I absolutely loved this YA horror set in Caball Hollow WV (heck I read a chunk of it while IN Caball County WV). This rural folk horror subgenre is one of my favorites and I very much liked Linden and her family, a family who had lived in the area for generations and they all have their form of magic. Linden's sister can detect lies for example. Linden reads (and projects) emotion.

The story opens a year almost to the day since Linden disappeared into the woods only to come back with next to no memory of what had happened to her and the town decided she merely got lost and frightened while participating in a local ritual of baiting the Moth-Winged man (a spin on Mothman which is huge here). It caused a rift between her and her friends, especially her boyfriend, Cole, the mayor's son and everyone's golden boy, the boy who shouldn't have survived his heart defect but did.

One of Linden's friends, a young lady who did escape the town via a scholarship is back wanting to talk to her but disappears just like Linden did, only she's not as lucky. Her death has echoes of Linden's disappearance and the disappearance of a young boy some 20 years before. Linden and her family try to work out what is going on, how is it connected to Linden and before the town explodes (mostly at them because their 'powers' are an open secret.

I loved Linden though I would have liked more definition of some of the characters like her sisters. I did have some quibbles, like Linden realizing something is important to the case but not telling anyone but Cole seeing as her dad IS the detective on the case. (though later it seems maybe she had but off page), or why she was so convinced Cole didn't like her any more. There is some explanation but it comes late in the game and doesn't seem to be how Cole feels judging by his actions on screen. The thing that bothered me most was the danger of losing the farm. I'm like you've lived there for generations, did they build a new house that needs a house payment? (I was thinking this because we have two generational houses in my family and we would be in no danger of losing them in a month because we're out of work, maybe when taxes came due) It seemed tacked in there to up tension but it felt unnecessary.

Still, it's a solid debut and I will be hunting for her next book.

If you are a fan of the movie Practical Magic run do not walk. So many things about this book feel like a sister to that movie in all of the best ways. Matriarchal family, cursed love, small town that doesn't know what to make of the witches on the hill. I LOVED this book, Linden is a deeply sympathetic main character that guides us through this book and her world with ease. She's missing parts of what happened to her when she disappeared last year and the conclusion to that and other mysteries is very satisfying. The line this book walks between never quite knowing whether or not the supernatural elements are real is phenomenal. The sisters and their mother and grandmother all practice Appalachian folk magic that is very clearly grounded in tradition and ancestral history. Throughout the book there are interludes that discuss the in season produce and best practices for that season which I found to be a lovely touch. Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Equal parts cozy and creepy, the James women have always had talents, and the townspeople have always been a little wary of them and their "gifts".

Linden has had a rough year, and is slowly coming to terms with it. But when her friend goes missing, she realizes that what happened to her a year ago might be connected, and she needs to remember what happened.

But some mysteries are better left buried, and some people may do anything to make sure it does.

I really enjoyed this atmospheric story about family, magic, and the toll it can take on the people who surround them. Also excited that this is the beginning of a series, I can't wait to read more!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

This is a 2.75 for me.

I liked the beginning. The setup of the family. The way the main “felt” emotions as different food tastes. But then it started dragging its feet. The main characters dreary emotions and obnoxious love interest didn’t help.

I soon myself reading just to get it over with, and only by 85% did the plot interest me again, only to lose me again the next scene when grandma made her big speech.

I love a book with a creepy yet cozy small town vibe, especially with autumn around the corner. This is a story about family, magic, folklore, and mysteries. The characters are strong and the writing is beautiful, especially the food descriptions and how Linden associates tastes with feelings. The murder mystery was really intriguing with a lot of different things to figure out and most of them left me surprised. I also appreciated the hint of romance. I’m looking forward to seeing what the sequel is going to be about since this part of the story was wrapped up pretty nicely.

Thank you to Penguin Group for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it's the first one in a brand new series by Kate Pearsall.

I expected the book to be scarier than it was because of the blurb I read calling it a dark fantasy. I didn't feel that description covered all the various elements of the story. It had some dark moments--the way unsolved murders often do, but it was also filled with hope and new beginnings.

I loved how the author brought so many little details in her descriptions of the James family. Those details not only described them, but also showed characteristics through their actions that brought them to life in a way that made them feel as if they were real people.

While it is called a fantasy book, the story also has elements of magical realism that I really enjoyed. I loved the plot that was at once original and yet also made the story seem somewhat like a fairy tale. The author is truly a master story teller, and this book is worth every one of the five stars I am giving it.

I can't wait for the next book in this series, and I hope to read many more books by this author.

I devoured Bittersweet In the Hollow down to the very last crumb. This is just the type of story I love - a scrumptious blend of thriller, horror, folklore, and mystery with a dash of romance. It had flavors of The May Queen Murders, another favorite book of mine.

