FMC - Kat: 4 🌟
MMC - Crane: 4 🌟
MMC - Brom: 4 🌟
SPICE: 🌶 🌶 🌶

LIKES: I really enjoyed the spooky vibes and the retelling of Sleepy Hollow! The characters are all interesting and each have their own mysteries or secrets, waiting to be figured out. By the end of the book, I had still had so many questions, and I'm anxious to see what happens next with Brom's possession, Kat's mother's involvement, and learning whatever secrets the school is hiding!

I really enjoyed Kat's relationship with Crane. Given the age gap between them, she behaves maturely for her age and felt like a good fit for him from the beginning. And even though Brom didn't play a huge part in their whole dynamic yet, I'm eager to see how the three of them love and protect one another, because I feel like there's a chaotic road ahead of them in book 2

DISLIKES: While there was a point made that sex is a powerful energy for witches and mages, I feel like some of the magic was unnecessarily sexualized.

There are also a quite a few threads to follow throughout the story (the headless horseman, Brom's disappearance and reappearance, the mystery of Kat's mother, her father's death, the coven at the school, the school itself, the question of Goruun, the deaths of the teacher, Vivienne, and Crane's wife and the subsequent hauntings). The idea of it being a more complex plot isn't an issue itself, but the question will be, can all of these threads be tied together in the next book and executed well? I just need to read it to find out :p

Thank you to Netgalley and author Karina Halle for the opportunity to read this ARC 💕

Thank you for the free book, Ace books and Berkley!

In this gothic reimagining of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Katrina Van Tassel is beginning her education at the Sleepy Hollow Institute, a school for magic and witchcraft. She hasn’t seen her first love, Brom, in four years, and she’s immediately drawn to her older professor Ichabod Crane. There are so many mysteries in Sleepy Hollow, including sightings of a Headless Horseman and the reappearance of a changed Brom. Kat and Crane are faced with danger at every turn, and feelings they can’t deny either.

This book isn’t quite what I expected, which was my own fault for going in blind. It was quite a surprise! There were many things to love about it, from the dark and gothic vibes to the Sleepy Hollow retelling. However, the spice and several plot lines were a bit beyond my comfort zone and my personal preference, and I’d encourage readers to look into content warnings prior to reading to ensure their comfort levels.

Readers can expect:
Dark, gothic setting and vibes
Witchcraft and ghosts
Sleepy Hollow reimagining
Paranormal historical romance
Dark themes (SA, violence)
MM and MF romance

Karina Halle has never disappointed me! This Sleepy Hollow retelling gave the perfect gothic and spooky witchy vibes! And make it why choose? Yes please! This was everything I didn't know I needed!

I was entertained. I can see why some wouldn’t enjoy it, but for me it was a really good mix of the Sleepy Hollow lore, horror, dark academia and romance. Looking forward to Legend to see how it all plays out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

Hollow is a twist on Sleepy Hollow and it perfectly blends horror and dark romance!

The main character Kat is caught between dangerous magic and two very different men.. Ichabod, the newcomer, and Brom, whose return stirs old feelings.

The atmosphere is eerie, the chemistry strong, and the suspense keeps you hooked until the end.

A few slow moments hold it back from five stars, but if you love spooky, sexy reads with a dose of danger, this one is a must!!
Great for spooky season.

Hollow is dark academia retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. I love a retelling when its done well and this is excellent. I have loved all of Karina Halle's books so far and I had high hopes because I love the original. She took a lot of liberties and they all worked. It is a mystery and ghost story with witches. It is emotional and suspenseful. It is a love triangle turned why choose. I am so excited to finish this duology.

When I requested this book, I didn't quite understand the genre.

Apparently, the plot was just something to keep the smut moving. Which is fine, but not what I was hoping for in a non-monogamous Sleepy Hollow themed fantasy/romance. Overall, it was nice to read outside of my regular genres, but I would have liked a bit more of a story.

