I like stories with strong women character the best, and this book has one that kicks a$$.
I liked the abilities and the struggle is so real even by today's world standard.
This was a book i could put down, walk away, and come back to, there was just something missing. maybe the next one will flow better.
so i have mixed feelings,

I enjoyed reading it but the main character Wren is too much sometimes. Like calm down, girl. Don't be like Harry Potter!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Silver Elite is a love letter to the dystopian era and I’m obsessed. The training, the hidden abilities, the corrupt government, and best of all, the tension!

The world-building was very interesting, I absolutely loved learning about different Mod abilities. I especially love the incitement ability, I hope we get to see Wren learn to master it in the next book.

-SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON-

I’ll be honest, I was rooting for Kaine and Wren for a long time, I think Kaine is an absolute sweetheart. The gasp I let out when he got out of that plane was ungodly, I hope we see a lot more of him in the next book.

Saying that, I did really enjoy Wren & Cross’ relationship. He’s so soft for her (and desperate🥵). We love a man who knows how to beg for it. I did worry we’d have a 3rd act breakup with Wren’s confession, but he took it like a champ (maybe a tad bit too easy?). Overall I really enjoyed their relationship, I think it developed at a really good pace with the perfect level of slow burn and tension.

I did have a few issues which for me knocked this book down a star.

- The dialogue was clunky at times, especially towards the start. It made it a little difficult to get into but it seemed to flow better the further we got into the story
- Some little snippets appeared to have been thought up on the spot. For example, there’s a paragraph about 70% into the book where Wren internally reflects on the pain her burn has been causing her over the years. Every time she moves or stretches the skin, she’s in pain. However, Wren is engaging in very rigorous combat for a massive chunk of the book and not once is the scar mentioned as causing pain/discomfort. This was only disclosed to us when Ellis offered to heal the scar tissue. It seemed a bit like ‘btw forgot to mention, my leg’s been killing me this whole time, anyway…’
- Following on with the above, it’s casually mentioned that women are forcibly placed on contraception until they’re approved to have a child. This is a pretty big piece of information to only be casually mentioned after Wren has sex halfway through the book as a ‘don’t worry, I’m on contraception’. This is an integral piece of world building that would have helped me understand the justified hatred to the current rule, but it was sprinkled in when convenient and never mentioned again.
- Lastly, long sleeves are a very flimsy defence against a corrupt government hellbent on killing Mods. They outruled certain music, control women’s contraceptive rights etc, so surely the government would bring some sort of dress code into play to make it easier to identify Mods?

There were a few really interesting reveals but unfortunately they did fall a little flat. The Wolf/Cross identity could have been a massive revelation if we’d learned more about Daisy and Wolf’s relationship. We know the basics but the conversations between the two were very sparse and vague, so the reveal didn’t have the impact it could have if it was a bit more fleshed out. I really wish we’d seen more of Wolf throughout the book.

Despite my above points, they really were just little picky bits that bothered me and didn’t detract too much from the story. A lot of the issues I had with this book can easily be attributed to it being the authors debut novel, so for me they’re not a dealbreaker. This is a very strong debut.

I’m really rooting for Wren to find a real, genuine friend in the next book. She suffered so many losses and betrayals, Lyddie’s betrayal was especially tough to read

This was a really fun read, I’m overjoyed that we seem to be pushing back into the dystopian genre again!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was my first ARC and I’ve had so much fun with it!

Our girl, Wren, lives peacefully in her uncle's ranch until he is imprisoned - because Wren is a bit reckless - and as she tries to save him she ends up in Silver Block training (Silver Elite is even more exclusive than Silver Block). This honestly has all the ingredients to be the newest tiktok sensation. Dystopia, complex tests, murder and an asshole love interest.

I really enjoyed the world building: I'm a basic girl, I love dystopias, this is packed with action so it's easy to get hooked and I wanted to know more of the history and society. However, to my taste, it focuses too much on the romance and I did not enjoy it. It's too instalove, insta atraction and the dude is unbearable. We get the illusion of a triangle but we all know one of the love interest has a very low chance of being endgame. This is going to be unpopular but I hated Cross. There are a few scenes that made me uncomfortable because the line of consent is a very blurry.