The writing style and character development were consistent, seamless and engaging. World building and pacing were executed with effortless expertise. It kept me guessing until the very end! I was truly impressed by every aspect of this book and it is very hard to believe this author does not have more published work. This author is now absolutely on my radar and may become an auto-buy in the future.

Now I have to find a perfect hardback copy of Bittersweet In the Hollow for my favorite books collection. This book was high on my 2023 "To be read" list due to the gorgeous cover, appealing title, and exciting blurb, and it exceeded my expectations. I rarely give a five star review but Bittersweet In the Hollow wholeheartedly deserves it. Thank you to NetGalley for offering this title in their catalogue.

This is a truly exceptional debut novel.

Bittersweet in the Hollow is the perfect autumn read. It's both delightfully cozy and atmospheric while maintaining an air of mystery and creepiness. The writing was a joy to read - it was amazingly atmospheric and I never felt like reading this novel was "work." Within the first few pages I was transported to this world full of Appalachian folklore and culture.

I was just pondering the lack of sisterhood stories vs the strong and repeated themes of brotherhood in media, so it was such a delight to read a very woman-centered story that really showcased great sister relationships as well as mother-daughter ones. The setting was vividly described and the perfect blend of cozy and creepy, I felt like I could hear and smell the diner scenes specifically while reading. (Warning: this book will make you deliciously hungry!)

I really loved the details of the magical elements, from the James family wisdom given at the turn of every month, to the specific gifts each sister had, and the overall legends of the area. It was just enough and not too overwhelming for someone who may not be used to fantasy/fantasy elements.

While I did guess one element of the mystery early on, overall it was a great reveal and the pacing of the story leading up to it is so good. I was never bored and it always felt like there was a good pace and interesting things happening.

The only thing I didn't love in this book was the romance. I just didn't feel very strongly about it either way, but I appreciated that it was there, lightly. When the declarations of love do happen, the wording is really sweet and wonderful, and it is a great scene.

I had no idea this was more than a standalone, but upon finishing and seeing #2 to come...I would definitely be interested in a sequel, perhaps focusing on another James sister!

This book has a little bit of everything: magic, coziness, murder mystery, and more. Bittersweet in the Hollow is truly atmospheric and transports you into the story entirely. I would highly recommend adding this book to your fall tbr!

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen & NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book is so complicated to review! There was a point where I thought the story was dragging a bit and I set it aside for other reads, but then I kept thinking about it. I came back to the story and it settled into my bones a little bit when I was done. The atmosphere and tone of the story was nostalgic and kind of a whimsical gray? Idk how to describe it, but I think it ended up suiting the overall content. I adored Linden’s big, witchy family and their abilities, the diner and the delicious-sounding desserts, and the small-town folklore. There was enough drama and intrigue to keep me going, though maybe the pacing could have been a little better.

This was a dark and mysterious YA Fantasy set in a spooky and lore filled Appalachian town.

In Caball Hollow, four sisters, each with a unique magical power, work at their family diner and try to maintain a private life, keeping their magic away from the nosy townspeople.

When one of their friends goes missing and ends up dead in the woods in the same creepy place FMC Linden had gotten lost previously, Linden goes on a quest for answers to figure out how her friend died.

This fast-paced, atmospheric, and thrilling book is filled with suspense, mystery, twists and turns, unlikely alliances, a bit of romance, and a small town with secrets that will be unearthed. I highly recommend it to young readers looking for a perfect book for fall.

I will definitely be reading more from this author! Tysm Penguin Teen for the ARC!

This book was a pure magical dliehgt. I am not really one for magic and monster books, but this one had the right amounts of both without turning into a fantasy novel. It definitely had me guessing until the end.

It’s hard to summarize a book like Bittersweet in the Hollow. This young adult novel was so much more than just that genre… add in paranormal abilities, murder, mystery, legends of a Moth-Winged Man, a dash of romance, and the powerful bonds of family. This story takes place in present time, following 17 year old Linden, whose family has passed down paranormal abilities through generations of women. Linden’s ability is that she can taste the emotions of other people, so there’s an ongoing theme of flavors and food throughout the book, especially since Linden’s family also owns a restaurant.

The book takes place in the small town of Caball Hollow where everyone seems to know each other. There’s an isolated feeling since the town is surrounded by a national forest, and families have lived there for generations.

There’s a lot of mystery woven into this story. Linden disappeared for a night a year ago, but is unable to remember what happened during that time. Now a friend has gone missing exactly a year later. Could these disappearances be related to the little boy that vanished 18 years ago? What about the Moth-Winged Man that Caball Hollow is known for? All this put together definitely makes for a complex story that keeps you wondering how it will all come together. There’s some interesting twists along the way, and though some of them I suspected, there were definitely some surprises along the way too.