I was really enjoying this book, but it eventually ventured into themes that felt a bit too taboo for my personal taste. That being said, the plot is strong, the storyline well paced, and the writing quality is good. While it wasn’t the perfect fit for me, I can see the right audience truly loving and appreciating this book.

Amazon review submitted, Barnes & Noble will be submitted when available
Blog post goes live Sept 28th
Instagram post goes live Sept 7th
Youtube review going up in Friday Reads 8/30


**TL;DR**: This was a book I read but I have no real strong feelings about.
**Source**: NetGalley - Thank you to the publisher!!

**Plot**: There are some witches, some characters ‘inspired’ by sleepy hollow, and sex.
**Characters**: Flat as paper for me sadly.
**Setting:** It was dark and had all the right words for atmospheric.
**Romance:** Not strong at all.


**Thoughts:**

So… this was a book I read. I promise I wish I could tell you more and tell you I felt more about this but that would be a lie and I’m not about to do that. To give you an example, I was almost done with this book and put it down for the night. The next day I couldn’t remember what I was reading and genuinely thought ‘Oh I guess I’ll start my next arc’. That’s how little I felt about this that I forgot I was reading it.

This seems to be loosely inspired by Sleepy Hollow. I say loosely because while the characters all seem to be named the same and we have a few similar things in there, it’s really a very loose inspiration. The book mainly focuses on… well the sex. There is a plot with some ghosts and some creepy elements that had promise but we got distracted often and frequently with the horizontal hoky-poky.

I will say I found the opening spicy scene very uncomfortable as our main character was young. The chemistry fell flat for me entirely, which I think was just a book problem in general. Also, getting fingered on a horse sounds awful. Has this author ridden a horse before?? So unfortunately not a horrible book but not a great one either, I’m left feeling rather… ‘eh’ about the whole thing.

This is a twisted retelling of the legend Sleepy Hollow. Up front warnings: This book contains a love triangle between two MMC's and one FMC. Tessa has always known she would marry her best friend Brom - in fact their marriage was arranged. But he comes to her in the middle of the night desperate and upset. One night, and by morning light he is gone without a trace. No one seems to know where he went. And Tessa is left bereft, heartbroken and backed into attending the mist shrouded university of Sleepy Hollow where things are NOT what they seem, where secrets are woven into the stone and mist of the grounds and where danger lurks just within the shadows. And this is where this twisty, gothic retelling really gets interesting.

A twisted love triangle where every person in the triangle has had or currently has an individual relationship with one or two others in the triangle. So messy doesn't even touch it. Because - to complicate matters Brom only remembers Tessa and he is set on the fact that she is his alone. Part of the untangling of this mystery of his disappearance and his current situation is discovering the forbidden relationship that got him in trouble at first and the second one that threatens everything he knows now - will he remember, and if he does what will it mean for Tessa? For Brom? For the mysterious professor who has fallen for Tessa, but has secrets of his own?

This book contains scenes, and though they can be skipped the overarching relationships may not be suitable for some - please make sure you read the trigger warnings as Halle has been upfront about things.

This haunting reimagining of the classic legend is as seductive as it is unsettling. From the very first page, the gothic atmosphere of Sleepy Hollow seeps into every scene, wrapping the reader in its eerie magic and delicious tension. Kat is a compelling lead, torn between the expectations placed on her, the powerful pull of forbidden magic, and the emotional chaos stirred by two very different men. Ichabod’s arrival as a darkly magnetic teacher adds layers of intrigue, while Brom’s mysterious return complicates everything with questions that may not have safe answers.

What truly sets this story apart is the way it blends horror, fantasy, and romance so seamlessly. The chemistry between the central trio is electric, and their emotional entanglements feel both intense and believable. Karina Halle doesn’t shy away from the dark edges of the story, balancing steamy moments with genuine suspense and a sense of creeping dread. As secrets unravel and the danger grows, the stakes become terrifyingly real, keeping you hooked until the final page. This is the kind of read that lingers with you, beautifully twisted and satisfyingly wicked.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Karina Halle is the queen of dark fantasy romances. She is the absolute best at a good dark retelling and this absolutely delivered.

