Silvercloak is the first instalment of the Silvercloak saga by L.K Steven. Saffron is an orphan who was raised by her uncles after the murder of her parents. We follow Saffron who is determined to join the Silvercloaks in the hopes of taking down her parents’ killers – the Bloodmoons. Saffron, due to her magical immunity is the only person that can infiltrate the Bloodmoons and we follow her story as she goes undercover to bring down them down. Refreshingly, Silvercloak takes place in a queer normative and sex positive world and has Bi main characters.

The novel has a very interesting world and magic system that I would have liked to explore in greater detail, but I expect future novels in the series will do this. The plot is okay, but what I expected to happen was more interesting than what did occur in the novel. There were several plot holes that may be explained in future novels but didn’t make sense in the context of this book. The pacing is great, and I was entertained throughout the novel.

I found the characters intriguing – Saffron is morally grey, and her love interest Levan is the villain. Saffron is focussed on the ends outweighing the means and takes actions that harm those around her. In the beginning of the novel, Saffron is meticulous and plans well before acting, while throughout the majority of the novel she is careless in her dealings while undercover. This created undesirable situations for herself and kept the plot moving but seemed at odds with who she said she was. Levan has one goal and will do anything to achieve it. Many of the characters are villainous but I found myself sympathetic due to their tragic backstories. The novel has greater focus on the characters and plot, rather than the romance, which I enjoyed.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Silvercloak, where L.K. Steven has developed an interesting world and magic system.

“I see you, Silver. For all that you are.”

I love a book with the following tropes!

⚔️ Betrayal
🖤 Found Family
⚔️ Enemies to lovers to ??
🖤 Mages
⚔️ Prophecies
🖤 LGBTQ+ rep

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, as I always go into a book blind. But what a pleasant surprise this one was!! I started and finished this in one day! I honestly couldn’t put it down 😍

This follows Saffron Killoran who loses both her parents at six years old to the unlawful and dangerous underground gang, the Bloodmoons. Fast forward to Saff joining the Silvercloaks to avenge her parents and bring justice to their murderers. She is tasked with an undercover mission to bring them down, which is where she meets the Kingpins moody and tortured son Levan Celadon, where she grows feelings for him and fights an internal war with herself to either betray or save him.

This gives Harry Potter but an adult version. I was immersed into the world from the get go and I never grew bored. The magic system was unique where it requires a mage to refill their wells with pleasure or pain.

Levan my man! He is my fave, though is anybody surprised I liked the tortured, brooding bad boy? 🤣 All he wants is someone to love him and not betray him! He gives touch her and die vibes and I am always down for that 😍

I actually really liked Saffron. Did she make some stupid decisions? Yes, she did. But she always tried to do the right thing by everybody, especially in the end.

I need book 2 now, as that last line of the book was not cool. I need to know what happens between them! 😭


Thank you so much for this ARC copy 🥰

Title: A Fresh Fantasy Debut Full of Secrets, Shadows, and Slow-Burn Tension

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

Review:

Silvercloak by L.K. Steven is a richly imagined debut that blends court intrigue, found family, and shadowy magic into a slow-burn fantasy that’s impossible to put down.

From the start, Steven’s prose is lyrical without being overwrought—easy to fall into, yet full of atmosphere. The world of Silvercloak feels tangible, with its cloaked factions, hidden truths, and morally grey characters. The titular Silvercloaks themselves are fascinating, wrapped in mystery and burdened by duty.

Our protagonist is both fierce and vulnerable, and her journey—rife with inner conflict and difficult choices—anchors the plot beautifully. The character dynamics are a standout here: layered, charged, and evolving with each chapter. The romantic tension simmers just beneath the surface, never overshadowing the central themes of identity, loyalty, and power.

The pacing leans a little slower in parts, but that serves to build a more thoughtful narrative that rewards patient readers. And when the twists hit, they hit—unexpected, clever, and satisfying.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely—for fans who love a blend of political intrigue, fantasy rebellion, and character-driven storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, this one isn't for me. I'm DNFing at 63%. I skimmed a lot of paragraphs. Everything felt too convenient and it was very info dumpy.

I wanted to love this, but unfortunately it fell short for me. I’ll try to give my honest pros and cons.

The opening scene was great! It almost felt like I had stumbled upon a long-lost Harry Potter book! But this is also where my issues with this book began—who is the target audience for this? Because it was all over the place: at some points reading middle grade, at some points reading YA…and then suddenly adult! I could hardly keep up, and it threw me off.

I didn’t really connect with our characters, and felt like many things were just so easy…I never really felt as if the stakes were high.

I really loved the magic system, and the spellwork style was so nostalgic for me I couldn’t help but enjoy it, but on the other hand I felt quite overwhelmed with information and world building, to the point I didn’t really feel fully in the story.

Such a shame as this one was a hugely anticipated release for me this year, but I am of course still super stoked to hear that so many people are loving it!

Such a strong start to the series! It has so much potential and I can't wait to see where it goes in book 2!

This was a great dark fantasy with a classic magic system and a new take on the mafia. I loved the twist at the end, but I did feel it had a few plot holes: Saff never checks that anyone’s dead, and never reacts to the horrors (though in fairness that’s a conscious choice), so I did feel a bit disconnected from her emotionally by the end of the book

I want to thank L. K. Steven and Penguin Random House Australia for allowing me to read this ARC!

Silvercloak was a fun ride with some good tropes. I got Harry Potter x Mafia vibes.. it dives into a unique magic system that I have not seen done before, fate & prophecies, political intrigue, lies and betrayals (and so much more)

L. K. Steven has done a great job creating these characters, and I appreciate an FMC who is not afraid to get their hands dirty and *somewhat* self-aware. Her writing and world-building were great, but it does feel like a YA developed fantasy. There are some mature tones and scenes (which is most likely why it is not YA), but personally, it fell short on the YA vibe however, I can really appreciate the work and craftsmanship that has gone into Silvercloak. I am definite;y going to be re-reading this one in the future as I would like to continue this series as I am curious to see what happens!

Silvercloak was good, i didn't love it nor dislike it, but found problems with the plot/characters that prevented me from rating it any higher . Silvercloak is a book i would still recommend and one i was still glad to read.

I am rating it 3.75 stars

Thank you again to Penguin Random House Australia and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this ARC