Tropes:
╰⪼ Hidden identity
╰⪼ Slow burn
╰⪼ Harry Potter vibes

This book has strong worldbuilding and a unique magic system that initially hooked me. The slow burn romance had potential, but I never fully connected to the characters — especially Levan, who felt like a mix of ruthless killer and tortured bookworm without enough depth to either. The pacing dragged in places, with repetitive close-call moments that stalled the story’s momentum. I didn’t hate it, and I do think others may enjoy it more, but it left me feeling a bit disinterested by the end.

Silvercloak is a fast-paced YA fantasy that follows Saffron, a sharp-tongued heroine who lies her way into an elite magical academy after her parents are murdered. Fueled by revenge and secrets, Saffron’s journey is full of twists, clever banter, and a magic system that genuinely intrigued me. I love a good morally grey MC, and this book served that up in spades. That said, the romance didn’t bring anything new to the table, and the character arcs felt familiar—enjoyable, but not groundbreaking. Still, if you're a fan of academy settings, hidden agendas, and elemental magic, this one is worth picking up. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the sequel.

Thank you to L. K. Steven, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was drawn toward this arc because I absolutely loved Our Infinite Fates and she DEFINITELY did the same kick ass job on Silvercloak.

I loved so much about it: the queer-normative world, the action, the magic, the world-building — everything was so fun and unique and twisty all at the same time. I was absolutely cursing having plans and needing to work/sleep that kept me from just powering through in a single evening.

I’m so so excited for the next book, and can’t wait to recommend Silvercloak to anyone who likes fantasy, magic, and intrigue!

POV: single third person

You can expect: opposites attract, forced proximity, queer-normative world, magic, mystery, undercover, gang, pleasure and pain, magic sex, time traveling, betrayal.

Rep: queer MCs, grief, compulsions, hand amputation and prosthetic

Spice: 2.5/5

CW: violence, death of parents, trauma, gore, torture, past genocide, suicide, self harm, amputation

✨ Just finished Silvercloak by L.K. Stevens and I am unwell. 😮‍💨
Magic fueled by pleasure and pain? An undercover mission into a deadly gang? A slow-burn romance that hurts so good? Yes. Yes. And yes. 👀🔥

Saffron Killoran is the kind of morally gray heroine I’ll follow straight into the shadows — and Levan? Let’s just say enemies-to-all-the-complicated-things has never felt this dangerous. 💀❤️

A bit heavy on the exposition, but the worldbuilding and tension kept me hooked. If you're into gritty fantasy with emotional depth and a seriously unique magic system... pick. this. up. 📖🖤

I loved the idea of Silvercloak, but was underwhelmed.

It started off very strong with the FMC training to be a Silvercloak to avenge her parents death. Infiltrating the bad guys seemed like an exciting plot point, but it was all too convenient. The "villains" were a bit too nice and forgiving 😂

The romance lacked chemistry in my opinion, and fell a bit flat. Though their spicy scene was satisfying!

That being said, the magic was very cool. The world building had a lot of potential. I loved the animal companion.

I just wanted to care about the characters more. It felt a bit like a half-baked romantasy to me unfortunately!

Thanks to Del Rey for an eARC!

I first heard about this book a few months back and just from the initial blurb and teasers I knew that this would be one of the ONEs. I wasn’t wrong.

This book is dark and delicious, with so many twists and turns. Everyone is a tough shell to crack and you’ll never know how far they’ll go to achieve what they believe to be the right thing. Everyone, literally everyone is a morally grey character and I am here for it.
The magical system is super unique, where power is replenished by either pain or pleasure or both, which already gives you a very interesting setting. Although the story has the setting for a very unhinged dark fantasy, apart from som spicy scenes this story is fully plot and character focused, which I much preferred. You dive deep into the crime underworld and keep on guessing what will happen next and who’ll be lucky enough to see the sunlight. The FMC, Saffron has many vices, but one of her source of pleasure is hot chocolate, to which I can relate to a 100% even if this years unusually warm London summer keeps me away from said beverage for now.

All in all I have a ton of theories and I am begging for book two after that, although not unexpected, final chapter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
For the most part, I’d say I had a fun time reading Silvercloak. While the characters aren’t the most lovable or complex, the intricate worldbuilding and magic system make up for it. I loved reading how Saff creatively got herself out of situations either with or without magic. The plot felt a bit rushed near the end, and the middle dragged quite a bit, but overall this was a good read!

