This book was beautifully heartbreaking

This book comes in two POV’s Cole’s and Freedom. It took me till about 20% to get into the book but once I did I wasn’t able to put it down. We meet Free who meets Cole while she’s working at the grocery store. She lives with her dad and brother in a shack that doesn’t have electricity. (I think will all need to do that at some point to just be able to unplug from the world) Cole is a senior in high school and he doesn’t have the greatest home life with this mom being on drugs, his dad is in jail and his sister has a child of his own.
This was a well written coming of age story. There were times where I was laughing, crying, laughing and crying again. The relationship that Cole and Freedom develop is bitter sweet.

This is one that I defiantly think that you all should check out and read for yourself.

The story is told in a way that reveals the many sides of Free, first as the main provider in her family and second as a student with a bright future. The introduction to Cole was also done well because he shows a different side to a similar life. There was a good balance between the darkness of their struggles and the brightness of their potential as well as how else life could look like for Free and Cole, separately and together.

The story started suspenseful with secrecy and twists and slowly became more of a romance. It read to me a bit like a New Adult novel, without the sexual content. The way the characters started a bit mysteriously and with their own baggage, and then the story evolved into how they find solitude in each other as a way to escape their struggles was very similar to how New Adult stories are structured.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult contemporary stories with characters who are rough around the edges, who also discover themselves and come into their own. It’s a solid story about teens who are forced to grow up fast, sacrifice for their families, and have more adult experiences than any senior in high school should have to face.

I absolutely looooved this coming of age read. I cried, laughed and cried some more with it’s charachters and -to be completely honest- I think I’d do it again with every re-read.

Vroman made a wonderful novel about how some things just don’t work out as they should and how important self reflection is.
The charachters in this book are outstanding; I could imagine them as if they were my real life friends and felt with them every step of the way.

Absolutely recommending this book!

This is the best NetGalley book I've read so far. I couldn't put it down. I loved Freedom and Cole and Little and crossed my fingers that the story would end on a positive note. Their lives were so realistic and sad, but they were able to overcome some of it. They had terrible home lives, but some good role models and people to help them succeed. And, honestly, Cole and Free had a very sweet relationship. Plus, her love for Little was so true.

And the writing was fluid and perfect.

This was such a feel-good book that displayed tragedy and the power of a first love quite perfectly.

I will admit that I wasn't hooked from the start, but the author not revealing all of the secrets right away certainly helped part 1 progress easily. We wondered what Free's secrets were, and once those came to the surface we were left wondering what secrets Cole had. I flew through part 2, needing to know what was going to ultimately happen between the two. Refraining from spoilers, their arcs meshed perfectly.

The somewhat predictability of things didn't change how well written the book was. Even if I saw something coming, I still felt what I was supposed to feel; ranging from worry to love to downright heartbreak. The book had it all. An easy, quick read, that I didn't know what to expect walking into, but definitely a choice I'm glad I made.

Lynn Vroman’s Into The Hollow is a beautiful story about survival, the harsh landscape of rural Appalachia, destructive families, poverty, friendship and the striking, unforgettable rawness of love. The story follows Free, a girl who loves her younger brother Little more than anything and follows her dad’s “winging it” plans which always fall through because she has no choice if she wants her family to stay together. They’ve had to run away from their old life, leaving them with the bare minimum for survival and limited options for the future. One day, her neighbour Cole, who lives in the same poverty-ridden part of the world as her, finally approaches her and starts asking the questions he’s always wanted to know, the ones Free doesn’t want to answer. As the pair grow closer, Free discovers that it might actually be Cole who needs her the most. And that might just cost her everything she’s ever known.

I am so incredibly happy I got to read this ARC and I would so love to buy a copy when it comes out in November. I was really blown away by this story and it comes down to three things that are so important to me in every book I read: the writing, the original story and the characters that felt larger than life.

First of all, Lynn Vroman’s writing is so exquisitely subtle, it’s breathtaking. Her style was simple and easy to follow, but it had a delicate bite to it that was powerful and perfect for getting across the scope of the rural landscape, the sorrow and fear of the characters and beauty of a life full of moments that are always changing and always so precious. I was really, really impressed as a reader.

For me, the story felt so fresh and different to a lot of YA I’ve read recently. It has a completely different feeling to it, in the sense that it begins with exploring the struggles of poverty, homelessness and the loyalty young people feel toward their families even if they are not good for them. I found it fascinating to get a look into Free and Cole’s lives, so different to mine growing up. They are living to survive and get by. Free wants nothing more than to keep her brother safe and Cole wants nothing more than to escape his destructive family. It was chilling to read about. The plot is so tender and exciting, with both the harsh and the beautiful thrown in as the characters move through their world and adapt to changes.

