Of Silver and Shadow is one of the best debuts I’ve read in a long time. I read an early copy of this book back in 2020, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Filled with compelling storytelling, riveting character development, and exceptional world building, Of Silver and Shadow is a book that was impossible to put down.

The book starts off with one of the main characters, Ren. Eventually, the reader gets to meet the other point of views, which end up playing a huge part in the story. What was so cool was seeing all these different storylines come together in such a flawless way. I loved seeing how each chapter, each character, developed smoothly; nothing about this book felt rushed or pushed. Everything seemed to happen naturally. With how this book was written, I could easily picture the story in a movie sequence, which was an added bonus.

Ren does everything she can to keep her silver wielding abilities a secret. It’s a death sentence if the king were to find out about her abilities. But turns out someone does know about her, which is why she is sought out to help be the face of the rebellion. The world’s been absolutely brutal to her, so why should she try to help this kingdom? She’s done with the royal family, the rebellion, and everyone in town but her best friend. But she decides to help the rebellion by being the martyr. Of course, only as long as she gets paid – she has to make a living and help out her friend with living expenses for the kids that live in their place. She’s been an orphan for practically her whole life, so that much money would change so many things for her. But she starts to see the reasoning behind this rebellion and starts to build relationships with those around her (especially the one in charge of the rebellion). Her motives no longer become about money but about righting the system and getting rid of the royal family. Ren is one of my favorite characters because of her character growth – she starts off with so many rough edges, but she learns to let others in past her brick wall of a heart and gets comfortable with the idea of changing the kingdom. It was a great experience to see her grow into a better person.

I love this book and these characters so much. Adley and her relationship with Lesa was beautiful to read about; both would do anything to protect each other. Prince Kellen wants to do more with his life than sit behind the castle walls, which is why he runs an underground pit and spends his evenings with someone important to him. He has no desire to be a prince nor be like his brother, so it’s no surprise when he gets pulled into the rebellion. Each relationship in this book felt natural and genuine and not forced. All the hardships each character faced really played a valuable role in the storyline.

Gruenke’s writing is so mesmerizing. She knows how to tie together a beautiful story with lush, hypnotic writing. I was pulled in from the very first line; Gruenke’s writing is so well development and descriptive, I was shocked to find out this was her debut. Her writing weaved together this story of hardships and magic and rebellion, and made it into something that is truly unforgettable. She’s crafted a story like no other. The world she has created is daunting and sharp, but it was so well built that it was easy to picture everything about the kingdom. Gruenke’s writing style is probably one of my all-time favorite styles – I could see the amount of craft and dedication and love that went into this story in her writing. Honestly, everyone about this book is off-the-charts amazing and beautiful.

All in all, Of Silver and Shadow is a story that pulls the reader in and sets them on an adventure with friendship, rebellion, romance, and changing the future. It’s a book I highly recommend to everyone, especially if you are looking for a story with great character growth. Plus, if you read The Storm Crow duology by Kalyn Josephson, you might come across a reference to the book in Of Silver and Shadow.

Thank you to TBR & Beyond Book Tours, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The player slapped his cards against the table, leaned back in his chair, and grinned.
“Impressive hand,” Ren said. She would know. She’d crafted it. “But better luck next time.”

We all know how much of a fan I am of fantasy. It is my go-to genre, my comfort zone, and where I get most of the books on my TBR. But there is something, one aspect, that, when added to a fantasy, makes me want it even more. That thing? Political intrigue! If a fantasy book promises an uprising or political power plays, I’m instantly 1000% more interested in it. That’s why when TBR & Beyond Tours sent out the email for this book and I read the synopsis, I leapt at the chance to sign up!

In this story, we’re following multiple perspectives, though there are two main characters that we’re really focused on. There’s Ren, an orphan who is a secret magic wielder that wants nothing more than to fight and play cards. And there’s Adley, one of the deadly King’s Children who will torture and fight her way to become the King’s Fang, a title that promises her eventual freedom from all the bloodshed. They both find themselves involved with a rebellion to overthrow the cruel and arrogant king: Ren as a symbol of hope and Adley as the one hunting the rebels down. But there are a lot of moving pieces in this game and nothing is as it seems.

Right off the bat, I’m going to say that this book is your classic young adult fantasy. It’s not breaking any new ground but, damn, if I didn’t have a great time! This book is fast-paced, intriguing, and a standalone, which was something I wasn’t expecting! Can we advocate for more fantasy standalones, please? Though I love a great series, it was kind of nice knowing that everything was going to be wrapped up at the end, haha. I will say that it did wrap up a tad too nicely and a bit quickly after all the build up. The pacing was fantastic throughout most of the book and then the end felt like it was a freakin’ Olympic sprint! It left me spinning and I had to take a moment to let all the pieces settle.

