Member Reviews

Kiersten Modglin does it again with yet another twisty thriller that you just can’t put down! I absolutely loved!

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Thank you to NetGalley for the audible ARC of the Hollow by Kiersten Modgin. This was the first book I have read by this author but it will not be my last. Both the story and the narration were good. I recommend this one for anyone who enjoys a short mystery.

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I’m not sure how I feel about this one, it was more of a love triangle twisted romance to me than a thriller/suspense. In my opinion the suspense kind of gets lost under all the drama from Carmen liking the two brothers. The story of the missing girl and the “reopening” of the murder case were interesting but only took forefront of the story at the end which then felt a little rushed. I did like the twist and reveal of the person behind both the murder and the missing girl.

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I've never read The Summer I Turned Pretty but this book is very much how I imagine that book go be, with the addition of a murder. I was entertained mainly by the plotline of the FMC clearly dating the wrong brother. The twist at the end was anticlimactic and I guessed it at the beginning of the book when an unnecessary tidbit was shared.

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The Hollow instantly sucked me in! Carmen, is headed home to see her mom and hopefully find peace with her mysterious past. If you like love triangles, tension and suspense/mystery this one is for you!! The Narrator did a fantastic job and was wonderfully paced. She kept me interested and her accents were great.

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4 1/2 stars

I am definitely in the camp of Kiersten Modglin fandom. She won me over several books ago. The Hollow was another enjoyable listen. Between the enticing plot and mystery and the "will they won't they" romantic intrigue. I was hooked. This one definitely leaned a little more heavily into romantic suspense but it didn't bother me one bit. My only complaint was that for all the buildup and detail throughout the book, I do think it wrapped up a bit quickly in the end and left me with a few questions. Overall, I liked how it ended and thought it was a satisfying read/listen.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early listening copy. I chose to listen to it and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

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no
just no
I LOVE THIS AUTHOR truly.. I have read her grocery list .. so good
this book didnt deliver on anything promised. It doesnt give mystery, thriller or pysch thriller at all.
This book is about an angsty teenage love triangle and none of the 3 people deserve eachother becuase they dont have an adult bone in their body.
The book ends with : they guy who took my first kiss will take my last name..
If you want a little romance book with 4 pages of a mystery this is for you.
If you want a mystery this isnt for you.

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⛺️Book Review⛺️
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Summary; It was the perfect place to grow up…and the perfect place to die. After experiencing a personal tragedy, Carmen McKenna finds Hunter’s Hollow—a bustling campground in rural North Carolina—to be her new home and worst nightmare. Despite the promises of a chosen family and a safe place to grow up, living next door to the Hunters’ two sons comes with its own set of challenges. Jack and Dean introduce Carmen to a world she’s never known—one filled with young love, first heartbreak, and sinister secrets.

They say you can’t go home again, but when buried secrets call to Carmen from Hunter’s Hollow, she’s determined to learn the truth about what happened back then—and what’s happening now—if it’s the last thing she does.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: this was a great audiobook thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy. The main issue with this book was mismarketing. The cover and description make this one sound like it’s going to be a big mystery, but it’s mostly a coming of age story about a girl who’s in love with two brothers. In the background there is talks of some big bad even that happens leaving a dead body but it feels like such a side plot of this. It was good but I would definitely categorize this as more of a romance that becomes a mystery at the end. Overall it was a good story and I enjoyed Carmen as the FMC. But it definitely suffered from mismarketing, perhaps I just judged this book by the cover 😂.
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QOTD- how was your weekend ?! Mine was super busy but my highlight was seeing The Beach Boys with John Stamos ! 😍
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#thehollow #kierstenmodglin #bookreview #bookrecommendation #booklover #bookstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #bookish #booknerd #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #readersofig #readersofinsta

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This was entertaining on audio, I listened to it on a high speed and the story kept me interested, but I was never hooked, Not my favorite of her books.

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This was billed as a mystery/thriller, like all Modglin's books are, but it didn't feel like that to me! This one was SUCH a teenage romance kind of book... I mean, the main character Carmine is in love with two boys, brothers, named Jack and Dean, and literally 94% of the book is about her feelings, or not feelings, for both boys. She keeps going back and forth on if she likes one, the other, or both. Her thoughts go in circles and it got repetitive real quick.. There is that element of "there's a girl missing at the campground, just like the last time", but I honestly did not care about the first girl missing nor the new girl missing, because NOTHING of the plot was about that. Sentences were vague to make it seem like there was a mystery, but it was just to further the plot and no real use to the story. At one point I even forgot that the girl was missing! The story goes back to the past when the kids are young teens, and then in the present when they're almost in their 30s. In the present timeline none of them are acting like adults, and it's another thing in the pile of reasons that ruined the book for me.

I did enjoy the narrator! She did a great job of all the voices. And I even liked how when she spoke Spanish it felt authentic.

