Betsy Streeter

2.5 Stars

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Silverwood had me at time-travel. As is most often the case. I don't even think I went to stop at this point to wonder how all these things together could make a great novel.

It's overcrowded. There's time-travel, portals and all in the context of an alien race that is living off humans and the family that is supposed to hunt them. It already feels crowded, no? Add to that a bunch of characters, very few we actually get to know a bit, and it felt mostly crowded to me. To the point I had trouble knowing what was going on.

Also the writing was in present tense, which for me also takes some getting used to, and I know some people are put off by it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (meer)

Silverwood by Betsy Streeter is a very different sort of paranormal novel. It is very unique with its characters and monsters. When I first started reading it, I was very confused. So much weird information but no background to explain it. If you get past the first part of the book, it all starts to make sense.

Clan Silverwood started out as people living on a high mountain. Every year they had a festival. They drew beautiful pictures on the walkways. One was of a gnarled silver tree. They would send one person to the tree each year as a "sacrifice". They were kept safe from invaders. One year an old woman came to the village. When she was a little girl, she was one of the "sacrifices". She tells them what the tree and its beautiful "leaves" (small round circles with holes in the center) really are and why the village has to protect the tree.

Kate Silverwood is married to Gabriel (who is currently in prison--or supposed to be) and they have two children. Kate is a bounty hunter. She chases Tromindox (more on them a little later). For every Tromindox that she kills, she gets money.

Helen Silverwood is fourteen and a very unusual girl. She is a hacker (do not think computers). She can take apart items and make them into something else. She takes apart toasters, phones, waffle irons, etc. She can look at an item and see all the insides. Helen also has very special blood! Her brother, Henry is nine years old and can draw the future. He is a smart little boy and wise beyond his years.

Unfortunately, they have to keep moving. Because of Helen's unique blood, she is wanted by the Council (Council of Portals). One day they receive a visit and are sent on a new path. They have to go to Brokeneck, California. They will face many difficulties on the way to their destination, but the family will face a bigger battle when they arrive.

Tromindox are unusual creatures. They can look like nasty squid like creatures or like a human. They are shape shifters and mimics. They can also get digital faces (complicated). Tromindox feed on human brain waves or activity. They use their venom to immobilize their prey (humans), dissolve the body, and consume the person's energy. It can take a while before the human is completely absorbed by the Tromindox. Before the person is completely absorbed, they can be rescued by Helen's (or Garbriel's) blood.

I give Silverwood 4 out of 5 stars. It is very interesting, but also a very complicated book. Once you get into the story, you do not want to put it down. Silverwood will be released on March 15, 2015. The sequel will not be out until 2016. I have tried to give you enough details of the book to give you the general gist, but not too much to give away spoilers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.… (meer)