Gilt Hollow

by Lorie Langdon

Overview

Willow Lamott’s best friend is a convicted killer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. Over four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow Lamott stepped back into his life. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton wonders if his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310751892
Publisher:	Blink
Publication date:	09/27/2016
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Lorie Langdon is the author of the international Disney Villain series Happily Never After, featuring legendary villains such as Ursula/Vanessa, Gaston, Yzma, Captain Hook, and the Evil Queen. Her short story “Anna and the King” releases November 2023 in the Frozen anthology All Is Found. Lorie is also an Amazon bestselling author of the YA novels the Doon Series, Gilt Hollow, and Olivia Twist. When she’s not writing, Lorie is an avid bookstore explorer and enjoys traveling with her husband and two sons.

Editorial Reviews

Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon – Willow has spent the past four years trying to forget the day her best friend was convicted of murder. But when Ashton is released from juvie, Willow is forced to confront the past, as well as her growing romantic feelings for her once best friend. Ashton seeks out Willow’s help to clear his name, but the closer they get to the truth, the more Willow begins to doubt Ashton’s innocence.
Why we’re looking forward to it: We need a heart-pounding thriller to keep us occupied while we wait for The Girl On The Train to hit big screens. Lorie Langdon gives us that. It may be YA, but Gilt Hollow had us checking in our closets and behind the shower curtain before bed.

Redbook Magazine

'Easily the most thrilling and dangerously addictive YA novel to hit bookshelves this year, readers of all ages will fiercely devour every word of this stunning literary win.

Pop Sugar

'Easily the most thrilling and dangerously addictive YA novel to hit bookshelves this year, readers of all ages will fiercely devour every word of this stunning literary win.

PopSugar

08/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Langdon draws readers into a town riddled with deadly secrets and dangerous lies lurking in every corner, from the protagonists' possibly haunted attic to the bustling coffee shop downtown. Threatening messages appear, and suspicious events begin occurring upon the return of convicted killer Ashton Keller. But is he really the true danger to this society? Meanwhile, Ashton's former best friend Willow is barely piecing together a normal adolescent life following Ashton's conviction and now sudden unexpected return from juvenile detention. Torn between her longtime love and loyalty to Ashton and her interest in dating other boys, getting through high school, and keeping her family safe and happy in the wake of her father's death, Willow finds herself right in the thick of some very dark business. Filled with detailed descriptions of the characters' physical appearances, this novel would be great for teens who want to mix some elements of danger and mystery in with their love triangles. VERDICT For those who enjoy the romance and drama of Twilight but would rather skip the supernatural sparkling and packs of werewolves, this could be a good fit.—Emily Grace Le May, Providence Community Library

School Library Journal

2016-07-02
Eighteen-year-old Ashton Keller has spent the last four years of his life in juvie for a murder he did not commit. He returns home looking for justice or maybe just revenge but ends up finding something else completely unexpected. Willow Lamott is the dark-haired, dark-eyed, white girl he left behind. She is thrilled when blue-eyed, olive-skinned Ashton returns to Gilt Hollow but also deeply hurt that he never responded to any of her letters. Even though their history is tumultuous, the chemistry between them is undeniable. The star-crossed lovers soon find themselves in the middle of a maelstrom of pain and anger that is certain to end only when Ashton returns to prison or someone else ends up dead. Overall, this is an unfortunate example of a promising story ruined by uneven pacing, stereotypical characters, and a predictable plot. While there is definite heat between Ashton and Willow, the repetitive descriptions of their interactions quickly wear thin. The mystery of who really murdered Daniel Turano is similarly flawed. Slow pacing through much of the story is followed by a rushed ending. Where Langdon excels is in her description of place, but the intriguing central Massachusetts small-town setting is not enough to carry the poorly constructed story. A romantic thriller that fails on both counts. (Romantic thriller. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews