I would give this a million stars if I could!! Dystopian fiction is SO back you guys 😭 This was everything and more, I've seen people hyping up this book all over goodreads and tiktok and the praise is so warranted 🥹 This book is easily my favourite read of the year and I don't think anything will top it. I think I actually enjoyed this more than when I first read Fourth Wing 🤭 There's no better feeling than starting a book and immediately sensing its going to be 5 stars and this is exactly how I felt after a few chapters. While I read the arc, I immediately went to preorder a physical copy of the book, 10 minutes after starting it. It's THAT good.

If you loved divergent, this is basically the adult version of it but better.

The world building is fantastic and there's a map in the beginning (who doesn't love a map!?), and the pacing is excellent and it keeps you engaged. Seriously I could not put this book down and if I had to, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

The FMC is so badass and feisty, how can you not love her? She's powerful but has to keep it lowkey, but she's also not dumb (which unfortunately a lot of FMCs in fantasy novels suffer from), and incredibly unapologetic. Yes, she's very reckless but it's what makes her so great and confident. The MMC is rough around the edges but he loves so hard🥹 I want to keep this review spoiler free so I'll just say I love him so much!

I did predict the one twist from the beginning but it was pretty obvious and I think that was intentional. It didn't make the reveal any less great, the payoff was so good 🥹

This is going to be THE book of the year, mark my words. I am willing to sell my soul to get a copy of the 2nd book right now 😭 This is going to be my entire personality for the next few months.

Silver Elite will become this generation’s “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games” combined. The concept of the power system was very well done, leaving enough to the imagination for how strong “Wren” can really be. I also think Francis does a great job balancing who’s right and wrong, as in there’s arguments for both sides. A wonderfully gripping dystopian novel with the right amount of lovable tropes to keep any reader hooked!

To say I devoured this book is an understatement! I could not put it down and didn’t want it to end.

I absolutely adored this book! It gave me all the 2000s nostalgia vibes of divergent and the action of fourth wing

Wren is just an absolute babe, she is everything you want in a FMC. Her determination, recklessness and strength made this book everything it was. I loved seeing her find her balance and all the twists that came her way.

Cross is perfection. What I would give to have a glance into his head. The way he commands a space, the tension between him and wren it was all just outstanding.

Set anything in an academy and I am sold! It’s such an amazing way to learn a new world system and you get to see so many different characters (shoutout to Kaine and Betima). The whole pace was spot on and I am already craving more!

Hands down one of my favorite reads so far this year 🙌🏼

✨ Dystopian
✨ Academy setting
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Burn the world for them

💕 Kaine and his flirting
💕 The dystopian elements
💕 The quiet moments
💕 The slow burn 🔥

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Hambright PR and NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review

This book was everything I thought it would be and more. As a huge fan of dystopian movies/books, X-men, and Divergent, I wasn't let down. The pacing, character development, plot and twists were well done. I'm also still trying to determine who it's safe to trust and who it isn't! There's so much I look forward to learning in the next book. I really like Wren. She's feisty, confident, and flawed, which is something I appreciate in main characters. She had so much riding on her, and given her situation, I think she handled it as well as she could. I also love her growing romance with Cross. There's so much story to tell, and I can't wait for it! I'll be recommending this book to anyone that'll listen. :)

Incredible read! For fans of Divergent, Hungers Games, & Fourth Wind (without the dragons), this one is for you! This dystopian romance was a page turner from the first page to the last with secrets, tension, banter, high stakes action, twists & turns. From page one, I was drawn in and couldn't put it down. I liked that the FMC was already a strong and lethal character from the start. I also liked that the MMC was smitten from start as well. The tension and banter between these two was great. I thoroughly enjoyed this plot and this world and can't wait to see where it takes us in book 2. highly recommend.

Easily top book of the year. Romantasy with a dystopian flair. It gave me the same high I felt reading some of the my favorite OG fantasy books.

It brought me back to the dystopian craze of 2014. But make it better. It was simultaneously nostalgic and new. It doesn’t delve deep into the bigger oppression issues but offers a near perfect dramatic escape when reading.

