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Silvers Hollow

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"Silvers Hollow" by Patrick Delaney, the award-winning author of "The House That Fell From The Sky," is a gripping and mind-bending horror novel that delves into the depths of the human psyche. The story follows a young woman who finds herself in her childhood hometown with no memory of how she got there. What unfolds is a chilling odyssey as she grapples with blurred realities and the search for her own soul.

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This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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An interesting book with an original concept but it just wasn't for me. The reader was kept in the dark throughout the narrative which could've worked well but I just ended up feeling lost.

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If ‘What just happened?’ Was a book, it would be Silvers Hollow!🤣

I was 75% confused throughout the story.

I thought I ‘got it’ 5 different times.

I didn’t.

A heck of a story experience with an ending you won’t see coming.

If you like your reads filled with chills and guesswork, pick this up. It will either be fun or frustrating 🤣

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I have enjoyed this book, I did find parts of it quite difficult to read but was a page turner, and very intriguing

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A woman awakens on the ground of an empty train depot while seeing the red lights of the train as it just left the station and she finds her clothes are dirty and also has a bang on her head and notices her watch missing as well.
Very confused and in pain she finally recognizes the train depot of her childhood town Silver Hollows. Why would she be back here? She hasn't been back to her hometown in decades. Why now? She is approached by a police officer who puts her in his car and he knows who she is and he will take her home but she also sees that his police car appears as if it is from the 1950's (very strange) and the town seems empty as well. Why is she here and where will she go and what the heck is going on?

This was an interesting and mysterious piece of work by Patrick Delaney. The story had a moody and poetic style of writing and the reader is kept in the dark (literally) until the very end. This was more of a subtle type of horror story not really my cup of tea but it may have a great appeal for many readers. I really wanted to like this book but I have to admit I was pretty lost throughout the story and maybe more confused by the time I finally finished it.

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I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Oblivion Publishing for the ARC of this book to read and review.

Just from the description of this book I knew I was going to be obsessed with it, and I was completely right! From start to finish I was sucked into this book, and I couldn't bring myself to put it down.

The story was written in first person, and I became oddly attached to our main character, without even knowing their name... In fact, and this might just be me with my terrible memory, I don't recall ever finding out their name, which I feel made the book better. It left an air of ambiguity, which completely lent itself to the plot.

Being written in first person also lent itself well to the story, because we felt as if we were the main character, as if their mind was our mind. For me, it felt as if I was living their life and experiencing their emotions and confusion.

Admittedly, I was confused by Silvers Hollow but that was a good thing, it meant that the book achieved it's goal... It was a completely bizarre, strange, and overwhelming book, whilst also being so incredibly enjoyable (if that's the right word to use). It was like nothing I had read before and managed to really worm it's way into my head and made me question everything.

A lot of that has to be attributed to the writing, it was immersive, descriptive and at points eerie and haunting. The author created the perfect mix of words and sentences to build this world around us.

I actually surprised myself with how patient I was reading this book, usually I'm desperate to know what's going on and get quite frustrated when things are taking ages to get to the point, but this was different. Because the plot was so good and so intriguing I just sat back and enjoyed the ride!

Everything within Silvers Hollow came together to create the perfect storm, the pace, the plot, the first person POV, the story itself, everything was woven so perfectly to create this excellent, immersive story that left chills down my spine and thoughts in my mind for days after I finished reading.

In fact, I enjoyed it so much I'm considering doing a reread already!

If you're on the lookout for something a little thought provoking and a whole lot immersive and atmospheric then Silvers Hollow is the one for you.

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A Lady stirs on the ground of a vacant train warehouse while seeing the red lights of the train as it just left the station and she discovers that her garments are messy and her head is injured. Notifications in her watch are absent too. Extremely befuddled and in torment, she perceives the train stop to be her youth town, Silvers Hollow. For what reason would she be back here? She hasn’t returned to her old neighborhood in many years. Why now? She is drawn closer to a cop car and he knows what her identity is and he claims to take her home. She likewise sees that his car shows that it's from the 1950s (exceptionally weird) and the town appears to be vacant too. What is she doing here and where will she go? What the hell is going on?

“Silvers Hollow” by Patrick Delaney jumps into an illusionary world suggestive of clear dreaming aside from the dull, vile environment tormenting the town and the young lady going inside it. The author rejuvenates stowed away apprehensions of being caught in a bad dream, thrown in a domain both natural and new, in which the main way out is through. A young lady winds up at the train station of her old neighborhood, Silvers Hollow. The station has been shut for quite a long time, which brings up the issue of how she arrived and why she’s returned. Things just become older from that point.

This story reflects a fantasy impeccably. It’s confusing, and the main motivation behind the memory I to cause a further impression of distance to the abnormal occasions occurring. What is considerably more fascinating is the author’s capacity to ably make a cognizant story while keeping the readers glued to the book. Regardless of the odd development and the muddling idea of the story, it was not difficult to follow and comprehend. A lot of inquiries are raised all through the novel, yet it’s what drives the readers to burrow through the subtleties. This book was set out to find the real story, and track down whatever secret hints are inserted in the actual story to sort out what’s going on in the story.

In addition to the fact that this is an insane, suspenseful thrill ride with components of repulsiveness destined to be a drive around from heck, yet the author is a staggering essayist with a skill for making profoundly serious and clear detail that carries a similar angle to their accounts. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers and fantasies.

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this was an enjoyable read, it had what I was looking for in a horror novel with interesting characters.

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Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

If you like twisty books that have you constantly questioning what you are reading, then this is the book for you!!! Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

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I went into 'Silvers Hollow' with trepidation. I was not a fan of Delaney's first book The House That Fell From The Sky - I found the wording too convoluted and the characters flat. I was honestly shocked to see so many positive reviews from readers that I know and trust that I felt my reading of the work might have been unfair. As I was pressed for time, I downloaded the audiobook, hopeful to have a different experience. Word of advice, 180 that narrator. The audiobook narrator, Samantha Williams, for both of Delaney's books is killing them with her robotic monotone. All that to say, I am still planning a reread and to post a review at a later date.

But back to 'Silvers Hollow'.

Are you a fan of The Twilight Zone? 'Silvers Hollow' opens like one of the best episodes of the original series. It's night, a woman awakes bruised and confused on a train bench in her childhood town she has not visited in years- Silvers Hollow. She is amnesic and cannot remember how she got there. There is no one around and everything looks slightly too new and pristine. Our protagonist begins to wander, and in doing so, begins to recall details of her life before this moment. The unnamed woman reveals the secrets of her broken family, reflects on the nostalgia that Silvers Hollow conjures with its faux-1950s Main Street/Gilmore Girls aesthetic, and struggles to come to terms with the larger question of 'how she got here'. Not just to Silvers Hollow, but her life in general.

As she slowly meets other residents of the town a feeling of unease begins to creep into the narrative. The residents seems like shells of themselves and the woman hears them reference an "emergency" as an explanation for their behavior. It's too quiet, uncanny, and strange. She realizes that the Silvers Hollow she is in is not the same Silvers Hollow of her memories. So, where is she? Why is she there? What is going on? And what is this vague "emergency" everyone alludes to but does not directly address?

The writing is fluid and bewitching. Delaney easily guides his readers along through the town of Silvers Hollow seeing it through the eyes of the narrator. The plot is properly creepy and a damn delight to read.

I was with this book. I was with it right up until the end. False leads, an unlikable main character with no clear motivation - just reactions - who reveals nothing about herself except in memories, and an anticlimactic conclusion all served to knock this strong book down several pegs. It felt like Delaney created a terrifying concept of purgatory but then had no idea what to do with it. While 'Silvers Hollow' is an odyssey of the soul that demands we confront the deepest parts of ourselves and questions how we present to the outside world, I would have preferred to remain adrift in the terrible dark instead of Delaney revealing all with an unsatisfactory ending.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This is one of the first experiences I have had where I truly got almost fully done reading this one and I had NO idea what the big twist was, STILL. I mean that in the best way possible. I was almost frustrated with how well the climax was almost hidden, but in your face the entire story. I think I fall more in love with Patrick Delaney's work each time I pick up one of his books and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next.