"Darek’s towering form took up a good deal of the hallway, and his stare was so hard that Ren wouldn’t have been surprised if he was attempting to set her on fire through sheer force of will."

Something that balanced the pacing for me, though, was the writing. I loved the tone and the humor and how Gruenke’s writing completely pulled me into the world that she created. She does an incredible job of world-building without being too info-dumpy. I loved learning about the magic, the history, the politics, the rebellion… everything! I found it so fascinating and it made me eager to read so that I could learn more. And the intrigue! I thought I had things figured out and then BAM there’s a new piece on the ever-changing board! The wry humor made me chuckle more than once, as well, because we all know I love me some sarcastic main characters 😂 The banter in this is great, though there were definitely times that I wanted to shake Ren and Darek, the rebel leader who pulls Ren into their plotting.

"It was easier to breathe between the pages of a book. They helped her forget about the blood under her fingernails."

At the same time, though, this book can get quite dark. There are several instances of torture and some pretty gruesome deaths that will have you squirming in your chair. Though the scenes aren’t as graphic as they potentially could be, it’s definitely not glossed over. It’s harsh and hard to read, and the fact that a lot of this torture is perpetrated by one of my favorite characters, Adley, makes it even harder to read. It makes for a fascinating character study, watching her try and process the things that she does to people, to try and justify why she is doing them. I don’t think we get enough time in the book to really delve into it, but it made her character feel a bit more complex than the others. I love Ren and Darek, but they are characters I’ve seen a million times before (the wise-cracking street rat who could potentially save a nation and the brooding rebel who loves hates her).

Speaking of Ren and Darek, can we talk about the romance in this book? I’m not a huge fan of romance in YA fantasy books particularly because it can feel kind of forced. Like there has to be a romance or it’s not YA fantasy, ya know? At first, when I noticed the romance coming, I groaned a little. But I’m not gonna lie, I ended up super invested in Ren and Darek’s relationship! It was slow burn, hate-to-love excellence! There is also a f/f relationship between Adley and another King’s Child she has trained with. I feel like that relationship could have been fleshed out more. I wanted to be just as invested in it, but it fell a little flat for me.

Final thoughts: Though this book feels like a fairly standard YA fantasy, I had an absolute blast reading it! I enjoyed the writing and the tone immensely. I instantly connected with the wry humor and the banter made me chuckle more than once. It’s not all fun and games, though, so definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this one up! The world-building is incredible and firmly roots you in the story, making you want to know more and more as the plot develops. It’s a fast-paced read that will have you tearing through the pages, though it feels like it wraps up a little too quickly. Overall, this is an exciting, compelling, and intensely readable fantasy that will keep you captivated from page one until the very end!

I’m going to keep it simple for now. I really really enjoyed reading this. We have badass characters, a very interesting plot and even a unique magic system. I couldn’t put it down.

I really liked the main character, especially because she has this unapologetic attitude. WE HAVE AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS ROMANCE ‼️ I swear, the banter was so entertaining. We have a lot of ‘plot things’ going on and I really loved the whole rebellion aspect of it.

My only issue though was that the last few chapters just felt kind of rushed? That’s just my opinion but apart from that this was a really great read. You guys should definitely pick this one up.

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an e-arc of this book

I really enjoyed this book and honestly can't wait to read more from this author! Thank you for the eARC. I love finding new to me authors!

An interesting Fantasy that even this non fantasy reader loved. and I can't wait for the next book from Jennifer Gruenke.

Many thanks to Flux and NetGalley for the e-arc! All opinions are my own.

Ren was supposed to have died when she was nine due to a fire caused by the king. Yet, she didn't. Ren soon joins the revolution to overthrow the king. Is she only in it for the money or does she actually care?

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke had a slow start that lasted only about 10% of the e-book. Once I hit that point, I was hooked. The story was so intricately written and made you want to keep reading. I was so invested in all of the main characters' (Darek, Adley, Kellen, and Ren) lives to want to know what happened to them. I really cared for the characters and wanted them to come out of the plot okay.

Gruenke's use of silver as the magic system was really interesting. I hadn't seen it used this way in a novel before and it was really refreshing. Most magic isn't created the way Ren's silver was. There were a few twists with the way the silver worked (Heath --> not gonna explain, but read the novel!) and I didn't see any of coming.

I'm so excited to read more novels written by Jennifer Gruenke. I'm hoping she writes more in the Of Silver and Shadow world as I have so many questions about what happens next!

