I absolutely devoured this book! I loved the character development of Saffron and the slow burn, enemies to lovers romance elements with Laven. I thought the magic being replenished by love or pain was very interesting and something I have not seen before. The turmoil of Saffrons emotions between love, prophecy and avenging her parents really kept me engrossed in the book and wondering what choices she would make next. I really enjoyed the different magical elements and talents described in the book and felt the world building was fantastic and easy to imagine. I am really excited to see where this story may go next and am eager for a second book!

Dark, immersive, and utterly addictive, Silvercloak is a stunning fantasy debut that masterfully blends high-stakes intrigue, morally gray characters, Review: Silvercloak by L.K. Steven
Published by Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey
Release date: July 29, 2025. 4.5/5⭐️

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and NetGalley for my Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Silvercloak. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read and review this novel early. All opinions below are my own.

I’ll be honest: I devoured Silvercloak. I wasn’t just reading it—I was living it. There’s a specific kind of magic when a book grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go, and that’s exactly what happened here. The story was gripping, the world dark and dangerous, and the characters complex and flawed in all the best ways. When I first read the blurb—magic fueled by pain and pleasure, a morally grey detective infiltrating a brutal gang of mages—I knew I needed this book. What I didn’t expect was for it to consume my entire weekend.

Let’s start with the setup. Twenty years ago, Saffron Killoran’s idyllic childhood ended when her parents were murdered by the infamous Bloodmoons gang. That moment defines her entire life. Now a young woman, Saffron has dedicated herself to one goal: revenge. She lies her way into Silvercloak Academy, the elite training ground for detectives in her city, so she can gain the skills and position to one day bring the Bloodmoons down. But her deception is exposed—and instead of being expelled, she’s recruited to go undercover within the Bloodmoons themselves.

It’s a brutal, high-stakes mission. One wrong move could cost her life. And as Saff descends into a world where pleasure and pain are literal currencies used to fuel magic, her mission becomes even more complicated by her growing connection to Levan—the tortured son of the Bloodmoon kingpin—and a prophecy that foretells his death at her hands.

That’s the premise. Now here’s why this book worked so damn well for me.

First and foremost: the magic system. Fantasy readers are spoiled for choice these days, and it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to world-building. L.K. Steven delivers one of the freshest and most intriguing systems I’ve read in a long time. Magic in this world is channeled through a wand and fueled by wells of personal energy that can only be replenished through pleasure or pain. It’s not just a gimmick—it shapes the culture, the economy, even the relationships between characters. Some use brothels and pain houses to top off their wells; others resort to self-harm or seek out combat. There’s a constant, simmering tension as characters manage this need, and it adds a raw, visceral edge to both the magic and the world.

And no, this isn’t some thin excuse for shoehorning in spice. While there are a few explicit scenes, the system is thoughtfully integrated into the plot. The way characters approach their magic tells you a lot about who they are, what they value, and what they fear. It makes for a world that feels truly lived-in, dangerous, and morally murky.

Speaking of moral murkiness, this book excels in portraying characters who live in the grey. Saffron is a brilliant example. She’s driven by vengeance, but her mission forces her into acts she never thought herself capable of. I loved her internal conflict—the constant push-pull between her desire for justice and the compromises she has to make to survive. She’s sharp, capable, reckless at times, but painfully human. There are moments where you’ll cheer for her and others where you’ll want to shake her. That’s how a protagonist should be.

Then there’s Levan. I wasn’t sure about him at first. Early on, he’s the epitome of a dark prince archetype: powerful, dangerous, seemingly untouchable. But Steven slowly peels back the layers. Levan’s trapped in his father’s empire, burdened by impossible expectations and haunted by trauma. His relationship with Saff is a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers done right. There’s tension, mistrust, and an ever-present awareness of the knife’s edge they’re both walking. Watching their dynamic evolve was one of the highlights of the book for me.

And no, this romance doesn’t take over the story. It enhances it. The stakes are always personal but never small. The bond between Saff and Levan complicates their choices without softening the danger around them. When these two finally come together, it means something because we’ve seen the full weight of what they’re risking.

Another standout element is the world-building. Steven gives us a city steeped in corruption, a place where detectives and criminals operate within a fragile, bloody ecosystem. The details are vivid—pleasure and pain houses lining the streets, underground networks of smugglers and spies, rival gangs vying for dominance. There’s a sense of history and depth here that makes every scene feel grounded. The author resists the urge to info-dump; instead, the world unfolds naturally as the story progresses.

I especially appreciated how Silvercloak handled issues of queerness and gender. This is a world where sexuality is fluid and queernormative, and it’s presented without fanfare or forced commentary. Characters of all genders and orientations populate the story naturally, and the culture reflects this. It’s refreshing, and it adds another layer of richness to the setting.

