*Trying to stay calm…* “WHEN is the next book?!?!”

Such an addictive read and I feel quite on edge now not knowing when the next book is 😅

~~~

Premise:
Growing up in a family of mystics, Miles Warren has a vision of a dying boy. And is shocked to learn it’s the son of his family’s rivals, the Hawthornes.

Miles feels a duty to save, Gabriel, the spoilt and rude son. And together they set out on an investigation to uncover his potential killer.

There’s lots of dark history between the Hawthornes and the Warrens to be uncovered though. And despite Gabriel’s attitude, Miles finds himself slowly developing feelings for him.

~~~

Ahhhh I adored it! Especially:

🔮 The development of Gabriel and Miles. It’s a slow burn, and still has a long way to go, but I love them together. They have such great banter. And Gabriel’s jealously at the beginning is so good!!
🔮 And the general magic. It’s very witchy vibes, full of crystals and charging water under the full moon. Their abilities add an extra element to their relationship, with Gabriel basically overhearing many of Miles’ thoughts and when he has to dig through his mind! And I squealed when Miles used his happy thoughts about Gabriel to fight off a dark spirit! Love them 🥰🥰
🔮 The mystery! I still don’t entirely get all the bad blood between the families, and it seems there is so much to uncover. The initial discoveries were great though with the spirits, the old grimoire and the creepy house.
🔮 The emotional complexity. Both Miles and Gabriel have a lot of depth and I especially feel for Gabriel with his cold upbringing. And Miles is so relatable with his anxiety. And then with the added elements of the magic, like being forced to come out to people who can read him and the stress of not being able to block out strong emotions. I like the way their characters were approached and I’m excited to see how everything is navigated in the next book!
🔮 The wider families. I really wonder if Camilla Raines will set this world up for more stories and I love some of the characters she has developed, especially the siblings and Charlee! Bram is adorable with his strange cat, Charlee seems she has a lot of trauma to uncover, and Edmund! And I love Jenna’s creepy obsession with dead bodies!

Anyway, may buy a physical copy of this as I really loved it! Bring on book 2!

This was such a fun yet 'serious' YA read. I really enjoyed it but was so frustrated by the ending!

The characters had so much depth and history (via their families and town) and I loved the way that everything came together in a 'reasonably' believable manner.

I'm curious to know more about Miles and Gabriel (especially the latter) and will be curious to follow their story!

A cozy, spooky read PERFECT for the fall. I absolutely loved the characters, the at times gothic setting, the magic politics in the small town and the setting in Washington State! I need the next book ASAP!
Thank you to the publishers for passing this book onto me through NetGalley, I already have it in my Amazon cart for my students when it comes out. Such a great read and I'm very excited for more to come from Camilla Raines!
storygraph: annabecker
tiktok: bkrbooks

A warm-hearted, cozy, queer fantasy perfect for spooky season, perfect for fans of Cemetery Boys and Beautiful Creatures.

Sometimes, getting the job done was as easy as a quick ritual to release a spirit or cleanse a possessed object. Sometimes, it required midnight gravedigging in a cemetery. And sometimes, Miles was unlucky enough that an angry spirit showed up to make things difficult when all he wanted was to go home, eat a mountain of pancakes, and go to sleep.

Miles is introverted, shy, anxious, and a massive people pleaser. He also helps out in his family business helping the spirits of the dead move on. Recently, he has started seeing a bloody boy in the mirror. And then he sees him in real life - Gabriel Hawthorne - part of the family feuding with Miles’s.

Gabriel makes it clear he does not need nor want Miles’s help in saving his life. In return, Miles is determined to figure out what the premonitions mean, if solely for the chance to prove him wrong and rub his stupid smug face in it.

"Well, at least now I know why you're so invested in saving him."
"What — what's that supposed to mean?"
"Please." She all but rolled her eyes. "He looks like the handsome-but-tortured love interest in every teen drama ever. Don't tell me he reads depressing poetry, stares wistfully out at the rain, and he's mean to you, but in a mysteriously sexy kind of way?"

This was so sweet!
Learning to stand up for yourself, snarky reluctant partners-in-uncovering-crime, dark generational family secrets…

Not to mention, the family relationships were great! Miles’s cousin deserves a spin-off book of her own.

The ending to book one’s arc was slightly anti-climatic, but the last few pages certainly ramps things up for the next book.

Thank you to Titan Books for sending me the physical arc in exchange for a review!

Such a fun read for spooky season! If you like Heartstopper, and you like Supernatural you will probably like this book. The black cat/golden retriever dynamic between Miles and Gabriel is perfect, and Miles’ inner workings were just a joy to read. He is such a great character.