Twists and turns around every corner. I was obsessed.

A perfect bingeable book. I loved the romance. The plot and world building was intricate but also easy to read. Given to us in small digestible amounts.

ARC Review: this book was SO GOOD! i had an absolute blast reading this! it was the perfect combination of fantasy, romance, dystopian, apocalyptic fun, and had all of the best parts of them! it centres around wren, a girl in a world where ‘modified’ people are hunted and killed, and after some events, she is enrolled into the training for the silver elite, a group of extremely successful soldiers, run by cross redden, the leader’s son.
i was obsessed with this book. the start had me instantly hooked, and i loved the ‘academy/training’ setting, the characters, and the world building. it wasn’t anything revolutionary in terms of powered people vs non-powered people, but the powers were quite unique and i really enjoyed reading about them.
wren was such a fun character, so arrogant and cocksure yet she was deserving of it because she was such a badass. she did make some silly decisions but i loved how she had the gift of talking and making things up. cross was so fun to read, the stern and serious captain yet there was always something there which suggested he wasn’t as stoic as he appeared. the side characters were great, the plot was fun and gripping, and the twists were fun! overall, such a good read, definitely lived up to the hype, and i can’t wait for the next one!
thank you netgalley and the publishers for the ARC!

Let’s talk about how this was such a major BUMMER. Everyone is like, “wow Hunger Games for adults!!” but this evokes nothing like those books. It’s “dystopian” in aesthetic only, roiling around in the background just to service a romance that is so boring and predictable that I was constantly rolling my eyes.

The beginning was so interesting, I was instantly captivated by Wren and the world around her but all of that fell to the wayside as we meet the horniest FMC to ever live 😂 she constantly described the men around her by how hot they were. She is selfish, rude, and brash. A lot of these qualities aren’t bad, but she was just so unlikable. She’s 20, but acts so much younger.

The author was not looking to have political commentary, which is SO unfortunate because this could have been an amazing look at someone infiltrating a horrific regime, systemically removing modified individuals. Instead this was an unlikable FMC insta-lusting over the most Alpha Male to ever Alpha Male, setting up a couple that is copy and paste all other romantasy couples.

Silver Elite is out on Tuesday and I personally wouldn’t recommend picking it up, but I have seen a lot of people loving it!

4.5 ⭐️ I was not even close to expecting this stunning debut from Dani Francis. This fantastic dystopian fantasy romance follows Wren Darlington as the world she has known is thrown into upheaval. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat for the entirety of this book. The plot was captivating. The tension between Cross and Wren was scintillating. Wren is an incredibly strong and resilient FMC and when she demonstrates vulnerability it is raw and unfiltered. I love the relationship between her and her fellow recruits. This story has a great sense of found family. The ending had my jaw in the floor. Overall fantastic read.

Highlights:
✨Dystopian Fantasy
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Hidden Identities
✨Twisty Plot
✨Found Family

Favorite Quotes: “You’re not timid or weak, Dove. You’re a firestorm, and you’re going to burn everything in your path if you don’t learn how to restrain yourself.”

“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,”

Thank you to the author, Del Ray, Hambright PR and NetGalley for this advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

I couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook and I finished it in a single day! The story had me hooked from start to finish. Wren has been living in hiding because of her psychic abilities, knowing the government executes anyone like her. She manages to stay under the radar until one slip up changes everything. Captured and forced into government training, she ends up under the command of Cross Redden. I absolutely loved the banter between them and how they tried and failed to ignore their chemistry. Their dynamic, the suspense, the twists, it all kept me fully invested. Plus, Amanda Dolan’s narration was incredible. She gave each character a distinct voice and really brought the story to life. If you’re into dystopian reads, definitely give this one a listen, it’s so worth it!

