Hollowthorn (Ravenfall #2)
Kalyn Josephson
Delacorte Press
Published October 17, 2023
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Hollowthorn
In this spellbinding sequel to RAVENFALL, two kids with supernatural powers must venture into the Otherworld to protect the Tree of Life from a terrifying foe—or risk losing the magic of Ravenfall forever.
Best friends Anna and Colin defeated the King of the Dead on Halloween night, saving the magical Ravenfall Inn they call home. Now, with Hannukah approaching, the kids are looking forward to exploring their new powers—and maybe enjoying a little challah and peppermint cocoa, too.
But then a Raven—a guardian of the supernatural world—shows up at their doorstep with a warning. A demon from Jewish lore is hunting the Tree of Life, a source of untold power and immortality. If they can’t stop him, they risk losing the magic of Ravenfall forever.
As they venture into the Otherworld, Anna and Colin discover a wondrous, menacing realm full of mythological creatures… but is the true danger closer than they think?
My Review
This book begins pretty much right where RAVENFALL ends. Anna and her family are in the midst of running the inn at Ravenfall, but something has gone weird with the inn’s magic. Anna and Colin get what they’ve been truly hoping for: a magical quest with Anna’s dad and a possible new mentor for Colin.
Lots of scenes feature everyone’s favorite cat-who-is-not-a-cat, Max, the cat-slash-jabberwocky. I loved getting to know more of Max’s history and learning how his magic works.
Anna also gets to hone her magic and has chances to make big moves in the story. That was a lot of fun. I also liked the development in the friendship between Anna and Colin, though it wasn’t a central part of the story. They were more living out stories side by side in this book.
I felt like the ending was really satisfying, but it also leaves some room for the third book in the series, WITCHWOOD, which will be out next fall.
I think readers who enjoy stories about magical woods or family magic will find lots to love in this book. Fans of RAVENFALL will enjoy revisiting the quirky, magical world of the first book.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.
Representation
Anna and her family are Jewish.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. There are also magical objects that bestow or enhance magical abilities. Mentions of Samhain and Yule celebrations. Mentions of Hanukkah celebrations and Jewish traditions. One character hears voices of spirits and ghosts because of being related to and connected to the power of the god of the dead.
Violent Content
Situations of peril.
Drug Content
None.
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