The Hollow and the Haunted coming October 22nd, 2024 from Titan Books; 384 pages
Content Warning: Death of a parent, homophobia, mental health, violence
About the Author: “Camilla Raines was born and raised in a small town in Northern Washington with lots of Evergreen trees, seaside fog, and rainy days. Her writing career began in elementary school, where she spent years scribbling down stories for friends that were usually just knock-offs of whatever book she was devouring at the time. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and someone who openly struggles with chronic anxiety and depression, the most important things to her as a writer are representation, diversity, identity, and acceptance. When she’s not writing, Camilla is reading to her heart’s content, running local writer meet-ups, living her best PNW life with two spoiled cats in a tiny house on wheels, and hunting down exciting finds at local thrift stores” (Bio from Goodreads).
Find Camilla Raines on the following platforms:
Miles Warren is all too familiar with the unnatural. Hailing from a long line of psychics, he is no stranger to hauntings, visions, or mystical charms. However, Miles is a stranger to Gabriel Hawthorne, a member of a family that has decades-long beef with the Warrens. So, when Gabriel appears to be haunting Miles’ life in what can only be described as an eerie death premonition, Miles is shocked. Knowing Gabriel is going to die weighs on Miles’ conscience. Despite Gabriel’s overall unpleasantness and the tension between their families, Miles decides to help the second Hawthorne son prevent his untimely demise. With Gabriel’s future at stake, the two boys work together to try to stop Miles’ premonition from coming true. Along the way, they develop an unlikely alliance and uncover dark secrets about their family histories that raise more questions than they answer.
A wonderful mix of mystery, fantasy, and romance, The Hollow and the Haunted was such a compelling and thoughtful read. The masterful character development of both Miles and Gabriel sparked a greater interest in the plot and the outcome of their narratives, and I grew to care deeply about both of them as the story progressed. Miles, as the novel’s protagonist, has a strong and relatable voice, and watching him come into his own over the course of the book was something beautiful to see. While the two boys start with nothing in common except a dislike for the other, their relationship evolves in a lovely, timid, and gripping way, adding heart to the novel. Seeing how well these characters were crafted, I wish some of the other characters in the story had been flushed out a bit more; the parents of both boys seemed to have such potential to be very compelling but were left undeveloped for a good portion of the story, leaving me wanting to know so much more about them. This supernatural story kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page (and long after; I am still thinking about the cliff-hanger). With an intense plot twist and a shocking ending that left me with so many unanswered questions, I am given no choice but to desperately await a sequel to Raines’ captivating debut novel.
The Hollow and the Haunted releases on October 22nd, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Titan Books 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.
Sam Parker, Pine Reads Review Writer and Social Media Lead