The characters really come to life in this book and I adored each and every one of them. Free is a math genius, loyal to her family, tough and protective of her little brother, Little, who is the most adorable five year old you’re likely to read about this year, and desperate to keep her family together no matter how much she has to sacrifice. Cole has lived a difficult life and dreams of escaping it, which he writes about along with his Journalistic headlines in his countless notebooks. He’s friendly, generous and feels everything strongly and head on. Cole and Free’s budding friendship is wonderful to read, I loved seeing how it developed. There are also many other minor characters, such as Cole’s friend group, fantastic teachers and some characters I won’t mention that I either felt sorry for or hated. Each character has an integral role to play, but it’s especially Free and Cole that shine in this book.

I’m not usually one to care about giving ratings. I give stars on my finished reads on Goodreads, but that’s about as far as I go. There was only really reason why Into The Hollow didn’t get the full five stars from me, and that was only that I felt towards the end of the book some of the plot felt a little rushed or that there hadn’t been quite enough backbone. That didn’t spoil my overall feeling of the book, though, just meant it was just a little under perfect, like a 4.7 if I’m being precise. I absolutely loved Into The Hollow. I’m so inspired by Lynn Vroman’s writing style and the story she has breathed into these pages. Free and Cole with always live in my heart.

There are a lot of YA books out there. Some are fun, some are exciting, some are terrifying, but most aren't quality YA literature. This book is. Into the Hollow is full of yearning, helplessness, hopefulness. It was a heartbreaking read, yet you end it with your heart hoping for the best for Free and Cole. I really cannot recommend this enough if you like YA contemporary books. It provides all the feels and all the hope.

Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Into the Hollow was a really sweet book in a contemporary setting.

Free, our heroine, has a little brother that she loves, and a daddy that isn't too smart. They are trying to survive in this run down old shack without electricity or running water in a poor county where nobody seems to escape from.

She works at the grocery store, where she meets Cole. Cole is in a similar situation to her: his family has also made a lot of unwise decisions, and it seems like he's the only responsible teenager in the family. His only dream is to graduate from high school and move out to a crappy apartment.

They seem to be drawn to each other, even before they meet, although Free doesn't want to admit it. She pushes him away, in fact, until fate intervenes and she needs his help. He doesn't know it yet, but he also needs her help as well...

I loved this story, which is told from both Free and Cole's perspective. I really like these two characters, who are good people, trying to do the right thing, living in messed up family situations. The setting is fairly unique... I haven't read a great deal of books set in Appalachia.

This was a book that I didn't want to put down. I highly recommend it.

"I desperately wanted her to stay, and she desperately wanted to leave and never look back."
Freedom Paine survives in what is called the Hollow with her Dad and little brother. It is clear from the beginning that Free's Dad is always trying to do what he believes is the best for his family albeit a deluded sense of what is right and wrong. Unfortunately he ends up getting them in more trouble and winds up in jail himself.

Free has to protect her brother, nicknamed Little, who is almost like her own child. She has to bring money in and assume all adult responsibilities that her Dad should be taking care of.
Along the way she meets Cole, her neighbor.

This was where the story annoyed me. Cole seems to be instantly in love with Freedom, obsessed with her despite the fact he knows absolutely nothing about her. Freedom is very aloof. She decides she doesn't need to make friends as it's not necessary and often brushes Cole off. Yet, he still comes back for more! I just didn't get his obsession with her or fully buy it. I could understand, on the other hand, how Free began to have feelings for Cole because he was always there for her and wanted to help her. It just seems that Cole is infatuated with Freedom for no real reason other than for her looks which he mentions quite a lot.

It's not a spoiler to reveal how Free's father ends up in jail. As a result, Little is taken away from Free as she isn't yet 18. Throughout the latter part of the novel she is fighting to get back to him, convinced that all she needs is Little to feel complete and whole again.

This novel deals with young love, domestic abuse, cultural and status prejudices as well as the justification of crimes in order to protect your family. I did enjoy this book, I wouldn't say it gripped me to the point of not being able to put it down, it was more that I felt I had to finish it. I could have easily put this book down and not picked it up again for ages but I didn't entirely dislike the ride, hence the 3 stars.

I found Cole and Free's relationship bizarre and not realistic. Cole is portrayed as such a romantic and that's just not true to life for teenage boys. It's this dreamy charming persona that is portrayed in YA novels that ultimately manifests in disappointment in real life. It was a little annoying in all honesty. However I still enjoyed it for the most part, seeing them come together in the face of adversity was nice but it would have been just as nice had there been no romantic element there. I would have happily settled for them just being great friends.
At times Cole's character didn't feel entirely formed. To me he sometimes broke character into something he wasn't and then would revert back to how I think Cole was meant to be portrayed.

Cole is a writer and Free is more of a numbers type of gal. As a result I enjoyed some of the quotes from Cole's POV chapters.

"I felt closer to Free because of it, like she was made from the same fabric that constructed me. Except her fabric consisted of numbers where mine was sewn together with words."

The way her mask lifted to reveal vulnerability erased my anger and filled me with the need to slay her dragons."

I feel like more could have been done with this book, I was a little disappointed, but overall it's a sweet short read and does give you the feels at times, especially if you sympathize with any of the issues the characters are dealing with in the novel.

