Full review will be posted as I finish and I'll add links to the review in our blog as well. The review will be scheduled and posted closer to publication date.

I would like to thank the publisher Inkyard Press and netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Devlin is a spy. Her land has been divided by magic and it now ruled by separate leaders in separate countries, Aris and Cerena. The leader of her country, Aris, happens to be her mother so she has something to prove to her. When tasked with infiltrating Cerena to kidnap the one person whose magic can save her country, Devlin must use all of her skill and befriend whoever she needs to in Cerena in order to get the magic she needs. I enjoyed the world building and the plot of this book. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.

Devlin has always been a spy for Aris, a kingdom under constant attack from the phantoms that live in the Mists, to the point where magic in Aris is becoming rare. When her mother, the Whisperer and head of the spies, assigns Devlin to infiltrate the neighboring kingdom of Cerena and kidnap a powerful caster, she's willing to do whatever it takes. But when she meets Alyce, she actually becomes friends with her. Alyce's drive to find a fabled landmark that could restore magic to Aris is something Dev can get behind - but how can she convince Alyce to trust her when she's been lying to her the whole time?

The worldbuilding drew me in so easily, allowing me to be fully enchanted by this tale of two kingdoms. What I loved most was that Devlin is described as asexual and her best friend is nonbinary, with this being a nonissue, and allowing for a story that is all about friendship. The magic and the creation of filigree was an interesting touch. This story has so many things I love, like secret libraries, clues in books, historical mysteries, secret missions, phantoms, and so much more. There were a couple of moments that stretched believability <spoiler>like when Dev and Alyce attack Kerrin in the prison and somehow he doesn't recognize them or bring about any consequences</spoiler> but overall this was a fast-paced fantasy that doesn't rely on a romantic side plot to keep the reader interested.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book.***

I’m always excited to find new fantasy books with ace rep, so I was stoked when I saw that Emily Victoria would be publishing her second novel, Silver in the Mist! I have not had a chance to read her debut novel, This Golden Flame, yet, but if it’s half as good as Silver in the Mist, I know I’m going to love it!

What’s better than an ace protagonist? An ace protagonist who is also a spy! Being the daughter of her nation’s head spy, Devlin is willing to do anything for her country, so when she is sent on a mission to infiltrate the sister nation of Cerena, she is ready to sacrifice anything. However, the more she gets to know her target, Alyse, Cerena’s most powerful caster, the more secrets she discovers. Her mission turns out to be more difficult than she ever imagined.

Normally, I try to keep notes of the things I like and dislike while I’m reading a novel, but I was so wrapped up in Silver in the Mist, I completely forgot to do so! The whole book was very immersive, and the plot had a decent mixture of action and depth. I thought the relationships Devlin made throughout the novel related to the plot well.

Devlin is such a great protagonist! I was fascinated reading about how her character develops throughout the book, and I loved that she starts off confident, questions herself a little, and regains that confidence. Her relationships with her mother, Lochlan, and Alyse really made the story shine.

Additionally, I found quite a few quotes that were simply poetic. On the surface, this book is about a spy trying to save her nation, but deeper down it is a novel about hope and perseverance. I was moved by the way Victoria developed those themes throughout the book, and that is what made it great in my opinion.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait to finally read This Golden Flame, and to see what else Emily Victoria has in store for readers in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Silver in the Mist started out strong albeit a bit confusing; I felt like a lot of information was shoved in my face very quickly and I had no time to breathe and get to know the MC. We're told she's a spy but we don't see much of what her skills are. Not being able to connect with Devlin sadly was not the first straw. The story lacked stakes and the plot dragged. I couldn't find my footing when it came to what was happening. The idea of the mist was vague and I could not grasp the magic system.

I wasn't able to invest in the story, but I know a lot of people will love the Shadow and Bone feel and the unique plot.