This was a very refreshing fantasy read for me. It gave me a lot of nostalgic fantasy book vibes but was still unique! The story follows a cast of characters who all end up intwined in a plot to overthrow the oppressive King and his determination to outlaw silver magic in everyone but himself. Our main character is Ren, a thief and pit fighter who only agrees to join the rebellion for the promise of a small fortune so that she can pay off her debts. Ren happens to be one of the last remaining silver wielders in Erdis. However, the story unfolds into multiple perspectives and narrative threads, from the rebel leader, sympathizers, members of the ruthless personal army of the King, and even the Prince himself. I really loved how each perspective slowly began to overlap one another. The world building was very strong, with detailed politics needed to explain rebellion and treaty tensions. One thing I wish was covered more was the magic system. It was never really explained to the degree I would have liked, such as limitations or even the whole shadowing concept. Regardless, it was still a fun concept to read about. This story was also very dark and way beyond morally grey! For sure my favorite part was how the storyline was approached from all sides, and each character's had their own distinct motivations and development. It was incredibly fast-paced and I was surprised how short the book felt in comparison to its page length! There was some good enemies to lovers, unlikely pairings, pining, and friends to lovers content as well that can never be too under appreciated

Overall this was a highly addictive, quick low fantasy story with a strong setting in political intrigue and rebellion. If you like stories that center a group of unlikely companions who end up working together against all odds, then you will enjoy how this story develops! It is not for the faint-of-heart though, so be mindful of heavy violence, torture, and gore content.

RATING: 4/5 STARS

Ahhh you guys, this book was such a fun, good, and easy to read fantasy novel and it had everything you could want in a fantasy novel! Cruel monarchs, a secret magic user, a culling of people who have magic, rebels looking to overthrow the king, a main heroine who doesn't really care about the kingdom, a prince who wants to be more than just a prince, and the king's enforcers, some of whom are more than they seem. I loved Ren and I loved Darek and I thought Adley was amazing and Kellen was my favorite. I can totally see there being another book after this one, especially because with that ending, the author has for sure left options open for another book (and I would definitely read it in a heartbeat). I thought the pacing of the book was great- I never felt like I was bored or things were lulling. I didn't really thin that there was all that much chemistry between Ren and the person that the author decided to have her shack up with, but if there is a book two, I'm hoping that pairing changes. I loved Adley and Lesa together and as King's Children- having to hide their feelings for each other seemed so hard, but it was nice to see that even though they had to become these hard enforcers, they were still able to love each other and see the good in each other and the world was great. I didn't expect the ending to happen the way that it did, but I really enjoyed it and I definitely think that y'all should for sure go out and grab a copy of Of Silver and Shadow ASAP so you can read it/experience it too!

"He thought because she was quiet, because she liked books and the way flowers blossomed on the hills in spring, because she was a girl, he could dismiss her as frivolous and unimportant. Weak. He was wrong."

Of Silver And Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is a long awaited fantasy novel that's very atmospheric for the cold winter weather. Taking place in the well developed fictionalized kingdom of Erdis where the silver magic system used to be prevalent among the citizens but has now been stamped out by the current king. Now it's only his family that has this power, and Ren, who is hiding her power from everyone, especially the king. However, the rebels have found out about her power and want her to join the rebellion to save Erdis from the clutches of the brutal and violent monarchy. However, the fully trained warriors known as the King's Children are here to make sure that doesn't happen. This story is really action packed, there's barely a dull moment and I love that it's a standalone so that everything is wrapped up by the end. With an interesting cast of characters, some sex and a lot of grit, this book felt more like an adult fantasy than a young adult book. Almost like the best of both worlds.

Disclaimer: The quoted text is from an advanced reader copy I received from Flux and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Of Silver and Shadow was a fun and fast paced read, filled with relatable characters and plenty of plot twists to keep you invested. Ren is a thief, but after living on the street since she was 9, she has had to rely on her pick pocketing, as well as her skills in the fighting ring to keep her alive and fed. She also carries a secret, one that if anyone found out would likely end in her death. She can wield Silver, something only the Royal Family are allowed to do after the murdered the other Silver users in a purge years ago. Ren is quite happy living the life of a criminal, that is until she runs into two brothers who have a proposition for her, become the face of their revolution and help them take down the Lyandors and they will pay her handsomely. Ren wants nothing to do with the revolution, but the money is too good to pass up on, as is the chance to anger Darek with her nonchalant attitude towards life. But Ren soon finds herself becoming far too invested in the revolution and the boy who is the face of it. Unlikely alliances will be forged, and secrets will come out into the open, and Ren will soon find herself ricking her life for the revolution she wanted nothing to do with.

