Silver Elite

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 is the kind of book that tightens its grip and doesn’t let go. The tension here isn’t just felt—it’s embedded in the bones of the story: the twisty, high-stakes plot, the suffocating weight of power and control, and the magnetic pull between two people who 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 shouldn’t touch each other but absolutely do. I’m still trying to process the sheer enormity of my emotional response. Francis has concocted an addictive blend of dystopian, fantasy, and political thriller—𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 with spice, set in an arena that echoes 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨’s Basgiath, and paced like 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 or 𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘰. Over my single-sitting binge, I was nostalgic, protective, thrilled, aghast, intrigued, feral, and infuriated. Feet were kicking. Butterflies were fluttering. Scoffs were scoffed. To be clear: this is not a world I want to live in. But that’s what makes it work. There’s something deliciously frustrating about dystopian fiction when it’s done right—it leaves you anxious and furious, rooting for a hero clawing her way through corruption while bracing for the other shoe to drop. Francis nails pacing. There isn’t a single lull. Even the “test of the day” structure in the training setting stays fresh, elevated by sharp character development and sizzling chemistry. The plot twists span the spectrum—from the ones you see coming but still 𝘩𝘪𝘵, to the OMFG gut-punches that leave you breathless and scrolling back just to make sure it really happened. The pair at the heart of this book are enemies in theory, soulmates in practice, and completely allergic to keeping things professional. Wren, our psychic, sharpshooting FMC, is left with no one to trust in a world that would kill her if it knew what she was. She’s ferocious and aching, a seasoned liar who owns her independence but deep down just wants someone she can trust. Cross, her off-limits, son-of-her-enemy instructor, is the least sensible person to lean on—and the hardest to stay away from. The invisible string between them is pulled tight from the start and only gets more taut with every failed attempt at self-control. 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🩵 Psychic powers that feel more evolved than magical, and blend seamlessly into the world 💙 Side characters you’ll root for and despise with equal intensity 🩶 A feral, broody, dark-haired book boyfriend channeling Xaden & Four 🤍 Political dynamics that are murky, messy, and deeply compelling 🖤 Sizzling spice that lands harder thanks to emotional intimacy done right 🕊️ High stakes that keep you blazing through and leave you feral for the next book Yes, there were a few “did she really just 🙄” moments in the final act. But the rest is so sharp, so satisfying, and so emotionally high-stakes that it’s impossible not to give this one five stars. I’m obsessed with this duo—and deeply unsettled by the world they’re trapped in. 𝑻𝑳;𝑫𝑹: If 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 and 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨 had a morally gray psychic child and raised her on 𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘰 or 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘴 re-runs with forbidden romance as a bedtime story—this would be her origin story. 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 is fast-paced, swoony, dark, and utterly addictive. Wren and Cross live rent-free in my head now. Good luck prying them out.

This book was a struggle for me. I was promised Divergent for adults and honestly, this wasn't it for me. Divergent had tension, slow build up, earned trust between characters, found family, factions, and more. It's one of my favorite books and this book wasn't that. It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't a top read for me. It's just good, kinda like Cheetos or snacky junk food. More thoughts: Wren has way too many love interests and everything feels super shallow. She's obsessed with her mental telepathic friend, wolf. She's sleeping around with soldiers and making risky choices in chapter 1. She meets the love interest for the majority of the book in the first chapter. There's very little tension between them and everything just feels flat. The lusty/insta-love vibe didn't work for me and having a major piece of the book not hit right diminished the rest of the story for me. The rebellion didn't feel threatening enough. There were moments that were pretty good, but this book just felt underwhelming for me. It was really long, but it felt full of fluff. I didn't hate it, but I don't know if the ending is enough to make me want the next book. This is a good book for fun reading, but it doesn't have the angsty tension I love in my romance stories. It reads very much like a spicy YA read. That being said, I enjoyed the book. It was a good side book and I think it would make an EXCELLENT audiobook because it's got a great storyline for that. It was a very easy read. I enjoyed the side characters, probably more than the main characters. The last 1/4 was when things began to get more exciting with the attacks. What happens: Silver Elite is the story of a Wren a girl with powers who lives in a society that is at war. Those without powers are hunting down and eliminating those with powers. Wren's guardian is killed and she is forced into a military academy for the people that are hunting the Modified. She falls in love with her commanding officer and is betrayed by people close to her. She escapes and joins the Modified rebellion and her lover remains behind. Tropes: Military Dystopian Insta-Love (NOT Slow) Spicy Academia/Training Rebellion

From the very first page, Silver Elite completely captivated me. This book isn’t just a story—it’s an emotional experience. I found myself utterly engrossed, flipping through the pages late into the night, unable to tear myself away from the beautifully crafted world and deeply compelling characters. What struck me most was how the author masterfully balanced heartbreak, tension, and romance. There were moments that absolutely shattered me, yet others that made me fall head over heels for the characters. Every emotion felt real and raw. The relationships were layered and meaningful, and I felt personally invested in each character’s journey. The writing flows seamlessly, and the pacing keeps you hooked from chapter to chapter. Silver Elite is the kind of book that lingers in your thoughts long after you finish it—equal parts thrilling, touching, and addicting. My only complaint? The second book isn’t out yet! I need more of this world and these characters as soon as possible. If you’re looking for a read that will pull you in, break your heart, and make you believe in love all over again, Silver Elite is the book for you.

