Silver Hollow

Borderlands Saga #1

by Jennifer Silverwood

"I shouldn't have to tell you this isn't a fairy story..."

After her parents' car crash ten years before, Amie Wentworth trusts books more than people. She may be a writer, but she believes in reality over fiction. She ignores the unexplained mysteries surrounding her, never mind the dreams of a past life, or the fact she can fry technology with a touch. Not even a timely invitation from her long-lost uncle in England gives Amie incentive for anything other than ire.

Until she is stabbed in an alley and brought back to life by a handsome stranger. Soon Amie is dragged into the very sort of tale she is used to selling. To make matters worse, the man who saved her life keeps turning up and her would-be-murderer is still at large.

After crossing the Atlantic to her father’s homeland, she discovers a world beyond imagining. Silver Hollow is a place of ancient traditions and supernatural dangers, where everything is the opposite of what it seems and few escape sane. Faced with an impossible choice, Amie is forced to confront a deadly family legacy while remembering a life she soon wishes to forget.

**Previously published in 2012. This NEW EDITION has been FULLY REVISED AND EXPANDED. The original novel is now no longer available.**

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Fae, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

ebook

First published November 9, 2012

About the author

Jennifer Silverwood has been involved in the publishing world since 2012 and is passionate about supporting the writing community however she can. After studying traditional art at University, she loves helping Qamber Designs & Media bring authors’ books to life. In real life, she’s a mom of two, a passionate reader, and an occasional artist. She is the author of three series—Wylder Tales, Heaven's Edge Novellas, and the Borderlands Saga—and the stand-alone romance titles Stay and She Walks in Moonlight.

Discover more at - http://jennifersilverwood.com

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

She writes fiction for a living, but Amie Wentworth believes in reality. She has had to face enough of it in her lifetime, particularly after the crash that killed her parents ten years before. When a letter comes from a long lost uncle, little did Amie know HER reality was about to become the things of fantasy, or madness…and it all began in earnest the night she died, a stranger brought her back to life, and a killer got away…

With the handsome stranger by her side, she is convinced to meet the uncle she never knew in England, just until her “killer” is caught. But no one warned her she was about to enter a world not unlike those she wrote about or that she would be either the heroine or the damsel in distress or that fact is stranger than fiction, and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Jennifer Silverwood’s SILVER HOLLOW IS more than a fairy tale. It is epic in its scope and its promise for more to come! As one young woman discovers why she never quite fit in, she will discover more about her past, her present and her future than she could have ever imagined! Amie will also find the missing pieces of her heart, her life and her destiny.

Brilliant world building on Ms. Silverwood’s part creates an atmosphere of danger and romance as each scene unfolds and we are drawn deeper into Amie’s new reality as it morphs into a true saga with each twist and turn. Incredible characters, a magical atmosphere, and a heroine who comes into her own in spite of the chaos around her.

Love the action, love the world, love the romance, love the chaos and all those delicious secrets…love 'em!

I received a complimentary ARC copy of the 2018 edition from Jennifer Silverwood!

Series: Borderlands Saga - Book 1
Publisher: SilverWoodSketches; 3 edition (May 31, 2018)
Publication Date: May 31, 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 429 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I thought it would be a typical fantasy book. I was wrong. Jennifer Silverwood has created a book that has familiar elements but incorporates other stories into hers.

Amie is a woman who has faced many tragedies. She lost her parents at eighteen and her saving grace has been her best friends who watch out for her. Soon, the friends cannot do anything to save her from the danger that awaits her on the other side of the "veil" where she discovers her true heritage.

I mentioned that this book incorporates elements that I wasn't expecting. Amie becomes a part of the Seelie and Unseelie world. She has magic that has been hidden from her. This is a book where she uncovers one piece at a time her past and her heritage. There are also ancient tales that become part of her story. I was happy and surprised to find Arthur and Merlin as part of her story. (I grew up loving that story.)

This book is full of intrigue, war between ancient legends, romance, and non-graphic violence. There are fade to black scenes of intimacy.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amie Wentworth (Jessie) is a struggling writer with a good chore group of friends that she considers her family. She receives a mysterious invitation to visit her uncle. When someone attacks Jessie she decides to head off to her father's homeland and away from the threat. Little did she know she was heading into a century's old war and she will be the key piece in this ongoing battle.

I found Silver Hollow a very interesting story with extreme plot twists and unexpected turns. Treachery and heart ache are at every turn and you are left wondering till the very end who is friend and who is foe.

The beginning was a little slow going but once the story proceded, it was one shocker after another.

Silver Hollow is a brilliantly imagined fantasy world, filled with magical creatures, a haunted library and a fantastical castle.

I received this copy of Silver Hollow from Jennifer Silverwood in exchange for a honest review.

Written by: Jennifer Silverwood
Page Count: 378 pages
Publisher: SilverWoodSketches; 2 edition
Publication Date: November 2, 2012
Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Learn More at: Jennifer Silverwood's Website

Find this book on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Jennifer]

Heads up everyone! While the 2012 edition of Silver Hollow is no longer available for purchase, I'm releasing a re-covered & largely re-written version in May 2018. More on that and the new Silver Hollow series, Borderlands here: https://jennifersilverwood.com/
Thanks to everyone who supported this story and shared their love for Silver Hollow. You're all the reason I worked so hard to improve my craft one book at a time.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blog | Twitter | Instagram

(4.5 stars) As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. Review and blog tour can be found here at Booked J.

Newly revised and completely captivating, Jennifer Silverwood's Silver Hollow, the first installment of her Borderlands Saga, is here to satiate your desire for fantasy, adventure and romance.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019 and it definitely lived up to my own personal brand of hype. While I'd not heard of, or read, the original print of this book prior to this blog tour, I was still excited by the synopsis and kind of fancied myself a fan before even diving into this one.

Silver Hollow is one of many fairy based novels that I've read in the last few years and definitely is a standout. I really, really enjoyed this novel and found myself taking my time in finishing it, because I wanted nothing more but to bask in its beauty. I thought that Silverwood's cast of characters were a real treat--they were mysterious, intriguing, full of depth and essential to the plotlines. The way she wrote each of them, in particular our main character, Amie.

The central plots of this book were pretty complex, in a stunning way. Amie is, or so she believes, a normal young woman--an author who lost her parents at the age of eighteen, who seeks comfort in the friendships she has formed in her twenty-eight years. Amie eventually comes to learn that her life isn't entirely her own and nothing, not her friends, her family, or herself, is what it seems.

There's something about Silver Hollow that is decadent in detail and full of heart thumping suspense. I couldn't look away. Silver Hollow locked me in place each time I picked it up. I found myself more enamored with this than I had expected and really, really, really can't sing its praises enough. This is one of the most captivating books of the year, hands down.

What I loved most about Silver Hollow is simple: everything. Especially all of the intricate the plot twists. And the characters! The character growth, the use of past lives, the romance, the sheer power of coming into who you were always meant to be, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g about this was a blast. (Also it was heartbreaking but that's not going to be discussed because feelings and spoilers, okay?)

You know when you pick up a book and can feel exactly how much care went into crafting it? Silver Hollow is one of those books. It's indulgent and adventurous. So buckle up. You're in for a delicious ride with Amie, and discovering her destiny, right beside her, is a genuine treat.

Silver Hollow is more than your typical fantasy novel. It has the quintessential fantastical feeling to it, armed with action and intrigue, but it also bends itself into various other genres. Which is why you cannot miss this one.

Come rain or goblin attack, this NEEDS to be on your radar.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started Silver Hollow not knowing exactly what to expect. The cover art is beautiful and hinted at a magical, historical, romantic world and the synopsis implied a bit of urban fantasy. Plus, I'd read the author's previous work, Qeya, which was a YA Sci-fi novella, and was taken with the storytelling. I just finished reading Silver Hollow and, as it turns out, I wasn't disappointed in any of my expectations.

The story begins with Amie's life in Texas as a writer, dreaming of being able to pen that one great work. After losing her parents, she didn't have much aside from her best friends, but she was getting by. Until the night she was stabbed in an alley by a mysterious stranger. This is all in the synopsis, so I'm not revealing any huge secrets here, and I won't. Because suddenly, Amie is thrust into a magical world with so many twists and turns it's nearly dizzying. Nearly. But discovering the secrets is half the fun of her story, so I'm going spoiler free.

Silver Hollow reminded me at first of a Wonderland tale with its fantastic characters and alternate world, but then fell to something beyond the rabbit hole. Every time you think you have a grasp of what's going on, what might be coming, it changes. There were elements of all my favorite stories within and even Amie begins to notice. She's thrown from the "real" world into period costumes, Gothic mansions, and magical creatures, but even though she changes, she's remains true. That may sound confusing, but I don't want to reveal plot. This is truly one to read, a sweeping fairy tale of epic proportions. And one down to earth heroine.

[Lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I’m not really sure how to start this review. I hate to give a “negative” review to a book, because I know how hard most authors work to pull together all the elements for a book. Let me start by saying, this is just my opinion, others may love this book.

The pros: good editing/proofreading (although an editor may have been able to cut out parts of the book and make it more enjoyable for the reader). What made this a “negative” review for me was the overall pace of the book and lack of action/direction. It took approximately half of the book before Jennifer reveals what Amie truly is. There are hints scattered all throughout the first half of the book, so if you read fantasy books the way I do you can deduce what type of paranormal she is; however it was still frustrating because there seemed to be no urgency for her to discover her heritage. That being said, Jennifer does indicate that it is important for Amie to discover her heritage and take charge; but the pace of the book and repercussions don’t instill any type of urgency to the reader. At least not in my opinion.

Once Amie discovers what she is, the pace still didn’t pick up in the book. Granted, she did start to take more charge of her life **yea!!!*** but the tempo of the book still felt like it dragged to me. If I hadn’t signed up to review the book I would have stopped reading it within the first 1/3 and begun skipping around; however as a reviewer I feel a commitment to read the entire book since Jennifer was kind enough to let me read it for free in exchange for an honest review. Almost everyone in the book keeps secrets from Amie, which also leaves the readers in the dark. Clues are scattered throughout the book about what Amie is & what her heritage is, but it still didn’t propel the book forward in my opinion. I picked up on all of the clues and still didn’t feel a compulsion to keep reading and race to the end.

