Wow this magic system was the best part of reading this book. This book starts off with the action right away. The prologue, even though is tragic, it gave a great backstory for Saffron, the FMC.
Then, diving into this world was really absorbing all the inner working of their magic, how pain and pleasure gives them more magic, how they require wands and chants for their magic. Next, is their history about timeweavers. I always love a good time altering magic. This magic systems and a bit of the setting gave me a lot of darker shades of magic vibes.
I very much enjoyed Saffron’s beginnings as a candidate to become a silvercloak just for her to go undercover with the bloodmoons, the group who murdered they parents. Levan was an interesting character, a bloodmoon, incredibly powerful but impenetrable, and very mysterious. Seeing Saf getting close to Levan for her undercover mission was intriguing and in some parts I was in the edge of my seat. This one is action-packed and the magic will just take you. Highly recommend if you like some high fantasy, complex plot with quite a bit enemies to lovers romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I loved this book, wow. I need to read more from this author stat. Just a very interesting world and magic system and great character writing.

Silvercloak is my fourth Laura Steven book so far this year and it’s only March. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. There’s just something about her writing that speaks to my soul.

This is such a great fantasy novel, it’s got everything I love, magic, animal companions, enemies to lovers and betrayal. Each chapter will leave you itching for more, making it hard to put this book down. I couldn’t stop until I knew what would happen!

This book was phenomenal and I cannot wait to see where this series goes.

That ending has been dying to see what comes next. There was so much revealed in the last few chapters and the tension between Levan and Saffron will be interesting to see what they will do!

- A romanatsy for adults
- Magic system
- Wonderful world building; and the characters move through a believable, magical backdrop including their histories and politics.
- enemies to lovers ... (then kind of back to enemies etc)

"I see you, Silver. For all that you are."

What's it about?

A fantasy world in which magic is fuelled by pleasure and pain.

Saffron Killoran has lied her way into the Silvercloak Academy (think law enforcement/order of detectives) with the aim of bringing down the Bloodmoons (think criminal gang) who ruthlessly killed her parents and destroyed her childhood.

At the last hurdle, the last test, Saff's deception is uncovered.
She is offered a choice. Get out of the Academy or go under cover into the enemies lair ... Right into the heart of the Bloodmoons and bring them down from the inside.

To play the part, she is branded and has to commit some heinous acts to keep her cover and get closer to the Kingpin's son. The same son that in a flash of a prophecy foretells his death at her hand.
But as she makes progress, and gets to know Levan, her feelings get entangled with her mission and it gets more difficult to keep up with her own web of lies.
Is Levan the monster he projects or a victim of a tortured past?

As the net closes in around the Bloodmoons, Saff's loyalties are put to the ultimate test.

Thoughts

As soon as I started reading I was swept up with the story and the characters. (Watch out for sassy Nissa, she's definitely a firm favourite of mine) - As I started reading I just had a feeling this was a five star read for me right off the bat.
Looking at Saff's character, it took me a while to warm to her. But her flaws and traits grew on me as we move through the story. She makes mistakes. And reflects on it. She starts off as impulsive but then she learns... and her actions become a little more reflective.
Levan was easier to like as more of his story was uncovered, but as with both characters, it was a rollercoaster of a ride as more revelations were unveiled.
I think all the characters were well written and each character had its part. There is chapter in which Saff is searching for a particular wand and she meets an owner of a wand shop. The interactions here were wonderful - and vivid.

World
The backdrop to the story is well described and the imagery rich. I felt that histories and politics of the land/ world were well placed - not overly done but enough to pique interest. I need a copy of the book as I would live to see the map for this world to support the images my imagination has conjured
Magic
A unique magic system, fuelled by both pleasure and pain, with different categories and welders. And because the magic is fuelled by both pleasure and pain this leads to the next point:
Spice
Yes, there are steamy scenes - which were well written and made sense between characters and storyline. I don't think these were over the top in any way. A little spice adding to the story but not the focus.

Overall?
A well written romanatsy/ fantasy with an adult audience in mind. Brilliantly executed and would probably satisfy readers of Sarah J. Maas.
Deserves plenty of hype.

With gratitude:
My thanks goes to the author L. K STEVEN, Del Rey Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is how villains are born…with the first installment of a painfully addictive, pleasure-filled saga.

When I first heard about this new series, it shot to the top of my TBR. When Laura made a post about how she came up with the idea while watching The Departed and it came from “what if The Departed had magic?” I knew that I would be impatiently waiting which is why I was checking daily for it to show up on NetGalley.

Silvercloak, to put it simply, was impossible to put down. Captivating characters, secret missions, and a complicated villain made me desperate to know what was going to happen next.

Saffron is a part of a world with such a unique and interesting magic system that even she doesn’t know the full breadth of. There are plenty of secrets throughout that make you question who to believe, especially when it comes to true motives. On top of all of this, it’s a queer-normative world which makes my little bi heart so happy.

I absolutely devoured this read and am so ready for the sequel.

She could unmake the world…
…and she could unmake the kingpin’s son.

Goodness, I enjoyed this book!

I started reading late at night and couldn't remember who'd written it, so at first I was reading thinking "wow, what an incredibly confident debut!" Then I stopped and checked the author and realised it was LK Steven. While she's a popular YA author, her writing has reached a brand new level with this adult debut.

