"Hallow Hill has a strange and tragic history. For thousands of years, young women have been vanishing from the estate, never to be seen again. Now Kate and Emily have come to live at Hallow Hill. Brought up in a civilized age, they have no idea of the land’s dreadful heritage. Until, that is, Marak decides to tell them himself.I was instantly sucked into this book in a really good way. Clare Dunkle is amazing. The plot is suspenseful and clever with the right tough of romance. I love all of the references to mythology that are involved in the world of Hallow Hill. I also appreciate that this book is really entertaining but also completely appropriate for younger readers. There is a compelling story but no inappropriate squickiness. I read this in one sitting over the weekend and immediately read the second volume.
Intelligent, pleasant, and completely pitiless, Marak is a powerful magician who claims to be a King—and he has very specific plans for the two new girls who have trespassed into his kingdom."
This series is nothing like the Queen's Thief series in terms of the characters and storyline but I am reminded of that series in a really good way because of the high quality writing in both series. I love finding new books that live up to my expectations/unrealistic hype.
