This book was genuinely one of the worst experiences I've had as a reader. It felt as though it was trying to be a dystopian book like Divergent or The Hunger Games but instead of it being about fighting against the oppressor, it was about falling in love with them? I did not enjoy myself.

Enjoyable enough to read through, this reminded me a lot of Forth Wing. Relied very heavily on popular tropes and plots, and very predictable all around. Not a bad book, just nothing new and nothing terribly memorable about it. I mostly read it due to the buzz surrounding who the author could possibly be.

This book is a little bit Divergent mixed with a little bit of Fourth Wing tossed with a serving of Mockingjay. It's got steamy love scenes, authentic friendships, well timed revelations, and I'm excited to read the next book in the trilogy. Highly recommend!

✨Review ⬇️✨

🕊️ Silver Elite
By Dani Francis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🖤One of my favorite books of the year! This book is action packed and won’t allow you to kick your feet up and relax for one second! Keep you guard up at all times, because anything can happen. Don’t get comfortable because no one is safe.

🖤 If you loved Divergent and The Hunger Games series but wish there was a some spice sprinkled over it, this is your next read!

♥️ The cliffhanger this book will leave you with in INSANE and I am desperately waiting for Book 2…… I will toss every other book aside to read it once it arrives (in like a year?!?!….maybe?!?!?)

🕊️ Trust no one.
🕊️ Lie to everyone.
🕊️ And whatever you do, don’t fall for your greatest enemy.

🖤 I don’t even know which genre to categorize this into: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Enemies to Lovers…. It’s got a little bit of everything. If you’re a mood reader that just wants action this will definitely scratch that itch.

💬 Favorite quotes:
“I would rather fight a cougar barehanded than subject myself to an uncomfortable exchange. Truly.”

“Yours is the only life that matters. I will rip anyone’s throat out, burn the entire fucking world down, if it means keeping you safe”

“We spent our whole lives loving each other from a distance. We can do it for a little while longer.”

💬Wren Darlington has spent her whole life in hiding, honing her psychic abilities and aiding the rebel Uprising in small ways. On the Continent, being Modified means certain death—and Wren is one of the most powerful Mods in existence. When one careless mistake places her in the hands of the enemy and she’s forced to join their most elite training program, she’s finally handed the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks.

✨ Read this if you like:
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
♥️ Fantasy/ Romantasy
🖤 Dystopian/ Sci-Fi
♥️ Psychic Powers
🖤 Secrets
♥️ Action

This book was a fun time, but nothing new and groundbreaking. It felt formulaic and nostalgic for YA dystopia but aged up.

I think this book was a super fun read. I think this book might be five stars on re-read but it took me so long to read this book just due to life and being busy. the main character i really liked and the story gave me last of us and ellie vibes. i think this book also gave me fourth wing vibe. i think this book was a fun and quick time!!

An enthralling dystopian read! Loved the world building and power element, I picked who Wolf was but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

I went into Silver Elite knowing dystopian isn’t usually my favorite genre, and I definitely struggled with some of the world-building and harsh setting aspects. The oppressive regime and political intrigue sometimes felt a bit overwhelming and made it harder for me to fully connect.

That said, the characters - especially Wren and Cross - were really well done. Their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance had genuine chemistry and emotional depth, which kept me hooked. The psychic abilities added a cool twist, and the training sequences brought a tense, engaging energy.

Overall, it’s a strong start to the series with lots of potential, even if dystopian elements aren’t my personal cup of tea. Fans of Fourth Wing or gritty romance will likely enjoy this much more than I did.

THIS WAS SO ADDICTING!!! I genuinely could not put it down. The tension between Wren, Cross, and Kaine was fantastic. I loved the Wolf/Daisy connection - so happy I predicted that correctly!

Wren’s inner monologue did get a bit repetitive and dull, which took me out of the story a little, hence the 4 stars. I can’t wait for book 2!

3.5*
Francis has jumped on the romantasy bandwagon with her first book in her Silver Elite. series. It's set in a dystopian world where people called Modifieds have special powers are hunted and killed. These Mods are identified by a mark on their skin and the telltale glow in their veins when they use their power. Wren is unique and because her veins don’t glow but also her mark is covered by a scar, allowing her to live undetected. When her uncle is captured and accused of being a rebel, she comes under suspicion but evades exposure. Then, surprisingly, the authorities recruit her as a trainee for the exclusive Silver School. Wren wants to get kicked out of the school but learns she will be returned to the stockade if she leaves. The commander is Cross Redden, son of the brutal leader who had commanded that all Mods be killed. Unsurprisingly, the antagonism between Cross and Wren turns into passion.

There are numerous popular tropes at play and the dystopian world is only superficially presented, yet the characters are fascinating. Some developments toward the end may disappoint but there are also some that will lift the plot. Though not a standout book, it is one that holds the readers’ interest and will satisfy anyone looking for sizzling encounters.

This book has really helped to fill the void left by Fourth Wing. While it had some similar themes and predictable fantasy tropes I absolutely loved it. It was nice to have a story with a slightly different twist in the romantasy scene and I very much enjoyed the Divergent feeling. I so feel like this book deserves justice as it was marketed as a dystopian novel like the adult verson of the hunger games and I just don't think it was either of those things which has left some readers disappointed. It's more like if Violet Sorrengail could read minds and I absolutely loved that concept.

