This series revolves around a girl named Rosemary Donahue. She was dating one of the boys and was killed. The boys wanted nothing more than to leave Hollow Heights, but with the death of Rosemary, the boys must stay in town to avenge her. While they get their revenge, they uncover more than just her murder. As the story progresses, a Loner society is formed by the group of girls featured in each book. I gave each book a review, but as a whole series, I couldn’t put the books down. I love the mystery in the plot. You were on the edge of your seat in each book. The only problem I had as a whole series is the grammar and spelling mistakes.
The Lies We Steal. 3/5 ⭐️’s In the first book in the series, we are introduced to the main characters, Alister Caldwell and Briar Lowell. While all four of the hollow boys come from families with money, Alister’s family owns most of Hollow Heights. He does not acknowledge this, though, as he is what his family calls “spare parts”. Briar comes from a non-wealthy background. It is actually the opposite. Her mother worked as a waitress, and her father would steal. Her uncle works for the university, allowing Briar to attend without the background of old money.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked this book but after reading the other four, it just seemed like your basic bully romance. Alister did annoy me, not just in this book, but the other books as well. What was supposed to come off as protective, came off as controlling. Briar also annoyed me, how she constantly wanted to snitch on the guys, but turns around and hooks up with one. I warmed up to her as the book progressed though. As a couple, I loved them together and the spicy scenes were great.
The Truths We Burn. 5/5 ⭐️’s In the second book, we are introduced to Rook Van Doren and Sage Donahue. Rook comes from a family of lawyers and judges. At a young age, he loses his mother, which triggers relentless physical abuse from his father, leaving him with scars both inside and out. Sage is Rosemary’s twin. Upon uncovering the dark truths surrounding her sister's demise, Sage's fragile mental state leads to her confinement in a psychiatric facility. During their high school years, Rook and Sage shared a deep bond, but the weight of her family's hidden truths prevented Sage from acknowledging Rook's feelings, leaving their connection unfinished. Upon her release, Sage faces an uphill battle to earn the trust of Rook and his buddies, which is essential for her mission to seek revenge for her sister's untimely death.
Rook Van Doren is the definition of “I’ll let the world burn for you.” He is the jokester of the group but it just covers up the pain from his abusive father. My poor girl Sage just wanted to live her life with Rook but her father forcing her into a marriage she didn’t want, the sexual assault from her preteen years, and then her sister being murdered, she had ENOUGH. The label “Sweetheart” went down the drain and she turned into a savage. And the Lyra scene. After that I couldn’t wait to read about her.
The Blood We Crave (Part 1) The Blood We Crave (Part 2) 4/5 ⭐️’s We finally get the backstory to Thatcher Pierson and Lyra “Scarlett” Abbott. Thatcher is the son of a serial killer but also comes from old money. From a young age, Thatcher is entangled in his father's criminal activities. One fateful night, his father sets out to confront one of his numerous victims, with Thatcher reluctantly accompanying him. Thatcher, tasked with taking the victim's daughter's life, chooses to spare her, ultimately leading to his father's arrest. From a young age, Lyra witnessed the tragic death of her mother. What should have been the most terrifying moment in her life became an obsession, all triggered by a young boy. Years later, she remains steadfast in her belief that a single night forged an unbreakable bond between her and Thatcher. It also awakened a dormant desire within her—a compelling need to take lives. Thatcher turns into Lyra’s teacher, but it also brings out a side of Thatcher no one else can. Tension is high and the end of part one is left on cliffhanger, and start of part 2 is not how you expect it to start.
I put both these books together because they follow the same character and i gave them the same rating. There is NOTHING stopping Lyra to get to Thatcher. Is her obsession a little creepy? Yes. But does it work for them? Absolutely. Something I didn’t like was Thatcher’s nickname for Lyra, “Pet.” It makes her sound like a dog, which is understandable considering the circumstances, but it just felt insulting.
The Oath We Take 5/5 ⭐️’s In the final book of the series, we get a look into Silas Hawthorne and Coraline Whittaker. From the first four books, we learn Silas is quiet and marked as schizophrenic. He has grieved the loss of Rosemary and has gotten the revenge he needed. Until a long-lost enemy resurfaces, reuniting the four boys once again. Coraline has gone through something so traumatic, but she does not want to be marked a victim. When the trauma resurfaces, she and Silas come together to lean on each other
I was rooting for Silas throughout the whole series. This man deserves so much more than what was handed to him throughout the series. Same goes for Coraline. She had to endure two years of abuse and trauma, she needed a happy ending. I connected the most with Coraline (not in the abuse aspect) but her personality. She doesn’t like to ask for help, very head strong, and stubborn. But she loves the people she cares about, fiercely. The ending was perfect, how she added a small goodbye to Rosemary.
Books With Janice 