I really enjoyed this hook! I loved the worldbuilding and the politics, and loved the academy setting. The romance was top tier and the pacing was great. The ending definitely has me hanging for book 2!

Thank you so much Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for accepting my request to read and review Silver Elite by Dani Francis!

I saw this book labelled as a romantasy, dystopian enemies to lovers and I knew I needed to get my hands on this bad boy. I was feral for the Shatter Me series back in the day and hoped this would give me the same feeling but in an adult book. This book felt like Fourth Wing mixed with Shatter Me.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the characters. Wren was hilarious and badass and while she was certainly reckless, I found her compelling and entertaining. Her having to pretend she's bad at combat and such in the academy was hilarious. I ADORED ADORED ADORED Kaine with all my heart and need an entire book with him (maybe falling in love with Wrens best friend?). Even Cross was great, not just for the usual broody yumminess but his yearning for Wren. They way he would do anything for her. The sarcastic flirting and banter in this book was everything.

I think the author did a great job at keeping this longer book entertaining the whole way, and with an ending that truly had me needing book 2 IMMEDIATELY.

My only critique with this book were just a few things that I think did not make sense for the characters e.g. Wren fixing her scar so her bloodmark showed as a gesture. Yeah no. No. And Cross being chill with her being Daisy. Hm.

Otherwise. super super enjoyable read and I will definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out.

WOW. WOW. WOW.

Silver Elite is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a very long time.
It was so good that I'm almost speechless, I don't even know how to begin to explain how fantastic this book was. I'll try my best, but I honestly don't think I'll do it justice.

Silver Elite was compelling, intriguing, unique, tense, atmospheric, and a highly addictive read. I was hooked from the first page, I couldn't put it down.
I dropped everything to finish it, but I also didn't want it to end.
I loved absolutely everything about it. It gave me similar vibes to Fourth Wing, but it was still very different at the same time.
If you're searching for a series as epic as The Empyrean series, Fever series or A Court of Thorns and Roses, then look no further. Grab yourself a copy of Silver Elite, you won't regret it.

I loved most of the characters, especially Wren, Cross, and Kaine. There were plenty of love to hate characters too: Roe, Anson, and Kess, to name a few.
Wren and Cross are some of my favourite characters ever, not just in Silver Elite. They have sizzling chemistry, with a riveting enemies to lovers relationship that was a pleasure to read. Think Rhysand and Feyre, Mac and Barrons, Violet and Xaden.

Dani Francis is an exceptionally talented author, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next for this epic new series.

I very highly recommend.

5 well deserved stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Especially for fans of Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Karen Marie Moning, and Jennifer Estep.

Thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Australia, and Dani Francis for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Silver Elite had an exciting premise—psychic powers, a military academy, and a society divided by a toxic bioweapon—but for me, the execution didn’t fully live up to its potential.

The story follows Wren, a Mod hiding her powers, who’s forced into the elite Silver Block military program. There, she butts heads (and sparks fly) with her commanding officer, Cross. The setup promised a tense enemies-to-lovers dynamic and high-stakes secrets, but I struggled to feel fully invested.

The worldbuilding was intriguing, but often felt underdeveloped. I wanted more clarity on the mechanics of the powers, the biotoxin, and the social structure. There were moments where the pacing dragged, and others where major plot points felt rushed or conveniently resolved. The romance had potential, but the chemistry didn’t always land for me—it felt more trope-heavy than emotionally earned.

That said, I can see this being a hit for readers who love dystopian fantasy with a strong-willed heroine and morally gray love interest. Wren’s internal struggle was relatable, and the elite-training setting was compelling. I just found myself wishing for more depth in both plot and character development.

3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed this book enough that I went out and bought the physical book to finish reading, as I found the NetGalley format hard to read on.

I will say that I think this book was marketed perhaps a tad poorly, as I would more label this as a military romance within a dystopian world, rather than as a straight up dystopian, as the dystopian element isn’t fully engaged with or fleshed out enough to warrant the title.

The writing style was different and took some getting used to. One of my main issues was with the FMC’s inability to make a decision, or to question everything almost every single page.

Would I recommend it? I know some people who would enjoy it, and I know they’d probably be more the target audience than I am.

🌟3
🌶️2

Marketting for this, followed by the BookTok drama did impact what I expected from the story unfortunately.