I loved so much about this book. From the intricate and well described magic system to the wholly relatable characters, Ren being my favourite of the bunch. The story is told from four perspectives;Ren the thief turned uninterested revolutionary, she has had to live her life in the shadows, afraid that if anyone found out about her magic she would end up dead. Because of living her life on the streets from such an early age, she is incredibly resilient and headstrong, more used to looking after people than being looked after. She may come off as aloof and uncaring, but underneath is the heart of a scared little girl whose magic got her parents killed, and she keeps people at a distance for their safety as much as her own.

Darek is the leader of the revolution. Ever since his mother died for their cause he has been determined to carry on her legacy and dethrone the Lyandors and Ren is the the perfect way for that plan to succeed. At first he is put off by how little Ren cares about the revolution, but the more time he spends with her, the more he see's part her harsh exterior to the girl she is underneath. But Darek is keeping a secret, one that could strengthen their relationship, or rip them apart.

Kellan is the Prince, the spare, the one that won't take the throne and a true thorn in his fathers side. He spends more time in the fighting pits than in the palace and would more than happily give up the life of a Prince to live in peace. He is too caring and weak for his Father to see him as anything other than useless, but his weakness is also his strength, a strength he will have to draw on before the story is over.

Adley is a King's Child, a street kid taken in by the King to train as an elite army. They are incredibly skilled in all forms of battle, as well as torture and are feared on the streets of Erdis. But it's not the life Adley envisioned for herself, or the one she wants, but you don't leave the Kings Children... not unless you die and Adley has something to life for, something forbidden that will see her loyalties tested before the end.

As well as our main POV's we also get treated to a wide breadth of well developed side characters, some that you will love and some that you will hate, but they all have a part to play in the story as well as furthering the plot.

If you're a fan of an intricately described magic system, then you're in luck. Though there is only one kind of magic in Of Silver and Shadow, the author does a brilliant job of bringing it to life. We see magic being used by both Ren and the Royal family, though Ren's is slightly more dramatic whilst the King's magic is used to instil fear into the people. He regularly use's his magic as a, quite graphic, execution technique. Some of the scenes in this book are not for the feint of heart, they are quite descriptive in their torture techniques as well as the King's forms of execution, but it really add's to the atmosphere to fear and makes you a lot more invested in the revolution.

The romance in this book was well written, if a little predictable, but if you like your tropes then this one is for you. We have a f/m enemies to lovers, both snarky and hard as nails on the outside, and on the inside their both little cinnamon rolls. I did like the progression of this relationship, it was by no means instalove. Both characters learnt to respect each other before any feelings were acted on. We also have an f/f forbidden romance that was just SO good. The Kings Children are not allowed to love anyone, let alone each other under penalty of death, and seeing these two hiding in the shadows, desperately trying to play down their feelings gave me all the angsty feelings.

Filled with plot twists, some of which were a little predictable and others that came out of nowhere! There was one right at the end that completely threw me for a loop, but not in a 'where did that come from' kind of way but more of a 'how did I not see that coming.' This is a book that can easily be read in one sitting, the authors writing style makes for a really fast and flowing read and I found myself flying through the pages. Of Silver and Shadow ends on just enough of a cliffhanger to leave you wanting more ( the author has stated this is a standalone) but she has left enough to work with if she ever wanted to write a sequel in the future.... I would definitely read it! An easy 4*

Of Silver and Shadow is a story of political intrigue, forbidden magic, and the anti-heroine in the middle of it all. Ren Kollins's only goal is to survive on the streets of the kingdom of Erdis through the means of thievery, gambling and pit fighting, all the while harboring a secret magic that marks her as a wielder. If her secret was found out by the King, she would be subject to the fate her fellow silver wieders faced: certain death. Everything Ren has worked for is at risk when two brothers discover her secret, and offer her a fortune to become the figurehead of rebellion. Meanwhile, the King's Children, an elite guard of young people raised by the King, hunt for the leader of the rebellion who it is said wields the forbidden silver in her hands. Whoever finds the leader of the rebellion will become the King's Fang, but as the hunt and the rebellion both heat up, a young King's Child must decide if the title is worth sacrificing the one person she loves most. Tensions between the Crown and the people reach a boiling point, and Ren and her fellow rebels must take control of their country before war breaks out and more blood is shed.
Of Silver and Shadow has a lot of potential in it. This is a book where the omnipresent 3rd person point of view employed by the author works really well across the vast cast of characters in this novel. Getting a bird's eye view of the events of this novel was really fun. I liked Ren as an anti-heroine. She's very feisty and takes no crap from anyone, and her character arc as she goes from a scrappy thief looking out for only herself to finding a cause and a group of people to believe in was rewarding. All of the supplementary characters were a lot of fun and added a lot of perspective into the world of this novel. This book is fodder for entertainment, but in a good way, with likeable characters and action that keeps the attention of the reader for most of the novel. Gruenkke is a great storyteller who knows how to engage a reader. That being said, my biggest issue with this book was that the writing style itself seems relatively basic as opposed to the other books in this market. There wasn't any prose that zapped me like lightning and grabbed my attention, especially in the beginning of the novel, which starts out super slow. Basically, the story's good and has a lot of potential, but I felt like the writing was not spectacular. It could have stood to have further editing and variance in terms of syntax and writing devices. Even though this book employs themes and tropes that I would not call groundbreaking, I actually enjoyed the feel those things brought about. Of Silver and Shadow is an enjoyable read for those who enjoy some witty banter, tales of rebellion, enemies to lovers dynamics, and a feisty teenaged anti-heroine.

ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.

4 kickass stars! Buddy read with the wonderful Azraa!

This book was a wonderful start to what is sure to be a thrilling series. The writing was easy to read and the storyline was simple enough to follow, yet also complex enough to be interesting. The characters were realistic and reasonable unique, and the romance was fun and sweet.

The novel swapped between four main characters: Ren – the secret silver wielder, Darek – the leader of the rebellion, Kellen – the younger prince, and Adley – one of the king’s trusted soldiers. I really liked the character of Ren, as I found her take-no-prisoners attitude refreshing and invigorating, and I also found her snark quite amusing.

“I don’t trust you, but I like you.”
“Most people neither trust nor like me, so I suspect we’re well on our way to becoming dear friends.”

It’s true that Ren is fairly unlikeable, but she’s kind in her own way, and she didn’t take anyone’s crap, which I loved.
I also really liked Kellen and a few of the side characters, they added fun and humour to the intense story, and I found Kellen to be incredibly entertaining.

“Oh yes, I’m the undisputed victor of the yearly dance competition. All the other pit lords are positively green with envy.”

It’s definitely true that if the pit lords DID have a yearly dance competition, Kellen would be the winner.
One character I didn’t like was Adley, as I honestly don’t believe she deserves a redemption storyline, I just hate her too much! Her torture scenes were quite intense, so be prepared.

As well as the characters, I also found the world-building with silver-wielding and a strong monarchy quite fascinating. The storyline may not have been incredibly original, but it was very captivating and unique enough for the ending to shock me.

All in all, I’m glad I read this! I found the characters refreshing and the storyline entertaining, and I thank the publisher, author and TBR & Beyond Tours for the free ARC :)).

This story has all the expected characters and plot lines one would expect in a recipe for a magical fantasy. Take one despot king who thinks nothing of subjugating his subjects and killing them at will. Add in the heir-apparent, as ruthless as his father. Toss in a brother who has a far softer side than his brother or father. Mix in other characters such as Adley and Lesa, members of the King’s Children (an elite army) and partners in an illicit love; Darek and Markus, brothers and a major part of the revolutionaries. Last, but not least, there is Ren Kolins, a magic wielder who never should have been born but has found a way to survive and keep everyone at bay. One can guess the plot from the above characters and the parts they are sure to play.

Author Jennifer Gruenke stretches this tale out over 480 pages, taking us down the expected paths. While others have taken this same plot and made something out of it, there is nothing that jumps out and makes the story special…which is a shame, as the author has a talent for imagery. One never knew when an image would jump off at the pages. “A long, scarred table sat in the middle of the crowded room, rickety and mismatched chairs jutting out around it” describes the scene as well as hints at the owners of the furniture, while “…it did little to ease the worry eating at his gut like a carnivorous moth” inspires a number of visions. Descriptions like these helped to keep me reading and are the author’s 5-star part of the story.

At the same time, the pages are littered with unnecessary vulgarities, so many in the first few chapters that I struggled to continue reading. Thankfully, the number abated yet returned in force at the very end, raising the stakes to include what could be considered as oaths with a pair of f-bombs thrown in. Ms. Gruenke is certainly talented enough with her descriptive choices and could have found a better way to present the moods of the characters. When coupled with the desired audience (9th through 12th grade) I debated why we would teach 13- and 14-year-olds that this is the only way to illustrate a point.

