ARC was given by NetGalley & BOOM! Studios in exchange for an honest review.

Content/Trigger Warnings: On page death of an animal


I think I’ll always desire and crave Sleepy Hollow retelling books or just Sleepy Hollow stories in general! Look, I love a good Halloweeny, Autumnal read and Sleepy Hollow stories are literal embodiments of that for me. Sleepy Hollow has been a long time favorite story of mine, but I always struggle with finding retellings of this classic tale. So naturally when whispers of this graphic novel reached me, I was instantly intrigued. I stayed up till 3:22 a.m. (I know, very specific time) power reading this graphic novel and it didn’t disappoint. I had such a fun time reading this and it ended far too quickly for my liking!

“You have no idea how much a name can curse you.”


Izzy Crane just moved to Sleepy Hollow due to their mother relocating for a new job opportunity. Little did Izzy know that Sleepy Hollow goes all out when it comes to the notorious legend and Izzy isn’t one to believe in ghosts, legends, and things that can easily be explained with enough research. That is until Izzy encounters the actual Horseman, one on one, and learns that maybe spirits are real, and just maybe Izzy wants to help one to save Vicky Van Tassel, the girl they’re crushing on, from an evil force who’s seeking revenge to the Van Tassel family.

This was such a fun, cute read, that’s such a fresh take on this story! I know a lot readers say this is a retelling, and in a way it kind of is, but it isn’t. This story takes place in modern day Sleepy Hollow, New York and even in the story itself it says this is taking two-hundred years later after the original story takes place. So you should take this as either a sequel or it’s own unique take on story of Sleepy Hollow. Plus, there’s so many unique elements we see throughout this story that just makes this feel like it’s own story in time. Like the Horseman being their own entity being made up of three spirits and how they’ve been trying to get help for so long. It was just such a great spin on things. We do get some bits and pieces of the original story of Sleepy Hollow, but we also get so new little twists on the story, too. It was just really exciting and I don’t want to say too much that may potentially spoil you.

“I’ve spent my whole life in the shadow of a two-hundred-year-old dead girl and her fictional doppelganger. I want to pick who I get to be.”


There were so many great themes throughout this book, as well. One of the biggest themes was the weight of a legacy and how sometimes people can get so caught up in wanting to continue a legacy that the current generation can feel like who they are as a person is getting lost in all the expectations. I loved this theme and how we see the Van Tassel legacy impacts Vicky, and how she just wants to be her own person. How she feels like she’s not allowed to explore who she is because of the legacy of her family and when no one around her seems to listen to her wants, you’d be reaching a breaking point too. There’s also a minor theme surrounding the weight that can come with a name especially when that name is tied to a family legacy. I absolutely adore books that play on the importance of names. It’s something I really love when books do it and I thought this was well executed especially with the way it ties in.

“People… feelings… they’re not equations on a test. Say what’s honest. What’s real, that you need them to know.”


We have a lot of representation throughout this book too. If you didn’t know by now, there is a sapphic romance between Izzy and Vicky. I thought this was such a sweet and charming romance that doesn’t consume or eclipse the plot of the story. It was really cute and even more cute the way they flirt, and Croc loses his mind with how they both act. It was so much fun and I just loved it with my whole heart. Speaking of Izzy, Izzy is half-Latinx and while it’s never made clear at any time in the book, there is a scene where Croc calls Izzy and Vicky ‘ladies’, and Izzy acts offended to being called a ‘lady.’ This leads me to believe that Izzy is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. There’s also a plethora of BIPOC characters and we even see disability rep especially with a character named Marjorie, who’s a local witch, has a crush on Croc, and uses crutches/mobility aids. And speaking of this chaotic king himself, Croc is a main side character who’s Asian. There’s just a lot of diversity throughout this book and it filled my heart with so much warmth to see so much diversity packed into this graphic novel.

And while this isn’t a major moment of the story or plot, I have to mention the corgi. I have a corgi and I feel the need to express how adorable the corgi in this book is! The corgi’s name is Chiffon and he likes hot dogs, and gets dressed up as a little Dracula corgi. It was so wholesome and precious. It was everything and I really adore the brief moments we have with this little cutie!