Wren is okay, I like FMC who are determined to get their way. I did not understand her lack of self control though, yeah the dude is hot but girl keep it cool. By the end of the book she makes some very questionable choices that did not feel in character. I get why that plot thread is there but it's too convenient.

I did really like the secondary characters and their relationship with Wren, I'm really interested in knowing more, they felt complex and believable and the author does a great job at making them relatable even though they are the "enemy". I will for sure read the next book!

3.75 stars, 2 [mild] chili pepepers. I want to start off by saying that I am new to the Dystopian 'trope' and the 'world building' was really good and kept me interested since it's so different from other Romantasy books (I've never read HG or Divergent, but many Fae books). It took me a bit to get into (it's a slow burn) but once I was halfway through I just didn't want to put it down! I really enjoyed Wren's character, she's a strong willed, bada$$, independent girl who takes no crap from no one, but also so empathetic. Cross gives off "shadow daddy vibes" like Xaden and I ate his character up! The banter was fabulous and overall the book was well written and an easy read. There's 1 thing Wren does which seemed so totally out character for her, like for all the planning and plotting she does and how important keeping her secret is WHY WHY WHY does she make this decision??? And most of the reveals could be considered predictable. I am really excited to see what happens in the next book!
Tropes: Dystopian, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Forced proximity, Forbidden Love
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Silver Elite 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Dystopian is back with a BANG, baby! Silver Elite hooks you from the first page with our spunky female lead and an action packed, totally unique storyline. The whole vibe of this book is like crossing Divergent with SAS Who Dares Wins and a little side dish of spice. I salute @authordanifrancis on this being her debut - it certainly doesn’t read like it. The pacing is fantastic; the characters are well fleshed out (including the side characters); the romance is deliciously slow burn; but for me, the best part of this book is the unique storyline with the certain character’s abilities and the setting is just *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼. Let me make my prediction now: this book and trilogy is going to be huge! I’m thinking book to movie adaptations huge. Also, praise the lord dystopian is trending again because it’s my absolute favourite! I simply cannot wait for book 2 because that ending had my heart pounding - and I’m so hugely grateful to @authordanifrancis @delreyuk @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this title early - it will be hitting the book stores on MAY 6th, don’t miss out!

#bookreview #arcreview #5starbook #danifrances #silverelite #dystopianbooks #dystopianfiction

Thank you to @netgalley and the author @authordanifrancis for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

This was unexpectedly amazing and had me hooked right from the start. I’ll honestly be recommending it to everyone! 🔥 🔥

Wren Darlington is modified (has psychic abilities ) living amongst the Primes (those in control of the world and being modified is a crime punishable by death) and accidentally attracts the attention of the military essentially by helping but also showing off which is very very Wren. From there her world falls apart, her beloved uncle is executed and Wren is taken captive and forced to work for Command to train for their Silver block, an elite outfit tasked with tracking down modifieds.
I absolutely loved Wren’s character and how she’s written, she’s ballsy, complex, flawed and felt like someone you could genuinely relate to . Wren and Cross’s verbal back and forths are absolute chef’s kiss 🤌🏻 The pacing of the book was great, the reader is constantly on edge watching Wren make her way through training without blowing her cover. The plot is witty and engaging and although some of the twists were fairly obvious it was still overall an enjoyable reading experience.

🖤Dystopian
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Rebellion
🖤 Forbidden Love
🖤 Undercover work

Silver Elite is an entertaining read for fans of the dystopian and slow-burn romances. If you enjoyed Divergent, this book delivers a familiar mix of action, rebellion, and romance. While it doesn’t break new ground, it keeps readers engaged with its fast-paced story.

Set in a world where a biotoxin has split humanity into two factions—Primes, who are immune, and Mods, who develop psychic abilities but are hunted—the novel introduces an intriguing division of power and oppression. However, the world-building in the first part of the book could have been better developed, as it only provides the basics of the setting and its stakes.

