Hollowed (Half Light Saga, #1)

Aug 04, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

I hadn’t read Kelley York’s other book, Hushed, before signing myself up to review Hollowed as part of the blog tour for its release – I just knew that Hollowed sounded too good to pass up the opportunity to read it. I’m soooo glad I did sign up because I LOVED IT!! And now I have Hushed waiting for me on my Kindle and I can’t wait to read that too.

Briar is attacked on her way home from work, along with her best friend. They’re both left for dead. The next thing Briar knows is that she’s waking...more I hadn’t read Kelley York’s other book, Hushed, before signing myself up to review Hollowed as part of the blog tour for its release – I just knew that Hollowed sounded too good to pass up the opportunity to read it. I’m soooo glad I did sign up because I LOVED IT!! And now I have Hushed waiting for me on my Kindle and I can’t wait to read that too.

Briar is attacked on her way home from work, along with her best friend. They’re both left for dead. The next thing Briar knows is that she’s waking up in her apartment with 2 complete strangers tending to her and she’s feeling not much more than a headache! The real shock to Briar’s system is when they tell her that she’s undergoing the transition in to becoming a vampire, just like they both are. You can imagine it’s kinda hard for Briar to grasp, plus she soon realises that her best friend didn’t make it out of the attack alive and was murdered. That’s a lot for Briar to take in and make sense of.

As Briar learns more about this new world she’s now a part of she finds out things are not quite as they seem.

People are asking her where her older sister Ruby is, but Ruby died a few years ago, didn’t she?!

Briar’s boyfriend, Noah, is suddenly even more absent than he was before, and then he tries to kill her, what’s that about?!

I loved, loved, LOVED Hollowed and I loved Briar too. She has a lot to deal with right from the start. Her best friend has just been murdered and fingers are being pointed at her, people think she was involved in that. Her boyfriend is not what she thought he was, Her sister may not be dead and there are some not very nice people that are out to get Briar.

Briar was a great character. She worried a lot about how she would change now that she was a vampire. Noah told her it was inevitable and he’d seen it happen before. She thought that becoming a vampire = bad person and she was desperate for that to not happen to her. She really struggled with this and I could really feel this coming through in Kelley’s writing. She started off with serious doubts about herself and all that was happening, she wasn’t emotionally strong, she was scared about her new life and grieving for her friend. As the story progressed Briar became stronger mentally and that helped her to deal with things better. She still rushed in to things a bit too fast ( like following Joel – my heart was in my mouth at this point!) but she had good intentions.

I liked Noah, he too had his own emotional struggles. He thought he knew all there was to know about vampires – they’re the bad guys. He knew things about the past that Briar didn’t and that made him very wary of Briar once she’d ‘changed’, he also didn’t want to let go of the feelings he had for her.

Daniel, Cole and Oliver were all great characters. Daniel was sooo sweet, Oliver was emotionally troubled due to events in his past but he was there for Briar when she needed him and even opened up to her about a painful subject so she could understand him better. Cole was great at ‘being the boss’, he was level headed and patient – just what Briar needed at the beginning. I even had a soft spot for Fred by the end, he really came through for the team when they needed him. And as for the bad guys, gah, they were scary!

So, you may have realised by now that I really enjoyed reading Hollowed and I am looking forward to reading Shadow Voices when it’s out. The story is packed with action, it will have you wanting to read right through from beginning to end without a break (I had to literally prise my Kindle from my own hands!) and it will have your heart beating fast through the action scenes. Hollowed was well written, had a fast pace and had great well-developed characters. Thanks to Kelley York for allowing me to be part of the blog tour and for providing my copy.

This is definitely a 5 STAR BOOK!(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, kindle, paranormal, read-in-2012, vampires, new-adult, 4-stars

Review Posted on Reading Lark 9/8/12: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/...

I was a little hesitant to read this one when Kelley York first approached me about it. Vampires lurk behind so many pages and as much as I love the fanged ones, I find myself getting bored with them. I keep seeking out some new paranormal blood to sate my reading thirst. My love of Kelley's writing style won out though and I agreed to give this one a try. I'm so glad I did. This is a vampire novel you do not want to m...more Review Posted on Reading Lark 9/8/12: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/...

I was a little hesitant to read this one when Kelley York first approached me about it. Vampires lurk behind so many pages and as much as I love the fanged ones, I find myself getting bored with them. I keep seeking out some new paranormal blood to sate my reading thirst. My love of Kelley's writing style won out though and I agreed to give this one a try. I'm so glad I did. This is a vampire novel you do not want to miss.

I love that Kelley's writing is gritty and real. She's not afraid to expose the dark side of human nature. There are so many moments in this one where emotions are laid bare and I couldn't help cringing. I wasn't sure whether to hug Briar, the main character, or slink away in fear. She is a girl I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley on a bad day. This girl is tough and has lived with the constant pain of the loss of her sister for years. To make things worse, Briar's boyfriend is constantly leaving town for work and the one night she needs him most he doesn't show. That night changes everything - literally - as Briar awakens to find that she is no longer human. But who passed along the virus that has forced her to live the life of a vampire?

