5 STARS
**Read twice

New favorite book of 2025 right here?????

Silver Elite follows Wren, a hidden *modified girl, who is trying to avoid notice of the government. The government is all-controlling, and people even suspected of helping rebel groups or having powers are executed. Although Wren is not a full member of the rebellion, she’s helped with multiple supply missions, and her uncle was an invaluable from asset. Wren also has four abilities as a mod, which is unheard of, and deadly. When her considerable weaponry skills get noticed by a guard, she’s placed in an Elite training group for the very government that kills her type. Of course, there’s also Cross, Silver Elite’s broody, but objectivity hot, commander, who is determined to make life difficult for her. In a deadly dance of secrets and love, can Wren beat the odds, all while keeping her secret? Or will she die trying?

Wren is honestly a character who is really relatable. She’s a bit cocky, but in the best badass way possible. She almost reminds me of Tory Vega from Zodiac Academy. The two of them both have the “don’t give a fuck” attitude that I absolutely love in fantasy characters. Cross… the moment you think he can’t get better, he does. Wren and Cross’s relationship is like a game of cat and mouse, with them switching roles frequently.

Overall, the writing style worked really well for me, which was a big plus. There were a couple of times where quality itself went down, but for a debut novel, this was really solid. The plot twists were a bit predictable, but I honestly didn’t mind it in this book.

I had really high expectations going into this one because of previous reviews that I’d read, and it lived up to the hype in every way possible. But that cliffhanger… yeah, I think Dani Francis will be getting my therapy bill after that. Not to mention that I also read this book twice before it was released, because it was that good???

*Modified people are people with special abilities

Features -
- Dystopian/Fantasy/Romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Secret identity
- Forced proximity
- Single POV
- Touch her and die
- Political plot
- First person
- Spicy

>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3

🔮 Psychic Powers
🧪 Dystopian
⚔️ Elite Military Program
🗡 Enemies To Lovers
✨️ Wolf & Daisy 🐺🌸
💔 Betrayal & Loss

This book is AMAZING! If you loved Divergent like I did growing up, you'll love this kind of story!

I have emotional whiplash from this book. The last 30% especially. Oh my god. 😭 The relief, then the horror, then the excitement, then the sadness, it's an emotional rollercoaster for sure. The entire time you read this, you'll be tense lol.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

I need the next book. NEED IT. I absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi, dystopian stuff. Oh man. I wish I could read this for the first time again. The whole thing was so well done. Easy 5 stars for me.

Huge thank you to the author & NetGalley for letting me read & review this book. 💜

So I’ve been thinking about how to rate this book, and I’m happy to round it up to a 4 ⭐️… to set the scene, Silver Elite gives MAJOR Divergent vibes, though in this world the “Divergent” people are much more common, were caused by a toxin during wars, and are called Modified/Aberrant/‘fects (depending on who is talking).
Wren is a mod, one with more than one talent, who faces a pretty traumatic event early and her impulsiveness earns her a sentence of government training and service.
Through training, she almost makes friends with people who hate her kind, masks her skills well, and takes an interest in the broody (hot), tattooed (even hotter) Command Officer. This book is mostly her debating whether to try her hardest to break out, give up, or pass the training. All while trying to figure out if the Uprising is as genuine and good as they say they are. I’m definitely anticipating the sequel(s) to pack even more punch as we learn more about this Uprising (that letter? Her parents? Why did they do that and were they right to do that?) and this world, but I felt like this is a great start to a new series!
If some of this seems familiar, yes there are threads of books like THG, Divergent, Shatter Me, and other dystopian novels, but I still really enjoyed it. I went from 20% finished to 100% finished during a 5 hour plane trip, so it definitely kept me engaged, excited, and racing to find out how it was going to end!
thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book, these are my own honest thoughts.

ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Silver Elite had me on the edge of my seat and heart racing. I could not put this book down. I think I'm in love with Cross. His possessive and controlling demeanor is attractive. Wren is an absolute badass. She's cocky, sarcastic, and loyal. You will absolutely love the well written side characters too.