While Jennifer did was a good job doing world building (unfortunately it took up the majority of the book) but if a sequel comes then hopefully we can jump straight into the action. There were a few questions that I had that were never answered. Granted, they weren’t important, but I still wondered about them and would have liked answers. For someone who is a speed reader, this was a very long few hours. Sorry, Jennifer!

So the bottom line, while I didn’t feel pulled into this book, other readers might.
Pros: Good grammar and grammatical usage which included good proofreading. Overall, great concept of having a “normal” woman who writes fantasy novels get pulled into a real life fantasy.

Cons: Slow build up, no suspense and very little action. No real connection to the characters, which for me meant no real connection to the storyline. Also the Wenderdowne “speak” took a while to get used to. They have their own words, and it takes the reader a while to get used to it. However, once you do it doesn’t detract from the book the way it initially did for me and added some charm and uniqueness to the book. While the concept was unique and interesting I think a good editor could have helped the execution.

Overall to me this equaled a boring book, but again everyone has their one opinion so don’t take my impression as the be all end all.

I think Jennifer has potential, and I would like to follow her to see if it grows.

[Momma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Hollow was an interesting read. I can't say it was an easy read because you really need to concentrate on the book without distractions in order to stay with what's going on. I had several times where I had to stop and re-read a page to make sure I understood it correctly. That said, it was perfect! I would expect nothing less when reading about a whole different world. Silver Hollow was very Alice in Wonderland-ish (yes , that's a word!) in that Amie is taken from the normal world with barn parties, friends and southern sayings and dropped into this mysterious world with castles, gnomes and unicorns. So while you needed to stay focused to stick with the book, you can really relate to Amie who is living it. Learning that there were never truer words than when Uncle Henry told Amie "Never trust anyone", is a lesson I had to learn over and over during this book. Maybe I'm too easy to trust ? So many times the author tricked me into a lull, and I felt things were surely headed one way only to have the rug ripped out from under me and find myself turned around heading a completely different direction.

I laughed along with some of the antics, I shed a few tears at a certain part (which I will not reveal- no spoilers!) and I championed the guy I wanted Amie to end up with. Would she pick the reclusive Eddie or Emrys- the one who saved her life. While both were worthy "men", I definitely love Emrys the best.. Something about his tortured soul and his love for Amie just clutched at my heart.

Alas, when I began this review I promised myself I wouldn't give spoilers. So let me end by saying that this book is definitely worth the time. If you are looking for something to sink into and get away completely from the real world- Silver Hollow is your ticket!

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I have to be honest. When I started this book, I though "Oh, another young adult novel. This won't take long. I can read this before I go to bed when I'm half asleep and still keep up." Wrong. I realized once I started reading that this book actually required me to pay attention to plot and character. I ended up going back and re-reading passages because I got lost. I had dismissed certain characters that became very important to the plot later on. I found myself very confused as to which love interest I was supposed to root for. The reveal of Amie's heritage and what her role in her new world is supposed to be was somewhat slow, and while at times the story did not flow as well as it should have, the overall construct was fascinating. This was not your typical YA fantasy novel. The development of the main character's identity was also very atypical for this type of book.

I know this review may sound very negative, but that is not at all how it is intended. Many of these "drawbacks" are what drew me further into the storyline and caused me to examine the novel more closely. Jennifer's previous novel Qeya also drops you straight into the action whereas other novels feel the need to give massive amounts of background. Some readers may be put off by this style, but I found it somewhat refreshing to have a novel that just expects you to keep up with the narrative without pandering.

I also giggled at Jennifer's nod to Melissa Wright. Nicely done.

I anxiously await more from this new author.

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this book free as an ARC*

Wow. This was, something. I am not completely sure what I just read, but I couldn't put it down as I tried to figure it out. This story was so fantastical, with so much going on and so many different creatures and characters. Thank the Creator for the glossary in the back of the book. As others were, I was torn between which love interest I wanted to root for with Amie. They each had their plusses and minuses in my book. But, the overall purpose and the majority of the book was not spent on romance. This book focused on Amie, who was thrust into a dreamlike world that appeared to be lost in time, without age and innovation, as she worked to uncover her true identity and the truth behind her uncle's estate. At many points in the story, different people told her to trust noone, and seriously, they weren't kidding. Some good ended up being bad and vice versa. I was thrown a lot. For the most part I liked the heroine, Amie. The girl had some moxie. However, it bothered me how she would ask a question that would go unanswered, or someone would make a comment that was so strange and she would stow it away for further thought later rather than demand an explanation at that point. Ugh, it drove me nuts! Of course the purpose is to let us find out in due time what was going on, but still...I felt Amie could have been more demanding. Otherwise, she was a good heroine, and overall this was a very good story. Definitely a keeper!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book! A definite must read! For someone who wants to read something completely different in the fantasy realm! :)
This story kept you on your toes guessing and had a bittersweet ending, of course leaving you wanting more!
I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Silver Hollow is the first book in the Borderlands saga by Jennifer Silverwood. The borderlands saga is a young adult fantasy romance that blended arthurian legend with fae legend. I have never seen this type blending before but I have to say I was loving it! I cannot wait for the next book in the saga because this was unlike anything I have read before. I am a huge fan of fae stories, and I have always been a fan of the legend of king Arthur. I'm not going to tell you exactly how the two things intertwine in the story (because...spoilers!) but I will say it is pretty cool.