This is an audiobook I would not recommend to my followers. But I will still continue to support Kiersten Modglin. You can't win them all.

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This is a first Kiersten Modglin book for me, and I REALLY enjoyed it! I really didn't expect the love triangle, but I didn't hate it!

This book wasn't fast paced but it kept my undivided attention, and I finished it in 2 days! I would listen every chance I got. On the way to and from work, while cleaning, while vacuuming, while doing laundry. I was obsessed! I really liked the narrators voice, and she did a really good job showing emotions while reading without being annoying.

I loved the characters (especially Dean and Carmen), I enjoyed that fact that it had the love triangle, mystery, little bit of spice, coming of age all rolled into one book.

However, I must say I feel like the ending and the reveal was a little underwhelming. I feel like the book had more potential. I was really excited for the end for it to fall flat. That being said, I am on my way to read another Kiersten Modglin book because from what I have heard she's an excellent author.

I would recommend this book to a friend because like I say I enjoyed it; I just feel like the end could have been more exciting.

Thank you, Net Galley and Dreamscape Media, for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review!

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Absolutely loved this book!! It had be intrigued from the beginning. Carmen returns home one summer after being gone 11 years. This story alternates between present and past tense. Carmen had been torn between two brother Dean and Jack when she was younger and now is no different. This is both a mix between romance and thriller. Past secrets start to become a current mystery once a 18 year old girl goes missing, which is too similar to a murdered girl 11 years before. Just like every other Kiersten Modglin book, this kept me hooked till the very end. I did not expect that ending 🤯 The audio flows amazingly well and was easy to listen to.

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"This place healed me in some ways, wounded me in others."

Thriller queen Kiersten Modglin constantly surprises me and, once again, with her latest audiobook, The Hollow, she has truly shocked me by incorporating a very engrossing coming of age love triangle romance against a chilling murder thriller story.

Needing work after a devastating loss, young teen Carmen's mom uproots them to move to rural NC to work at The Hunter's Hollow Campground. The owner's sons, bad boy Dean and Jack the good one, appoint themselves Carmen's protectors, tour guides and, eventually, her heartbreakers. Thinking her confused feelings between the brothers was her worst problem, Carmen is traumatized by the body found in the campgrounds because it is someone she knows very well. Like her feelings for Dean and Jack, the case is never solved, so she leaves The Hollow.

When she returns 11 years later to visit her Mom, it's like she never left; with Jack and Dean playing with her heart, the murder still unsolved, and now, a camp guest is missing... it's all too familiar.

This audiobook was my first time listening to voice actress Diana Bustelo and she blew me away. Her subtle changes in the characters as they go from teenagers to adults was such a smooth transition. It's quite an impressive achievement.

With two timelines, two loves, and one killer, this always keeps me guessing writer, has written a full teen angst to coming of age adult suspense romance. There is nothing hollow about this thriller.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

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This was a disappointing read for me. There was so much build up, lots of backstory, and then...womp womp, mediocre climax. More like a bump in the road.

I've read several books by this author now and I just don't think she's for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook. My review is honest and voluntary.

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The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin was such an intriguing story!
The narrator Diana Bustelo did a fantastic job of setting the scene and making out characters come to life.
I was totally absorbed in the story from the first page. It is a fascinating and fast-paced book.
I’ve read Modglin’s previous work and she always keeps her reader’s so entertained.

Thank You NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

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Kiersten Modglin is one of those authors that I will auto order and I was so excited to be approved for "The Hollow". This one was more of a slow burn, less creepy, less twisty but still sucked me in. I loved the dual timelines from past and present. There was a little bit of spice, which I'm never mad about. This one was a solid 4 stars for me and I'd definitely recommend it.

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This atmospheric book is more coming-of-age romance with an essence of thriller in my opinion. I did enjoy this story as I was thrown into the complicated and convoluted relationships of teens growing up in a small town. The ending and ultimate reveal of whodunit seemed rushed to me.

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Loved the setting of this book and the twist really got me. Was not prepared for that! Pacing was great and narration was five stars!

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💜love triangle
💜past & present timelines
💜family
💜enemies to friends to lovers
💜coming of age
💜romantic suspense
💜YA thriller/romance novels

I've read about 15 Kmod books and this one was unlike any of her others. The romance plot in this overshadowed her normal popcorn thriller plot line. While this still had suspense and dark aspects the normal rollercoaster of twists and shocking moments lacked.


Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC

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This was an interesting read. My first from Kiersten Modglin, it kept my attention throughout. I didn’t expect the ending to be what it was but it felt a bit underwhelming giving the build up to the big reveal.

I really enjoyed the audio. It was easy to follow the story through the alternating time jumps and I thought Diana Bustelo was fantastic as the voice for the FMC.

Overall, check this one out if you quick thrillers with a tidy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Kiersten Modglin for an early listening copy. These are my honest favorites thoughts.

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