Hollow by Jessica Verday

528 pgs.
Target audience: Young adult
Rating: Wizard

 As befits the title of the first installment in this trilogy, it is thoroughly steeped in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Abbey struggles in the wake of her best friend's disappearance and presumed death from a legendary bridge. Unable to process her grief, Abbey splits her time between their favorite hang-outs, the Crane river bank and Washington Irving's grave. But the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery has much more in store for the troubled girl. She cautiously befriends an old caretaker, Nicholas, and a mysterious and deliciously hot teen, Caspian who later reveal themselves to be mortal enemies. The more she finds out, the murkier and spookier reality becomes. The combination of Sleepy Hollow legend and romance lend this fantasy a surreal quality. This is not a scary horror book but more about forbidden romance. Highly recommended for fans of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.