The plot was fast paced, but the story never felt rushed. The mystery is well crafted so far in that I haven’t quite guessed what is happening despite having some suspicions. That doesn’t normally happen, I’m usually one to catch on quickly.

The atmosphere of this book is great as well, you really get the feel for the town they live in and the people they know. Well thought out characters and great banter.

Ends on a cliff hanger which is painful, but I’d rather have a well written story than a rushed ending so this just gives me a reason to reread it and to look forward to a future book! Before I was even done reading the ARC I preordered a hard copy so that should tell you how much fun I found this story to be.

The Hollow and the Haunted is a delightful blend of sweetness, humour, and intensity that makes for a truly engaging read. This novel stands out as a masterful work that captivates from the very first page.

The protagonist, Miles, is an exceptionally well-crafted character whose voice leaps off the page with vibrancy and authenticity. His humour and relatability draw readers in, making it easy to root for him throughout his journey. Miles’s dynamic with the enigmatic and somewhat prickly recluse, Gabriel, is expertly developed. Their rivals-to-lovers arc unfolds beautifully, providing a captivating mix of tension and emotional depth that keeps readers invested in their evolving relationship.

The supporting cast deserves special mention as well. Often, secondary characters can feel underdeveloped, but in The Hollow and the Haunted, each character enriches the narrative. Both Miles and Gabriel have intriguing siblings, as well as a memorable cousin, who add layers to the story and offer glimpses into their lives outside of the main plot. I found myself wishing for more of these characters in future instalments, as their dynamics have the potential to bring even more depth and excitement to the series.

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Absolutely loved this book! While the theme is YA, it didnt really read like it and I was hooked the entire time. And that cliffhanger.... man I need to know what happens next... Would totally recommend to readers of YA in general and fans of a mystery that needs to be solved. Ill be desperately waiting for the sequel

What I liked:
- the MC is just great. He felt so relatable and even some of the struggles he faces as a teenager are struggles we all face even as adults
- the nice sprinkle of romance was lovely and so cute. First love and its all new, scary and queer
- the mystery didnt feel obvious so far. The book ends in a cliffhanger so maybe my suspicion is correct but it feels mysterious enough and the stakes are high. I mean somebody might die?!
- really enjoyed reading about the family, the snickering between siblings and just the love that was portrayed

What I didnt like:
honestly cant think of a thing besides maybe that I need to know what happens next!!!

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an ARC for this book. My opinion is entirely my own

Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the arc of The Hollow and the Haunted by Camilla Raines in exchange for my honest review.

Camilla Raines has created a story that gives feelings of a mm Romeo and Juliet with gothic mansion, spooky, malevolent ghost relatives and at its centre a teenage Empath, Miles who despite the family feud is determined to prevent Gabriel’s death.

The lead protagonist Miles is so lovely, often to his family an detriment, whilst Gabriel outwardly appears to be the opposite but, as their investigation proceeds and their relationship develops, we see that there is so much more to both.

This is the first book in a series and that cliff hanger at the end of the book is truly gut wrenching but, I’m even more intrigued and desperate for the next book in the series!

I was stuck between not wanting to put this down and not wanting it to end this book was that good, From page one I was hooked, I love a good enemies to lovers/forbidden romance book and this one delivered everything I wanted and more. The plot, the writing, the characters, the relationships were amazing. I genuinely can't think of a single bad thing about this book. It's one of the best books I've read all year.
I need the second book now, I have to know what happens next.

I found the comparissons between this and cemetary boys and sixteen souls to be quite apt. This was fine, exciting at times, underbaked at others. I really don't have much i think about it; the characters were fun, but didn't stick with me.

In a sea of books that are either improperly marketed as YA, or are YA but contain material that I would not expect in a book for 12-18 year olds, The Hollow and the Haunted felt perfectly balanced.
Along with tackling the difficult subjects of familial legacy (and trauma), grief, and loss, Raines skillfully weaves in the coming of age tribulations of a teen who isn't quite ready to be out to the world, or his family. The nested murder mystery was engaging, and the pacing was perfect to drive the story along to its cliffhanger ending. I very much am looking forward to the next installment of Miles and Gabriel's story! A perfect spooky season read 🎃

Review will run starting 9/24 in perpetuity

The Hollow and the Haunted follows Miles, a young empath that forsees the death of his family's rival's son and decides to help him avoid his gruesome end.