Also, this is not a typical vampire book. There is so much going on that the vampire angle didn't feel like a rewashed version of previous novels that I have read. I did have a brief moment that conjured up memories from reading Peeps by Scott Westerfeld, but it only last a split second. This novel is more about Briar and how she handles all the half truths and secrets that swirl about her. I also love these characters. I was wrapped up in them and nothing else seemed to matter. Daniel alone would make this novel well worth the read, but all the characters, even the villains are intriguing and memorable.

The mystery and action elements in this one will keep you frantically reading. I had a few suspicions concerning Briar's transformation, but I never could have predicted some of the twists and turns. Kelley York is a master story teller who is quickly becoming one of my Indie favorites. Her pacing and characters are superb. I also appreciate that even though this was a self published novel, it was not littered with typos and grammatical errors. Kelley knows her stuff and continues to find ways to keep me trapped in her web of words. After reading two of her novels, I'm a fan and would read future works without hesitation.

One Last Gripe: The beginning was a little slow for me, but things started to pick up fairly quickly after the first few chapters.

My Favorite Thing About This Novel: I love the dark, edgy quality of Kelley's writing

First Sentence: He's not coming.

Favorite Character: Briar

Least Favorite Character: Joel
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Dec 10, 2012 CJ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book because I read Kelley York's previous book Hushed, and loved it. Now to begin with Hallowed is completely different from Hushed, but was just as easy to read. What I liked about Hallowed was it was quite different from other vampire books. This book centred around Briar finding out what it means to be a vampire and coming to terms with that, and everything else new she discovers. It is not some great romance between a vampire and human, nor is it a book where the female ad...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, paranormal, ya-books, favorites, books-reviewed, book-tour

Wow. Oh. Wow. I have the tingles, and I'm in my happy place right now. This isn't a drop dead, blow you away book. Rather, it's the kind that steals your breath away, slowly, bit by bit as you become more engulfed in the book. There are so many paranormal books out there, but few as realistic and heart-melting as this one. Vampires are not big, bad, and invincible. There are the bad guys, yes, but most are so very human. They're pretty much human except for their immortal-until-given-irreparable...more Wow. Oh. Wow. I have the tingles, and I'm in my happy place right now. This isn't a drop dead, blow you away book. Rather, it's the kind that steals your breath away, slowly, bit by bit as you become more engulfed in the book. There are so many paranormal books out there, but few as realistic and heart-melting as this one. Vampires are not big, bad, and invincible. There are the bad guys, yes, but most are so very human. They're pretty much human except for their immortal-until-given-irreparable-damage, improved senses, and drinking blood deal. I enjoyed learning more about the paranormal world along with Briar. That was the highlight of the book for me, along with the characters.

The characters are remarkable, each with his/her own unique voice and story. Briar is a smart girl. Recklessly courageous, yes. She charges into situations stubbornly regardless of whether or not someone is there to back her up. However, her reactions are just what I'd expect. She thinks Oliver and Cole are crazy when they claim vampires are real and kicks them out of her house. She doesn't trust anyone until her trust has been won. She rationalizes. It was easy to relate to her, and I empathized with her even during the occaional moments when she denies logical reasoning. And her reaction to finding out Noah's big secret? Heck yeah. Like Briar, I never saw his secret coming. We had the same guesses, but being new to this world, I was clueless until he did something to give himself away. To give her credit, I think Briar was too pumped with adrenaline at the time to put the pieces together till he made his reveal.

I am especially fond of Daniel. I don't want to give too much away, but he gives off a soft and cuddly vibe that makes me want to hug him to death and hide him away and keep him all to myself. Which, despite being good ole Daniel, he won't like very much since (1) he's not into girls that way and (2) there's someone else he'd rather lock himself away with. He is such a sweet guy, the kind of guy every girl wants to have for a friend because you know he's just a friend and because you can tell him everything and he won't judge you. And he deserves a whole paragraph to himself, as much as I also want to talk about how swoony Noah is and the silly things he says and does with Briar. Imagine a hot guy going awkward and puzzled on you. That's how I imagine him, confounded as to what his relationshiph with Briar is going to be from now on.

Kelley York has a gift for writing mysteries and thrillers. First, there was Hushed, and now there is Hollowed. I am so excited to see where she'll be taking us next, both with the next installment in the Half Light saga (Shadow Voices) and with Made of Stars.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.

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Oct 04, 2012 Daria Chenowith rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I had a really hard time rating and reviewing this book.

I started reading it 10 minutes after I finished with 'Hushed' - which is probably the reason why I'm having these problems: high expectations. I loved 'Hushed', and I expected something with a similarly strong voice.

