The Hollow by Jessica Verday (The Hollow #1)

Released: September 1st, 2009

Publisher: Simon Pulse 

Pages: 528

Rating: 3.5/5

When Abbey's best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, everyone else is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead and rumors fly that her death was no accident. Abbey goes through the motions of mourning her best friend, but privately, she refuses to believe that Kristen is really gone. Then she meets Caspian, the gorgeous and mysterious boy who shows up out of nowhere at Kristen's funeral, and keeps reappearing in Abbey's life. Caspian clearly has secrets of his own, but he's the only person who makes Abbey feel normal again...but also special.

Just when Abbey starts to feel that she might survive all this, she learns a secret that makes her question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her death? As Abbey struggles to understand Kristen's betrayal, she uncovers a frightening truth that nearly unravels her—one that will challenge her emerging love for Caspian, as well as her own sanity.

When I first heard of this book, i thought it sounded good and I immediately picked it up after that hoping this book would be as good as it sounds; unfortunately it wasn't. I'am not saying this book was bad read, I'am just saying that out of 528 pages there only some good parts, which is really disappointing. The idea of this book was great but the way Jessica Verday displayed it wasn't the best. 

There is a sense of mystery in the novel regarding Abbey's best friend Kristen's death. I thought Abbey our protagonist was a likable character although she was really annoying at times. I did like reading about her hobby which was perfume making, it was something totally different and...exotic? 

So then we ask; did I enjoy this book or not? I'd have to say despite the slow moving plot and there were a few times here and there where I almost gave up reading it. However I really did like how the scenes were described, the smells were so well written I could almost literally smell them myself. It felt as if you were there, as the descriptions were rich and filled with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow references. I thought Sleepy Hollow was a nice quaint little place to live in and just the way it was described really took me there. (I wouldn't mind living there myself!) 

Abbey's relationship with Caspian is nice to read, although I wish more was added to it. The story behind Caspian is a bit obvious and easy to guess but it was still an interesting read. I wanted to know more about Kristen and her secrets. There was so much more to go into but not much has been revealed.The mystery surrounding Caspian, Nikolas, and Katy was interesting, however it was a little predictable. It was well 

thought out though, and it ties nicely with the Sleepy Hollow legend. 

Overall this book was good but not the best I've ever read.