Despite its reliance on familiar dystopian tropes, the book remains an enjoyable ride, especially for those who love this genre. The dynamic between the characters and the unfolding rebellion make for an engaging read, even if it doesn’t offer anything groundbreaking.

I just kept reading this book cause of the familiarity of the genre, I was feeling like those old teenagers years in which I would stayed up late devouring Hunger Games.

Final thoughts is that Silver Elite is a solid start to its trilogy, setting up Wren’s journey in a way that leaves readers eager for more. If you’re a fan of dystopian fiction, it’s worth a read—if not, it might be one to skip.

OH. MY. GOD.
this is the type of book I’ve been waiting for since I read Divergent in middle school. Not only is the FMC relatable and empathetic but she’s also a complete badass. So many times, I audibly gasped and said “NO!” Silver Elite had me captivated and swooning throughout this insane plot. This book will bring back dystopian fantasy!!!
It also is begging to be a movie…

Silver Elite is an absolutely incredible Dystopian Romance book and I can’t find words to describe how much I loved it, it’s definitely going to be one of my favorite books of this year and I already can’t wait for the sequel.

Wren is one of the Modified, a group of people with special abilities who are killed when discovered. When her uncle is found and sentenced to death because of her mistake and her rescue mission goes wrong, Wren is forced to train to be the very thing she hates the most, a soldier hunting people like her, and her commanding officer is the handsome asshole she can’t stand but is instantly attracted to.

OMG this book was so freaking incredible I still can’t believe everything that happened. I was hooked and it was a real rollercoaster from the first page, all the action, the plot twists, secrets, crazy revelations and betrayals had me with my jaw on the floor and I read the whole book in one sitting because I literally couldn’t put it down. The world building and system the author created were so interesting and reminded me why I enjoy dystopian books because this one had everything there is to love about the genre in it. Wren was an amazing and badass FMC, I really liked her from the beginning and loved reading her story. Cross was a real asshole in the beginning but gave me some major Xaden from FW vibes and I quickly fell for him, I don’t want to spoil anything but was a perfect MMC. Cross and Wren’s relationship is slow burn, but I could feel the attraction between them from their first meeting and it was amazing to see them finally gave in to it, their spicy scenes were *chief’s kiss* but I also loved how perfect they were for each other, their vulnerable scenes were beautiful and their banter made me laugh out loud, I love these two and can’t wait to see them again.

Silver Elite is an amazing story with interesting world, great characters, beautiful and spicy romance and shocking plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I absolutely loved it and definitely recommend it to everyone, trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC. As someone who grew up on Divergent and The Hunger Games, I was so excited to see this show up in my account. I enjoyed the plot; however, the character development fell short for me. Wren’s decisions always seemed to revolve around a man. In the next book, I hope to see Wren step out on her own more and really live up to her independent spirit.

This was a really enjoyable fantasy-dystopian story - also made me very nostalgic for my childhood 2010s dystopian books (Hunger Games, Divergent).

✔ I really enjoyed seeing Wren grow into her confidence and own her strengths. There is a fine line with stubborn protagonists and Wren landed on the good side of that line.
✔ The banter between the romantic leads was really well written.
✔ Actually, everything was really well written - this felt really solid for a debut novel.
✔ The presentation of the morality of what the characters are dealing with in their world is really thoughtful - there is no good guy/bad guy, just survival.

✖ The romance was set up to be a really good slow-burn but I think the characters got into an “established relationship” a bit too quickly.
✖ The “shocking reveal” was not actually shocking. I think a bit more mystery would have made it more impactful.

4/5 stars!

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did but I’m glad I was able to read it and will be looking forward to sequels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not my personal speed but this will definitely find its audience. Extremely readable action/adventure dystopia that reminded me of Red Rising and Divergent, a little bit of Hunger Games flare thrown in. If it's derivative, it can be forgiven because it does everything you want a book in that vein to do and it does it very, very well. The first person works great here, but at times I had trouble centering myself in the world. I wanted it the story to do something new with the genre or with the main characters, but it didn't, because it didn't need to. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess.