This fantasy novel follows Devlin a spy for Aris as she travels to a neighboring kingdom on a mission to save her people from the Mists. Her mission is simple: befriend the strongest caster (magician-Alyse); then kidnap her and bring her back to Aris. However, it might not be so simple as Devlin discovers who she really is and the mysteries behind the fear and strife between these once united people.
The book was fast-paced and kept my attention. Victoria does well to develop relationships with characters that are both primary and background characters. She shows how fear can change people, but they don't have to stay stuck in the same old ways.

Dev is a spy in the service of her monarch, under the command of her mother, the Whisperer, a spymaster whose approval and love Dev can never seem to win. When the dangerous Mist is encroaching on her homeland, Dev is sent on a dangerous undercover mission to their estranged sister country, there to kidnap their rival city’s strongest magic user and save her home from destruction.

I really enjoyed this book! It had an interesting magic system and great characters – but my favorite part was the friendships that Dev has with Lochlan, Alyse and Milla. Those relationships are key to her finding herself, finding acceptance, and summoning the strength to stop seeking her mother’s approval and do what’s right.

Representation: nonbinary character

I really, really enjoyed this book. I was a bit put off by the overuse of the word "filagree" in the beginning. In one paragraph it was used three times, and over 230 times throughout the book. However, as the story progressed, I found that it didn't really matter because the story was amazing.
Both Devlin & Alyse are extremely different, yet at the same time trying to find themselves. Watching them grow was wonderful. Lochlan, a side character was fun and spunky. The found family aspect was endearing.
The story itself flowed steadily with phenomenal world building. The plot was definitely fun and different. Overall, I thought it was a great read and will recommend!

The characters are relatable enough, but this book got awfully repetitive at times.
.Eight years ago, everything changed for Devlin: Her country was attacked, her father killed, and her mother became the head of the spies (the Whisperer of Aris), retreating into her position away from everyone….even her daughter. So, Dev joins the spy ranks herself and sees her mother only when receiving assignments. She wants more, but she understands the peril their country, Aris, is in. The malevolent magic force of The Mists is swallowing Aris’s edges, their country is vulnerable to another attack from their wealthier neighbor, and the magic casters who protect them from both are burning out. Now, with a dangerous new assignment of infiltrating the royal court of their neighbor country Cerena to steal the magic they need before the malevolent magic breaks their own barriers & kills them all.
The worldbuilding felt only half flushed out and I didn't understand the representation - just because there was a lack of romance...I mean, that does not equal ace, right?

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, strained relationship

I read Emily Victoria’s This Golden Flame and really thought it was creative and had a great asexual main character. Silver in the Mists sounded totally different so I was curious to read it. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The world building is once again, unique and creative. Two kingdoms are kept apart by a phenomenon called the Mists- in Aris, but called the Hush in Cerena. There is a phenomenon that separates the kingdoms called the Mists (in Aris), and the Hush (in Cerena) – and in these mists are monsters. The magic system is different too, magic casters work with filigree.

+ Devlin is the main character and she is asexual. She’s a spy who is sent to Cerena on a mission to kidnap their most powerful magic caster, Alyse. So she spends more time in Cerena than in her home of Aris but we learn about the conflict and history between the two kingdoms while she is there. I enjoyed all the secondary characters too, especially Milla who helps Devlin complete her mission. Dev does have issues to deal with in regards to her mother, The Whisperer – who is basically her boss. They have a very strained relationship but all Dev wants is her mother’s love and approval and she hopes this mission will bring her both.

+ I like that this book was fast paced and it kept me engaged from beginning to end! I do feel like this will appeal to teen readers more than young adult.

~ Although the world-building is very unique I did wish we had a little more information about the magic system. I just went with everything because the story was moving quickly and I was invested in Dev’s undercover mission. But it would be nice to learn more about the filigrees. Also there was one thing in the story that kept throwing me off and it was the word Layde. Is it pronounced “lady” or “laid”? And it was applied to upperclass citizens I believe but I kept stumbling over how to say it.