In Silver Hollow, we meet Amie. One of my not so favorite tropes was used to kick start this book (parents tragically dying) but it did serve it's purpose in propelling Amie on a surprise adventure. She is whisked off and finds herself in a town that feels like another world. Amie gets to know a long lost relative of hers and slowly, sometimes a bit too slowly, she uncovers pieces of her family history, and learns of something much more magically than she dreamed she would find herself in. I love watching the development of magical powers, but Silver Hollow was a very slow build novel. There is a lot going on, with multiple storylines and layers upon layers of secrets. I feel like every single character, even all of the secondary characters in the town had secrets. It was fun and it kept the reader engaged in the story, but I did find myself feeling like the book was dragging a bit in parts. I'm sure the second book will pick up the pace, now that we knw the lay of the land. However; there are still tons of secrets that were left unanswered in Silver Hollow, so more uncovering to come.

The magic in Silver Hollow was pretty cool as well. They call your inner magic your nixy, which I have never heard before. And learning about the seelie and the unseelie courts the way Jennifer Silverwood imagined them was neat. There are plenty of fighting and action scenes, because there are plenty of masty creatures in this story. And they seemed to be drawn to Amie like a beacon. I know there will be lots more to come on this front in the next book, but I can't wait to see how everything unfolds. 

I loved the romance in Silver Hollow. It was my favorite part, largely due to the fact that the romantic interest has so many secrets of his own and he is so intricately tied into the past of the a lot of the characters. That was pretty cool to see.  If you are a fan of fantasy mash ups and you love mythology and fae tales, the borderlands saga is going to be a great book for you to check out. It was previously released in 2012, but it was totally revised and expanded in 2018. So if you are an old fan of the series, you might want to do a re-read of this one before continuing on to book 2.This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Patricia Reding · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a copy of this book through Goodreads’ READ IT AND REAP program in exchange for my fair and honest review. I thank the author for providing me with this opportunity.

Silver Hollow is the story of Amie (aka Jessamiene, aka Jessie) as she discovers her real land of birth and magic heritage. While I found high positives, I also found fairly significant negatives with Silver Hollow. So as to end on a high note in this review, I will begin with the issues I had that really made this a 3-star book for me.

My opening sentence identified one of the issues that I had with this read—and that is with how often a single person or type of people was known by two, or even three, names. Amie is Jessamiene, is Jessie, and so forth. For this reader, the constant change of names made the story difficult to follow. A directly related issue was the use of made up terms. Oddly, this is both a positive and a negative point for Silver Hollow. As I am addressing the down-sides for starters, I will add here that it took some figuring to decipher these coined terms. I could have looked at the end for a glossary at the outset, but by the time I realized it was there, I had already spent some time trying to read beyond them. . . .

There were some editing issues, which for the most part I was able to overlook. They do make for funny lines, such as “She had always been a scrawny thing ever since she was born.” Yes, “always” would mean that there had never been a time when she had not been scrawny, in which case, she would have been scrawny since birth. Or, “Rather than seeing the beginnings of endless heather-swept moors, stout trees hugged the road instead.” Had the author meant to remove the word “instead” since that is already implied by the use of “rather” at the beginning of the sentence? Even so, these errors are not a big deal. They happen.

By contrast, I find issues of grammar more difficult because they make me stop each time to make sure that I am understanding the author’s intention—or because they simply sound odd to my ear. I confess that I have only recently realized that I was such a stickler for grammar—still, good grammar makes for easy reading. Examples of issues I found included things like the occasional incorrect use of “which” for “that.” Another example is when the author would end a sentence with a preposition such as “Amie jerked out of the haze her thoughts had fallen into.”

There was some verb confusion and misuse of verbs. For example, consider the sentence: “. . . and the longer Henry took, the more fearful she was he might try and jump.” The verb here is “to jump,” not “and jump.” Or this: “By now Underhill knew better than to try and pull Amie out of one of her moods.” Again, the verb is “to pull” not “and pull.” (I will say that people tend to make this kind of error when they speak. Unfortunately, I am finding it creep into writing more and more frequently. . . .)

There are many, many references to pop culture, movies (old and new), movie stars and characters. I think I caught most of them—maybe even all of them—and some of them were charming. However, for those readers not so keen to the shows, movies and so forth, some portion of the story would certainly be lost. Just a few examples of these references include, Jack Sparrow, Deliverance, “a vampire-loving awkward chick with a marble fetish,” Ginger Rogers, Spice Girls, Sean Connery, Errol Flynn, D’Artagnan, a “Jedi mind trick,” Rain Man, Rambo, and many, many more. One of the reasons I mention this is that the intended audience seems to be YA or perhaps NA, yet many in these age groups would not recognize a good number of these references.

As to the relationships in Silver Hollow, I admit that I was not convinced. The one that troubled me most was the central relationship to the story, namely Amie’s relationship with Uncle Henry. At the outset she wants nothing to do with him, then on a whim decides to travel to see him, and then within mere days, does not want him to leave her when he goes away for a few days because she has become so attached to him. Hmmmm. Another relationship I had issues with was between Amie and Morcant Hogswillow. On the word of others, Amie does not even want to meet the widow, then bristles each time the widow is around, but in the end, the widow is a central figure for helping Amie and Amie does not really question that fact. Finally, for those who want love triangles, the story does include one—but I was not convinced that Amie was really emotionally attached to either Emrys or Dearg —they both just happened to be there.

