This book completely exceeded my expectations, I knew I would love it as I have with Laura Stevens other books but I absolutely devoured this book and cannot wait for the second book in the series.
The world building and magic system were so unique, I couldn't have even guessed the ending if I tried, the characters were all so well written and I struggled to put the book down

Riveting Start to a New Fantasy Genre

L K Steven's, or Laura Steven's, first adult fantasy novel sets the bar very high indeed. Silvercloak, Book 1 of the Saga by the same title, builds a new world of fantastical magic, pleasure, pain and alliances.

Saffron Killoran witnesses the brutal murder of her parents at the hands of the infamous Bloodmoons when she is just a little girl. Sworn to keep secrets, hers and others', she decides to become a Silvercloak, a highly specialised elite force similar to police or maybe the FBI, in order to get revenge on the people who murdered her parents. But Saff's own secrets mean she fails the examination her training culminates in, shattering her dreams of righteous vengeance. Instead, she lets herself be drafted into an undercover scheme to expose the Bloodmoon's kingpin and bring him to justice. If it wasn't for a prophecy and the kingpin's mysterious and (kind of REALLY) attractive son..

First things first, I ordered my copy of this book after reading the first page of the ARC. No kidding. It is that awesome.
Steven builds a magic system based on pleasure and pain and really stretches the system to its limits in the book, which was a nice touch and shows she understands the cost and pay-off that is so satisfying to read. She borrows heavily from the Harry Potter-ish magic by having people use wands and wear cloaks of different colours (for different professions and family allegiances), but really, even her spells are quite different. Plus there is this long-lost magic called timeweaving, that is completely different again.. But I digress. Silvercloak is set in pretty much one city but within an empire and Steven occasionally gets a little carried away describing all the nations and their particularities (body jewelry, magic use, just to name a few). This does pull you out of the flow quite a bit and feels somewhat self-indulgent, especially since none of it is really very relevant to the plot at that point. The exposition is front heavy and I think could do with slimming down. There is so much depth to the worldbuilding that I had to put the book down more than I wanted to. This improved in the second half significantly.
I did, however, fall in love with the small, whimsical details of the magic and of Saff's parental home. Saff herself is also not a good person, as in goodie-two-shoes, but she has likeable traits.
Laura Steven's book are very body-positive in general and this being an adult novel, she really goes all the way, which I thought was absolutely wonderful and very commendable (and kinda hot..). She opens a lot of topics and boxes and does not get around to addressing all of them in this novel, but that leaves room for the rest of the series.
While some of the twists were foreseeable, many of them came as an utter surprise and even the easily recognisable ones were always topped with something different to take the plot in a direction I had not foreseen - the handiwork of a master plotter, if you ask me!

I had some issues with the naming and certain terms that to me sound like from my culture but I had a wonderful chat with the author about those and can assure people that there is absolutely no purpose in the naming conventions towards any real culture in particular.
There is a somewhat gimmicky obsession with novels within the universe that felt a bit meh and that I was tempted to skip over but the book is so strong that none of those things were bad enough to alter my 5-star rating!

Overall, I really, really, REALLY recommend you pick up this book. Especially if the magic in Harry Potter seemed a bit too convenient and without consequences. There are also some animal companions, book nerdery and all-round queerness that are very affirming and enjoyable to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, I can't wait to have my own copy!

Enjoyed!‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ₊⊹⁀➴ 4.5
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A strange concoction of violence and whimsy with a sprinkle of magical cats.

I wasn't sure about this one in the beginning. Saffron and her friends read a little younger than I expected, and there is no denying they don't make the smartest choices. But once I was settled into the story the worldbuilding and the writing ultimately won me over.

This is the diverse, queer-normative, 'wizarding world' of my dreams. It's gritty, dark, hostile, and bloody. Magical, playful, and charming. Make sure you look into the content warnings for this one, because I didn't and it was so much more gory than I expected.

Steven does a wonderful job of bringing this type of setting into the adult readership space without losing its magic. I absolutely ate up her descriptive prose of the city and its culture. I really hope future instalments dive deeper into some of the locations featured and that she's able to maintain this unusual balance of whimsy and horror. It's difficult to make a book with these tropes refreshing but this one really worked for me.

I do have some complaints about the plot, it was messy and lacked direction, but I found that it didn't really impact my enjoyment in the end. The characters are compelling and fun, with a touch of Arcane storytelling about them, and they are all fighting a losing battle with morality in a world where the most potent forms of power are are built on the sufferings of others. I'm glad the author didn't pull her punches.

The animal companions were a welcome addition. +10 points for the healing power of cat rumbles. I loved the way the magic system blended language, intention, and genetic inheritance.