This is my new favorite book. I've been craving a book like this for years now. This dystopian romance brings back all the feels of Divergent. The tension and yearning paired with spice was perfect. If I could inject this book into my veins I would, it's addicting. I NEED BOOK TWO.

Tropes:
🕊️ dystopian
🕊️forbidden romance
🕊️ slow burn
🕊️rebellion
🕊️enemies to lovers
🕊️ he's obsessed with her
🕊️ strong FMC
🕊️academy
🕊️special abilities

Thank you Dani Francis, NetGalley, and Hambright PR For the e-ARC.

4.5⭐️

Dani Francis’ debut book Silver Elite features engaging writing as it blends fan favorite dystopians while still being unique. This dystopian book will allure to fantasy readers as well with tropes like enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, and secret identity. This was a fun book to read that hooked me from the first chapter! The world building was interesting, the plot was addictive, and the romance was romancing! I enjoyed Wren’s character, though at times I was definitely thinking she needs to get her head together making rash decisions and talking about how attractive or not attractive someone is. She is a loyal and smart person though. I loved the side characters in this book, and Wren’s interactions with them. Cross is an intense and cocky character. The tension and banter between him and Wren was good with even better spice! The middle of the book for me kind of slows with Wren trying to get into Silver Block, but the ending makes up for it with its fast pace and the twists and betrayals. I’m looking forward to seeing what the second book has in store! Definitely check this book out if you enjoyed Shatter Me, Divergent, and The Hunger Games!

Thank you to DelRey and NetGalley for the eARC.

Not me over here cruising along thinking “this is a nice story” then BAM! Now I’m over here cursing Dani Francis out for a Rebecca-Yarros-style cliff hanger.

Silver Elite has everything—heat, drama, betrayal, suspense. Read the book. I dare you.

Pub 5/6/25

#SilverElite
#DaniFrancis
#NetGalley

Wait, what do you mean? How am I supposed to carry on with my life knowing I’ll be waiting at least a year to see what happens next with Wren and Cross?! Silver Elite is for everyone who grew up reading the dystopian novels of the early aughts and wish the trend hadn’t died.

Following the last war, a contagion modified humanity. Some, the Primes, were not changed. The infected Mods (short for modified) have been given physic abilities that range from healing to minding reading to being able to control other peoples actions. The current General wants all Mods dead or serving under this command. If you’re a Mod found guilty of concealing your powers the punishment is death. Wren Darlington has hidden her powers her whole life, but when the Guard comes to her small village, she’s suddenly thrust into training for Silver Block. Hiding her powers and trusting no one are the only way she knows she can stay alive. What she doesn’t expect is to feel drawn to Cross Redden, the commander of Silver Block and the person she should fear the most.

This was such a bingeable book and I managed to finish this in two sittings - which is no small feat given it’s 500+ pages. The story immediately sucked me in and while it did take me a bit to wrap my head around some of the political things, the story was pretty straightforward and easy to follow once you come to understand the hierarchy of things. Wren was such a badass, but she also made some seriously questionable decisions which made me like her all the more. She wasn’t perfect, far from it, and that made her seem more relatable. Silver Elite reminded me so much of Fourth Wing (minus the dragons), so I really hope this becomes the next big thing. I can’t wait for the next book in the series and will absolutely reread this in the near future.

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for a review copy.

Silver Elite by Dani Francis is a romantasy with dystopian aspects. It follows Wren, a unique “Modified” who has multiple psychic gifts, some of which are extremely rare. At the start, Wren is captured while trying to save her uncle from death. As a result, she is forced to join the military she hates and works to help the Uprising movement from the inside. And of course her attraction to her commanding officer makes things complicated for both of them!

After recently reading other popular romantasy, I assumed this would not hold up to the hype. I was wrong! I enjoyed it more! I hope the second book is quick in coming as I’m eager to learn what will happen next for Wren!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 But rounding it up to 5!
🌶🌶 Adult spice
🩷🩷🩷 Romantic longing
⚔️ Fight scenes

The dystopian romance my adult heart has been craving!

