This is one of those books that you fall in love with from the very first page, and don't get bored for a single second. Silvercloak delivers in every aspect. A thrilling plot that made it impossible to stop reading? Check. Beautiful whimsical prose that was nostalgic yet dark and fresh? You got it! A solid and unique magic system? Yep. A morally grey fmc and mmc? Yessssss.

Interestingly enough, the romance was the thing that left me the most on the fence - undecided whether to root for them or not. And in a way, this made the book even more enjoyable. Sometimes it's nice to read a romantasy that doesn't make the romance so obvious - but instead leaves you questioning not just "will they won't they?" but "should they?"

And BOYYY that ending. Honestly one of the best closing lines in a book. Give me the next book please Laura!!

I wasn’t the target audience? I was from the cover art expecting dark gritty fantasy police type adventure? Not the kind of not super appealing romance. I didn’t hate it, I didn’t love it. Good start with the tragically murdered loving parents. But it didn’t quite mesh with the romance part of the story for me. I’d still try another book by this author. It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t quite work for me.

I absolutely loved this book! If you want a magical world with wands and curse slinging, snag this book! It's rekindled that love of magic I had as a kid, but re-imagines it for an adult audience. Because magic is fueled by pain and pleasure, there is so much raw emotion explored in this story. What lengths would you go to for those you love?

I was captivated by this world and completely immersed. I haven't read a book like this in so long! The writing is beautiful, and the magic system functions extremely well! I've read recent books with clunky magic systems, so this was a breath of fresh air! L.K. Steven is an auto-buy author for me! 5/5 you need to read this!

"Six years of silence, a lifetime of grief."

Silvercloak follows Saffron attempting to become a Silvercloak to avenge the death of her parents by the Bloodmoons when she was a child. She ends up undercover within the Bloodmoons organization and what ensues is pure magic, deception, and the start of a tender love.

This sort of felt like the movie Lawless but with magic.
Like the Silvercloak and Bloodmoons were rival street gangs constantly at each other's throats.

The world building was rich and expansive without being overly wordy. It was fascinating learning the magic system and how it was entwined in every aspect of their lives. To upkeep their well of magic with pain and/or pleasure.

I think the presence of nearly constant fear and grief throughout the story truly set the tone for Saffron's mission. You never knew the motives for such horrendous acts and when the facts started coming to light, it was hard to reconcile what I wanted for Saffron and what was right.

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

I know this is a complete nonsense review because I do not want to spoil anything for y'all 😭

Over all, I enjoyed Silvercloak. I'm really excited to see the what happens next and the ramifications of a certain sometimes revelations 👀

Thank you Del Rey, LK Steven, and NetGalley for the earc. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I was instantly sold by the “Harry Potter” meets the mafia vibe of this story and I was happy to see that the magic system did not disappoint! I loved that things hit the ground running in the beginning and sucked me in right away.

The wands and magic almost felt nostalgic but I really enjoyed the darker twist on the magic and the intentions behind it. Some aspects felt a little YA for me, but overall this was an enjoyable read with a really unique premise.

When I heard about this book, I definitely had one of those "shut up and take my money" meme moments. I NEEDED it. So, being given the opportunity to read this early was a dream come true and the experience definitely didn't disappoint. I really, really enjoyed this! This book kept me awake well into the night, flipping pages at the speed of sound. The magic was really interesting, and the world was complex but layered in a really compelling way. The characters felt real and their banter/conversation felt earned and organic, which made the story come alive even more. I was HOOKED! I even pre-ordered my own physical copy because I enjoyed this so much. I absolutely cannot wait for more from this author.

I have absolutely no words for how much I loved this book. I stayed up way later than nI should have an I still cannot get over the sheer perfection that was SIlvercloak. L.K. Steven has written my first 6 star read this year.

From the intricate world building and the magic system I have never read anything that was so intricately woven with so much depth and information that had me wanting more. Levan and Saffron…the ABSOLUTE tension aspect and the enemies to lovers was just a chef’s kiss to the book.

Without going into any other detail only that you must read this book and it is absolutely divine is the only answer.

Thank you so much to Del Rey as always for your amazing books but especially for this widget!

A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

🩶🩶🩶HAPPY PUB DAY!! 🩶🩶🩶
Silvercloak by L. K. Steven

Did I go straight to my local bookstore today to pick up a physical shelf trophy copy of this book?? I absolutely did! #Silvercloak is already on my TBR list to reread!!