I was SO pleasantly surprised by this. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Now, if you know me, you'll probably know that I'm not a huge mainstream romantasy guy. This is because those books tend to feature a girl whose only personality trait is being snarky and not like other girls TM, and then the biggest hugest man you've ever seen who mostly exhibits behaviors seen in lists of traits of different kinds of abusive relationships. The girl is always so tiny so little, and the man is always, as previously mentioned, big big huge. The sex is rarely sexy, and not in a cool character study way, in a way that indicates that it's supposed to be sexy. The plot of the book is thin at best and the world-building has the substance of tissue paper.

I started off a little concerned, but still very interested. The opening section of the book was great: I loved Saff (particularly her approach to problem-solving), I loved the magic system (and the author being willing to engage with the obvious potential for kinky sex in this world), I liked the other silvercloak cadets. I got a little worried once we met Levan and the other Bloodmoons. Levan was pulling out some of the greatest hits of booktok men about dominating Saff, and she started getting really quippy in a way that she hadn't been before. I was so concerned that this was going to go the way of every other romantasy book.

I knew things were going to be ok when I read two things: Saff AND Levan being bisexual/pansexual/queer/etc, and Saff and Levan being around six feet tall each. When Saff and Nissa had sex? I was thrilled. When LEVAN had gay sex? I was ecstatic. This book proves my long-held theory that romantasy would be better if more romantasy authors wrote about queer people. Levan is also SO fantastic, we STAN an OCD king who feels like a person, instead of a cardboard cut-out with abs who bullies the FMC. I love that he's a little cringe and earnest and a switch, while also being an on-page torturer and murderer. Finally, a book boyfriend for bisexuals who really like Astarion and Interview with the Vampire (2022).

However, I do a caveat: a lot of world-building details are just kind of thrown in or explained in the narration in a way that feels a bit artificial. I didn't overly mind this, because I'm currently writing an MA dissertation, trying to rent a house, and trying to get accepted to a different higher education program. My brain is soup, and I can't figure things out for myself at the moment. It was nice to be told what was going on in this world and not have to piece it out from context clues. That might not be a good trait for you! That's why this is a caveat.

The ending was just brilliant. It was satisfying and set up SUCH an interesting dynamic for our two leads in the next book. I'm so excited to see where this goes, and I will absolutely be checking out the next book when it comes out.

Silvercloak simply enchanted me with it's prologue and the promise of what was to come., The first pages oozed with magical nostalgia, evocative world building, and fascinating characters...sadly, I am not sure the bones of the story really delivered on those promises throughout.

To be clear, I think Silvercloak is so much fun and it's unique magic system is one that both fascinates and excited me! I just felt that the overall story and character development felt like something I have read time and time again in ways that had been executed a smidge better.

I do look forward to seeing where Steven's goes next, she is surely a talented writer...this one sadly just fell a bit short for me.

A magic system of pleasure and pain... I was drawn in from the very beginning! This had the perfect combination of mafia-esque drama, insane character development, and undercover bad-assery.

This story was truly unique and unlike anything I've ever read! I need book two YESTERDAY. I can't get enough of LK Steven's writing! She does multi-layer characters and worlds so well. I just love anything she writes!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an early copy of this book! This is a must read!!

From the very first pages, this world drew me in. The writing was so atmospheric and quick paced. There is so much to enjoy learning about this world. It felt truly unique, and the timeskips weren't jarring as they made sense! For a revenge while going under cover trope, this did not bore me. The side characters were so full of life, too. I've been missing books where the side characters actually develop and feel as full as the main cast!! Read this if you are looking for something refreshing with a rich world to dive into!

I…AM UNWELL. GODS IF I HAD A MAGIC WELL FUELED BY PAIN AND PLEASURE IT WOULD BE OVERFLOWING WITH BOTH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS BOOK! WHAT A MASTERPIECE 😭♥️

This is going directly into my favorites this year, because after I finished it I was staring at the wall for a while, jaw dropped, heart broken yet in love with this book.I loved not knowing what would happen next, I kept assuming an upper hand and getting smacked by it, then I adapted my mind and was on top of things, but last 20%? Had me losing my sh*t. The last chapters? My undoing.