My number 1 favourite genre is a dystopian romance, and this was exactly that. A post-war dystopian world with technology, some fantasy elements, a mutation power, faction syatems, and political wars. All that with a romance brewing.

We follow the FMCs single first person POV while she learns to navigate her life through a political war, while being the very thing her enemies want to exterminate.

Wren Darlington has mind control powers and finds herself thrust into an enemy training camp where she needs to hide her powers and try not to fall in love with her new captain.

🫶 THINGS I LOVED:
I absolutely loved the mind control powers. There are 8 different types, and each has a different fear attached to it. The FMC had 4 (I loved that she didn't have all 8 because it could feel predictable if she had). I was constantly trying to guess which characters had or might have had powers.
I also loved trying to figure out who her best friend was and where that person lived.
The romance was fun and enjoyable and had the right amount of spice for the characters' age.
Wren was fierce, capable, insecure, strong, and nervous.... she had mad skills but was also flawed, which made her character borh enjoyable and relatable.
I loved the chapter sizes - brief and to the point. No space wasted.

💔 THINGS I DIDN'T LOVE
There wasn't much I didn't like.
The romance could have had some more depth to it. It could have had some more risk and maybe some variety in the bedroom.
I didn't enjoy how some parts were extremely predictable... but at the same time, it was the sole reason I picked up this book (I LOVE dystopian romances, and they all have some element of predictability).

🤏 WHY IT LOST HALF A STAR:
This really did feel like Divergent coded with a Fourth Wing's romance. There were some unoriginal things that I felt could have had their own uniqueness.

📝 OVERALL OPINION:
I damn well loved this book. I enjoyed every single chapter. The writing style was perfection, and the scenes were very well thought out. One moment flowed seamlessly into the next, the timeline was spaced really well, and all the characters were written wonderfully.

❓️ WILL I READ IT AGAIN?
Absolutely. I will definitely be recommending this to all my dystopian romance lovers, and I will be reading book 2 the day I get it in my hands!

Those of us that grew up reading The Hunger Games and Divergent are going to die for this new dystopian world. Unlike those YA series, this is a New Adult series and also has some fantastic fantasy elements. I really enjoyed the world-building and the overall magic abilities that create the divide in society of Mods versus Primes.

I am not usually a fan of the instant-love/attraction type of romance, but it works very well in this one given something that is revealed later on. Elements of this relationship dynamic remind of Violet and Xaden from Fourth Wing, except if you reverse their social standing and family. He, however, is still a very arrogant commanding officer.

The training to get into Silver Block also reminds of the training required to bond with a dragon. It is very dangerous, there are trials that may kill recruits, and not everyone is guaranteed a spot. There are also some other elements that may have you feeling the same way you felt about Fourth Wing.

Wren finds a new family at the academy and this gets tested by the fact that she is everything that the Command hates. She struggles to relax and be herself while training undercover for the resistance yet wanting to be friends with these classmates that are people she enjoys. There are some fantastic twists in this story that I truly did not see coming. I know others have predicted them, but I enjoyed not seeing these happening until they hit.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is going to be a big one on Booktok and Bookstagram for sure!

Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This book is another example of “dystopian is back!” See The Dividing Sky for a YA example!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this! I’m quite picky with sci fi and dystopian based books because it is my bread and butter, and like someone who drinks the same cup of tea every day for years, I have grown quite particular about it. Writing style is fast, engaging, and the main character felt tough without it feeling performative or “I’m not like other girls,” a big bonus. Prose is simple and straightforward, world building feels easy to grasp (this is praise), and the male main character(s) had real chemistry with Wren. I say this to say, Silver Elite does not fall prey to the standard issue debut Romantasy traps many do, and I think the marketing is spot on. This feels like an intersection between Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games, and should be marketed aggressively, because I feel this has real potential to make a big bang.

I do have one stylistic note that you can take or leave, which is perhaps editing of pace could be touched on in future books, I did feel a little ripped around by the tempo of the plot development at times. The changes of pace did make reading interesting and unexpected, but there is growth potential in smoothing transitions and leading into and out of big scenes.