Tropes: spy, asexual main character, strained Mother/Daughter relationship

Why you should read it:
*fast paced story
*unique world building
*a spy/undercover story that is entertaining

Why you might not want to read it:
*more geared towards teen readers

My Thoughts:

It’s rare to find stand alone fantasy books these days but I like what this author is doing with the ones she’s written so far. She has her signature unique world-building and a main character who is asexual. I found Silver in the Mist quite entertaining and feel like it would appeal to teen readers.

The story was well written, and the world building well done. The system of magic was great. The only draw back is that some might find the non binary side character a little off putting. Personally I was fine with it.

I enjoyed the characters and the story! The world building was detailed enough to understand what was happening. Dev is a fun character, with flaws and strength! Her friends were pretty awesome too.
The ending was a little too open ended, without knowing if there’s a sequel.
I would enjoy reading more of these characters’s adventures and of this world!

It must be very hard to create a standalone fantasy story, but I always get very excited at the idea of them. To create enough world-building to make a reader feel immersed and then create believable characters and a self-contained plot is a real challenge in around 400 pages.

Silver in the Mist deals with this perfectly - the world-building is somewhat simple, and the magic system isn’t really explored in detail, but the relevant history is explained really well, and we get a feel for the cities of Aris and Cerena and their contrasting citizens. We get a strong picture of the world our main character Devlin inhabits and the plot in general is detailed, interesting and kept me hooked throughout. The writing is easy to engage with and I didn’t feel lost at any point.

The characters are well-portrayed and relatable. Main character Devlin certainly has a lot of layers – a spy trying to impress her mother but also starting a friendship with Alyse and fighting for what she believes is right which may be at odds with her mission. When I first requested this book, the blurb stated that Dev was ace, which you can see mentioned in a lot of earlier reviews as well. The publishers have made a really good decision in removing this label from any of the marketing. Although there is no romance sub-plot in this book (which is incredibly refreshing), there is no explicit reference to Dev being ace and so it did not feel genuine to include it. The lack of romance is great though and means the book can devote the word-count to the plot and characters without also trying to work in a romance element as well. There is some representation for diversity however, in the form of a non-binary secondary character with they/them pronouns. This is the first time I have seen this in a novel, and it works well. The only thing I found a little jarring was the use of ‘Layde’ as a genderless term in Cerena. I just read it as ‘Lady’ and it was a bit odd to have male characters also referred to as this and it made it a little hard to keep track of who was being mentioned in the prose. If a new word had been used, I wouldn’t have had such a problem with it I don’t think.

I enjoyed the storyline although some aspects felt a little too convenient in places. I also would have liked a few parts to have been expanded upon (such as more of a tie-in for Devlin’s father perhaps). However, it’s an engaging read and a great standalone fantasy story. It’s made me want to read more stories set in the same world or using the same characters which signals the author has done a great job!

Overall, Silver in the Mist is a great standalone fantasy story which refreshingly does not include any romance. Thank you to NetGalley & Inkyard Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚 - YA / Fantasy
📖 - 368 pages

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute YA fantasy that did not feature a romance (which was a plus for me)! I loved the non-binary side character and adore the representation in the book. It was an easy read with stakes that didn't seem too high or too far-fetched. I thought the magic system was interesting and pretty and overall enjoyed the story.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
Silver in the Mist is about an asexual spy who is sent to the rival kingdom to infiltrate their royal court and kidnap the most powerful magic caster to help aid Devlin’s kingdom.
I really liked the world building; how well described both kingdoms were and when Devlin travels we see how different they both are. Fun fact almost everyone in this book is a grey character and I liked that because they were doing what they thought was best for their country and it was interesting reading about them.
Some of my complaints about this book is that when Devlin goes to Cerena, at least for me, I was confused as to why everyone was a layde I think if it was mentioned before hand that it was a neutral term for the nobles would’ve been much better for the reader to know. And my other complaint is that Devlin’s spy skills are mostly talked about but not shown because whatever she needs she finds it too easily; for example she finds really important classified documents on top of a table which doesn’t make sense because it would be somewhere harder to find, same thing with books she’s quick to find the answers she needs from books or when she gets papers from the best spy in her kingdom by picking a lock which you would think that by being a spy they would have better lock systems, but I guess not so that was a bit annoying I wanted Devlin to actually struggle to get her answers.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book I would read it again and pick up a sequel if there’s any since it’s an open ending.
Book cover: 5/5!
Characters: 5/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5