On numerous occasions, I was confused by what was happening in a scene. For example, when the cook and Underhill are mixing their magic in the kitchen, it took some time for me to figure out what was happening.

All that said, there were two very good things about Silver Hollow. The first is that the author shows great imagination. The trick for her will be to translate what she sees into words that help me to see the same things.

Finally, it must be said that from time to time, Silver Hollow delivered some unique and imaginative word pictures. Here are just a few examples:

He grabbed the hold of a nearby candelabrum as they passed its oak perch and turned to hold out a proffered arm. (An oak “perch” for a candelabrum. How charming.)

Really, with drool on the side of her face, curls a bushy nest around her head. (“[D]rool on the side of her face” made me laugh.)

They’re simply a hashout-out of your thoughts, a mental throw-up of your subconscious. (A “mental throw-up” makes for an interesting word picture. . . . )

Her eyes misted over in their new annoying habit. (An great way to describe Amie’s frequent crying.)

In the past, Amie had gotten pretty decent at making a stumble resemble a modern dance move. (Many readers will readily identify with Amie here. . . .)

She awoke to the rain begging loudly to be let inside. (Funny.)

Slaine called out to the growing puddle of people. (I found a “puddle of people” to be quite creative.)

He puffed on his pipe, smoke filling the space between them in thick ginger-scented clouds. (I like the “ginger-scented clouds.” I can see and smell them!)

Finally, I will end nearly where I started. The author made common usage of made-up words. While annoying when I could not figure them out (as I kept thinking I had missed something), they did help to build a genuinely unique alternate world. Examples of some of these fun (though at times frustrating) words include: nixy, krumplekined, epperchips, flobbergidits, wicklewashers and mushrattling.

All told, there were difficulties with this read, but the author shows a great imagination and the beginnings of her own unique writing voice.

Keep at it Jennifer!

[Cheryl Whitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on http://bookaddict.live,
Wow what a saga I feel like have been caught in in a waking adventure. It starts with an ordinary young girl who looses her parents in a car crash at 16, but fortunately her best friend’s parents take her in. Northing happens until we meet the adult Jessamiene Nimue age 26 and an author of fantasy and magical kingdoms.
Then the adventure begins and what a wonderful one it was. We have a mixture myths and legends woven together to create a magical kingdom. This is not a pretty story we have war and betrayal everywhere but a gripping tale of a world we dream about and Aimie finally finds out who she is. I loved her grandfather I thought that was a clever touch. IF you enjoy a fantasy that brings to life all the people and world you will love to meet in this gripping tale. This is book one so there is lots world building, but there still plenty to keep you hooked . I have one more thing to say and that is “ where is book two?”

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave my new edition of Silver Hollow 5 Stars...but of course I'm biased and proud of my book baby. ;) Seriously though, rewriting Silver Hollow has been such a challenge and truly become a turning point in terms of my craft and writing career. I hope you'll join me as we explore the Borderlands in this ongoing saga. Happy Reading!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver Hollow is a little different from my normal go to genre. However, it is a perfect reminder why I should do that more often. I thought it was pretty good. I liked Amie from the start and was fascinated with her story. She experiences horror and tragedy and then a twist I did not expect it all.

I give Silver Hollow four stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy paranormal romances. Such a beautiful and magical tale.

I received this book from the author. This review was 100% my own honest opinion.

[N Swaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Copy provided by Tour Host, in exchange for an honest review**

Silver Hollow was a bit of like being in a world like Alice in Wonderland. Amie has this real world, then her alternate universe that will keep readers on their toes. I Love the story and the worlds, but I did get confused at times. Once I felt like I had the world all figured out, something else happens and I’m confused. Amie/Jessie had been living in different worlds and different lifetimes that will keep readers searching and reaching for the truth and what exactly is going on. I really enjoyed reading Amie’s lives with her love Emry and I’m heartbroken for the way their love ended.

I cannot was to read book 2, as I am really curious on where Amie’s story will lead her. I am hoping for a really beautiful reunion between her and her love, that she truly deserves to have.

[Goblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do not judge this book solely by the summary given above, it barely begins to scratch the surface of Silver Hallow. I really ended up liking it, and I have already begun recommending it to friends.

There are just some stories you settle in to read and stars align, or just something clicks in one's head and it seems like everything is going to flow harmoniously. And that was the case for me with this book. As I continued reading Silver Hallow it was as if my brain took a seat in a large plush comfy chair and then did not want to leave once it was in residence. As the scenes unfolded like a dream, it became more and more apparent that Jennifer Silverwood had woven an incredibly engrossing and rich tapestry, that I was sad to reach the end of.

We're brought into the world of Silver Hallow by way of a slightly perhaps anxiety ridden American paranormal author Amie Wentworth's dream. There are reasons for this paranoid behaviour as poor Amie lost both of her parents in a horrible accident. The reader would think she'd be free of such awful things, when some equally dark happening befalls her. Only this time there are some crazy and unbelievable circumstances, and a dark eyed saviour and a miraculous event that changes it all. And this seems to be a tipping point for our heroine. As the story truly begins we trip and meander along in step with her as she first heads down this incredible rabbit hole into a universe, even her author's mind could never fathom as being real.