Bottom line – “Of Silver and Shadow” is not a bad tale, just one that holds nothing new. It could have been stronger with dropping the vulgarities and increasing visual descriptions of the characters’ moods while dropping the info dumps that always seemed to appear whenever an action scene began to pick up speed. Other readers may like the story, and though I could consider checking out Ms. Gruenke’s next novel, this one receives only three stars from me.

My thanks to NetGalley and publishers North Star Editions and Flux for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

I received an advanced copy of Of Silver and Shadow through Netgalley so I could share my review with you!

In the kingdom of Erdis only the royal family is allowed to wield silver, a powerful and potentially dangerous form of magic. Historically, silver magic was found in the bloodlines of many of Erdis’s families, but a century ago the royal family staged a massacre of all families possessing the ability to control the magic. In this way, they obliterated any potential threats to their reign for the rest of time. Or, they would have, if they hadn’t missed someone. Ren Kolins is the first non-royal silver wielder in living memory, and she might be the revolution’s only chance at usurping the cruel King. But Ren has more interest in paying off her debts than in saving Erdis, especially when faced with the threat of the King’s Children, a ruthless group of warriors trained to protect the throne at all costs. With the fate of a kingdom in the balance, there are no small decisions and no small prices to pay.

You can get your copy of Of Silver and Shadow on February 16th from Flux!

I have been waiting for quite some time to reach this book on my To-Read schedule, as its publication date was bumped back quite a ways from May 2020 to February 2021. This book was definitely worth the wait for me, though, as I loved the many unique perspectives the story was narrated from. Additionally, this book had some especially exciting magic incorporated into the plot, in the form of Ren’s silver wielding. My favorite part of this book was definitely the relationship between Adley and Lesa, in all of its clandestine and dangerous glory. I would read a book just about their relationship and experiences as King’s Children!

My Recommendation-
If you enjoy stories with many perspectives woven together into one larger narrative, you need to check out Of Silver and Shadows! This book would be a great pick for fans of The Red Queen or Master of One!

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I selected this book on NetGalley because it was a fantasy debut. Simple as that. I have hardly read any debut fantasy reads, so this story with its blurb that hinted at a complex, magical story caught my attention straight away.

THE STORY:

The story is centred around a good ol’ rebellion in the works. We have four main characters here: the rebel Darek, the silver wielder thief Ren, the youngest prince Kellen, and the badass King’s Child Adley. The setting is Erdis, a kingdom ruled by a ruthless king who massacred anyone with silver wielding abilities in a coldhearted power grab.

The story begins with Ren putting her street smarts into practice with a little card trick and some thievery. Then we meet Darek and his brother Markus who try to recruit Ren into their rebellion since she’s pretty much the only non-royal silver wielder alive in Erdis. Kellen is the youngest son of the king of Erdis and stands out as the sole fun-loving, warmhearted member of his family. Adley is part of said ruthless king’s scary guard, the King’s Children, but she is way more than just a badass archery whiz.

The story follows all four of these characters as their lives get way more complicated as this rebellion grows and the King’s Children get more stabby.

CHARACTERS:

Ren Kolins. What can I say about this badass pit fighter with a sarcastic tongue that isn’t gonna be just absolute adoration? This girl is all hard edges and sharp cuts. I just love this about her. I have been reading way too many books where the female MC has breakdowns and soft moments (but I am still a sucker for those), so my love for Ren just really surprised me!

Darek freaking Hollister. He’s basically a Mars bar: hard shell with a soft centre. I can’t get over how much I love this guy and his messy hair tied back. The way his relationship with Ren just grows in this book is a big reason I am wishing there is a sequel on the horizon. And his big brother vibe? Him worrying over his little bro, Markus, is just too adorable!

Then there’s Adley Farre. Another badass female MC with way more substance than being just an assassin. Her relationship with Lesa just added more spice to this story and the character. I was really invested in the great moments they shared together. If anything, I wanted more of their story!

Lastly (but certainly not the last great character in Of Silver and Shadow) is the youngest prince of Erdis, Kellen Lyandor. This guy is still a mystery to me in many ways, but I get that is probably because he is still figuring himself out as well. Kellen definitely delivered some of the best lines in this book that had me snickering to myself.

This is a high fantasy novel, so there were way more characters involved obviously. I loved that the ‘bad guys’ were very legit bad guys with bloodthirsty goals and evil personalities, but Gruenke managed to deliver some character-defining moments for some of them as well (like the Crown Prince), so I really liked their moments in Of Silver and Shadow.

One ‘not so good’ point about the characters is that this book felt like an introduction to some of the characters. I am up for any sequel that Gruenke pops up with at this point!

THE PLOT:

The rebellion is the main thing that drives this story, and there isn’t really much space for anything more here. I liked that the story didn’t branch off in any other direction. It stressed the importance of this rebellion needing to succeed.