⚔️Dystopian aesthetic
⚔️Enemies to lovers
⚔️Training program/military
⚔️Supernatural powers/abilities
⚔️Forced proximity
⚔️Opposites attract // literally on opposites sides of war

I entered into this story with high expectations, with it's supposed similarity to Hunger Games and Divergent etc. and found that the polical substance that I'd like to have seen in a dystopian was not fully executed. Perhaps since this is Book 1 of 3 things will develop further, but the world building didn't hit the spot. The romance element while steamy and fun to read, perhaps lacking in the justifications necessary to allow for buy-in for the opposites sides of the war element.

Certainly the book was entertaining, and fast-paced, it had predictable elements and tropes that are usual for this genre. The concept is good, and I may continue with the series in the future. I want to give it a chance again, ideally before everyone else has posted their opinions on it on socials 😓 That's my bad. I wanted to review this as fairly as possible none-the-less.

This had a really great foundation for a dystopian world but I felt like there was a lot left unexplored and unexplained. I really wish there had been a little more worldbuilding and focus on the political system.

I loved Cross! I will admit I did see the plot twist of him being wolf from the beginning, so that didn’t hit as hard as I had hoped it would. But I adore him so much.

I really enjoyed the ending. It was a great twist and I’m looking forward for seeing where the story goes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If Fourth Wing, Divergent, and The Hunger Games had a baby 👶🏼, it would definitely be Silver Elite 🩶 —and let me tell you, this little bundle of joy is a fun ride!

Now, before you ask, no, there aren’t any games as intense as The Hunger Games. But the tests to join an elite force? Intense vibes all around! Also by mentioning these other books, I am not saying this is necessarily as good or identical to, but gives 𝘚𝘐𝘔𝘐𝘓𝘈𝘙 𝘝𝘐𝘉𝘌𝘚!

“𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺.”

🙌🏽 The best opening dedication.

Set in a dystopian world, the story introduces us to a society where some people have developed psychic abilities caused by a biotoxin that nearly wiped out the population 150 years ago—abilities that, if discovered, could get you killed faster than you can say “plot twist.”

I freakin’ ate it up! I loved every minute of it. 😍 Was it perfect? No. Was it a literary masterpiece? Not quite. Did I enjoy it like I was at an all-you-can-eat buffet? Hell yes! I was so invested in Wren’s journey that I felt like I was right there with her, dodging primes & hiding my psychic abilities.

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴, “𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘰𝘷𝘦.”

Don’t let the hype scare you off—just dive in, soak it up, and enjoy the ride! This book is a delightful escape that’s not too heavy on the world building and doesn’t require overthinking; just grab your snacks 🍿🍷 and get ready for a thrilling adventure!

“𝘝𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳. 𝘕𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮.”

Thank you Penguin Random House and Netgalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. 🙏🏽

Firstly I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Australia for granting me the opportunity to read and review this title ahead of its release. As a reader, I truly appreciate these early opportunities to glimpse upcoming stories.

That being said, this book ultimately wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I had seen so many glowing five-star reviews, my expectations were understandably high. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed when the narrative quickly shifted toward what I would describe as an insta-lust romance, rather than the strong dystopian elements I had been hoping for.

Although the book is marketed as a dystopian fantasy, I personally felt it lacked the depth of world-building needed to bring its setting to life. I often found myself questioning the logic of the world wondering why society had developed such hate toward the Mods, or how the bio-toxin that wiped out humanity 150 years ago led to psychic abilities. These intriguing plot points were mentioned, but not explored in the detail that I crave in a dystopian world.

In my opinion what really let this book down was its marketing approach. Marketing it as a dystopian novel and comparing it to heavyweights like The Hunger Games and Divergent, set incredibly high expectations that were difficult to meet. I fear this may lead other readers to similar disappointment. I believe it would be better described as a military romance set in a futuristic world, rather than a true dystopian novel. My expectations going in definitely affected my reading experience, and I think a more accurate description would help readers find and appreciate this story for what it is.

While this book didn’t quite work for me, I can see its appeal for those who enjoy fast-paced romance in a futuristic setting and I would recommend it to those readers.

4.5 stars – Silver Elite by Dani Francis

This book was such a fun, addictive read! It brought me right back to my 2014 dystopian era in the best way.