The Orwellian themes never feel heavy handed, and the book feels like a fresh breath in a genre that can get a little slogged down by ideals and ominous overtones. Great ideas and execution (oh no, I really am not trying to make a pun about the uncle, I promise), I can (and will) heartily recommend this book to fantasy and dystopian fans, and very much look forward to more books from Francis in the future! Thank you for allowing me to contribute to their debut, it is an honor!

BESTIEEEES YALL GONNA GO FERAL FOR THIS ONE !!!!
✨6 infinite stars!
- publish may 6, that’s tomorrow in a few hours !!!

honestly i can’t believe i finished this book I LITERALLY WANT MORE!!! i can’t wait for the next book!!! 😭😭

wren FUCKING BADD ASSS !!!! this girl don’t take NOTHING FROM NOBODY ! but she’s a sweetheart to those she loves!

cross OHHH BOY OH BOYYYYY OH BOY!!!! new book boyfriend UNLOCKED!! 🤭🤭🤭 his obsession for wren HMMMM I WAS SWOONING PLLSSS THIS MAN!!

this had me turning pages after pages, i just needed to know what was going to happen, and when i wasn’t reading this book i just kept thinking about it, now that i’ve finished it i don’t know what to do! i’m literally obsessed YALLLLL!!!! this book was sooo muchhhh fun i enjoyed everything about it. it’s also super easy to follow the world building the characters and everything was 10 OUT OF 10 !

ARC kindly provided by the publishers though NetGalley.
It's a 3.75 but I don't feel right giving it 4 stars.
This book gave me serious Fourth Wing vibes, as in fast-paced and addictive enough to keep me turning the pages. I liked the main character; she’s self-aware and consistent. It’s refreshing to see a protagonist who acknowledges her own flaws and actually acts in line with how she describes herself, instead of claiming to be “cold and calculated” while doing impulsive things like we often see in this genre. Still very much a "I'm not like other girls" type of MC.

That said, the last few chapters before she flees to the Blacklands were rough. Everything felt extremely rushed, like the author was cramming in info just to push the plot to a specific point. It pulled me out of the story and made what should have been a climactic moment feel forced.

Also, for a program called “Silver Elite,” the training felt... basic. I would’ve loved more detail about the classes and challenges Wren faced. It felt like a missed opportunity to show real growth or stakes within the academy setting.

Overall, it's a solid start and I enjoyed it, but I’m hoping for more depth and polish in the next one.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise sounded intriguing, and I can see why it resonates with so many readers. There were certainly moments that hinted at something deeper, and I kept turning the pages hoping it would click. But for whatever reason, it just didn’t land for me.

Maybe it was the pacing, or the characters, or the tone—hard to say. It’s not that the book was bad; it just didn’t feel like the right fit. I found myself more aware of the time passing than lost in the story. That disconnect grew as I read, and by the end, I realized I wasn’t taking much away from the experience.

Still, I think it’s one of those books that really depends on where you are when you read it. For someone else, it could be exactly what they need. But for me? Not this time.

★★★★★ | 🌶️1.5 |✨ The rebellion your heart didn't know it needed ✨



This masterfully crafted dystopian romance follows Wren Darlington—a powerful psychic infiltrating the enemy's elite training program where her abilities would mean death if discovered. The forbidden tension with her commanding officer, Cross Redden, is positively electric.



Vibes we're tracking: 

🔥 Slow burn that simmers then ignites 

💫 Identity secrets with devastating stakes 

🌙 Constant surveillance creates delicious paranoia 

⚔️ Nostalgic yet fresh dystopian landscape 

👑 Genuinely competent, unapologetic heroine


The chemistry simmers with meaningful glances and forbidden touches that eventually culminate in steamy moments worth the wait. I found myself fighting sleep for "just one more chapter," completely lost in this world where trusting no one and lying to everyone becomes second nature—except when it comes to falling for your enemy.