The relationships in Of Silver and Shadow were very interesting: there is both an F/F and some M/F relationships. I was really rooting for Adley and Lesa throughout the book. There is something wonderful about these two damaged individuals finding a wholesome connection between the two of them. As for the other two M/F relationships (no names because I don’t wanna spoil too much!), one was a slow burn but satisfying AF, and the other has real potential but is still rocky.

There is quite a bit of conflict that the main characters need to work through. I think all four MCs showed a tremendous amount of growth by the end, thanks to this. There was a healthy amount of drama, so I did not feel like the story suffered from a ‘saggy middle’. Also, I would say the plotline was very smooth and transitioned nicely from event to event.

THE WORLD-BUILDING:

First of all, the setting. I loved that there were more than two kingdoms! Erdis is surrounded by a handful of other kingdoms and that meant complex politics! Oh, the drama! If Guernke decides on writing more books set in this universe, I would love to see more of the kingdoms! But I still loved the bottom-up worldbuilding here!

Erdis as a kingdom in fascinating. There were many parts – or districts – and Gruenke took the time to explain the kingdom’s layout in the first few chapters so that by the end I knew exactly where everything was. I would have loved a map though! That would be the coolest addition to this book that I would recommend!

I loved that Of Silver and Shadow had a lot to say about the culture of Erdis. A majority of the story took place in the districts rather than the palace, so we get different characters from various backgrounds. It’s such a rich mix of royalty, commoners, rebels, markets and fairs. I just love a book that doesn’t get too focussed on its drama but takes the time to introduce us to its world.

Also, I discovered that Gruenke has Pinterest boards set up. I highly recommend you check them out when reading this book!

THE THEMES:

The theme of good versus evil was a major part of this book, especially with the rebellion, and characters like the king and the Crown Prince playing such prominently cruel and coldhearted roles. There were a few interesting characters that played out this theme in more intricate ways though, like Ren’s growth throughout the book, and Prince Kellen’s moral dilemmas in the palace.

Love and friendship were my favourite themes here. I loved how the characters came together in the story and the whole ‘found family’ trope that came about. It just felt so wholesome!

Lastly, courage and perseverance were huge plot drivers here! I just loved how the rebels were so dedicated to their cause, and even gushed like crazy at Adley’s feats!

FINAL VERDICT:

I absolutely loved Of Silver and Shadow. Whatever I wasn’t happy with was so minor that I can’t even remember them at this point. This book was written so well that I kept forgetting this was Gruenke’s debut novel! Absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves a well-built high fantasy, badass females with weapons, and a wholesome found family!

Magic isn't allowed in Erdis, not now, or for a hundred years. That makes life very dangerous for Ren, a thief, scam artist, and pit fighter just trying to stay alive, with Ren's secret being that she is a silver wielder. That makes her a powerful weapon on one hand, and a dangerous criminal on the other. When revolution springs up, and Ren's silver-wielding is found out, she is given an offer she can't refuse. Once the king is overthrown, and the revolution is over, she will be granted more money than she can count. As she joins up, a lucrative offer is made to those loyal to the kingdom, that if the rebel leader is found, whoever finds them will be chosen as the right hand of the king. Adley is one of those warriors, unafraid of using any means, even torture, to sniff out the rebellion and its leader in a bid to secure a spot at the king's side. When the royal family fragments and the junior prince becomes part of the rebellion, the kingdom of Erdis finds itself on an inevitable course toward war, and Ren is wrapped up in the center of it all, hoping to survive.

This story covers a lot of ground about a revolution within a bloody, supposedly non-magical society. The pace is rather brisk, with a lot of plot and content being covered, and many players involved because of the size and scale of a revolution. Perhaps because of the size of that effort, there is some lack of character development here, which has a few impacts. For one, some of the more interesting characters aren't who you'd call the protagonists. Adley in particular is perhaps one of the more fleshed out characters, yet because of the gruesome nature of Adley's "work", she's bound to be controversial. Ren is a decent enough character on her own, though because of the pace of the story, and partially because of the laws against magic, I didn't feel like silver-wielding was characterized fully. Sure, it's a liquid metal, but I would have liked to know more about the rules governing its usage, perhaps seen two silver wielders or a silver wielder against a different magical user in a fight, that sort of thing.

