The thing that was off for me was the pacing of this book. I had a hard time keeping my interest because the pacing was just not engaging enough.

But the plot certainly was! This absolutely is a spooky, YA read that’s perfect for fans of C.G. Drews, Shirley Jackson, and Skyla Gray.

I had a fun time reading this, and while the pacing did throw me, it was full of suspense, mystery, and ghoulish moments.

The representation in this book is refreshing. It felt accurate, while adding more of a realistic haunting element to the atmosphere of the book, and I’m not talking about ghosts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peach Tree Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing for the ARC!

Hollow by Taylor Grothe is a creepy YA horror set in the woods in a very culty community of people (and a LOT of crows). I enjoy reading a lot of horror and I missed the YA label on this one which may be why this wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I have read a lot of very creepy books and this one felt confusing and all over the place rather than atmospheric. That being said, it did have decent neurodivergent representation and the storyline (forgoing the pacing) was something that kept me invested.

Cassie Davis has recently been diagnosed with Autism and trichotillomania. After a meltdown in her school in New York that led her to become a pariah at school (and led her father to divorce her mother), she returns to the place where she was raised. Her best friend group from her youth is still there and they try to pick up where they left off four years prior despite the animosity between them. Blake suggests they go on a week-long camping trip with one another to air their grievances and reconnect with one another and, after some convincing, they agree.

On the trip things go downhill and Cassie ends up in the Roost with Kaleb, his mother, and others who live off the land. And, while they agree to help Cassie find her friends she got separated from, that's when things become unsettling and Cassie realizes that maybe the Roost isn't the utopia she originally thought it might be.

What I liked:
✨The general storyline. The idea was good! I really enjoyed where it was going, I just didn't fully enjoy the journey
✨ It's an easy read. I read this book during a 2 day lake trip. There's something to be said for a book I can read in one or two sittings even if it wasn't my favorite

What didn't really work for me
✨ The portrayal of autism. I know autism is a spectrum and it's a different experience for everyone, but as a woman who was diagnosed later in life with autism it felt like an infantilization of the condition. Cassie was hard to relate to for me personally and that really threw me out of the story
✨ The pacing. This book wanted to get to a specific point and it frequently alternated between hitting the gas and the breaks on the way there. It feels like Grothe didn't know how to transfer Cassie from the camping trip to her time at the Roost so the break between the two settings is choppy and hard to read. If it were a movie, the snapshots into brief scences would have worked a lot better, but as a book, rapidly changing between 2-3 sentence scenes really ruins the flow.
✨The payoff. The twist at the end is one you see coming from almost the moment Cassie starts her time at the Roost. The hints aren't subtle.

I don't normally rate books below 3 stars if I finish them. I think this is a great book to introduce your self or your teen to creepy horror! The pacing could use some work, but the general atmosphere is there. I probably won't be rereading this book but I also would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for an easy to read YA cult horror novel with ND representation!

I love a book that has some insanely relatable topics throughout despite there also being the most horrific and nightmare inducing aspects to it as well (aka the life sized puppets and creepy ass dolls). Parts gave me the same unsettling vibes watching Midsommar did. Parts made me misty eyed and emotional due to just being someone who has absolutely worn multiple masks to hide parts of herself to fit into certain societal “norms”. Parts made my jaw literally drop…. Chapter freaking twenty-five, CHILLS.

I really loved the representation throughout the book, autism, bi/pan, non-binary, trichotillomania and touches on different mental health disorders. I don’t believe I’ll ever recover. This was an absolute masterpiece from start to finish. I clearly could not put it down, I was absolutely engrossed, but I also wanted to savor every little drop and stay in the Hollow world forever much like I did while reading Hazelthorn by C.G. Drews.

This book caught me entirely off guard and I LOVED it. The representation for lgbtqia+ and mental health rep was refreshing. As someone who struggles at times with my own ASD I found myself so drawn to Cassie and emotional over some of her inner dialogue.
This book had all the creepy vibes and I never would have guessed that ending!