Let's start with the good parts:
The world building is good (although there could have been more), the story has a good pace, and the heroine is one the more badass half of the YA urban fantasy scope (always a plus!)...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Kassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, book-i-plan-to-re-read

I can not remember the last time I stayed up until 3:45 a.m. to finish reading a book. This was seriously an amazing read.

WOW! I totally loved this book. I seriously could not put this book down for the life of me. There were so many twist and turns throughout the whole story, and the mystery behind who turned Tess into a vampire. I was totally shocked when the author reveals the character that turned Tess. Once I finished reading Hollowed I was kind of sad that it was over, because I wanted to...more I can not remember the last time I stayed up until 3:45 a.m. to finish reading a book. This was seriously an amazing read.

WOW! I totally loved this book. I seriously could not put this book down for the life of me. There were so many twist and turns throughout the whole story, and the mystery behind who turned Tess into a vampire. I was totally shocked when the author reveals the character that turned Tess. Once I finished reading Hollowed I was kind of sad that it was over, because I wanted to read more about the characters.

I loved all the characters in the book, and I had different feelings going on for them. The main character Briar was totally a character I could relate to in some kind of level. I could feel all of the emotions she went through the entire book, and she just made me care for her character. On the other hand, I had a love-hate feeling going on with Noah's character. That boy seriously made me want to slap some sense into him, but I still loved the way he cared for Briar. My favorite character in Hollowed was Daniel :D! I loved his french dialogue and that he brought humor into the story, because I love some sense of humor in books. Other important character in the story are Oliver, Cole, Ruby, and Joel.

I have read a lot of vampire stories and I can say that I was a little uneasy of reading another vampire story. The fact being that most all vampire stories are the same and there is no originallity to the story. I can state that Hollowed is 100% original and stands out from all the other vampire stories I have read. It was also a really fast paced read which did not help the fact that I wanted to keep reading more :(.

Overall, Hollowed is one of my favorite reads of this year because of it's originallity. The characters pull you into the story, and make you actually care for what they are going through. Plus, the twists and turns in the story just leave your head ralling of what is going to happen next. Totally going to re-read this book soon, because I am still not over the fact that it is over.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Erin Arkin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

This was a quick read and the story kept me interested.

Briar and her roommate are walking home one night and are attacked...by something unexpected - vampires. Briar ends up changed and also in the care of Oliver and Cole.

There are a number of things that Briar is dealing with and they all seem to begin with the disappearance of her sister Ruby a number of years earlier. After thinking she is dead, she finds out that may not be the case. The story is interesting. It introduces the typical paran...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Erin Forson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hollowed (Half Light Book 1)
By Kelley York
4 Scribbles
For sale now on Kindle for $2.99
Since her sister Ruby disappeared, Briar Greyson has had a hollow place inside, but when she moves away from home and into the city to find a way to fill that emptiness, she never imagines that she will suffer the same fate as her sister—death. Or will she? When the virus that infects her begins to turn Briar, she discovers that the world is populated by all sorts of murderous monsters, and she must choose if sh...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Step Into Fiction rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jessica

Oh my gosh! This book absolutely blew me away. I really didn't know what to expect going in to this because I don't like really reading the summaries of books, weird, I know? But it was a pleasant surprise and it was done so great. Vampires, shape-shifters, witches, were-creatures (who I hope we'll meet in the next book?) and fae! A world in which I love, paranormal all the way! I fell in love with Kelley's first book, Hushed, and couldn't wait to read something else from her. Completely differe...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Jessi (Reading in the Corner) rated it 4 of 5 stars

It. Was. Awesome.

We've all read our fair share of vampire novels and sometimes it starts to feel like the same thing over and over again with minor twists and revisions. What I really enjoyed about Hollowed was that it established itself as a paranormal/vampire novel early on but didn't let that deter it from exploring humanity. The vampires are good and evil and reflected, in my opinion, the realities of the "real" world in the magical, hidden society of the vampires/witches/etc. The dichotomy...more It. Was. Awesome.

We've all read our fair share of vampire novels and sometimes it starts to feel like the same thing over and over again with minor twists and revisions. What I really enjoyed about Hollowed was that it established itself as a paranormal/vampire novel early on but didn't let that deter it from exploring humanity. The vampires are good and evil and reflected, in my opinion, the realities of the "real" world in the magical, hidden society of the vampires/witches/etc. The dichotomy between worlds was there but the reality of having to move from one to the other, as Briar has to cope with doing, is realistically portrayed as a struggle--the constant need for a reminder that she is no longer human and cannot be a part of her old life, the constant questioning of inherent good or evil.

