Ok that was incredible! I was obsessed with Divergent as a kid and this gives the same vibes but as an adult book. Dystopian is back baby! The romance was amazing. Some of the twists were a bit predictable but I still enjoyed how they played out. I really like the world and how the modified powers worked. I will not so patiently be waiting for the next book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was a fun read. A kind of sci-fi, kind of fantasy dystopian book featuring a wonderfully bitchy FMC. In this future, there are people who are Modified, aka they have big brain powers due to mutations from...the nuclear holocaust, I guess? Okay so I'm not totally clear on the science, but there are these people with psychic powers. And the *other* guys have tried to kill all of these Modified peeps, at the command of the General, their benevolent ruler/dictator.

Things happen, and our main bitch Wren is recruited to train for Silver Block, the premier group in the General's army. There's a hot commander who Wren hates (since she's secretly Modified) but who is just soooo handsome that she can't resist sassily staring at his striking jawline.

If I sound sarcastic, it's because lots of things about this book were very predictable if you have read any other similar book. BUT I gave it 4 stars because it really was a fun ride!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I had a good time and will definitely read the next book in the series.

I ate this book up like candy. Dystopian. Romance. Secret identities. Mental connections. Intrigue. Classroom/training setting. Spice.

Wren has spent her life in hiding, but when her cover is blown she is thrown into an elite military training program where she must prove her loyalty to the Continent while hiding her psychic abilities from her attractive commanding officer.

This is definitely dystopian, but it's more of a setting for romance and intrigue rather than a hard-hitting critique of society (although it is certainly there). I think fans of romantasy like Fourth Wing, Shatter Me, or Divergent will have a lot of fun with this one, as I did.

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

This was amazing! I could not put it down. The writing and story just drag you in and you need to know what’s going to happen. I can’t wait to continue the story and see where it goes.

•• “ 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮.”

Look there are books you don’t want to put down, and then there are books you 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 put down. There’s a difference, and this book is the latter.

This story has everything I love in a romantasy, and I truly can’t believe this is a debut novel. I felt a rush while reading, almost like the first time I read Divergent or even Fourth Wing, and the writing had me hooked from the first page. Heavy military vibes set in a dystopian world make for high stakes, lots of delicious enemies to lovers tension, and secrets galore and I loved every second.

The plot is the perfect level of complex, and the romance stays just as prominent without ever taking over. Wren and Cross have an instant attraction but it never felt insta-lusty to me and I really enjoyed the build up of their relationship - along with all their stolen moments along the way. Their tension and banter kept me blushing, and as soon as Cross became protective I was a goner. The eventual sweetness of their relationship felt even more special given the rough nature of their world and provided a much needed balance to the intensity of the plot.

•• “𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵, 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘦” 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.
“𝙇𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚. 𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩”

Yeah, swoon. Cross is a MAN, all caps.

Things get pretty wild in the end - some impossible situations arise, betrayals and secrets are revealed and we’re left with few certainties, but this doesn’t end on a painful cliffhanger and I have to admit, it’s so appreciated after all the high stakes throughout the story.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
•𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲
•𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿
•𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀
•𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
•𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻
•𝗗𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

This book was if fourth wing and divergent had a baby and I absolutely adored it. I’m very glad dystopian books are making its way back onto our shelves. Wren Darlington is a Modified that developed powerful psychic gifts and must pretend every single day that she is not. However she is forced to work for her enemy and train to become a Silver Elite. Of course her Commanding Officer is the most attractive man she’s ever had to ‘hate’ and the chemistry is explosive.
I loved reading this book and am so excited to see where the story will go from the ending of this. There were some great twists and I enjoyed learning about the politics in this world and the relationships between the characters. Huge, huge fan of Kaine. And of course Cross was just everything I love in an MMC.
Very intrigued to see where the next book will take us…. 4.5 Stars!

Enjoyable romantasy. A bit simplistic in writing and predictable. Reminded me a lot of a few popular romantasys I’ve read this year. I didn’t fall in love with any character. I don’t think I’ll continue the series.

Fans of dystopian fiction such as Divergent by Veronica Roth and Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard will enjoy Book 1 of Silver Elite by Dani Francis. Wren is a Modified with psychic powers, but the Modified have to live in hiding under the oppression of the Prime regime which hunts down "Mods." Wren is forced to train for the military Silver Elite unit while keeping her secret abilities hidden. The book is filled with action and suspense and steamy romance between Wren and her commanding officer, Cross Redden. The plot has many surprising twists and turns that keep the reader guessing what will happen next. I do wish Wren had been a bit more sincere in her attitude about relationships and friendships. However, she is a strikingly crafty heroine that readers will admire in the end. I am looking forward to reading Book 2 in the series. I received a free review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

WOWWW dystopias are back baby!! This is an ADULT dystopia set in a near future where a portion of humanity has special abilities like telepathy, healing, etc. The main character is, of course, super special, and ends up tangled in the military dictatorship.