The first book in a sizzling dystopian romance series and it does not disappoint! If you took Crimson moth and divergent and the kindreds saga had a baby it would be this new series. The book has lots of banter and the FMC is hilarious and has the most entertaining personality, she’s very rebellious and witty. This is the type of book that makes you forget you’re reading. I can’t wait for more of this series and am so thankful to NetGalley that I got to get my hands on this arc!

Silver Elite feels like the Hunger Games meets Divergent. It took a little while to get into the story, but once you get though it boy does it deliver.
In the story, there are modified, or "mods" who are banned and hunted down by the government. The FMC, Wren, is a mod, and eventually becomes forced to work for the bad guys. The romance in the book is a bit rushed and underdeveloped, but that's okay with me because the story is the main focus. Maybe it's today's current political climate or the gripping story - Silver Elite pulled me out of a major reading slump.

In this fast paced dystopian book there are two types of people, Mods and Primes. The Modified or the Affected are born with powers such as telepathy, healing, mind control and incitement. The Primes are in control of this world and being Modified is a guaranteed sentence to either death or enslavement in work camps.
Wren Darlington is a Mod of extraordinary power. But she is young and headstrong. One day after disregarding the advice of her guardian she shows off some of her skills and gets the attention of one of the Prime. Of course things go horribly wrong after that and Wren is forced into military service with The Primes while trying to hide her Mod powers and her growing attraction to the captain in command of her unit.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 3.5⭐️.
I really enjoyed the first 60-70% of this book. It was fast paced and I loved the chemistry between Wren and her love interest. The biggest issues I had with this book are the fact that it was not only entirely too predictable but it felt like a lot of rehashing of material we have already seen.
At this point I’m not sure if we will ever see another main character who actual listens to the advice of others again. Wren is continuously told don’t do something then decides she knows best and does it and then regrets doing it. After a while I’m over reading someone make bad decision after bad decision. I did enjoy this book and will probably read the next book when it comes out but for now can only recommend this as a get it from the library if you can book.

I absolutely loved this book! I finished it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It gave elevated and more adult vibes of other dystopian novels. There were trials, great banter, an amazing slow burn romance, and so many twists and turns that I never would have predicted. It was definitely a five star read for me, and I cannot wait to continue the series!

I loved the romance. Psychic pen pals?? SO GOOD. Overall, the book is fun but still pretty standard and could have used more development. I'm excited to see where this goes next, I think there's a lot of interesting possibilities with that ending!!

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the eARC.

This was sooo good! The dystopian genre is killing it right now. It was giving Divergent meets Fourth Wing. We’ve got a war between nonmagical people and people with psychic abilities, a cutthroat training program to become one of the Elite, and an Uprising trying to dismantle the system from within.

Wren is our badass magical MC, and Cross is our brooding and deadly MMC who happens to be a commanding officer on the enemy side. The forbidden slow burn romance was everything. I loved Wren so much and Cross had me swooning big time.

This book had me on my toes the entire time and the ending had me absolutely shook. The wait for the next book is going to be torture!

A big thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Silver Elite by Danielle Francis is a dystopian fantasy with a forbidden romance.

Wren Darlington was “adopted” by her “Uncle Jim” as child after losing her parents — Uncle Jim and Wren both have telepathic powers, which are punishable by death on the Continent. The elites find out that Uncle Jim was telepathic & Wrens is on their radar now…. She is taken captive and forced to train for the Silver Elite.

This book reminded me of Fourth Wing & Language of Dragons… minus the dragons and the slow burn forbidden romance reminded me a bit of Divine Rivals. The final half of the book had me at the end of my seat & there were so many twists & unexpected reveals that have me highly anticipating the next book.

I would recommend this to dystopian fantasy lovers who enjoy spicy scenes.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Catch this book when it hits the shelves on May 6, 2025.

4.5 stars