The characters are immensely well-done. If you've read many of my reviews, you'll know that characters can make a novel for me (and I know it's the same for many of you). The characters in Hollowed were fabulously real. I found myself strongly connected with Briar in her struggle to accept what she had become and find a way to maintain the good parts of her personality as her mind and body adjust to changes associated with being a vampire. She's a conflicted, flawed character and I really enjoyed reader from her point-of-view. On top of a strong MC, Hollowed provides a depth of minor characters that strengthen both the plot and the reader's attachment to the novel. I found myself incredibly intrigued by Cole, Oliver, Noah, Daniel, and Ruby. Their personalities, decision, and actions all work with the novel as a whole to make it great.

This is one of those times that I feel like I've struggled to articulate what I really enjoyed with this novel so you're just going to have to trust me that I really liked it. I found it immensely difficult impossible to put down once I started reading it. The well-developed characters and excellent writing made this a book that I definitely recommend picking up when it is released (that is, if the premise at all interests you--which only you can know). I believe that you'll be getting every penny's worth.(less)

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Aug 19, 2012 Radiant rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow..totally unexpected..cos i didn't read the synopsis just started reading when one of my friend[Nadia]recommended and it was worth.
When i read the word - Vampire..i expected it to be the same old boring predictable story..but surprise surprise...it wasn't and i loved briar...how she faced everything head on..the kick ass attitude even though she was helpless...I loved her.
And there's Noah - whose quite unpredictable and Oliver - who am i really getting confused of..LOL
And there's sweet Daniel...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Katherine Amabel added it

A note on context: this comes straight from the review I wrote for my blog (Better than Bingo at a Knitting Club Tea-party: A Review ), hence the references to writing techniques etc. Enjoy!

G'day all, and happy weekend. Like most twenty-three-year-olds I'm spending my Friday night drinking tea, swaddling myself in my pinkest of old-lady dressing gowns and writing a book review, and I thought you might like to join me. Under the spotlight this week is Kelley York's newly released New Adult novel,...more A note on context: this comes straight from the review I wrote for my blog (Better than Bingo at a Knitting Club Tea-party: A Review ), hence the references to writing techniques etc. Enjoy!

G'day all, and happy weekend. Like most twenty-three-year-olds I'm spending my Friday night drinking tea, swaddling myself in my pinkest of old-lady dressing gowns and writing a book review, and I thought you might like to join me. Under the spotlight this week is Kelley York's newly released New Adult novel, HOLLOWED. And since I'm looking rather old ~~and wise~~ at the moment, I'll try and sound that way too.

Firstly, the novel is written in that damn-fangled new genre called New Adult. I don't know what kids today think of such a thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a new type of main character (i.e. a normal, independent teen with bills and jobs and vampire-fighting kittens). I also loved the fact that although this is a vampire story, there wasn't a trace of stereotypical vampirism. It was refreshing to see that characterization was more important, and that what the book lacked in fangs, it made up for in personalities and back-stories. I'd like to have seen some extra dimensions in a couple of members of the supporting cast but they were still thoroughly likeable in their simple way, and the entire novel was already rich and detailed enough as it was.

The plot in particular worked very well, especially from a writer's point of view. It was great to see the addition of layers and the continual increase in conflict and tension, as well as real examples of how to leave clues and build enough suspense to pull off a satisfying ending. I did guess one of the subplots, but there were so many twists throughout the storyline that I could never have been fully certain I was right. And what made me even happier than bingo night at a knitting club tea-party, is that I’ve rarely read books which ended with such a thorough sense of closure.

The world-building was also solid without bogging the reader down with too much description, and I really enjoyed the variety of settings - particularly the fascinating Old Town, which I'd love to visit. On top of that the editing was tight, thorough, and never once left me feeling like I was being told instead of shown or getting buried in an information dump. Kelley has great voice in her writing, whether that's through setting a scene or painting a character into life, and the entire novel reads like one of a real veteran in her craft. I've had my eye on another of Kelley's books for a long time so I was thrilled to receive my very own Hollowed ARC for review, and it turned out better than a pair of slippers and an early night.
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Aug 20, 2012 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm one of those readers who hates reading the synopsis of a book before picking it up to read it. I like to base my judgments and reviews on the writing itself, rather than my impression of what the book should be like because I read the synopsis. In the case of HOLLOWED, I knew I *had* to read it simply because the author was Kelley York. I read and fell in love with her writing in HUSHED, which was published last year by Entangled Publishing. I knew that if the author could make me fall for t...more I'm one of those readers who hates reading the synopsis of a book before picking it up to read it. I like to base my judgments and reviews on the writing itself, rather than my impression of what the book should be like because I read the synopsis. In the case of HOLLOWED, I knew I *had* to read it simply because the author was Kelley York. I read and fell in love with her writing in HUSHED, which was published last year by Entangled Publishing. I knew that if the author could make me fall for the protagonist in HUSHED, that I'd read anything she wrote from here on out.