When Amie first arrives at Silver Hallow, the place is dark and dreary but soon after it seems the very nature of the world around her seems to come alive along with her presence. How long can she deny that that statue over there is not a statue at all, or that the odd inhabitants of the castle hush their voices and cast furtive glances of awe as they watch her pass by? Why will no one answer her questions? Once our intrepid author begins to realize she's not in Texas any longer, she gets to branch out more. And when she meets her mysterious saviour from before, and another draws her interest. Things that were meant to be hidden soon begin bubbling up to the surface, bringing to light answers she wanted, needed even; but along with the good she may also learn of things never wished to know. Shaking her world further on the new foundations she was only just again beginning to build!

Silverwoord has a way of portraying colourful and engrossing characters, and I particularly enjoyed the whimsical way they spoke. I appreciate a mythological creature in the fae world that talks with an “old world” flourish, and Jennifer was able to make me giggle with some of the things that came out of their mouths.

Honestly there is a lot of information covered in this book, and I do not want to give it away. Which I could so easily do without even meaning to! I am not even including the names of the other characters because as you read on and since the story is linear, little by little the information trickles through the cracks. Half of the fun of this novel for me was feeling like I was straining for the answers along with Amie as bit by bit things wiggled into sight.

Bottom line is, I found myself loving this book. I honestly and really appreciated the way Jennifer Silverwood wrote a wonderfully, enticing, whimsical, world that felt fantastic to dig my imagination into. Give it a try, and I am certain you will love this journey too.

Note: I received an complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Layna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin? Silver Hollow was such a magical book and was truly like anything I have read before. The cover immediately grabbed my attention and I fell in love with it. It really is one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen.

Silver Hollow is a book that you will make you wonder what you are reading, in a good way. You get lost in this magical world and you are drawn in by the different types of creatures and the different language they speak. You start off by meeting Amie, who writes paranormal books for a living. Years after her parents' death, she receives a letter from her uncle, urging her to come visit him in England. Walking home in the dark, Amie is attacked and stabbed in the chest. She is rescued by a man in the shadows and he brings her back from the brink of death. It was that night that she decided she would listen to her uncle and go and visit him.

Once Amie arrives, her world is turned upside down. What she thought were only dreams and fairy tales, turned out to be very true. Amie meets her uncle, Henry, and their family bond grows. Although she learns of her nixy, which is the inner energy within every being, she still has many questions about this world she has found herself in.

I recommend this book for those who love a great fantasy romance novel. Silver Hollow is filled with all sorts of mystical creatures and plenty of romance. This book seems to be slow at first, but really it is all build up and keeps you reading. The language that was used did take a bit to get used to but luckily there is a mini glossary in the back of the book, in case you aren't sure what certain terms mean. Silver Hollow was such an amazing read and I am really glad I picked it up. I haven't read something so magically delightful in a long time. I won't lie, but I did shed a few tears. I won't say why I did because that would just spoil the ending, so I guess you guys will just have to read the book! I want to thank Jennifer Silverwood for allowing me to read and review Silver Hollow! I'm so glad I got to host such a wonderful book. I hope everyone enjoys this amazing read as much as I did!

Original Post:
http://www.lunarhavenrd.com/2013/03/s...

[Ctrl, Alt Books! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin? Silver Hollow was such a magical book and was truly like anything I have read before. The cover immediately grabbed my attention and I fell in love with it. It really is one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen.

Silver Hollow is a book that you will make you wonder what you are reading, in a good way. You get lost in this magical world and you are drawn in by the different types of creatures and the different language they speak. You start off by meeting Amie, who writes paranormal books for a living. Years after her parents' death, she receives a letter from her uncle, urging her to come visit him in England. Walking home in the dark, Amie is attacked and stabbed in the chest. She is rescued by a man in the shadows and he brings her back from the brink of death. It was that night that she decided she would listen to her uncle and go and visit him.

Once Amie arrives, her world is turned upside down. What she thought were only dreams and fairy tales, turned out to be very true. Amie meets her uncle, Henry, and their family bond grows. Although she learns of her nixy, which is the inner energy within every being, she still has many questions about this world she has found herself in.

I recommend this book for those who love a great fantasy romance novel. Silver Hollow is filled with all sorts of mystical creatures and plenty of romance. This book seems to be slow at first, but really it is all build up and keeps you reading. The language that was used did take a bit to get used to but luckily there is a mini glossary in the back of the book, in case you aren't sure what certain terms mean. Silver Hollow was such an amazing read and I am really glad I picked it up. I haven't read something so magically delightful in a long time. I won't lie, but I did shed a few tears. I won't say why I did because that would just spoil the ending, so I guess you guys will just have to read the book! I want to thank Jennifer Silverwood for allowing me to read and review Silver Hollow! I'm so glad I got to host such a wonderful book. I hope everyone enjoys this amazing read as much as I did!

5/5 Crescents
~Layna

[Lily]

DNF at 52%

Hate DNF'ng, but I made a promise to myself that this year I would not feel guilty about dropping a book. Especially if I have given it a fair chance, and it is still not engaging me.

