This was...not bad but also not very good?
idk. I wasn't a fan of the subliminal messaging and tone of the book but for a trashy drama set in a political background this was an ok read.
The characters all lacked depth as did the world building.
I don't wanna use any more energy on this but I will say that the author should definitely consider leaving this at a duology and not stretching it out anymore than that.

This is the unhinged, high-stakes, enemy-to-lovers dystopian romance I’ve been waiting for since the Hunger Games hangover wore off. Psychic heroine with war trauma? Check. Grumpy commander who wants her dead but also maybe wants to kiss her? Check. A morally gray training compound where betrayal is baked into the floorboards? Inject it.

Disclaimer: This is unfortunately the most negative review I've ever had to write.

DNF, DNF, DNF!!!!

This was one of the worst books I've read in recent memory.

Silver Elite is a dystopian book that includes NONE of the meaningful political commentary of the dystopian genre, written to be "spicy dystopian for adults." If that wasn't enough, the main character has ZERO consistency from one chapter - or even one page - to the next, seemingly saying and doing whatever the author needs her to for the sake of the plot. And for the cherry on top, it read like it was written by ChatGPT.

Unfortunately, I wish I had better things to say about this book because I was so excited to read it, but Silver Elite was NOT IT for me, and I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone.

Thank you to Netgalley, Dani Francis, and Random House Del Rey for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

To be honest, I didn't finish it. So take my review with a grain of salt. I was hoping for more of a complex dystopian society with some spice sprinkled in. From what I've read (of the book and of reviews), that isn't what I was going to get. I've heard that the apocalyptic setting was just a backdrop for the spice. Don't get me wrong, I have no qualms with any level of spiciness, but I don't like my stories to be centered around it.

Wren Darlington has always known she was different. She has abilities that her uncle that raised her helped her develop and protect. When she finds herself in a situation without her uncle she must decide how to proceed to protect herself and others like her. Then there is Cross. A high ranking official that she knows she should hate, but the electricity she feels when he is near is undeniable.

I am always on the fence when it comes to fantasy books. However, this one dragged me and didn’t let go. I’m already chomping at the bit for part 2!

A wonderful story with many twists and turns. I love how the character goes through difficult choices, it keeps me wanting to read :)

This was such a fun, page-turning read—the protagonist's conflict of hiding her true identity while surrounded by enemies was extremely compelling, as was the very enemies-to-lovers romance! The ending did take a few turns that didn't feel as believable for me, but I will absolutely be picking up book two!

Okay so I waited a good while mulling over what I was going to rate this book.

This book had so many things that I enjoy in a fantasy read:
enemies to lovers
powers of some sort
banter and tension between MCs

I liked the plot and the story line I just think that there was a lot that fell short. I feel like the story was drawn out so that this book would be a multiple book story when there's a lot that I would've taken out because it felt unnecessary or redundant. I also felt that this book didn't seem dystopian. Yes, it has a few dystopian tendencies (which were only depicted a little at the end) it just seemed more other worldly than dystopian. Also, I just feel like I kept comparing this book to a lot of my favorite fantasy books vs enjoying this book. for that and that I probably won't continue this series I'm giving this book a 3. I feel like a lot of people will enjoy it, it just isn't up to the fantasy book I'm dying to continue or read.

There's a world where the population is divided in two: the Mods, who possess a gift perceived as an aberration by the Primes, and those who have not been contaminated by the bacterium and are therefore immune. Wren belongs to the Mods, but since she was a child, she has had to live in total secrecy. That all changes when she decides to save a child from certain death.
A dystopia that keeps us on the edge of our seats until the end, with a well-crafted, fast-paced plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Wow, Silver Elite is definitely a throwback to the days of gobbling up as many dystopian stories as possible. This book reminds me of the Divergent series with a more romantic-heavy plot. Did this story take seriously the end of civilization as we know it? Not at all, but it was entertaining, which might be the ultimate purpose. It definitely hit all the popular tropes of the dystopian book explosion in the 2010s, which gave me a lovely dose of nostalgia.

