story. There are elements of romance, horror, humor, and grief. KMod writes about emotion with such elegance, and she conveys feelings profoundly.

Writing about grief in a way that makes sense and allows readers to connect is a challenge. But that is what KMod does with this storyline. I love how grief is expressed and portrayed as nonlinear because it’s real.

The way this book develops, while alternating between the past and the present, with many characters dealing with various situations, is choreographed chaos. And something Kiersten does expertly.

This is one of my favorite KMod novels (to date), and I am fortunate to be on the review team for both the written and audio versions.

This was my first KMod book but it won't be my last! I really enjoyed listening to this quick read. It only took me a day because I just had to get to the end to find out who did it! At times I liked both Dean and Jack so it was difficult to want Carmen with one particular guy.

The narrator was great, and I will definitely listen to more books by her in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for opportunity to listen to this audio book. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 28 May 2024

Ugh… I hate that I didn’t love this. This is my fourth book by this author. The other three I gave all 4+ stars, and she quickly became an auto-buy author for me. I love her writing style, her ability to craft characters and build plot. But this one just didn’t do it for me. It felt very different from her other books. It was much slower and didn’t grip me in the way her stories have. I didn’t feel as invested as I usually do either. The one thing about this story that I really enjoyed though was the love triangle aspects of it. I’d love to have more books in the future by her with this trope. She really had me emotionally torn throughout my experience. I think it was the plot and its pacing that really failed me in this one, which is odd because it’s something that is typically a very strong point in her stories. I also wanted more atmosphere from it, as it had an interesting setting but I never felt very grounded in it. Even though I didn’t love this one, I’ll still be continuing to read everything she writes.

⛺️ The Hollow by Kierstan Modglin ⛺️

As always Kiersten Modglin sucked me in and had me needing to know more with this one! An atmospheric read with more of a romantic mystery feel than a thriller but enthralling nonetheless!

I listened to this one on audio and loved the narration! Although it didn't quite hit the mark as much as Kiersten's other books have, perhaps due to the lack of twists and turns that I do really love and the ending not being quite as jaw dropping as I'd expected, it was still a VERY entertaining read and I did still really enjoy it and would recommend it. 😍

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“The Hollow” is a gripping thriller that delves into the dark secrets of a small town. With twists and turns at every corner, this story keeps you hooked until the very end!

🎙 Narration:
Angela Dawe’s narration is phenomenal! She captures the eerie atmosphere perfectly and brings each character to life with distinct voices and impeccable pacing.

Highlights:
✨ Suspenseful Plot: Full of unexpected twists.
✨ Rich Characters: Deeply developed and multi-dimensional.
✨ Atmospheric Setting: The small-town vibe adds to the mystery and tension.

Why You Should Listen:
If you love psychological thrillers, “The Hollow” is a must-listen! Perfect for long commutes or relaxing evenings. Angela Dawe’s narration makes it even more immersive.

📖 Favorite Quote:
“In the hollow, the past is never truly buried.”

Thank you so much for this ARC Netgalley!

4 stars

This is a little different than other Kiersten Modglin books I've read/listened to and I'm not mad about it at all. I go in blind, so I was expecting the normal Kiersten thriller. Hemlock and The Stranger were so far my favorites of hers and If You're Reading This was a little flatter for me. So, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect here, but I knew it was going to be twisty and turny.

This wasn't that. This was heavy on the romance (but not spicy) and light on the murder/thriller. It's more of a romantic suspense, but the suspense wasn't really suspenseful. It was just something that happened that "changed everything." And then another girl goes missing years later. I never really felt tense or on edge when it came to the "thriller" part of the book because it wasn't really what I'd classify as a thriller. I guess in the back of my head I kept trying to figure out if Jack or Dean was the killer, so that was a little mysterious.

I'm not saying it wasn't a good book, because I really enjoyed it. The love triangle between Carmen, Jack, and Dean was everything a coming of age tale/second chance romance should have in it. It was swoony and uncomfortable and awkward and really brought me back to my first love and being 12-18.