That said, this is not a perfect book—and it wouldn’t be an honest review if I pretended otherwise.

The first 20% is dense. The world-building is strong, but it takes time to orient yourself in the setting and magic system. I almost put the book down at the start—not because it was bad, but because I felt a little overwhelmed by all the new terms, names, and concepts. If you’re a reader who struggles with heavy front-loaded world-building, be prepared to push through the first few chapters. I promise it’s worth it.

Some readers may also find the tone uneven. This book straddles the line between dark fantasy and romantasy. At times, it leans hard into gritty crime thriller vibes—graphic violence, gang politics, brutal moral choices. Other moments feel more like classic fantasy romance, with swoon-worthy banter and longing glances. I personally loved this blend, but I understand why it might feel jarring to some. If you’re expecting one pure genre or the other, be aware that Silvercloak refuses to pick a lane—and that’s part of its charm.

I also had minor quibbles with the pacing toward the end. The last 20% barrels forward with huge revelations and action-packed sequences, some of which felt a little rushed. Certain character decisions—without spoiling anything—also felt like they were written more to set up the sequel than to serve the current arc. But honestly? When the rest of the book is this compelling, I’ll forgive a few rushed beats.

What I absolutely won’t forget is that ending. Holy hell. Steven knows how to deliver a gut punch. The final pages left me gasping—not because the twist was unpredictable (in fact, the book foreshadows it beautifully), but because it lands with emotional weight. The fallout from Saff’s choices is going to be massive, and I cannot wait to see how the next installment picks up these threads. The setup for book two is masterful. If you’re the kind of reader who loves high-stakes betrayals and emotional cliffhangers, this one delivers.

Before I wrap this up, I want to give a nod to the physical edition of Silvercloak. The ARC didn’t include the finished hardcover design, but the publisher’s note about teal stained edges, a designed case stamp, and full-color endpaper maps has me drooling already. This is going to be one of those books you want to display on your shelf.

To sum up: Silvercloak is an addictive, morally complex fantasy that manages to balance action, romance, and sharp world-building without losing its edge. The magic system alone is worth the price of admission, but it’s the characters—messy, flawed, heartbreakingly human—that will stay with you. If you’re a fan of books like A Darker Shade of Magic, The Bone Season, or even Throne of Glass (with more bite), you’re going to eat this up. Just brace yourself for the emotional rollercoaster.

I’m beyond excited to see where L.K. Steven takes us next. Book two of The Silvercloak Saga can’t come soon enough.

And again, thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and NetGalley for the ARC. It was a genuine privilege to read this one early. I’ll be shouting about it to every fantasy reader I know.

Silvercloak by L. K. Steven is a captivating fantasy novel that blends rich world-building, heartfelt character development, and a plot full of mystery, magic, and self-discovery. From the first page, Steven draws you into a world that feels both mythic and emotionally real, with prose that is lyrical without being overwrought, and pacing that keeps the story moving without sacrificing nuance.

I LOVED Our infinite fates so I was so pleased to see this coming out by the same author and wow, this is so good.
The first in a trilogy, the story follows Saffron, an orphaned mage and obsessive detective for the Silvercloaks who infiltrates an organised crime gang called the blood moons to avenge her murdered parents.
The world building and spell casting was done to perfection with magic fuelled by pleasure and pain. The plot was gripping and thrilling with lots of twists that surprised me-could not put it down! But the best thing about this was the characterisation. Such multi-layered characters who you go on a nail biting journey with. A slow burn, enemies to lovers romance too which was done really well.


Really enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC to review.

What a fun yet dark read. I felt like I was back in the Potter world for adults without the guilt that Potter brings right now. The mafia side of this was great. Revenge plots are my favorite!

Firstly, thank you NetGalley for a free eARC of this in return for my honest opinion.

Laura Steven has written an incredible book, first in the series and I was hooked from the first few pages. The magic in this is fantastic and I particularly loved that to fill your magical well, it could be by pleasure or pain! The world building is descriptive and beautifully written.

Now on to the FMC, Saffron, fabulous character with flaws, will do whatever she has to do to avenge her parents death when she was 6, including lying to get into the Silver cloaks, when her lies unravel she has the chance to redeem herself by going undercover in the bloodmoons, enter the main MMC, Levan, hard and nerdy at the same time.

This is one of the best books I have read this year and can’t wait for the next in series.

A very unique world and magic system. Fate, prophecies, wands and secrets. A detective story set in a fantasy world where magic is fuelled by pleasure and pain.
The premise is so unique and I had a great time reading it. There is a lot happening though, and to so many characters that you definitely need to keep up. A good imagination comes in handy for filling in the details that you don't get, as explaining every spell, introducing every character every time they return and other situation where there is a lot going on.
I read this over two months time, so I was definitely a little bit lost sometimes, but in the end I don't feel like I missed anything and I still had a great time reading it.
The ending was so good, and I am very excited to read the next book!

