Hollow — A Dark, Lush, Addictive Romantasy You’ll Devour
If you’ve ever picked up a romantasy book just to peek at the first chapter and suddenly realized three hours vanished…I get you. And Hollow, the newest release from Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, is exactly that kind of book.
This dark, intoxicating romantasy, filled with cursed forests, seductive danger and slow-burn tension completely consumed me. If I didn’t have a job, kids, or, you know, general life responsibilities, I would’ve inhaled it in one sitting.
So let’s walk willingly into the dark together, shall we?
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.
Quick Overview
Hollow launches a brand-new romantasy series from Peckham and Valenti, one that’s distinct from their Zodiac Academy world but just as immersive. Think: eerie forests, corrupted magic, unpredictable enemies-to-lovers tension, morally grey fae, devastating secrets, and a fierce heroine who will do anything to save her family.
Overall rating: 5/5 stars.
Spice rating: 5/5 chili peppers.
My emotional investment: Shoved-my-responsibilities-aside levels of high.
Book Summary (Spoiler-Free)
Every fifty years, the cursed wandering forest awakens and the Great Hunt begins. Champions from every land, humans and fae alike, enter its shifting, malevolent depths in search of wandering spirits. Whoever captures the most will win a single, life-altering boon.
Ferris Creed never wanted glory. She doesn’t crave power. She doesn’t even particularly want to survive this nightmare. She just wants her sister back.
Years ago, her younger sister was stolen by the cursed woods in the dead of night, swallowed by the darkness that has plagued their land for generations. And now? Ferris will risk everything, her life, her soul, her sanity, to end the curse once and for all.
But the forest is not her only enemy. Because lurking among the shadows is Prince Hendrix Bane, a ruthless fae warrior known for leaving carnage (and terror) in his wake. He’s powerful, cursed, deeply dangerous and absolutely not someone Ferris wants to cross paths with. Unfortunately for her, the forest has other plans.
Thrown together by circumstance, and the unpredictable magic of the woods, Ferris and Hendrix quickly learn that surviving the Great Hunt may require cooperation, even as every instinct tells them to destroy each other first.
Only one Champion can win the boon. Only one can break the curse. The question is: which one?
A Dark, Haunting, Utterly Stunning Romantasy
I’m just going to say it: Hollow is the best book this duo has written to date. Yes, even if you’re a dedicated Zodiac Academy reader. This one hits different.
The Worldbuilding Is Breathtaking
This world is lush, atmospheric, eerie, and gorgeously constructed. Peckham and Valenti have always been strong worldbuilders, but Hollow feels next-level. It is immersive, haunting, creative, and surprisingly emotional.
The forest itself becomes a character. It is unpredictable, alive, and dripping with ancient malevolence. Every chapter feels like stepping deeper into something enchanted and dangerous, where every shadow could be a spirit and every whisper could be a warning.
Ferris Creed Is a Fierce, Relatable Heroine
Ferris is stubborn, wounded, clever, and deeply human. She’s not a warrior, but she’s fierce, loyal and desperate to save her sister by doing what she must. That grounding made her voice powerful and easy to root for.
Hendrix Bane…My God.
If you love:
morally grey men
brooding fae
touch-starved energy
feral loyalty
antagonistic flirting that might kill someone
Welcome to your next fictional obsession.
He’s dark. He’s cursed. He’s dangerous. And he is exquisitely written.
The Chemistry? Off the Charts.
This is a slow burn, and I mean slow burn. But when the payoff arrives? In true Peckham and Valenti style, they deliver. I give it 5/5 chili peppers, not because it’s constant, but because it is beautifully earned and explosively delivered…to the point where it is almost too much for me…I said almost.
A Fresh Departure from Zodiac Academy
Where ZA often felt chaotic, messy, and (let’s be honest) occasionally exhausting, Hollow is tight, intentional, atmospheric, and mature in craft.
You still get the signature:
dark humor
unhinged banter
gut-dropping twists
morally complex characters
But it’s done with a more refined hand. A haunting, elevated romantasy that stands completely on its own.