What I loved about it ?
The beautiful cover
The unique magic system,
The world building as well as the characters.
queer representation.
To tell you the truth there was nothing that I didn't like except there was times it felt a bit rush in some place in some places , and it probably would have been a 5 if at the time I'm reading this I was sick with a cold , which means in between reading a few pages I was taking naps. But over all it does deserve the 4 star rating because I did enjoy it plus it did have some of the tropes I like which is found family, as well as strong female friendship, with a bit of mystery to it .

Thank you Inkyard Press and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria follows Devlin, an asexual spy who's mother prioritized being head of spies over being a mom. The Mists separate Devlin's land, Aris, from Cerena. When the Mists become more violent and unpredictable, Devlin is sent to Cerena to steal the magic they need to protect themselves- but Devlin learns more about the country's history as well as her own family's history that changes everything.
This book was so good! If you're looking for a fast paced, YA, standalone fantasy with a unique magic system that isn't hard to understand, I definitely recommend this one. There is also fantastic queer representation!
The banter between characters was excellent. I enjoyed discovering the forgotten history of the kingdom with our characters, and the hopeful tone it provided. The friendships all felt different, and I loved them each for different reasons. The descriptions, especially of the magic, were beautiful without being overly descriptive.
This was more wholesome and character focused than I anticipated. I assumed with following spies that there would be more action (not to say this hurt the book, because I loved the characters' relationships so much). However, it did feel like we learned more about a couple of the side characters than our main character. I liked our main character, I just think she could've been developed a little more the fall in love with more. Her determination and her past definitely make you sympathetic to her, and it made me want to protect her at all costs!

Thank you Netgalley et al. for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review:

Summary of the plot:

Devlin is the daughter of the Whisperer, a group of spies in this country called Aris. Dev doesn't really see her mother much aside from spying duties and that strained relationship is very apparent. There's this magical force called the Mists, which is swallowing Aris’s edges and producing monsters called Phantoms. Typically, magic casters would be able to push the Mists back, but Aris doesn't have many left. Dev is assigned to infiltrate the neighbor country Cerena and kidnap the most powerful magic caster, Alyse. But things don't turn out the way that she wanted it to.

Thoughts on the book:

The first half of the book is probably a 3/5 stars for me, but the second half is closer to a 4/5 stars--so I'll average it out and give this book an overall 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

The reason why I rated the first half as such is because I felt like there were too many convenient things happening to Dev. It was too easy for her to become friends with Alyse; too easy for her to sneak around and not get caught; too easy to find the information that she needed; etc. There was no real tension or conflict until in the latter half of the book.

Also, I felt like the book could have used a little bit more world-building. Overall, the world felt a tad flat and could have benefited from adding unique elements to it. I would have liked it to be flushed out more because while I thought it was interesting, it wasn't quite enough for me to love it.

The second half of the book was better since it had more action and some world-related questions were answered. Yet, I still felt like something was missing. I love a good spy book, but I don't think it really met my standards.

Some things I enjoyed about this book: an asexual main character (I think), the lack of romance (because romance can be overrated and forced sometimes--though there was a tad bit flirting between Dev and Alyse IMO), a non-binary side character, characters moving away from what they've been told they have to be, the use of spires, etc.

Overall, I wished I loved this book because the cover is just so beautiful. Alas, I enjoyed it enough to not DNF.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Emily Victoria for the eARC of this book!

Silver in the Mist sucked me in with the intriguing premise of a young, asexual spy going on an important mission filled with thrills and magic. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to invest myself in the story. Some of the main plot points didn't make much sense, the magic system was confusing, and the writing tended to drag at times. I feel like the book could have been condensed quite a bit. However, I was invested enough in the journey of the heroine to continue reading and I actually really liked how the book ended. 2 stars for representation, a unique plot, and interesting character progression.