Overall this was an interesting story with a unique feel to it. While at times it felt a little slow-paced, it really picks up in the last third of the book, to the point that I just couldn’t put it down until I finished it at 2am. It was definitely worth reading!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the free advance copy of Bittersweet in the Hollow. All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

The imagery and worldbuilding are very, very strong in this book! I found it to be excellently crafted, and well paced as well.

I for sure love the beautiful dream like quality the author invokes with her writing . It draws you in and ensnares you.
The main character Linden and her family are some of my favorite characters. Their dynamic is super interesting mainly because of their abilities/gifts with Linden’s being that she can taste what others are feeling. With a murder mystery vibe that for sure keeps you invested and a so so romance that peeks through every so often is a fun mix.
At some points during the story I kind of wish the romance aspect would get more attention. It falls to the wayside for a majority of the story and I wanted to learn more about that. Probably one of my only complaints.
I for sure loved the reveal of who was the main evil behind the string of death. I was pleasantly surprised cause I wasn’t even close to guessing who it was. That ending with the promise of more romance had me looking forward to more books from this series.
Overall this book was a dreamy nail biting who-dun-it book that had me aching for more and to hear there’s a sequel in the works makes my bookish heart happy.

Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Group Publishing for a ARC of this book. My review is a honest reflection of feelings towards this book.

I have a TON of thoughts after finishing this book.

"We are strong mountain women. We're going to stop believing the lies the world tells us about who we are and letting them make us small. Because I know who you are, each one of you, and I didn't raise you to be small."

I've been craving autumn and all the creepy, spooky fantasy mysteries that come with that season, and starting my spooky books off with Bittersweet in the Hollow this year was a phenomenal decision on my part. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The best part by far was the distinct voice/dialect of the people living near the Appalachian Mountains. It made the atmosphere 1000% stronger because I was transported to this region through all my senses—taste with James women recipes, sound with the Appalachian terminology/phrases, sight and touch with the lush descriptions of the forests and setting, etc. Plus, I was in love with the history and lore surrounding the town, definitely hope for more of that in the sequel.

"How strange it is to be born and live somewhere our whole lives, to have family and roots here, and yet be made to feel we don't belong. To be outsiders in the only home we've ever known."

For anyone with a big family—particularly in a smaller more rural town—you'll truly enjoy this novel. Not only does it stick true to small town family drama being immensely unnerving, but it also blends that perfectly with a close-knit family. I think I speak for a ton of future readers when I say the James women were a sight for sore eyes. I've grown tired of books constantly destroying families and leaving orphans behind. It was amazing to see not only a relationship between Linden and her mother or sisters but overall the three generations worth of James women living together in chaotic normalcy. That was beautiful. There wasn't even much fighting unless it involved the sisters protecting one another. It was refreshing to see such a positive bond between siblings too. Pearsall also gives ample personalities and distinct relationships amongst all of the sisters. Rowan and Linden were completely different to Linden and Juniper or even Sorrel and Linden. I was curious to see Linden's sisters' abilities after learning Linden could smell emotions, and I was not disappointed. Sorrel charms bees to make honey, which can strengthen spells or bind a promise—very unique! Rowan, in a very fitting manner, can detect lies and has a real knack for unearthing them, which the latter isn't technically a part of her abilities; Rowan just really hates liars haha. Finally, Juniper was gifted with bridging the gap between their current world and the next, a mighty ability that comes in handy plenty of times throughout this book—possibly even the sequel. All of the James sisters together create an electric magic system along with their lovely bonds with one another, and I cannot wait to see what else they do together in the sequel.

"Murder is nothing new in Caball Hollow, Linden."

Honestly, I know a ton of people talk about food descriptions being great in a ton of books, but I need to emphasize just how INCREDIBLE the food sounded here. I don't think I've ever read a book where I could almost smell the pies or jam or tomatoes. The connections between food, family, and bonding overall just left me cocooned in the warmest hug. I highly recommend reading this book just to experience the food because it'll certainly be a life changing experience, especially if you're a foodie. Lastly via this part—I never expected Linden's cooking/baking hobby to blend with her magic. At the funeral when everyone is suddenly bawling after eating her cake (which she made while extremely upset), my jaw was on the floor. I guess I never expected her power to manifest in that way in connection with a hobby, but it was purely genius. I can't wait for more scenes involving this!

"What does it mean to go missing? To become lost, to disappear. None of the tales we're told as children are useful instruction. We don't hike with pockets full of bread crumbs to leave a trail, and no fairy godmother will appear to point the way. Sometimes, no matter how good or righteous we are, we may never find our way home."