With that said, I did like the overall plot and the story about the revolution. The king is a real piece of work, and it's telling that the youngest prince winds up with the rebellion. Sometimes, circumstances force the people to put their voice in the steel of their resolve, and that's what the people of Erdis are doing. There is clear class inequality, contributing to the discontent and mirroring obvious examples in the present world. There is some enemies-to-lovers here, and plenty of tension between various parties. Of Silver and Shadow at this time seems to be intended as a standalone, and its story does come to an end, so unless Jennifer Gruenke decides to write another story in this world, this is it. I recommend this book if you're looking for a story about a clear cut revolution against a tyrannical king and the rich who don't deserve their power or status, where those leading the charge are the people who society has stepped on in more ways than one.

I tried really hard to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I got as far as 25% and decided it was going to be a DNF for me. I feel there was real promise within the story but the execution of it took away from that, and it was sadly just a bit dull. There was a matter of inconsistency with the storytelling too, where things just weren't very clear.

A girl with forbidden gifts, a prince who doesn’t want the crown, and a guard who just wants to survive the court with her forbidden lover. These three people are thrown together in a plot to overthrow the king. Ren, a girl with magical powers that have been banned, has lived her life just trying to survive. Her entire family has died and she is working to just pay off her debt and protect her friends and her own life. All of that is threatened when she is kidnapped by two rebels, Marcus and Darek, who offer to pay her in exchange for her leading their rebelling ( which, she DOES NOT want any part of since if it gets out she has girts, she will be killed*). Let me be cleaf, Darek may be her love interest, but there was NO chemistry between them and if I’m being honest, I disliked him the entire time. Right off the bat he is so antagonistic to her, rude, he doesn’t even try to see it from her perspective. If anything, I would have rather Ren had no love interest or her and Kellan got together instead, literally anyone but Darek. Now, onto Prince Kellan, he is trying to avoid everything his family is doing and trying to find some semblance of happiness outside of his bloody family. Then theres my favorite character, Adley, a guard for the king who is forced to do unspeakable torture if she even hopes to maintain her station, or even get to keep her secret forbidden relationship with her girlfriend. I loved Adley’s story and her very soft relationship with her girlfriend. Overall, I loved Ren and Adley, I love ladies who are survivors and do what it takes for THEIR survival. Thats what bumped the book up a star in my mind, I really appreciated these kick ass ladies and just how much they were willing to do for their own survival because if you were in their shoes, you’d do everything to make sure your loved ones and your own life were going to make it out. The story was an interesting one overall, and I enjoyed getting to know these ladies.

*Review is made in exchange for a copy from TBR Tour*

I’d like to preface this review with the fact that I desperately wanted to like this book a whole lot more than I did. I was so excited to read it. I’d seen Of Silver and Shadow compared to Throne of Glass with a magic system partly reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender, among other comparison titles that made it seem like this was going to be the book for me. Unfortunately, it fell rather flat, and so this review will likely be rather short.

Gruenke’s engaging writing style, well-choreographed action scenes, detailed worldbuilding and original magic system unfortunately could not save the many pitfalls of Of Silver and Shadow – while certainly excellent ingredients, if I’m running with this metaphor, they do not comprise the ‘full meal’ I was expecting going into this book. I’m usually a fan of ensemble casts and having multiple points of view, but in this case, I feel they held this particular story – and its pacing – back, slowing it down at several points throughout. Said plot doesn’t truly ‘get going’ until a decent way through the book, and if Gruenke’s aforementioned writing style was any less entertaining, it’s likely I’d have put it down. Couple that with the little to no character development from any of the many point of view characters in Of Silver and Shadow (I lost count at 4 – there might have been more, or that might have just been it) and lack of romantic chemistry between either of the two ‘main’ pairings besides some backstory and a heaping spoonful of banter, it was safe to say this book was a severe letdown for me. The romance between the book’s main couple, Ren and Darek, was clearly a slow-burn, but by the time it reached its pinnacle, I couldn’t find it in me to care, or at least to the extent I normally like to do (considering I’m a romance-orientated reader; a ship is often my favourite aspect of a book!).

The magic system has a little development towards the end of the book, that helped make way for some pleasantly surprising plot twists but apart from my enjoyment of Ren as a protagonist (albeit, not as much as I would’ve liked) and a somewhat satisfactory, sort of open, sort of closed ending, it wasn’t enough to save this book for me or allow me to rate it any higher.

That being said, I would be willing to pick up any future books Jennifer Gruenke decides to publish. But, unfortunately, as much as I wished it was, Of Silver and Shadow was not the book for me.

This review will be posted to my blog, Princess of Ink (https://princessofink.wordpress.com), on Friday 5th February 2021 at 10am GMT (UK time).

This was a good start to what seems to be a new series, though the fights were somewhat childish at times and the character development could have been a little more thorough.