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I read this is one sitting, approx an hour and a half. I could not put it down! I had all the Silent Hill vibes, minus the scary monsters. It was creepy and eerie, you had no clue what was going on. The entire time I was thinking: WHAT AM I READING, WHAT'S GOING ON. It was like a fever dream.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, the ending could've explained more, but never the less was excellent. This book held my attention from the very beginning and I will be on the lookout by more from this author. Definitely a good creepy book for the fall!

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This just wasn't for me. I wanted to love it but it went in a different direction than I thought. Thank you for the opportunity to try this book. It definitely is a well written book with very creative ideas.

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I tried desperately to enjoy this but found it way too ambiguous. I enjoy horror with an element of mystery, sure, but I do not enjoy horror where I can't find a lick of sense. Reading this felt like a very confusing fever dream-you know the kind I'm talking about; where you're stuck in bed with the flu and want to sleep restfully but keep having bizarre, upsetting dreams. And honestly, I just kept hoping that the ending would solidify things (anything, really) and this definitely would have been a DNF if not for how short it is. By the end, I found myself more confused than before. I can say that I could not describe one concrete fact about this story. If you like more concrete horror, I don't think this one is for you. As an aside, I do think this was well written, but it wasn't the type of story I like, unfortunately.

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Honestly… this was a rough one for me. I was so excited to read it, but it fell pretty short in my opinion. I love a good psychological thriller, but this one never made sense to me or hooked me. It was a super quick read and I know lots of people will enjoy it, sadly I’m just not one of them. I liked the way the author wrote, but unfortunately some things were explained in great detail and others weren’t at all, so not much felt like it fit together well (and not in the kind of way a good mental puzzle does). It felt a little too bare and lackluster, so it’s only getting 2 stars today.

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This book definitely keeps the reader asking questions and turning the page to learn more. I was able to read this novel in less than a day, so it’s definitely a quick read. However, I did want to read more. I feel like there were some questions that were never answered at the end. There was a bit of a twist, but to me this one fell kind of flat in terms of thrillers. I felt like even thought the main character was going through so much, that she lacked emotion throughout.

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I love how the author drops us right into the book with us and the protagonist confused and afraid has the story goes on. Story goes on with a woman who gets picked up at a train station by police. She is taken back to the town where she grew up. Strange things are going on all around her. Its night time but no moon or stars, the town seems to be a ghost town. Then the empty house with the red door. All these memories keep flooding back to her, and clawing its way to the surface.
I am a huge horror fan. When I read a book I want to be scared. I want to feel terrified. I want to flip the pages so quickly that I'm just lost into this nightmare world. A little morbid I know. But this book delivered that and more.

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She can’t remember how she got to the train station in her hometown, but she remembers why she doesn’t want to be there. The place is haunted with bad memories which is why she hasn’t visited in years. She remembers her parents and their distant—even negligent treatment of her and her sister. She remembers how her father would sometimes take her sister into the basement. She remembers her sister begged for help. She remembers so many things that don’t quite fit with the experiences she has right now. Something’s wrong in Silvers Hollow.
This book takes readers through a wiggly-woggly nightmare landscape where the familiar morphs into a terrifying doppelganger of reality. If you are in the mood for something completely different, this is the one for you.
What Works in this Book
• We’re seeing this world through the perceptions of the main character and the author does an outstanding job of conveying her confusion.
• I loved the disjointed bits and pieces of memory that make up the whole and how these are revealed at just the right pace.
• It’s an absorbing read and one that will keep you guessing throughout—I like the unpredictability of it.

What Doesn’t Work So Well
I needed more explanation at the end. I see what’s happening, I get it, but I’d like a bit more clarification. Really this is the only thing I find to gripe about. I’d like a little more time spent on the actual reality.
Even with this bit of whininess from me, I heartily recommend Silvers Hollow to readers of horror and fans of the non-formulaic suspense novel. Four out of Five Stars for Silvers Hollow by Patrick Delaney.

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