The Hollow Gods by A. J. Vrana is not what you'd expect, even with the blurb giving next to nothing away.

I went into it expecting a small town mystery (even murder mystery by the sounds of it) and got a supernatural tale with a stubbornly logical doctor and some supernatural romance sprinkled on top. And what a ride that was.

Seen through 3 point of views. A. J. Vrana tells the story of a town obsessed with a local legend, that has very real consequences. Kai, Miya and Mason each set out, in one way or another, to figure out the truth behind the legend, leading to their paths eventually colliding right before the climax. Due to the rather vague blurb, there isn't much more I can say on the plot without spoiling but it's much more interesting than I initially thought.

As for the writing, it was good. Very straightforward, if a bit dry at times, but that just made it a breeze to read through. Vrana has quite a distinct style of writing, with interesting, even unusual, metaphors, which makes her stand out as an author that much more.
Her characters are also something special. Each has a strong personality that easily comes through which is a plus when juggling three perspectives. Kai is head strong, doesn't mince words, and unpleasant at times. Miya is chaotic but curious, with a thirst for the unknown. Whereas Mason is driven and headstrong, but definitely a man on a mission.

Unfortunately I found the book a bit confusing, from how the plot was laid out and paced, to the climax. I didn't really understand the resolution because of all the moving parts that were only vaguely referred to earlier. I would've liked to have more of the story or world laid out previously, instead of it crammed alongside the ending.

All in all, I enjoyed The Hollow Gods by A. J Vrana. It was a strong story with memorable characters, if a bit messy in its execution.