I have seen so many mixed reviews on this book. Some loved it others really hated it.

First of all if you are going into this story to see action and a fast pace since this is classified as a dystopian well I’m sorry but you will not find much of it here. But if you like me are a romance girly like me and are here for the romance well yes you’re in the right book.

The book is so heavily focused in the romance between Cross and Wren. And let me tell you their first encounter was hot. These two had a sizzling chemistry. And you know what?! He falls first 😩😍 one of my favorites tropes. He was begging her to let him kiss her for god sakes. Cross was just perfect I have no complaints about him.

But Wren on the other hand I have some issues with her yes I love her wittiness and it was so fun to see her making Cross life miserable for a while. But her uncle died to keep her safe so no one knew of her existence and what did did girl did she went and do, she got rid of the thing that was protecting her from people finding out who she really was 🙄 and because if it her cover was blown. Not very smart of her. Another thing she was supposed to be this badass with a gun but I saw her only like twice used this magnificent skills in the story it was just a waste of potential to the story.

Lastly I felt that some of this plot twist were very predictable but I did enjoy the story and I for sure will be reading the next book.

In this fantasy world, some people have the ability to heal, some to communicate using telepathy, some can predict the future, and some can cause others to act in a way they do not intend. Wren is one of those people. The other group of people are "normal", and they are in charge, but they fear the "abberants" and are trying to rid the world of all of them. Cross is a son of the leader of the "normal" people, and a commander of the army. When Wren accidentally reveals her remarkabl ability to shoot, she is captured by the Elite, to join their army. The story is a good one, and obviously there are more books to come about the war between the two groups. Unfortunately the writing will have more appeal to teens than to adults,, but there are so many sexual scenes that I would not put it in a high school library.. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc but no pressure for a positive review.

I struggled a bit to get into this one at first. It's a lot of information to take in to be able to understand the different characters, and especially Wren. I loved the dystopian element of this one. I also found the psychic abilities portion to be really interesting. We have two factions of people and a war that seems to constantly be on the fringes of starting. The book really makes you experience all the emotions while reading. The tension between Cross and Wren is written beautifully and the banter is full of so much sarcasm and anger it just really ramps up the tension between them, not to mention the whole falling for the enemy thing. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next one.

DNF-ing this book because of the debates around this book regarding the supposed use of AI in the book and the insensitivity towards the depiction of real world issues in dystopian by using dystopia merely as a backdrop for a romance that is already problematic.

Dani Francis’ debut adult romance-dystopian kickoff to a trilogy will be popular with many. There is a strong female main character, Wren, who is full of contradictions and a handsome object of her lust who has secrets. Their world is fractured by intolerance and a desire to eradicate/dominant the other by two groups, the Modified and Primes, who are determined to wipe out the other. The Modified population were changed by a biotoxin during the last major conflict and now have a variety of abilities including telepathy, mind-reading, healing, and a very few can “incite,” or force others to do their will. Primes are humans without any special, hard to understand talents and are currently in power and working to either kill or enslave all Mods. There is plenty of weaponry, high tech gadgets and duplicity at every turn. And there is sex. A lot of very detailed sex. There are 3 big plot twists, 1 that everyone should see coming and 2 that will be a surprise. Wren is Modified but abilities do not manifest in the visible way it does for others, enabling her to blend in. But her guardian of almost two decades happens to be a deserter from the Prime’s military force, called Command, is discovered and executed and Wren is forced into a Command training program. For a number of readers 18-25 years old, all this will be enough to earn a 4 or 5 star rating.

I didn’t especially love the book and the series opener will be enough for me. Francis’ world-building is intriguing at the start but it never gets detailed or deep enough and I was left with a lot of how and why questions. Wren seems to motivated only by lust and otherwise, sort of drifts along never really deciding what is important to her except getting naked with random men (her past only being lightly touched on) until she bumps into Mr. Everything. He, too, is tortured by his passion for Wren and doesn’t really stand for much, either, except that he loves her and will risk everything to keep her safe. I did read through the end and kept hoping my questions would be answered and I would develop some sympathy for the duo and that I would begin to care how they were going to navigate the mess they find themselves in.