The romance wasn't of interest to me and I personally think that Silvercloak shines brighter in its exploration of familial relationships and blood ties. But I did like the bi4bi energy and will always endorse enemies-to-lovers dynamics where sex DOESNT solve all of their problems.

Overall I had a good time with this one. It kept my interest despite its flaws and I am excited to pick up book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Cornerstone for providing an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────
✦ CW: scenes of torture, mild descriptive gore
✦ Rep: queernormative world, m/f bi4bi romance, f/f relationship
✦ Mood: dark, whimsical, nostalgic

After reading our infinite fates, I was extremely excited to read this. This had such a promising story to it and the author definitely lived up to that.
I was constantly kept interested by this unique story and loved how the characters developed throughout this.

I actually DNFed this book because I got bored, I don’t know if that’s because I wasn’t in the right mood for it or if I am just not enjoying the story. There’s nothing wrong with it, I just wasn’t interested.

I loved this! It definitely took me a little while to get my head around the world and the magic system but once I got it I was absolutely hooked and I could not stop thinking about this book! It’s such unique and interesting premise and Levan is absolutely EVERYTHING! I am obsessed with him! This definitely has the potential to be an amazing series and I cannot wait to read what happens next!

LOVED this book. Kept getting better and better.

The world is so interesting, I would love some short stories of Joran's whimsical magic, hopefully we learn more about Saff's parents and their back stories in the next book.

Loved this, get out there and pick it up !

3.5/5
I know theres a lot of buzz around this one, i found it a little bit tricky to love because of some of the ways magic worked (or didnt). It was just enough to knock me out of the page and make me want to investigate what had been mentioned before to try and figure out how some of the things would have been possible to get away with or how they'd work over the course of a lifetime.
I still finished it, but not sure ill carry on with the series.

This is the first fantasy book in a long time that has surprised me with being refreshingly new. Despite being a whole new world and magic system this was surprisingly easy book to get into which is not very common at all with fantasy.

The authors choice to drop us in on the cohort of 6 students before their final assignment, after a quick tragic backstory, meant we instantly got a feel for what the magic system and politics are, without having it be explained in confusing and not very practical ways. Show, don’t tell as they say. 10/10 world building. Some may compare this book to a certain well known series but in my opinion that’s only cause the author used wands.

Saffron after witnessing her parents brutal murder at 6 years old and found by the Silverclokes (the detectives of the world) she makes it her life mission to become one and take down the bad wizards mafia/ cult (Bloodmoons ).

Cut to her and her cohort of 5 other people just before their final practical assessment before they graduate. Gives us another practical look at how the magic works and well not everything goes to plan and secrets are revealed. Setting us up for our fmc Saffron to go deep undercover to the cult/ mafia crime bosses Bloodmoons to get evidence the silvercoats need, to get granted a warrant from the magical legal system. But she’s going to have to get her hands dirty if she doesn’t want to be found out and killed before justice can take place. How far will she go?

Then plot stuff happens (no spoilers here)

Something I really enjoyed about the setting and politics. It didn’t feel like thinly veiled description of the uk. Even the brutal north, didn’t feel the way other series have described Scotland. This felt more I want to say Russian? And the main city felt like more a Roman or central european location than thinly veiled london. Of course it’s a fantasy world so it’s ‘old timey’ of horse and carts etc but yeh felt more central, even eastern european compared to Uk. which honestly again was a refreshing change of pace for a fantasy world.

I think this has an amazing potential to be a very strong series believed my many. I really cannot wait to read book 2.

Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to be able to review this in advance!

In this world, magic is fueled by pleasure and pain- the main City this is based in (Vallin) emphasises the pleasure and I really enjoyed the descriptions of the scrumptious food, art, music and beauty everywhere. It made me want to be able to visit (as a fly on the wall of course). The book premise starts off with a wonderfully solid group of friends and fellow silvercloaks in training- it was clever to use each friend description to really showcase the different types of magic specialities. I do wish there was more on them later in the book.

Secondly the detective side and undercover work was nerve-wracking and I couldn't put the book down! It was full of magic, intrigue and whilst the twists were not too surprising, the storyline felt like it was moving nicely. I felt the romance came at the right pace too, it developed rather than was instant.

Overall I really enjoyed Saff's story and looks forward to reading more in the series!

Some of my favourite quotes:

"Beauty was wasted on a soul so corrupt"

"I am what most would consider a monster, but I have always had a code".

We love a morally grey MC!

I’ve previously really enjoyed Laura Steven‘s writing and was excited to give this book a go and right from the get go I was hooked in.
I do think you can tell this is Steven’s first adult fantasy book as even though the themes are darker and more adult, the main character still feels rather juvenile, as does some of the writing… however as someone who still enjoys a good YA I didn’t think it took anything away from the story.
The magic system is really unique and the world building was vast and felt rich and full as the story went on.
The characters are fully rounded and have a lot of growth through out the story which I enjoyed reading.
The overall story is well thought out and I really enjoyed it… plus THAT ENDING… I can not wait for book 2!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the E-ARC of this book.