One book with magic and undercover in the mafia and prophecies! This book was such a wild and wonderful ride!

What really stood out to me was the incredibly unique magical system where power is restored by pain or pleasure. I know my head when there too 😉 but honestly it’s not in an over the top way. Even something as simple as a warm mug of hot chocolate can be enough to recharge your magic. I was obsessed with that detail!

I loved the MCs! While Saff does have something special about her (no spoilers!), it doesn’t make her the most powerful or flawless mage out there. She makes mistakes, doubts herself, and sometimes feels like she’s completely in over her head. Leven is dark and twisted but we also see a softer side of him that makes him so complicated. Even as the villain he has a code and morals and he’s not evil just for evil sake.

And THE ENDING?! The last line cliffhanger and epilogue have me fully in a chokehold. I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here!

As always thank you to Del Rey for the ARC!

“This is how villains are born”

Damn that sentence hits like a ton of bricks
The last chapter is relentless, one gut punch after the other and yet you can’t stop reading it!!!

Saffron was just a child when her parents were murdered in front of her by a brutal gang. They wanted her mother to perform illegal magic and were willing to kill to do it.

Years later, Saffron finds herself agreeing to go undercover in that very gang.

I don’t know how they managed to write a blurb for this because I’m struggling so hard not to spoil anything! 😂

All I know is my heart is in my throat, my stomach has dropped to my toes and my mind is blown, so just read it!

This was ok as far as romantasy goes. Saffron was an interesting protagonist and the plot was entertaining enough, but I didn’t vibe with the magic system, too many concepts were thrown around and it ended up being too much. The romance was ok, not the best, not unique, but it gave the story its flavor.

If you’re looking for a casual romantasy story to keep you entertained for a while, I’d definitely recommend it.

Silvercloak had all the ingredients to be something special—a gripping prologue, an intriguing magic system rooted in pleasure and pain, and an evocative world filled with atmosphere, depth, and danger. The main character’s unique immunity to magic added an interesting edge, though her unique form of magic leaned heavily into the “special girl” trope we've seen before. As the story unfolded, it began to feel a bit too familiar, echoing character dynamics and plot beats we’ve met many times. The steam is there, but the relationship with Levan wasn’t unique. That said, the cliffhanger left me curious, and I’m still intrigued enough to see where it goes next—even if my early hopes weren’t quite met.

Thank you for gifting me this arc!! 🥰🧙‍♀️

It took me a bit to get the this book, the build up took a bit for me. About 20/30% the way in I was sold.

Magical Mafia, unique magical system based on pain and pleasure. The FMC I would say she’s slightly morally grey.

Saffron waited her whole life to be able to get revenge on the group that killed her parents and get the chance to go undercover into the group to bring them down.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This was a great debut! L.K. Stevens has a great way with words and a great way in writing a detrimental relationship. I love the plot and the magic system so I am so ready for the next one.

It was really giving a magical mafia situation and the ending will leave you shocked!

An absolute adrenaline rush of a time.

I started this book a little while back, but it fell by the wayside because I needed to finish other books first. But once I truly dove in at around the quarter-way mark, I couldn’t stop. This book is fast-paced, featuring a compelling heroine, a morally complex love interest, and an intriguing magic system. I ate it up.

I will say I’d probably put Saffron in the morally gray category as well, especially by the end.

And you know what? I love it. I support women’s rights and women’s wrongs.

The epilogue? Yeah, there’s no doubt the next book is going to be rife with angst, yearning, and betrayal. I can’t wait.

I keep seeing this pitched as “the next big Romantasy”. I’m really tired of publishers using that as a tagline to promote books. So let me set the record straight Silvercloak is not a Romantasy, it is Harry Potter meets Peaky Blinders.

And let me tell you this was an intense book from beginning to end. The opening scene alone reminded me of Voldemort coming to kill Harry’s parents. From that point on the book doesn’t let up and you better just buckle in and enjoy the ride.

As heart breaking as that prologue was, it truly gave you a good indication on how it was going to shape our MFC. She will not stop for anything in her request for revenge. Even if it means going undercover to take down her enemies from the inside.

Now even though I loved our FMC at times I did wanna shake her a bit. Like ma’am you joined the “mafia” now is not the time to question morality.

Even with that said I still highly enjoyed this book and would 100% recommend it. The action is intense, the world building is masterfully crafted and the magic system even though similar is still unique. Lastly big thank you to Random House Publishing & NetGalley from providing me and ARC to read and review.

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. 📖🖤