I really enjoyed this book !! The pacing was really well managed, and the characters were all endearing in their own way (except you felicity). I found Miles's inner monologue to be really funny and i loved seeing his relationships evolved throughout the story.
Gabriel was a strong character as well, even though i wish we saw more of him.
The only things that keep this from being a five stars read are the cliffhanger (was not expecting it, and almost screamed) and how easy the conflict resolution felt :/ also i feel like miles's empath powers were not used at all during the book which makes no sense to me?? I get that it obviously would be to easy to have him use them all the time to know people's emotions, but surely a little could help with his whole search ???
To put it more simply, this was a perfect read to begin spooky season, and i'm really excited to read book 2 !!!!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Titan book for the ARC

An amazing debut. Raines had crafted a clever and intricate world of magic and intrigue that I cannot wait to read more about.

I adored both Miles and Gabriel. Miles’ family was perfectly written and I’m so curious about what is going to happen next with Gabriel’s family.

Wow this book is something different entirely, it was one of those where you don’t even realise you’re speeding through the book into it … until suddenly you’ve finished and you’re sat there like, oh!
I’m a sucker for a ghost book and need a bit of the spooky without the “I’m not sleeping without all the lights on” and this was perfect!
All in all I loved this book and can’t wait to see what happens next, seriously, you can’t leave me on that cliffhanger!

I really enjoyed reading this. It took me a while to get to due to other books coming out on my TBR list but this was a fun read. I would recommend to my followers.

"The Hollow and the Haunted" chronicles the journey of a psychic named Miles and his endeavors to save the life of his family adversary, Gabriel. This debut novel is nothing short of remarkable, earning a solid 4 ½ stars in my opinion. I am genuinely impressed by Camilla Raines' storytelling prowess and anticipate her becoming a prominent name in future ‘best of 2024’ lists.

Despite my usual preference for Fantasy, Romance, and Mythology, this paranormal novel has broadened my literary horizons. I urge anyone who feels this genre is outside their comfort zone to give it a try, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The characters are intricately developed, with even the supposed static Gabriel possessing a depth that is rare in contemporary fiction currently.

The cliffhanger, while initially disheartening, is a testament to the novel's brilliance and leaves readers eagerly anticipating more. "The Hollow and the Haunted" is expected to receive the acclaim it rightfully deserves.

Content Warnings: Anxiety, Corpses, Car Accident

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I'm a soft touch for a supernatural mystery, and this hit the right spot. I also thought that the romance was well done, building alongside the plot without actually being the main plot. Miles and Gabriel are both complex, engaging characters separately and together. Their differences are obvious, but its their similarities in important areas that make the pair work. Likewise, the supporting cast are well described, each unique enough to be of interest while also feeling natural. Charlee was an easy favorite of mine.

My one minor complaint about the book is the ending. While this is a duology, I just felt like the cliffhanger was a little too much. Again, very minor. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a solidly plotted supernatural mystery with great characters.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A SEQUEL???

This book was so good! I spent every moment enthralled with Miles and his rivalry with Gabriel, watching their relationship develop as they fought against a deadly premonition. It felt so easy to read that I finished it in one sitting! Camilla Raines did a fantastic job of helping the reader connect to the characters, so much so that I also developed a fondness for some of the very minor side characters. The only downside is that I have to wait for a sequel!

I don't often give books 5 stars, but nothing was stopping me from going for it with "The Hollow and the Haunted." I wish I had more right this instant because I have absolutely no patience and desperately want to hear more from Miles, Gabriel, and Charlee. The vibes in this book were immaculate and it's always refreshing to read a queer book that isn't focused solely on the fact that the main character happens to be gay.

Please please read this book when it's out and give it the love it deserves!

Wow! Just wow.
THAT ENDING!
I immediately want to turn around, go back to the start and read this all over again.
There wasn't one single moment in this book where I wasn't completely entranced and transported by it. Two winning characters surrounded by a true-to-life cast; world-building in 4K Ultra High Definition; a plot that had me panting for more; and a lovestory worthy of Becky Albertalli.
Now, when's Book Two coming out?

I received this book as an ARC and oh boy I am happy I did. I loved this book!

First of all, I didn't know it was going to be a series, otherwise I would have braced myself for that ending! I did not see that coming! The ending was a definite cliff hanger.

Overall, I love a story about "warring" families with years long grudges. Especially when it involves magic or a type of magic. Miles is a great main character, and very relatable to anyone who suffers from anxiety or panic attacks. To give him EMPATHIC powers is brilliant yet twisted in a way. He is a likable and goofy kid, and makes decisions based on his heart.

The relationship between he and Gabriel naturally progresses and doesn't feel forced. There are quick quips and fun banter- despite the dire situation of the story, the author did a wonderful job making it fun to read.

I was worried we wouldn't get all the answers and I was right. This makes for a great way to continue a series but I need answers now! I am on the edge of my seat for the next book.