So, in going with my no synopsis rule, I asked to be a part of the HOLLOWED blog tour without knowing anything at all about the book. And, man, I can't tell you how very happy I am that I didn't read anything about it first. If I had, I may have decided against wanting to be on this tour only because the main character becomes a vampire. I mean, aren't those *so* overdone?

My verdict: NO. Not at all when it comes to HOLLOWED. This book was everything I never knew I wanted a vampire book to be like. Heck, it's way more than a vampire book, so let's just back off that category right now.

Let's try that statement again: Briar was everything I never knew I wanted in a main character. She's funny, intelligent, loves her family more than anything, and she's totally unforgettable. From the start of the book, Briar has much to deal with and learn. It's not easy, but her emotions are vibrant, and real, practically jumping off the page in her oh-so-perfectly timed snark and tenderness. She is believable, and her character one I'm not likely to get out of my head anytime soon.

The secondary characters in HOLLOWED didn't disappoint either. After Briar is attacked, she attempts to hide from what she's becoming, and to ignore the warnings of the two guys who have been helping her. But to Briar's horror, she learns the hard way that her old life is no longer available to her. Her job with her now dead roommate's brother is no longer secure, the police are probably looking for her, and her mysteriously absent boyfriend, Noah, nearly runs the other way when he sees her again. Things are not looking so good for Briar.

Except Briar isn't one to just sit around and mope. Especially when there seems to be some sort of vampire fight going on, and she quickly acknowledges that she--and certain members of her family--are right in the middle of it. Briar barely has time to understand what her new life will entail before she's almost lost it again, and things quickly heat up supernaturally, when almost nothing she knew as a human is really true anymore. Her family. Her new friends. Not even her boyfriend.

HOLLOWED is an excellent fast and thrilling read. I highly recommend it, and urge you not to judge before picking it up. There is no doubt that I'll be the first to purchase book two the second it is available. (less)

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Aug 22, 2012 Book Whales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted @ Book Whales

I've been dying to read this book from the first I saw it. The cover is so pretty and I love books about supernatural beings. This book blew me away. Hollowed is a treat for your reading urge.

The story is about Briar Greyson. Her life is pretty much normal. Until one day, she and her friend are attacked by vampires. Her friend is dead, while Briar’ mortality was snatched. She’s turning into a vampire! Her boyfriend tries to kill her! Rouge vampires want her! Her de...more Originally posted @ Book Whales

I've been dying to read this book from the first I saw it. The cover is so pretty and I love books about supernatural beings. This book blew me away. Hollowed is a treat for your reading urge.

The story is about Briar Greyson. Her life is pretty much normal. Until one day, she and her friend are attacked by vampires. Her friend is dead, while Briar’ mortality was snatched. She’s turning into a vampire! Her boyfriend tries to kill her! Rouge vampires want her! Her dead sister is alive! Briar’s life is about to change. Who turned her? Why are the vampires after her sister? You have to read this book to find out. Hollowed will make you thirsty for answers.

The world building is extraordinary. I love how the author merges reality and fantasy. There were vampires, werewolves, fae, witches and more. Though, this book focuses more on vampires. Briar’s world is believable despite the supernatural beings. The author’s way of writing is good too. I enjoyed the scenes that she wants the readers to see. Everything was written beautifully. I didn’t have a hard time imagining Briar’s world. I also like how the author had kept me behind the curtains. There were times when I’m begging for answers. The last few chapters will definitely leave your mouth hanging open.

The character building is good. I like books where I could connect with the main character. This book is one of them. Briar is my favorite here. I like her flaws, which made her more believable. She’s strong minded, dedicated, impulsive and reckless. There were times when she made me laugh. Especially the part when she’s in her denial stage. She really can’t believe that she’s a vampire, despite the symptoms. Oliver is my second favorite character. He seems to be cold on the outside but there is something more about him that draws me in. His past melts my heart. As for Noah, his mysteriousness made me want to know more about him.He raises my curiosity. He keeps things to himself. Though, I like his protectiveness and courage. There are more characters that I like. I shall leave them to you to find out more.

The love angle is good. There were times when Briar and this certain guy (Can’t spoil) made my stomach flutter. I love their maturity.

Overall, this book is a great read. I recommend this book to action and supernatural lovers. After reading Hollowed, I can’t wait to read another book from Kelley.

I give this book 4.5 swimming whales

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Aug 14, 2012 Jena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-covers, favorite-boys, favorites

Kelley is one of those authors where her books are so much deeper than an adventure. They're intense, passionate, and powerful. Hollowed blew my mind and I was obsessing over it for days.

We start off with Briar who is starting to get her life together... decent job, her own apartment with her best friend as a roommate, and a perfectly hot boyfriend. One night on her way home from work her and her best friend are attacked. When she comes to, she's surrounded by two guys she doesn't know and is to...more Kelley is one of those authors where her books are so much deeper than an adventure. They're intense, passionate, and powerful. Hollowed blew my mind and I was obsessing over it for days.