Note for high school librarians: If your community supports having Sarah Maas’ titles or others with similar graphic and gratuitous sex, you might consider this one, as it is likely to be popular with teen readers. In addition to the sex, F-bombs are sprinkled liberally on every page. God’s name, however, is not used in any way, profanely or in reverence, as the current administration of Primes have outlawed having any other god outside of the present ruling General. Wren’s best friend, Tana, prefers her sexual partners to be female but there are no details of her relationships and one of Wren’s soldier buddies makes a single comment about his exploits with men and women.

I really enjoyed this dystopian romantasy novel! It was compulsively readable and a fun ride. A bit light on the world building but heavy on plot. Easy to follow and keep track of characters, but perhaps a bit predictable. I will definitely be back for book 2!

Wren has spent her whole life hiding her psychic abilities and living with her Uncle Jim. When her uncle is taken by the Company for his association with the Uprising trying to give Mods back their rights in the Continent she goes after him, landing herself in the academy training to join the Silver Elite, she has to lie to everyone about who she really is otherwise she may be killed.

I would say this is one of my top reads so far for 2025, loved being back in a dystopian fantasy world again that's filled with so much tension you can't put the book down! Of course we have a romance that builds and is so addictive you just want more! Plot twists and action give this book another layer.

If you want a book you can't put down and just can get lost in I highly recommend picking Silver Elite up!

Yes but it isn't for everyone!I was immediately hooked on the premise of generations of women stealing jewelry from the nefarious to help the needy.

Good, not great. I can see why this is commercially successful--Wren is fierce, she is an adult with a past (vs a shrinking violet), and Cross is an appealing foe and lover. However, this wraps up a little too perfectly, the big reveal is very obvious, and there are some plot holes and leaps of faith the reader needs to take. All in all, an easy and fun read.

This is Fourth Wing meets Divergent. It is a fun read. There is action from beginning to end. Never did I feel like it was dragging or boring. Is it the best writing? No, but it was engaging. I was interested enough in the story and plot line to continue reading. I definitely will be reading the next book in the series.

I know this book has been getting mixed reviews online, but I honestly enjoyed it! There were a few random errors (spelling, grammar) that I think were mainly due to being an ARC, but the story was very entertaining overall. A friend of mine complained that Wren was annoying and kept making some dumb choices. And while I agree, I pointed out that Feyre (from the beloved ACOTAR) and other popular FMCs also don't start out super likable. Also, she's what, 20? Her prefontal cortex is not fully developed, so yeah, she's bound to be a bit annoying. I think Wren has a lot of room for growth and I'm eager to see where the story goes from here.

This was a difficult one for me to connect with. Marketed as the next big dystopian best seller, I couldn’t help but feel it lacked the soul that most dystopian novels require, especially in regards to having a believable social-political climate. It sort of felt like someone went, “oh, dystopia is getting popular again so let’s add a lot of spice!” without considering any critical thinking or application of the power this specific genre can achieve. It felt wild to read this with it releasing in 2025 and it having little substance or correlation to actual political climate. That left a really disappointing taste in my mouth, and it’s sad to see a heavily marketed dystopian novel and the only thing making it “for adults” is sex scenes. Some actual dissecting of the political environment (hello, again it’s a dystopian!) was absolutely necessary here.

Things I did like: I enjoyed the pacing, and I felt like the action scenes were followed by appropriate reprieves to keep it from feeling like it was falling head first. There was some clever dialogue and the conversations were easy to read through, which I always appreciate. I see a lot of potential in the side characters! I honestly want more of their story and I hope it dives that direction one day.

Honestly, I was really disappointed with Silver Elite. The plot was confusing, and the pacing felt off from the start. Characters seemed underdeveloped, making it hard to connect or care about what was happening. The writing style didn’t quite click with me either. It felt cluttered and lacked the grip I look for in a good read. I had high expectations but ended up feeling let down, so I can only give it one star. Not my cup of tea, but others might find something to enjoy.

This book gets all the stars!!! I haven’t read a dystopian book this good since Scythe!!! I could not put this down. The characters (each with their own distinct personality & voice) the plot, the world building, the atmosphere….everything is written so well. This is my favorite book of the year!!

Banter for days
Badass FMC
Hot MMC with an edge
Politics
Tension…oh the tension
Vested cast of characters
Dystopian world
Just enough spice
Fast paced story
Twists & a cliffhanger

Just an overall amazing book!! Already counting down until book two!

Wren, a Modified human, is forced to join the Continent’s military in this fast-paced science fiction. Wren discovers the hatred she holds for the Continent is more for those in power than the people who serve that power, but does less hatred mean she is open to love? This book will be great for fans of stories about resistance to government with a dash of romance. The execution of Wren discovering that it’s the government that is evil, not its people, was not believable enough to become invested in the relationships she builds.