I Literally Woke Up at 3 A.M. to Keep Reading
This is how you know a book has you in a chokehold, when you wake up at 3 a.m., not because you have to get up, but because your brain whispers, “Quick, read a few chapters before the kids wake up.”
And yes. I did this. Twice.
There I was in the dark, half-asleep, clutching my iPad like a dragon guarding treasure because I had to know what happened next. Hollow dug its roots into me in the best, most sleep-depriving way.
The Physical Design Is STUNNING
The sprayed edges? Gorgeously executed. The cover art? Ethereal. The variant editions? Irresistible.
I absolutely grabbed both versions and regret nothing. Yes, I have two copies of this beautiful hardcover yet I actually read the e-book version to keep them in pristine condition. They’re going right on my shelf.
Who Should Read Hollow?
If you love any of the following, add Hollow to the top of your TBR:
Shield of Sparrows vibes
ACOTAR energy, but darker
Sentient forests
Dangerous fae love interests
High-stakes quests
Dark romantasy
Enemies-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Plot-heavy stories with big twists
Morally grey MMCs
It’s perfect for readers who want fantasy that feels like slipping into a dream and a nightmare at the same time.
About the Authors
Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, affectionately known as the “Twisted Sisters,” are internationally bestselling authors famous for their addictive, chaotic, deeply emotional romantasy books. The duo is best known for Zodiac Academy, but with Hollow, they launch a new era of dark fantasy storytelling that blends lush worldbuilding with raw, character-driven tension.
With each new release, Peckham and Valenti continue to level up their craft. And if Hollow is any indication, this series is shaping up to be their most haunting and ambitious work yet.
Book 2, Lightwing, arrives June 2, 2026—and yes, I’m already plotting my life around that date.
Reading Guide & Book Discussion Questions
(Perfect for book clubs, buddy reads, or annotating sessions with a cup of tea—or, in my case, pre-dawn coffee.)
Themes of Malevolence & Ethereality
Two words echo through Hollow: “malevolence” and “ethereal.”
Together, they shape the story’s haunting contrast.
On one side lies the forest’s creeping corruption, a sentient, malicious force that twists everything it touches. On the other is an ethereal thread woven through the world, found not only in the fae’s otherworldly beauty and danger, but also in the dark forest and Ferris herself. There is something quietly luminous, instinctive, and almost magical about her presence, something the forest seems to recognize, even as it threatens to consume her.
These themes highlight the thin, mesmerizing line between temptation and threat, destiny and danger, and the pull between what seeks to destroy and what might yet save.
Use these guiding ideas as you reflect or discuss the story.
Discussion Questions
The forest’s malevolence: In what ways does the forest act as a malicious, sentient force? How does this shape the atmosphere and stakes?
Ferris’s determination: How does grief drive Ferris? Do you see her choices as heroic, reckless, or something in between?
The fae–human divide: What does the book say about prejudice, assumptions, and learned fear?
Hendrix’s ethereal duality: How does his beauty and power contrast with his curse, his tattoos? How does this affect Ferris’s perception of him?
Enemies to reluctant partners: When do you think Ferris and Hendrix truly begin trusting each other—if at all?
The nature of power: How do curses, magic, and authority shape the characters? Who wields power responsibly, and who abuses it?
The ethics of the Great Hunt: Is the Hunt an honorable tradition or a manipulative system built on desperation?
Sacrifice and survival: Which characters do you feel made the greatest sacrifices? Were they worth it?
The role of choice in a cursed world: How much freedom do Ferris and Hendrix really have?
The ending: Without spoiling: How did the ending reshape your understanding of the curse and the characters? What are you looking forward to the most in book 2?
Final Thoughts
Hollow is dark, lush, addictive, and utterly enthralling. It blends danger, yearning, mystery, and magic into a story that feels both ethereal and deeply grounded in emotion. I tore through it, lost sleep over it, and even woke up at ungodly hours to keep going because I had to know what happened. This is Peckham and Valenti’s most compelling work yet.
Rating: 5/5
Spice: 5/5
If you’re a romantasy lover craving something fresh, haunting, clever, and beautifully written, Hollow absolutely deserves a place at the top of your reading list.
Have you read Hollow yet? What did you think?