An absolute must-read that's rekindled my love for dystopian romance!

This book tastes like red cougar - DELICIOUS!!

Living in a dystopian world where modified humans (“Mods”) are hunted, captured, killed, and enslaved because of their unique abilities, Wren Darlington is forced to join the Elite training program to fight against her own kind. As a mod, Wren has spent her entire life in hiding with her uncle, but when a careless mistake gets her uncle discovered by the government they were hiding from, Wren’s life changes forever.

There were so many fantastic aspects to this book - the characters, the writing style, the modified ‘magic’ hierarchy, political intrigue and war, and the unpredictable plot. Set primarily at the training academy, this book is captivating from the first page and completely unhinged in the best way.

Hot tropes:
- Slow burn romance
- Secret identities
- Surveillance
- Dystopian world-building
- Badass FMC

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc!

You know how sometimes a book actually gets worse on the reread? Sad to say that’s Silver Elite.

If you write a dystopian novel, you have to actually build the world. Not just the who/what/where in the present of the book. I need the ins and outs of class, the political system, the history, the “how and why did we get here?” The same is true of the romantic relationship. Especially if you want me to buy into an enemies to lovers arc. Insta lust and the pull of attraction are NOT ENOUGH.

Let me get this part out of the way— Cross is a flat character. Francis doesn’t give us the specificity and texture to the relationship, the build that we need. They just lust after each other immediately and relentlessly. The eventual emotion in their intimate scenes is surface deep. Once (redacted) is revealed, Francis should have switched to Cross’ pov. Honestly, this part might have worked if their relationship arc had all happened beginning/ middle of the book, and then had the chance to deepen once their walls come down.

Now. The PR campaign for this compares Wren to Katniss, but I must protest—Wren chooses her life over the lives of others multiple times in this book. If anything it’s more like Divergent in that it depicts a militaristic society and lacks meaningful historical or political world building. A past war created a toxin that modified some humans—How did the war start? How was the toxin created? When was it clear Mod abilities were genetic? When and how did the rift between Mods and Primes form? General Redden runs the military and the Company, but what’s the governmental structure? If you want answers to any of these questions, you won’t get them. If you’re looking for a better dystopian romance about a capitalist-militaristic society, may I direct you to Kit Rocha’s Mercenary Librarian series?

Wren is yet another example of a racially ambiguous fmc with “bronze skin” who’s preternaturally powerful and all the boys want her because she’s “not like other girls.” She’s not quite TSTL, and yes she’s written as impulsive, BUT. She constantly evaluates and makes decisions with limited understanding that’s only based on what she can perceive in her current context, without further questioning. On the one hand, she’s suspicious of people because of who their parents are, and on the other, she gives the benefit of the doubt because someone has been nice to her. In a different book, her misplaced trust could have been used to comment on the way positional privilege (which she holds as a member of the elite squad) can blind you even when you’re a member of an oppressed group…but this book isn’t that nuanced.

There is just so much wrong with the ethics on display here. First of all, when will we grow out of creating conflict by prejudging people for the sins of their parents? This tangentially relates to my biggest problem which is about accountability: these MCs, they act like they don’t have a choice when they do. Cross is a good guy, because why? He cares about his mom? He sends Mods to labor camps instead of killing them? This is the lowest bar imaginable. Or when his younger half brother, with whom he has a fraught relationship (and who is portrayed as a sociopath but clearly has a tragic backstory that could have made him an interestingly complex character) challenges him publicly to a fight, we should believe his only choice was to destroy him? And feel bad for him about it? Wren is just as bad. She’s constantly performatively questioning herself and then doing what she was going to do anyway. She has this (redacted) power that she claims she doesn’t want and can’t control, but both times she uses it, there’s active effort and the intent to kill. I was continually left with the feeling this book doesn’t understand the concepts it is trying to explore.

And it ends with a cliffhanger that I don’t care about at all.