Are you ready for a spooky read? Well, buckle up! This is a perfect one to get you ready for spooky season! Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.

Taylor Grothe’s Hollow is a mesmerizing and emotionally resonant debut that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. With lyrical prose and an uncanny ability to blend the haunting with the heartfelt, Grothe crafts a story that is as chilling as it is deeply human.

At its core, Hollow is a story about loss, identity, and the fragile boundaries between the seen and unseen. The protagonist’s journey through grief and self-discovery unfolds in a world that feels both eerily surreal and painfully familiar. Grothe’s use of atmosphere is nothing short of masterful—there’s a quiet tension that hums beneath every sentence, drawing readers deeper into the narrative’s emotional undercurrents.

What makes Hollow stand out isn’t just the eerie, almost folkloric setting or the subtle supernatural elements, but the way Grothe explores the internal “hollows” we all carry. It’s introspective without ever becoming indulgent, poetic without being overwrought. The characters feel alive in their complexity—flawed, tender, and achingly real.

Hollow is an unsettling woodsy horror following Cassie Davis trying to reintegrate herself back into her friend group after years away. Newly diagnosed with autism following a meltdown in her school cafeteria, Cassie struggles with her identity, wondering if her friends even want her back in their circle. They embark on a week-long hike in a forest rumored to be haunted, and when a storm separates them, Cassie finds herself amongst a commune in the forest where things at first seem too good to be true.

This book was perfectly frightening and definitely not a read-before-bed kind of book (especially if you're a scaredy cat like me). The crows and the creepy dolls are forever seared into my brain. As an autistic person, I was first drawn to this book because of its representation in the protagonist, and I absolutely love how the author dealt with Cassie's identity and social difficulties. It was simple and straightforward, and would have been the kind of easy-to-understand book I would have loved as a child as I struggled with my own identity. (And maybe not go my entire youth undiagnosed.)

The twists in this story were wildly unpredictable (for me at least), and the heartbreak, romance, and emotion were so beautifully written. Taylor Grothe is a master at writing suspense and messing with my mind and I can't wait to read more of their books in the future!!

Quick very high level summary.
Cassie moves back home to upstate NY after an incident that leads to an autism diagnosis and her parents divorce. She meets up with her friends and they decide to go on a camping trip together. After a fight on the first night of the camp she wakes up alone. Alone in the woods with bad weather coming she is found by a boy named Kaleb who promises her safety at his compound called the Roost. Once at the Roost, Cassie begins to question her own senses because of the odd things that have begun to happen.

My Take.
Right away you can see that the character development and world building are very well done. Usually when I read YA books I feel like the character development is considered so much more important then the world building so the latter suffers sometimes. But not so with this story. The author knew that the world building would by just as important to create the atmosphere needed in order to provide such a dark and macabre feeling of gloom needed. The ending is completely unexpected which is always a plus. No need to worry about predictability with this one. Overall well written and intriguing.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This was a good horror story that managed to surprise me with its big twist. More importantly, though, the book was a metaphor for autistic masking. Although I didn’t find out I’m autistic until I was 38, I could really relate to Cassie’s story. Particularly what it felt like to find out, then see the world through an even more self-critical lens.

Cassie’s dad left her and her mom because he apparently couldn’t deal with her diagnosis. In my world, I came out as autistic to my now ex-wife, who really helped me feel even more shame about my diagnosis and my life.

Fortunately, we’ve been divorced for three years and, much like Cassie, I’ve reconnected with old friends. They’ve really been there for me, and I don’t have nearly as many issues anymore. I hope Cassie’s imaginary future path is much the same.

There was only one thing that I didn’t care for in this book—the idea that exposure therapy would help Cassie feel better. That is what’s done in ABA, which is akin to conversion therapy for autistics. I really hope no one did that to the author, and I also hope they realize that if someone did, it was really wrong.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Hello there isn’t an option to send to kindle would somebody be able to send me a kindle friendly link? Thank you!

Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Taylor Grothe’s “Hollow” is a deeply atmospheric and emotionally charged YA horror book that lingers long after the final page. Equal parts unsettling and beautiful, the story follows Cassie Davis, a teenage girl reconnecting with an old friend group after moving back to her hometown and receiving a late autism diagnosis. As she struggles to navigate social expectations, old tensions, and her own anxiety, Cassie finds herself trapped in a mysterious and eerily perfect mountain community that harbors disturbing secrets.

The book’s atmosphere is one of its greatest strengths. Grothe builds a creeping sense of dread with richly detailed descriptions of crows, dense forests, and life-sized dolls that feel far too lifelike. This eerie environment is paired with intense emotional depth as Cassie masks her neurodivergence in a desperate attempt to seem “normal.” Her internal world is vividly portrayed, and readers with similar experiences, whether with autism, anxiety, or trichotillomania, will find much to relate to in her perspective. The themes of identity, masking, and the pressure to conform are woven powerfully into the horror elements, creating a story that feels both deeply personal and terrifying.

At first glance, the hidden community Cassie finds herself in seems idyllic, but the layers of its sinister truth peel back slowly and masterfully. The horror escalates as Cassie discovers the community’s dark purpose: transforming people into living puppets. It’s a concept that is as horrifying as it is original, and Grothe does not hold back. The tension is relentless and claustrophobic, and the eventual reveals are jaw-dropping. One pivotal chapter is so shocking and emotionally intense that it demands to be read multiple times.

While the plot delivers true horror, the emotional heart of “Hollow” lies in its cast. Every character, no matter how minor, is fully realized and authentic. The interpersonal dynamics are messy and real, capturing the complicated nature of teenage friendships and identity crises. Cassie’s relationships, especially with her estranged friends, are tinged with betrayal, confusion, and moments of tenderness that make the stakes of the story hit even harder.

Grothe has a talent for taking familiar fears like abandonment, isolation, and being misunderstood and twisting them into something wholly new and unforgettable. The slow-burning dread builds until the final moments, and the book closes not with resolution but with a chilling sense that the nightmare is far from over.

Overall, with stunning representation across neurodivergence, queerness, and mental health, Hollow is as thoughtful as it is terrifying. It is a haunting, compulsively readable story that celebrates authenticity while exploring what happens when we’re forced to suppress who we truly are. A perfect pick for fans of lyrical horror, unsettling forest settings, and stories that will stay with you for a long time.

Okay wow. I absolutely loved this book.

Cassie is a girl with autism, and she's struggling with her diagnosis. She and her mom move back to Deep Glen from New York, where Cassie runs into the friends she'd left behind when her family moved to New York. It's uncomfortable and awkward, and there is tension on both sides as the friend group is "reunited" and has to reconcile who they used to be with all that they've all been going through while Cassie was away. They have all had a lot to grapple with and it's hard -- but so relatable -- to see how they navigate their new dynamics. I completely understood the tension between the friends. Taylor does such a wonderful job of showing each person's perspective. I understood why Cassie had to "ghost" her friends, and I understood why they were kind of pissed about it.

When Cassie is invited (though not everyone is happy about it) to go on their camping trip, things start to go sideways. After a fight, followed by a massive storm, Cassie is separated from her friends and ends up being rescued by Kaleb, who takes her to the Roost to recover while his community tries to find Cassie's friends. At the Roost, things are... freaking creepy. There are crows and puppets and I felt like I was completely feeling the way that Cassie felt as she tries to rationalize why everything is just fine!! Right??? It's fine!

On that note, Cassie's struggles to be normal and try to fit in were so heartbreaking. The way she was constantly reminding herself to be the "right" version of herself; the way she was thinking and rethinking about whether or not she was overreacting or misinterpreting things because someone made her question her reality; the way she struggles with knowing that she is deserving of love and acceptance.