While some parts were predictable, there were definitely smaller surprises that kept things interesting.
Wren was a solid lead—strong and determined without being over-the-top. I wanted more from Cross at the start, and honestly still do, but I have a feeling his story is just getting started.

This felt like a great setup for what's to come in the series, and I’m excited for book two!

I was shocked over how much I enjoyed this book and I think this is perfect for fans of fast-paced dystopian drama with a bit of nostalgia mixed in.

Set in a dystopian society with a division between Mods and Primes, Silver Elite follows Wren as she journeys through the training program for Silver Block, alongside a host of other characters that we get to know, including Cross Madden, the captain of Silver Block, and the general's son.

I'm incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to read this book as an ARC, however, I fear this book wasn't for me. The characters felt inconsistent with their motivations and purpose as I read the book, the romance distracted from the dystopian world building that I was looking forward to, and the dialogue felt clunky and cliched in parts, significantly enough that it pulled me out of the story.

I will always be a proud and loyal fan of the dystopian genre, but this book did not fall into that category for me, and perhaps the marketing of this book was its biggest downfall (compare anything to the Hunger Games & Fourth Wing and you've got a steep climb ahead of you).

Actual rating 3.75

I don't know how I feel about this one. I really enjoyed the first 30% on my kindle and ended up buying two physical copies (paperback and hardcover) and flipped over to reading the paperback because the formatting on the eARC was slightly off. I then got bored in the middle and wondered if the bookshop I bought my books from would exchange the hardcover for something else (because it would remain unread) but it picked up again in the last part which makes me want to keep both physical copies again.

The romance between Cross and Wren was a bit meh and I picked up the plot twist a mile away but I am intrigued to see where this goes.

Just to be clear, this is not an adults Hunger Games. Its supposed to be dystopian but it's more like Fourth Wing without the dragons...and depth. For a 500+ book, it was lacking in depth of world building and characters.

That being said, I will keep going with the series in hopes that this will pick up.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Australia and Netgalley for the eARC and because its been non-stop raining here which I am totally sick of, I have left an honest review

This book is literally Divergent for adults (if everyone was in Dauntless and Four was kinky), so as an OG Divergent fan, it was a huge nostalgia trip! I blitzed through it. I'm super excited to see this pave the way for some more NA Dystopia since it's a genre that always seems to captivate, with high stakes and a quick pace. As a romantasy girly, it was great seeing the romance be more of a central element in this compared to the classic dystopian stories, and the dynamic between Wren and Cross felt both familiar and new. It was like they took the fun elements of that trainer/trainee trope from similar pairings (Rose/Dimitri, Xaden/Violet, Four/Tris) and put a new spin on it with the Modified lore. They had entertaining banter, enemies-to-lovers tension, and, of course, delicious spicy scenes that won’t let you look at a desk the same way. Even though it was pretty obvious from the start who Wolf was, I still enjoyed comparing Wren's conversations with him vs Cross. One relationship gave us emotional depth, and the other gave us fiery chemistry, so when that big reveal came it was nice to be able to finally fuse the two and have a balance between the surface-level passion and their deeper connection.
I do wish we'd had a slightly more complex commentary on the dystopian elements of the setting. The worldbuilding was what to me felt weakest, and I think with just a little more time spent developing that dystopian backdrop and the intricacies of the societal conflict, it could have really pushed the story to the next level. That said, I do love a good turn-your-brain-off read where you can cruise through purely on vibes, and that's probably part of the reason I FLEW through this. The writing was easy to digest, and the characters were fun in that 2010s CW show type of way – lots of drama and messy decisions. On that note, Kaine was my favourite character! He was so great as the comedic relief, but he was also just a dependable friend and good support network for Wren when she needed it. Wren herself was a pretty badass heroine, though her arrogance drove me up the wall at times...when she complained about how hard it was for her to be bad at something, I had to roll my eyes. She did grow on me a lot by the end, and I’m really excited to see where she goes next after that bomb drop about her parents.
Overall it was a super speedy, fun read! It felt like a great blend of action and romance, and I can definitely see why it’s so hyped at the moment.

0 stars
This is one of the worst books I've ever read & probably the book that made me the angriest.