Well, I guess I'm in the minority on this one and maybe am a bit smooth brained, but this was a 5-star read for me. BUT I went into it mostly blind, just knowing it was hyped and dystopian. I’ve seen this labeled as romantasy, which feels a bit misleading - it leans much more dystopian-lite with romance elements. With deeper world building in a few spots and more aligned marketing, this book could’ve avoided some of the conflicting reviews and really soared.

Could the dystopia have been a bit deeper and more reflective? Yes.
Was I still entertained without that? Yes.
Are there problems at times? Yes. See: <spoiler> sending lifelong best friend to labor camp </spoiler>
Is this the absolute best dystopian novel of all time? Absolutely not.
Is Cross Redden a new top book boyfriend? Maybeeeeee.

This isn't one of my "this book is a literary masterpiece and every single moment of it was perfection" 5-star reviews. This is a "I was so hooked and entertained, I had strong emotions, and this book will stick with me for at least a few days after finishing" 5-star review. I was here for the vibes and the vibes only.

That being said, this book definitely had its issues. And there's other reviews that dive into those issues in a way better and deeper way than I could- so please check those out.

Spoiler-y thoughts:
<spoiler>
- Wren and Cross scenes were cute and also sexy at times
- Also Kaine... I mean why choose am I right
- Wren you sent your bestie and her father to labor camps....................
- I do wish there was more discussion around the morals of everything
- And I also wish there was more world building. Show me the dystopia!
- I LOVE the mod abilities and how they manifest
- Wren healing her burn?!?? Like are you actually an idiot??? GIRL
- Kaine actually being alive and their hotshot pilot... uhhmm I mean I kind of wished for that when he "died" but there's something about this that I don't absolutely love
</spoiler>

I was able to read the eBook and listen to the audiobook. As expected, with Amanda Dolan as the narrator, the audiobook was phenomenal. Seriously, Amanda ALWAYS knocks it out of the park.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Worlds, Del Rey, and the author Dani Francis for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Extra shoutout to The Del Rey Team for reaching out to me - I can't wait to review more of your books in the future, especially if they are this entertaining!

There is much controversy about this book but I enjoyed it. It might be because it was reminiscent of early 2000s romantasy, but it worked for me. It's not the best book ever, but it was easy to read and I wanted to know what happens. Sometimes, depending on the mood, that is enough. I give Silver Elite 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of Silver Elite by Dani Frances. All opinions are my own

Why is this being compared to hunger games? It’s not hunger games?

Anyways I did enjoy it. It had me hooked the entire time. It didn’t have the depth I normally love in a dystopian fantasy. Also I feel like Wren was horny af. And not necessarily in a good way. Like I’m not sure if it added to the story line enough. I feel like story was compromised for it.

Overall I’m rating it 4 because despite me thinking it lacks depth, overall I did enjoy it. And have recommended it to so many people already!

I finished this book and oh my goodness I have no words. I started and finished it in about 2 days, and to say that I'm hooked is putting it lightly.

Our main lead, Wren has been living in hiding because of her powers and suddenly she's tossed into the hands of the enemy- forced to hide her identity and try to survive Silver Block - where the most elite of the Command soldiers are weeded out. Enter Cross, our cold brooding commander, who our lovely lead had a run in with (even then the tension was tensioning) and seeing the two of them develop their relationship was SO GOOD. (he's so down bad and I love that for him) The vibes between our two leads, Wren and Cross were *chef's kiss* AMAZING.

I certainly felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions, and the ending has me wanting the next one!!

Some parts of the book were predictable but I still enjoyed how the author had fun plot twists after plot twists that I wasn't expecting.

Military/slight dystopian setting
THE TENSION and banter
Badass FMC who's not perfect
Psychic powers

What more could you ask for? Thanks so much for the ARC opportunity!!

I didn't love this book. I like my FMC to be strong in what they fight for. This book was compared to Hunger Games and Divergent, both which have FMC who do fall in love but are first driven to do what is best for their country and people. This book was nothing in comparison. The character frequently talk about how hot or cute the MMC. We don't need to continuously hear about his looks. She was also s frustrating in the decisions she made which were selfish and immature.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC. Even though this one wasn't for me, I hope others readers love it.