Overall, I had such a wonderful time reading this graphic novel. One might say I was downright giddy about the whole thing and I’m so glad I finally got the chance to sit down to read this comic. Again, I love stories, retellings that involve the original tale of Sleepy Hollow. It’s a bit of a comfort story for me and I wish we had more Sleepy Hollow stories. If you’re looking for a great Autumnal read that you can fly through, that has a bunch of wholesome moments, great rep, and an ending that sets things up for a sequel then give this graphic novel a chance. Even if you’re not a big Sleepy Hollow fan, I definitely recommend checking this book out for the great story and the sapphic cuteness!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Izzy Crane has just moved to Headless Horseman-obsessed, Sleepy Hollow, but as a city kid and a bit of a skeptic, she's not buying the legend or the vibes of the town. However, she soon becomes tied up with the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yeah, that one) and jock, Croc Byun and she finds her life in danger when her family's connection to the legend becomes all too real.

This was a fun retelling of the classic Washington Irving legend. The artwork was beautiful, the characters were intriguing and it stayed true enough to the original to not ruin it.

I found "Hollow" to be a cute and sweet read. The drawing style is equally adorable and adds to the charm of the book. Although it's a light read, it presents important topics such as queerness in a positive light. The story is enjoyable and would be perfect for slightly younger readers than myself, so I think my teenage self would have adored this book. It's not just delightful, but it also presents the legend in an engaging way that kept me hooked until the very end. Overall, a heartwarming and engaging read.

Such an amazing story! I was hooked from the very first page! I couldnt get enough!! I could not put this down for the life of me!

Spooky, fun, and funny. I picked this up largely because of Watters' name on the front. I'm not sure it quite lives up to Lumberjanes for me, but it was still a rollicking good time.

Special thanks to BOOM! Studios for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! 4 cosy hollow stars

I knew I was going to enjoy this graphic novel the minute I started reading it! You'd think a story about the legend of sleepy hollow would not be my jam (as a notorious scaredy) and normally, you'd be right, but this had a cosy mystery + modern take to it that made it more fun than scary. It would be the perfect addition to your spooky season reading lists!

I adored the illustration/art style and the colour palette captured the autumnal/spooky vibe perfectly! I also loved the diversity in the story with the inclusion of queer and POC characters. I don't know how much of a twist this is on the original sleepy hollow tale but I found it really fun and I loved the character twist for the headless horseman—it was totally unexpected but had me laughing out loud because it was awesome. Izzy, Vicky, and Croc were such great characters with their own distinct personalities. Croc was a cute himbo jock who was a great friend to Vicky and I loved the "coming of age" aspect that we get to see for Vicky in particular. She faces a lot of pressure to live up to and carry the van Tassel name and instead of enjoying the role she was "born to embrace", the pressure has become a burden. Izzy brought a relatable outsider perspective to a town that was fully and weirdly obsessed with the spooky legend but I loved the unexpected yet strong friendship/bond that forms between the trio.

The only parts of the story that I wished had been better developed had to do with the villain and the romance. I wished that his purpose was actually explained because I didn't get it and I wished the romance had been less rushed (it escalated very quickly). Overall though, a great Halloween-y read that's perfect for those who aren't big fans of spooky things but love a cosy mystery with an intriguing plot and wonderful characters! Overall though, a great halloweeny read that's perfect for those who aren't a big fan of spooky things but love a cosy mystery with an intriguing plot and wonderful characters!

This graphic novel was cute and adorable. It follows the descendants of the characters we already know from the original sleepy Hollow. I loved how diverse this book was and the characters were great! I will say that I am a huge Sleepy hollow/Headless Horseman fan and if you are too you need to go into this book as something that is definitely young adult and meant to be fun and funny. It is the first retelling that I’ve read that doesn’t make who you expect to be scary well scary and that was a bit of a let down for me. Overall this was a fun, cute read!

While unfortunately (due to unforeseen circumstances) I was unable to read this book during Halloween/Spooky Season like I was looking forward to, Hollow was still truly such a delight to read! I've been noticing a fun trend over the last few years of spooky/Halloween YA graphic novels (like Mooncakes and Pumpkinheads) and this one truly fits right in with both of them!

Although I can't speak to how accurate/true to the story Hollow was as a retelling of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the characters were compelling and fun to read about, to the point where I'm now considering picking the original tale up this fall!

I'm giving this one a solid five out of five stars, and I can't wait to see what the authors come out with next!

Hollow was a wonderful read with great characters and amazing art! 10/10 I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it. The art combined with the spooky small town vibes is just the perfect cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boom! Studios for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I actually have not read a lot of Sleepy Hollow retellings before this, but I do really enjoy the legend.

This graphic novel was an excellent take on the legend in my opinion and I also loved the art style!

I highly recommend this book!

I love books based on the Sleepy Hollow legend, and Hollow put a nice modern spin on the creepy legend. This was an enjoyable read, and I loved the artwork. I liked the cute relationship between Izzy and Vicky.