I’m going to say this once.
This is my subjective opinion and I am not trying to be convinced otherwise. If you loved Silver Elite, you likely won’t understand my criticisms or you won’t care and that’s fine. If you think I’m being a hater, you’re partially correct, but this book deserves to be torn apart because it is a prime example of a lot of the issues in the publishing industry. I received this book for free from the publisher (in case you were worried this is a paid review).
please note: there is discussion of sexual assault and consent under ‘romance in silver elite’ - please skip this if this topic may trigger or upset you.

Summary
Silver Elite is described as a ‘sizzling dystopian romance’ (yikes on bikes) about a future where the human race is divided into those with psychic powers caused by a biotoxin (known as Mods) and those without. The totalitarian government in power seeks to wipe out all Mods, unless they can use them for their cause.
Twenty year old Wren, a hidden Mod, is unwittingly conscripted in a military training academy, making it much harder for her to hide her abilities, but also giving her an opportunity to aid the Rebellion.
However her priorities shift when she meets the uber-broody-handsome-charming-mean-to-everyone-but-her commanding officer Cross. Obviously?
Silver Elite is NOT a dystopian, it is a (bad) romantasy with dystopian elements.

Shortly before release, the publisher shared a q+a with the author who, when asked what inspired them to write a dystopian book, they basically said they wished the YA dystopians they read when they were younger were spicy, so this is a "spicy dystopian".
The fact this author is reading dystopian fiction and thinking, “where’s the spice?” proves they have absolutely no business writing dystopian fiction. Dani Francis’ inability to engage with dystopian themes is evident on every single page. This is also on the publisher and countless industry professionals who read 500 pages of crap and said “yep, perfect”.
Context also matters!! Never in recent history has there been more real-life inspiration for a dystopian novel, in every corner of the world. This answer is giving “reading isn’t political”.

Marketing Issues
Obviously, Silver Elite should never have been marketed as a dystopian, and it wouldn’t be receiving anywhere near as much criticism as it is. I believe this was done to set it apart from the influx of romantasy books on the market currently that are literally carbon copies of one another.
Silver Elite is NOT different, it has the same tropes, the same cringey dialogue, the same immature writing and negelcted world-building. They did the bare minimum to sell this as a dystopian to use as a point of difference and ride the “world is falling apart” train without a drop of substance.
The publication of this book, *as a dystopian*, is honestly a failure of the publishing industry, and it is encouraging readers NOT to think critically about the books they read.
Context matters!! (deja vu?)
There are new book bans and education restrictions announced almost daily in the US. People writing and publishing books SHOULD care more now about what they’re putting into the world than ever. There is a literacy crisis occuring right now and your solution is: turn off your brain and enjoy it? no fucking way.
Silver Elite marketing latched onto the very YA dystopian phenomenoms it claims to be superior to (Divergent and The Hunger Games). Ironically, Silver Elite would not even qualify as an adult book if it didn’t have spice, but more on that later.
Outside of the publisher’s control, but the overwhelming amount of ARC reviews from romantasy girlies definitely gave people unrealistic expectations. Like any hyped release, this is also 100% fuelled by embellished ARC reviews by influencers, but you’re all not ready for that conversation.

Is Silver Elite even an adult dystopian?
Dani Francis really tried to tell us there was a gap in the market for adult dystopians, then proceeded to write one of the most YA dystopians I’ve ever read - but with sex.
This is an issue that, AGAIN, is prevalent in romantasy and fantasy romances labelled as adult. Silver Elite totally lacks the maturity, plot development, critical exploration of themes and complex characters expected by adult readers.
Despite being 20 years old, the fmc thinks and speaks like a 15 year old with the emtional maturity and decision-making faculties to match. Towards the end of the book, the plot comes to a dead-end and the only way out (apparently) is for Wren to do the stupidest thing possible. Because she’s a child.
I could name 10 YA dystopians off the top of my head with darker themes and more mature writing, not to mention any of the incredibly successful REAL adult examples.

Why Silver Elite fails as a dystopian
Wren’s discussion of the totalitarian government at work in Silver Elite extends to “people should all be treated equally!” and that’s it. Occasionally readers get a breadcrumb of historical context or the societal hierarchy, but there is no meaningful link to the storyline or characters.
The reason dystopians are not spicy/romance-heavy is because there are more important things going on. Silver Elite loses all credibility every time Wren forgets her grief, fear, loneliness, desire to rebel, etc. because a man is in her vicinity. Literally every male character is sized up by her, it reminded me of how men write women. The fact that she has convictions until she becomes aroused makes every single hardship trivial and unserious.
Dystopian fiction is the one genre you cannot “turn your brain off and enjoy”.