I am however, choosing not to rate this one, because it's not that I disliked the concept of the story, I just didn't connect with it. Unfortunately, without a character connection, I struggle to get into a book.

It was not badly written, but I felt like there were some plot holes that led to some confusion on my part on what exactly was going on some of the time. There were terms used by the characters that you have to get used to; some of which weren't really obvious as to their meaning, so that added to the frustration.

The pace is very slow in getting to whatever the heck Amie is supposed to be. The explanations are taking way too long to come out, and the constant riddle talk began to drive me insane. At this point in the book, they may be forthcoming, but I am not engaged enough to continue.

The chemistry between Amie & Emrys, as well as Eddie, was lacking, even though I could read that the writer was trying to convey it. But that may be my lack of connection to the characters that have allowed me to interpret it that way, and not a perceived consensus for other readers.

I can see other readers that enjoy this type of genre falling for this story. Unfortunately for me, I just couldn't connect with Amie, and the novel became a struggle to get through.

Though this novel was not for me, I am curious to see how Jennifer Silverwood will grow as an author, and what other projects are in the future. I would not be opposed to giving another novel of hers a chance.

* This novel was received for the purpose of an honest review, as part of R&R program with Shut Up and Read Group. *

[Berenice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing has always been her passion, but when she is pushed by her editor to write paranormal romance Ami loses her focus.
Now she is getting a letter from her only living relative asking her to join him in England, and after a bizarre series of events that put Ami’s life on the line she decides to flee to her uncle.
What she finds in the Silver Hollow is a lot of colorful characters, a strange house and a hell lot of questions that need answering.

Jennifer Silverwood takes us in a magical adventure where instead of mixing the England we’ve all heard about and sparkling with magic she makes a little nook where the world of the Silver Hollow breaths and lives.
The way the characters talked was weird, not in a frustrating way nor in a way that will make you feel left out (although you might find yourself thinking 'what the hell is he/she talking about' once or twice), I loved it because they helped give a sense that we were not in Kansas anymore but down the rabbit whole. It added a sense of the culture and that there was still a lot that this new world wasn't showing us.
This story may feel a little long, but not in the “Gosh, when is this story going to end” sense but in a sense that this is a story that needs to take its time while it answers but Ami and the readers questions about this new land, its folklore and its people.
I really enjoyed this book, even if I didn’t get my way in a couple of things that happened while this book developed. I would love to be a little brat about it, but honestly this is a good book my only suggestion would be to read it with time and don’t abandon it there are a lot of names going around and you might be lost when you try to pick it up.

[Moni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starting this book I had a completely different vision of it, than that which showed up during the reading. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed.

The rate of development of the plot is quite slow, which made it difficult to pull into this book. For my taste it doesn't has enough energy and verve.

As for the main character - Amie can be compare to Alice in Wonderland, who suddenly falls down the rabbit hole. She finds herself in quite an amazing environment, surrounded by exceptional personalities and a lot of mysteries. Although the figures seems to be interesting, it was hard for me to identify with them and understand them.

Since I am a person who on a daily basis do not speak English, I had some difficulty understanding some of the typical English phrases, thus reading became more tiring and time-consuming than normal.

The author had an interesting concept for this book, but for me it was not quite as thrilling as I think book should be. I suppose that this is the type of book that some readers just love and others not so much. I think everyone should read this book to see which group they belong to.

[Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?


This is certainly an interesting & magical little world.There was some slow bits that dragged a little, but other than that it was just as much of an adventure for me as it was for Amie as she figured out her heritage and who she really is. As the reader, you'll figure it out long before she does, but it's still fun. There are many secrets. You'll meet several characters through this story, but be careful who you trust! *wink* I'm excited about this series, and I'm already looking forward to the next book!

Silver Hollow by Jennifer Silverwood was kindly provided to me by Prism Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. Even though this story was littered with descriptive characters and amazing places I found the first half of this story and indeed the language to be exceedingly confusing and tiring. I loved the way the story eventually came together but all the mystery and fae dialect wore on my nerves leaving me wishing they would just get on with it at times. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed many parts of this book and by the time I got to the end of the story I was avidly turning the pages hanging on to the plot with all the fervour of a "tushmonger", but I must say that it took me some time to get there.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't give a synopsis of the story as so much of the joy (and frustration) of the book is the mystery that unfolds bit by bit. It was very well done, and if I hadn't known, I never would've guessed this was the author's first novel. The characters were very enjoyable, the slowly unfolding mystery made it very hard for me to concentrate on work while on the clock as I wanted to figure out the next piece, and I will be reading more of the author's books. I will say that I would love to question the author on a couple things that I just didn't understand, but they didn't detract from the overall experience much.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rare find

I almost didn't read this, but I am so glad I decided to. This offered a new take on so many things. Normally I breeze through books. I had to lay this down at almost each chapter to allow myself time to process. Not because I was bored.

It took me almost two days to read this. lol, so unless you a very fast reader this is a book that will easily take a week. I will probably read it again just to make sure I covered everything. The dictionary at the end also greatly helps!

