Just from the prologue, I knew this was going to be a good time.

I found the magic system and worldbuilding very interesting. It uses a wand-and-spell type of magic (but if you’re thinking that makes it similar in any way to Harry Potter, I’m happy to report that’s where the likeness ends).

In this universe, magic is not an endless resource. In order for a mage to replenish their well of magic, they must experience any kind of pleasure – which means there’s a good deal of both whimsy and sexuality built into their world. There are little pleasures everywhere all the time, from decadent hot chocolates to sweet pastries to magical cats who exist to cuddle up to you. And yes, lax propriety around sex. But pain enhances magic too, and this detail adds a sharp edge to what would otherwise be a pretty quaint world.

The character stakes throughout were solid. Nothing is easy for Saffron; she has to wheel and deal to get what she wants, and sometimes she even has to do heinous things to earn her keep with the gang. This leaves her grappling with many uncomfortable questions and feelings, many of which don’t have obvious resolutions or fixes. I was invested.

Of course, we have to talk about the romance. While yes, the enemies-to-lovers dynamic is a common trope, the love interest felt different from the stock profile in use by most romantasy reads these days. His name is Levan, and as the son of the gang leader, he definitely commits his own share of atrocities – and yet, we can never escape the sense that he’s dissociated. Whenever he’s not “in character,” he can be downright awkward, avoiding eye contact, shutting down banter. There’s clearly a sharp intelligence to him, but he’s not the quippy, irreverent bad guy present in many other books. It was refreshing, but also inspired a lot of curiosity on my part.

The writing was strongest at the beginning and end, but occasionally throughout there would be a paragraph or two of information interrupting a scene. Sometimes this information enhanced the scene, and sometimes it didn’t. This book also did that thing where it tells you the main character is usually calm and calculated, but then we mostly watch her not be.

Things were definitely messy by the end, but there were a few twists that made it all make sense (and one twist I didn’t foresee). The chaos set us up for a series arc that I wasn’t expecting, and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Thanks to Del Rey and Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

(The blog link will be active on July 24)

I thought this book was fine. I liked the idea of up and the setup, but I just never really got pulled in. I thought the prologue was done really well. I actually was pulled in right at the start and was so invested. But then the actual narrative started and I just started to lose interest. It just seemed like the writing in the prologue was better than in the rest of the novel
As for the world, I'm going to be honest, it was really reminiscent of Harry Potter. It got so bad that i had to look up if this book started out as Harry Potter fanfic or something (there is no evidence it did by the way). The way that spells are cast, the spells themselves, the cloaks, the way that the wands choose the person, even the silvercloaks reminded me of the aurors. It was just really hard for me to buy into the world when my brain kept saying "this is just edgy Harry Potter." Also, I don't really understand why the people in power felt it necessary to remove the teleportation spell from every wand, but not the murder spell. What's up with that? They have the power to make it impossible to teleport to make it harder for criminals to escape, but keep the spell that literally kills people?
The characters were fine, pretty underdeveloped. There was a pretty large cast of characters, but most of them were barely in the book. As for the main character, gonna be honest, I do not remember anything about her personality and I just finished the book a few days ago. Levan was pretty lame. Again, liked the idea of his character, but the execution was horrible. He and Saf's relationship made zero sense. It just developed way too quickly. Both characters were way too willing to throw logic and reasoning out the window and basically trust each other immediately. The book tries to explain why Levan was so trusting at the end, but it was a pretty silly reason.
The plot was fine. Some of the reveals were interesting, but most were pretty underwhelming. I personally didn't really like the prophecy aspects of the story, but the concept of timeweaving is cool.
Not sure yet if I will read the sequel. If I do it will only be because of timeweaving.

Silvercloak is one of those books that completely takes over your brain. I was hooked from the prologue and couldn’t stop thinking about it even after I’d finished. It’s dark, intense, and utterly addictive.

The story follows our fmc Saffron, a detective going undercover in a gang of dangerous dark mages, in a world where magic is fuelled by both pleasure and pain. The stakes are high from the beginning, and the tension just keeps building. Every time I thought I had a grip on where things were going—boom, twist.