The Chosen One Trope
It is made clear early on that Wren is not like the other girls (Mods) but it’s not big deal, right? Idiot. Anyway, you know Wren is exceptional and can do things others can’t that give her advantages. This is ‘the chosen one’ trope which is pretty popular in fantasy.
This trope is the antithesis of a dystopian protagonist. Dystopian fiction is a cautionary tale, and it SHOULD hold a mirror up to the reader and say “how different is this world from yours? how many bad decisions away are we from collapse? what would you do?” and the, generally marginalised/oppressed/victimised, protagonist is there to say “you can change the world”. Just not in Silver Elite, unless you have an innate ability no one else does.
DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM?
A friend also made a really good point in our discussion of Silver Elite that this trope detracts from the importance of community movements in response to large-scale harm in favour of individualism, or a ‘hero’.

Why Silver Elite sucks in general
Even if you don’t judge Silver Elite as a dystopian, it still really sucks.
Wren is flaky, inconsistent, and really completely unaffected by growing up under threat of death. Every emotion the reader sees is momentary and transparent. No characters could be described as unique, or even important to the plot. They could’ve been shuffled and pulled from a hat every time a character was involved in a scene and I wouldn’t have felt any less connected to them.
World-building is minimal and relies a lot on other popular fiction to fill in the blanks. The dialogue was cringey* and the spicy scenes even more so.
There is no tension, stress, anxiety, because again, if Wren can’t focus on caring about anything then why should the reader?
I have so little to say because everything sucks
*the FMC uses the word ‘hellfuck’ 19 times - that feels important to mention

Romance in Silver Elite
Silver Elite is not an enemies-to-lovers/forbidden romance.
Silver Elite features a romance with an incredible power imbalance, and in real life, Wren would not be able to consent in this situation.
My criticism is not that this dynamic is featured, it is that there are exactly 0 conversations between Wren and Cross, or with the reader, about consent and how Cross’ position makes him a rapist. I know the “I read for escapism, it’s not real” girlies are gonna be chomping at the bit right now.
Just because Wren is attracted to Cross, does not change this fact.
Cross is not a morally grey hates-everyone-but-her MMC. He is the oppressor having sexual relations with the oppressed who is unable to escape the situation. This is not up for debate.
On a lighter note, Wren defs cancelled out Cross’ vote for Trump last election and lied about it.

If you're still reading, I love you and I really HATE Silver Elite.

Ummm…so A+ for effort. 😬 Like I’ll say one thing: it had its moments. Like I genuinely liked certain parts. But, no dystopian buildup whatsoever. The writing wasn’t finely tuned to fantasy more like your crappy romance reads. Which brings me to another thing: WHERE WAS THE TENSION, THE BROODING, THE BICKERING? The enemies-to-lovers romance. 😫So yeah….
3

𝓢𝓲𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓫𝔂 𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓲 𝓕𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓼
 
3.5 ⭐️

˚. ✦.˳·˖✶ ⋆.✧̣̇˚. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚, 𝑷𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑨𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒆𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 ⋆⭒˚｡⋆⋆ ★✧˚· .

: ̗̀➛ Dystopian romance
: ̗̀➛ Modified powers
: ̗̀➛ Enemies to lovers
: ̗̀➛ Political intrigue
: ̗̀➛ Training program
: ̗̀➛ Hidden identities
: ̗̀➛ Book 1 in new series
: ̗̀➛ 1.5-2/5 🌶️
 
✧.* “𝒪𝓊𝓇 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓃’𝓉 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝒶 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉, 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝒷𝒾𝓇𝒹. 𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎’𝓇𝑒 𝒶 𝒸𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒.” 🪽✧.*
 
╰┈➤ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼
Wren is a ‘mod’. Her psychic (and other) abilities make her an enemy of the state; her very existence is outlawed. When a careless mistake forces her to join the training camp for Silver Block, Wren realises she can help the rebel forces from within the enemies ranks. But first she must make it into Elite; the specialist group of soldiers that serve at the highest level of the company. Wren must conceal her new identity to fool everyone around her, including the leader of the Elite- Cross, or die trying.

⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺
 
There has been so much hype surrounding this series lately, that I had to pick up my ARC copy and see what the fuss was about. And while I really enjoyed this and think it’s a super solid start to the series, it wasn’t 5 star material for me personally.

Let me start off by saying this is NOTHING like The Hunger Games. Maybe a little like Divergent but the two are not even comparable. If you are like me and the Hunger Games is pretty much the only dystopian you’ve ever read I do think you will like this book. It’s a good place to dip your toes in. It’s pretty much 50/50 plot and romance.

I found the world building was a little simplistic for the scope of the story. I wanted more detail to everything, the history, the layout of the land, the major events that were mentioned, but they always felt a bit glossed over, in favour of the romantic half of the plot.

And I kind of wanted more from the romance too. The dynamic between Wren and Cross is so interesting on paper, both very strong, morally grey characters who are true enemies that have to work together, while concealing a secret. There are so many elements of the plot that should have made their relationship interesting, but it never felt much deeper than surface level attraction, or a few hot lines. There is a plot twist (that anyone with two eyes and a heartbeat could see coming from the first few chapters of this book) that perhaps could be used as an excuse to convince us of the strength of this relationship but it just wasn’t genuinely believable for me. Again, I needed MORE.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the characters. I can honestly say this is probably the only time I’ve ever read a book and ended up liking almost every character LESS by the end of the book 😅 but don’t get me wrong, I actually think this works well for the plot. These characters have to do things and make decisions under pressure that are frustrating but plausible.

Wren is a strong FMC, but she is impulsive and never stopped long enough to think things through before she went ahead and made a stupid decision, and I was confused by her loyalties. For a character that has had so much trauma handed to her by the very people she is meant to infiltrate, she was surprisingly easy to sway with the promise of sex.
I enjoyed some of the side characters too but my god were some of them frustrating at times. I would have liked Kaine’s character to be more comic-relief than cocky but I’ll take what I can get 😂

Cross started out strong for me and just fell flat by the end. He had some great moments 🥵 and some low ones (“I’ve been a very bad boy” should never again be printed in any book ever). He never truely felt like a ‘bad guy’ but also never crossed the line to ‘good guy’ either, he was just consistently balancing in limbo somewhere in between? His character had such potential but the author needed to commit to a personality and give us more. He needed to be more brutal, more morally grey but also more caring? Just more. Which brings me to my biggest gripe with this book, and something I think could have solved like almost all of my issues with Silver Elite-

THIS. SHOULD. HAVE. BEEN. DUAL. POV.

Even multiple POV. I honestly think it would have benefitted if this book if it was a little longer and we got to experience some of the events through the inner monologues of Wren, Cross, Adrienne, Kaine, Ivy, even Roe and explore their motivations.

What did I like? The pacing. This book has spectacular pacing. I was never bored, in fact this is the quickest I’ve read a book in…well a long time. The plot was entertaining and the second half was super strong, building to a crescendo of plot twists (some of which I saw coming and one I absolutely did not), and big events that kept me on my toes till the last page. There were a couple of times when I thought I’m really not sure where we go from here.

Dani Francis is not afraid to kill off characters and change your opinions. And honestly, that was refreshing. I know I said I liked every character a little less by the end, but like I also said, it WORKED for this storyline- there are so many conflicting interests and tricky situations to navigate and it made sense that we felt some ugliness towards all of them at some point or another. There is so much potential for character growth in the next couple of books 🤩

I also really liked our ending, I don’t want to spoil anything but I think ithe last third was very well written and super entertaining. I’m excited to see where this series goes next and will definitely be continuing.

⁺˚⋆｡°✩₊✩°｡⋆˚⁺

╰┈➤ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼

“𝑀𝒶𝓎𝒷𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓉𝒶𝓁𝓎𝓈𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃. 𝑀𝒶𝓎𝒷𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒻𝒶𝓉𝑒 𝒾𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝓈𝑜 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒹𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓈 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓃𝒻𝓁𝓊𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒸𝒾𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝓌𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒.”

