Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall (Bittersweet in the Hollow #1) by Kate Pearsall
Publication Date: October 10th 2023 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★★★
My
Thoughts:
In the little town of Cabal Hollow, Linden James, and her family
run The Harvest Moon Diner, where they cook up delicious comfort food. But the James
women also have special gifts that extend beyond the ability to make special
tonics and teas. Linden can read the emotions of others, registering them as a particular
taste. One year ago, she revealed her gift to Cole, her best friend and beau,
causing a rift which led to a series of events that Linden still can’t recall. The
only thing she does know is they found her after she’d gone missing one night and
then turned up with a head injury.
Now a year later, one of Linden’s friends goes missing but
her story doesn’t have a happy ending. Who murdered Linden’s friend and why?
Linden’s last conversation with her has her questioning her own disappearance. Now
snippets of memory start returning, and Linden starts to wonder if it wasn’t
just an accident that had her barely surviving her misadventure in the woods.
I adored the James’ women and was fascinated by their
powers! They were a close-knit, loving family, sometimes it was tough love,
especially in the case of Gran, but there was no doubt they had each other’s
backs. This is a small point, but I loved their names! They were fanciful but
also a bit old-fashioned: Linden, Rowan, Sorrel, Juniper, Odette, Salome, and Zephrine.
Oh, this was sooo good! I don’t read much YA anymore, but I
loved Bittersweet in the Hollow! Kate Pearsall’s writing was magical,
bringing Cabal Hollow and its inhabitants to life! A dreamy, lush small
mountain town with plenty of secrets! The mystery had me glued to the pages, and
there’s a few to unravel! Spooky and tense in places! There’s a bit of a second
chance romance, as well! Linden’s story and the mystery wraps up, but there’s a
second story coming. I can’t wait! A definite recommend!
5 Stars
Book Description:
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.
About the author:
Kate Pearsall is a creative thinker, an award-winning copywriter, and a
storyteller. She has a degree in business and public relations and has written
for magazines and newspapers. Her debut novel, Bittersweet in the Hollow, was
inspired in part by a childhood listening to her mom’s stories about growing up
in the Appalachian Mountains and visiting family in West Virginia.
Connect with Kate Pearsall:
I'm curious about all the James women and their special gifts! And that small mountain setting is also fun. I think I might have to give this one a try...even though I don't read hardly any YA these days either.
ReplyDeleteI'm already intrigued by this mystery and the powers these women hold. It sounds like such a great read!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds great. I read less of YA but this sounds worth reading. A family of supporting women is always comforting.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart
Before you even said it, I was surprised to see this was a YA book, and it was such a hit for you. Wow! I tend to like stories like this, though I also am not reading much YA. I will have to keep my eyes open to see if my library gets this book.
ReplyDeleteFrom reading the synopsis and the first half of your review, I was totally taken aback when you mentioned it is a YA novel. It had a much darker, grittier sound than I would expect of YA. Fantastic premise though, and it seems like it was executed very well. Glad this was a hit for you!
ReplyDeleteI have not read a lot of YA this year for some reason, and I do not know why
ReplyDeleteI avoid young adult for obvious reasons, but this sounds fantastic. Love the cover.
ReplyDelete