At first I was really hyped up about this book.

Saffron's parents gets killed by a criminal organization called The Bloodmoons when she was six years old. Saffron grows up planning to seek revenge for her parents. Her chance shows up when she's offered an undercover job to infiltrate the Bloodmoons and collect evidence, because she's the only one who can by pass their security measures due to her immunity to magical spells.

This book started great. I loved the idea of the magic system. The pain and pleasure aspect was really interesting. The story had so much potential.

Unfortunately, this didn't feel like an adult fantasy. It was juvenile and some scenes were just too easy and convenient. I expected some high stakes, nerve wracking scenes while the FMC trying to investigate the Bloodmoons but that didn't happen. The FMC is supposed to be this well trained detective but she just made a joke of the undercover job. She keeps making ameture mistakes and revealing her friends secrets.

The characterization was inconsistent and characters would do and say things that makes no sense. I felt nothing towards any of the characters and was really disconnected to the story.

As I stated above, I loved the idea of the magic, but the execution was not done well. The author kept breaking her own magic rules. The world building needed some depth and complexity.

Moreover, we get repeated lines that has no significance to the plotline, and the fact they were mentioned a few pages back, it felt repetitive and disjointed.

The ending was the last straw for me, it was such an easy way out. I'm sure a lot of readers will love this book but it's not for me.

All opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.

A mysterious fantasy with a questionable relationship? Say less. The world building was wonderful. It wasn't overly explained, but the details were enough to feel fully immersed in the experience. I enjoyed the simplicity of the magic system and just enjoying the ride it takes you on. The twists were fun, the characters built out, and overall the story flowed well. I'm very excited to see where this goes. I'm already dying for book 2!!!

Finally a refreshing take in the fantasy genre!

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. As heart breaking as this chapter was it gave you a really good indication of how important the FMC would be moving forward through a time jump.

I loved the elementary setting with the brain storming, team exercises and ruthless tests (not your run of the mill school exams, try life and death scenarios that require magic use, spells, cunning and flair).

This book was a breath of fresh air for me I don’t want to say too much to spoil the contents but I really liked the world building, the setting, the spell casting, the main characters and the plot. Definitely keep this on your radar!,

Thank you to random house publishing group and L K Steven for the ears!

Publish date: July 29th 2025

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I was intrigued by this but I think overall it misses the mark for me. The setup was promising and the pacing moved fast but at times it didn't feel like a lot was happening?

Levan and his father with the Bloodmoons gave mafia Draco and Lucius Malfoy vibes. However, it felt like Saffron's experiences with them seemed way less dangerous than it should have been, given their reputation. There was also some disconnect for me between it reading like a YA story but having darker elements and spice.

It was neat to see magic with actual wands though.

This was an interesting read reminiscent of Harry Potter but with a mafia touch. The novel delivers a richly atmospheric world, filled with rival gangs, underground smuggling rings, and a sense of ever-present danger. The pacing is relentless, with every twist tightening the noose around Saffron as she struggles to maintain her cover. Readers will be on edge, questioning who can be trusted—if anyone at all. Adding to the intensity is the kingpin’s enigmatic son, whose tragic past and eerie prophecy make him both a potential ally and a looming threat. I think readers will love this story! I am excited for my friends to read it!

At a first glance this book should be one of those that go on my favorites shelf.
It drew me in with a promise of a city’s elite order of detectives known as Silvercloaks, a kingpin’s tortured son and his vicious pet as well as a brutal gang of dark mages, the Bloodmoons.
Add in a different kind of magic system and a search for a Necromancer, and I was sold.

Sadly the writing couldn't hold my attention, though I adored the author's book Every Exquisite Thing. I felt no connection to the characters, Saffron seems to have plot armor and some things felt too convenient.

Other readers may enjoy the story, it just wasn't for me.

The book sounded very promising when reading the description. It started off slow for me. The world buidling was there, but it seemed like an information dump in the beginning. The characters were interesting and somewhat believable. The plot did not hold my attention as well as I thought it would.

I am in absolute shock over this book. Not only did it seamlessly blend magic, politics, prophecies and undercover missions - it gave us forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, morally grey wizards. I was addicted to this book and the plot was incredible. L K Steven is a mastermind and I cannot wait for the next book already. The characters were brilliantly written and using pain and pleasure as a currency for power sources is genius. I could not stop reading, I was on the edge of my seat. I think I felt every emotion possible while reading this and I won’t stop thinking about it for a long time. Harry Potter X Mafia - the blend we never knew we needed. I will be recommending this book to everyone.