I ATE this book, inhaled it. Non-stop action and intrigue and a very satisfying enemies-to-lovers slow burn, Wren has lived a quiet life as a rancher with her uncle Jim. She has incredible abilities as a "Mod," but knows they put her in danger, so she's always been warned to keep that part of herself hidden. Wren is also incredibly impulsive and compassionate, so when she uses her ability to save a child, she puts everyone she loves in danger. Wren's punishment is then to get enrolled in a sort of cadet competition to join the commanding army. Her leader is Cross, and he is, as you can imagine, very hot and intimidating. Wren isn't intimidated by him, and that draws him to her more. There are a million other side plots, but I really enjoy the character development between Wren and her friends. I like the way the author shows Wren wrestling with some real problems, and how she matures slowly over time. And the Romance between Cross and Wren is equal parts fiery chemistry and sweet. This is going to be the next big series. Highly recommend.


Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Silver Elite tells the story of Wren Darlington, a powerful psychic forced to keep her abilities hidden as she infiltrates the elite military unit of a brutal regime. As she navigates deadly secrets, a growing rebellion, and her complicated connection to her maddeningly attractive commanding officer, the stakes rise quickly.

I have pretty mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it was definitely bingeable—I flew through it and found it entertaining overall. But on the other, the plot felt predictable fairly early on, and not a lot actually happened. It had that frustrating combination of high potential but low payoff.

I really liked the MMC, Cross—he had some great moments—but his character (and especially his relationship with Wren) felt underdeveloped. There’s definite chemistry there, but it didn’t quite reach the depth I was hoping for.

It’s been marketed as a cross between Fourth Wing and Divergent, and I can see the influence, but for me, it didn’t come close to the hype. That said, if you’re after a fast, easy dystopian read with some romantic tension and rebel intrigue, this could still be a fun one to pick up. I’m curious to see how things develop in book two.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC

IF I COULD GIVE THIS BOOK 6 STARS, I WOULD!!!!!
Holy moly this book was PHENOMENAL!!!!! If you can only read one book in 2025 let it be this one. The plot was so good! It was such an original story. The plot was perfectly paced, intriguing and had the best twists and unexpected elements!! An incredible dystopian book! This book had me laughing, giggling, crying and on the edge of my seat!!! I loved the romance in it too! I literally stayed up till 2am a couple of times to read this book. That’s when you know it’s a good one. I absolutely LOVED the FMC OKAY?! She was such a strong FMC who could hold her own. And don’t even get me started on the banter! Yes!
Loved Cross!!! 😍 dare I say new book boyfriend???
And Kaine, man I’d love a bestie like him!
The world building was spectacular. Simple and effective, no notes
Spice level id give it a 2.5/5 🌶️ there were explicit scenes but didn’t go into a ton of details and weren’t very long scenes. There were about 3 or 4 scenes. Language included the use of the F word a many times. This is a great New Adult book!

Welp, I was wrong about being sucked into another trilogy!
DNF @ 21%

There is nothing wrong with this book’s writing style; just a serious problem in the way of depicting “unlikeable” characters. Everyone is over sexualized to the point of being completely indifferent to the idea of CONSENT; including characters the reader is supposed to like. The FMC, Wren, is absolutely insufferable and (tbh like me) causes most of the problems she gets into and (unlike me) gets upset when other people won’t help her out of them.
I got to a conversation that made me instantly uncomfortable if it happened in real life and that’s why I’m taking the out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝖲𝗂𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖤𝗅𝗂𝗍𝖾

I haven’t picked up a dystopian book since Divergent and The Hunger Games… and after devouring this one in under 24 hours, I deeply regret the 15-year hiatus I unknowingly enforced on the genre.

Blurb: Wren didn’t choose to be born a Mod. But in a world that hunts people like her, she’s spent her entire life hiding what she is—and what she can do. Surviving means staying invisible… until she slips up. Caught and cornered, Wren is given two choices: rot in a cell for the foreseeable future, or enter the Command’s military academy and train with its most prestigious unit—Silver Block. Blending in is the only way to stay alive. She can’t let her fellow trainees—or anyone in Command—find out what she really is. The only problem? The dangerously gorgeous, maddeningly intense Captain in charge of Silver Block and its elite force, the Silver Elite.

Keeping a low profile was the plan…
Too bad he makes it impossible. 