This book was not for me, I wished I didn't finish it as I could't care less because it was so slow and boring. It could have been so good because I was so sure from reading the synopses that I would absolutely love this book but I just didn't. I loved the other work of Laura Steven but this was just not it.
I would say that I love seeing a bit more unique words in the romantasies like these and I hope we'll get that more and more instead of fae and basic fantasy castles/woods stories.

when i saw the synopsis for this book i was so intrigued and as soon as i properly started it i got pulled in pretty fast. there was a few nights i even stayed up till 2am to carry on reading this book.

i think the magic system of pleasure and pain was unique and i hadn’t ever really read a book with that in so i really enjoyed that aspect i think it would be nice to have it maybe flashed out a little bit more as sometimes i got a little confused about what the spells were but it also didn’t bother me too much.

i really liked the fmc and mmc and the relationship between the two i appreciate that it actually took them a while to admit things for each other but even then it still ended up flipping and turning and it not being straight forward at all also special mention to rasso he is the bestest boy (wolf) :’)

i really enjoyed this book and i will definitely be looking forward to the other books in the series !


thank you to the laura/l.k. steven and publishers for sending me this arc

Thank you to NetGally and the author/publisher for an early copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This one actually sounded really cool. I was really drawn in by the premise and even the cover of the book too. Unfortunately it’s another YA disguised as adult which didn’t really land in this instance. There’s nothing wrong with the author wanting to branch out into adult fantasy but you can’t write a YA book and put some spice in it and call it adult. It had a lot of the YA flow that made it a little predictable.

The magic system is really unique but it doesn’t really get utilized with the story. It’s just there to explain and doesn’t have that much to do with anything (except for like one part).

There are a lot of elements borrowed from Harry Potter to the point where I was looking for them because it kept coming up so frequently.

The ‘spice’ is awkward and unnecessary and added nothing besides justifying this as adult. The romance is fine but the spice is gratuitous.

If you’re really into YA tropes you would probably really like this. But as an adult this was just fine. I doubt I will continue this series.

This is an example of a fantasy with romance that ticks the boxes without *feeling like it ticks the boxes.

Saffron (a perfect fantasy name, imo) is our FMC whose childhood and subsequent journey is shaped by a great loss and the need to right the wrong that turned her life upside down.

This world could be compared to Harry Potter with its use of wands, some folks have magic and some don’t, and the trope of found family at its heart. However this tale is set in a fully original world and has a clever magic system that’s more deeply explored than in HP. “Magical wells” are filled through pain and/or pleasure which is SO fascinating and original. That facet alone truly makes this book stand apart. And with the need to refill wells, we have a total acceptance and representation of queer love in multiple examples throughout the book.

We also have an MMC who is one of the truest examples of morally gray I have ever read.

Essentially, this book keeps you on your toes to the very end. It’s filled with true tension, real morally gray dilemmas and characters, a simmering romance that serves the story without overtaking it, and honest moments of “OH NO. WTF comes next?!”

Not to mention that ending/promise of the next book 🫣👀🫠

5/5 stars. Read it!!!

I saw the hype and the synopsis and instantly needed to read this. For me it didn’t live up to the hype but I still enjoyed it, it just isn’t one that’s going to stick with me. I loved the authors writing style, I found it easy enough to read but it took me ages to get into this and I almost considered DNFing as I was bored.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this! The writing was well done, the world building wasn't too hasty in making itself known, and the lore of everything was so well balanced. The magic system is refreshing to see in all it's whimsical wonderness. I love how characters are not just black or white in terms of morality, and have there grey areas. I really loved that there were high stakes that made the world a bit more complex. I can't wait to see more!

This was such a unique twist on high stakes, magic, betrayal, and enemies to lovers. There’s one thing that Steven’s does and that this time travel/magic plot line. I swear to god I will eat it up every time. When I thought I wasn’t invested, the story reinvested me!

Silvercloak is just one of those two feet in type reads. It was a bit hard to follow in the beginning because the world building was complex and the magic was DEFINITELY confusing at times. But stay the course. You’ll be heart broken and ruined at the end.

NetGalley ARC Review ✨✨

Silver cloak
By: L.K. Steven
Pub Date: 07/29/25

Saffron's parents were murdered by the Bloodmoons in front of her when she was a child. She became a Silvercloak so she could hunt down the killers and get her revenge.

When an undercover assignment means she has to join the Bloodmoons she knows this is her chance to avenge her parents. But things don't always go the way theyre planned.

Silvercloak is filled with magic, deception, slow-burn romance and so much more. This was a great read and I can't wait for the rest of the saga!