I loved the magic system—it’s fresh, slightly terrifying, and has real consequences. The dynamic between Saff and Levan is electric. Their chemistry, the shifting power balance, the emotional weight of everything they go through, it all had me completely hooked.

It has some great layers of political intrigue and corruption that add depth without slowing the pace of the story. Honestly, I devoured this in a couple of sittings and now I’m just sitting here thinking about that ending. I need the next book.

If you like your fantasy with bite, steam, and high emotional stakes, this one’s for you.

Silvercloak is a blend of magic, mafia, and mystery. Saffron’s parents were killed in front of her by the Bloodmoons when she was just a child, and she made it her lifelong goal to bring them down. To do so, Saffron goes to school to become a Silvercloak, a magical law enforcer. Saff is a skilled and powerful magic user, but she has to hide that magic has no affect on her with illusions and other tricks. She ends up being sent undercover to take down the Bloodmoons, but she realizes there is a lot more to the organization than meets the eye.

The magic system in this world is fairly standard - users must speak incantations and carry wands, but specialize in one or more types of magic rather than having all of it at their disposal. Magic is replenished with pleasure and amplified by pain, but each user has a finite “well” of magic available to them. It’s a fine system that functions well, even if it’s a bit standard, and I enjoyed the way different aspects of the magic are introduced and explained as they are needed.

Saffron and Levan as characters were the real highlight to me. While Saffron’s motives are clear from her narration, Levan is a different matter. You never quite know what he’s thinking, and his multi-layered character arc and the way he and Saffron’s relationship and interactions grow and change with time make for a very interesting storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Del Ray for the ARC of this book!

Addictive, darkly seductive, and emotionally razor-sharp, Silvercloak casts a spell from page one and never lets go. If you like your fantasy with teeth, claws, and a dangerously complicated romance that walks the knife’s edge of fate, this one’s for you.

Saffron Killoran is the kind of protagonist you feel in your bones—wounded, calculating, and ferociously driven. Her mission? Infiltrate and destroy the Bloodmoons—the gang that killed her parents. But in this brutal, pleasure-fueled magic system, every step closer to revenge costs her something vital. Pain empowers. Pleasure distracts. And trust? That’s the real fantasy.

This book doesn’t flinch. Whether it’s the grimy underbelly of gang politics or the twisted intimacy between enemies, the story is built on tension—emotional, physical, and magical. And yes, the chemistry between Saff and the kingpin’s haunted son absolutely scorches. He’s the kind of morally gray love interest who shows up with a prophecy of his own murder—and still makes your heart ache for him.

The worldbuilding is lush and brutal, packed with court intrigue, detective logic puzzles, prophecy tangles, and a touch of dark academia at Silvercloak Academy. If you loved From Blood and Ash for its slow-burn tension or The Shadows Between Us for its cunning characters and power games, this is your next obsession.

This is the kind of romantasy that knows exactly what it’s doing: giving you hope, breaking your heart, and making you beg for Book Two.

Book 1 in the Silvercloak Saga, your new favourite fantasy series, has it all:

-Beautiful, atmospheric writing that will have you hooked from the first paragraph ✍
-A well-developed magical system based on filling your "well" with pleasure and pain 🗡💔
-A badass female protagonist who's over 25 and bi 🏳‍🌈
-Revenge and espionage 🕵️‍♀️
-Two rival magical gangs 🔮
-A lover on each side 🔥
-"I hate everyone but you" guarded energy (For you...for you I'd make cosplay outfits.) 💖
-A magical canine 🐕
-A cliffhanger you'll still be thinking about days later 💀

The atmosphere, magic, and yearning that I loved in "Our Infinite Fates" is deepened and matured here in Steven's adult debut. I particularly enjoyed having a romantasy with slightly older characters and an FMC who's been harded by trauma, time, and past relationships instead of the wide-eyed virgin we see too much of in this genre - I much prefer my characters with a little edge, and Saffron certainly has that, frequently using it to her advantage. The ending was a madcap dash to the finish with a stunning few final lines before the epilogue, and I can't wait for the next instalment.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and DelRey for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Can't wait for everyone else to get their hands on this on July 29!