I gave it 4 stars because in my head, I think I reclassified it as a YA thriller. Now that I've read the book, I went back and read the blurb and had I read it before the book, I probably would've been disappointed since the blurb isn't really the story you get.

Diana Bustelo narrated the crap out of this book. She was so good. So believable and brought each character to life. This is the first book I've listed to where she narrates, but I've already been seeking out others by her I loved her so much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC.

“Sometimes, I’m realizing, home isn’t a place at all. It’s a person.”

This was my first Kiersten Modglin book and I really enjoyed it! It definitely won’t be my last.

I’ll be honest though, once I finished the book I felt a little mislead with the description. This was very heavy on the coming of age romance and very light on the suspense. I would classify this more as a romance than a suspense book.

BUT, I still very much enjoyed it. I loved the storyline. I thought the campground was a fun and atmospheric scene for our story to unfold and a great place for Carmen to grow up.

All of the characters felt very fleshed out and it was easy to understand why Carmen was feeling a certain way or why Dean would do x instead of y. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job with all of them.

However, the ending was a little lackluster. It felt rushed, anticlimactic, and I wasn’t a fan of the murderer. Also, there was an aspect to them that I did not like at all but if I reveal what it is I’ll most certainly spoil it so I will keep quiet.

Overall, this was a solid book! Looking forward to reading more from this author! Thanks to netgalley for this arc!

The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin narrated by Diana Bustelo is a lighter type of Thriller which follows Carmen McKenna as she returns to the town she grew up in after her own life takes a turn.

Carmen and her mother moved to Hunter's Hollow after her father passed away in an accident. Hunters Hollow is a campsite and Carmens mother has chosen to move there to work as it is owned by her best friend who has two sons, Jack and Dean (who are the locus of the secondary storyline - a love triangle)

Life is idyllic until one day, a body is discovered at the site, a homicide where the killer is never found. How likely is it for history to repeat itself when Carmen returned?

I was looking forward to the thriller aspect of the book but it was more focussed on the love triangle between Carmen, Jack and Dean. Very well writen and well read, a lighter type of Mystery/ Thriller

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, the author Kiersten Modglin and narrator Diana Bustelo for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

The audio of this book was good. The narrator was smooth with great inflection. Some of the voices the narrator did left sole to be desired but her regular inflection and tone were enjoyable. This is a narration I needed to speed up to at least 1.2x. Short chapters with smooth transitions between chapters. Overall a good narration.

As for the story, it wasn't my favorite. The characters were a bit dull and lacked depth. I kept forgetting who was who and what was happening in the love triangle- which was most of the book. I enjoy thrillers. I wouldn't consider this book a thriller. There wasn't any suspense and it all came down to people cheating on each other- which is not a trope I enjoy. The relationships in the story were the main subject manners and they were lackluster. Even though the actual book was short- it felt long and repetitive. I do love KMod and will continue to read her books.

Carmen grew up in Hunter's Hollow as a kid. She spent a lot of time with two brothers. They were her friends and eventually each became her love interest. Then everything changed when her best friend Shelby, disappeared. Later, she was found dead changing Carmen's life forever. Carmen moved away and went to college. She lived on her own for a while and then returned to Hunter's Hollow. The Hunter brothers both still live there and flames are rekindled. Then, another girl goes missing. Carmen is determined to find out what's been happening at Hunter's Hollow.

Unfortunately, this was not one of my favorite KMod novels. I usually like the bit of romance added to her novels, but there was so much back and forth between the two brothers. Just make a decision already, Carmen!

The mystery of the story was laid out pretty well. Towards the end it became obvious which direction the story was going. It was nice to have a story wrap up so nicely in the end.

Take a read and let me know if you felt the same or figured out what happens before the end!

This was so cute. I loved it. The characters, world building and story telling were great. It kept me interested and involved.

