The Corruption of Hollis Brown releases April 22nd, 2025, from HarperCollins; 384 pages
Content Warning: Suicidal thoughts, violence, sensual content, foul language
About the Author: “K. Ancrum, is an author of award winning contemporary YA notably THE WICKER KING, DARLING and the critically acclaimed ICARUS. K. is a Chicago native passionate about diversity and representation in young adult fiction. She currently writes most of her work in the lush gardens of the Chicago Art Institute” (Bio from author’s website).
Find K. Ancrum on the following platforms:
Hollis Brown, after bouts with bullies in an inescapable town, finds himself in a chance meeting with an enigmatic stranger named Walt. Hollis succumbs to a deal with Walt, only to find that he is a ghost and Hollis has just given him possession over his body. While Hollis is terrified at first, he comes to understand and care for Walt as they share a host body and discover the pleasures of one another’s company. Soon Hollis’ only friends, Yulia and Annie, uncover the truth, posing a threat to the bond that has grown between the boys. Despite the growing love between them and the dread of a possible exorcism, there are still mysteries to unravel in the cursed town in which they reside. Intimate and odd, K. Ancrum writes a queer love story that will leave you wishing that you too were possessed.
The Corruption of Hollis Brown was a fun read, though I do think it is more of a romance than a horror story. The romance between Walt and Hollis is really endearing, and I loved the growth between the two as they peeled back more layers of each other. While I initially had some issues with how consent was portrayed, especially since Hollis is basically falling in love with his possessor, I found that Ancrum was able to find a solution to this issue by the end of the novel. In addition to emotionally complex characters and relationships, the writing and style of this novel is something entirely different from what I have come to expect from YA romance. The novel is told through succinct chapters, often broken up with baked goods recipes, courtesy of both Hollis and Walt. The one-to-five-page chapters really helped with the pacing of this novel, and the pages with only a few lines felt like poetry rather than prose. The atmosphere of this novel is dark, but I never felt like I was reading paranormal fiction. The romance and topics in this book certainly aren’t lighthearted, but the book does read more like a contemporary romance, which left me a little disappointed due to the unsettling nature of the plot. Ultimately, it was Walt and Hollis’s connection and their unwavering yearning that kept me invested. Despite its lack of spookiness, this is an excellent queer romance that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to, especially with the characterization of the small town.
The Corruption of Hollis Brown releases on April 22nd, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Jenica Delaney, Pine Reads Review Writer