Things you will LOVE:
Dystopian world with serious edge
Military academy setting
Tension + banter 
Forbidden romance (yes, please)
Twists you won’t see coming
Hidden identities
Secret powers   

If you’ve been sleeping on dystopian like I was, consider this your wake-up call. The genre is very much alive—and this book proves it.

This epic dystopian fantasy is going to be a booktok sensation !! I absolutely fell in love with the world bulding and the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read dystopian or fantasy!!

Silver Elite is Book 1 in the new Dystopian Trilogy by Dani Francis. These will need to be read in order as there is one continuous timeline. This is an adult book and should be read by those over 18 years old.

Why you will love this book:
🦅 Dystopian
✨ Enemies to lovers
🖤 Forbidden love
🪖 Military academy

OH MY..........I LOVED THIS BOOK! I went in blind and I am so glad that I did. I have to say after I read this story, I went to the reviews...I am shocked by all the haters out here. I absolutely DEVOURED this book. This story is like if Divergent, Fourth Wing and Hunger Games had a three way except without dragons. The dystopian world was incredibly built. This book follows Wren who is a "Fect". Those are people who have abilities brought on by a chemical sprayed during the previous war. People who show any sign of abilities are hunted and either sent to labor camps or unalived. Wren is in hiding with her Uncle. When they are found, Wren is sent to the military academy under the guise that she either complete the training or live in the stockade. She had to hide who she really is and work to help the resistance because if they find out everything, she is done!

My nose was buried in this story for 2 consecutive days. between the slow burn romance, the banter and the twists and tuns.....I couldn't put It down. It does live on a cliffy so be prepared for that. I mean I expected it because this is a trilogy but it downs make it any easier. If you are a lover of fantasy romance, pick this up and come find me because I need to talk about this book!

you’re going to lose sleep over this book.. both while reading it and after…

Rekindle the feeling of when you read Divergent, Hunger Games, or Fourth Wing for the first time… but on stims..

I’m not going to shut up about this book for a long time

It’s a rollercoaster for our main character. It’s tragic, it’s heroic, it’s funny, it’s heartwarming, it’s going to have you at the edge of your seat chapter-by-chapter.

Wren works to avenge her uncle, winds up in a military and their enemy’s operation, oh and she falls hard for the captain of her block… who by the way is the General’s son. They share more secrets than they originally think..

I don’t know what I did to deserve an early read of this book but now I need to know what happens next IMMEDIATELY. Thank you Hambright & Del Ray for blessing me with this arc. And thank you Dani Francis for ruining my life, I can’t wait for you to do it again 😌

🖤 Dystopian
🖤 Telepathy
🖤 Slow Burn
🖤 Hidden Powers
🖤 Fierce and Snarky FMC
🖤 Academy
🖤 Trust Issues

I cannot recommend this book enough. Dani has a way of sucking you in from the very first chapter. The story is told in a single POV by our FMC Wren. She has some of the best retorts and is full of sass and banter. She has spent most of her life hiding her identity and powers. However her life forever changed after she meets Cross.

Wren and Cross are a sizzling slow burn. He's her commander but neither can deny their pull to one another. I love how he calls her Dove and i can just hear his raspy voice as he says it. Might be my new favorite nickname.

Rating - 4.5 rounded up to 5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - May 2, 2025
Publication Date - May 6, 2025

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authordanifrancis, @delreybooks and @netgalley!

Silver Elite is such a fun book! I was hooked by page one. The dystopian elements with fantasy magic and romance felt nostalgic to books I loved growing up. I loved how much of the magic and special abilities we get to experience throughout the book, especially the telepathy. I am a sucker for the anonymous pen pal trope, adding telepathy to that was something I never knew I needed but can’t live without now! I also enjoyed the training program classes and the report cards were a great touch. Wren is snarky and awesome, yeah she's impulsive and you have to roll your eyes at some of her decisions but it fits her character and I thought it worked. I can’t wait to see where book two takes us!

If you like magic and brutal academic settings, you should try Silver Elite!

Get excited to read Silver Elite, available May 6! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*