We start off with Briar who is starting to get her life together... decent job, her own apartment with her best friend as a roommate, and a perfectly hot boyfriend. One night on her way home from work her and her best friend are attacked. When she comes to, she's surrounded by two guys she doesn't know and is told she's now a vampire. Soon Briar finds out there's a world around her she never knew existed and Noah may be a part of it. But, it's not only her mysterious boyfriend who has secrets... but her sister, a sister who supposedly died years ago may not be so dead after all. Briar is running out of time to figure it all out though because more and more people are disappearing and she somehow seems connected to it all.

I don't even know where to begin other than saying how much I adored this book. The actions of the characters aren't always what you expect or what you necessarily want in Hollowed, but they're pieced together and placed so perfectly. Everything is so believable, or heartbreaking, or so desperately real. There's so many times when I was itching for some particular thing to happen and then Kelley takes it in another direction. And with every single turn, I loved it because it either tore me up inside or made me smile. Feeling strong emotions while reading is what I live for. It's not only the amazing emotions and storyline Kelley creates but also an amazing set of characters.

Every character in Hollowed I found myself loving one way or another. Briar... first off hottest girl name ever, I am so adding to my list of future child names because I adore it so much. Briar does not have an easy life. She's on her own at eighteen, believes her sister is dead, and then of all things is turned into a vampire. On top of that after her transformation her boyfriend tries to kill her and then it's left up to Briar to figure out what the heck is going on in her town. And, she does all of this with a strong heart and never gives up on who she is. I commend her for being a kick-ass and awesome heroine... because she is.

Then there's the amazing set of guy characters. Oliver, Cole, Fred, Daniel, Fred, Joel, and my favorite Noah. Each one of them has their own set of qualities that you find alluring, or funny, or just making you want to know more about them. Wondering what is going on inside each of their very different brains. Noah though... oh man this sexy fella. He made my emotions spike up and down a lunatic. There were times where I wanted to kick him, strangle him, laugh at him, hug him, or jump him. Noah is definitely a new fictional boy obsession for me. I honestly loved watching him and Briar's relationship through out the story

Hollowed is a story that is so dark and adventurous that all I wanted to do is go into my reading bubble and stay there until I finished. And then I obsessed over it when I was done. That is the kind of story I love to read. Hollowed couldn't have been better. I loved every moment of it from the first page to the bittersweet ending.

Ps. The cover is absolutely stunning! (less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Kalejay rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to be granted an ARC of this book and it more than lived up to my expectations. I really loved this. Kelley York is a brilliant story teller and builds her characters beautifully. I think it's very important to care about the characters you're reading about, and York manages to achieve that.

I really liked the author's vampires. Although this is a paranormal story, a lot of the time it felt very human. Briar hurts. She bleeds, she sleeps, she cries, she stumbles... You don't ha...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Jessica (Step Into Fiction) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, blog-tours, 5-stars

Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

Oh my gosh! This book absolutely blew me away. I really didn't know what to expect going in to this because I don't like really reading the summaries of books, weird, I know? But it was a pleasant surprise and it was done so great. Vampires, shape-shifters, witches, were-creatures (who I hope we'll meet in the next book?) and fae! A world in which I love, paranormal all the way! I fell in love with Kelley's first book, Hushed, and couldn't wait to rea...more Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

Oh my gosh! This book absolutely blew me away. I really didn't know what to expect going in to this because I don't like really reading the summaries of books, weird, I know? But it was a pleasant surprise and it was done so great. Vampires, shape-shifters, witches, were-creatures (who I hope we'll meet in the next book?) and fae! A world in which I love, paranormal all the way! I fell in love with Kelley's first book, Hushed, and couldn't wait to read something else from her. Completely different but equally as great!

There's plenty of action to keep you excited, lots of family drama and drama in general but I especially like the family drama between Ruby and Briar (by the way, totally love these names!), oh and did I mention there is romance. Tension filled romance but romance nonetheless and I cannot wait to see how this relationship between Briar and her boyfriend, Noah plays out in the next book!

Briar is just a normal girl, wanting to live her life, love her boyfriend and enjoy her friendship with her best friend and roommate, Sherry. Unfortunately for her, normal is not what she becomes. She is attacked along with Sherry and she watches as the light leaves Sherry's eyes before fading into unconsciousness of her own. But she doesn't die...exactly...

Two strangers, Cole and Oliver, are there to help her recover and accept the change that is coming over her. It's hard to accept the fact that the life you once had is gone and in a sense, you are being reborn. Starting a new life, if you will. I absolutely LOVE Cole and Oliver. Cole is so calm and so just relaxed about everything but he's so incredibly inteligent. He is absolutely someone to look up to and take after, for sure, so I am glad he has taken claim to taking care of Briar. Oliver, on the other hand, I can't quite figure out. He's younger, he's got a bit of an attitude but he's got a huge heart that he doesn't flaunt to the world.

