In Your Head (an in-depth book review)

bookshelves: buddy-read, character-driven, ebook, exploring-romance, favorites, female-empowerment, grief, i-own-it, mental-health, mystery, no-spoilers, psychological, thriller, trauma, dark-romance

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”You dug around in the corners of my head, Dr. Pearson… but now I know yours. Fear. One night. Quiet, ordinary… you’ll feel it. The breath before the scream. And you’ll know. You’ll know I’ve come to finish what you started.”

I was reluctant to dive into K. Hollow’s book. I’m thankful I did, because I really wanted to support the author. And yes, I know I could’ve still supported her by continually lifting her up and bringing more visibility to In Your Head without reading it. There’s no doubt about that. But reading it would afford me the opportunity to finally try the romance genre, which had been a tentative goal of mine, ever since realizing a few years ago that I couldn’t give an opinion on the genre without trying it at least once. This was my introduction to dark romance, and my second romance novel in general.



Still, I remained undecided. After reading multiple reviews of it, I knew I had to read In Your Head. Those early reviewers made it clear that K.Hollow’s debut was more than met the eye. It was a lot more than the physical elements that the subgenre is known for. Though explicit, those scenes consisted of maybe ten percent of the whole. What’s more, they were written with a bold intentionality to propel the plot forward, while simultaneously satisfying those that read dark romance for those elements. There was a fine balance to find between the two, and she did a great job.



From start to finish, the author wrote with so much compassion and purpose. I can’t express how refreshing that was. She dedicated countless time and effort to craft and care for her characters. They never felt bland or predictable. The female protagonist, Katherine “Kat” Pearson, was guarded and bookish. I related to her in many ways—the most significant being that I, too, am grieving for a parent. My mom died almost a year ago, and even though the circumstances are a lot different, I felt the sense of profound loss, regret, anger, gratitude for the time we had together, and the childhood lessons which might not have happened if not for her. More than anything, I felt the conflicting emotions. They knocked me over, taking my breath away for a moment.



Zayne Bronwin, on the other hand, was also well-guarded, but with a flare for the unpredictable (he’s completely unhinged, really,) and whose love for Kat bordered on obsession. His POV chapters were some of my favorites to read, and I couldn’t get enough. I loved getting into his head, seeing his thought processes and worldview.



Being dark romance, Hollow took it, in full, to those dark and twisted places. And one of the most impactful ways she tapped into the macabre was two-sided: Kat and Zayn were on mental health journeys distinct to themselves. Similar, yes, but comparing them would be akin to calling their stories and obstances like black and white. (Please, if you’re thinking about reading In Your Head, be sure to check your triggers, which includes but aren’t limited to stalking, domestic violence, suicidal ideation, sexual assault, and murder.).

Entranced, I stride forward, out of the protection of the forest, moving like one of the long shadows shifting between the trees.



But then, I step perfectly across a brittle dried twig, snapping it and breaking the quiet spell of dusk.



The girl flutters her eyes open, turning to take me in.

Hollow did something unexpected when it came to the setting. Instead of writing about a large, bustling city akin to Seattle or Spokane, her locale, Greenwood, WA, felt relatively small, and the sprawling forest surrounding the bulk of the action felt—to me, at least—almost claustrophobic. Which isn’t to suggest it was a condensed area, because it wasn’t. Yet, Hollow captured the mysterious nature inherent in the forests of the Pacific-Northwest. She captured the dreary, rain-soaked vibes of the area (which seem symbolic of depression and mental health in general,) all the while showcasing the beautiful aspects of nature. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always rain here. There are actually a lot of sunny days, too. The likenesses that she captured were like a vivid snapshot.



There were, however, a couple turn-of-events which were a bit predictable. Even when they were, Hollow took those scenarios and flipped them just enough to catch me off guard. I appreciate those choices for what they were. On at least one occasion, I literally said to myself, “Oh, wow. Didn’t see that coming. Not in that way, at least.” For instance, when Zayne did a certain thing to an unmentionable character (if you’ve read it, you’ll most likely know the scene I’m talking about,) I thought his actions were completely understandable, and frankly, said unmentionable character kind of got the least of what he had coming. And towards the end, a significant chain of events lands one of our characters in a major predicament, and I didn’t expect that at all. In hindsight, I probably should’ve, given the finely executed and effective foreshadowing. The way they worked was two-fold, and I love when an author can make it work on multiple levels. But were the clues a little too subtle? I’m not sure. It could be an entirely subjective thing, because a few other readers were seemingly very aware of that particular aspect of the plot. And I don’t always think clearly, so the issue was most likely subjective. Nevertheless, the plot itself could’ve been made more intense if there had been more emphasis on said threat.



My favorite part of In Your Head was the saccharine connection between Zayne and Kat. Reading about their complicated history and his softness towards her was a lot of fun. I can’t stress how much I adore him for his feelings for her. But, more to the point: my absolute favorite part was the extremely impressive character development of both. Kat’s arc, in particular, made me so giddy inside, and I couldn’t be more proud. Unlike many books I’ve read, the payoff was actually earned and satisfying.

”Welll first of all, please shut up, because I love you. Second of all, who says he has to be in his right mind? The right one will love you for exactly who you are—including all your dark and twisty bits. Maybe even more so because of them.

The author wasn’t done yet. In the last ten or so pages, we get a bonus chapter in the form of a POV from Rae. She’s Kat’s sibling, and in a lot of ways, they couldn’t be more different. From her questionable profession, to her opinions about their deceased father, and beyond, Rae was a character that went from being abrasive to one that I came to like by the last page. And I’m really eager to learn more about her in Book Two.



Overall, K. Hollow did a fantastic job writing In Your Head. The setting, character development, and themes (mental health representation being very near and dear to my heart,) were done exceptionally well. The countless hours spent writing, rewriting, and the care necessary to bring her vision to life in a big way were made clear on every page. Her prose pulled me in from the first sentence, and I had to know more. Despite my minimal critiques, I still love this book. I can’t NOT rate it lower than 4.5 stars.





And once again, before I wrap this up, please make sure to check those triggers.