Name: Vanessa's review of The Hollow Gods by A. J. Vrana
Item: The Hollow Gods
Rating: 4
Author: Vanessa

A. J. Vrana

Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret.For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker-an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead.When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience.Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker's next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise?And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town's superstitions, only to find his sanity tested.A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat?

The Chaos Cycle Series #1

The Hollow Gods

Mallory Abley

Rich with folklore and reminiscent of V. E. Schwab's THE NEAR WITCH, The Hollow Gods is an atmospheric supernatural thriller that will satisfy lovers of Maggie Stiefvater's THE RAVEN BOYS, especially those craving a fable with a darker touch. hr Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret. For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead. When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience. Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker's next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise? And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town's superstitions, only to find his sanity tested. A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat? hr "The writing sizzles with menace, and the dark mythology A.J. Vrana weaves from dreams and nightmares is unlike any I've ever encountered, in and out of books." – Katya de Becerra, author of OASIS and WHAT THE WOODS KEEP "Utterly consuming with palpable emotion, an engaging mystery, and absolutely delicious tension, this is one that lingers after you’ve turned the final page, an itch that needs to be scratched." – Verified Reviewer "I would highly recommend this book for anyone with interest in folklore, magical realism, and a dark touch of horror. An absolutely stunning debut from this author. I have pre-ordered my own copy of the book, and I am very much looking forward to the second book in The Chaos Cycle." – Verified Reviewer "The Hollow Gods is a striking debut about guilt, grief, and how the past sometimes finds a way to come back to haunt us. The roots of this story will be familiar to those who enjoy reading about fairytales and folklore, but Vrana has added her own touch to the genre that allows this novel to hold its own against the greats." – Verified Reviewer "A gem of a book. Can’t wait for the next one." – Verified Reviewer "Vrana crafts a unique local mythology and draws from existing lore to create a sense of creeping dread." – Publisher’s Weekly hr The Chaos Cycle Duology is best enjoyed in this order: Book 1: The Hollow Gods Book 2: The Echoed Realm

Vanessa

you’ve strayed too far lambchop 

I love the cover for this book, the representation of abadon.. I got lost in this story and vividly could picture this world.. The fun back and forth banter with Kai and Miya.. really enjoyed

4⭐️

I knew I was going to like this. Did I ever look into what was it about? Nope, never. But this is the kind of books I judged by its cover... And let me tell you it was worth it. 

The beginning is a bit slow and tough to get in to, especially because it's urban fantasy so my brain is always adjusting to it instead of picturing a whole new world with dragons and all that. 
But, the story keeps going and it gets a lot better. 
Kai was such an interesting character. Miya was nice but I liked her chapters more when she finally met Kai. And Mason... well his chapters were interesting at first but then it got a bit irrelevant. 

Still would recommend and it's a nice read for spooky season.

Neva Davies

The Hollow Gods is an adult fantasy horror novel about a town with a troubling history of women disappearing.

I really appreciated the horror aspect in this fantasy novel, as it's a genre that is not often explored. It's also well-written, with characters and dialogue that feels real. The storyline is well crafted and plotted. 

If you like reading horror or fantasy, try reading The Hollow Gods!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an ARC of this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review

To be honest, the only reason I gave this book a chance is the fact that the author is Serbian as so is my dad. Then, I read the synopsis and decided that it sounds interesting enough to pick up.

I did not expect to be so invested in this story.
I absolutely love everything about this book. And it is quite spooky, great autumn read.

The story is told in 3 POVs and I really liked 2 of them, one was not as amazing but still interesting enough to keep me invested in it.

My initial thoughts about the book are that it reminds me a bit of The Wolves of Mercy Falls ( that series by Maggie Stiefvater) but it's more adult and a lot darker - keep in mind, I've read that trilogy almost ten years ago so I can be quite mistaken but I was reminded of that story. I won't go much in the details (spoilers duh) but if you liked it as a kid, and now you prefer darker, gory stories with some fantasy elements do pick this one up.

I think that the characters are pretty much well developed. We get enough of the back story so they don't feel like complete strangers.

I'm not a huge fan of the romance - but it did not lower my overall enjoyment.

Right now it is a five-star read - I might lower it to 4 after the initial adoration passes and I can think about it more clearly. But this one read as if it was written for me to love.

There are some trigger warnings (ex. trauma, violence, death..) - as can be expected from a horror novel, I guess, but keep that in mind.

P. S. I love how the author added some bits of Serbian culture/folklore in the story. It made me love the book a bit more.

P. P. S. The only thing I don't like is the cover. This book deserves more. This looks like something I made when I discovered GIMP in eight grade. Don't even get me started on the font and text placement...

Narah Quinn

I really liked all the characters in this. In Miya I saw pieces of myself. It was in the way she believed in something more than just the world around us, her stubbornness to do it all herself and to not ask for help, the sanctuary of being alone, and I appreciated that even though she grew braver and understood her role in the larger world, she didn't falter from her morality.
Kai was pure sass wrapped up in a hot wolf man. Brash, often abrasive, and deeply damaged, but he cared, he loved, and he has purpose as he goes forward. 
Mason is the characterisation of your general human population, the majority of whom don't believe in the supernatural, in the other, and however little believe in the science of things. Mason too is struggling, he is reeling from the loss of his young patient, feeling unwarranted guilt at his role as her doctor. He becomes entangled with Miya and Kai without noticing almost as soon as he arrives in Black Hollow and I have a feeling his role isn't done yet. 
It is always so hard to review a good story without giving anything away, but what I can say is that this is pulled together beautifully, very well thought out and planned to give us not only this world and a town full of crazy, but a realm that leaves you questioning if you have guessed right and lets you think that you know where the story is going, but leaves you missing the fork in the road. 
The Hollow Gods is book 1 of a duology with the second expected next year, and I am looking forward to seeing where it all goes. I liked the way it ended and it would absolutely work as a stand alone, but it will be good to get more of Miya, Kai, and Mason. 
4.5/5 stars, rounded up for review as it definitely deserved the half star!

Kelly Payton

This book was Phenomenal!!! The writing was beautiful and the story line kept me guessing! The characters are all so relatable it’s hard to pick a favorite but for me it will be Kai 😍 please read this book!!!

Mallory Abley &
The Hollow Gods by A. J. Vrana

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