Then we have her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend or...well, we're not really sure what's going on with them but all we know is he hates vampires. You can tell he's struggling when it comes to Briar, though. It's an internal struggle about what he's always believed in and what his heart is telling him.

I can't even tell you in words how much I enjoyed this book. All the characters were awesome, even the bad guys/girls. Guess what? These vampires don't sparkle either, so you know it's going to be good ;) But seriously, the story, the characters, the constant fighting makes this for one enjoyable read. One I really had trouble putting down! Highly recommended to any YA paranormal fan!(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Stefan Eveline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thanks for this arc Kelley!

Briar is a girl with a strong personality naive,kind friendly and beautiful.She has a perfect life ,a perfect boyfriend, friends and a wonderful family until she become a vampire and she lose everything.
Noah is her boyfriend ,he is funny friendly and perfect for her but he change completely when he find out that Briar is a vampire and he wants her dead.But even if Briar is a vampire ,he believe in her to be a good person.
The relationship between the main characters...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hollowed is one of those books that leave you craving for more. Pun intended ;) With an engaging narrative, swift plot, and well-drawn out characters, you’ll be hooked instantly. York’s refreshing take on vamps has Hollowed oozing with originality and personality.

Hollowed is a story about a girl named Briar who after witnessing her bestfriend’s murder finds herself undergoing some extreme bodily changes. Thanks to the kind and generous nature of two vampires named Cole and Oliver, Briar is able...more Hollowed is one of those books that leave you craving for more. Pun intended ;) With an engaging narrative, swift plot, and well-drawn out characters, you’ll be hooked instantly. York’s refreshing take on vamps has Hollowed oozing with originality and personality.

Hollowed is a story about a girl named Briar who after witnessing her bestfriend’s murder finds herself undergoing some extreme bodily changes. Thanks to the kind and generous nature of two vampires named Cole and Oliver, Briar is able to determine her odd new behaviors including strange cravings as being product to the beginnings stages of vampirism. Left without answers and a new lifestyle to undergo, both Cole and Oliver take it upon themselves to teach Briar the ropes, so to speak. Blood of course is a must but unlike most vampire fables, York’s vampires have the ability to step into the sun.

I really enjoyed the introduction and utilization of Cole and Oliver. I found Cole’s role to be very similar to that of Carlisle’s in the Twilight Saga. He’s the older and wiser member of the vampire duo, supplying the support and guidance to younger vamps. He is very sweet and calm yet deep down harboring an incredibly strong and protective nature. Cole completely embraces Briar from the beginning while Oliver starts off a bit aloof. I tend to go for the standoffish, incredibly gorgeous, and seemingly moody male characters that are just waiting for a female heroine to break them out of their shell, like Oliver, so I claimed him as my favorite character from the get-go.

Next to Oliver, I also loved Briar. The action starts off right away, along with Briar’s transformation which means we only really see the story unfold in her eyes during her vampiric period. We learn however, that she is very strong-willed and empathetic young woman who’s fiercely protective of her friends and family. Oh! and I can’t forget to mention Daniel. He’s mysterious, protective, French, and completely lovable! I’m really hoping that we learn more about him in the next book, because there was simply not enough of him in Hallowed.

This book is a must-read for fans of YA paranormal reads with mystery, action, and of course, romance. Once you start Hallowed you wont want to stop.(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Amy Fournier rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I heard that Kelley York had another book coming out I was so excited for it. I took part in the cover reveal for this and knew I had to be part of the blog tour. I loved her book Hushed and was eager to read more of her books!! This book was great. The characters really pull you in, the story keeps you interested, and the mystery of it was fun to try to figure out. I sometimes wish that I wasn't so good at solving mysteries, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all....more When I heard that Kelley York had another book coming out I was so excited for it. I took part in the cover reveal for this and knew I had to be part of the blog tour. I loved her book Hushed and was eager to read more of her books!! This book was great. The characters really pull you in, the story keeps you interested, and the mystery of it was fun to try to figure out. I sometimes wish that I wasn't so good at solving mysteries, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all. I was so interested in how everything was going to pan out. I also really loved the pacing of the book. It had action, but not constant. You were able to take a breather and try to piece things together.

Briar is a wonderful character. She is funny and sarcastic. She may not make the smartest choices all the time, but it makes her more likable. She knows that she messes up sometimes. She takes things pretty well I think. At first she totally doesn't believe she is a vampire, but eventually she realizes that Cole and Oliver aren't lying to her and she needs their help. She still doesn't really trust them, but I like that she slowly gets to know then and let them in. She is also hurting that her boyfriend Noah now hates her because of what she is. She needs to try to get him to see that she isn't really a monster, and find out why he seems to know exactly what she is before she actually tells him. I felt my heart breaking a little over the whole situation with Noah and with the mystery about her sister. I really started to connect with Briar and loved her character.

