Thank you Penguin for this ARC
I started reading this book, and could not put it down! Absolutely enthralling, positively mysterious, and wonderfully magical, this is easily one of my top books of the year.
Set in the Appalachian Mountains, Bittersweet in the Hollow follows Linden and her sisters investigating a mysterious disappearance. As tensions rise and secrets are uncovered, what little love the magical family has from the town soons turns bitter...
This book is just such a fun read, it's tense and I love reading about the James family and their "practical magic". My favorite is Linden, her ability to "taste" what others are feeling leads to wonderfully written prose and descriptions that had my stomach growling. I am very grateful to live in Texas, because after reading about crispy fried chicken, fried green okra, and butter heavy desserts, I have quite the appetite! (Seriously I think my stomach growled for most of the book!)
There is also some romance, and there is chemistry, sweetness, and the perfect amount of tension between them.
Much like the namesake, this is quite a bittersweet book. Don't go into this expecting fluffiness and comfort, but do expect a supportive family of strong woman, and a town full of dark secrets. I did enjoy the ending, the payoff was perfect and the suspense that had me staying up late to read did not disappoint with the reveal.
I was planning on finishing this book tomorrow and reviewing it then, but I couldn't put it down! I had to find out what happened next, and the next thing I knew I had reached the conclusion and sadly the end of the book. Honestly I wouldn't mind if this wasn't a standalone and instead a series. (Perhaps focusing on each sister?) Also mostly because I really want to see

the parents get back together. That was so heartbreaking to learn of sacrifices that were made. I wouldn't mind seeing "Hadrian" somehow getting a happy ending with Rowan either. 

Perfect for fans of dark fantasy, Krystal Sutherland, or excellent books in general, I HIGHLY recommend this book! This is Kate Pearsall's debut novel, and I need more from her immediately!
I will say I am not crazy about the cover. In fact I very much dislike the cover, it has fair composition and design, but does not convey the theme or mood of the book well. It feels a bit plain and dry compared to how wonderfully dark and magical the story is. The author name being in a script font looks like it was added as an afterthought, and just looks completely out of place. (It makes it seem childish) I hope that this book receives the success it deserves, and perhaps at some point a new cover for a different edition.