As a Swiftie, I loved the couple of references to some of the group singing along to Taylor Swift! I know this is very minor but you know what, I loved it.

Some of my favourite quotes -- and there are more but I didn't want to get too specific! -- below:
****************************************************************
Cassie Davis was no hero.

Be normal, Cassie. Be a good girl, Cassie. Try harder, Cassie.

But all she saw was the black, black, black of the trees, the shadows. No trail. No map. No Jac, no Jac, no Jac.

Rage would set her free now.
*****************************************************************

Thank you to Taylor Grothe and Peachtree Teen for sharing this e-arc. This book made me feel so many things - unsettled, scared, sad, anxious, relieved - I am so glad that I got to read this book, and I highly encourage everyone to add it to their TBRs immediately.

If you love a good carabiner and cult horror then Hollow provides. A soon to be classic young adult horror drives into the psyche of adolescence naivety. There is charm to the protagonist development that really shows the horrors we construct around our anxieties. A character with great depth who is Autistic. Suspenseful read to get lost in the ambience of horror!
A fast paced delivery with the right amount of eerie ambience to keep readers on their toes. What is lurking in the forest beyond our fears? The structure of this narrative is direct, complete with snappy quips, and composed with unique cultural references. The middle english scene was a fun one! Keep your blankets close to hide under this fall with this eerie read! Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree Teen publishing for this advanced digital copy.

For more reviews and recommendations visit https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com.

I devoured this in two sittings because I could not put it down! Taylor's prose is extraordinary and immersive, and the empathy they imbue in their characters made them feel real and fully dimensional. There were so many moments where I just wanted to wrap poor Cassie in a hug (if she was alright with the physical touch) as she struggles to find her place and voice in the world. I also now have a healthy fear of puppets and will not be hiking in the forest with any friends I have unresolved history with. I'm so excited for more of Taylor's work :)

Thank you to the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hollow by Taylor Grothe is a debut horror novel with a young adult cast. It follows our MC, Cassie, who returns to her old hometown following a traumatic incident at NYC and her parents' divorce. She has a reunion with her old friend group, and they decide to go on a camping trip together. And then, things go wrong. Very, very wrong.

From the very get go, Hollow is atmospheric and suspenseful. Cassie is relatable and her thoughts feel like something you'd feel like as well in that situation. Her relationship with the other characters, especially her mom, Jaq and Blake, is a wonderful study of human relationships. The horror, albeit supernatural, is also rooted in human insecurities and heartache. This book hit very close to home for a variety of reasons.

The representation in this book is top-notch. Be it the portrayal of sensitive material like autism and trichollitomania, or the sexuality of the characters, they were all handled with care. It was not representation for the sake of it. It was careful, considerate and felt real. I saw in a reel somewhere that there are LGBTQIA+ written for straight people and then there are the ones written for people who are really queer. This one is the latter. You can feel it from the first page. I felt seen with its pages been a panromantic individual myself.

I loved how we as readers felt the same dread as Cassie did as her sense of reality slowly unraveled throughout the book. The crows added more to that chilly sort of eeriness. The prose was beyond beautiful. And yeah, you might say that I am praising it because I am a part of the street team, but you have got to read it to know why I am saying what I am. It's sooo good. I can't wait to read more works from this author. Saying too much about this book will spoil the experience, and I'd ask you to go into this without knowing too much. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Lovers of Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews and The Blair Witch Project will eat this one up.

Hi, Netgalley readers!

Hollow is my YA horror debut. I'm very proud of this book--not just for its craft, but because of little me. There was a point in my life where I thought, perhaps, I'd never amount to anything. Others thought that, too, others in positions of power: teachers, psychiatrists, nuns (yep, Catholic school). I bounced from school to school, reading everything, failing my classes, and somehow nearly never developing close friendships. When I wrote Cassie, I was writing to that young kid, stuck and scared and embarrassed to be me. I didn't know what a disability was, but I knew there was something very different about me. When, as an adult, I was re-diagnosed with autism, everything slotted together. As they say: a diagnosis doesn't change how hard life is, but it does explain *why* life is on the hard setting, and offers ways to cope. Cassie in particular and Hollow in general address what would have happened if I'd been diagnosed earlier. What would it have been like to know about my autism earlier? How would my life have been different? Would unmasking as a child been as harrowing as unmasking as an adult? Of course, Hollow is fiction, but its core is intensely personal--every manifestation of autism, anxiety, and trichotillomania are things I have personally experienced.