NetGalley provided me this advanced reader copy in turn for an honest review.

I loved this! If you are a fan of Netflix’s Ozark show then you have to pick this one up! Weird comment, I know but even though it’s West Virginia vs. Missouri it feels so similar, the desperation of the setting and the people.

Free is such an interesting character, so tough and frail at the same time. Cole is so well written, his perseverance and decency in such a horrible situation was almost beyond comprehension. The relationships that develop and the dialogue were so real.

The journey and growth experienced by these two characters really moved me. I was happy with the ending. This was a great story and I highly recommend it! I will read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, Owl Hollow Press for a copy in exchange for a review.

I was hooked immediately to this book. There was so much going on that I didn’t get bored with one particular story line. I loved the use of two viewpoints and how these two viewpoints came together. I do have one complaint: I don’t feel like I got enough Little. He was by far my favorite character and I wished there was more of him in the book!

What a fantastic and deeply engrossing story! I loved the unusual setting in dirt poor coal country, and the circumstances of the characters fit the setting quite well. The characters had so much depth and the story was so plausible that it was hard not to try to read cover to cover in one sitting. I laughed, my heart broke a bit, and I cheered on our hero and heroine as they grew and found their way in their world. I highly recommend this book to readers.

Residing in the Hollow isn't about living - it's about surviving - something that both Freedom and Cole know all too well. Alike in their desperate need to see their hometown in the rearview mirror as soon as possible, Freedom and Cole's worlds collide in this gritty, heartbreaking, all to real tale.

Squatting in a shack in the mountains of West Virginia with no electricity and a father who is convinced that their luck is about to change, Freedom's only purpose in life (according to her) is taking care and protecting her little bother Little - nevermind having to watch her back at every turn because Little being with them isn't exactly legal in their case. She has no goals or ambitions that doesn't include keeping Little "safe" - including not attending school.

While Cole excels at school, his home life is the complete opposite - stressful, hard, abusive and he can't wait to graduate high school, attend college, and make something out of himself which is more than his mother and brother can ever say. Cole has always noticed Freedom in town, but once they start working together he takes this as an opportunity to try and get to know her better which Freedom isn't exactly fond of.

But when near tragedy strikes Cole is the only person Freedom can turn to for help and she is put into a situation that she has long since dreaded - a situation that forces her to face the tough question of 'what does she really want in life?'

I can honestly say that there wasn't ONE thing that I didn't like about Into the Hollow. From the characters, to the story itself, to the pacing, to the spectrum of emotions you experience, it is such a great, well rounded story. The single last sentence in this book honestly gave me chills because of what it implied and I was so happy because of it. While there is absolute sadness and anger within, you also get these sweet, tender, heartwarming moments too that show the real meaning of family, friends, and what it's like to actually live.

Absolutely recommend this in every way, don't miss it!

Thanks for the early review copy!

I recommend this book to fans of young adult fiction. It had interesting characters, and was well-written! I will check out more this author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read Into The Holler before its release date of November 6, 2018 (my birthday)!

This young adult novel is set in the town of Poplar Branch, West Virginia, in the holler. We meet Freedom Paine, 17, who is living in a shack with her younger brother and father. Neither Free nor her brother attend school or have any friends (in fact, it’s not allowed, it’s almost as if they are in hiding). Her father goes out and tries to scheme money where he can and is promising them a better life. There is so much mystery to her living situation and how her mother died. As the book progresses, we start to learn more and more.

We also meet Cole, a senior in high school. He has been sucked in to the holler life and is desperate to get himself out of there. His father and brother are in jail, his sister is a high school dropout with a child, and his mother is a junkie. Freedom catches Cole’s eye and eventually they end up working together at the same grocery store. They bond over being able to both take home stale food to fill their bare cupboards until Free’s father forbids her to see him anymore.

The characters develop as the story is told. I also could not help but read this story in my head with a very Southern twang. It sucked me in and I had to get to the bottom of every situation. Fair warning, I cried ugly tears twice in this book.

Free’s dad gets involved in a sticky situation and ends up seriously injured. Free turns to Cole for help and essentially her world falls apart. Once Freedom has to seek medical attention for her father, the police get involved because there are 2 minor children he has been caring for. I can’t say much more without ruining the book. Just know Cole is her constant and is there for her, always waiting, always willing. It turns out though, Cole needed Freedom just as much as she needed him. I don’t think I could written a better ending to the journey that Cole and Freedom end up taking together. I will say there is light for them at the end of the holler.

I am giving this book 4 stars. It is a solid, fantastic read. The character development is spot on and the way the story gives us bits and pieces into Cole’s and Free’s lives is delectable. The author makes you feel like you are about to go on a soul crushing ride when at the right moment she picks you up and leaves you with a smile. Absolutely terrific read. Once I got into part 2 I could barely put the book down. Don’t let the category of young adult fool you, this is a great read for anyone of any age.