I was drawn in immediately and just never stopped enjoying - the romance is good, the writing is perfect, and there was a perfect number of side characters!

This was a very solid fantasy read for fans of The Fourth Wing and Sarah J Maas. Head strong, powerful and impulsive Wren gets caught up in the war between Mods and Primes when her Uncle is taken away by Command Officers. She follows to The Point to attempt a rescue but ends up being forced into the Silver Elite program. She is in the vipers nest and must find a way to protect her secrets from those who would hate her if they knew she had powers. And thrown into this nest is the sexiest, most handsome guy she has ever seen. And he seems intent on making her life even harder.
Like all fantasy books, this has more books to come in the series. It was formulaic and some of Wren’s actions were incredibly annoying but I understood they were needed to move the story forward. The author stuck to what readers love: sex, attractiveness, action and suspense. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for book two.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The dystopian romance of dreams. The Hunger Games, Divergent and X-Men all mixed together with a dollop of forbidden romance. I know I’ll be eating up every book in this series and being insufferable while doing it.

Wren has a whip smart wit and is an all round badass with her telepathic powers and combat training. Her perspective is funny, bleak and all round entertaining to read. It’s refreshing in this type of book to see a FMC who recognises her faults and has moments of weakness, but pushes through mostly on her own merit.

Cross is type of the MMC I loooove in these kinds of books. He’s broody, focused and dark, but there’s so much more to him. I’m obsessed and need book two immediately.

There are tropes we’ve seen before but it doesn’t feel tired, Dani Francis has something to say akin to Suzanne Collins and it’s definitely worth listening to.

I’m genuinely excited to see where the story leads next.

I was initially drawn to Silver Elite for its promise of a gritty, high-stakes dystopian world with psychic powers, rebellion, and morally grey choices. In many ways, the book delivers—Dani Francis has created an intriguing setting and a heroine who feels powerful yet vulnerable. However, while I appreciated the fast pace and the core concept, I found myself wishing the romantic subplot hadn’t taken such precedence over the plot’s deeper potential.

Wren is a compelling character, and her circumstances—a Modified with dangerous psychic gifts hiding from an oppressive regime—instantly set the tone for tension. The early chapters were strong, but as the story progressed, the romantic tension between Wren and Cross took up more space than the world-building or political stakes. What could have been a rich exploration of rebellion, power dynamics, and survival often gave way to prolonged, heated exchanges and moments of desire that felt too frequent and too soon.

This isn’t to say the romance was without merit—there’s chemistry, and fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes will find plenty to enjoy. But personally, I would’ve liked to see more restraint in its pacing, and more attention paid to the supporting characters and the broader conflict. There are glimpses of a complex world here: the Mods versus the Primes, underground resistance movements, and a society grappling with fear and control. Unfortunately, much of that took a back seat once the romance ignited.

Stylistically, the writing is clear and accessible, and the action scenes are well-executed. The training sequences and psychic elements were enjoyable, and I’m curious to see how those evolve in the sequel. If future books delve more deeply into the sociopolitical aspects hinted at here, I could see this series really finding its stride.

Overall, Silver Elite will likely appeal to fans of romantic dystopian fiction who prefer strong romantic arcs with a side of rebellion. But if you’re looking for a nuanced, politically rich dystopian story first and foremost, you might find yourself wishing for more substance beneath the heat.

As a former Divergent fan, I am the perfect audience for this book and enjoyed it so much. Yes, it was predictable and the writing wasn't particularly complex or interesting, but it was a fast-paced, steamy romantasy that will absolutely appeal to the hardcore dystopian fans of the 2000s. The main characters were very Four and Tris coded, but there were also elements from a lot of other dystopian series that made this a fun, nostalgic mashup.

I absolutely binged this one in a day. Silver Elite is the type of book that hooks you in and doesn’t let go. The story is absolutely addicting and I loved Wren as a character.

We have Wren who has four psychic abilities, three that would find her in a labour camp at best and one that would mean instant death. She ranches with her Uncle and hides what she is until one day she does something in front of the wrong people. Taken from her life she’s put into training for the Silver Block. She does her best to be mediocre, hoping she’ll get kicked out but a certain Captain doesn’t allow it because he doesn’t trust her and well, they have an undeniable attraction.

I loved the characters in this one and the story was fast paced. It felt different in the way that Wren wasn’t trying to excel but, instead she was trying to be mediocre. I really enjoyed her strength, her banter, the interactions with people she considered friends even though they didn’t know what she truly was. I didn’t get a great sense of world building in the way of I didn’t really understand where the wards were and how large — but, that could’ve been me. The Blacklands were also interesting but, again. I wasn’t sure how the proximity worked but with the finished copy I’ll definitely be checking out the map. There were definitely some plot points easily guessed at but it didn’t take away from my reading enjoyment and I’ll definitely be continuing and recommending these books!