This is a horror story, and so gets into some frightening and eerie content. It also has moments of brilliant hope. As in life, no win is untainted. With all this said, here are some content warnings--please read responsibly.

- gore
- puppets
- ableism, homophobia
- anxiety/anxiety attacks
- animal death
- imagery of trichotillomania
- alcohol abuse
- bone dislocation/bone setting
- parental illness
- cults and religious trauma

Thank you for reading Hollow--and stay on the trail...

Taylor Grothe’s Hollow is a breathtaking exploration of grief, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to face the darkness within. With haunting, lyrical prose and immersive atmosphere, Grothe carves out space in the literary world reminiscent of Kelly Andrew’s sensory-rich storytelling (The Whispering Dark) and C.G. Drews’ raw, emotional depth (Don’t Let the Forest In).

Grothe’s writing is poetic yet grounded, crafting a world that feels intimate and otherworldly in equal measure. Much like Andrew, Grothe invites readers into a lush, moody setting that echoes protagonist Cassie’s internal struggles. Vivid imagery and layered symbolism carry the emotional weight, pulling readers deeper into the story’s shadowed edges.

At the heart of Hollow is Grothe’s gift for creating deeply human characters. Cassie’s journey through pain, loss, and self-discovery is written with tenderness and honesty, lingering long after the final page. Grothe balances devastation with resilience, allowing moments of light to break through the story’s darker threads, much like Drews’ ability to weave hope into heartbreak.

What truly sets Hollow apart is Grothe’s singular voice. It feels both timeless and urgent, achingly beautiful yet fiercely real. The narrative sings with originality while honoring the best elements of both Andrew and Drews.

Perhaps most striking is how Grothe threads disability and chronic illness into the heart of the story. These experiences are never reduced to obstacles or passing challenges. Instead, they shape Cassie’s identity, portrayed with nuance and care. The representation feels lived-in and authentic, honoring both the struggles and the quiet strength of navigating a world that often misunderstands difference. This is representation done right.

Beyond that, Hollow is a masterclass in emotional storytelling. Grothe crafts characters who are flawed, complex, and unforgettable, offering a story that feels deeply personal yet universally resonant.

Hollow is essential reading for those drawn to atmospheric, character-driven fiction that lingers long after the final page. It wraps around your heart and refuses to let go. Taylor Grothe is a name to remember, and this stunning debut marks the beginning of an extraordinary career for readers who crave stories as rich in feeling as they are beautifully written.

Terrifying, creepy, messy and real. I was constantly questioning if events were real or supernatural or if it was just paranoia. And then chapter 25 just blew my mind. Well written, thoughtful, and poignant.

Eerie, atmospheric, and heart-wrenching, Hollow was impossible to put down. From how easily I slipped into Cassie's mind and experiences as an autistic character (an absolutely masterful example of interiority done right!), the relentless foreboding on every page, and the satisfying-as-hell final act I don't know if I'll ever recover from, Hollow was everything I love about the horror genre and—well—stories in general.

I went in with high expectations and (not surprisingly) this surpassed every single one of them. A stellar debut. I'll be eagerly awaiting every book Taylor Grothe blesses us with from here on out.

Huge thank you to Taylor and Peachtree Teen for the ARC!

Utterly devoured Taylor’s debut novel, HOLLOW. I read from chapter 19 through to the end in one sitting! The setting is utterly atmospheric, the horror is slow-burn and unsettling, and I loved the main character, Cassie.