Bittersweet in the Hollow

By: Kate Pearsall

Narrated by: Reagan Boggs

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!

In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets.

Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions—and a haze of nightmares that suggest there’s more to her story than simply getting lost.

Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year’s events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn’t make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder.

As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what’s hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth—about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family—she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

©2023 Kate Pearsall (P)2023 Listening Library

Critic reviews

★"This multifaceted book successfully manages to be many things: a satisfying paranormal mystery, a family narrative examining the damage of secrets kept and the ways in which silence allows violence to grow, and a paean to the immense Appalachian forest and the small communities nestled between the trees. Luscious prose and a compelling setting make the book hard to put down. . . . Complex, well-realized, and engrossing." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★"Pearsall pulls on elements of Appalachian lore around Mothman but makes the creature and its origin uniquely her own, setting up Faustian deals and fateful tragedies that build tension and surely break hearts (both of characters and readers alike). The pace is impeccable . . . [D]eliciously atmospheric . . . Mainstays of the supernatural genres are elevated by Linden’s poignant narration. . . . Pair this with Wallace’s The Memory Trees or Sutherland’s House of Hollow for an examination of how we are shaped by family legacy and lore long before we have a say in the matter." —BCCB, starred review

★“The writing is tense and suspenseful with each new discovery bringing more questions. VERDICT: A compelling story as the James women struggle to deal with their own secrets, and in the process, reveal some the darkest ones in town. A first purchase.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Practical Magic meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Buckle in for a rich and vibrant tale about a family of small town Appalachian witches. With a diverse cast of characters, the reader follows Linden as she fights to regain her memories from last summer. After a near death experience with what everyone says is the mother-winged man (a local legend), Linden struggles to remember the truth of what happened. A great read!

A good little read

It was interesting, storyline was decent. It didn’t feel very wrapped up at the end for me, I felt like it could have gone further. Narrator was soft spoken at times (not literally… if that makes sense) but some characterization was there. I LOVED the Appalachian folklore though.

Just ok

Just OK. I expected more creepiness based on the books it's compared to. 3 out 5