I loved this! It was refreshing to have a fmc in her late 20s and already leaving school. The magic system was very interesting with the balance between pleasure and pain. I loved all the dark twists and turns I was hooked until the end and can't wait for the next one!
My only complaint would be that it would have helped to have a glossary for the terms like days of the week and months. I struggled a bit to start with the world building without a map or reference.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This may be one of my favourite reads so far this year !! Where do I even begin ! Silvercloak is the first instalment in an addictive romantic fantasy set in a unique world where magic is seemingly fuelled by pleasure and pain as Saffron our fmc who is a silvercloak, sets out to infiltrate the blood moons both on orders and revenge ! From there we watch her deal with loss, heartbreak, death and betrayal of the people she loves as well as her own morals and feelings as she meets Levantine, the ruthless blood moons kingpins son, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, the enemy, who saffron is prophesied to fall in love with…. And then kill . We watch saffron deal with everything that comes along with that prophecy and how it alters her actions !
The magic system is just incredible, how effortlessly the spells feel so natural and well crafted. The multitude of different magical elements kept the book intriguing and exciting as the plot unfolded. I grew to love saffrons character and the way both her and levan both were powerful in their own regard whilst also being so completely different in their actions and reasonings . AND THAT ENDING ?!!!! I cannot wait for this to be officially released and to have a physical copy in my hands !!!

Thank you net galley and Random house publishing group Del Rey for this advanced copy !!

What if your fave mafia romance had magic, cloaks and spells? Or if Harry Potter had a Mafia, but their magic is fuelled by pain or pleasure?

Sounds intriguing, right? Well I have the perfect book for you.

This book follows Saffron Killoran, a detective who watched the murder of her parents by the Bloodmoons. But now a prophecy shows she must become one of them… 👀

Silvercloak had a bit of a slow start for me but I fully think that it was because I was in a book slump so I would take that with a pinch of salt! When I hit half way I couldn’t put the book down. It read like a Draco and Hermoine fanfiction to me which is not a bad thing (I would underline not if I could!). The enemies to lovers was brilliant and I felt like the MMC had a lot of complexities to why he was considered the villain. In fact the way Laura writes morally complexities is amazing. Saffron (FMC) is the perfect mix of tough and vulnerable. She’s spent her life hunting the Bloodmoons, but now she has to become one of them—forcing her to question everything she thought she knew.

I good at recognising patterns and I can usually guess book endings but I read for the vibes, yet I can honestly say that I did not know where this book was going so the plot twists really got me! Thankfully this book is a trilogy and Laura’s first adult novel and I will be buying the physical copy when it comes out 🩸🗡️

Thank you Del Rey for the opportunity to read this eARC

There is just something about L.K. Steven’s writing that is absolutely magical and downright addictive.

Everything—world building, character development, plot twists, action scenes, slow burn & tension—was perfectly balanced. And I love how the fantasy aspect overrode everything else because this proves you don’t need smut to enjoy a good book!

This was one of my most highly anticipated books and currently the best one I’ve read in 2025 so far. No doubt Silvercloak will be my Roman Empire until the sequel is out!

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for this arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and The Del Rey Team for the advanced readers copy.

I just finished this book and holy crap what a ride.

Silver Cloak was an absolute gem. The writing was fantastic—rich, immersive, and layered with subtle foreshadowing that made every reveal feel incredibly satisfying. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story threw unexpected twists my way, culminating in an ending that left me reeling. And that cliffhanger? I really hope the next book happens sooner rather than later because I NEED to know what's going to happen.

If you love books that have a masterful buildup, Silver Cloak is a must-read.

ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Del Ray for this ARC.

That...that was utterly fantastic. I'm still reeling. I need to reread this book immediately. That ending!!? Oh my goodness. Talk about fabulous story telling.

This is a rich and fully fleshed out world. True consequences, hard choices, and flashes of pleasure. The character development is wonderful and I cannot wait to see how it all develops in the future installments, because this is very clearly the start of my next auto buy series.