3.5 stars

Saffron's parents were murdered when she was a child. They were killed by the Bloodmoons, a vicious gang that will do anything to get what they want.

She lied about her magic to train to become a Silvercloak. She has to become a Silvercloak. Then she can take down the Bloodmoons and avenge her parents.

She almost succeeded, but her lie was uncovered. Now her only chance to be a Silvercloak is to go undercover and bring the Bloodmoons down by becoming one of them.

This was ok. I liked the characters. I just don't think it was good enough to stay with me. It's not that memorable. However, the last line was enough to make me want to read the next book. That was quite the ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for an advanced copy!

I absolutely LOVED Silvercloak, way more than I was expecting to. The first about 20% reminded me a lot of Blood Over Bright Haven, just in writing style and vibes. If you liked that book, you will probably also really like Silvercloak!! It was a great balance between world building and lore, along with a heavy, intriguing plot, and forbidden romance.

The story opens with Saffron, our main character, witnessing her parents being killed by Bloodmoons when she is only 6 years old. The Bloodmoons are the most notorious crime gang in the city. Fast forward, and Saff is almost done with her training to become a Silvercloak, the city’s detective unit. After her last test, she gets caught for having forged her way into the academy. Rather than facing punishment, she is sent on an undercover mission to infiltrate the Bloodmoon organization and take them down from the inside.

There is such a unique magic system in this book, which I really enjoyed. Wands and verbal spells are necessary to cast magic, and your internal well of power is refilled by pleasure or pain, which creates a very unique world as characters strive for these two sources.

Saffron and Levan are both very morally grey, and at times I deeply resonated with both of them and their dealings with trauma and grief. Sometimes, I was watching from behind my fingers as they navigated the difficult decisions they have to make. Their relationship adds a layer of complication to both of their roles. The ending, even though we kinda know what’s coming, had me shocked, and I need the next book now!!!

“You can either yield to grief, or you can use it.”

🪄 magic wands
🪄 morally grey characters
🪄 detective x crime lord’s son
🪄 bi representation
🪄 prophecy/fate
🪄 revenge
🪄 unique world and magic system
🪄 time manipulation

This was an immediate attention grabber with action starting right away. This book is 100% steeped in magic- wands, spells, and incantations everywhere by every character. Central themes are grief, redemption, vengeance, love, and that everyone is part good and part bad.

The world building is rich and complex, but not too dense- information is provided thoughout when it’s relevant. The pacing is fast, the tension is simmering, and the main characters are well developed. The action packed ending is perfect and sets the stage for the next book.

This is the first book in a while that captivated me fully, reading all day and avoiding responsibilities. I highly recommend this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Unfortunately I am DNFing this book at 19%. I am truly not liking anything about this. I don't think the magic system is interesting and I don't particularly care about the characters. Do I think this is a bad book? No. I just think this book is not for ME personally, and that's okay.

It was giving Harry Potter vibes at times so if you enjoy that, maybe check this out. I never liked Harry Potter, even as a kid. So unfortunately this was just not for me.

I am still grateful to have had a chance to read this early. I'm excited to see how many love this book upon its publication!

Before I read this book, I saw a review where someone had described this book as "Harry Potter crossed with the mafia", and I'd say that's pretty accurate, except I'd be more specific and say it's "the Harry Potter police vs. a single organized crime group".

The beginning does give off a strong Harry Potter vibe (and take that with a grain of sand, because I haven't read a single Harry Potter book, and I've only seen the first and second of the movies, but I get the gist.), in that there is magic, there are wands, and spells that they say and they shoot spells out of their wands.

The concept that their magic is powered by pain and/or pleasure is interesting, but it isn't the main focus of the story at all. That fact kind of sits in the background a bit, and is most prominent at the beginning and end of the book.

My main issue with the book was that it felt like a YA book, but with the F-bomb tossed in here and there, and some sex. It was a bit disjointed, and it seemed out of place. It would have been better as a full-on YA book (no swearing or sex), or a full-on adult book (more violence/spice). It sitting in the middle just felt strange for some reason. It might have been because of the Harry Potter vibe at the beginning, I was expecting it to be more YA, more 'younger audience', and for the most part it was, until a random F-bomb was dropped unexpectedly and it seemed so out of place, or the sex scene which wasn't bad, but all I could think was "This shouldn't be in a YA book". It's probably just me though. (After I read the book and found out that this was supposed to be the author's "adult debut novel" I was SO surprised, because the first 85% of the book read like YA to me for sure.)

Anyway, the story was interesting. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as Our Infinite Fates (which I LOVED!). Silvercloak didn't end on a huge cliffhanger per-se, but let's just say the way that it ended, I definitely want to read the next one! I think the next one will be even better, because Silvercloak really did the worldbuilding, and "setup" for what I think will be a really awesome series!