The ending almosttt made me go up a star, but there was still too much that I found incohesive in this one. It felt like there were a lot of holes in the magic, for lack of a better explanation, that were very convenient for the characters, but just didn't make sense with the world created.

I got what the author was trying to do with the enemies to lovers trope, but she might have been too good at it. In other words...nothing on earth will make me like that man! I just didn't fall for the chemistry, and it was hard to understand why someone so singularly motivated as Saffron would be drawn to him.

Ultimately, I think a lot is unique here, and I love the world, the queer normative nature of it, and a lot of the magic. But I can't say I was super gripped by this one myself.

4.25 stars! A great start to a new fantasy series that has some light Harry Potter meets the mafia vibes (with prophecies, hidden magics, animal familiars, betrayals and tricks, and frenemies galore)!!

A book full of detailed explanations and backstory, yet with such a go-go-go plot to balance it out, Silvercloak is the story of Saffron Killoran, an undercover Silvercoak (detective) who has infiltrated the Bloodmoons (the mafia) in a magical world where magical ability relies on consumption of pleasure and pain. Saff's life has been full of pain - her parents were murdered by the Bloodmoons when she was a child - so this is PERSONAL to her. Her time with the Bloodmoons puts her in close connection with heir to the kingpin, Levan Celadon. The two are fated to interact...but in what context, we (and Saff) don't quite know yet. He's a complicated man, insanely powerful, and treats her with a kindness she doesn't expect. What will Saffron choose in the end - stick to her Silvercloaks who have turned their backs on her or go with her new family in the Bloodmoons? Or will she forge her own path?!

At times, I felt kind of bogged down in the details with this one BUT for the most part, I was completely honed in on this world. The magical system where quantity of magic comes from pleasure and quality of magic comes from pain is so fascinating and unique, and seeing how the world was created to enhance both of these sensations (mostly safely and comfortably) was so cool. Saffron was at times a frustrating lead, because her mind was changing constantly. However, I love to see that as new information comes in, she's able to recalibrate. She makes some wild decisions I don't fully agree with (necklace related) but shows a lot of heart in caring for those that matter most to her, new and old, and a lot of cleverness in bending the rules of the world to fit her. It doesn't hurt that Levan is down bad pretty quickly, and that his fallowwolf instantly bonds to her instead and she gets a lil sidekick/protector!

Excited to see where we go from here, especially after the epilogue!!!! Thanks so much to LK Steven, Del Rey, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This book had such a unique premise and a promising start. The magic system is intriguing and the FMC's motivations provided high stakes. However, I really struggled with the pacing of the book and the FMC's character did not feel consistent throughout the first 1/3 of the book. Unfortunately I did not finish the book as I lost interest and emotional investment in the middle portion.

I devoured this book! The magic system is so well written and feels nostalgic to me! While, I think the plot and motivations were a little loose, It wasn't distracting from the story. I am on the edge of my seat for the next book!

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy for my honest review.

Um, I gave this book a solid 4 stars. I definitely really enjoyed the unique magic system where the currency to get more power or increase your power is pleasure and pain. And it could be like a hot cup of hot Cocoa, but also you know, sexual activity or anything that brings you pleasure, and then in the other aspect, you can also boost your power or your magic with pain. And it could be self-inflicted or Pain that you or given from someone else.

Saffron and Lavon were great characters. They both come from their different backgrounds, and they both use pleasure and pain to gain what they need from their power. There is a connection between Levin and Seth, and it will be revealed within the book and I thought that was really cool. How everything was kind of brought together? How much action Clandestine, part of it? All the secrets and this was a really great book to read. I don't know if it was me. It took a little longer for me to read it, but I was definitely interested. This book um was kinda left on a cliffhanger, so we're definitely gonna be getting a book, two or three.I'm sure I can't wait to see where the characters go and how saf and levin grow as characters and then also together.

Thank you to the author/publisher/netgalley for the eARC!