The magic system is unique and fully functional, having forged a completely believable society and political structure. The emotional and physical battles woven throughout this story adding to the tension, growing and changing everyone involved.

A fun mix of world building and complex characters. The book started off slow with all the rich world building. The magic system caught my attention and what drew me to this book. Saffron struggles with the balance between the lines of right and wrong, selfish wants and her morals. The MMC was intriguing and as complex as the MFC.

With the magic system consisting on pleasure, spicy moments are expected.

I have not felt this level of wonder and elation reading a book since I read VE Schwab's "A Darker Shade of Magic" for the first time back in 2015. And—on that note—if I had to compare this book to any other, it might as well be to "A Darker Shade of Magic," my favorite book of all time.

I'm stunned speechless. I'm basically just looking at my notes and am trying to think of coherent sentences that accurately portray how much I love this.
The world building
The magical system
The story—the world's politics, the mystery, the high stakes of it all
God and the Characters: their flaws, strengths, relationships—everything.

I loved everything and I cried a lot.

Thank you NetGalley, Delrey, and LK Steven for giving me the ARC of Silvercloak in exchange for my honest review.

This has reminiscent bits of Harry Potter, but darker and adult. It has organized crime, timeweaving, and pretty much everyone is at least morally gray. Overall, it has a very intriguing magic system and solid worldbuilding. There were some aspects of it I simply didn't connect with or enjoy as much on a personal level, but I think many readers will enjoy this one a lot. And even with those bits that didn't quite work for me, I am still very interested to see how this story plays out next in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and DelRey for this ARC!

Thank you so much Del Rey for the Arc of Silvercloak!

This fantasy world is filled with mafia, detective work, the horror of addiction, and a truly intriguing magic system that is fueled by pleasure and pain.

This was a fast-paced, always entertaining read. I was sucked in from the very first page. Laura really knows how to write tragedy and build a relationship. She creates such realistic slow build warmth, confusion and guilt that comes with loving your enemy. And the twists I did not see coming!

Saffron is a fantastic character filled with trauma, determination and such fierce loyalty. She grappled with what was right for her community and what she herself could live with throughout this story.
Every character in this book was so multifaceted and intriguing to learn about. I never fully hated a single character, regardless of how evil they appeared or what horrifying actions they performed. So few people are truly one directional in their intentions towards good and evil.

This book definitely shows you how easy it is to take good intentions and become a villain all in the name of love. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Overall, I loved this book and that ending has me clamoring for the next book! Where Saffron and Levan go from there, I have no idea. But I can't wait!

Silvercloak is a dazzling blend of mafia intrigue and wizardry. It’s a harsh world, but a captivating story about power and who gets to wield it. Personally, I couldn’t put the book down—I devoured it. Levan quickly became a favorite of mine; I think I might have seriously fallen for him. The author did an outstanding job of making me question so much of his motives—bravo to you for that.

Now, here's where I have a few more thoughts. Saffron, in the beginning, is sharp, calculating, nostalgic, purposeful, and grieving. Her character is beautifully complex, especially when it comes to her revenge plot. However, once she enters the Bloodcloaks, it’s as if she loses all sense of intelligence. She becomes one of the worst spies ever.

I don’t mind when a character is overconfident in their abilities only to fail spectacularly—that can be amusing—but Saffron's decisions really frustrated me. She was so reckless, and personally, I didn’t feel the conviction behind her desire to be a spy was compelling enough to justify her actions. I wish there had been stronger reasons driving her. I’m especially annoyed by her decisions, knowing how badly things can go, yet she presses on anyway.

So, my hope for the next book is that Saffron becomes much smarter and tougher. As for Levan, keep being you—I’m all in on your character. Overall, I’m deeply invested in this series now, but please, strengthen Saffron’s reasoning and decision-making!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this AMAZING eARC!!

his was my first read by Laura Steven, and I’m honestly wondering where this book has been all my life. If you loved Harry Potter, this will absolutely scratch that same magical itch—only better, with adult characters and a fresh, captivating world.

The fact that the characters are grown adults navigating magic, life, and everything in between instantly set this apart for me. Saffron (Saff) is such a standout—witty, determined, and impossible not to root for. The world-building is rich, the magic system feels original, and the whole story was an absolute joy to read from start to finish.

I’m already planning my reread and recommending this to everyone I know. I need more of this world, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!