Have you ever had a book just enthrall you so much that all you want to do is find anytime to read? What am I talking about, of course you have! When I started Silver Elite, it consumed my every waking moment! I began it on an afternoon and when sleep eventually called, I woke up early the next day to continue the binge session. SO. WORTH. IT. I’ve been itching to read a dystopian book and this checked all the boxes for me!

Wren is a ‘mod’ or a human with off the charts psychic abilities. And in this world, you keep that a secret or you’ll get yourself killed! After a run in with a mysterious military guy and some sharpshooting, she finds herself captured by the people she was supposed to stay away from. Wren is given one choice, to join the Silver Elite program where she finds herself in a unique position to maybe take down the regime from within. Here she finds out that the Captain of the program is the military guy she met earlier that evening, Cross.

This was a true enemies to lovers and it’s no wonder I loved it so much! The dynamic between Wren and Cross was unforgettable from that first interaction and that slow burn was soooo epic. Two of my favorite tropes in one book! Their slow-burn romance is perfection. It’s not rushed or forced; it builds gradually, with each interaction adding layers to their complicated feelings for each other. The banter, the trust issues, the sparks flying between them, I couldn’t get enough! I was counting down for that moment when they would finally stop fighting their attraction.

Silver Elite had me hooked from the start, and honestly, I couldn't put it down. The mix of action, suspense, and that slow-burn romance made it an absolute binge worthy read. If you're a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, humans with special abilities and a bit of political intrigue, then this is definitely one to add to your TBR. I can already tell that this is going to be a series I’ll be following closely. I need book two now!

The Hunger Games x Divergent

I ate this up. I had high hopes and I was not disappointed.

Our FMC Wren is a freaking badass, incredibly impulsive, but not to the point that it annoyed me because let's be real sometimes an impulsive FMC can be a real pain. Our MMC Cross may be one of my fav MMC's as of late. He falls first… that gets me every
time.

I highly recommend picking this up, you won't Be disappointed!

Silver Elite was a great, fast-paced, bingeable read. A few times I found myself not wanting to put it down and thinking “just one more chapter”. The unique dystopian world that Dani Francis created was really interesting, and while I consider myself first and foremost a romance reader, the plot had me hooked. I will say, some of the “twists” I saw coming pretty early on but others managed to catch me off guard, and the action and political intrigue kept me on my toes.

I appreciated Wren being a strong and capable FMC who wasn’t afraid to stand her ground on the things she believed in. It was a refreshing contrast from the “small”, “weak”, “meek” female leads that are in a lot of fantasy and fantasy romance.

I also really enjoyed the friendships/relationships Wren formed in the Program—especially with Kaine—despite her internal conflict about befriending “the enemy”. I imagine her distress over these complex relationships will continue to be an interesting point of contention and conflict as the series continues. I do wish we saw more of Wren’s friendship with Wolf, though. The strength of their bond seemed to be more tell than show, and I was hoping to see them connect on a deeper level.

I really enjoyed the romance between the two MCs. I liked the dynamic of the MMC being down bad while Wren tried to resist her feelings/attraction. I also appreciated that even when she gave in, it wasn’t immediately insta-love. They still maintained that it was just physical attraction—even though, as the reader, you can see it slowly becoming more than that.

My only critique of the romance was that it felt a *teensy* bit forced at times—mainly in the latter part of the book. I was really enjoying the slow, steady build of their relationship, and then it somewhat suddenly spiked toward the end and borderline became the insta-love I thought had been avoided. The jump from maybe-sort-of starting to develop feelings to I’ll-burn-the-world-for-you levels of devotion felt a bit abrupt. I wanted to see more meaningful interactions and emotional depth explored on-page before reaching that point—which we started to get in a few scenes, but I felt it could have been taken even further. I wanted to see that slow-burn, palpable tension get dragged out a bit more—especially knowing this will be a (3 book?) series. That said, this was a relatively minor hang-up for me and didn’t detract from the quality of the romance as a whole or from the overarching plot. Again, it’s more of a nitpicky detail—I’m always most critical of the romance/relationships in books.

Overall, this was a really solid read, and I’m looking forward to picking up the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Worlds for providing me with a copy of this book for review consideration.