First of all, I have been DYING for a moth man inspired book, and this one delivered! I thought the writing portrayed appalachain folklore in a very realistic way - especially how dark and unsettling the woods can be. The Linden sisters had such a readable and interesting bond that makes me excited to read the next book in the series.

In Bittersweet in the Hollow, Pearsall combines elements of the thriller and contemporary fantasy genres to create an intriguing story. It follows Linden of the James family where they each have a special talent and have lived in the same Appalachian town for generations. Linden is able to taste what others are feeling, but that doesn't play as big a part of the story as I expected; it's mostly about how she gets roped into the investigation of a decades-long disappearance and a recent murder. What's interesting is that Linden is plagued by nightmares of the one day that she was missing the year prior. Pearsall doesn't hold back in describing this, and the mysterious circumstances under which she was found, which adds to the overall sinister vibe of the book. Even more so with the fact that the murder victim was somebody that she knew, a girl a few years older than her named Dahlia.
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Linden becomes invested in solving not only the obvious murder of Dahlia but the mysterious disappearance of a 4-year-old boy, Elam, nearly 20 years prior, and the way that these 2 cases come together is so satisfying. Pearsall ties in the mythology of the Mothman (which is tied to West Virginia) into both cases and ultimately, Linden's strange 24-hour disappearance as well. I was really intrigued by Pearsall's interpretation of the legend and how it impacted the small town. There is also somewhat of a deep dive into the history of the town, which makes the town a character in and of itself.
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YA books just aren’t hitting for me recently. I think this could be great for the right audience but not for an older reader. Definitely see how it was well written for the right audience!

This book blends mystery, folklore, and a touch of magic in a way that’s both atmospheric and intriguing. The Appalachian setting is vividly drawn, and the James sisters’ abilities add a unique layer to the unfolding mystery. Linden’s talent—tasting emotions—makes for an interesting perspective, especially as she unravels the secrets surrounding her own disappearance and the murder that follows.

That said, the pacing is uneven. The middle section drags, bogged down by repetitive discoveries, while the climax is intense and almost too fast in comparison. Some dialogue and Southern-isms feel a bit heavy-handed, and the romance with Cole doesn’t always hit the right notes. The Moth-Winged Man concept is eerie, but the name feels unnecessarily clunky, especially given its frequency.

Despite its flaws, this is an engaging read with strong Netflix adaptation potential. If you enjoy small-town gothic mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, it’s worth checking out—just be prepared for a slow burn before the payoff.

Some parts felt predictable in some parts were a nice surprise, but all of it was intriguing and made for a fun time. I like the characters and how they had unique abilities and the whole plot itself had me interested. I was on the edge and dying to know more the whole time. I cannot wait for the next book! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a fan of this, unfortunately. I found the story too slow for my liking. I do like the “powers” the girls have! I think it’s quite smart. But other than that, I did not grow attached to the characters., the world, or the story. This one was not for me.

This was by far my favorite YA read of 2024.
Sure thing!
It is an enchanting blend of mystery and magic. The setting is hauntingly beautiful, and the characters are richly developed. Pearsall's lyrical writing and the gripping plot kept me hooked till the end. Highly recommended!
As someone who lives in Appalachia it was so fun to read a story in such a familiar setting. The descriptions made it all so easily visible.

I'm majorly upset about this book. Granted, I know it's been wellllll past the time I was supposed to read and review this book, but I was looking forward to it. Everytime I see it at a bookstore, I remember I received it as a free eARC and get excited to get to it (eventually). Lo and behold my surprise when I open my kindle and I can no longer find it. I'm not sure if it expired or what, because I know I had it downloaded, but it somehow was deleted from my account. This is probably one that I WILL buy at some point, and then I will actually leave an honest review. I'm giving this a 4 star prematurely because the average Goodreads reviews are 4.03 stars.

I apologize to the author for the blatant waste of an eARC

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I unfortunately ended up dnfing this book as I was hoping it would fill my need for more books like House of Hollow, but it fell short. I wish I could say more, but I simply think this wasn't the book for me.