Thank you so much to Del Rey for the chance to read early.

This is not a return to The Hunger Games as an adult—that would require some coherent exploration of the genre it claims. But, y’all don’t wanna hear me, you just wanna dance.

Reasons for the one star:

- Wren, our fmc, is a horribly unlikable person.

From the opening scene, we get a taste of Wren’s selfishness, superiority complex, and tendency to self-sabotage. While “escaping” from a one-night fling, she actively leads the guy on while telling everyone else how clingy he is. He is a Command soldier—part of the military oppressing her kind (Mods). She hates and fears Command soldiers, but also seemingly exclusively seeks them out as sexual partners?

I like a little brashness in a dystopian fmc (see: Katniss). However, Wren’s impulsivity is not due to a strong moral compass or sense of justice—she acts selfishly, and everyone around her has to deal with the fallout. She genuinely does not seem to have any forethought about the impact of her actions on others—they are all NPCs to her. We don’t learn much of anything about her supposed best friend, so their friendship isn’t believable. And of course all male characters are introduced by how hot Wren thinks they are instead of by normal physical descriptions.

I’m all for complex, varied, and even unlikable fmcs when it makes sense for the story. But there is no indication that the reader is supposed to be actively rooting against Wren as much as I was. She’s entirely unrelatable—and please, may this friendship never find me.

- Cinder blocks and exposed pipes do not a dystopia make.

Silver Elite does the same thing I take issue with in many recent romantasy hits: the potentially interesting dystopian and sci-fi elements are an afterthought. They’re only developed and utilized insofar as is necessary to put the fmc and love interest into tropey scenarios (in the vein of playing Barbies as a kid and trying to make the Barbies kiss). I was truly intrigued by the promise of a dystopian world with an oppressive regime and an fmc with hidden abilities infiltrating the regime’s elite military squad. However, the author was clearly not interested in the political commentary that is inherent to the genre. For example, Wren notes that the Company is a “military machine” but its leader, the General, “has no need for politics or superfluous job titles.” This is just a bunch of handwaving to avoid the inherent politics of the world—partly because I think if the politics were explored at all, it’d be clearer that this is an unintentional villain origin story.

- The romance = The Worst Couple You Know.

Wren and the main love interest are just terrible people being insufferable together and making it everyone else’s problem. It’s insta-lust, it’s toxic, it’s shallow. It’s 40 tropes in a book box special edition trench coat. The love interest has zero personality and is all inappropriate comments. (He’s also just really bad at his job?) And because the world building is generic and the stakes are not believable, the “enemies to lovers” is just giving sexual harassment in the workplace. This is copy paste the same romantasy couple we always get (right down to the tattoos and a certain special connection—iykyk).

Silver Elite is set to publish May 6, 2025, and is the first of a planned series.

eARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good. This brought me back to the good ole days of dystopia. The days of Hunger Games and Divergent. The plot was fast paced, the characters were well developed and the world building was spot on. I can’t wait for more people to read this. I think it has potential to be the must read of 2025. Pick this up.

This is a must read for fantasy lovers. I can already see this being the next IT series!!! Dystopian romantacy that I didn’t know I needed. Loved character development. Hate to be this early ready for the next book.

This was a fun exciting read. I enjoyed the pacing and the character development. I loved the concept of this book and I think it was really well done

This book – WOW. It was engaging and action packed, with spicy, swoony, enemies to lovers romance. The FMC Wren is strong, stubborn, capable and smart, and is a Mod, a human with psychic abilities, hiding out from the government of the Continent. Wren’s world is thrown into turmoil when her uncle is discovered to be a member of the Uprising,

When Wren is thrown into the training program for the Continent’s military, she meets Cross, son of the General (the leader of the continent) who is a Captain in the army, and oversees Wren’s training in Silver Block, her new team. Wren and Cross clash but also feel drawn to each other, though Wren knows she should stay away, with the risk of being discovered as a Mod.

The story has great found family vibes, with Wren integrating into the team of recruits in Silver Block, with some becoming friends and others rivals. As they advance through the program, the group becomes smaller and the stakes higher, and the plot was so well paced, and so good, that I could not put this book down. I NEEDED to know what was going to happen next, how Wren was going to continue to avoid the wrath of the Continent and I was so sad when I reached the end that there was no more to read

This book was well written and easy to read, I flew through it. I really enjoyed it and will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this story, and will definitely be getting a copy for my shelf once the book releases.

eARC
JUST hear me before you judge me, this book I loveeeed it. If you like an adult version of Red Queen with better plots, almost believable powers and without love triangles, then this is your book. Definetively enjoyed it and I totally agree with the hype this book is going to get, also so good writing and such a good debut. I need book two ASAP!