Reviews

Praise for The Haunted:

"A contemplative read touched with the chill of the grave and the longing of the heart."
----E.J. Stevens (From the Shadows, reviews)

“This darker follow-up to The Hollow (2009) opens with 17-year-old Abbey Browning still mourning the death of her best friend, Kristen, and reeling from the discovery that her boyfriend, Caspian, is actually a ghost. Abbey initially resists Caspian, whose otherworldly status can only cause heartbreak; but as Abbey and Caspian fall deeper in love, they uncover Kristen’s murderer and learn the true meaning of “soul mates.” Verday deviates from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which she ambitiously tried to integrate into the first book, to introduce some sinister new characters who heighten the suspense of this drawn-out sequel.”
Grades 8-11. --Kimberly Garnick (Booklist)

"Like Twilight (Little Brown) and the Vampire Diaries (HarperTeen) series, Verday’s planned trilogy (of which The Haunted is the second installment) is characterized by its protagonists’ unrequited passions and its narrative’s gradual revelation of a second, supernatural world, the rules of which are distinct and complicated. This lengthy novel ends with a cliffhanger, as Abbey is positioned to make a choice that may or may not ensure the eternity of her relationship with Caspian; this trope will all but guarantee an audience for the trilogy’s final novel."
--VOYA, October 2010

"The Haunted completely blew me away, I loved it! ...be prepared to be blown away by this thrilling sequel! It's romantic and mysterious with great characters and an exciting ending that was a huge cliffhanger! 2011 can't come fast enough.""
--The Book Scout (Book Reviewer)

"Jessica Verday does it again!! She delivers another fantastic book, the second in the trilogy, The Haunted."
--Sandy Faust (Book Reviewer)

"Jessica Verday captured the innocence of true and timeless love. Every exhausted flick of my eye was focused on finishing another page of the story.
My only disappointment in this book... Is the wait for the next installment. Please Jessica write fast!!!"
--Mama G (Book Reviewer)

"... the sexual tension is burning between Abbey and Caspian which really made the read go by fast because all I wanted them to touch just as muh as she did. It makes me sad knowing that this trilogy is just one book away from the end but I cannot wait to read more about what is to become of Abbey and Caspian because their love is so special. I hope this book is enjoyed by others just as much as I liked it."
--Brit Yeager (Goodreads Reviewer)

"Jessica did it again. ...There is also a few really funny moments as well I was in knots with laughter. Also, a couple of sad moments that brought the tears to my eyes. I recommend this to those to like to read stories that is emotional and gripping.
Can't wait for Forever!!!!! It can't come fast enough"
--Sioban (Love, Fantasy, Sci-Fi novels, reviews)

"The novels contain many elements that I can selfishly indulge in; the atmosphere of the Fall season, oils (my oil burner is only rewarded a reprieve while I am asleep), and a quaint town with the dream of opening a cozy shop, to name a few. All in all, The Haunted was a wonderful accompaniment to my Ben & Jerry's ice cream on a sleepy Fall night. Twice the nice, half the calories. Sometimes it doesn't get better than that."
--Kaiden Blake (Reviewer)

"I can't tell you how much I wish it were a real story I could visit."
--The Book Splot, book reviewer

"I give this book a 100000000000 out of 10..."
--Deborah's Cafe, book reviews

Praise for The Hollow:

“Spectacular! The Hollow keeps you reading from beginning to end without coming up for air.”
--L.J. Smith, bestselling author of The Vampire Diaries and Night World

"For the high school students who have fallen in love with the supernatural, Verday's first novel will sweep them away. This is a ghost story set in the heart of America's first ghost story, Sleepy Hollow."
--Janis Flint-Ferguson Children's Literature

"The Hollow...is a phenomenal read that will leave you itching to read the sequel! Jessica Verday is my favorite break out author of 2009!"
--Alex Malerba for http://twilightseriestheories.com

"Verday’s paranormal romance has an intriguing premise and hot cover that will easily attract a teen female readership....[W]ith a cliffhanger ending and impending sequel this novel will find many fans."
--Booklist

"This inventive tale from a first-time author cleverly interweaves elements of Washington Irving’s famous “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” not only in the setting, but also in the characters...Readers, particularly fans of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” (Little, Brown) and other supernatural romances, will clamor for the second novel in this trilogy."
--School Library Journal

"Peppered with references to Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and informed by urban legend, this long novel establishes the trilogy's central character and her New York setting and suggests two mysteries: Kristen's disappearance and death and the origins of Caspian and Nikolas. Fans of the Twilight series will be prepared for the novel's epic length whereas fans of romance-tinged horror fantasy will appreciate the novel's incorporation of what would seem to be a doomed love story"
--Amy S. Pattee VOYA

"The Hollow is a dark and enthralling new spin on Washington Irving’s famous tale that is certain to keep readers up late at night….The Hollow is a dark, brooding, and wonderfully delicious debut and Verday is a talented new author to watch."
--The Compulsive Reader

"How does one describe The Hollow? It was dark, enticing, rich...I could go on and on. This is a perfect to curl up in your bed and read on a rainy day, which I did and it was perfect...I give The Hollow: A++"
--The Here. The Now. And the Books!

"I thought this was a fantastic story revolving around the Sleepy Hollow legend."
--LiyanaLand!

"The Hollow is a Beautiful Tale and you can take your time to enjoy it...I have been moved by this book...This is what YA books should look like!"
--One Book Away From Heaven

"...I really enjoyed the character of Abbey. I thought she was completely believable and seemed like a real teenager. The writing was very well done. I could feel Abbey's pain of losing her best friend, as well as the joy of falling in love for the first time. And I thought it was neat that her hobby was making perfumes..."
--Book Divas

"...The Hollow is definitely a book you do not want to miss. A must read! The next two books in the trilogy come out in 2010 and 2011. I can’t wait!..."
--Read This Book!

"I love Verday’s writing style and how it made me feel like I’m living in the book alongside Abbey and her fascination with The Sleepy Hollow Legend and her many trips to the cemetery. I also enjoyed the details of Abbey’s love of perfume making...The Hollow is a great start to a series and I can’t wait to read the next chapter in Abbey’s story!"
--Fantastic Book Review

"…I cannot wait for you all to get your hands on this book!! It is amazing and will have you hooked from the very beginning. I love it when an author reels you in and you become completely invested in a book so much so that you don’t realize that you are 400 pages into a book and dreading it coming to an end."
--Random Chalk Talk

"There was a great amount of buzz going around about The Hollow. How much people wanted to read it, how great it is. I think it should have gotten even more because this book is truly awesome...The Hollow is an outstanding read. It's dark, eerie, edgy, gothic, emotional, and just all of the above. I absolutely love it and crave the sequel."
--The Book Obsession