This is my first Laura Steven's book, and I thought it was very solid. My favorite aspect of SILVERCLOAK was by far the magic system. I won't spoil that aspect too much for the reader, but pulling from the blurb ("a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies") should be enough to pique your interest! By extension, I also enjoyed the general world the author has built here, even if I did feel like some aspects of it was a little too safe and "standard romantasy worldbuilding." The protagonist, Saff, was a standout for me: she is headstrong and determined to bring down the Bloodmoons. I found her very interesting to read. Even though she did things I disagreed with, her personal (and more importantly, emotional) stakes were clear and understandable. The male lead, Levan, was a bit too typical for my tastes but still engaging enough. Looking forward to seeing where Laura Steven takes the world and characters next.

4.25⭐️ thank you Netgalley and Del Ray publishing for the opportunity to read the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book! Saffron’s character was very strong, and I liked how the author made us readers emphasize with her struggles she was going through throughout the book. Also, Levan is so angsty and broody and I love him for it! I love a "I hate everyone, but have a soft spot for my person" type (fictional) man! Also, the ending? CRIMINAL. What did he mean with his last line in the journal entry, I need to know!!!

The plot was great, the pacing was pretty consistent and kept me engaged, and I thought that the magic system was interesting and well laid out! I love any story where the main character is harboring a rare power that no one (even herself) even knew she had! Although, any time there is time travel in a book, I’m going to have questions, so the timeweaving confused me a bit, but overall I think this was a great read!

I really liked the romance; It is rare to read a book where the two life interests are true enemies to lovers, so that was refreshing (although I do wish we would have gotten Levan’s point of view for when he began falling for Saffron, but maybe this will be in book 2). I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and cannot wait to continue reading the rest once they are published!

Wow what a story. I thought I knew how this story would play out but I really was caught up in all the twists and turns of the plot. I had to take a breath before I could sit and write this and I know this book is going to be staying with me for the foreseeable future living rent free in my head.

The two main characters ensnared me, teasingly revealing more about themselves as you flow through the book, lurching from understanding to pity to love, revelling in their pain, pleasures, fear and hope.

I loved the magic system built on pain and pleasure, the decadent nature of the civilisation it builds up around it in consequence.

Tragically Saffron’s parents are killed in front of her by Bloodmoons when she is 6 years old. Twisting her fate and future so that her sole drive is to join the Silvercloaks as a detective to bring the Bloodmoon’s down. But fate is not done with her yet, and she ends up being assigned a mission that means abandoning everything she's ever known, all those she cares for and her own future to go undercover to bring them down from the inside.

Adding delicious frisson is Levan the twisted and tortured kingpin's son, who's life and fate seems inextricably entwined with Saff’s. Loyalties are tested, boundaries and lines messily blurred as she strives to maintain her cover. Just how far will her morals and ethics allow her to go and who will she be once she's finished?

I was so excited to receive this ARC. I had heard whispering of the book and was intrigued. I read it in one day. Well...this type of fantasy is not really my cup of tea. I didn't completely like the FMC, though I understood her motivations. I found the academy just a little lackluster. The romance was ok, but not sweeping me off my feet. All in all the book was just ok. As the first in a series, I am hoping the second book fleshed things out more and the FMC grows a bit more redeemable.

Laura Steven's introduction into the Romantasy world, and she did a really good job!

At the age of 6 our Saffron witnesses the murder of her parents by the Bloodmoon's. Saff makes it her life mission to avenge her parents death. She joins the Silvercloak's as a detective to help bring down the Bloodmoon's.

She's given a prime opportunity when she's offered an undercover mission to join the Bloodmoon's and to help bring them down from the inside. She becomes close with the Bloodmoon's leader's son and finds that they're not all that different. She struggles to keep up with where her loyalties lie.

Levan is the son of the Bloodmoon leader and is the first to come across Saff once she's given her secret mission. Levan is a deep and complicated character. Saff struggles to figure him out. On one hand he's a brutal murderer and seems to take pleasure in inflicting pain on others. But on the other he shows her kindness and they share a bond over enjoying the same book series. He has many layers and I don't think we've seen all of them yet.