This is when I kept picking up and putting back down and I’m not sure if it was my mood or the book but did not finish reading this book.

3.7
I feel like I've been inundated lately with Appalachian semi-witches. I'm not complaining, necessarily, but I could do with less of the murder stuff in these cases. Think Alice Hoffman instead of...murder stuff.

Bittersweet in the Hallow is sweet tale of sisters living in Appalachia with unique magical abilities. Linden, who the is at the center of the story can taste the emotions of others, is trying to regain memories of a night lost in the woods after a fight that ruined her relationship with a ruggedly handsome man named Cole Spencer. A year later and the mystery of another girl who didn’t return from the woods, Linden slowly starts to regain her memories of the night and becomes aware of dangers lurking in the woods. Old mountain lore, familial magic, and rumors of moth-winged men make this for an intriguing read that toes the line of spooky but is ultimately ends more of the sugary side of scary.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

A modern day Practical Magic! This was a cozy and lush paranormal mystery featuring the Appalachian mountains and “moth man” lore. The magic system was unique and not really in your face. The mystery was great, I didn’t see it coming somehow lol and I loved that there was a romantic subplot! This was at times cozy (like the time spent in the family restaurant) but also kept me intrigued by the mystery of missing people and other’s turning up dead!

This isn’t my usual type of read but I enjoyed it and think it’s the perfect autumn read!

This time of year is the perfect time for a spooky Appalachian mystery like this. I loved the little touch of magic that each sister possessed and thought that really added a nice bit of fun to the story. The ending was great and I really loved the conclusion which is all I can say really without giving away the whole thing!

I love a good dark and twisty book and this was good not great.
I loved the storyline for the little creepy town where creepy things occur and of course the sister who didnt know she had powers.

I struggled to get into it though which was unfortnate. I think maybe it just wasnt the right time to try and read it.

I am so fascinated by Appalachian stories and folklore, so this was the perfect book for me! Great story for spooky season!

This was gorgeously atmospheric. The sense of magical realism makes this the perfect book to curl up with as summer winds down.

Reading it felt a little bit like exploring a lush small town through fog. As we got more pieces of the mystery, everything became clearer but also progressively twistier in a way that built suspense without overdoing it. The characters were well-placed to discover clues while the clues themselves worked well into the magic behind the creation of the town.

The exploration of the James’ women’s magic made the fantasy elements in this book work with the story to give it a mystical feel while being believable, which I loved. It was complex, developed every character’s personality into something that fit with what they could do, and supported the possibility of the Moth-Winged Man being real.

This is he or isn’t he truly lurking in the forest is a gorgeous way of building suspense while pushing character growth and putting Linden and others in the right situations to figure everything out. It was also a well-crafted urban legend that was integrated amazing into the overall plot and worldbuilding.

Although set in our world, the history of the town was easy to gather and an interesting addition to the story. Pearsall gave great depth to every aspect she introduced while neatly solving a mystery. However, there’s definitely enough to go on for a second book, and I’m absolutely excited to read what happens next and get answers to the “loose ends.”

Overall, this is such a beautiful book with fantastic end-of-summer vibes that lend well to bridging that gap between August and spooky season. It was interesting to read, and great for those who like witchy vibes, small town mysteries, and cryptids.

So basically any book set near the Applachian trail is a want to read in my book. (see what I did there!) this one was no different.

There were two instances of a disapearance in the Novel and both ended very differently from the other. Its a truly interesting fantasy book that has a lot of mystery to it.

I’m giving this book a 2.5. I had high hopes but found myself getting bored. I think I’m just growing tired of the YA horror genre, which often feels repetitive. While I liked the setup and the idea of Mothman, the execution didn’t engage me. The story would have been more compelling if the sisters had played a bigger role. I expected a multi-POV narrative where each sister uncovered pieces of the truth, but it was just from Linden’s perspective, and I didn’t connect with her. The love interest also lacked appeal.

Overall, while some might enjoy this story, I would have rated it higher a year ago. I’m just not as invested in this genre anymore. If there’s a sequel, I’d be interested only if it includes the perspectives of all the sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.