“𝑀𝒶𝓎𝒷𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝓊𝓃𝒹𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒶𝓁 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒿𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓌𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒶𝒹𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝓉𝒶𝒾𝓁𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓎. 𝐼𝓉’𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓃𝒶𝓋𝒾𝑔𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝒸𝑒𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝓊𝓇𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉. 𝒲𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔𝑒 𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓌𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝒽𝑜𝑜𝓈𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝒸𝒽 𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒶𝓈 𝓌𝑒 𝒻𝓁𝑜𝓌 𝒶𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒾𝓉.”

𝐼 𝓌𝑜𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝓊𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑒. 𝒲𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓎 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓁𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓉, 𝑜𝓇 𝒾𝒻 𝐼 𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑜𝓌𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒽𝒶𝓅𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒾𝓃𝓎.

“𝐼 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝒾𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝑜𝓃 𝓅𝓊𝓇𝓅𝑜𝓈𝑒. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝓁𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈.” “𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑒𝓁𝓅𝓁𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒲𝓇𝑒𝓃.”

oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh. THIS BOOOOOOKKKKK I need more I’m craving more I want more!! This dystopian/fantasy read was so so much fun and exciting! Thank you to Penguin, Dani and Netgalley for the digital arc! This book reminds me of a few things not in a copying way but if you’d like these parts you’d certainly like Silver Elite. First, the Districts from the Hunger Games. Second, the powers from The Darkest Minds. Divergent lots of divergent and honestly I think it could be the next big series! The tropes in this book include forced proximity, slow burn, it’s been described as enemies to lovers but I’d say rivals? And girl the tension between the MMC and our FMC, “It’s getting hot in HERE”. Majority of my comments on my kindle were “lord have mercy”, “SCREAMING, CRYING”, “Giggling” you know the usual haha. I really truly loved this book and it honestly took me back to my 2014 dystopian days but the writing fits my age today.

I’ll be making a post in the coming days on my socials because this book is too good not to share with the world!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I literally just finished this and I cannot put into words how much I loved Silver Elite.”

Tropes:
🕊️Enemies to lovers
🕊️Psychic powers
🕊️Forced proximity
🕊️Hidden identity
🕊️Military rebellion

Dystopian fans, prepare yourselves. Silver Elite throws you into a fractured world where power means survival,and being different can get you killed. Wren’s hiding four deadly psychic abilities, but when she slips up and ends up in enemy hands, she’s forced into their elite ranks under the command of the maddeningly irresistible Cross Redden.
It’s high-stakes, high-tension, and absolutely addictive.

This book consumed me. If you’re craving that Divergent grit mixed with the Fourth Wing-level feels, this is your next obsession. Trust me - go in blind and buckle up for the ride.

@authordanifrancis @penguinbooksaus

Holy heck this book 🤯

The world building is fantastic. Wren is highly likeable despite her reckless behaviour. The slow burn relationship and tension was spot on and the chemistry undeniable. There was a twist that I figured out earlier on and was delighted to see it come to fruition. At no point is this book slow moving or boring, I didn't want to put it down. I'd highly recommend for anyone who loved other series like Divergent or Shatter Me. I will be waiting impatiently for book two to come.

I get the "hellfucking" hype, I ploughed through this. It was a fun read. Engaging right from start to end that I could not put down. Definitely a must read for all those who loved Divergent and The Hunger Games. The slow burn is everything you want it to be with intense tension and desire. Our FMC is extremely reckless - sometimes we love this about her and sometimes we definitely don't. The last ten percent will have you spiralling with her actions and all the questions we need answers too.

She's a bingeable read and I recommend going in blind.

In this dystopian romance the continent is divided. We have Primes and Mods, Primes are your average human (immune to a biotoxin that nearly wiped everyone out) and Mods, who are basically modified humans (who were enhanced by this toxin) giving them variations of different psychic abilities. The Primes ultimately want to wipe the Mods out.

This is set in a futuristic world which I'm literally terrified will come true one day where people's fingerprints are their digital ID, they are basically enslaved to those who rule and they have to earn credits to enjoy any luxuries or travel. True freedom doesn't exist.

Interested to see how the next two books play out! I will definitely be reading them.

- Dystopian Romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Hidden Identity
- Slow burn
- Psychic powers
- Forced Proximity
- first book in trilogy

Spicy Chapters: 32, 37, 42, 45, 48

"If you're not productive, you're destructive"

"A dead General doesn't dismantle the system. If you want to enact change, you need to do more than just take out the leader. You need to deprogram the minds. Root out the ideology."