I really enjoyed the plot and the magical systems. The book flowed well and kept me entertained. The developing relationship between Saff and Levan and the mirroring of their lives is really intriguing. I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops further. This is the first book in a trilogy so we are left wanting more from this story.

Highly recommend for romantasy fans.

This book is not suitable for young readers. It contains scenes of an adult nature and I wouldn't recommend to readers under 18.

Silver cloak has amazing and unique magic system that I really liked. I loved the idea behind how that magic is replenished by love or pain. Our main character, Saferon who is a silver cloak who is going undercover to take down the Bloodmoons and is on a vengeance mission because her parents had been killed. The stakes were high throughout the book that I’d had me engaged from the beginning. I loved the romance that formed within the book with the enemies to lovers and can’t wait to see where the story goes through the second. The love interest might be the son of the leader of the blood moons. Oh and I forgot to mention that she is
prophesy that she kills him. If you want a book with a unique magic system, spice/romance, and an engaging plot this is right up your alley. Thank you Del Rey for allowing me to read in advanced.

"Whatever happened was always going to happen, for it was written by the prophets long ago."

I never wanted this book to end! Silvercloak was one of those books that had me reading so slowly because I did not want to miss a single thing. I loved every single page of this book and I am foaming at the mouth for the next book.

Silvercloak by L.K. Steven follows Saffron Killoran on her journey to get revenge for the murder of her parents when she was just six years old. Her journey begins with her going through the academy to become a Silvercloak, an elite order of detective mages. After the final test to become a Silvercloak, Saffron gets an order to go undercover to infiltrate the Bloodmoons. The story begins there...

And man does this story take you on a ride! I was so invested in Saffron and her revenge journey. The prologue hooked me right away and after that I knew I needed to know how the story was going to end. Of course knowing this is only book one in a series, it was always going to end with a cliffhanger, but man was I not ready for how it actually ended. I was literally speechless. The very last line of the book will also have you pacing back and forth waiting for the release date for book two.

I will have to say that there were some inconsistencies throughout the book. I hope they got corrected before being published, but ultimately it did not take away from my enjoyment of the book. If I wasn't reading as critically, for this ARC review, I honestly wouldn't have noticed. Very minor things about character descriptions and such.

If you are a fan of Warhammer, you will feel a bit of a heretic reading this. It was so Slaanesh coded because of the magic depending on pain and pleasure. Pleasure increased the quantity, while pain increased the quality of the magic. This was such an interesting magic system, because although it was quite easy to replenish your magic with pleasure, if you wanted more powerful magic you had to give pain. Seeing this be used to fight scenes was really enthralling, because the fights could easily switch due to someone having pain replenish their magic.

Overall, I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I loved every minute I spent inside of this world. The characters, the plot, and the romance has me so invested. I strongly recommend checking out this book!

Some tropes included were:
~Pet Companion
~Found Family
~Enemies to Lovers
~Slowburn

Final Rating: 5 stars ✨

Thank you to NetGally and Publishers for the amazing opportunity to read and review an ARC of Silvercloak by L.K. Stevens. This was a joy to read and experience.

This one really had me in the first half, and then certain aspects of the story fizzled out over time. I finished this wondering what the point even was? I don't think it was badly written at all, there was just nothing that stood out strongly for me. The world building and magic system was interesting, but not extraordinary. The romance was just ok, and while I really liked the FMC, everyone else was just... there. I am curious about where things will go in the next book but I wasn't blown away by this one. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Saffron’s parents were murdered by the Bloodmoons, a dangerous gang, when she was six. Saffron has made every decision since then in service of getting herself into the Silvercloaks, a detective organization, and bringing the Bloodmoons down. She gets a chance to go undercover in the Bloodmoons and is drawn to the kingpin’s son, Levan.

This book truly kept me on my toes. You can tell Levan has deeper reasons for being complicit in the Bloodmoon’s illegal dealings, but you also can’t completely find it justifiable. There is a lot of magic and twists thrown at you at the end which left me spinning. And it will make for an intriguing second book!