This is really such an epic fantasy. The magic system fueled by pain and pleasure was such a unique concept and the way it shaped this world, social interactions, politics, relationships, sex, everything, made it such a rich story.

Saffron goes undercover to infiltrate the enemy, where one wrong move could seal her death and that of her loved ones. Her morals are tested, her views upturned, her loyalty questioned specially when it comes to the tortured kingpin’s son, the man she is fated to kiss and k*ll. But this has been her life’s mission: revenge. So how far is she willing to go for it, how many dark deeds can still be done in the name of good?

The way I’ve had to stop myself, especially at that last question, and move paragraphs away because I’ve been about to write a whole dissertation on so many topics while typing this review is insane. But the conversations this book opens? Gods I want to talk about so many things in this book but I’m holding back because I love going in blind for the best experience so my reviews hold back for the sake of it for others.

Saffron the fmc is amazing, I loved her sharp wit, always observing, calculating, adapting, rerouting, and her humor was the cherry on top, but the arc on her morals? And the way you’re taken on that moral journey with her? I'm obsessed!

Levan the mmc? Morally charcoal, tortured, broody, tragic past, cunning AND with ocd? HOT. SO MY TYPE. I WANT MORE OF THIS MAN PLEASE!

I already need the next book even though I know I’ll be in pain. I even already have potential songs for my theories after how it left of and they make me emotional 😭

Can’t wait to hunt down a physical copy in my country because I want to annotate it so badly and also post some quotes.

Thank you Del Rey, L. K. Steven and NetGalley for this amazing ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of the year 🖤

Happy Pub Day to Silvercloak! This was such a great read filled with magic, pain and pleasure, and morally grey characters that felt so pure from start to finish!

This book definitely gave me vibes of Harry Potter x Dune x mafia gangs but with a unique magic system going on between the Silvercloaks and Bloodmoons.

This wasn’t like anything I’ve read and Lauren just knows how to make you feel when it comes to reading her books as it consumes you off the bat and keeps you intrigued! I loved Saff’s character in this story and seeing her character develop throughout the book and getting to know the other characters as well. It was all so chaotically fun, uplifting, and diverse with the magic and history that I very much look forward to reading book 2! ✨🖤

Big thank you to Delrey and Random House for the ARC! I’m so thankful and grateful to have read this book in advance! ❤️

Whaaaaaaat the hell was that (respectfully)?!

My head and heart are reeling from this spellbounding story. Immediately was taken in by the first chapter and then I was happy when I realized the MC is near thirty and already through her schooling. This was my first Steven book and I WILL be reading her backlog because if all her books have the same emotional damage, trauma, intrigue, and compelling storytelling-- I am IN.

That ending?!?!?!?!? I don't think I breathed or blinked the last handful of chapters. LOVE LOVE LOVED and will be counting down until the release of book two (even though Steven says book two's cliffhanger is even more intense?!?)

I thought this was okay. I think the world was a real highlight for me. And I liked the idea of the magic being fueled by pleasure/pain but it did make me uncomfortable at times. I did not feel much emotionally to any of the characters which is probably a large reason for not getting a higher rating from me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inklore, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Silvercloak on July 29, 2025.

L.K. Stevens painted a visceral, vibrant world in Silvercloak that I absolutely loved. The attention to detail with the magic system and the pain/pleasure system was fantastic, and the lore laid out about the great Houses and different nations' use of magic was exceptional. The writing felt luscious but clean, and I enjoyed the detail she added about side characters as well as our main characters.

The story follows Saffron, a woman who watched her parents get murdered by a pain-fueled gang called the Bloodmoons. To avenge her parents' death and protect the secret of her immunity to magic, Saffron joins the magical enforcement group called the Silvercloaks. But her boss asks her to go undercover in the Bloodmoons so they can take them down from the inside.

While there, Saffron meets Levan, the kingpin's son, and someone she's destined to kiss and kill. I enjoyed their relationship dynamic overall, and I loved the glimpses we got into Levan's sweeter and softer side (despite him torturing and murdering tons of people?? Like pages before???). Throughout the book, we get closer and closer to unveiling Levan and the Bloodmoons' motivations for ruling the city with fear, and Saffron begins to question her loyalty to them vs. the Silvercloaks.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but the pacing definitely lagged in the middle for me. The beginning and end had me hooked, though I also wish the ending was fleshed out a bit more because we had a LOT of reveals and climactic moments shoved into a few pages. I'm definitely curious about where Book 2 will go, and I hope we continue to see an expansion of the world and magic system!