I now own a paperback copy of Hollow so I can read it every fall! I definitely recommend this graphic novel, especially if you’re looking for a cute, heartwarming, and supernatural graphic novel to read around Halloween.

An interesting twist on the Sleepy Hollow story, I guess. Illustrations are strong. I was interested to see how Watters structured this version of the tale.

This is a delightful reimagining of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow that is also a very engaging story in it's own right. Even if readers don't know the classic short story, they will love Hollow!
Isabel Crane has just moved to Sleepy Hollow, and the whole town seems obsessed with the Legend and the recent sightings of the Headless Horseman. She isn't interested in the stories until her new crush on Vicky Van Tassel draws her into a mystery that cannot be explained with science. She has to break the curse and help save Vicky.

I loved the way this story took twists and turns I didn't expect! The characters and the town are all charming. I cannot read a graphic novel with dull illustrations, and these were amazing! They really helped to draw readers into the story!

This was such a cute little graphic novel. A modern, queer Sleepy Hollow reimagining and I could just see this being the most perfect read for spooky season

I love Shannon Watters and Lumberjanes, and I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I think the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a little bit slept on (*badumshhh*) in terms of remakes. This is a super fun read with great representation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Hollow was a fun YA graphic novel, a modern sequel to the classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving. Isabel “Izzy” Crane has just moved to Sleepy Hollow with her family where she meets Vicky Van Tassel and Croc Byun. The 3 friends are confronted by the Headless Horseman and the mystery surrounding him, and also uncover a curse set to end the Van Tassel line. Together the three must work together to end the curse, save Vicky, and maybe along the way Vicky and Izzy might realize they have feelings for each other.
***
This was a cute, quick read. I loved Izzy, she was so scientific minded and the idea of the Horseman was just not something she wanted to accept but she also couldn’t deny what was right in front of her. Vicky was interesting, she felt so smothered by being a Van Tassel and all the name brings with it and had been baring it without saying anything that she was a powder keg just waiting to go off. Croc was a fun loving jock who is a prankster and just doesn’t seem to want to be left out or behind, a good friend to have at your back.

Great YA comic to read during the Halloween season. Very diverse characters and colorful illustrations. I would read the next volume if its released.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boom! Studios for the ARC of this!

This was absolutely adorable, queer, and just a bit spooky. If you liked Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and want more Fall vibes graphic novels with good feelings, this is the one. It was engaging from start to finish and I loved the art.

I had some issues downloading this but picked it up anyway because it’s a highly anticipated read for me! Like I’ve been so excited for it and it really didn’t let me down!

I loved the cute art style and the colours used, first of all, it was really brilliant and I enjoyed taking it all in for each panel! I also loved the representation in this! Not only is there a sapphic romance, but there’s a character with mobility aids which I don’t think I’ve seen in a graphic novel before!

This is such a brilliant queer read for spooky season and I loved the mystery element to it as well as the romance AND the characters are just so wonderful! I don’t think this publisher has ever let me down when it comes to graphic novels at this point!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

2022 was truly the year of me diving into graphic novels. I picked up so many this year and most of them I truly adored! I’m also a big fan of all things spooky, which I’ve been exploring more and more in 2022. So, as the year was coming to an end and I saw this spooky graphic novel pop up on Netgalley, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

Hollow follows a young woman named Isabel Crane who has, ironically enough, recently moved to the town of Sleepy Hollow. Izzy finds the town’s obsession with the famous Washington Irving legend a little… much, but tries to settle in as best she can. then she meets the beautiful Vicky Van Tassel and the prank king Croc Byun and things in town start to get a little weird. Especially when this unlikely trio start being chased by the famous Headless Horseman! Now they need to work together to uncover the mystery of the town ghost and why it can’t seem to leave the Van Tassel’s alone.

I had such a good time reading this graphic novel! Let me first gush about the artwork in this book. It is lush, vibrant, and just overall very pleasing to the eye. I loved the design of all the main characters, but my favorite has to be for the Headless Horseman. He just looks so cool! I also loved the use of color in this book. Honestly, the art had me staring at pages long after I had finished reading them because I just wanted to pick out all the details. The illustrator did an incredible job with this one!

Second, let’s talk about how much I enjoyed this story. It was spooky, it was romantic, it had twists and turns I didn’t expect. It absolutely sucked me in and I found it hard to put this book down! I was so wrapped up in the lives of Izzy, Vicky, and Croc that I didn’t want the book to end. Which is why I’m stoked that there will be another book in this series! At least, according to Amazon 😂 Overall, this was a fun, quick read that was beautifully illustrated to boot. I’m eager to read more from this team!