The secondary characters are really great too. Oliver took a little while to grow on me, but once I got to know him I understood him better and really liked him. His interactions with Briar were pretty awesome at times. Daniel is another character I totally loved. I wanted to get to know him more. He is very interesting. there has got to be a whole lot more to him. Then of course Noah, I went back and forth with him. I wasn't sure whether to trust him. At times I did and at other times I didn't I can't really say much more about him except that he does play quite a large role in the book.

I really enjoyed getting to know Briar and slowly getting to know some things about the other characters. I loved how the story progressed and how the mystery unfolds. I enjoyed that there are more than just vampires and how it incorporated other paranormal beings. I loved the settings too. I could really imagine walking through the park or the other places. This book is fabulous!!(less)

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Aug 29, 2012 Tracey (YA Book Addict) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I first discovered the awesome talent that is Kelley York when I read Hushed and I've been incredibly eager to read more from her ever since. So when I heard about the Hollowed blog tour, I jumped at the chance to be involved! Hollowed isn't a book that eases you into the action. No, Hollowed grabs you and throws you right into the middle of it!!

Briar Greyson is 18 years old. She's independent, she has a boyfriend who she loves and a best friend that she shares an apartment with. Things are pre...more I first discovered the awesome talent that is Kelley York when I read Hushed and I've been incredibly eager to read more from her ever since. So when I heard about the Hollowed blog tour, I jumped at the chance to be involved! Hollowed isn't a book that eases you into the action. No, Hollowed grabs you and throws you right into the middle of it!!

Briar Greyson is 18 years old. She's independent, she has a boyfriend who she loves and a best friend that she shares an apartment with. Things are pretty good in Briar's world except for the fact that she is still mourning the loss of her sister who was murdered a few years ago. One night while walking home from work, her and her roommate are attacked. Briar survives but her roommate isn't so lucky. But Briar is definitely not the same person she was before she was attacked. She is infected with the virus that will turn her into a vampire!

One of the things that I loved most about this book is Kelley York's ability to create this character in Briar that is so relatable. No, not the being a vampire part, but her feelings of uncertainty, her feelings of loss, her feelings of anger and the unknown. These are all feelings that we can relate to and empathise with her. Briar is faced with some incredibly tough situations and she handles them just as you would expect her too.

And while this book contains vampires, witches, shifters and the usual fare that we see in paranormal books, these characters were different. Whilst the baddies were exceptional in their badness, it was the good guys that contained this humanness to them. Cole, Oliver and Daniel were such likeable characters. They were all protective in their own way of Briar and helped ease her into the unknown world that she has been thrust into. Add Noah into the mix and despite the fact that he loathes the existence of vampires he always seems to be there when Briar needs him.

Hollowed is filled with enough action, twists and turns, paranormal elements and romance to keep you completely engrossed. Add in the Kelley York factor and you end up with one incredibly awesome read!!

4.5 Stars!(less)

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Sep 05, 2012 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-have

Awesome action packed beginning...can't go wrong there!

I was surprised and disappointed Briar didn't get pissed off with Daniel. I was eagerly awaiting a smack down...but no, it wasn't meant to be.

I knew what was going on pretty quickly in this book which is a bummer; but even knowing what to expect, it did not ruin the reading experience. It was a very fun read. Lots to laugh about, too, which is always a plus.

I have decided that I don't like Noah, even with his reasons for being racist, he's j...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Isabella rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really liked the plot but sometimes it was a little too fast paced. I would have wanted her to take more time to build the world and the characters a bit more. With that said, it was a great read and actually more of a 3,5 stars than 3 and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

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Aug 22, 2012 Halyna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, paranormal

Offbeat and interesting vampire book with many excellent male characters (Daniel was a sweetheart!!!), great style of writing, exciting plot. I hope for a sequel - to see if Noah can get over himself and Fred's fate will be. Highly recommended for all vampire genre fans!

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Dec 28, 2012 sassygirl marked it as to-read

Shelves: ebooks-i-own, m-f

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...#

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Jul 10, 2012 Nyrae Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is another extremely well-written book by Kelley York.

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Aug 23, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Noah is awesome. And poor Daniel.

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Aug 17, 2012 Wicked Walker rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Definitely can't wait for the next one.

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Sep 26, 2012 Ashley Fierro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lovely-covers, proper-heroine

I've been dying to read this book from the first time I saw it. Hollowed is a treat for your reading urge.

I was thristy for answers until the end! Who turn her? Why are the vampire after her sister?

The action started right away. Has an enganging narative, swift plot, and well-drawn out characters. I love how the author merges reality and fantasy.

I can't wait to read another book from Kelley!

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Aug 09, 2012 Jamie Manning rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jamie by: http://www.kelley-york.com/books/hollowed-2012/

Review coming next week as part of the HOLLOWED Blog Tour!

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