I liked the idea behind the book. however I struggled with getting into the book. I wish the telepathy would have been in a different font or some other form so It could have been easier to tell what was going on. I think that was part of my problem, I couldnt get lost in the book because I was having to think and figure out the context of dialogue

The dystopian feel of this book and the world building was done so perfectly I was immersed into this from start to finish.i will definitely be continuing on with this series

I can see why some are saying that this is the next book obsession! It reminded me of an older Divergent. This book was easy to read and is by no means a literary work of art, but it is fun! I am hoping that future books in this series will continue to toe the line between the two sides because to me, that feels real. If you're a dystopian fan - this is your next read!

I went into this book blindly (or as blindly as possible because I have seen it everywhere), and I had a lot of fun!
I got sucked into the story and kept flipping pages until I got to the end in the early hours of the morning - definitely a hallmark of a good book! Entertaining, spicy and fun. I enjoyed it, and am looking forward to see where it goes in the next book.

Thank you @delreybooks for the gifted digital copy for an honest review.
The quotes were verified in my finished copy.

If you were a fan of Divergent, you definitely need to pick this book ASAP.

I loved the world-building of this story. The political system, how everything is just so corrupt, you don't know who's really the good guys there. With Wren's POV, I leaned for her people but when you learned more about the past, you can clearly see that it wasn't better before. For this and because of how the book finished, I can't wait to read the next book to see how everything will unfold. And I would really like it if the next book has one more POV. So we could see the other side of the medal.

I absolutely loved Wren. She is authentic, impulsive, strong and chaotic. She doesn't think, she acts. Her mind works differently.

I also fell in love with the side characters. Especially Kaine !

If you read for the vibes, you're gonna have a good time with this book.

I'll read the next one for sure.

Read this if you loved :

✨ Romantasy ;
✨ Oppressive Political system ;
✨ Military ;
✨ Forbidden Romance ;
✨ Enemies to Lovers ;
✨ Spicy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Promising Start to a Series!

I want to thank Random House Worlds | Del Rey and Author Dani Francis for the eARC of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me, Silver Elite is definitely worth the hype. I purchased a physical copy on release day to add to my personal library. That’s how much I enjoyed it.

This was an easy 5-star read for me. While a little lengthy, it had a good pace to the story. My only complaint? Now I have to wait for the second book in the series!

I loved every single second. I could have read it again the next day. It’s a combo of Fourth Wing, Red Rising, Divergent, and Amari and the Night Bros. Love love.

While this wasn't my favorite romantasy book this year, I found it to be a relatively quick read full of adventure, suspense and romance. Those looking to get lost in a story and ignore the real world for a while will enjoy Darlington and Cross as they try to to figure out who they can trust and what's really worth fighting for.

I thought this book was great! It was marketed as "hunger games for adults" but I honestly find that to be false, I think it's more like Divergent and Fourth Wing had a baby (minus the dragons). The banter between the characters was great, there was character development, the plot kept me interested and there was even a great plot twist at the end that has me very excited for book 2. Not sure why this book has gotten so much hate, I found it to be a fun and fast paced read for anyone looking to get out of a reading slump.

1.5
The hype surrounding this book was enormous, and I fell right into the trap. No matter which platform I visited, this book was everywhere.

It was described as a sexy dystopian romance, and the plot initially sounded intriguing. Unfortunately, the book was anything but interesting. While I didn't struggle to get through it, I didn't enjoy my time reading it either.

The main love interest, in my opinion, was quite unlikable—an arrogant character who seemed to have no concept of personal space. Because of this, I couldn't really connect with the romance. All in all he was a massive red flag.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion, and many others seem to have enjoyed the book. So, I wouldn't necessarily say you shouldn't read it—everyone's taste is different and what didn’t work for me, might work for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.