Loved this book!
The magic system is so cool and I really liked both the MMC and the FMC. I did get a bit sceptical about 1/3 of the way through but I was proven wrong because it got better and better, the last 50 pages were outstanding

THIS BOOK WAS INSANE! OMG - I am still recovering and I am obsessed! I was immediately swept away and immersed in the magic and I don't even know where to begin with Saffron and Levan. The way they bond and join and heal each other without realising as time goes on is so beautiful, the spice had me sweating and the plot twists had me in bits!! I had heard the hype around this book but was not prepared for it to DELIVER on this level! I NEED a book 2!!

Silvercloak is one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life.
Laura is utterly mind-bogglingly amazing! Her talent and the way she's created this world astounded me with every page.
Silvercloak is not like anything I've ever read before and feels very unique. My magic system was so interesting to learn about and to see how the characters navigated that was super interesting.
The characters are so three-dimensional You really feel like you're with them.
The plot had me hooked from the beginning, I was guess constantly trying to guess what was coming next. Laura really had me on the edge of my seat for the whole book and the ending... Well... if you know you know. And if you don't know, get to know.

If you grew up on Harry Potter and are having withdrawals this book will definitely satisfy your cravings. The opening scene gave me “voldemorts time of rule” vibes with wands and death spells. There was a lot happening in this series opener and I think L.K. Steven did a fantastic job at establishing the perimeters and rules of the setting. It felt familiar and original at the same time, which made it easy to follow.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy. Unfortunately this was a DNF at 10% for me, I never abandon books but this just hit too close to Harry Potter for me which meant I couldn't get into it. I realise that will be a positive for a lot of people, but despite being a fan I just found it jarring. I loved the author's previous title and I'm sad that I couldn't get further in this 2/5.

Silvercloak is an adult fantasy romance enemies to lovers that will satisfy all your Dramione eske cravings.
The world feels very nostalgic for anyone who liked Harry Potter when they were younger but we get to see the darker side of organised crime. We get wands, cloaks and spells. I looove the aspect of pain and pleasure amplifying magic.
Like many fantasy book this tackles the topic of good vs evil, and can people be both.
I loved the romance between Saffron and Levan. Two people who don’t know if they can trust the other, finding themselves forming a connection when they know they shouldn’t. I won’t say too much because of spoilers but their relationship is both hot and heartbreaking
Another thing about this world was the way it tackled sexuality. I love a world where everyone is free to express themselves as they please.

3.5⭐️

Okay I’ll give this story it’s due, it was a VERY compelling read and I had a hella lot of fun. If you take anything away from my review let it be that!

Basically, this is a very Harry Potter coded under cover solider/spy with a healthy dosing of spicy romance and honestly? That was probably enough for me! (Well not really I wanted a little more)

Some of the character decisions left a lot to be desired and me kinda going huh??? But added ever so to the drama.

I loved the FMC, couldn’t care less about her ‘friends’ or her uncles? Like we never knew/met them and are supposed to care about them somehow - enjoyed MMC but some wack thought processes going on there. Together they are 🔥 but also lmao this shouldn’t work.

Defo will be reading this next one but going by the epilogue I get the feeling I might hate it. OH WELL

Thanks as always to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

A gripping read that keeps you focused and excited at what is to come next. The storyline is immpecible and excecuted so well

Many thanks to Cornerstone Press, Random House UK, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Silvercloak is a strong opening to a new fantasy trilogy from L.K Steven. The tropes include:
Magic system
Undercover
Prophecy
Enemies to lovers
Forbidden romance
Morally grey MMC

The story consists of Saffron going undercover in a mission to take down the group responsible for the murder of her parents when she was a child. I thought setting a revenge story against the backdrop of a world where magic is fuelled by pleasure and pain was an interesting concept which was executed well.

The worldbuilding was excellent, the characters felt layered and distinct, the magic system was unique and compelling, the plot held dramatic tension all the way to the end, and the story moves along at a steady pace without dragging or feeling rushed.

I appreciated the complexity of Saffron, our focal POV, as she must navigate difficult choices and come to terms with her shifting loyalties as she becomes embedded amongst her enemies.

Whilst this is not as tagged as a ‘romantasy’, there is a romantic subplot which is serviceable enough for the story but becomes crucial to the plot towards the end of the book and this is where I feel it could have been flushed out further. I hope we explore more of their dynamic in the next book.

There is a memorable animal companion who you will undoubtedly become attached to.

Overall, I found this an engaging read and the ending left me wanting more. I plan to read the rest of the series.

4 stars.