In classic dystopian fiction the main character Wren Darlington is THAT girl. She's an Aberrant, a mutated human with psychic powers, except get this, her powers are more powerful than anyone else. She lives with her adopted father figure, Uncle Jim, on a ranch in the middle of nowhere in a post-radiation ravaged North America. That all changes when her uncle is recognized as a defected military soldier and sentenced to die. Wren goes to the capitol city to try and save him and in the process gets captured and forced into the military, forced to enter the ranks of the Silver Elite. And let us not forget her commanding offer, Cross, is the hottest man she's ever seen and can't help but crumple like a wet paper bag every time he looks at her.

I'm an old vet when it comes to YA/NA dystopian fantasy and I can't say anything about the plot of this book surprised me. The plot and motivation are flimsy in some areas, like the author made last minute edits to explain why characters knew something or ended up in a certain place. The writing was decent, if cringy at times making me literally roll my eyes but over all I was entertained and the pacing kept me hooked until the end.

"Silver Elite" by Dani Francis is a dystopian romance that has everything you could want; from the need to keep turning those pages to a cliffhanger ending, readers will be thoroughly entertained.

While there is mixed reviews on this one, I think it was a stellar story for a debut author and I am looking forward to book 2.

Fans of romantasy and enemies to lovers will enjoy this one.

Thank you Del Rey for selecting me for this ARC. I enjoyed it.

thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

i really liked the world that this author created! i don’t read a lot of dystopian, but this made me want to read more.

however, wren drove me CRAZY! usually main characters will say everything that’s going wrong is their fault and it isn’t true. but in this one it is. EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that went wrong in this book was directly related to her own actions. i honestly started to feel bad for cross because he kept having to clean up all her messes.

the last three chapters really grabbed my attention so i’ll probably read the next book, but wren almost ruined it for me.

This reads much more like a run of the mill romantasy novel than it does a quality dystopian novel. Lackluster worldbuilding, shallow characterizations, and very little real social or political commentary. Its vibes only, a vaguely dark backdrop for yet another 'enemies to lovers' romance and training school.

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙵𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚢/𝙳𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚊𝚗

“𝘞𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦, 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭.”

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
Well I guess dystopians are back?? I didn’t expect to love this book, but wow did it impress me. I thought dystopians are now a thing of the past, but somehow they’re making a comeback!

Thank you so much to Del Rey Books for my advanced copy.

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
In the Continent, you are either a Prime - immune to the biotoxin that nearly wiped the world out years ago, or a Mod - enhanced by the biotoxin giving them psychic gifts and they are executed without trial. Wren has been in hiding for this reason, but when she is put in their crosshairs for a mistake, she is held captive and forced to join their most elite Silver Block.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. The story picks up quickly with an intense couple of chapters that gives you an idea of the overall conflict and plot. So much tension rises, especially when the handsome and brooding captain Cross comes in. From there, you can expect alot of palpable chemistry and tension building that gets better and better each time!! So needless to say that I fell in love with Cross😍 Yet another book boyfriend has entered the chat you guys! We also have the badass female lead, so you can only imagine how the two mix SO. WELL👌🏼 Aside from the romance, I really enjoyed the politics and the dystopian world is set in. I feel like alot of its history is yet to be touched, but as a first book it did well to set the tone and the background of how the powers came to be, and the power struggles in its societal hierarchy. Simple, yet complicated enough to shake things up. A must read for all my romantasy girlies! I cannot wait for book 2!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴

Thanks to Netgalley, Hambright PR, and Del Ray for a gifted copy of Silver Elite.

I knew I needed to read Silver Elite from all the hype and mystery that surrounded its release.

I went into the story completely blind and I was absolutely sucked into the story. It was hard to put down. I loved the dystopia/romantasy mix.

I loved the characters. And the chemistry between Wren and Cross is fire. The ending left me wanted more and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

I hate it when hyped books actually deserve the hype. Because this one actually did.

It’s best described as Fourth Wing and Divergent having a baby and living in the Hunger Games world. There were a LOT of fourth wing similarities, and it was very predictable. But I ate it up. I can’t wait to continue the series. I would gladly read this book a second time.

Spice: 3

4.5/5 stars!

This book was genuinely so amazing and I can't believe I have to wait until the next book is released now, its going to kill me!! It gave everything I was expecting and more - true dystopia, unexpected secrets and plot twists and TRULY loveable characters.
To say I got attached to all of the characters is an understatement and Dani Francis' ability to make me feel genuine real-time emotions towards them is something I truly appreciate as a reader and something I'm forever looking for in new books and series etc.

Silver Elite is the type of book you pick up and want to read slowly so you can appreciate it's full potential but end up sprinting through truly because I couldn't put it down! I read this book while on holiday and genuinely found myself making excuses to stay in so I could read more of this book on multiple days.

Thank you so so much for giving me the opportunity of recieving this book as an ARC copy and I'm sorry it took so long for my review - I truly hope I'm given the opportunity to review book 2 once drafts are done and ARCs are ready! Congratulations to Dani Francis for the amazing debut, I can't wait to see what is to come.

Silver Elite will have you on the edge of your seat for all 528 pages. This dystopian romance follows the FMC Wren as she finds herself as a recruit to the highest level of the military school for the tyrannical government she has spent her whole life hiding from. Wren is brave and compassionate but she is also reckless. As she navigates rigorous training while trying to keep herself alive, she finds the lines of who she was, who she is and who she needs to be starting to blur.