With spooky season right around the corner, this was the perfect way for me to get into the Halloween vibes. I absolutely LOVE a good smutty book with some creepy vibes. I cannot wait to see where things go with Brom, Crane and Kat 😏 Running to the next one!

If you are a fan of Karina you know what you’ll be getting with this one.

Hollow will be available for rerelease, with a brand new cover, on 10/7/25!

Tropes
🖤Dark academia vibes
💀Professor x student
👻Age gap
🎃Sleepy Hollow retelling
🔮Witches and dark magic
❤️‍🔥Spicy
🐦‍⬛A possible why choose?
🦋One horse
🌙Hidden identities



*Thank you NetGalley, Berkeley publishing, and the amazing Karina Halle for the ARC!*

Hollow
by Karina Halle
Pub Date: Oct 07 2025

Kat Van Tassel's life was predestined from childhood; she was to marry her best friend, Brom Bones. But Brom vanished from Sleepy Hollow years ago, leaving Kat alone to enroll in Sleepy Hollow Institute, a shadowy university for advanced witchcraft run by her powerful family. And now she finds herself drawn to the school's enigmatic new teacher, Ichabod Crane, as he delves into dark magic.

When Brom returns, suffering from amnesia and a dark transformation, the trio must confront gruesome murders attributed to a vengeful spirit, The Headless Horseman, while navigating their tangled relationships.

As Kat, Ichabod, and Brom seek answers, their bonds deepen, and forbidden desires take hold. But Sleepy Hollow holds secrets more sinister than they imagined. The Headless Horseman lurks, threatening to claim them, while something even more terrifying looms in the shadows. Embark on a journey of dark mysteries, desire, and danger in the eerie heart of Sleepy Hollow.

Absolutely loved this book. Karina Halle can do no wrong. I never knew I needed a retelling in the Sleepy Hallow universe. I cannot wait for book two!

The plot was executed really well—dark, atmospheric, and layered with witchcraft, romance, and haunting folklore—but this story is not for the faint of heart. Karina isn’t afraid to dive into taboo areas, and while I understood why they were necessary for the story’s structure, there were definitely a lot of red flags. Some moments were so wrong… and yet, that was exactly what made them work.

This book requires your full attention—miss a detail, and you might feel lost—but if you lean in, it’s so rewarding. Kat, Brom, and Ichabod’s tangled relationships bring intensity, angst, and desire that feel both wrong and inevitable.

And the ending? A gut punch. I closed the book equal parts unhinged and desperate for book 2.

If you like your retellings dark, twisted, and dripping with atmosphere, Hollow will pull you under—and you’ll come up hungry for more.

A spicy retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Loved the way Halle set the atmosphere. Would have liked more of the world/magic system building and more depth to the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Ace for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A gothic, why choose, spicy retelling of Sleepy Hollow yes please!

When Katrina’s fiance goes missing, she enrolls in the Sleepy Hollow Institute where she meets professor Ichabod Crane. She of course is drawn to him. But then Brom returns with amnesia and Katrina is torn between her feelings for both men. But Brom isn’t the same person and his return has also brought a mysterious murder.

It was definitely entertaining and makes me want to read more books by the author. 3.5 stars rounded up.

If you're looking for the perfect spicy, spooky season read- look no further. Hollow is a why choose, mmf retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It's gothic, dark academia with witches and a cursed town set at a magical university. You'll find childhood friends to lovers, professor x student, secret societies and torture heros. Karina Halle knows how to do spooky vibes perfectly and this was it! Plus the spice was some of the hottest.

Spice? Check.
Why-Choose? Check.
Plot? Check.

This was the perfect Sleepy Hollow retelling, plus a why-choose so it’s so much more fun. The brooding Professor Crane and Brom, the childhood lover, plus a Headless Horseman? So much to uncover and so much to enjoy!

I love practically everything by KH but I wish this was more spooky witchy horror and a little less smut, but i digress. Love Crane and Kat and the little plot twist with Brom. Such a good take on Sleepy Hollow