Bittersweet in the Hollow

By: Jamie Steinberg

Down in the rural town of Caball Hollow lives the James women. They run the Harvest Moon diner where they use their family recipes to make homemade Southern dishes. However, cooking is not their only talent. Each of the James women are born with an unusual ability. When a local girl winds up deceased, an event from Linden’s past stirs up a sinister feeling that leads her on a mission to find out if her own disappearance the previous summer is connected. Author Kate Pearsall does an incredible job of mixing magic with an intriguing and investible tale in Bittersweet in the Hollow that will leave you turning page after page to find out every single secret that this town holds.

Every generation of James women are born with an ability and Linden and her sisters are no different. Linden can taste what others are feelings, but also pass on those emotions into the items she bakes. Last summer Linden vanished into the depths of the forest only to appear the following morning with no memories of the events that happened to her. She does have a hazy memory, which suggests there is more to this story than she can recall. When a friend of hers, Dahlia, turns up deceased, it seems the events of last summer could be the key to unlocking what happened to both girls. Also caught up in the mix is local hottie Cole Spencer, whose father is the mayor and who has distanced himself from Linden since “the incident” but is still drawn to her. Digging for the truth won’t be easy for Linden as a local rumor about the Moth-Winged Man haunting the Hollow has everyone on edge. Plus, not everyone in town is a fan of being surrounded by women who are said to be witches…

Pearsall does a wonderful job of captivating the reader. Whether you are fascinated by the powers that the James women possess, you want to find out what happened to Linden that Summer night or if you’re just a fan of Southern food, each page will have you turning one after the next – ultimately leaving you satisfied (and sometimes hungry). Bittersweet in the Hollow is one young adult novel that will appeal to all ages and keep each reader eager see what skeletons are uncovered about the residents of Caball Hollow.