Recently, I learned that I’m quite a big fan of Dark Fantasy. How did I learn that, you ask? Thanks to great novels like House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland!

House of Hollow

House of Hollow tells the tale of three girls with a mysterious past. When they were children, they disappeared and then re-appeared sometime later, with no recollection at all of what had transpired. The only sign that something sinister might have taken place is the fact that all three now have identical scars on their throats.

While the oldest siblings, Grace and Vivi, do not seem to have any problems embracing their weirdness, Iris keeps struggling. But when Grace goes missing and strange things start happening, Iris needs to overcome her reluctance to the bizarre and start figuring out what happened in the past.

A deliciously dark fantasy

I loved this book from start to finish. The dark atmosphere pulled me in and didn’t let me go for days after finishing the story. It was exactly my brand of spooky: dark, haunting, without giving you traumas or nightmares. It’s like a deliciously dark fairytale that you cannot get enough of and that somehow starts to feel real.

The book is narrated by the youngest sister, Iris. However, the oldest of the three, Grace, feels like the “real” main character. This suits the story perfectly, as everyone in the novel is obsessed with her, and this technique allows the reader to focus on her too, through the eyes of her adoring sister. To be honest, I’m quite sure I was just as in love with Grace as the characters were.

To put it simply: WE WANT MORE!

A super well-deserved four gemstones out of five!

Age Category: Young Adult, but also definitely suitable for an older audience

Representation:  Bisexual and gay main characters

Trigger Warnings (click here, may contain spoilers)

Warnings for substance abuse, attempted murder and sexual assault, gore, self-harm, and off-page suicide.

Do you want to discover more?

If my review inspired you to pick up the book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores.

Amazon.nl: Hardcover Edition

Amazon.nl: Paperback Edition

Not yet convinced? Check out the video trailer on the author’s website.

Similar to this

Are you also into Dark Fantasy? Then definitely check out Small Favors by Erin A. Craig, the queen of the genre! I loved this story about a small town in which everyone’s wishes sudden start coming true…At a price…Check out my review here! Highly recommended!

I read one other Dark Fantasy, but I admit that one did give me nightmares: Burn our Bodies Down by Rory Power. It’s a Young Adult Dystopian tale about a girl who runs away from home to go and live with her long lost family. But then, unexplainable things start happening around the farm…My review can be read here.

Little Creeping Things by Chelsea Ichaso might not be Dark Fantasy (I would label it “Young Adult Thriller”), but it has a similar atmosphere and like with Iris, you are never sure to which extend the protagonist is telling the truth. It’s the story of a girl around whom mysterious fires keep occurring…Also very much recommended. My review can be found here.

Do you want to read more by Krystal Sutherland? Then check out A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares. This Young Adult contemporary story tells the tale of a family who are cursed to suffer one major phobia that will lead each family member to their death. Sounds delightfully spooky, doesn’t it?

In 2023, Krystal Sutherland’s next book, The Invocations, will be published. This will be a contemporary Fantasy Thriller about three girls: one cursed, one haunted, and one out for revenge. I cannot wait to get my hands on this book!