While I guessed 2/3 of the big plot twists, the truth about the Moth-Winged Man certainly threw me for a loop. I would never have guessed that Hadrian was the Moth-Winged Man himself. I had a feeling the Moth-Winged Man was actually a protecter or at least a good figure rather than ominous, but the lore that Pearsall unravels took me completely by surprise. Now I did think that Hadrian could be either Elam or Wyatt, but I was hoping for him to be Elam. Moreover, Malcolm Spencer was acting odd from the beginning of this book, so he was always on my radar as the big bad, especially because he has such influential power as the mayor. What I certainly wasn't expecting was for him to be one of the most disgusting antagonists that I've read about in YA for quite some time. The details about how he found Elam and then what he proceeded to do to him just... it sent me over the edge. I had to stop reading for a bit after that because I was so upset. There's a twisted pain throughout that entire reveal because chapters before we learned that Hadrian and Elam are the same person. Don't even get me started on the reveal of all the bargains the Spencers and James have made with the Moth-Winged Man. Zephyrine's forced sacrifice was particularly bittersweet—another f you to Malcolm for being the absolute worst.

"But what do you say about someone whose life hasn't even really begun yet? How do you memorialize a person when everything was still ahead of her?"

I'm not quite sure where the story is heading for the sequel. I assume Zephyrine is going to be the main plot because she didn't necessarily die when she was forced to walk into the Bone Tree. Until the James women see a body or get some better answers, I think they have plans to hunt for their family member. Also, I could see Linden even searching for answers to their first known ancestor Caorunn because she has similar abilities that interact with emotions.

"No one really believes that calling the Moth-Winged Man can grant your deepest wish, but somehow, under the twinkling lights, with all the promise of summer spread out before us, it feels like anything is possible."

Thank you to PenguinTeen and NetGalley for the early eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm not sure how much of the YA genre is "teen girl and there's magic and a town-wide mystery," but I've read a few of them over the last year. Some, I've liked a lot. Others, I've liked...less. If this is a new subgenre, Bittersweet in the Hollow is a solid new addition to the canon.

Linden's voice is clear and charmingly Appalachian, without sounding hickish or clichéd (at least to these non-Appalachian eyes). Family holds strong, too, even if the grown-ups sometimes withhold information or do or say things that stymie the girls' efforts to get to the truth. This is a staple of teen stories everywhere—adults standing in their way—and to Bittersweet's credit, those words, secrets, and actions feel less contrived than most. So do Juniper's rule-breaking decisions. Teenagers in general make bad judgements and rebel in dumb ways sometimes, but in fiction it's taken to the extreme for drama or in service of plot progression. While some of Juniper's decisions do cause drama or advance the plot, they didn't really strain credulity. 

This is not to say Bittersweet requires no suspension of disbelief, or that it's perfectly plotted in every way. There is magic, after all, and I found one or two of the late-book revelations to be a little bit of a letdown. But Bittersweet was fun, and sad, and mysterious. Juniper's world is full of love, and a whole lot of unanswered questions, and magic aside, that's what it feels like to be a teenager a lot of the time. Pearsall's worldbuilding, and the obvious love she has for all her characters, is what really brings this story home. Sometimes, I could almost feel the sticky heat of summer or taste the family's famous lemon bars.

You know what? Here's my biggest criticism of the book: so much talk of delicious foods, and not a single recipe in sight. Is there a waiting list somewhere I can get on for a companion cookbook?

(A version of this review including a synopsis will be live on ringreads.com at 2:17 p.m. MDT on 10 October 2023)

This book gave dark and eerie vibes and I truly felt them while reading, However, vibes don’t carry the plot of the book, which I felt was slow moving. It felt like the author had a great plan for this novel and it just felt a little muddled getting there. Overall, loved the atmosphere and world building and the feelings the imagery gave me.

This is a stunning southern/Appalachian gothic YA debut, and I loved almost every second of it. The last 10% or so wasn't exactly my favorite, but I can appreciate most of the narrative moves Pearsall made even then. The characters are great--I adore the central sisters and their relationships, and the late-summer West Virginia vibes just ooze out of the page and make you feel like you're there. The supernatural elements are unique and attention-grabbing as well. I would definitely read the sequel that Goodreads tells me is in the works.

This story was so immersive, the world was just so mesmerizing and dark. Our main character was easy to connect to and the perfect balance of entertaining yet serious. I really truly loved the world that was built and all of the mystery it held.

Overall I really liked this atmospheric debut even though it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The fantasy/ spooky elements were a lot more low key and I would have liked more from the Appalachian setting (something like the Tufa novels tbh). Sometimes Linden’s reactions seemed disproportionate to the situation and it was unclear whether that was because she was also channelling what others felt or whether it was entirely her. And it was definitely a slow burn start. That said the tension and suspense were great and I loved the unfolding mystery.