My one bugbear is that the Bloodmoons didn't feel as well developed as they could be. Considering they're such a fearsome organisation with gambling houses and control of drug markets, it mostly felt like there were only five Bloodmoons. Even when Lyrian called a meeting of them all, it felt like a tiny little group of people and not the sprawling fearsome organisation you'd expect with real-life mafia or gang counterparts. It also seemed a little far-fetched that Levan, essentially the mafia prince, would be expected to mentor Saffron and be her main touchpoint for the Bloodmoons, rather than handing her over to someone of a lesser rank.

Saying that, whenever these thoughts cropped up, I shoved them away and got on with enjoying a great book!

Many heartfelt thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc!

I really enjoyed this fantastic Magic welding, spy work, revenge for family fantasy book. Granted, it took me a few chapters to not think of the Saffron spice when reading that the FMC’s name is Saffron, but I was easily enamored by the world, characters, secrets, and plot of this book. Highly recommended!

How am I meant to go about life after finishing this…
That ending truly had me contemplating my morals. And now I need to know what happens next!

•

Saffron’s future in the Silvercloaks (magical police force) is threatened after her deception is revealed, and she must go undercover in a secretive gang called the ‘Bloodmoons’ who are wreaking havoc across the country. (Continent? I was a bit confused without a map)

Set in an immersive world where magic comes from pleasure or pain, Saffron has to infiltrate their ranks and get close to Levan (the kingpins son) in order to get information to tear them down. - they were also responsible for her parents murder, 20 years ago. Possibly giving her the chance to enact her vengeance
•
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc
•
I think Laura does a wonderful job of tying magic systems to world building and the characters within this. Making the magic system one of the most unique I’ve read.

I loved the characters and found myself warming to Levan just as Saffron does throughout the book. Laura does a great job of humanising him but still keeping him morally grey. With the justification for his actions that gets revealed throughout, I think matches up perfectly with what we know about him.
And I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!

•

The ending for this book, truly had me sat contemplating for like 2 minutes. Would I make the same choices? Maybe? What are my morals in this situation?… who knows.

•

My only ‘critique’ of this book is that once inside the Bloodmoons I think we miss out on more development of them as a group. I didn’t quite understand how they worked in general. And I think that comes from only really spending time with a few of the characters. It would have been nice to see her interact with ‘lower level’ mages so that we could see the missions they were sent on or how scared they were of Levan and his father. As Saffron put on the face of not fearing them, it meant we in turn saw them as less of a threat than the beginning of the book.

That being said, this did not stop me from enjoying the book at all, just something I noticed during the middle section of the book :)

Now I need book 2 asap. Please and thank you.

Had high hopes for this and it felt like I was pushing myself to read this and was not enjoying it. Life is too short and if I am forcing myself to read something it’s not meant to be.

Wow, this book was addictive. The magic system was unique and fit with the world very well. The characters had so many layers that kept getting pulled back throughout the whole book. Enemies-to-lovers is also one of my favorite tropes so this one was well done; so much banter along side touching moments. So many different twists in this story as well; kept me on the end of my seat all the way to the end. Can't wait to continue this story.

My heart is still pitter-pattering after finishing this.

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Random House/Del Rey for the chance of reading this book - this is my honest opinion.

Two decades after the Bloodmoons brutally murdered her parents, Saffron Killoran infiltrates Silvercloak Academy, determined to bring them to justice. But when her deception is exposed, she’s given the chance to go undercover and dismantle the gang from within - if she can survive their ruthless world of power, pain, and pleasure. As rival factions close in and her forbidden feelings for the kingpin’s son grow, Saff’s carefully spun lies begin to unravel, forcing her to question whether vengeance is worth the cost of her soul.

I absolutely ADORED this book. The writing is beautiful, the characters are well-developed, and the magic system is so unique - based on pain and pleasure! The only thing I’d have liked more of is insight into the world’s politics, but since this is a trilogy, I’m sure we’ll get to explore that in the next books.

What I loved most about these characters is that not one of them is purely good or evil - they're all morally grey, each with their own flaws and ulterior motives. This book really explores how easily the line between right and wrong can blur when faced with adversity and the desperate will to survive.

Saffron is fierce - I absolutely loved her. Always thinking one step ahead, with a strong moral code… until she’s tested over and over again, and things spiral out of control. Since the book is told through Saff’s eyes, Levan is initially painted as a villain, and I kept wondering how I was supposed to root for them. But as the story unfolds, you do fall for him, for all his complexities. He guards his heart so fiercely that, when he finally starts peeling back the layers, you see the man behind the monster. And the fact that all characters are morally grey leave us with the question... who is truly the villain?

Saffron and Levan are made to hate each other. The tension is palpable, and as they begin to understand one another, they realise they have more in common than they ever imagined. It’s a delicious slow burn, with off the charts chemistry.

By the time I reached the end, I was breathless with all the plot twists. And that ENDING?? I need the second book now!

I dare say this will be in my Top 10 books of 2025!

I loved a lot of this book - fast paced, interesting world building and a lot of emotional pull! The book is INTENSE and DENSE. I feel like people who enjoy it will be VE Schwab readers, people who love Six Crows, etc. i did feel another round of edits to smooth out the writing style (sentence structure, word choices) would have been beneficial. It felt too scattered or rapid fire in some places..

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.