[Brandi Dringus]

I really enjoyed it. Took a little while to get into it and familiarize myself with the creatures/characters/language, but overall it was a compelling read and I definitely recommend it

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**
Amie has been living her life as well as she can these last ten years after her parents deaths, but really she has not been living at all. When an uncle she has never met before reaches out to her and requests she come to her family home in England, she is curious enough to go. What she finds is not what she expected, but instead she is at a house that resembles a castle with random strangers that seem just a little off and an overly enthusiastic uncle who wants to teach her about the "family business". Amie goes along with all the crazy, hoping to get answers to her past but never expecting the truth.

I love any and all things having to do with faeries and the Fey, so when I read the synopsis for Silver Hollow I was 100% intrigued to read this book and get lost in the adventure. I found this book to be completely different and new, unlike any other faery book I have previously encountered. This was a magical discovery while at the same time a dangerous mission all rolled into one.

My favorite part of Silver Hollow was all the magic, everywhere and used for everything. Be it the costuming and traveling devices that felt very out of place for the modern world, all the secrets everyone had (minus Amie who was basically an open book), the creatures that were hinted at but not always around, to the world that her uncle protected. I liked that basically every and anything could be seen as magic in one way or another and everything was a surprise. Not to be spoilery, but it was like a magical hotel/castle for the magically inclined, which I loved. The names of people and creatures though at times felt like tongue twisters, though, and I am sure that I butchered the pronunciations while reading.

The one thing that I was not a fan of for the story was how confusing everything seemed was. Keep in mind, the main character Amie has no idea what is going on so none of the supernatural/magical elements made any sense (to me or to the character). The world building was still going on, even while I had no idea what the plot or the purpose was for anything. Amie is thrust into her old family home that is filled with strangers and secrets that she has never learned, and her uncle is grooming her for a role in the family- but to do what, she does not know. And she is perfectly fine going along with all of it, regardless of the fact nothing makes sense and that she believes her uncle is crazy. Yeah, so I was in over my head because while Amie had no questions or qualms with the situation, I had a LOT- and they were not really answered, or at least not in a timely manner I was hoping for. I just felt like I was missing so much and I spent at least half the book confused as to what was going on and not sure if I cared one way or another to find out. Keep in mind, this is most likely done on purpose by Jennifer, but I am just not a fan of that kind of writing style- but I am sure others will love it.

Silver Hollow is the first in a series where an epic battle is coming for Amie, one she will hopefully be ready for, if she can just open her eyes...
Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ for more book talk

[Stéphanie Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This review can also be found on my blog: https://phanniethegingerbookworm.word...
A review copy of this book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review!*

# What I liked

I found it fascinating to read a mixture of the English language. You had the common English tongue that we use nowadays and the old one. I really liked these parts and I found myself emerged faster in the fantasy world of this book. You need to know that in the beginning it is set in a modern setting with a girl thinking she is a normal human being living a normal life. But soon she discovers that this isn’t true and she finds herself in a very strange world. Therefore I found it pretty fun to bump into the old words in “Silver Hollow“.

Since discovering the books about faes written by Maas or Black I found myself loving faerie books. So when I found out that faeries would play a part in “Silver Hollow” I just had to take part in the blog tour and honestly, this book didn’t disappoint me in that aspect. I liked every mystical creature in it.

Who doesn’t love fairy tales? Right, no one I hope? I loved fairy tales when I was a kid and I’m still a fan of them as an adult. The fact that you can hope and dream thanks to the fairy tales is something I absolutely love about them. You can be a child again and not think about your adult or even teenage problems if you’re a teen. In “Silver Hollow” Amie, our protagonist discovers that she is now in a world full of fairy tales characters. She is a writer and writes about these tales so she is completely baffled by the fact that there exists another world – the world she is writing about. And so is the reader. If you’ve read the synopsis you know exactly that this world exists but thanks to Silverwood you feel as confused as the main character when she makes her apparition in the fantasy world.
Another thing I really liked was the fact, that the book was very mysterious.

# What I disliked

Now lets move on to the things I didn’t like so much. Yep there are always things I didn’t like I know I can be annyoing some times!

First of all, I found that the romance was pretty obvious. During their first meeting, we already knew or had a feeling at least that something would happen between the two. And I didn’t find the romance cute but simply unnecessary. I would have seen Amie with somebody else. (Don’t forget that this is my personal opinion!)

Now something that’s more on the contradictory side of things. Remember when I mentioned above that I really liked the old English terms mixed with the new English terms? Yeah? Well, sometimes I found it really confusing and frustrating when I didn’t understand a word. Again that’s my personal opinion because I could have simply clicked on the word and my kindle would have given me the definition. But I guess I’m a lazy person and when I’m reading I don’t like to stop to do some research. And it is honestly something minor. So probably the next time it won’t confuse me that much.

I found Amie, the main character, to be annoying at some points in the book. She was so naive and trusted everyone. I’m not sure that I would have done the same thing when arriving into a whole new world that I thought wouldn’t even exist. But then again I’m not in that case and who knows how we would really react. Still, Amie got on my nerves a lot, especially in the last few chapters.

Another thing is that I found the book to be too long. I prefer fast-paced novels over slow-paced ones and for me “Silver Hollow” was definitely slow-paced.

# Favourite Character

Arthur, Freddie and the twins (unfortunately they didn’t get that much time in the book.)

Overall, I’d recommend the book to every fantasy lover who loves some well-known characters like Arthur & Merlin. (Because yes, they appear in “Silver Hollow“)