I love world building. If a book can draw me in with their world building, then I am hooked, and I will stay! Silvercloak has a really original and unique magic system that hooked me from the start. I really enjoyed the two main characters and their Pairing together. I thought the enemies to lovers trope was done very well. Also, both characters/sides had interesting dynamics, and morally gray decision-making. I’ve been reading a lot magical/fantasy books recently and Silvercloak has been a favorite so far!

3.75 ⭐️, rounded up to 4⭐️

Silvercloak is dark, seductive and has such an original concept. The magic system hooked me from the start. It's intense and clever, built around pleasure and pain, and adds such a unique edge to the world and characters. I loved the undercover plot, the morally grey choices and the slow unraveling of Saff and Levan's dynamic. The slow realisation that actually, they aren't so different after all.

I really liked the world and the characters, but I had mixed feelings about the pacing. There were parts that dragged and felt a little too drawn out. I think the story could have been just as powerful with a tighter structure. At times I was fully immersed, and other times it lost me a bit.

That said, this is a bold and addictive romantasy that stands out. It might not have been perfect for me pacing wise, but the story, the magic, and the characters definitely left an impression. I'll be picking up book two.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey and L.K.Steven for the opportunity to read an ARC of Silvercloak in exchange for an honest review.

Silvercloak was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I dove into the ARC with high expectations. I'm happy to say those expectations were fully met as this was a five-star read for me.
From the very first page, I was hooked. The story is fast-paced, with a compelling magic system, vivid world-building, and well-developed characters. L.K. Steven strikes a strong balance between action, emotion, and mystery.

The book opens with a young Saffron witnessing the murder of her parents, and from there, we jump forward in time to see her undergoing the exam to become a Silvercloak, an elite figure tasked with policing a magical world. Her motivation is deeply personal: she seeks justice, or perhaps revenge, against the Bloodmoons, the faction responsible for her loss.

I couldn’t put this book down. I’m a huge fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, especially when it’s paired with a revenge arc, and this story delivers both in a gripping, emotionally layered way. Silvercloak also explores thought-provoking moral questions: Are the “good guys” really good? Are the villains truly evil? Or are we all navigating shades of gray?

Absolutely obsessed and I cannot wait for the next installment.

This has been a 5-star novel for me. I've been completely absorbed in this story and it has left me with this comforting, nostalgic feeling in my chest that only the kind of magic that reminds me of my childhood can bring. However, it has so much more to offer than that and my adult reading version has absolutely devoured the darkness that Silvercloak serves.

This is a story about revenge, espionage, betrayals, murders, and all the shades of gray that lie in-between good and evil. It’s set in a deeply cruel and twisted world (since power is drawn as much from pleasure as from pain). And yet, there are wizards wielding wands and casting spells, and what can I say? I love those classic touches.

I found the worldbuilding very interesting, with a haunted undertone that kept me fascinated. Of course, it lends itself well to the creation of ambivalent and imperfect characters. In a world where the most powerful can be the ones who can not only endure the most pain but also inflict it, darkness becomes terribly alluring, right? Plus, there are several magical creatures, and that’s always a bonus.

I quite liked our protagonists, Saffron and Levan, though I must admit that Saff makes some fairly silly mistakes at times, considering she’s supposed to be an elite spy and all. Obviously, she’s human and can make mistakes, but I still found it slightly ironic. Levan, on the other hand, struck me as a highly complex and respectful villain. He certainly has a code and rules. Over time, we watch that cold exterior melt away around Saffron, revealing glimpses of all the feelings he’s buried deep down. And, in case you were wondering: yes, there’s spice.

The pacing of the novel is fast and thrilling; it may lose a bit of momentum in the middle, but from then on, it’s pure addiction. The prophecy revealed at the beginning of the novel weighs heavily on Saffron’s mind, as well as ours, and it’s impossible not to wonder what will happen. And oh, that ending! I hope the next installment has everything we’re hoping for and more because expectations are high.

I’ll be posting the review on my blog and social media on 7/29. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.