4.75🌟I ate this up! Such a great bingeable dystopian romantasy! Kind of gave me adult divergent vibes! I really liked the set up for book 2 which im hoping has more political world building. The magic and world system felt different and im very interested to know more! I really enjoyed our FMC Wren and the FMC Cross! I've had a hard time connecting the romance side of Romantasy latley but I was here for this!!!

AD/PR - with thanks to Del Rey and Netgalley for my advance copy. I’m not even sure where to start in reviewing Silver Elite by Dani Francis, it absolutely blew me away, but my goodness do I NEED book 2 now! I can’t believe that this is a debut; it’s that perfect mix of romantasy and dystopia that absolutely hits the spot. If you grew up loving The Hunger Games and Divergent, then fell in love with Forth Wing as an adult, you’re going to want Silver Elite in your life, trust me! It’s out tomorrow and I’m so excited for my hardback copy to arrive (you better believe I preordered the blue edged/silver foiled edition!). We’re thrust straight into the action in Silver Elite where we follow Wren Darlington, a Mod with physic powers. Mods gained these powers following a biotoxin that nearly wiped out the entire population 150 years ago, leaving them enhanced by it. The Primes fear the Mods & under the strict rule of General Redden being found to be a Mod can mean certain death. Wren has survived by hiding her abilities, helped by her Uncle Jim. But when a mistake places her in the crosshairs of the Continent’s military she is forced to join a program for their most elite force, the Silver Block. Unwittingly, her enemy has given her - & the Mod Uprising - the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks. That is, if she can keep her powers hidden, survive training, & prove herself to Cross Redden, her cocky, maddeningly attractive commanding officer. This book was entirely addictive and there is so much I could say about it, but I also don’t want to give too much away: 🐦‍⬛ We’ve got a brilliant FMC in Wren, she’s brave, but also reckless and impulsive. She’s pretty cocky & very funny. She knows what she’s good at but has to figure out what she can show & what she needs to hold back to protect herself. She’s also going through a lot of personal turmoil in trying to figure out her place within the training program & how she feels versus how she thinks she should feel. 🐺 a brilliant MMC in Cross; this man is tough but man does he have it bad for Wren. I loved that we got a few see increasingly different sides to him throughout the book. The slightly feral and jealous edge worked very well. 🐦‍⬛ the chemistry between Wren and Cross was excellent, their banter worked brilliantly & I loved that he had to chase her. There is a little hint of a love triangle early on but this is quickly resolved leading to a brilliant slow burn. 🐺 a brilliant set of side characters, some of whom are wonderful (here’s looking at you Kaine) whereas others are downright awful, but together they make the most compelling story. The found family element worked so well, especially given the unease Wren felt. 🐦‍⬛ I really liked the training setting, it was giving all the best parts of Divergent and Fourth Wing whilst also being entirely unique. …and that undercover op phew 🔥 🐺 there are some brilliant twists and turns in this one. There is one storyline that I did guess but I was genuinely so happy to find I guessed right, whilst others took me by total suprise. This book is insanely good and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

5 starts, this was a great read. I liked the pacing of the story and the character development was spot on. I love some of the deeper aspects of the story in relation to FMC not really sure which side of the war is the right side and all the questions yet unanswered. This kept me interested all the way through. Hopefully book 2 is not far off.

Adorei o livro. Muito bem escrito.personagens e ambiente bem construidos Mas fikei triste com o final (alerta de spoiler) Lidya traindo ela. Ela pedindo para curar a queimadura (mt idiota ela nao deveria ter feito isso, ou pelo menos tentado esconder após). Quando ela descobriu quem Wolf era, poderia ter desenvolvido mais a conversa deles, ela explicou pq escondeu e contou todas as verdades. Mas ele nao fez isso. E nao ficou claro pq o Xavier decidiu ajudar ela. Apenas pelo amigo? Ele perdoou anos de ódio por isso? Isso poderia ter sido desenvolvido melhor.

Rumor has it that Silver Elite is the next Fourth-Wing-phenomenon. And while I see the similarities in the military training and different Block sections - that is where the resemblance ends. That being said Silver Elite is a great book that I couldn’t put down! It was fast paced, action packed and had just the right amount of romance in it. This book made me laugh, cry and scream at the author for all the twits and turns she put me through with this book. The Ending was a great Set-Up for book two in this trilogy! ⚔️ Enemies to lovers 🎖️ Military Training 🧠 Mind Powers 🥷 Undercover Spies