I feel audiobooks are harder to rate coz why?? You find that narration is good but the contents not so much, so how do you rate them?? I really didn't want to rate it this low because I actually enjoyed the book and it kept me on edge as it is well written but there are huge huge problems with the overall book I had and let me tell you what made me leave a negative review here

* The book is categorised in mystery thriller but it is not so. The mystery takes about 10 pages of the book maybe, about 15-20 minutes of the Audiobook.
* It's more of a romantic suspense, kind of love triangle.
* It's more young adult and I wouldn't recommend it to those who are looking for hard-core romance as this wasn't it.
* Although it kept me interested the whole time, the love triangle was interesting but it just felt too cheesy ( I guess I just like cheesy stuff sometimes). I don't get it how do you not know which brother do you really like?
* Why people in these books have such poor communication skills?
* The pull and push so many times made my headache.

This is my second book by Kiersten Modglin and I definitely like her writing but this really is a big turn-off for me if I'm entering in the book thinking it's mystery thriller but it is not.

Audiobook narration : 4 stars
Book rating : 2 stars

Rounding it up to 3 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and dreamscape media for the audiobook ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I have read a few books by this author and I must say that all of them have been great. She can write a great thriller. A must listen to on audio.

Thank you to NetGalley and DreamScapes Media for this audio book ARC opportunity!

As a long time reader of Kiersten Modglin, I can tell she wanted to do something different here, and she did! This story is more of a romantic suspense- love triangle that keeps you guessing. Yes, there is a mystery in there, that is resolved, and did leave me surprised!- but I would say the main feature of this story is the love triangle between Carmen and her two long time friends.

I liked the main character, the setting, and the background story of the families. I would have liked the story to focus a little more on the mystery, however I appreciate that this story is different and is more of a romantic suspense.

For stories with major suspense from Kiersten, definitely check out “The arrangement” and “The liars wife”

I will of course continue to read every release from this author!

Synopsis: the book follows Carmen Mckenna as she returns to her second hometown to visit her mom. She has many memories, of the hollow. some haunting and some of a young girl growing up and falling in love. The book is a triangle love story between Carmen and two guys. It is told in present day and before, when Carmen was a young teen and fairly new to Hunter's Hollow. Carmen and her mom moved to North Carolina, shortly after her father died.

I read this story without reading the synopsis because I would do anything to get my hands on a Modglin book. I enjoyed this book. I really loved reading the story between the characters and was definitely rooting for one of the guys. I do feel the murder mystery came second to the triangle plot. The story was heavily driven by the dynamic between Carmen and the two guys. Although. I will say when the murder mystery twist came, I definitely wasn't expecting it. I really had it pinned on someone else and I was pretty sure I knew who it was, but I was totally wrong lol.

This book was an enjoyable read and had me engaged the whole way through. I thought the narrator did an amazing job and made it easy to follow along as she did a great job distinguishing the characters. I felt the characters was developed pretty well that we could get a sense of who they were. Although I would have liked to poke more inside of Dean's head. I love that the parents were developed well enough that we could see the connections between them and the kids. I really loved seeing how well they all got along. I also liked that dating after losing a loved one was explored. I would have loved to see the mom on her date, but just hearing the conversation was pretty well done.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC for my honest review. I really enjoyed reading it.

I dislike leaving negative reviews, but sometimes it's necessary. Here's my take:

The premise of this book sounded fantastic: an unsolved murder, sinister secrets, and another missing girl. Unfortunately, the story leaned heavily towards romance and coming-of-age themes, with the discovery of the body and the reveal of the murderer crammed into the last 20 pages.

The reveal was disappointingly anticlimactic and, frankly, felt contrived, almost as if the suspense/thriller elements were tacked on as an afterthought. Don’t get me wrong—I read through this book quickly and it held my interest, but I felt misled by the description.

If you're in the mood for a bingeable romance that offers a slight nod to murder, reminiscent of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," then this book might be for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!